Angly Day

I was surprised by the decent grammar from this girl. Maybe you can point out why I giggled when I read this...

I had a math test. I was dissapointed. "What an angry day!"
My friend said.
"O..h..!"
I repried.
I felt so angry and dissafointed. But I had a grate grade.
"Oh! Yeh!"
But my friend is not good. I felt dissapointed.

(My Korean students always mix up "l" and "r." Typical Engrish mistake.)

Okinawa picture post

Beautiful low tide beach.

Take note of this rock...

It was quite the journey to get out there.

See the rock?? This is...middle tide??

High tide.

Our wonderful host for the week.

Okinawa loves the Cardinals too!!

My amazing meal at the Japanese steakhouse we went to. 

Our chef.

There's the rock again during high tide.

The Fran makes a great travel buddy!

Update

It's been a while since I've posted. I don't really have anything funny to say so I'll just let you all know what I've been up to.

I.     Japan

At the beginning of May I went to Okinawa, Japan with my friend Frances for a week. It was a nice, relaxing vacation. It was the first time I'd warn flip flops this season. Twas a nice way to bring in the summer. Luckily Korea got the hit that it's almost summer time and to warm up. We stayed with a friend of Frances' who's stationed in Okinawa. Her hospitality was greatly appreciated, as we got to eat REALLLLL American food. Even a simple turkey sandwich is a food that should not be taken for granted. You'd miss it if you couldn't have it. I know this, first hand. 

There are a few differences I noticed between the Japan/Japanese people and Korea/Koreans:

• They don't stare as much. 
• They're better drivers.
• Where Koreans use red pepper paste (which is on every food) Japanese use soy sauce.
• It's cleaner (ie doesn't smell like sewage, fish or garlic everywhere).
• Everything is more expensive. (Because it's an island so everything has to be imported.)
• While Koreans live in business casual clothes, Okinawans live in sweats. 
• On the island, at least, you basically have to have a car to get around. Korea has good public transportation everywhere.

Okinawa, Japan during low tide.

II.     Cat

I got a cat. Being alone in my apartment a lot becomes quite lonely. I saw on facebook that a fellow teacher in Pohang had a cat who needed a home. I had already been thinking about getting a pet but had some reservations because a puppy would require wayyyy too much work and time and I wouldn't know what to do with it when I go home. That, and all living things die under my care. The most significant disaster was my tarantula in high school. Poor Svetlana, may she rest in peace. (I even kill cacti.) 

I was making excuses not to take the cat, ie it probably sheds a lot and I don't need any more substances to sweep up every day. In the end I picked the cat up that night. She's a really sweet and cuddly cat but also fine if she's left alone. My kind of pet.

Puss Puss

"He held his sheets tight."

I couldn't help it... Korean children trying to say the word "sheet" is just toooooooo funny!

Rock me, Amadeus!

This past weekends I had the two most epic days since coming to Korea. There were plenty of typical Korea moments to document.

Saturday:
My day begins by taking my friend Lauren lunch. I conveniently left my phone at my apartment and had no way to get into her building. Luckily, like Prince Charming, I yelled her name up to her window and like the beautiful Repunzel she is, she threw down her hair for me to climb up. (Slash I took the stairs...)

A while later we're sitting outside at Starbucks with a few other foreigners. We see some Koreans posing and one with a video camera. That's not actually random in Korea... You see Koreans with giant cameras and posing quite frequently.

There's a couple posing, a guy playing a guitar and a girl playing an air violin. A few minutes later, we're approached by the Korean university students to ask if we'll be in their video. Eh, why not... We had to brainstorm poses to fit with the theme, "Harmony." And then we had to hold our poses for 5 minutes. That's a lot harder than you might think. Hopefully they'll get a good grade on their project since they were able to con some waygookins into it.

Later was dinner. We had an AMAZING meal at a new restaurant in town, New York Cafe. We had delicious western food and felt like we were in Little America. Pohangsters, be sure to check it out. You won't be disappointed!

The lovely Phalan and me at dinner.

Afterwards it was downtown to celebrate Lauren's last night in Korea. It was a hell of a send off if I must say so myself. One of my good friends Sandeep showed up pretty sloshed, which is so out of character for him. He was all the entertainment everyone needed for the night, shouting obscenities (also out of character) and phrases like, "Rock me, Amadeus!"

We did a full Pohang pub crawl and ended the evening with who knows how many hours of noraebang, where Lauren and I re-discovered our new favorite 80's monster ballade, "To be with you," by Mr. Big. We had to leave the noraebang when the owner flat out refused to give us more time (we had requested more time at least 3 times...).

Probably singing "Barbie Girl"

Lauren rocking out.

At least when you go home at 6 a.m. the taxi ride is cheaper. Lauren and I should have gotten that ride for free as we loudly serenaded the drive with our version of Mr. Big, only we didn't remember all the words... Walking back to her apartment we continue to serenade the wonderful people of Korea with our magical, cracking voices. We hushed up on the stairs to her building but continued the night of noraebang once we were in the confines of her half-packed apartment. This time, we had the music video to accompany us AND the correct lyrics. (Note: If you want a free concert of me performing this wonderful diddy, just skype me. Any day, anytime. I'll be warmed up and ready.)

The next day our friends were feeling pretty rough so we feasted before the tedious task of last minute packing. Well, Lauren packed while I went through her apartment and filled my shopping bags. It was like garage sale shopping only free! I'd much rather have her here, but if I must let her leave, I'll take her stuff.

In the evening before her bus, we met friends downtown one last time. This is where we met Michael. Michael Jordan (he chose Michael as his English name because he went to Chicago in USA and saw Michael Jordan play basketball.) This random kid (wish I had my camera, I would have taken a picture) in a Jordan jersey sat down to see if he could understand English conversation and to talk to us. I admire his courage to just sit down and talk to native speakers, but there's a time and a place. That wasn't the time or the place. Especially not to show your coin collection. He had an entire box of coins from around the world, which Chad got to see. Every single one! I usually carry my coin collection with me too, but I must have forgotten at home...

Great weekend.

Oh and I have an ajuma update... Ran into one of them at the bus stop again. In her broken Konglish she asked me for English lessons again. "Pree English study. And Espanol." Translation: She wants me to teach her English and Spanish for free. She must have forgotten that I don't speak Spanish. The only thing I could teach her is to ask for a beer, tell someone she's drunk and how to order a gordita supreme at Taco Bell...

For your viewing pleasure...

Synonyms and Antonyms

We learned about synonyms and antonyms in my class today. This particular class has been desperately trying to hook me up with their English teacher at school. This is what they tell me about him:

JD teacher:
46 years old
wears glasses
a little chubby
bald
BUT he's funny...                         ((I guess they know "my type" so well...))

During our lesson today this is the conversation that went down.

Anna: Heather, you want to marry JD teacher?
Me: No. What is an antonym for good?
Anna: Why, teacher? You are married?
Me: No.
Anna: You have boyfriend?
Me: No.
Anna: You marry JD teacher!
Me: No.
Anna: Why? He is nice and funny teacher!
Me: I'm sure he is, but I don't know him.
Miki: He is bald.
Anna: JD teacher is nice. You are mean. Antonym, teacher.

Great job showing me you understand the lesson today but I'm still not going to marry JD teacher...