The Pool at the Hyatt Jungmoon -- Yep. I swam there.

Pic of the Hyatt I stole from their website. Didn't take any myself that day because I left my phone at the apartment...grrr.

Chusok Vacation

What a blast. Had such a good time.

The first three days, I admittedly drank too much and slept too late but the weather was crap anyway. So, finally sick of sleeping off hangovers all day we decide to do stuff.

Weather is hot so we decide to head down to Jungmoon beach on the south side of the island. Take a taxi to the Crow Plaza hotel in Shin Jeju; from there catch a bus to the Hyatt JungMoon. Wasn't crowded because all the Koreans spend Chusok with the family, and the ride was only about 30 minuites.

We get off at the Hyatt and take the steps down to the beach and whoa! if it ain't perdy! A bay of dark blue ocean, pressed against a sandy shore that slants sharply up to rolling green hill and huge rocky cliff on either side where the developers have built their expensive hotels.

Anne-Marie, Alicia, Kiel, and me all took the bus together and met Doug, Woody, his girlfriend Laurie and Chris there because they'd taken their bikes. We played in the waves and tide was strong, water salty but not too much and Doug laughed at me again when I said I was worried about being stung by a jelly fish. He said there's nothing in the ocean here that stings; and I figure he knows because he's lived here a year and grew up in Austrailia...Still, I don't go out too far.

We got hungry and went up to find a little snack shop that had plastic tables set up. Ordered some noodles in soup with egg and vegetables and hot spices, a beer and a cigarette of course. The view was pretty awesome because we were high on the hill; four p.m. sunshine shimmering off the pale blue ocean and I thought: "ah....this is the life."

In summer the surf is supposed to rival Hawaii. I can't wait.

Afterwards we snuck up for a swim in the Hyatt's pool -- as the Korean's don't swim this time of year, it was empty and no one cared if we were there -- niiiice. Man-made waterfalls passed into a swim up bar that sadly was not open. Palm trees all around. Yeah! Afte the dirt and stink of China, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

Ran into Lisa and some of her girlfriends who had rented scooters and driven down. Lisa said: "I've got the need for speed now man." Cause although she'd driven her car here (like a maniac) this was her first time driving scooter. She and her friends had set up tents on the beach and were camping there for the night. Totally want to do that soon. Erin, who works at the Language Center as well, also always camps at Hamdok beach and all around. Can't do it back in Canada cause we have too many retarted laws that prohibit any kind of fun, but there's no problem here. Maybe this weekend?...

Today, is thursday, back at work but it's only for two days and then the weekend again. Well, time for lunch. Cheers everyone!

For more photo's of the typhoons destruction click on this link below and scroll through the pics:

http://www.jemin.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=179700

Typhoon

So, Sunday we got hit with a category II Typhoon. The winds souded like fighter planes landing overhead; the rain pelted our windows in sheets, bubbling between the panes and soaking everyone's apartment before Doug came in and told us we had to leave the windows open a little to let the water out. I mopped up a full bucket of water from my floor and I was one of the lucky ones.

One of the other teachers (Miles) wasn't home, windows open. He came home to find his place covered in four inches of water, matress and box spring soaked through. Sweet.

There are steep hills on this island, and one of the streets used to be a river they paved over so when the rains came it reverted back to a river -- literally. Water was chest high. Cars got swept away. Piled on top of each other; fliped over, there was even a motorcycle on top of a turned over car. The Buddist temple wall collapsed. I heard 14 people died. Went down to the E-Mart one day post flood, and the roads are mud. People still pumping water out of their stores and appartments. The glass door in front of my apartment building shattered and I thought my windows would break.

There is a little junkyard puppy living in just in front of my window. I asked the owner if he could stay in my apartment during the typhoon but he wouldn't let me take him. Said the dog would be fine, that he would miss his owner and didn't like small spaces. So, he left the three month old puppy tied to a pole by a six foot rope for 12 straight hours of pouring rain and wind. Poor puppy.

All the foreigners were excited about the storm actually, we took pics and vidoe taped what we could. We congregated in the hallways, watching the wind whip rain off the buildings. And after it was all over, we went to see the 12 car pile up and took photos. A little heartless maybe, but in my defense, everyone was doing it!

Came into work this morning at 9:15 sharp (oops, little late) to find out that we didn't have to be in until 1pm today because of the adult classes tonight. Nice...thanks for telling me man. Boss lady said: "we didn't think about it before and you didn't come to work yesterday." Yes, because I had the day off! I think. But smile and say: "Oky-dokey". So, here I am, writing emails and updating my blog.

I put the lighter there so you could get an idea just how big they are. Maybe you guys have seen bigger -- but I haven't. Yikes. They're not even a snack -- fry 'em and their an appetizer!

La Cookaracha, La Coocaracha, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Had Lucy and Seong-Mi over for Galbi (Grilled Beef) two nights ago; opened my closet and whoa! Big, black thing scurrying away. Was so fast, I didn't know what it was at first. Thought maybe a moth? Anyway, it dissapeared and we went on with our meal.

Afterwards, Seong-Mi walks toward the bathroom and screams.
"Amanda! Amanda! Come here!"
What's on my wall, but two HUGE, BLACK COCOROACHES! EEEWW.
I scream.
They just stay where they are, waving their tenticles around. I grab some napkins and decide to squash them -- they tell me not too and scream again. I try but they run away really, super fast!
Then I jump and scream. And we all hide in the corner on the other side of the room. Don't laugh, you guy's would've too -- I think. I hope.
Doug comes by (my door's open), asks what's up and I tell him. Ask him to search for it for me. He's from Down Under so he mocks us: "you North American's" Shakes his head. Nonchallantly opens the closet doors, searching through the towels. "They won't hurt you. Good thing you don't have a cat or dog," He goes on, "takes about 50 cocroaches to equal the disease they would carry."
Yeah, but they're cute.
Course, he can't find them.
After everyone leaves, I go to the corner store and buy coroach spray: fumigate the apartment and clean up everything.
Next night the same.
So, I'm sitting watching T.V. in the evening when I go to the bathroom and lo and behold, what is on my floor but those same two fat, ugly, shiny black cocroaches. I grab the spray -- this time prepared haha! -- and get 'em good. The other one was already dead - presumbably from the earlier spray into his lair -- but I sprayed him again for good measure.
Then, like the proud hunter I am, I took their photos and posted them for you to see. Just in case you thought I might be exaggerating about their size.

Other than that, I got a cell phone -- Yeah!

I've been really busy at work the past couple of days since we've received info about our classes. Been planning the curriculim for the semester and creating lesson plans for next week. Stressful for everyone cause we've only 2 1/2 days to do it all -- especially me cause I'm the newbe.

I'm teaching a low-level kids class, middle school emersion class (Science & Geography) and an adult evening class -- plus the simulation lab twice a week. Schedule is as follows:

M,W,F: 9-6p
Tu, Th: 1-9p

With a Saturday Storybook class thrown in here and there.

Heard that they finally got a hold of Ms. Yang at Changhi Univ and she was going to fax in the paper but hasn't happened yet.

Have a long weekend this weekend and Chusok (One of Korea's big Family Holidays) is next week, so we get three days off in the week!
Princess Small (yes, that is truley her name -- met her at orientation. She lives on the South side of the Isand...the resort side.), invited me to join her for a serious pampering session at the Hyatt. Thought about it, but it's just too expensive. Think I'll end up taking some day trips instead.

Asian Cunning

So, those sneaky little asians have pulled a fast one on me -- though not really a fast one since I pretty much expected them to reneg on our contract.

I go to the head office of Education for Jeju Island with Bill -- a co-worker at the Hallim Center -- because they need our help verifying other peoples' degrees. I get there and Ria Kim tells me that they "have to downgrade me to a Level II" pay because:

1. I don't have a letter from the university in China I taught at with the dates of employment on it -- (apparently 2 work visas -- with name of school and dates -- a letter of reference, which indicates that I worked "at least one year" --- are NOT sufficient. Hm. Nice that no one told me this until -- conviently? -- they LAST DAY to have all documents in to secure pay scale. And they've had my documents since...late August at least. And I'd written on them "proof of employment." Nice if they'd have told me sooner that wasn't good enough...

2. My Record of employment from Jungchul is not sufficient because it says: July 3 -- July 1st. Shy 3 days. I try explaing to her, "IT WAS 12 CALENDAR MONTHS!!" -- very calmly, of course. She wants me to call the school in Busan and get another one. I refuse and in the end make her do it. Bitch.

3. My TEFL Certificate -- which apparently they'd lost at EPIK and neither EPIK nor my recruiter knew where it was happened to be sitting in my file on Ria's desk. Nice. Doesn't say one it 100 hours. I have to get a personal letter sent to me saying the program was 100hours or more. I imform her -- oh, so calmly -- that this is the VERY first time I've EVER heard about this. That if she wanted to see how long the prograw was all she has to do is CHECK THEIR WEBSITE or CALL THEM!!! MOOOOOORONS! Nope, not good enough. Need a LETTER. As if it's more difficult to fabricate a letter than invent a website. Logical.

All this, remember they tell me THE LAST DAY. So as to ensure that I am screwed. I argue with Ria for at least an hour, tell her I'm not teaching, go out for a smoke, think about quitting right then and there and remember that payday is just 10 days away and if I quit, I'll wait until then. 'Manda can play cunning too.

So, I go back in and we "compromise" -- meaning she gets what she wants: I have to get the letter from China, she calls for the "revised (3 day)" Busan work record, and I show her online my TEFL is 100hrs (though I'll probably still need the letter for that later). AND, I get level 2 pay this month. But next month, they assure me they'll bump me back up to Level 1 -- assuming my documents are alll in. However, the other teachers shake their heads when I tell them this, smile knowingly and say: "no they won't".

My boss here got the Chinese teacher to call Chanzhi uni asking for my work record but got the runaround. She had quit that day (chinese teacher) so don't think she tried too hard and don't think the school is in any hurry to help me out. So, who knows if I'll ever get it. Am seriously thinking of faking one though...

Needless to say, yesterday was an extremely frustrating day.

Now, about my weekend....

That was a bit nicer. Went to Hamdeok beach by taxi -- 20 min and 10,000 Won -- and it was all sand and emerald green water. Past "beach season" so not crowded at all, but still warm enough for a smim. I did dive in, lay in the sand, nap with the sun on my face. Mmmm...calms me just thinking about it.

The Saturday Storybook class went fine, read them a childrens' version of King Arthur. Then the beach. Then got invited out with Ms. Kang with Lucy (co-worker) to her friends house for supper -- an American guy married to a Korean woman. Didn't really want to go but it turned out to be a lot of fun actually. He made grilled chicken and pork, with wraps and salsa and all the toppings. We drank and talked. A friend of Ms. Kang's was there too -- I'd met her before but couldn't really remember who she was or what she did, having met so many people this past month. Anyway, we left around 11pm.

Sunday, I decided to treat myself out to a coffee out, at the paris Baguette and enjoy the people passing by on a Luxurious Sunday morning. A few sips into my superb Americano, I see Ann Marie -- who lives in my building. I'd met her at the foreiger's dinner Friday night. French Canadian girl -- she and I go shopping all day for our apartments.

And then yesterday happened. And you know all about that. Except we did interview the kids for two hours to determine what level of ESL classes they'll be taking. Was happy for something to do to pass the time but was very, very tired when I came home. Lucy was nice enough to ask details about my day and let me rant. Took me out for Dapoki (thick rice noodles with a red, spicy sauce), and then to Baskin Robins for a double scoop of ice cream -- even though I insisted one was plenty she did insist and I couldn't eat it all though.

How are you all doing? Email soon!

Back In Korea

Well, as most of you already know, I'm back in Korea -- Jeju City on Jeju Island this time though. It's pretty, cleaner and I can see the ocean from both my apartment and school which is kinda cool. The weather was muggy and hot the first couple of days but for the past three has been nothing but dark and raining, albeit warm rain. Today, though, it finally looks like it's clearing up and just in time for the weekend!

Today, I have to jet down to the Immigration office to pick up my ARC card and hopefully my Multiple Entry Visa (since the one they gave me in Toronto is only Single Entry, meaning I can't go on vacation outside the country and re-enter).

Tomorrow -- Saturday -- I volunteered to teach the "Story Book Class" for 2 hours -- gives me Monday off! -- So, I have to prepare for that today. Don't know exactly how to do that class though....should be interesting.

Also, tonight there's supposed to be a dinner for all us newbees thrown by all us newbees. Had dinner with some of the other foreigners two nights ago; had the Korean version of Hot Pot. The call it "Shabu Shabu". It's tasty, just not as oily or darn it! spicey as the Chinese version.

So, onto the interesting stuff. There's three guys in my building: Woody (Aussie), Nick (American) and Doug (New Zelander). All pretty nice guys. Woody has a Canadian girlfriend. Sadness -- but at least she's not....well, you know what I was going to say.

I should get a phone sometime this upcoming week which will inevitably have a camera on it. So, I'll hopefully be posting photos soon as well! Don't be jealous when you see them now...hehe. What's in a Palm Tree nestled by the ocean anyway??