Frittata Monday

So, it turns out rice cookers are not just for rice. Do you know what you can make perfectly in a rice cooker? That's right! Frittata! I just made one for my lunch this week and it came out beautifully. I'll be experimenting more with using the rice cooker as an oven.

Today didn't end up being what I wanted, but it was a great day. I was so excited about going to the fabric market and getting started on some projects, but when I woke up this morning I discovered that while my cold was a whole heap better (thanks to doctor mirror head???), I've pulled a muscle in my back. Probably when I carried the chest of drawers from the trash with Andy. BTW, they are awesome and I have BIG BIG plans for them. So, I didn't go to Seoul - hours on a train with a spasming back didn't seem like a great idea.

Instead, Andy (who took the day off work to do stuff with his building) came with me in the afternoon and helped me get my phone hooked up and my bank account sorted. I also got paid today! So now I've got a phone, a bank card, and money to spend - life is just a little bit simpler now.

Yesterday I made an appointment at the hairdresser in Dongtan that someone recommended to me. On Monday I will be getting a perm! Awesome and true. The totally lovely hairdresser trained in NZ, and when I told her where I was from she gave me a huge hug and we talked about Auckland a bit. She was so, so, so nice. I'm really looking forward to going - and I've seen the results of what she can do, and I'm keen to give it a go.

I've also signed up for a beginners hike on Saturday on a very easy trail south of here and by the sea. I was feeling like it was time to get out and get going with life in Korea, so here I go.

The craft will just have to wait a couple of weeks. But those drawers are going to be so much fun :)

Surprise on a Sunday

It's Sunday today and my cold is feeling not so bad. Either it's just not a truly awful cold, or the weird experience from yesterday was actually beneficial. Either way, I'm having a good day today. I started off with a lovely chat with mum, on Skype. It was so nice to see her and hear about what's going on at home. They recently got stranded in Vanuatu for nearly five days, so she had some stories to tell :D

After that (and playing the computer a while), I decided to go for a walk. I checked the mail on the way out and my ARC has arrived! So, tomorrow = credit cards and cellphones! Woohoo! I also checked the rubbish pile for promising looking furniture to redecorate and there's a mid-sized chest of drawers out there I want. Hopefully Andy will help me get them when he gets home. I'm not sure quite why, as the stuff is in fine condition, but there's just something vaguely shameful about taking things out of the rubbish. But, I have plans for these drawers. I'm going to a huge fabric and craft market/centre tomorrow in Seoul, and I've got about three projects in mind to buy for. I'm excited!

But, my biggest surprise came when I decided to explore the complex where I live. I've only even walked from the entrance to my building (there's a few different buildings - 5 or 6? Any way, I walked in the other direction around the parking lot and came across a dirt path leading through some farm patches and up onto a hill. I walked up there along a really pretty little trail and eventually came to a flat, mown area with benches, exercise equipment, and a wee pagoda. It was lovely! There was sun and sky and grass and trees. Very nice.

I was planning on going hiking this weekend, but who wants to go hiking with a cold? So, while this wasn't 'proper' hiking, I'm going to count it :)

Sick on a Saturday

Hey everyone,

maybe not a big update today because I have a lovely Korean cold :( I'm not happy about it, but at least it explains why I was so tired on Thursday! Speaking of Thursday, Andy and I went to the movies to see 'Oz', but they'd stopped showing it (silly us for not checking), so we went to see 'Warm Bodies' instead. I wasn't sure what to expect, I'd only heard a little about it and knew that it was something about falling in Love with a zombie. Which sounded improbably and gross. The movie was fully predictable, but I actually really enjoyed it. The style of narration really tickled my funny bone, and I thought the zombies were hilarious. I wasn't super keen on the female lead - just reminded me of a blond 'Bella' from Twilight - but I did like the movie. It's a book too, so I might read it and include it in next semester's Film and Literature class if I get to keep teaching it as an elective.

Friday was just me getting sick, nothing very interesting there. Today, although I know I'm just sick with a cold, Andy was REALLY pushing for me to go to the doctor. Here they just pop off to the doctor or hospital for the tiniest thing, so although I felt stupid, I went on the off chance they were on to something and could make me feel better. They couldn't. The doctor didn't even diagnose me with a cold, he said I has allergies. Well, that *might* be true, but you tell me what allergies follow the common cold progression of tiredness and rundown, sore throat for a day, then moving into sinus pain, body aches, and a runny nose. Feels like a cold, looks like a cold, but it's allergies? Hmmm. But the interesting part is:

Andy wanted to take me to an ENT specialist doctor. I usually got to the clinic in Lotte Mart because they speak great English, are fast, and have been pretty good in the past. But, I'm mainly going to shut Andy up and investigate this wonder of Korean cold prevention he says is possible. The specialist speaks no English and is sitting at this scary workstation covered with tube, probes, suckers, sprayers, tongs, and God knows what else stuff. He's actually wearing a lighted head mirror like an old fashion doctor picture. 

Yup, it was just like that. No kidding. Anyway, he was just sitting patient after patient in this chair, poking them, spraying their throat and nose, and sucking with a tube up into their noses, and looking in their ears if they had ear problems. Right in front of the next few patients to be seen. I was totally not keen about this sucking nose business, but I saw a few little kids get through it calmly, so I thought it couldn't be that bad.

So, my turn comes. No one even tries to speak to me, just to Andy. He tells them what's wrong with me, and the doctor begins. He looks in my throat and sprays it with this, what I guess was, antibacterial spray that just about makes me gag, then looks up my nose, but the passages were too swollen, so... he sticks a metal rod up each nostril with a cotton bud on the end of each. Not just up my nose, but right up all the way back into my head. No warning and I just about panicked. They then make me get out of the chair and I have to sit the for a few minuted while he sees another patient with these things up my nose so far I'm almost swallowing them. Andy says not to talk, so I just sit there trying not to freak out and cry, with sticks up my nose. 

Then the doctor puts me back in the chair, removes the sticks, puts a sucker tube in their place (which doesn't seem to find much to suck despite my aching sinuses), asks Andy if I'm allergic to anything, sprays me some more, and gives me a prescription. I then have to spend a minute an a special room inhaling some steam, and then I'm done. Phew!

I went and filled my prescription for a bunch of colourful pills and recovered from my harrowing ENT Korean experience. I've since taken one lot of pills and can't say I feel any better at all. Probably because he's treating me for allergic rhinitis and not the symptoms of a common cold. So, while all the was pretty cheap - even considering I don't have my healthy insurance yet - I'm not convinced it was at all effective. I'll give the mystery pills another couple of doses, but tomorrow I'll probably just got the pharmacy and get something with pseudoephendrine in it and call it good. As was my original plan before Andy decided I simply MUST see a 'specialist'. Which was nice of him, but probably a waste of time. And scary.

One great thing today - I discovered a new food that I love! It's steamed rice bread. It's a lot like pandan cake, but a bit denser. I bought some to try after a small sample in Lotte Mart. I'd always wondered what it was, but never tried it. And now I know - it's delicious (but bland, don't get too excited here) gluten free cake/bread! Yum!

Not much on a Wednesday

On Saturday night, I went to the most amazing buffet restaurant ever in Bundang. It was huge, really expensive, and the food was great! However, I think it made me sick :( On Sunday I got a really weird sore stomach and ended up sleeping for almost four hours in the middle of the day instead of going to see the 'Oz' movie. Nothing ever came of the stomach pains, but they hung around a little on Monday and Tuesday, and I'm still feeling a little tender today. I'm just going to eat some home made food for a few days and see if that helps.

What else is going on? Not that much, really. I'm waiting for my first lot of pay next Monday, then I can do some thinking and planning. Work is going well - I feel like I'm still floundering around a bit, and my teaching could really use some polishing. When I get paid I might subscribe to this teaching magazine I like - there's always lots of good information in there.

Living is fine. Andy is getting less annoying, but he still has boundary issues. He's definitely improving though. However, I think that when I do move, it might be alone. Yeah, it will be lonely after living with a friend who wants to spend all his time with you, but it's very difficult to motivate yourself to go and make other friends when you've got a nice, easy one waiting at home.

Ok, that's all - nothing very thrilling :) I'd like to go hiking this weekend and take some photos, so you can maybe look forward to that :)

Update on a Sturday

So, I've been hard at work and super exhausted for the past couple of weeks! I've been getting the hang of things at work, which has really taken a lot out of me, but I've been having a lot of fun, too. I can't remember all the stuff that's gone on in the last little while, and I can't be bothered trying to write a massive update post anyway :) So, here's the highlight reel!

I've been really enjoying teaching and have some lovely students in my classes. So far it's been easy to get students to participate and everyone seems polite and pleasant. The same goes for the people I work with - everyone is always keen for a chat, or to help out of give advice. It seems to be a very positive and supportive environment thus far - which is awesome. It feels fantastic to be teaching again! My skills definitely need some improvement though. However, I have to keep reminding myself to just relax and let myself settle in before I start trying to become 'super teacher' - otherwise it'll all just become too much.

In terms of non-work things I spent the day out in Seoul with Negative Nathan last Saturday. He got WAY too negative for my tastes and, in fact, is a truly strange individual who I'm not that keen on spending the whole say with alone again. Life is hard enough without adding more negativity to the mix, in my opinion.

I've eaten at home for 4 of the past 6 evening, and packed my lunch for work each day - which is not only healthier, but better for my money! 

And last Sunday I spent the day decorating a chair I found in the trash area of my building. It was in fine condition, so I "pimped it" :D I'm happy with the outcome, from a technical point of view, but I don't really like the colours or patterns I ended up with. Considering I had no idea what I was doing, I think it was a great first project, though.

'Rubbish chair'

Pimped chair

I also picked up an awesome picture frame with no art in it just begging to be filled with something amazing. I just haven't found the right materials yet.

First day of work Tuesday

I was pretty nervous about my first day of work most of the weekend. While I managed to sleep well, I was fairly tense this morning. Andy has his foot operation today and wanted to drive me to work, which was nice – but actually took longer than the bus :D

So, I was anxious about work, but once I got to the university I felt fine. I got in, did some desk work, chatted to a few people, and was sweet as. Then I got a class list for the one class I was teaching today and it had one student on it. One! I’d prepared a lesson plan which consisted primarily of group activities, so I scrambled to put together a one-on-one conversation class. I got that done, and found the right classroom, only to wait half an hour and have no student show up! So, that’s two lesson plans I did and then never needed. I’m not sure if students will transfer into the class or if it will be cancelled or what. So, my first day was really anticlimactic!

I’ve been working hard all day though, and have gotten lots of my classes syllabuses sorted. I’m feeling much more comfortable with the whole thing. I’ve still got more work to do, but I’ve got it under control.

A very pleasant day at work – everyone is very helpful and nice. Now, just got to get the teaching underway.

Looong weekend Monday

Today is my last day of freedom before I start work. I've spent most of the day trying my best to plan a couple of syllabuses and not screw them up too badly. I keep reminding myself that I've never done this before, so I need to cut myself some slack. It's not going to be perfect, no matter how hard I work. Although I had a great orientation on Thursday, one day can't really give you all the info you need, or let you know what's really expected in a new work place, so the next couple of weeks are going to be a big learning time for me! I'm very nervous about it. I've got a couple of fall back lessons planned, though, in case something unexpected comes up - things I've taught before, so I'm familiar with that at least.

This weekend has been a long one. Friday was a public holiday, so Andy was home from work. We went into Seoul for the day and went to Costco, the huge Lotte department store, and a coffee shop that he kind of wants his building to look like. For dinner we went to a 'juk' restaurant - which is Korean rice porridge. I liked it, but it was extremely bland. I think I liked it mostly because of how warm it was and it's been so cold here. But, the weather forecast is predicting 20C by next weekend! It's not even 10C today, so that's a big jump. I'm hoping it happens!!

Beef and mushroom juk at 'Bon Juk'

On Saturday I did a bunch of work in the morning, and Andy went out to work on his building. In the afternoon I went for a huge walk and bought some much needed stationary. Not very exciting, but fun all the same :) Andy was pretty late home, considering he'd asked me to wait to have lunch with him and he wasn't home until about 2pm, so he took me to a traditional Korean restaurant for a late lunch. Sadly, the food wasn't that great, but it was a good experience.

Me (looking a bit tired) and a bunch of Korean food

Then, on Sunday I was supposed to be meeting up with Nathan in Seoul, but he missed his flight back to Korea from Thailand and only got in late Saturday so our planes got a bit messed up. So we rescheduled for next weekend, and instead Andy and I went to the hot pools! They're about an hour away by car, and were so much fun! It was freezing outside, but there were indoor pools, water slides, massage pools, a wave pool, and I got my feet eaten by little fish. There was also a segregated sauna area where you just soak all naked, which I did for a little bit too - my first naked bathhouse time alone! I was fine with it - even when I was standing naked drying my hair (they supply hair dryers, and everyone is naked - it's be weird not to be), and this little girls is pointing to me and saying the word for 'English' over and over. I was like 'yeah, there's only one thing better than being stared at fully clothed on the street, and that's being stared at naked' :D Haha, I didn't mind really, I just smiled at her.

(Not my photo) Spavis in Asan - the outdoor area

And then today I've been making a big list of films that are adapted from books to use in my film and literature class. I wanted to use 'The Shining', but the film is actually longer than the three hour time slot we have for class (!!) so that was out :) I think I've got a good first list now.

And that is all for today.