Day Excursion

Today was a really good day.  If you take out anything and everything negative, what is left is something amazing.  Janelle and I went to my massage person for Swedish massages.  When it was my turn, she asked if there was anything I wanted worked on specifically.  I told her about grading and finishing up paperwork and how my neck was all out of sorts.  Then I remembered all those foot pains I have been having whenever I try to walk long distance.  She fixed me.  I walked a long ways today without limping or pain in either of my feet!

Afterwards a serious of unhappy events occurred but that isn't important.

Finally I got on the bus to head back home... (more thoughts on that later)...

Stopped at Coffee Tree, a quaint little cafe with a corral in the back.  The horse is a Jeju horse so it is rather small.  I can't ride it since I am not 75 kg or less.  However I did get to enjoy some horse love.  Ordered an ice peach tea to go and then started walking.  Walked to Jain and cut across on one of the front roads so I could stop at a store.  Passed a wooded area that brought back good memories and feelings of Broken Arrow Ranch the youth camp I worked at.  Passed a machine shop for tractors that had strong smells which took me back to my grandparents' farm.  Walking down that street reminded me of my hometown.  Walking into the small grocery store was oddly familiar, like I was back stateside.

I'm oddly more comfortable here.  Though I was comfortable getting around to where I needed to for shopping and whatever other reasons arose, there was always a sense of not belonging.  Now I am even more comfortable, to the point where my apartment feels a little bit like home, my coworkers a little bit like family, my school a little bit like my school, and this large area like my city.

It doesn't change that I am moving back to the states in 2014 during the month of August.

However it does show that though you think you are used to a place and comfortable there, you can eventually settle in more.  I've started calling my apartment home, something I used to not do.  I would try, then discard the notion.  Now it is not so bad.  Heck, I'm finding more and more food I can eat.  That right there makes things good.

Plums

Yesterday when I first arrived in town, I stopped by the guy at Sawol that sells vegetables and fruits.  I had bought some potatoes from him when he gave me a gift.  Two small, slightly redish yellow fruits.  I figured they were some form of peach since the peaches here are impeccably small.  Took a bite and a long familiar flavor burst upon my tastebuds.  My eyes opened wide in amazement and pleasure.  It was a plum!  I haven't had one of these sweet and juicy treats in a long time.  When I lived in Colville, Washington there were two plum trees in our backyard that we enjoyed immensely.  So I was thrilled that he had such wonderful fruit to buy.   I pulled my wallet back out and bought more from my laughing host.

Town and Homeplus

I was paid Friday the 28th and excitedly went into town to spend some of my money.  There were several facebook groups that were made for people living in South Korea or Daegu.  On their main page, you can post questions, advice, or advertise what you are selling before you move back home.  I had talked to several people who were moving away and decided to go ahead and buy a few things, with the main purchase being a TV.  I had never imagined actually buying myself one as I had grown up viewing them as an expensive luxury.  To have bought and now own one left me praising God for giving me such an opportunity.

Before meeting up with the lady who was selling it, my friend Janelle and I went to Homeplus.  It if very much like E Mart, full of wonderful things you need to live your life.  Only Homeplus has a larger selection.  By a great degree more.  Their selection is so large that they do not have an international aisle.  Instead you simply go to where the pasta is and there is what you are looking for.  You go to the tea section and there is that much beloved Arizona Raspberry Tea.  You go to the sauces section and there is the much beloved Prego sauce in more than one flavor!  In the canned goods, I found with excitement cream corn (have yet to try it), Cambell's Chicken Noodle Soup (tried and loved it, so familiar), and various other things.

In Korea, it is normal to buy what you need for that day and the next.  Rarely do you buy more than you need for more than a few days.  Janelle and I bought what we needed for at least two weeks, if not more.  The cart was definitely full and then some.  The Koreans kept turning and staring at our cart in amazement.  It is a normal sight in the states, but definitely not a normal sight here.  We finally got checked out, bagged and boxed everything, and went outside to the taxis.  It became a joke of what kind of expressions we would get if we attempted to drag it to a bus.

The lady who was selling me the TV was waiting outside and together we got all our stuff into the taxi.  Then with worn out bodies, Janelle and I returned to the school.  Pleasantly happy that we were back by sundown, we paid the taxi driver and dragged our stuff inside.  We had pasta last night.  It was yummy.  I have leftover pasta for lunch today.  Overall super happy.

With the discovery of Chicken Noodle Soup, I relayed the information immediately to Geoffrey.  He heard what brand it was, yelped in shock, and vowed to get over to Homeplus that very day.  So I bet you anything he bought more than the Koreans are used to seeing too.  *Giggle*  Us foreigners are entertaining to Koreans... as well as baffling :)

Hello everyone!  Just sending out an update.  Been chilling the last few days.  Giving the kids all self study time during class with the upcoming finals they have in their Korean classes.  I have gotten all the grades done and all the comments for my main classes finished.  Just have comments for the conversation classes left to go.  Not sure who will have time to translate those.

Got a package today.  Well, technically yesterday.  I found out about it after supper.  By the time I walked down to the gate, the guard had locked up and left.  So I got it after breakfast today.  On the bright side, I enjoyed the walk.  Was actually raining outside and pleasant to experience.  Some things I had ordered on Amazon I had shipped to a  friend.  She kindly then sent them on to me.  Not everything online ships straight to Korea :(  Was nice of her family to help with that.

Been spending time in the evenings just drawing.  Most is just worthless doodles but every now and then inspiration hits and I spend extra time with something that I have in mind.  Turns out decent.

Mornings...

So it has been awhile since I have sent a morning picture of myself.  Can't say I'm wide awake at the moment.  Despite trying to get to bed earlier last night, it didn't happen.  Had a conversation class until 9:30pm.  Had worship with the girls before then making my way back to my apartment.  So the picture is not as bright and cheery as I wish it would be.

It is finally raining.  Yesterday it started in the afternoon and is still here.  The beautiful gray clouds are calming and help cool the otherwise hot air.  I ended up after school running back and forth with my umbrella helping students get from point A to point B.  Particularly those who had to carry packages from the front gate to wherever they were headed.  It was good exercise.

Tyler and Eggs

Grandma, this photo is for you.  In fact, Teacher Geoffrey took the picture when I asked for it because I wanted to show off just how many eggs I had had to deal with while preparing this meal.  For the record, 3.5 dozen.  Two dozen for egg salad and 1.5 dozen for devil eggs.

Then the next day, another dozen for french toast and scrambled eggs.  We had a lot of protein.

This weekend, Janelle's friend Tyler came to visit.  He is the only SDA teacher in the English department at his SDA school and so wanted more SDA friends.  At least that was my understanding of the situation.  He stayed the weekend in the English Boys' Dorm.  Spent the day with Janelle and I.  We invited students to hang out.

New Flower

I had recently acquired a new flower.  The person who sold it to me told me it was called a woo-goo-she-a but I can't find anything on it online.  It is beautiful though and I thought I would share it.

Edit:  Have since learned it is called a Fuchsia.