Reflection Upon a Month's Passing (A Title Which Sounds More Profound Than the Post Itself)

It’s been a month since I last posted, but that’s what happens when life is no longer about exploring a new country and becomes all about creating routine and doing all the mundane things that make a city “home”:

So far I’ve
- set up a bank account (and had my first pay cheque deposited!)
- paid bills (so far, pretty cheap!)
- found my local post office (postage is cheap!)
- made us of my neighbourhood drycleaners ( again, it’s cheap!)
- traveled via every possible mode of public transportation this city has to offer (at the risk of repeating myself – it’s so cheap!)
- established my nearby corner store for all my “must have now” needs (I’ve got to say it: ice cream is wonderfully cheap!!)
- got a cell phone (for free!)
- joined a English-speaking church and Bible study where the service is at 2:00pm (!!)

Another thing that makes this city a home is making my house a home. This plant is a birthday present from Anna and Kristin! This is also the only thing in the past month that has changed as far as decorating my apartment :(

Some new things I’ve done:

- used an in-the-floor toilet (the first time being when I had to give a urine sample. . .let’s just say- tricky)
- joined a hot yoga class, which so much better than joining a gym, because I actually want
to go! And for a bonus- I can now count to 20 in Korean!
- ate at a sit-on-the-floor restaurant
- ate clams. . . and liked them, yum!
- ate (for those of you who know Korean food, or otherwise feel like googling the following): bibimbap, bokgeumbap, bulgogi, dak galbi, galbi in genenral, gimbap, samgye-tang, and shabu-shabu (which is actually Japanese). Those are the foods whose names I know. I’ve eaten some other things as well, and liked everything so far, except a rice and pumpkin soup.
- started learning to read Korea, which is quite easy and so makes a person feel very smart for learning so quickly!
- been introduced to more cockroaches then I would’ve ever like to be in my lifetime, but I
have started a war that I’m determined to win!
- been told to be quiet on both a train and a bus. I know I can be loud, but I swear on the bus we were whispering!

Eating shabu shabu, and only holding my chopsticks for this photo. (Left: Lisa, Right: Anna)

On the opposite side of things, so far I haven’t:

- ate kimchi- which is a staple in Korea
- mastered chopsticks (I’m so bad, I can’t even be called an amateur)
- gotten used to being stared at like I’m from another planet
- experienced Korean pop music (aka K-pop), thankfully- besides some strands of oft- repeated songs flowing into the streets from stores

I know some people want to find out about my work life at SLP, so. . .that's my next blog. It's written already and nicely edited so that the non-teachers aren't bored to death.