I had a magnificent birthday thanks to friends (here and America) and family, so thank you all for that. It's a great start to 24!
I'm looking for another job in Korea. Actually, I have an interview at a public middle school near Seoul tomorrow, so I can't write too much as it's already quite late and I should get some sleep. Wish me luck!
It's now monsoon season in Korea, and when I say "monsoon" I mean "mon-freaking-soon." Sometimes I feel like I'm Forrest Gump during that part when he's in Vietnam and he's talking about how there's all kinds of rain. Amen, Forrest. I'm pretty sure I need to get an umbrella that has a shower curtain hanging from it because there is no other way to avoid the rain. I've taken to wearing sandals to school because at this point it's a given my feet will become 100% soaked, so I may as well just bring socks to school and not bother to wear them as my feet get wet anyway.
Humidity here is off the charts. I think it's been 90-100% humidity for like the last week. Sadly, it's not even that hot, but walking more than 20 feet will cause me to break into a sweat. Also, Koreans don't believe in air conditioning. They claim it's "too expensive." Therefore, there is no relief from the elements - in the winter, the heater is too expensive; in the summer, AC is too expensive. Similar to winter as well, they also tend to leave all the doors and windows wide open when the AC is on. No, I can't explain it. No foreigner can. I've asked Koreans and they can't explain it. Fresh air, maybe? My co-teacher is the exception as she is obsessed with AC and is always nagging me to shut the windows and doors when the kids leave them open. I'm pretty sure all the kids know the phrase, "Close the door" because I use it about a hundred times a day.
In this climate I feel especially sorry for the Brits and South Africans because apparently in their countries, the weather is perfect. They don't need AC in Great Britain, and while it gets hot in SA, I guess they don't have humidity. My Midwest upbringing has made me strong.
Speaking of Brits and Saffers, I have been surrounded by too many foreigners. I now think these things are okay:
1. "Nice-uh!" instead of "Nice!" Koreans think this is English, I guess.
2. If I want to cheer someone on or wish them luck, I will say "Fighting!" It's like, "Go team!" However, because there is no "f" sound in Korean, it sounds like "Pighting!" So I say "Pighting!"
3. "Air con" is an acceptable term for "air conditioning," not "AC." This is Brit-speak that has leaked into Korean English.
4. People think it's okay to call me "Tree." Spellings vary from Tree to Trea to Tre, but they all sound the same. Brits are obsessed with nicknames/names that are only one syllable. I let it slide because if they don't say Tree, they say Thereza as for some reason they are incapable of the "sa" at the end. But now it has caught on and North Americans call me this too. I blame Kevin 100%.
5. Although I strenuously avoid using any of the following terms, I now know all of them. I try and not use them as they are not my lingo, but sometimes I slip up. It drives me mildly crazy when North Americans use British/Saffer/New Zealand etc slang. One of my American friends texted me to ask "Do you fancy playing soccer?" I told him, "No, Jason, I am American. I don't 'fancy' anything.'"
minging - disgusting
to sack off - blow off, not bother to do
tune - song
to pull - to chat someone up
safe - good, cool
uni - university, college
college - the English version of high school
mate - friend
There are assorted other words that are not appropriate for this family-friendly blog.
While my colonial English vocabulary is increasing, my Korean remains pathetic. Sad, but true.
The other day I wore a dress to school. My co-teacher's response: You're wearing a dress! You look so beautiful. Everyone is surprised... Thanks?
I have a t-shirt with a humongous cartoon cat head on it that I bought here in Buyeo. It is fairly hideous by American standards, but the Koreans go crazy for it. I wore a super-Korean outfit to school the other day: cat head t-shirt, flouncy white skirt, and tennis shoes (the walking kind, not the running kind) with footie socks. Five teachers told me I looked beautiful, three students told me I looked wonderful, and one of my sixth grade boys, bless him, told me I looked very pretty. Upon returning to America I will no longer know how to dress myself appropriately. You've been warned.
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