National Geographic Exhibition (9 July)

M’s friend who is the manager at T.G.I. Friday’s has offered us discount coupons to the National Geographic Exhibition in Jeonju this weekend.  Always keen for an excursion, we agree to go to Jeonju for lunch and then the exhibition.  Since I have to work on the writing textbook for school this weekend, I can’t afford to spend an entire day in Jeonju but an afternoon’s respite is certainly appreciated.

We head straight to T.G.I. Friday’s where we’re faced with difficult decisions regarding which of the restaurant’s mouth-watering meals to order.  On our way out, we see M’s friend who greets us and fetches the coupons for us and we’re soon on our way to the Sori Arts Centre for the exhibition.  

Let's Exhibit!

The photos at the exhibition are spectacular and some of the views are simply breathtaking.  Unfortunately, the audio commentary is only available in Korean as are the explanations of each photo displayed beside the prints.  This puts a definite damper on our tour as we like to know more about what we are looking at.  In addition, the exhibition venue is unbearably hot on the second floor and we find ourselves rushing slightly in order to get back out into the cool air.  Before we know it, we’re on our way back to the intercity bus terminal and back to Gunsan, which means back to working on the textbook for me.  Since two of my co-teachers will be away for the entire summer vacation, the book has to be finished by this coming Wednesday so I already know that I’ll be spending the whole of tomorrow working on the editing and formatting of the book.

An Unwanted Addition (4 July)

On Friday evening, while lying on the phone talking to my parents, I noticed a large black patch on the ceiling in the corner of my bedroom.  Closer inspection reveals that it is the infamous black mould I’ve heard so much about and which I’ve only just managed to remove in my bathroom.  I’ve also heard that it can take over entire apartments very quickly and, by this morning, it has certainly taken over an entire corner of my ceiling.  Mr Jeong promises to phone my landlord for me immediately and tells me to try to clean off as much of the mould as possible in the meantime.

Disgusted by my apartment, I meet Catfish for dinner followed by milkshakes at Coldstone.  There is a family of missionaries who live in the house around the corner from her apartment whom she recently met.  This family, the Lemons, have six children and have invited Catfish to join them and a few other Americans tonight for fireworks in Eunpa Park.  When they phone her to confirm the fireworks, she asks if she can bring me along too and I soon find myself being introduced to Mom and Dad Lemon and their six awesome kids.  Seriously, these kids are gorgeous and it’s a lot of fun to be around lively, English speaking children although it makes me really miss my niece and nephew. 

4th of July Celebrations - American Style

At Eunpa Park, we meet another large family of missionaries, the Gengers, and a few other American families – all of whom are involved in mission work in Korea.  There’re approximately 20 of us in total and the kids all have a lot of fun playing with large sparklers that Catfish, the oldest of the Lemon children and I keep lighting, handing out and collecting while the men take care of the larger firework displays.  Much fun is had by all and we wrap up the evening with homemade apple pie and ice-cream at the Lemons’ house.

Re-Contracting (30 June)

I finally managed to have the drug test re-done on Tuesday afternoon.  Unfortunately, my interview with the Office of Education in Jeonju is this afternoon so I don’t yet have the results of my complete physical.  In fact, I don’t have any of the documentation that I’m supposed to hand in today although they’re all in the process of being finished.

Despite this, NZ2 and I head to Jeonju with one of the Japanese teachers who is also renewing her contract.  We’re scheduled to be at the Office of Education by 15:00 but we arrive shortly after 14:00.  Fortunately, several other NETs are also early and lively conversations ensue in an air-conditioned office.  In addition, the Office of Education has thoughtfully ordered patbinsu (red bean ice) as a refreshment for us on this hot summer’s day.  Unfortunately, there is a pre-decided order in which we’ll have our interviews before re-signing our contracts and the five foreign teachers from my school (2 NETs, 2 Japanese teachers and 1 Spanish teacher) are all towards the end of the nearly 30 person list. 

As the interviews drag on, the time slowly ticks by and we’re all attempting to calculate at what time we’re likely to get home at this stage.  Fortunately, the staff doing the interviews realise this too and the interviews get shorter and shorter.  By the time I’m called in for my interview, my questions as nothing more than whether or not I like my school, why I came to Korea and how I stay healthy.  I’m then excused and sent to sign the actual contract and a promise to submit my outstanding documentation within five months of today.

Difficult Relationships (21 June)

By the time I meet M for dinner at Hoa Binh, I’m exhausted.  It’s been a long and frustrating day and, although I don’t like hearing myself complain constantly, I can’t seem to stop venting about things at school – particularly increasingly difficult relationships with NZ1 and NZ2.

We’re currently working on a writing textbook for the second graders to use next semester.  It was my suggestion so that we can create a textbook/workbook that the students can use fully rather than one that requires the omission of several pages and/or exercises.  Since I only teach second graders, I’m willing to compile the textbook – or at least most of it – myself.  However, in the interest of fairness, my co-teachers recommend that NZ1, NZ2 and myself all contribute equally to the book since we’ll all have to teach from it next semester.  We’ve already decided on the chapters and divided the work and now we’re currently writing the content.

Frustrated at all of the examples provided by the Kiwis being New Zealand culture, I ask if it’s possible to include non-New Zealand examples too.  This request seems to be met with some hostility and one of them actually tells me that “our contracts say that we have to teach culture.”  I’m shocked by such a closed approach.  Yes, our contracts do say that we have to teach culture but surely we should also try to include other cultures – particularly when two-thirds of the NETs at my school are from the same country.

Three's A Crowd

I’m beginning to dread work as it’s clear that three is a crowd.  I understand that NZ1 and NZ2 have much in common and that, for all intents and purposes, I’m the outsider.  However, the sometimes patronising and hostile comments from them are becoming unbearable, and I’m starting to wonder if it’s too late for me to request a transfer to another school when I renew my contract.  As much as I love my school and my students, I can’t bear the current working atmosphere among the foreign teachers.  In the interest of fairness, I’m sure that I’ve done much to annoy them too, but I make no apologies for having a different work ethic.  School can be an incredibly lonely place at times though because, to a certain extent, the foreign teachers are expected to get along.  After all, we all speak the same language and we should be able to communicate, professionally, with one another even if we don’t particularly like one another. 

The day comes to a perfect end when Sunny, the International Coordinator at the Gunsan Medical Centre, phones to tell me that I failed the drug test on the annual physical that I have to have done as part of my contract renewal.  Puzzled as to how I could have failed this test, I remember the endoscopy that I had done yesterday morning, for which I was sedated.  When I remember that I returned to school as high as a kite after the endoscopy, I’m not surprised that I failed the drug test and I re-schedule this component for that Friday afternoon.

Magic Straight Perm (18 June)

One of the most important things I learned about on the first day of the EPIK orientation I attended in late October 2010 is that Korean hair salons offer a Magic Straight perm to straighten your hair.  Having naturally frizzy hair – especially in humid weather – I’m determined to have this perm done to my hair in preparation for the humid summer days that are slowly encroaching. 

Although you can have this perm done at any salon, I’m a bit hesitant to do it alone as my only other experience with a hair salon in Korea was not overwhelmingly positive.  I’ve also heard that this particular perm is not good for western hair but just as many people have had positive reviews of the same perm.  Fortunately, M comes to the rescue: One of her brothers has very curly hair and he has it straightened at a small hair salon in her hometown.  She offers to take me there today.

I meet her at 10:00am at E-mart and we head to her hometown of Janghang in Chungcheonbuk Province which is the province just above mine; it’s approximately 30 minutes by car.  The hair salon, Hair DJ,  is on the main road of the little town and fortunately he’s not too busy when we arrive.  I’m soon settled in a chair and having my hair trimmed before we start the perm process, which takes nearly four hours.  Beside me, a little boy of about three years of age is also having his hair permed except that his perm is curly.

Let's Get Things Straight 

The process is lengthy and with hair as thick as mine, it takes two people to flat iron it.  First, a solution is put on my hair and left for approximately 45 minutes to be absorbed by my hair.  Next, the solution is rinsed off and my hair is combed out before the hairdresser and his assistant begin flat ironing it, which takes nearly two hours to do.  Once it is all flat-ironed and straight, more solution is rubbed into my hair and left to set.  This is then rinsed out after another 45 minutes after which I ask the hairdresser to style my hair in layers.  I’m amazed by the end result of hair that is pin-straight – a first for me!

It’s after 14:00 by the time we leave the salon where the perm and haircut has cost me only 60,000 won (roughly US$60), which is a bargain considering I’ve heard that salons in Seoul charge up to 200,000 won for the same perm.  Since it’s after lunchtime, we head straight to the restaurant next door for a filling lunch of mandu (dumplings) – my favourite – and pork cutlets.  From there, we head to M’s house where I meet her mother and we rest for an hour or so before heading back to Gunsan to watch The Lincoln Lawyer at CGV.  I’m like a child with a new toy as I keep admiring my straight hair every step of the way.  I can’t wait to see the reaction of my students and colleagues on Monday morning.

The process is lengthy and with hair as thick as mine, it takes two people to flat iron it.  First, a solution is put on my hair and left for approximately 45 minutes to be absorbed by my hair.  Next, the solution is rinsed off and my hair is combed out before the hairdresser and his assistant begin flat ironing it, which takes nearly two hours to do.  Once it is all flat-ironed and straight, more solution is rubbed into my hair and left to set.  This is then rinsed out after another 45 minutes after which I ask the hairdresser to style my hair in layers.  I’m amazed by the end result of hair that is pin-straight – a first for me!

It’s after 14:00 by the time we leave the salon where the perm and haircut has cost me only 60,000 won (roughly US$60), which is a bargain considering I’ve heard that salons in Seoul charge up to 200,000 won for the same perm.  Since it’s after lunchtime, we head straight to the restaurant next door for a filling lunch of mandu (dumplings) – my favourite – and pork cutlets.  From there, we head to M’s house where I meet her mother and we rest for an hour or so before heading back to Gunsan to watch The Lincoln Lawyer at CGV.  I’m like a child with a new toy as I keep admiring my straight hair every step of the way.  I can’t wait to see the reaction of my students and colleagues on Monday morning.

Surprising Gifts (17 June)

Cute Doctor is very friendly and chatty during my acupuncture appointment this afternoon.  He also keeps asking me if the treatment that he’s busy doing is hurting me but, while all I want to do is cry from the pain, my ego won’t allow me to cry in front of him.  While he does my neck and spine realignment at the end of my appointment, he suddenly leans forward and whispers, “Sarah, I have something for you.”  Not really sure what to say to this, I ramble.  When he finishes the realignment, he says, “Let’s call it a day” before asking me if he’s used this phrase correctly.  He seems happy when I confirm that it is correct and scurries away to fetch his gift for me.

He returns with a gift bag containing a gift beautifully wrapped in pink paper with flowers on it, tells me that he hopes that it’s to my liking and to enjoy it.  He then wishes me a good weekend before disappearing to his final patient of the day.  Curiosity gets the better of me and, as soon as I’m out of the front door of the hospital, I open the gift, delighted to find three Korean books: a Garfield comic book (in English and Korean), a book of what M later tells me are Korean fables (with a 4 – 8 year age guide on the front) and my favourite book of all – The Little Prince – which is also in English and Korean. 

Good Choice!

The Little Prince has been one of my favourite books since I first started studying French as it was the first French book that I managed to read alone although we also covered it as a set work in one of my earlier French classes in high school.  What surprises me even more is that Cute Doctor has also chosen the only comic book that I still actually read (Garfield) and, although it’s a children’s book, fables which is something that I always enjoy reading.   I’m surprised by how well he has chosen books for me and even more surprised by the gift entirely. 

Part of me, however, is not surprised by the gift.  While I give a gift for the sake of giving it or because I’ve found something that I think a particular person will enjoy, I’ve heard that the Korean custom is to always give a gift in return and of a similar value.  In a way, by giving Cute Doctor the English phrase book two weeks ago, he was, in a way, obligated to return the gift – something I didn’t anticipate at the time.  It also, unfortunately, suggests that he’s rather traditional.

All Fun and Games (12 June)

Catfish and I meet M at E-mart at 10:00am dressed in our swimsuits and ready for another day on a beautiful beach.  We meet M’s friend from Seoul, Astro, at the train station in Daecheon at 11:30am and then head to the beach.   Astro is a total sun-worshipper and while we all apply sunscreen, he applies sun tanning oil. 

He is the first Korean person I’ve met who actually tries to tan since white skin is generally highly valued among all of the other Koreans I’ve met.  I’ve jokingly told students that I’m so pale, I’m almost translucent and been surprised by how much they envy the paleness of my skin, which I’ve always tried to tan without success.  

Astro is keen on a day of fun and heads off in search of water guns after a few hours of tanning.  We then have a fun afternoon playing with water guns and taking photos in gangster and Charlie’s Angels inspired poses before heading to Orange for dinner and milkshakes.  Reluctant to leave the beach, we return to watch the sunset and finally heading home at around 20:00.