Making himself at home

Slowly but surely the cat in the bird cage is learning how to be a kitten. Well, almost full grown kitten. This of course includes clawing at the couch and running around the apartment at full speed.

He is definitely still weird and adjusting, but is becoming more and more comfortable with his new environment. Just wait till he gets his nuts cut. I'm sure he won't be too happy about that!

He is still nameless. Any suggestions?

Ode to Jeff and Korea

Every time I see Hyun-joong, aka Jeff, aka Kristin's boyfriend, I feel somewhat bad as it seems that all us waygooks do is bitch and complain about something related to Korea and Korean people. Jeff can obviously speak English and I feel really bad that he has to listen to it.

So, in honor of Jeff and the GOOD things about Korea I am submitting my top 10 things I love about Korea list, in no particular order.

10. B-boy hip hop dancers
9. The BEST stationary stores filled with lots of cheap crap and wicked stickers
8. Korean pop music
7. Mountains
6. Dol-Sot Pibimbap and eating out for dinner for less than $5 bucks
5. Cheap transportation
4. Kids yelling hello
3. $1.00 refills on latte's at coffee shops!
2. getting free stuff and discounts
1. Korean aerobics

Damyang

My 2 week stay in Damyang ended yesterday. It was a great experience to work with adults and actually be able to have a conversation with them and learn some of their culture straight from them.

The area was mountainous and very beautiful. I had forgotten what fresh air smelled and tasted like since living in Mokpo. I can't wait to come home and breath it for the summer!

The best part of the workshop was the farewell party held for us on Thursday night. This consisted of playing some of the worst volleyball ever followed by shrimp crackers, soju, raspberry wine and beer. And of course, a kareoke machine.

After a bit of a slow start the party started to get going and I must say I had a great time! My throat was sore the next day from singing so many songs. Julia and I started off with a Wham classic and one of my favorite Christmas songs, Last Christmas. Other performances included Yeah by Usher, some Eminem song that was incredibly difficult and I have a new respect for rappers, Like a Virgin of course by Madonna and some other songs I can't remember.

Another highlight of the evening was the quiet Mr. Shin who loves the soju and got right pissed. This led to him taking over peoples' kareoke songs and totally ruining them along with groping (sp?) and kissing everyone.

It was a lot of fun and no one wanted to do anything that required a lot of brain power the next day.

Operation Cat Rescue

Ok, this entry might be a little long so I'm gonna try and get to the point.

As you know if you actually read this thing, I was in the quaint country town of Damyang for the past 2 weeks doing a teacher's workshop. The workshop was a great change of pace and lifted my spirits and attitude towards Korea.

One night I was out walking with my friends Julia and Samuel and we took a turn down a less travelled road as to not get hit by cars, which is very possible, on the busier road. On our walk we came across a farm. Ohhhh cows we thought! very exciting. So we peak our heads in and the farmer waves us over and we look at the cows and try and pet the many dogs he had and then notice the cat that was being kept in a bird cage. Yep, a bird cage. This is one of the worst displays yet that I have seen in this country of animal cruelty. It was absolutely disgusting.

As you can see, the cage is not very big. Now picture a square container which was his "litter box" that was full of shit, a bowl of food and a water dish. The poor guy had to balance on his water dish b/c it was the only place he could stand.

Samuel and I, being big animal lovers were very distraut from what we had seen.

We tried to figure out what we could do to help this poor guy. We had the brilliant idea of maybe just going late at night and taking him but this didn't work b/c the dogs were barking and the cat started meowing and then the farmer came out and totally busted us.

So, now what. We finally took one of our Korean teachers with us to the farm and asked him to speak to the farmer for us. We told him that we would buy his cat, just name your price.

No.

How much do you want for it?
No.

What the hell. How can you not want to sell your cat to a bunch of crazy waygooks!

The farmer told our Korean friend that he has the cat to keep mice and rats away!!! Can you believe it! Hey news flash, the cat has to be OUT of the the cage to catch them but he obviously doesn't understand that. This is what I mean about, many Koreans simply not knowing about animals.

The farmer finally said that he would talk to his family and to come back the next day.

We were very optimistic and excited for the next day to arrive.

We go back, money in hand only to have the farmer say no to us again! WHAT!? WHY!?

This went back and forth for a while until the farmer called his son over. Within a few minutes his son said ok and we paid 70 bucks for this cat!!!! I know!

So we took him and his disgusting cage and piled into the car.

We then had to wait for a cab for about 1/2 an hour. While unloading our luggage and the cat from Mr. Im's car, the top of the cage was loosened a little and the cat jumps out and starts to run! Ahhhh yes, Seinfeld moment. I finally caught the little bugger and he is now trying to adjust to apartment life.

It is possible that this little guy has been in that cage his entire life. He looks to be maybe a year old. He really has no idea what to do with himself. He has managed to start picking at my fake leather couch though!

He is basically in rehab and learning how to be a cat. Samuel and I will have joint custody of the little guy.

Most likely, many entries to come are going to be about my new cat and how the rehab is coming along!

Waiting for this day

Since I bought my bike in February I've been waiting for the day when I would get hit or nudged by a car. That day was today.
I planned on starting this lovely Sunday with a bike ride around the mountain and then swimming.
Partly my fault and partly the dumb beeatches fault who rammed into me, I was on the wrong side of the street going to turn and she was coming the other way and didn't stop and was looking the other direction so.....
Bam! Smashing into my front tire and jolting me off my bike. I didn't go flying or anything and my bike took the brunt of it all. I was just pissed that the bike gods decided that this Sunday morning was the day this was going to happen.
So the woman gets out of the car and says the 2 words that every Korean knows "I'm sorry" "I'm sorry". yeah yeah. Well shit woman my tired is messed up now. She continues to talk away at me in Korean, of course I have NO idea what she is saying, she hands me her phone number and that was about it.
So, there was no riding around the mountain, I just rode my wobbly tire to the pool and went swimming.
On the positive I had the best swim ever. Maybe I should run into cars more often!

Damyang

For the next 2 weeks, 8 teachers from JLP (Jeollanamdo Language Program) will travel to a lovely area outside of the big city of Gwangju where we will teach Korean teachers. This is an intensive immersion program for the Korean teachers where they are only allowed to speak English which will be very difficult for them I predict.
The Korean teachers stay at the camp for an entire month while we will only be there for 2 weeks and then another group of native teachers will take over.
My topic is social issues, yes! we will hopefully have some great discussions on some controversial topics!

Perogie Fest

My fellow Ukrainian sister, Julia, and I decided to have a Ukrainian dinner night last week which resulted in a little confusion regarding the making of the perogies.

No confusion this time. We had a little perogie making party and had a wonderful feast of salad and perogies, perogies and perogies! It was wonderful. After eating at least a dozen perogies, seriously, I don't feel so wonderful but it was great at the time!

Big Puppy

Here is an updated photo of what was once the little fluffy puppy that arrived at a business right beside my school around Oct/Nov.

He is now a BIG fluffy puppy and I've now named him "The Tongue" as he tries to lick me to death whenever I come to visit him.

Of course he is a sweetheart and I'd love to take him home. I almost always have an audience when I have my goofy rubber gloves on and am playing with him. People are seriously baffled.

On the positive, I have noticed that the owner has been giving him actual dog food! This seems like a minor thing to us but it is a huge thing here. The big dogs get fed leftovers which are disgusting to begin with. Mmmmm octopus, rice, kimchi. Everything a growing dog needs!

The other photo is of my first love in Korea, handsome boy. A beautiful dog in a not so beautiful situation. I brought him a towel to play and chew and we played tug for a bit today. Again, baffling Koreans.

And this is a problem why???

Ok, so I am one of the lucky few who isn't regularaly pissed off at their school, until today.

It's not even anything big but it really pissed me off.

So my co-teacher says to me this afternoon, ummmm Sloane, I need to talk with you about your bike. Oh no, did something happen to my bike I'm thinking.

A little information before I continue, I put my bike in the women's teachers' room. It is fully equipped with a twin bed and bedding and a heating pad for those days you just need a nap at work! I wish we had this concept in Canada! And there's a couch and chairs and stuff and all the teachers come in there and have a hen party after lunch while they all brush their teeth.

So anyway, I put my bike in here to keep it from all the hooligans running around outside and whatever.

Apparently my bike being tucked away in the corner NOT BOTHERING ANYBODY OR ANYTHING is hindering some teachers napping ability.

So I've been asked to put it somewhere else cause the "teachers want to take a rest and the bike brings in dirt from the outside". Oh and there's no dirt or germs running around the school where NO ONE washes their hands after going to the bathroom. Oh yeah, ok better get that disgusting bike out of here!

So whatever. She showed me a place to put it but I don't find it acceptable as all those brats will be touching it. So this is a big deal and I was mad.

What makes it even worse is that when I first started putting my bike in there I ASKED her if it was ok or if I should keep it somewhere else!!!!! geeeess!

Sloane shouldn't have had that cafe mocha after 8pm tonight. Hence why I am blogging at 145AM!

This one's for Tyra

Is this "FIERCE" enough for you Tyra? Am I smiling with my EYES?

I might get told that I look like I'm impersonating Elvis with my mouth.

Easter in Mokpo

My friend Julia turned into Martha Stewart/Betty Crocker this week and hosted a big Easter dinner this past weekend.

It was so great to have a meal like we would at home. We had mashed and scalloped potatoes, broccoli salad, stuffing, veggies and some flat cheese biscuits I made that didn't really rise as they were supposed to.

The rest of the evening was filled with games, bickering and oreo cheescake! mmmmm

It was a great Easter. Except I did miss not getting an Easter bunny and eating too many little chocolate eggs like I usually do.

Chef Julia is in the middle of the 2nd picture. Good job!

Sloane is still not ready to have large quantities of treats in her house.

But, still send Easter candy

The bike ride home today sucked. It was really cold and windy.

Anytime summer!

In need of...

Easter candy!
If anyone would like to send me some Easter candy from home that would make this girl VERY happy!
Ohhh the little chocolate eggs, the ones with krispies inside and of course the all mighty Cadbury's egg.
Send to:
Mokpo Jeil Middle School
Yong-hae dong 170-5
Mokpo city
Chollanamdo, South Korea
530-840

HAPPY EASTER!

Just like home

Now, unless you are familiar with what we call "the ghetto" at home in Winnipeg which is essentially where I live, this photo may not be that funny to you.

At home, in Winnipeg this might be the setting of a downtown park which is meant for all of those illegitimate children to play in. But, most of the time this type of park is a place where drug addicts can get high, alcoholics can get drunk and pass out and where high and drunk teenagers can have sex to create another generation of high and drunk children.

So I laughed a little when I saw this set up in a nearby park here in Mokpo. Unlike Winnipeg, this will not be a place for drug addicts as there are NO drugs in Korea and all the drunks are middle aged business men who would rather stumble around in public downtown and none of the teenagers even have time to think about having sex as they are too busy studying until 1 in the morning.

How I miss the ghetto.

Spring is Springing

Starting in March the days have become longer, warmer, for the most part, with the blossoming of some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen.

I am anxious for the start of summer when everything is green and alive.

Happy Spring everyone!

Evening of Tradition music and dance

This past week at school some of the foreigners were invited to view a traditional dance and music performance last night at the cultural center. The other foreign teachers were not invited either because their new co-teachers don't speak enough English to tell them about it or they simply just didn't tell them at all.

So I decided to go. What else am I going to be doing and it's free which fits right in with my strict budget. Not many other teachers seemed to be interested in taking part in some Korean culture as I think after 7 months, they've had enough of the culture.

My date, Jillian picked me up and we were off. It turned out to be a great night and the performance was great! Of course afterwards, they asked all us whities to get up on stage so a picture could be taken and then we were off to have a buffet dinner.

There weren't many vegetarian options but it was still enjoyable. The Red Mountain wine was probably the best part. Since Korea doesn't really have what we know as regular sized cups and glasses I drank my wine out of a small soju shot glass. I had a few of these which would have probably only worked out to be the equivilant of 1 wine glass.

Pretty sad that on my walk to Lotte Mart and then home I noticed that I had a bit of a headache and that I felt kind of "funny". Hmmmm I guess it only takes 1 glass of wine to give me a headache. Thank goodness I had dinner or I would have been smashed!