spontaneous day

I am in the process of rearranging the furniture in my room. It's tiring work physically to do it by myself.

I went to sleep last nite around 3 am, so, I wasn't sure what time I'd be getting up the next day. However, after 8 hours of sleep, I was good to go, and happy about that as well. I got a phone call on my home phone from Cara to hang later that day. What a nice surprise. So we met, along with SoYoung, another gal from our church, for a movie, Bourne Identity. I like action and adventure movies, so I was pleased. Plus, during the movie time I "forgot" temporarily, that i was even in Korea. I really like when that happens!!

After the movies we were all hungry so we went out for an early dinner/later lunch. We ate shabu-shabu and a noodle soup. It might sound gross, but its really not. It is so good. Both are some of my favorite Korean dishes, so, again I was pleased. I was also glad to get to become better acquainted with SoYoung. Believe it or not, I had never met her before today! We were all in agreement that Starbucks would become our next destination. We're like, we love Starbucks!!!

On the way to Starbucks I got my ears "double-pierced". Yes, that's right. Now, I hope not to get an infection. It'll be okay!!

So, on to Starbucks, and, again, like 10 other western people were there. (I decided I don't like the word foreigner...it sounds so unfriendly to me...so, I prefer to use the term western now). We ran into Fiona and her husband Ron, Byron, his friend Kim, and co-worker Julia; Avie stopped by later along with 2 of his girlfriends and LIndsay; and of course, Youngmin, our church's worship leader was there too, with his own korean buddies. It's just like home!!!

After everyone left, I engrossed myself into the book I'm reading. I went to TGIF's because I was dying for a quesadilla. After that I came home and am relaxing now.

A day with people was alot more fun than a day alone. And, all unplanned at that!

the best day of my life, monday

Sunday night, I did what I often enjoy doing on a Sunday night, and that is to enjoy the hot baths and sauna at the public bathhouse. Sometimes I go with my friend Jo, but she's gone on a hiking trip this weekend, and my other friend Julene was gone out of town too. So I ventured to the public bathhouse alone, and, OMG (oh my gosh) it was like SO CROWDED for a Sunday evening. Everyone and their mothers were out. No offense. It was kid-city there. Despite being alot of people there, I was still able to get in a hot bath, and had a relaxing time. I also brought along a book with me. Currently I am reading, "Redeeming Love", a non-fictional novel by Francine Rivers. I don't typically get into novels, simply because I have little to no time to spare to the luxury of reading for pleasure. However, since day 1, this novel has gripped me like no other has in a long long time!! The first chapter, or prolouge, as it is called, troubled me, for a terrible event happened to a young girl. However, the pieces of the story are all coming together for me, and it has been a nice way to pass the time away this week, since we are on a major Korean holiday. Some of my friends went out of town, took to the beaches and various mountains. Me, I opted to stay home, and "housesit" for one of my friends, Julene, and, it's been like a mini-retreat there for me.

Last nite I ran into Eric who asked me how I was doing. I told him I was a little bit hungry and going out for a small snack. He offered me his homemade chili that they had just made, and it was soooooo good! And, they gave me fruit and homemade apple pie too, made by kim and betsy. But, the BEST thing they gave me was their company and their time. So, it wasn't specifically to me that they were giving me their time to, but, I got to enjoy and share some time together with other English teachers in Cheonan, and, my heart was all the more warmer by it. I went home so thankful and so grateful for time spent with them, as opposed to alone, my constant companion, getting old! The company was nice, and, being good company was even better!!

So, after the sauna, (back to my story), I spent the night there. I got up by noon, which was good for me (as opposed to sleeping in all day or until 2 or 3 like other times). I made it to Starbucks Cafe and there ran into another half a dozen WESTERN people, western as in other English speakes as myslef, and non-Korean people. The Caves, precious couple from our church and their daughter. Gordon, back from Canada. Sam, the guy from Kansas City. Getting to say hello to these folk though short, was a "high" and a highlight for me. Randomly running into people I know, or at least am familiar with. Got into my book. Lindsay came later, and, God bless her, she was hoping for someone to hang out with. She hung out with me at Starbux, and we spontaneously had dinner and a movie and noraebang and video arcade time together. I originally met Linsay a few weeks ago at church, and she lives in my friend's old apartment, and has taken over his job. Funny how it's a small world.

So, one more day of holiday, tomorrow (Wednesday). I am on a wild goose hunt, madly and desparately searching for a new job. My plan was to "hold out" for an elementary job, simply because I feel more confident and comfortable working with them. However, should a middle school position open up sooner, perhaps I ought to take it. At least that way I wouldn't have the stress of FINDING a job. I'd only have the stress of ADAPTING to my new job. Life at the crossroads. I feel like I am such a bad person for having 3 jobs in one year. But, the truth is, I am not a bad person because of THAT. I have to keep reminding myself the TRUTH.

accpeting changes

Recently I had a new insight. I have finally come to terms with a particular relationship, and especially, the ending or changing of this "special relationship". It took me a long time to get here, to realize that I was better off ACCEPTING this change in our relationship. But, now that I have accepted that he is no longer around, I can still have a smile on my face. If you had told me 6 months ago that men are like busses, there's a new one always coming around, I would have chopped your head off and not listened. The human heart is a strange thing, and healing takes the time it takes, and, that's okay!!

lazy saturday

Today is a rainy day. I was thinking about going to the beach if the weather was good. Oh well, Starbucks is closer and I'll just bring a good book. I bought some tea lights, so now when I take a bath there is a nice glowing ambience in the bathroom. It is a major holiday now in Korea, so we get like 3 days off next week too. I'll just relax and enjoy the time off, in a book or packing. I like that next week is only a 2 day working week.

my current life

right now i am staying over at a friend's house, "housesitting" while she makes her travels...it is soo nice to stay there...i get to take a bath in a tub every night...how happy am i??? and, i hear my neighbors every now and then, and run into them every so often...for example, i ran into eric today...so we got to chit chat for a moment before i had to run to work...i also ran into kim down the hallway and we said hello...that is more interaction than i have had with people in a long time...at work all i do is work...there is minimal interaction with adults...we are all too busy to talk with each other...anyways, my co-workers are unable to speak decently enough in english also, so, i am quite isolated from meaningful interaction throughout the week...i am quite proud of my job performance lately...one of my job duties is to call every student...i am proud to say, that, after 6 months of failing in this task, i finally figured out how to do it more successfully...i use my time after the students go home to call them daily and regularly, and i've also implemented a time calling schedule, where i make appointments with each student for when they get their phone call...it has been alot, and when i say alot i mean ALOT of work...but, i feel quite accomplished with myself, and, even though my head teacher told me yesterday that the number of students i called "wasn't enough", i still hold my head up high...(like it's my fault that a student doesn't keep their appointment...or isn't home or available when i call)...so, like dave told me today, i gotta "keep my eyes on the prize"...that means, i hope my next job will be better...it's gotta be...and, i am looking for a homestay now....since living alone has sort of taken it's toll on me, another friend, jo, suggested that i do this....she's so smart...hehe...so, i've been trying for the past 2 days to let people know i'm interested in that...so far, no luck...but, if that doesn't work out, then something else will...oh, a homestay is what we liken to renting a room with another family...the good thing is, i have options...more later...did i ramble enough? heeheehee....the beauty of blogging, in my opinion, is, that, i can write whatever i want because its my blog!!! i miss my sister miahhhh...

a fresh start

it is true...my job is coming to a close...i am saying sigh-uh-nar-uh to my old job and hello to my new job...instead of focusing on what i cannot do, i must focus on what i can do...there's gotta be a job out there for me...one not so stessful, where i will feel good about what i'm doing, and enjoy the working atmosphere...wishful thinking? i hope not...many changes are sure to come in the upcoming weeks...i gave my boss a 3 month notice and he gave me a 3 week notice...how nice...just an early answer to prayer, right? not unexpected of them of course...it's business, right? not personal...and, how nice of them to conveniently inform me on friday nite before the start of my weekend...i swear, i keep promising myself, this blog WONT turn into a negative job-bashing forum....hmmm....the job countdown begins...

independence hall part 2

sunday a few girls and i went to independence hall...this photo is a rendition of japanese soldiers crucifying korean army...gruesome...

i am a slave

i feel like a slave...i work from 1:30 until 9:30pm, every day...without a break...there is no dinner break for me...i am phone calling students through my non-existant dinner break, eating food ordered in because the school refuses to feed me anymore...one of the other teachers refuses to talk with me anymore...it is a wonderfully haha hostile environment...OMG(oh my gawed)...starting today, i am refusing to work 8 hours without any break...i will take a dinner break whether they like it or not...call my students...do my job....and quit in november...i think i need a less stressful job...is there such a thing? is there one out there for me? God i hope so!! Talk with them? tha'ts the problem...they don't understand english well enough...they get angry at me when i speak my mind...they see everything as i am wrong...they're so hard-headed...why try anymore?! i love my students tho~today, smelly stickers and game day for tuesday-thursday students~wola~

a modern day psalm

Father do you love me?
Why don't you ever write?
Mother do you love me?
Why don't you ever call?
Brother do you love me?
You are so involved in your own life.
Sister do you love me?
You are living your own life;
a life that doesn't include me.
Look God, can't you see?
Look God, don't you care?
Where are my friends?
Where are my close companions?
You said its not good for man to be alone.
What about me?
Look at my bed.
Alone at night.
Is this the life I was meant to live?
Answer me God.
Or, in Byron's words, respond.
Respond.

a modern day psalm, written by monica

jenni and monica

jenni from south africa, and me...she was kind enough to let me stay over her house sunday nite...we ate this really delicious spicy pork stew....it's one of my favorite dishes to eat, especially in the winter time...she taught me some african geography...i am slowly learning...i didn't know there were like some 50 countries or so within the african continent...and, madagascar is not only a movie, but, it is the 4th largest island in the world...bet you didn't know that...jenni is an intersting person...now that she's met me, she's not so anti-american...hehe...seriously though, she lives out in boonie land, so i don't see her that often...but, when we do get together, it is nice,and always a learning experience for me...i learn that not everyone shares the same world-view as me...and, that's okay!!!

independence hall, cheonan, south korea

a group of us girls, jenni from south africa, jo from england, and cara from oregon, and myself, took the afternoon bus to independence hall, an informative, educational museum about south korea and their history...the japanese were so mean, cruel, and brutal to them...i liken independence hall to our "museum of tolerance," informing about the history of the jewish holocaust...it was a short but lovely afternoon, and i hope to go there again...the bus ride was only 20 minutes or so from downtown...the weather was terrific...the company was nice...one thing that impressed me the most was the torture chamber...it was like this teeny tiny 1 foot by 6 foot rectangular cement box that the japanese used to torture captured koreans...so, on that note...bye!

sunday an unexpectedly NICE day~

i awaken around 9am...oh good, just in time to get ready for worship service...but, can i sleep just a tiny bit more? like 5 minutes? oh, i don't wanna get up...so, the clock keeps ticking and next thing you know it's like 10:30am, the time worship service starts...so, i opt to roll over and sleep some more, only because i hate to be late...so, i missed a POTLUCK...man...oh well, after my lunch at outback, i met a korean friend, jay ho, for talking...it's always good to talk...and, i'm reading this book called, "Yes or No, the guide to better decisions" by Spencer Johnson....after dinner i met julene at the sauna (public bath house) for more talking and bathing together...well, it's the korean cultural thing to do...its similar to a jacuzzi, only its a room full of them, with different water temperatures...some are hot, some are cold, some are cool, and some are warm...some have "bubbles" and some are just soothing....it was a godsend to talk with julene, since i haven't really spent time talking with anyone much lately...