A pretty lazy weekend

haven't done much this weekend, was going downtown to sign up for saturday korean lessons, only to find that they won't be doing only saturday classes this round, I'd have to go on tuesdays too, and that's impossible. bugger really, I wanted to learn too.
went swimming first thing yesterday morning too, man it felt great, water all around me. Can't wait to get back so I can see the ocean every day. only like 90 odd days to go, less than 3 months now.
was stormy again today, so I went for a walk in the rain, was fun, I like rain, then just read watched movies and did cross-stitch, like I said a pretty lazy and boring weekend.
But at least the intensive classes finish on Thursday, that's something to look forward to. Unfortunately I won't be going to the doc as often either, as they won't let me continue using Chelsy's medical insurance, so the price pretty much triples, fun huh!
I think that's all I have to report, not much else happening here, catch you later!

Thought I should update before people start accusing me of being like Sarah

Like Kat, I don't really have a lot to say, not much happening. Just going to the doc for physio everyday, not getting anough sleep (not sure why that is), is still hot and the kids are still annoying (I would swear their parents fed them sugar for breakfast yesterday morning!).
Didn't do much at the weekend, overslept and didn't make it downtown in time to sign up for Korean classes, so will do it this Saturday as I believe the next round starts the first weekend of September. Bought the Scream Trilogy and watched it for a laugh. Yup, that about covers it, Oh, and tomorrow is Lindsay's last day here, she's going back to Canada early on thursday. I think that about covers it.
ONLY 94 DAYS TILL MY CONTRACT FINISHES, SO ABOUT 95 OR 96 DAYS TILL I SET FOOT ON NZ SOIL, AND ONLY 102 DAYS UNTIL I GO TO OZ, YEY

Went to the doctor today, and as it turns out there is now a tear in mmy mescus (thingy in my knee). To be fixed, will most likely need to have it operated on, though in the mean time, it just means that I shall be going to the hospital everyday for treatment, fun huh! Oh yeah, and I'm not allowed to walk, run or bike, so will have to take taxis too and from work! So Mum you will definitely have to send me some of my money back.
Lost and found one of my contact lenses today too, I thought I put it in the this morning, but on the way to work I realised there was something wrong, turns out I hadn't put it in after all, was lying on my floor when I got home from work. Good huh, only took 2 days!
Went to Billboard last night, spent the night talking to Vanessa, and being grumpy with Niggy Wiggy, seeing as he piked on my birthday, I'll be nice to him again next week. Which happens to be Lindsay's last night, it seems that all I ever do is say goodbye to people.
Was the director birthday at work today, as we found out when everyone started singing happy birthday to her in Korean, it would be nice if people actually told us about these things before they actually happen. As I also found out that one of my classes has been cancelled, a good thing, but no one told me until after it started, very helpful, but I now only teach 4 classes on Thursdays, or will when the Intensive summer school class finishes. yey!, gonna be a bugger going rushing to the hospital on my break everyday to have treatment though.
Okay, am really lazy and can't be bothered thinking of anything else to say or even thinking up a title today, going to sleep now!

So, am now lacking the ability to walk

well, not completely lacking, but causes enough pain that, I wish I could find the stupid ass cow that hit me in the knee with the door, and cause her some pain too, so it looks like I may have to head back to the docotr, will talk to Chelsy tomorrow. Might get my hair cut too.
well, aircon reeks havoc on ones eyes if you're wearing contacts, went and got some eye drops that re-wet the contacts so that me eyes don't dry out, very good stuff. Bought some sunglasses too, not the ones I really wanted though, they cost abbout 400,000 won, a little too expensive I think.
Fortunately, I don't think there was any permanent damage caused to my brain from the most disgusting sight that I was unlucky enough to endure yesterday. I was a little worried for a while.
Not much else happening, I only made one child cry today. She should have been paying attention to what I was saying instead of doing her hair in class. She refursed to talk for the whole rest of the class. But, I also don't really care. I mean Shane didn't cry when I gave him 500 lines to write, saying "I can be quiet". Originally it was less, but he insisted upon continuing to talk. Not my fault he didn't listen. It turns out lines are a wonderful thing, so is candy. My Hell class has become one of my best classes, they see candy and they shut up, it's great, they're being so good. Making my job so much easier.
Well, I guess that's all, am going to Billboard soon, can eat some Tang Soo Yook, yey!

Public Holiday's, gotta love them

So, went and got myself some contact lenses today, and they were so cheap, probably less and a third of what i would have to pay ing NZ. So now I just need to lose about 50ks and I will be really happy, not much chance of that with my genetics though. I'm so happy that I can finally buy and wear sunglasses, which I will probably do tomorrow.
Saw a very disgusting sight today down town, you probably don't want the details, but it involved a dude in a car, doing something in a place where people could see him. Was way gross.
Actually, am kind of surprised that I managed to get out of bed this morning, didn't home until 3.30am. We did my birthday thing at work last night, went to Fish 'n' Grill, where I drank 1 and 1/2 pitchers of peach soju all by myself, spent an hour at a noraeban (Karoke room), went to another soju bar, dran3/4 of a pitcher of lemon soju by myself. Then, Scott, Lynn, Karen and I went the biggest night club in Gwangju, got a little annoyed at how long we had to wait, but otherwise, it was really cool, the lights were amazing and the music was pretty good too, great for dancing, which I was actually drunk enough to do. Well, until some evil cow slammed my bad knee in a door and I couldn't walk anymore,, had I been able to stand at the time I would have flattened her. So, here I am, back with a knee that doesn't work again, but I don't have to wear my glasses anymore either.

Happy Birthday to me

so, I am at last a quarter of a century old, scary isn't it. Well, at least now I can apply for an allowance when I go back to uni next year and actually get it. I registered for uni next year yesterday, all things considered it's going to be a pretty light year, since I haven't been able to find anythign interesting to fill in the gaps with, summer school will be pretty intense though since I'm going to take to papers, I have a 3 hour break between classes, so that will be my study time. But in the first semester, am only taking 4 papers, 2 full year and 2 half year and my timetable seems pretty good, plus no classes on Fridays, even better. Picking Latin back up again though, thought it would be useful to have something else under my belt, another option for what I am able to teach.
Am going to have a pretty lazy day today, it's too hot to do anything much outside, may go for a walk later, and I'm meeting up with friends to go out for dinner around 6, so I guess I have something to look forward to.

THERE ARE NOW ONLY 103 DAYS UNTIL MY CONTRACT FINISHES (SO 104 DAYS TILL I LEAVE THIS PLACE) AND 111 DAYS UNTIL I GO TO AUSTRALIA ON VACATION, YEY!

Home at last

or back in Korea, well Gwangju, Korea, in my apartment. Got up at 7:05am (not a good time of the day). If you have read Kat's blog you will know, that she mistakenly gave me to wrong amount of money for my flight, and when she realised this she called my taxi driver and we had to go back and get more. Then my flight to Taipei from Kinmen was delayed for half an hour, but we made good time anyway. So, got my bags pretty quick, like only 10 minutes after getting off the plane, possibly less, then basically walked out of the airport and onto a bus to CKS, which departed immediately (one of the 2 lucky things that occurred for me today). The second lucky thing was arriving at CKS and not having to wait to check my luggage, plus my 2 bags weighed exactly 20kg ( a total miracle).
Then, I called Kat to tell her that I had made it okay and say goodbye. Spent the last of my money at BK (breakfast/lunch at 11am) and on souveniers for myself, and phone charms to take home as gifts.
Caught my flight, no problems there, landed slightly early, made the mistake of choosing the slowest line possible at the immigration check point, and finding out that I no longer needed to fill in arrival or departure cards for Korea since I am a resident ( a very recent law change that will never again affect me). Grabbed my bags, made it through declarations without any problems. Headed to buy a bus ticket, only to find the next bus completely sold out and had to wait and hour and three quarters for the next one. So, found a comfortable seat to sit and read for that time. A Jehovah's Witness attempted to bug me, but I just ignored her, so eventually she went away.
Got on the bus at 5.50, fell asleep almost immediately, then Mum called, talked to her for a bit, discussing my aunts insanity for taking her son with her while visiting my mother, oh, and the bus almost crashed, fun day huh! But wait there's more, huge traffic jam going past Seoul took more than an hour to just get past Seoul, bloody people leaving the city for the weeked, note to self, don't take buses near Seoul after 6pm on Fridays.
Got to the bus terminal in Gwangju at around 10.20, got myself at taxi, unfortunately I also got myself a taxi driver who didn't understand my Korean, happens from time to time, I told him I wanted to go to OH IL PAL (5 1 8), like 5 times, eventually I wrote it down, and he was like "oh, OH IL PAL", which is what I thought I had said. So, we got me home with me saying left hand and right hand in Korean when I wanted him to turn, and he actually knew left and right as well, a nice change.
So, here I am, home after a very eventful trip I must say, so now I have the weekend to recover before I ahve to go back to work on Monday. Washing is done and I'm mostly unpacked. I am so going to sleep now!

I have flights

So, Taipei-Seoul flight has been rescheduled for 12-15pm tomorrow and Kinmen-Taipei flight is at 8-15am tomorrow morning, everything has reopened and I shall be returning to Korea a day late, but just in time for the weekend. Isn't it really sad that I had to miss an extra day of work, sometimes typhoons are good things, who knew! Well, Kat actually, as she usually gets a day off work when a typhoon hits.
In other good news, I finally finished the Angel of Dreams, seeing as the thread I needed arrived here on Monday (plus kat wants the pattern to do herself, so I guess it saves me posting it to her since I've finished it here), I really like the speed that it managed to get here I just wish Kreinick delivered to South Korea.
Man, its rather difficult typing in the dark, I could turn on the light but I am rather lazy, plus I'm done now anyway.

Taiwan, Day Six

I am still here, and will be for at least another day. Am currently stuck on Kinmen, not that it really matters, as my international flight was cancelled anyway. It seems the typhoon is right in the middle of the flight path for all flights leaving Chang Kai Shek, very helpful. Called work, they weren't impressed but there wasn't much they could do to change things. So I have a whole week off work, instead of 4 days, yey!
Will hopefully be able to get a flight to Taipei tonight, or first thing tomorrow morning, if not, I'll have to try and change my flight again, fun huh! May actually get to go to the beach after all.

Taiwan, Day Five - so far ...

Well, I have good news and bad news, the good news being that I may not have to go to work on Friday, and the bad news being that it will be because I am stuck in Taiwan as there are 2 typhoons that are supposed to hit in the next 24 hours. One in the south, where I am now, on Kinmen, and one in the north, where the international airport is. So, there is a chance of flights being delayed or cancelled. Kat is trying to get me on flight to Taipei tonight instead of tomorrow morning as by then it may be too late to leave Kinmen. So, Mornay you probably will get to see me again after all.
Wow, that was lucky, I just remembered that I had put water on to boil, so that I can have pasta for lunch, I don't think Kat would appreciate me burning down her apartment.
Aren't I just too damned lucky!

Taiwan, Day 4

So, by some miracle I actually got some sleep last night, it wasn't quite as hot and I had a headache so I passed out pretty quickly. Kat wasn't quite so lucky. Last night we went to Mythinos, a Greek Restraunt in Taipei, was damned good too, but rather expensive, Mornay paid, was my birthday present. He was also nearly killed when he tried to sing me Happy Birthday.
Got up around 9 this morning, went to welcome to stock up on a couple of things that I haven't been able to buy in Korea. Then, Kat and I caught a taxi to Songshan, the domestic airport in Taipei, got the 11.15am plane to Kinmen, weather was great and I was actually able to see things out of the window this time, everything looks so cool form the air. I was even able to identify what the different ships in the shipping channels were carrying, is it strange that I am able to do that? Kar says definitely. So, anyway the view was great.
Got to Kinmen, got a call from Morany, 3 typhoons are headed this way. So, if I'm really lucky I won't be able to make it back to Korea on Thursday and will end up aving Friday off work too. Unfortunately, I know that I'm just not that lucky. Anyway, Kat dropped me at her apartment and then went to work, so I have spent the afternoon reading, sleeping, eating and listening to music. And when Kat came home from work, she bought pizza, yummy yummy pizza, did you know that Hawiian pizza with shrimp is actually really good and I always thought that seafood shouldn't go on pizza, go figure.
Another suprising thing, I ordered some stuff online on Thursday and put down Kat's address seeing as the company doesn't deliver to South Korea, and it is here already, was shipped on Friday and arrived at Kat's work yesterday, I really like this, why can't other places ship things so cheaply and easily!
Anyway, I'm off to read now, should manage to update again tomorrow evening.

Taiwan, Day Three

Well, after a night of extreme heat and little sleep, due to the fact that this room has no aircon, a a very loud fan. Kat and I went shopping. First we went to Watsons, a pharmacy, spent a great deal of money on such things as razor blades and allergy pills and vitamins, as they are cheap here and not cheap in Korea or NZ for that matter. Also bought a suitcase too, very cheap, a good size to use as a carry on bag.
Went to the Hess Bookstore, so my kids will be happy that I now have a great number of stickers, new and different ones. Came back to Mornay's to meet him for lunch, not that we ate anything. Then Kat and I headed for Ximen (where it totally pelted down, and we got wet even though we were carrying unbrellas) and more shopping, we both got new shoes, and some cool hair pins. Had pasta lunch, very yummy. After that we caught the MRT and went to Taipei Main and Nova (lots of electronics, like Kuhmo World in Korea), Kat bought a new cell phone and I got 1GB memory card for my camera and a 1GB memory stick for my computer (yey, finally got a new one, after my old one was inadvertantly washed with sand and ocean, when I was over here on vacation last July! - a total accident really, did you know that sand and salt water aren't good for electrical appliances!).
So, next went to Taipei 101 and Page One (again). Kat bought a large number of books, I bought 1. So we decided to go up the worlds fastest elevator in the worlds tallest building. Took 37 seconds to go from the 5th floor to the 89th floor. Was a damned good view from the top too, will post pictures when I get back to Korea, you could see all of Taipei, was really awesome and such a good day for it too. I reccommmend that if you ever come to Taipei you should go there.
So, by this time it's like 5.30 and we have to get back to Nova to pick up Kat's cell phone, and by this stage we are completely sick of walking and public transport so we take taxi's. Finally got back to Mornay's around 6.30.
So, now we are getting ready to go out for dinner to some Greek restraunt, so very yummy that will be also, and Kat got me a birthday cake earlier with a 2 and 5 for candles, I promise that it will say 25 and not 52, well that's what I am hoping for, I'd rather be a quarter of a century old than half a century.
I guess that pretty much covers today, am going to Kinmen tomorrow morning with Kat, so there will be pizza on the beach again, although this time, I will make sure that my memory stick isn't in my pocket. Wish some good luck for actually getting some sleep tonight, but considering how hot it still is, I don't think that's going to happen. What a bugger!

So, almost didn't make it to Taipei

Got to the bus terminal at 2.30am on Saturday morning to find that all the buses to the international airport had been completely sold out, something completely unheard of. Was incredibly lucky and managed to get the last seat on the 4am bus to Seoul, which got me to Seoul at 7.30am, 2 hours before my flight. Then at 7.40 caught the bus to Incheon, arriving there at 8.30am. Went to the check-in desk, fortunately when they saw the time my flight was to lead they took me straight to the front of the line, only to find out that I had to get a re-entry permit before I could actually check-in, the very kind lady at check-in said she would hold the flight open for my until 9.20. Was worried that this could take a while so I ran to the immigration department and filled the form in in a rush, but there were no permit givers free, fortunately a dude, whom I shall love eternally, saw my hopping from one foot the other, called me over to him and did my permit for me, so it took all of 5 minutes, so was back at check-in by 9am, and the very nice lady rushed my baggage through, and I was off through customs. So got through customs and made it to the bathroom (a definite necessity), then boarded the plane straight away, there was absolutely no waiting, but there was a night of no sleep and an almost panic attack.
So, made it to Taipei, Mornay met me at Taipei Main, we dumped my stuff at his apartment and then made for Taipei 101, Page One and Chilis for lunch/dinner as we didn't get there until after 5pm. Then we came back to Mornay's, drank 3 bottles of wine and watched The Secret of My Success and some movie where Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze dress in drag before basically passing out after being up for 41 hours!

So, Day Two (Sunday) - Woke at like 8.30, knew I would mostly likely die if I bothered Mornay at that time of day, so had a shower and started my new cross-stitch (Midnight Enchanter). Dragged Mornay's lazy arse out of bed at 12 o'clock, he was finally ready to leave at 1.30, went to Daan Park to find the weekend market and get table runners for people, only to find the market had been moved and we had no idea where to (so Mum, I'm sorry but you won't be getting a table runner and Kat doesn't know of anywhere else we can get them from).
Next, we went to the Far Eastern Mall and went food shopping, I found some cottage cheese, a wonderful thing that I haven't eaten in almost a year, and some Salt 'n' Vinegar Chips, and a bunch of other stuff I really like to eat, but didn't actually need to buy, not that I paid a lot of attention to that. Came back to Mornay's for a while, watched Serenity, a really good NZ/Oz movie that I hadn't seen got a call from Mornay's friend Suzette asking if we wanted to go see Lake House, a good movie, if you like romantic comedies and Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.
Back to Mornay's again where Kat was waiting for us, finally got on to a computer with the internet, so that I could check my mythos account (some bastard invaded me too, I will get him eventually!). Then we headed to some Greek restraunt, which Mornay couldn't find, and when we eventually did find they had just closed, so ended up going back to 101 and eating at Chilis again (they have damned good ribs by the way!). They have good Apple Martini too, unfortunately Mornay had a Daquiri, but they put banana in it and banana isn't on the ingredients list, and well, Mornay is allergic to banana, so as you can imagine this evening did not end well for him! He's in bed now, plus he has to go to work tomorrow unlike me and Kat.
So that pretty much cover today, or yesterday since it is now 12.50am.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE NOW ONLY 109 DAYS UNTIL I GET TO GO HOME AND 117 DAYS UNTIL I GO TO AUSTRALIA (actually, at this time in 4 months, I will be in Australia, hopefully lying on a beach somewhere)!

Time wasting

don't want to have to sit in the bus terminal for too long, so here I am taking up some time, my bus leaves in about 50 minutes, so will leave here in about 10.
Ran out of the right kind of gold thread to finish the Angel of Dreams cross-stitch, good thing I order some online yesterday - had to have it sen tto Kat though, as they don't ship to South Korea, bit of a bugger that. So hopefully it will arrive while I'm at Kat's, if I'm lucky that is. Am going to start the midnight Enchanter, if I get a chance while I'm away, there's a reasonable chance that will happen since Kat will be at work for 2 days while I am there.
Man, I really wish that I could go to slepp, am totally dead, evil children draining all of my energy! Not very nice of them, thank the gods I don't have to see or teach any of the little bastards for the next 6 days, I'm relishing the thought.
Had a big storm today, didn't last long, but there was a lot of rain, thunder and lightning. You would have thought that I was teaching a bunch of 2 year old girls, the way the 9 year old boys acted while it was going on. Squealing at the sound of thunder and jumping at the sight of lightning. Man, these kids are afraid of everything, a little blood and they start crying for their parents. Apparently kids at home are in no way coddled the way they are here. It's just a little blood, no biggy!
Anyway, I believe that I have wasted a sufficient amount of time, am going to the bathroom and then leaving. Next time you hear from me I will be in another country!

Vacation time has finally arrived!

Thought I should update before I leave for the bus terminal, in about 5 hours time. Yes, I am catching the 3am bus ti Incheon for my 9.30am flight to Taipei, so there will be very little or no sleeping for me tonigh!
This week took forever to finish, the evil students that I am teaching in the intensive summer camp are driving me nuts, they spend thw whole time speaking Korean or saying game teacher. With me saying why should I let you play a game when you won't be quiet for even 2 seconds so that we can get some work done. May have worked it out today, though, threatened them with everything under the sun if their behaviour isn't better when I get back on Friday. On the up side, our kindergarten classes have been pretty small with parents taking their kids on longer vacations. We have only had 3 5 year olds most of the week, instead of 7, so lucky Scott. Unfortunately, Kevin's mother still sent him everyday.
So, in case anyone has forgotten my birthday is next week, a very important date to remember. So send me cards and letters as it would be nice to hear from people,
I am currently in the process of eating dinner, packing my bag and cleaning up my apartment, as well as writing this, so I am going to get back to it, and I will update again from Kat's, probably around Tuesday. Later all!