1.4 Spring 2020 (COVID Archives)
The beginning of the end of the world.
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August 6
While I grumbled about the silliness of having online summer camp, the half days have absolutely gone by in a rush and I feel like more of a teacher than I have since teaching daycare in January. C was surprised to learn I made all the worksheets myself. “I have font preferences,” I told her which I’m sure she didn’t understand. More truthfully I like owning my work and having consistent practice for the students based on what they’ve learned. When I found out we’d have camp after all, I set up a padlet website where I posted daily directions, videos, worksheets, and bonus challenges. The kids have also been…
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July 31, Long Time No See
There’s a local kimbap shop and I think by now the woman recognizes me as the foreigner who doesn’t like pickled radish. It’s a long but narrow shop where I can sit at the counter like an old regular. I also wanted some fish cake broth and guessed: “Can you give me some uh… fish cake water?” “You mean fish cake broth?” “Ah yes. Can you tell me that word again?” “어묵국물.” I was missing the one syllable that made water into broth and I appreciate her congenial help. The shop was the perfect temperature and I took my time eating through the long tuna roll. I asked or really…
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July 28, Last Day of Spring Semester (but not my contract)
Not only do the new subject teachers think I’m ill-mannered, they now also think I hate Korea. Things are going great! At the beginning of our Western meal (aside from one pizza option that had mayonaisse everything else passed the test) the female science teacher, who would later go on to tell C and E they should pick up golf to meet handsome men, asked about me. (Again, people are the same everywhere.) She turned to C to ask if I had a boyfriend to which C awkwardly replied, “I don’t think so”. I chimed in with a vicious head shake and the male science teacher asked why. “Why I…
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July 27
I again wondered, where she gets this information and what questions could possibly be next-- "Do Americans cry when they're sad? Do Americans feel pain?"
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July 25
Sunset— and not just from the bus this time. The last light on the clearest day of the month turned Mount Bukhan pink. The river water below reflected the delicate hues of oncoming dusk like the big, soft roses I spotted here not so long ago. In the street lay an abandoned bouquet, a lover’s quarrel? A poorly tied delivery thrust off the careening scooter of a youth? Stories burst in between sidewalk cracks, through busted fences, and over the steam of a good meal. Life is joyous in big moments, yes, but small moments too. Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed. Mary Oliver,…
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July 23
Asia Time had me travel an hour, walk 20 minutes in the rain, and go to three different buildings only to be told I couldn’t see the eye doctor after all because I didn’t have a referral. Well, I could see the doctor but it wouldn’t be covered by insurance unless I had a referral. And the international clinic GPs don’t see patients for eye problems. I almost cried right there. “You would need to get a referral from a local eye clinic since we are specialists,” the international billing receptionist explained through the eye clinic receptionist’s desk phone. “My local eye doctor doesn’t speak English, that’s why I wanted…
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July 20
C told me the landlady called to say she would clean the aircon… eventually. “I’m sorry, I thought she had already cleaned it when you asked months ago… She also asked if you knew of any other foreign teachers and to recommend them to live there.” “Huh? Why?” “The previous teacher didn’t put down a deposit.” “Oooooh. Oh no.” In Korea you can put down “key money” which is a deposit you get back after your lease. The higher the key money, the lower your monthly rent. Average key money for a nice apartment is about 10,000USD or 5,000USD for a small place like mine. There is an option to…
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July 18, Part of the Family
I joined S and her family for an outing to the famed day trip destination of Gapyeong. An hour outside of Seoul, without traffic which was not our destiny, a road lined with beautiful and eclectic cafes leads you to a park famous for its gardens and mountain views. “I think he has better pronunciation than me,” she remarked of her three year old who could sing every word of the Moana theme song and shouted a range of English words like “rubber band” and “scary”. S has been reading to her son in English for which I’m really proud. Her husband, who was a little shy last time we…
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July 16, Breakthrough
I have reached the next level in my relationship with C, after a strange lunch where she randomly updated me about Busan Boy who I frankly never want to hear about again. She told me it seems like both numbers he harassed me from belong to him, contrary to our original supposition that one belonged to his girlfriend. Not so. He has two numbers with two separate sets of photos of him with two different women. So, two numbers for two different girlfriends. I asked her why she keeps checking his profiles. “Because it’s fun.” “For you!!” I countered. I’m glad my pain could be so entertaining. *Beleaguered sigh* I…
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