Adjusted

This week so far has been pretty good in the sense of feeling at home. I cook and eat at home alone yet I haven't felt lonely. I'll credit that to having skype though and sometimes being able to share my meal  internationally. Love when I'm having dinner and my companions are having oatmeal.

Teaching has definitely become much more for me than just a job, I'm enjoying my time with the kids (although I might have predicted that, seeing how my closest friends and family all work with kids) much more than I thought I would. I was worried about the middle schoolers but even they are not too bad. Especially because I don't yell when they choose not to respond, maybe out of rebellion or just boredom. Instead I like to find topics they like because lets face it I can't stand boring teachers or some of the lessons I have been asked to teach. Things that honestly would not be of use to these kids and it doesn't even come with fun activities, just repitition after repitition. I'm 2 and a half weeks in and loving the process of getting to know the 80 or so students we have and its been a great experience. I feel lucky for having landed this hagwon, even if they are denying me my pension I feel that the kids I got at this school makes it worth it. *side note: this may change after a few more months of being a teacher, so don't hold me to this positive outlook!

I have yet to eat a meal out by myself but lets just do the baby steps for now. I am trying more Korean dishes and galbi (meaning ribs and not beef ribs which is pul-galbi) was a good experience, very similar to Vietnamese pork and lettuce wraps but there was onions/garlic/radishes mmm, is definitely a must try. But next time I would double up the order because its cheap for $6 but it is not all you can eat and I was a little hungry still after some beers. Overall a nice interactive eating experience, but that is standard in Korea, not often will you see a person having dinners by themselves. The quantity of an individual order is evidence enough that eating in Korea is meant to be enjoyed with companions. Kimchi Jiggae is officially my comfort food :D have failed in locating any GamJaTang (pork bone soup) apparently it is big in Busan (another city about 2 hours away from Gwang Ju) LOL can you see the drool on my face!

Joined the gym this morning for a 3 month contract: $100 000 won (roughly $33/ month) BUT it comes with hot yoga, all the classes, leg massage chairs and big clean change rooms :D so excited, it is right beside my grocery store (3 minute walk from home) and I have a gym partner, Marisa (who lives across the street from me). We will motivate each other because my plan of becoming depressed for the first few months and losing weight (not that I'm complaining) has not worked. The food is just too good and except for the first three days in that seedy dark and lonely motel I haven't felt down often. There is just too much "How I Met Your Mother" to keep me busy lol. Caught up to season 3 now and can't believe in another 3 weeks I won't have that to fill my time. Vampire Diaries next? Because I'm refusing to watch the "Big Bang Theory" JAY lol
In case you're wondering about how my Korean is coming along, I officialy started yesterday and I used several phrases today and since MOST people think I'm Korean anyway it only further pushes them to only try and communicate with me. But its fun so far, everything has gotten across one way or another and I haven't had to walk away empty handed yet.

On the plus side, got my ARC (Alien Registration Card) and Bank card today :D yay I'm officially a foriegner working in Korea lol should have my internet by this weekend or Monday, should make planning Thailand a lot easier.

K, early day tomorrow so my weekly update should end now, but definitely with a quote:
"Matthew Manzano: a thousand mile journey begins with a single step"

A flurry of a week

A flurry of a week flew by with work being hateful on Tuesday, picked up and went smoothly on Wednesday and straight down the shit hole on Thursday back up to smooth sailing on Friday lol… did I lose some of you there? Let's just say this will be a pattern for the next few weeks… challenge accepted :D My friend Kat stayed over for a few nights and it was really nice having company and great conversations. We clicked nicely and comfortably so I am grateful, even if she doesn't know it, for helping me settle in and create some routine. It definitely helped a ton!
Friday again, passed my 1 week mark without much celebration. Still don't have my internet, or back account (apparently by next Friday I should be set up for both) BUT I do have my phoneeeee or should I call it a banana lol will try to upload a picture later but this phone is about 3 inches longer than my face. But I shouldn't complain because a week and 2 days without a phone can really make you realize how much you rely on technology, if I could I would ban it and escape from technological slavery but sadly I crawled back into the comfort zone.

I instantly started the painful process of texting and adding people, lets just say Korean phones may appear in English settings but will always be Korean when you need that application that most. Instantly made my day better, and I was so grateful for my co worker Betty who helped me translate. Kicked myself in the ass for being greedy and trying to wait it out for a blackberry/iphone… not happening on a one year contract. Should have ordered the phone before arriving and it would have been here when I arrived.  Should have, would have but…. didn't!

Being downtown today was different, somehow last weekend everything was upside down to me… I kept wondering where is the directional me? This weekend things started to gel a bit better, although I have to give credit to Brad (another friend) and his "water map" that saved me the trouble of fulfilling a foreigner's worse nightmare of being lost in an unknown city without their language on hand. I hope this is a sign that the Jan I know and counted on to get me through the next year is somewhere close by… I miss my family and friends back home but it helps to see that there are a few amazing people on this side of the world. The whole door close window open cliché will have to work for this adventure!

****Little excerpt on food in Gwangju South Korea: Never buy spicy looking chicken from 7 eleven, it will turn out to be VERY spicy pig feet :s

Food is extremely cheap in Gwangju (except foreigner places… of course) kimbap (rice/veggies or tuna wrapped in salted seaweed.. not sushi) is $2 and a nice blend of flavors no matter what you put in it. It is a great quick, inexpensive snack that could be eaten on the go. It is shaped like a triangle and the rice could be white or mixed in spicy red sauce, could be bugolgi.

Bibimbap is also super cheap, $4 a stone bowl with rice topped with vegetables, seaweed, a fried egg and covered in red pepper paste. Mmm the best part is if it is done right, the crispy rice on the bottom of the bowl… no luck yet.

Mun do (chinese dumplings, japanese gyoza) are also a really good and inexpensive choice for lunch, $2.50 for 10 and they come in different variations, as well as in soup.

Korean Fried Chicken, $15 for a full meal for two and then some. We got a nice sweet sauced chicken and another plate of straight up Korean style and both were so delicious.








                                                                   MORE FOOD PICS

                                            Bugolgi Hot Dog

                                           This really good baked puff with hot custard inside :D

  

          One of the many fish ice cream sandwiches I have had, filled with red bean paste as well :D

                                           Kat and my home cooked dumplings and noodles :D

                                                       Very cute rice cake mascot lol

        Very yummy fried balls dusted in sugar (have a hard time not commenting on that girls lol)

                                           Bibimbap (dul sot- or stone bowl is definitely better!

                                                                                 LOL

                                                    Tiramisu Cheesecake @ Tom Toms

                                Kim Chi Jiggae (stew)and grilled fish. Traditional dining style :D

                                Pap Ping Su- Essentially Halo Halo with some healthier toppings

                                                       Another variation of Pap Ping Su

                                                        Fish Stew- Wish I knew the name

                                                Spicy Cheesy Chicken (again nameless lol)

Galbi- (did not realize that galbi actually means "ribs" not specifically beef ribs as Canada knows them as. Really expensive to get Pul Galbi- beef Ribs because Korean land isn't prime cow "farming" land so beef is imported from good old Canada :D This picture above and below are pork galbi. Which was still good the Korean way (eating wrapped in lettuce with grilled garlic, onions, and kim chi-only one of the many variations)

                                                         Octopus Bokeumbap (Fried Rice)

                                                                               =D
Finally the BIG one: The dish that Gwangju is most famous for- KIMCHI! Pickled cabbage, love love love it! Canada's can't even begin to do it justice, it is fresh, not bitter, not overly salted here. There is still a crisp sound when biting into the stem of the cabbage, a sour from the fresh vinegar still marinating. Not massed produced and just enough red pepper paste that gives it a bit of a kick but doesn't over power the sour distinct taste of all 3 flavors blending. Gwangju is rightfully known as the Kimchi capital of Korea. In November there is a kimchi festival..hello heartburn lol

P.S. Planning a September Thailand/Taiwan getaway… stay tuned :D

Jet lagged

Saturday was a major turning point for my appetite and sleeping habits because I moved into my apartment =D Actually that turning point actually happened Sunday because I knocked OUT on Saturday after enjoying some free internet after 4 days (which seemed quite long- especially with no phone/television either) I slept from 12pm to 1030pm before waking to a ring at my door. Luckily I somehow heard it or I would have slept my Saturday night away… instead we went to this place "nevermind", just learned the name recently and heard some awesome mix of indie music from local performers. Haven't been to one of these concerts since "walk off the earth" days (btw look them up on you tube…AWESOME!

New Beginnings

 Lemon Table




There was a good-bye dinner for Tanya  and a sort of welcome dinner for me on Thursday night @ Lemon Table, one of the only Italian restaurants in Korea. 

Go figure my first meal was hamburgers (lotteria= McDonalds style) and Italian food X_x  The food was good, better than East Side Marios :D and it was nice, but for the first half of dinner I was with one Korean teacher who spoke English and 3 who did not so it was definitely conversation... more smiling and nodding lol

I feel that my week altering night happened Friday night when I was invited to Tanya's going away, which I debated going to or not but decided I should jump at any chance not to go back to that motel. Also I realized that Tanya is quite likable, almost instantly so it was kind of sad to see her go. I ended up meeting some great people that night, definitely a few who I enjoy good times with. I'll leave that up to you to decide who "a few" might be.



We went to First Nepal (one of the only Indian places in town) lol my lamb vindaloo tasted like generic curry with pieces of questionable meat but with my appetite (non existent at this point) I wouldn't be a fair judge.








It was like I had entered a dream, where I spoke and people understood, when they spoke I didn't have to try and read their facial expressions... ENGLISH HEAVEN not that I don't want to fully immerse myself into Korean culture, I do but the past few days by that point were utterly draining! I was ready to speak in my native tongue and feel comfortably relaxed for once=I LOVE Foreigners LOL

Technology, where art thou?

Spent my first three nights in a motel, SURPRISE factor for sure but Tanya (the teacher I was replacing) was still at the apartment for the next 4 days which makes sense since everyone was waiting for my visa to come in and it arrived a week later than everyone thought!

                                                           Motel Milano =D aka Love Motel

That first night was memorable in my mind because I got to experience the low of accommodations in Korea (which made my apartment seem much nicer in comparison) and after checking me in and loading my luggage into my room we went around the neighborhood to familiarize me with my surroundings. I could have probably ate at the rest stop on the bus ride or at this point but my mind was in locked up mode (as in can't eat because I'm too busy being in denial) and I just couldn't stomach a meal. We went into a super market where I picked up Vitamin water, never had this stuff in Canada but thought it would help with me not eating and all... and my boss starts picking up three ice cream bars (red bean) he pays for them and we start eating and walking back to the motel, it was just a very nice experience that soften this Korean Man I was afraid to meet, made him human with a great family. He claimed in somewhat broken English that he absolutely LOVE ice cream, and that's when I knew we would get along fine =D

The next 2 days were a blur with the hospital health test (they check literally everything, any and all liquids that can dispense from your body will be tested and my heart, hearing and eye sight were all stops along the way. Then there was a short training day where I felt overwhelmed with the information and found out for the first time that the all "girl" school  I had heard the director say was actually NOT, he meant all girl teachers... BOOM I didn't expect to have to deal with little boys, from mischievous elementary to nasty middle schoolers... first bump in the road. (This opinion has changed since the first day, there are definitely mischievous/nasty children from both genders, but the cute and eager ones outshine the negative.

The Arrival

So I have officially been in Korea for 1 week and it has been a very longggg one. The week started off rough, the flight was actually not as bad as I thought. Watched movies during the flight and ate, couldn't sleep, cause I realized even with a neck pillow, sleeping on a plane will never EVER be comfortable. I officially respect those that fly as part of their living... LOL (<3 Nisha) and really funny experience with two Filipino ladies flying home and our synced peeing schedule during the flight... let your imagination run with that one =P
 Saw Patrick Chan on the flight (in first class) which was pretty cool, he was better looking in person because dressed down he looked more down to earth and realistic LOL stalled him for a bit when exiting customs because my customs officer didn't give me any paper to leave with lol but he was very friendly and didn't mind until I finished determining that the officer definitely did not give me any paper and the officer scoffed and told me to keep exiting?!?!? I don't understand the point of security that stands down when faced with a little mix up, if that was the case why enforce it to begin with?

Lifting the my two huge check bags and 3 carry-on items seemed daunting when I was packing and hence my down grade of 3 checked bags to two... and I was willingly forced to by my sis in law who is inarguably the best "filter" to my packing process :) Anyways I managed, with sore shoulders and a half pulled thigh muscle I got everything on a cart smoothly, then realized pushing the cart was much worse than putting them on. Uneven grounds results in triceps/bicep work out for free, especially since my bus stop was on the other side of the terminal.

The bus ride to Gwangju, Jeollanam-Do was 4 hours and I slept more than I did on my 13 and 1/2 hour flight! Was picked up by my Director and Nama (his daughter) had a really nice first impression of his family, this was probably the moment where I knew I had picked a "good one".  This is in reference to hagwons (private schools) in Korea, where apparently for every 1 decent one there are 20 horrible ones to compare with. I guarantee I got lucky because JC is a bad franchise overall and has a shit reputation but what most don't realize is that there are gazillion branches in South Korea and each branch is run by a different director, so Yang San Dong's JC was my "good" one. Of course we can compare Korea  with Western labor laws but that's like comparing "apples" who have rights and "oranges" who need money LOL

T Minus 9 hours

Freaking the fuck out! Not really, more like really sad+excited+nervous...=ya actually freaking the fuck out! LOL

Packed (crammed most of the additional clothes I found in the laundry :p) all medications I "might" possily need!

Hmm what else can I take that will prepare me... My whole life! BUT since that really isn't the point of this venture I think I will say that really isn't feasible at this moment.

Family/Friends/Hubby has been amazing so far, very supportive! Everyone except BAILEY whose snoring away next to me, butt in my face lol go figure... Will miss him a lot! In about 24 hours I will be landing in Korea...=D =S =( lol

Let this adventure begin!

P.S. There will be minimal internet/no phone for the first month so I am still alive and will continue to post about adventures I will force in Korea. Until then take care Canada and Korea brace yourself! Loud little Chinese is coming your way =D

<3 Jan
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

By Myself

I have a goal, to overcome a fear that has long been controlling my basic everyday activities. A fear of being by myself, whether with eating a meal, shopping, driving or even being on the subway. I've taken a willed step towards overcoming this. Although its a bit forced because in about 3 days I will be by myself whether I'm okay with it or not. So its not so much willed as acceptance of the situation or should I say opportunity I have provided for myself.

Two days ago I did a lot of driving on my own, normally if I'm in mississauga late I will stay at Matts and I contemplated it for a while but I decided against it, on the way home I played music from my playlist on matts iphone (my new ipod for korea) and through the 10 songs on there I felt a lot of emotions. Encouraged, determined, sad and scared through each song. Talk about music being influential lol

I can only "try" so much before the real thing hits but practice is practice I guess...
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

Check List

So.... Visa was finally picked up today! YAY!!!

This little sticker in my passport that I have been working towards for the past 2 and a 1/2 months. My flight has been changed to a direct Korean Air flight :D which I am really excited about because honestly I was not looking forward to a 24 hour travelling itinerary :s so now with my 13.5 hour flight plus 4 hour bus ride i will be in my own city by about 8pm on Wednesday (7am in Toronto time :D)

So now that I have my plane tickets, Korean visa, luggage packed and passport in hand its finalized... I'M GOING TO SOUTH KOREA FOR A YEAR!!!

Lol I think I needed that for myself... I feel ready but can't help this nervous feeling of unfamiliarity... Can't help but wonder how long it will take me to adjust, find my way around, hold a conversation? Go shopping for the first time, have my first meal by myself in Korea. Also how will my first grocery trip be like, my walk to my school, my new apartment, and how will my co-workers take it me?

All this and more are both keeping me on my toes with excitement and nerve wracking fears, the feeling is more intense than a first day at work or the day of my wedding... LOL never thought anything would be as intense as our wedding day!

I think it's normal to feel this way, knowing my past history it will hit me the hardest on the plane and my first night in Korea. Hopefully my books, snacks, music and free movies on flight will keep me busy busy busy :D

So here comes my last weekend in Canada filled with family, friends and more intense stuffing of my luggage LOL

KOREA HERE I COME!!!

TICKETS BOOKED

Its Official, after 2.5 months of paper work, nerve wracking waiting for phone calls, paperwork, emails, passports, visas, tickets, interviews and a whole lot more I am booked to officially leave Canada on Tuesday August 9th 7.55am!!!

Whoa now what...

I guess more waiting until the actual day comes LOL

I was slotted to leave mid July when i first started this adventure in the beginning of June which i thought was pretty quick and now it has been delayed for almost another month I'm kind of ready to go! But like I said 1 more week...

I have packed thanks to the very determined and helpful Kathleen :) (Matt helped with gathering but Kathleen helped with the much needed filtering LOL) Along the process of packing I have discarded 15/66 pairs of shoes X_x I gave away 4 bags of clothing :D and discovered a whole lot of garbage that needed sorting! So lets just say I have been busy busy busy while waiting waiting waiting lol

Have also used the last two months to get my eating on!

Finally tried:

Kachi=YUM (still have to try the kensington market one)

Mitzi's= Expensive but the variety in their food is worth the extra

La Bruschetta= Started off well, but service lacked as the end came near- food was a saviour

Max's Chicken= The Famous Filipino Franchise held up its name for its famous fried chicken (halo halo was great too)

Grazie= Only had their pizza which was ok but heard vecchio down the street is better)

Fire on the East Side= Must try (will be back for their brunch... next year lol)

Open Cork Eatery= Cheap and Large Portions

Nandos= Spicyyyy

On a side note: Will hopefully be joining a foodie blog with a few fellow food lovers sometime soon so I'll update on that!!!

For now I will concentrate on not adding any more items to my luggage, picking up my visa, FEARING MY FIRST FLIGHT OVER 6 HOURS(17hrs), seeing the important peeps who i love veryyyyy much and will definitely miss dearly and last but not least spend huge amounts of time eating non Asian cuisine with my family and hubby =D

Biting my lips until next post...