Pics from the past week...

So I uploaded some pictures from the last week though they are in no particular order. Of course I have to have pics of my new baby. Cady likes to sleep with me on my bedmat. I haven't decided whether or not I will let her sleep in bed with me once I get a new bed. Perhaps I will leave the bedmat on the floor for her since she likes it...
Random pics outside my apartment...

My apartment building. I believe there are 19floors...
We have an E-Mart right across the street which is helping to kill my wallet.
I got lost somewhere in Anyang so I decided to take pictures...
Enjoying a nice afternoon in Gangnam-gu...

That's all the pics I have for now but hopefully tomorrow I will have some of the park down the street and others. Maybe one day I'll even take pics of my students...if they are lucky=^^=

A new beginning...

So today is the beginning of the new term. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I'm nervous as all hell. But I have been prepping for everything like I should so I think I will be ok. I felt the same way when I cam in during the last bit of last term and I was fine so I need to concentrate on that fact. I usually prep my material 3-4days in advance and just make sure to look over it again before class to refresh. I'm a bit OCD with getting things done and organized but it works to my advantage here.

I have been indulging in my guilty pleasure of youtubing korean music videos I like. To be honest my tastes have been running in the mainstream. Somehow I find I actually like Wonder Girls "So Hot"...a bit embarressing really. I really find myself liking MC Mong's 미치 겠 어(Crazy). I think I might actually go out and buy the cd since it is obviously not on iTunes. It's about love but in a funny way which I think is perfect. And I can dance around to it.

I've been trying to figure out how I am going to schedule my day with Cady. Today I have to go in to work early so she'll be alone for about 7hrs. I'm going to walk her right before I leave for work and then as soon as I get home so I think she will be fine. If not then we will deal with that as it comes. I actually woke up and found her sleeping beside me on my bedmat. And me moving around and my alarm going off doesn't bother her at all. She does bark when people knock on my door or ring the bell though so we'll have to work on that.

Everything else is going well. Hoping to get out tomorrow and take a stroll around the park with Cady and NaiNai before work. And hoping to buy my bed tomorrow finally!

미 치 겠 어...Crazy???

Perhaps I am but I do have a new member of my household. She arrived this afternoon and has already made herself at home. Welcome CADY!!!
=^^=

Enf of one term...

So I finally reached the ned of the term and intensives and I couldn't be happier. On the whole I didn't feel near as stressed as I could have. However we got schedules finally for the new term. Actually the schedule has been changed and butchered almost beyond recognition. But I think I finally have my final schedule which is great because classes start friggin Monday. I'll have 1 day off and a full schedule the rest of the time for a grand total of 36hrs/wk. That is going to be a bit rough perhaps but I know I'll be ecstatic when I get my paycheck. I won't have that schedule forever though. 3 of my classes disappear in 2months so I'll be down to 27hrs/wk. My manager told me to let him know if I start feeling homicidal but for now I'm excited to start the new term.

I've gotten a few emails about my process of getting here, recruiters and companies. I did do lots of research before I came so I have some info to give. Just give me a bit of time. I've been working so much I barely get time to check my email but I promise to get back to everyone ASAP with as much help as I can give. I'm glad people enjoy reading my blog and I'll make sure to post and add more info and pics!

Yay for days off...

So I am in the process of mad cleaning. It is another battle between me and the dustbunnies from hell as well as the fruit flies. I have no food in my apartment but I have random fruit flies...ugh. So I am taking out any and all trash I have today, doing laundry, cleaning my bathroom...-sigh- I'm used to cleaning buuuuuut....I'm gonna hire a maid. I know, I know how lazy of me. But honestly I don't care. I can afford to and I'm tired of coming home to fight a war with distbunnies when I've barely finished fighting the war with my kids. So by next week I will be hiring a maid to clean my apartment once a week.

I will also have a new love in my life starting this Sunday. I am adopting a dog. The circumstances in which I'm getting her are quite sad and I honestly wish they would have been different but...yeah. I have never adopted a pet that was older than a pup, or kitten so I am nervous about whether or not this dog will take to me. I hope so.

Well for now it is back to the struggle that is me cleaning. I'm meeting a new friend later today for lunch and maybe later tonight for noraebang so it should be a fun day.

=^^=

A small rant...and then pictures

I am not usually one who is prone to ranting and raving about anything. I prefer to be chill and let things I dislike just fall to the side. However, I have one big issue with people in general. People meet me, and even before we have one conversation, they assume that they know every aspect of my personality. Painting me into a box is a quick way to get on my bad side. Especially if you ignorantly reveal said box to me. I haven't really had any Korean people try to stereotype me at all. There was the one guy who called me Miss HipHop, and one guy for some reason thought I was from Columbia...no idea why. But truthfully most of the stereotyping and ignorance has come from some in the expat community.

Yes...I'm black...African-American...-all scream in fear and hide their watermelon-. But does that really tell you who I am? Well let's look at some of the stereotypes:

1) I'm on welfare.
-No. Quite the opposite. When my parents divorced my mom had pretty much no money, however to the best of my knowledge not once did she accept a welfare check. She worked hard and is now happily living on the level of the upper-middle class. Now I'm not saying that everyone in the system is lazy. Some are very hard-working people who are just trying to make a life for their children.

2) I have too many kids and don't know the 'Baby-Daddy'.
-This is a phenomenon I simply have no concept of. For one, it's called use birth control or other items to keep yourself from getting pregnant and for two...honestly I just don't like enough people at one time for that to happen.

3) I love fried chicken.
- Sorry KFC, sorry Popeye's, I actually really dislike fried chicken...oops.

4) I'm lazy.
-Contrary to belief black people have been working hard for centuries. Who the hell was it working in the fields?! How this laziness came about I do not know. But I do know that I for one refuse to live off of anyone's charity. I am my mother's child. I dislike asking for help, and I am just fine working for what I want. I am no one's lap dog.

5) Only black people fit into the above mentioned categories.
-I know so many lazy white people, lazy Chinese people, lazy Indian people, etc. who fit into one or all of these categories. It's ridiculous. My Japanese friend could be standing beside me, eating fried chicken, a baby strapped to her back and hugging her leg with her welfare check in her hand and a person would never lump her in those categories. She'd be seen as a traditional stay at home mom who happens to enjoy fried chicken...

...asses. So none of these stereotypes tell you who I am as a person. I sincerely believe stereotyping gets in the way of actually learning how to interact with other people. I'm not saying that black people don't do this too. I've been stereotyped the worst at times by my own people. 'I use a perm' 'My favorite food is Japanese food' 'I didn't go to an HBCU' 'I'm not black enough'...I hate when I am told that last one. There are so many aspects to African-American culture to be proud of. We are such a diverse people. Putting ourselves in a box is not only detrimental to our community, it is also impossible and thankfully so.

So if you ever see me walking down the street, stop for a chat. But do not assume that I know about 50Cents newest album, or that I have read any books especially written for African-Americans. Have I? Yes. Feel free to ask about those things. But do not assume right away. To assume is to make an ASS out of U and ME. And I don't hesitate to put people in their place these days.

So now after that rant, on to some pictures I took last night of my festivities. This mama is great. Her food on hogwan-ga is sooooooo good right after teaching for 6hrs straight. And she speaks great English. Her sister lives in the USA I believe.


So NaiNai and I are like an old married couple sometimes...yeah but totally straight, lol. No we were not drunk. Just imitating our well loved manager who sometimes looks like he hates his life...oh LukeLai we love you!!!


So I realized that somehow my other pics got deleted...but I do have this one. I am standing in Bomgye. I will take Korea by storm. When I leave they won't know what hit them!!!

So life has been going on and on as usual. I've begun to fight the war of dust that springs up in my apartment when I'm gone. It makes me really miss having carpet. Work is the same. A bit less nerve wracking and now that I know what I am prepping for it takes less time. I haven't yet had time to be a tourist like I want and my computer still refuses to upload my videos so I might have to try from my friend's computer.

In new news I have decided to adopt a furry friend. I posted a while ago about how I would when I got a bit more settled. I don't want to speak prematurely since the last two times I tried it never panned out. But hopefully in the next week or two I'll post a pic of the new love in my life. Next week I will also hopefully be posting my apartment with added furniture(ie. a bed) and other fun electronics in it. Hopefully things will start to come together very soon.

I also wish that I hadn't gotten soaked in yesterdays random rainshower. I had to go back home just to change clothes before I went back to work. It probably didn't help that I didn't have an umbrella with me the first time...

Oh well. At least I had time to talk to my mom before I went back to teaching. As for now I should probably prep for today's lesson. Thankfully I have Sundays off so I get to relax tomorrow and go into Seoul for some tourist fun. I have no set plans except for walking around and trying not get hit by a speeding scooter...-sigh- sounds so nice...

=^^=

My apartment...

So I finally have internet in my apartment!!! I also have cable but that is less important since I currently have no tv. I made a little video for you all to enjoy. I plan on making another tomorrow when I go walking down my street and maybe on the subway as well as where I work. Now that I am connected I am in the posting spirit. With work I haven't had much time to be a tourist but I plan on remedying that.

Scratch that, my computer won't let me upload it...sad. I'll try again later.

Semi-regular posting...

So I am finally in a good mood. Yesterday I had gone to LG Telecom to get my prepaid phone changed to a monthly plan. So everything is going great. I got NaiNai who is half-korean and knows waaaaaaaaay more Korean than I probably ever will to come with me to help...and flash her visa if need be. So after 1 1/2hrs during which I signed a form turning off my then current phone service I was told that my bank account was not registered to my ARC card and therefore I couldn't get a phone until then...huwat?! So I had to leave and go back to work...phoneless. Completely disconnected from life...-sigh-...so needless to say I was in a shit mood. But my kids were so full of energy during class and got just about every example that I felt much better by the time the end of the day rolled around.

So this morning I got out of bed, showered and headed to the bank to remedy the situation. I'm someone who goes through a wide range of emotions fairly quickly. After the phone fiasco I felt angry for about 45minutes, then sad for maybe another 20mins. After that waste of time I felt determined. If I want something I will do what has to be done to get it. Not knowing a lick of Korean and being without NaiNai I went to the bank, played gestures, got my bank account changed and then went back to LG. 30minutes later I had my phone with a new cell number and a monthly plan. I am a happy Kristen.

So now I am just waiting until I get internet and looking to buy a tv. I'll be getting a cable/internet plan so I need to get a tv to have cable for, lol. Perhaps it is time for another walk outside to go find me a tv. That way I can watch the Olympics. Though truthfully I can just sit outside in front of FamilyMart like the ajossi, eat some kimbap and enjoy the night...

About Time..

So I am finally getting internet tomorrow and damn is it about time. I'm so physically and mentally exhausted right now it isn't even funny. I am so glad I have a day off tomorrow. I feel like I could strangle someone...but alas I will keep my hands to myself. I should hopefully return tomorrow with a longer post and new pics...if I'm lucky!

I apologize...

So I very much apologize for being away from my blog for so long. Life without internet is kicking me in the ass. Combine that with not having a tv, bed, food to cook, friends...no wait I do have friends...I think...but yeah I still come home to a half empty apartment everyday. Quite sad really but I get my first paycheck soon so I hope to add a bit more furniture to my apartment.

Work has been going great. The kids are hilariously funny at times and keep me entertained. Combine that with the fact that I love my coworkers and you have a very happy Kristen. I finally got my ARC(alien registration card) from immigration earlier. When you get to Korea be sure to get that ASAP. You can't really get a bank account or anything without it. Luckily I had a friend go with me and I got a phone my second day here. However I had a helluva time trying to get my prepaid phone recharged last week. After getting the runaround from about 8 stores in and around Seoul I finally went to Technomart where there was a LG Telecom center. Truthfully I cried a little and the lady helped me out. She was so nice and I wish her a promotion in the future. So now I finally can make outgoing calls again.

But alas everything can not go right in my life at the same time. My washing machine crapped out. I had to go downstairs to my coworker/awesomest friend ever's apartment and I currently have all of my undies drying in her room. Heehee.

All in all I have been having a great time in Pyeongchon. It's a nice combo of chillaxin place but close enough for me to go to Seoul at like 2am...like I did last week with NaiNai. I have gotten a few stares, been called Ms. Hip-hop(granted he did call me gorgeous), been waved at by cute little kids and had a lady in the nail salon rub my arm and say my skin was soft. I have been passed by/ignored by a few taxis but otherwise I haven't had any other negative experiences. I do hope to branch out beyond Pyeongchon and make friends but I'm still thoroughly enjoying myself. I'll do my best to get internet this week so I can get up some pics for you guys.

=^^=