I think I get asked this question daily, even by random strangers. I don't think there has ever been a point in my life where so many people are interested in my dating agenda. It's so strange. I think I should put a sticker on my forehead or something just so that the other 1/2 of Korea that hasn't personally asked me will know that, yes, I am single.
On another note, I have another job!! I'm going to work at a kindergarten/pre-school from 10:10 a.m.-12:40 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. It's on the same street as my night job so I can just bike or walk there, and I'll be making an extra 300k won/week! Thank you, I-GEAM for funding all of my travels while I'm out here. This happened really fast. A friend of mine had seen the post for this job and I e-mailed the recruiting company on Tuesday. I went in for the interview with the recruiting company today (Thursday) and ten minutes later we were driving back down to Suji (where I live) so that I could interview at the school, I-GEAM. Koreans definitely do business differently than Americans. I was not expecting to go to the school and be thrown into the middle of everything (I had to teach a class for about 15 minutes) and then get the job immediately after. Oh Korea . . .
Because of the contract I signed with my school, I'm not technically supposed to work anywhere else, not even tutoring, so it's a little hush-hush. The owner of the recruiting company, Mr. Kim (wow, who would have guessed his last name was Kim?), drove me to the school and mentioned multiple times that I'm not supposed to say anything to Mrs. Kim (my boss at ERC). Mr. Kim was really nice and so funny. When we were driving to the school, about 35 minutes, we was showing me the music he had in his car and it was quite the assortment - Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, Backstreet Boys, Phantom of the Opera, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel. We were both singing along having a grand ol' time. He was also telling me about how Korea has the best plastic surgeons in the world and how inexpensive it is. Even he had just had some laser treatment the day before for his complexion! So if anyone needs anything done, you're free to stay with me in my itty-bitty apartment. But anyways, I'm so excited to make some more money and to be a little busier, especially with winter coming because I know that I will have nothing else to do when it's 20 degrees outside. I start on November 30.
Today, 11/11, is Pepero Day in Korea. It's kind of like Valentine's Day, except all the kids bring in Pepero (chocolate covered pretzel sticks) instead of candy hearts. Last night when I was walking around near the subway station all the stores and vendors had these intense Pepero displays. I could hardly move! There were so many people zig-zagging around and Pepero boxes being thrown in every possible direction I didn't really know what to do with myself. Of course there were the beauty shop owners standing outside in there skimpy outfits despite the freezing cold shouting on their microphones saying God-knows-what about I can only imagine. I practically ran from the subway to my friends apartment. I'm expecting to get tons of chocolate covered pretzels tonight and I can't wait. Some of my students promised me yesterday that they'd bring me some :)
On another VERY exciting note....I GOT MY TOASTER OVEN!!! Tomorrow marks the official beginning of holiday baking at the H.McCoy residence. Pumpkin muffins are first on the agenda. Getting the oven to my place was quite the accomplishment. I bought it in Yatap, which is where Kelly lives and where I had left my bag. I bought the oven, then had to walk to Kelly's to get my overnight bag. I got locked out of the apartment and had to wait for about 20 minutes to get the code to their room. Then, I had to lug my overnight bag over my shoulder and attempt to carry the large boxed-up oven from her apartment to the subway. I'm sure anyone that saw me was laughing because graceful is not exactly the word I'd describe this venture. I probably knocked into about five people, including a very old woman. I had to balance the box on the knee opposite of the shoulder I was carrying my bag on and as I swiped my subway card. Then I had to put the card in my jacket, hoist the box above my head, wiggle my way through the gate (making sure I didn't get my bag caught on anything), find a place on the crowded subway to put everything, go through the whole process a second time as I got off the subway, basically dropped it when I got onto the bus because my arms were so tired, and managed to get it back to my apartment with everything, including myself, all in one piece. These are the days when I miss having a car.
I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving! Man, time is seriously flying by. Tomorrow will mark my 7th week. I have my race on Sunday and I just checked the weather and the high is 42 degrees. Pray that I don't get frostbite. We're running along the Han river so I'm sure the wind will be whipping around. I have a couple friends that are coming to watch so it'll be great having people there to cheer me on at the finish. I can't believe it's snowing in CO! I'm a little jealous because here it's just plain cold with nothing to show for it.
Have a great weekend everyone! I'll let you know how my race goes. Hopefully I don't get mowed down by any Koreans.
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