August Update

I know it's been about a month since I posted, and I left off on a bad note, so let's get to work.

Last month was ridiculously stressful for me. During my vacation I realized that my work owed me money for orientation that I never received and therefore had to speak to my boss. I find that I can't talk to my boss about anything work related without my face twitching, which makes it really hard to talk nicely. (I don't know what that is, it's new.)

I also had to attend TTC (teacher training courses) for 3 out of 4 of the Saturdays in August from 9am-5:30pm, which it took over an hour by train and bus to get to and from. So I really didn't have any time to wind down and relax last month.

The second week we got a new foreign teacher. No one had time to take out her out and introduce her to the area. Since no one had time when I came either and I was pretty lost and bothered. So, I took it upon myself to take her out. Not that I'm that nice, but if you can remember your first weeks in a new country, you know you need some to be helpful.
That Friday I went to a Korean classical concert. It was amazing! I really want to go again. There were guest performances and a comedian, who is apparently famous but I didn't understand at all, so no point in me caring. :-p Still it was great.
After the second TTC, I found out on Sunday that my grandfather had died. It was incredibly sudden for me and a huge blow. I have a rather busy schedule on Mondays but I really needed some time to sort out my feelings, so I asked off for Tuesday. That didn't really work out. My boss told me that no one could take my classes, but that if someone had a free period they could teach, but that I still had to sit in on the classes.
So I taught two classes and didn't find out until the passing period that there was someone scheduled to teach each of my classes for the rest of the day. If I had known ahead of time, I'd have left. Meanwhile, I sat through another five classes with someone else teaching and my students not paying any attention because they were trying to figure out why there were TWO teachers in the room.
Then my work deducted 70,000won (app. $70) from my pay for "missing" one day when I was not allowed to leave. Mind you, that’s WAY more money than I make in a day…

The last week I had phone teaching (calling the students at home so they have to speak in front of their parents), it went well.
My friend had an art exhibition which I went to as well. It was fun and interesting. It was a merger of Korean and Japanese student’s works.
Then was my birthday party, which was an interesting night full of food and karaoke! Then I rested for a day.

The last Monday I went to E-mart (the big grocery store) and was sadly disappointed and annoyed at the outcome. The outcome being that I went in search of lettuce to make salad, and while I found about 20 different kinds of greens, none were the plain lettuce or romaine that I wanted. I paid 6,000 (app $6) for good American spaghetti sauce only to come home and hear no *pop* when I opened the lid and some crusty sauce around the outside. People, don't open the jars in the store and put them on the shelf!!! Seriously!
I also had two huge bags of groceries and could not manage to get a taxi to come home! I looked for a bus, and finally asked an older woman, who luckily was helpful. When she found no buses there that went to my stop, she hailed a taxi for me.
So, it's not all bad. :)
End of my August Update--Sorry, no pictures this time...