obzervase ions

so a few things i've discovered about myself since returning:

observation numero uno

i really get pissed off with people who don't listen or, more likely, hear what i'm saying and disregard it completely. now, my work has NOT been marred by any such situation, but one or two of my co-teachers have frustrated me.

eg. #1: would you like tea or coffee? i can make it. no, i will make it. but i have free time, please, let me . . . no i will make it, what do you want? are you sure? yes. okay, tea please. here's your coffee. thanks (gritted teeth).

eg #2: how do i get to Ansan? south Seoul station is closest to Ansan. but Seoul is further away than Ansan, i want to go there quickly. so you take a bus to Seoul. but surely i can go to another city on the way and connect from . . . well, you just go to Seoul. but i don't want to go to Seoul. but you must go to Seoul. surely i don't have to go to Seoul. south Seoul bus terminal has buses to Ansan. (pause for a few moments, subduing rage, releasing inner calm) what is the biggest bus station nearest to Samcheon... south Seoul station has buses to there. but i don't want to go to Seoul!

frustration. i know it's a two way conversation, but i think i'm being clear and people are imposing things on me. hey hey, maybe THAT is what frustrates me the most.

observation 2:

i am extremely scared of the thought of making a complete twit of myself in social settings, yet when i do it, i don't really care too much. riddle me this, batman, cos i certainly don't get it.

example, supermarket, i forgot to bring a plastic bag. i paid and had to get the checkout artist to pile up my purchases for me (i could've bought another bag, but hey, i've got a pile to utilise in my apartment). people watching me work my way thru the crowd and i didn't realise i didn't care how weird it looked until i nearly got home and saw another guy doing the same and thought he looked weird.

obervation trois:

i feel VERY uncomfortable not having my keys in my hands ready to open my home door, car door, office door, whatever, before i get to it. walking home, hands full (see above story), i couldn't get my keys ready without putting stuff down, so i just carried to the door, put stuff down, opened the door, picked stuff up again. i feel more at ease having the keys in my hand before i get home.

i know. this sounds weird. why am i mentioning it? i'm unsure, but i think i'm in a rush. in a rush to get inside. in a rush to get to my chair. in a rush to get comfortable, driving, online, sleeping, eating, you name it. hurry hurry hurry.

in other news, i went for a picnic with 5th grade classes and teachers on Wednesday. great times, and i taught the boys how to play slaps (don't worry, i didn't go to hard on them). good and bad - i tended to win, but because they all wanted to play me, my hands were crimson by the time i dunked them into troughs of ice. a positive that i didn't foresee is that the louder kids (who played slaps with me) were much easier to teach today. must mean they like me (or are scared of my speed and prowess).

Samcheon-po

Wow, it's been a while. since i last posted, my grandfather passed away and we had a great family send off for him. tough times for my mum and aunts, but he had 94 years and, while it was sad for us, it was great to remember him.

i was also offered and accepted a teaching position at Samcheon-po, a small port city in Korea. public elementary school position which i have now been teaching in for one week. beautiful blue skies, with a beach and surrounded by mountains, i'm one of only a few foreigners in town. here's some pics from the mountain to the west of the city i climbed with Brian and Mrs Lee, a co-teacher from school.



The red and white towers in the distance are not leftover sets from the movie Contact, rather a coal-burning powerplant. quite interesting focal point of the area.


more tombs which Mrs Lee said were of no great significance, but i think they're spectacular.



from my rooftop seats, the mountain we climbed after sunset.


my apartment is great, and i'm slowly getting furnished. the staff at school struggle with their english a little, but they're all fantastic. i'm very happy to be here.

Adventure
a few weeks ago, i was adamant i would travel for some time, but upon reaching NZ, i just couldn't bring myself to do so. i was lonely, sad, a little depressed, and missing people a lot. and the thought of traveling alone conjured up memories of traveling thru China by myself for a while. it wasn't all bad, but in the end, i really didn't enjoy it. i'll never regret that travel, but the next excursion i do i intend to do so with someone else.

call me weak, or pathetic, or whatever. i have already. reflecting upon how i've lived my life, i've usually done everything for myself, and it's just not fulfilling anymore. anyways, that's my excuse.