As many of you back home know, health and healthy living is important to me. And while I'm not able to uphold the same things I was able to back in Florida...I've been making it work for me.
Somehow.
At some point during my stay, I have lost 20lbs (9kg) without really having to do anything in particular. Which was a very nice surprise.
But I wanted to be more intentional.
Which is why I've started back on the C25K app. I've used the app before in training for running a 5K, and felt very successful using the app. I still struggled to run a full 5K, but maybe like 10 minutes of it.
Now, I've started back up. And getting back into running shape.
But uh...
The weather isn't exactly conducive to running at the moment.
Especially in the morning.
My runs have been consisting of 18 to 36 degree Fahrenheit weather. I see frost every morning I'm out there, heading over to the meet up spot. I swear, if it weren't for my running partner, I would've given up and waited until it was warm again.
I'm two weeks away from finishing the C25K app, and afterwards...well...who knows what I'll be up to!
My health is important to me, and it's about time I took care of it again!
#SaveOurToya
Showing posts with label Winter Is Coming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter Is Coming. Show all posts
20 December, 2018
11 December, 2018
Yes, I know about snow
Snow started falling in my small village town and while I'm shook, since it's been a long time since I last saw snow in a place that I was living, everyone is treating it as my first time seeing snow.
Ever.
In my life.
Makes me wonder just how much of a fool I'm acting like right now...?
But that being said...y'all it's snowing and I am shook.
I don't even care that I already said earlier in this post. I need you to understand that it's been fourteen years.
I'm not even counting the time I saw snow on my trip to Canada. That was different. I was on vacation. I actually live here, and little fluffs of freezing cold is falling.
And apparently we don't cancel work when this happens?
Now, I'm not saying this is a freak weather storm...or anything. But...how do people function in this cold weather? Asking for a uhh...friend.
And that friend is me. I'm the friend. Love yourself and be the best you, right?
Well the best me needs surviving the cold tips. What y'all got?
#SaveOurToya
PS. I would have a picture here, but the snow isn't noticeable enough on my pictures. But I hope to get some good ones for the blog later!
Ever.
In my life.
Makes me wonder just how much of a fool I'm acting like right now...?
But that being said...y'all it's snowing and I am shook.
I don't even care that I already said earlier in this post. I need you to understand that it's been fourteen years.
I'm not even counting the time I saw snow on my trip to Canada. That was different. I was on vacation. I actually live here, and little fluffs of freezing cold is falling.
And apparently we don't cancel work when this happens?
Now, I'm not saying this is a freak weather storm...or anything. But...how do people function in this cold weather? Asking for a uhh...friend.
And that friend is me. I'm the friend. Love yourself and be the best you, right?
Well the best me needs surviving the cold tips. What y'all got?
#SaveOurToya
PS. I would have a picture here, but the snow isn't noticeable enough on my pictures. But I hope to get some good ones for the blog later!
23 November, 2018
WILD
Y'all, last night was WILD.
Remember how I was struggling with some problems about Christmas caroling for the festival my school held? Well...the festival has come and gone and things got wild afterwards.
After all my tough times, I want to tell y'all about something fun. And what happened last night, embodies fun in its entirety. But bear with me, I'm hungover as I'm typing this.
I also only had 2 hours of sleep.
I'm apologizing now for any typos, grammatical errors, and English tomfoolery I'm about to unleash in this post.
First, I'm happy to announce my kids nailed it last night. Wish me luck as I start teaching them some Lion King songs in honor of Lion King being in South Korea. The school is taking a field trip in December to see the show. Gotta get these kids ready.
Anyways, the show ends, parents are going home, teachers are passing out school fliers and helping parents gather their children together. I'm trying to figure out what time my car pool was heading home. It's 9-ish in the evening and I thought I heard we were staying until 10pm.
So, as I'm trying to work out what time we're leaving, which ended up more of a 'we gotta nunchi this', one of the teachers asks, "Who wants to go drinking?"
The speed that many teachers were willing to put cleaning up to tomorrow and have some downtime was eye opening. I hadn't realized just how exhausted they all were. My coworkers hide their struggles very well. And when that invite came my way, I was quick to say 'yes'.
Now, I also thought it would just be for an hour.
Oh no. I didn't start making my way home until 4am. But that's jumping ahead in the story.
Where was I...oh right! So we go to a bar named Cheers. No one there knew my name. But I had 500cc of beer in my hand within seconds of the head teacher sitting down. For those of you who don't know what 500cc is, its equivalent to 500ml. It was a good amount of beer. I had roughly 4 of those as the night passed.
There was also a bottle of soju thrown in there, because why not?
Alright, so I got the alcohol covered, here's what floored me. My co-workers were so relaxed and comfortable, that the intimidation of the language barrier lowered. I was able to speak to many of my coworkers last night and gotten to know them better. It was such a wholesome feeling that I got from them.
And then...one of the teachers told me, outside of work hours, I could call her 언니. Basically, our relationship leveled the fuck up. We also considered ourselves platonic soulmates because we understood each other so well. And I mean, really well. Practically thinking the same thoughts when we're conversing.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, the bromance between the guy teachers was very real, which sparked a conversation about LGBTQIA+. And those of us in the conversation agreed, love is love is love.
The night was literally a beautiful night.
But...the second one of us actually fell asleep at the table mid-conversation, that should've been my clue that things were about to get wild.
Everything that follows feels like it happened so quickly, but I know it happened over a 3 hour time-frame.
Five of us looked for a 노래방 (karaoke), and realized we're in a small rural town and that things don't stay open that late.
I called a taxi for one of the teachers, she was drunk after one of her three 500cc mugs.
Philosophical conversations in English and Korean. Both being quite slurred, but having the best of intentions as we try to figure out how to best work with an obstinate student.
Lost and found cell phones. Never mine...I was still aware enough to know where my phone was...
Oh my god! Let's talk about the bathroom situation. There was one bathroom with a regular stall and a urinal that was more or less covered up by one of those bathroom divider things. It was a gender neutral bathroom. And you never knew if someone was in there using it or not...Of the three times I went to the bathroom, I know for a fact, one time...there was a guy using the urinal. I don't know if he ever realized that I was in there as the same time as him...
By 1am, one of the most docile teachers announces to the group, 'We're not going home. We go to next place. More beer' in her best English. Normally she's so shy and hesitant to speak English, but brah...she took charge and it was in English.
I definitely need to reach out more to the teachers at this school. Extend my hand further, because the wholesome feeling from last night was something I want them all to enjoy more often.
Wait...does this mean we need to go drinking more?
Well we're in luck! Despite coming up with a group name (we're called AM...not sure why...but it made sense last night, I guess?), we also have plans to meet up on Monday in the evening.
Anyways, we're all getting ready to go, being the last group at the bar by the way. Cheering and laughing and speaking a mix of Korean and English. I think some of the teachers were slightly startled at the amount of Korean I could speak. Which isn't much, but enough that I can get my thought across at times...
ANYWAYS! 6 from the original 11, went right ahead to the next drinking spot. And yes...that included me. And not to worry, we took a taxi! Oh! Before I forget...our next drinking spot was going to be a 노래방. (Yes...we tried finding 노래방 again. No regrets.) But realized, again, that there wasn't one open, we went to a...I actually don't know the name of the place.
It's a place you can eat hot Korean food and keep drinking for a cheap price. Which is what happened for the next three hours.
By 4am, I was finally falling asleep and the night was called. Time to go home.
Now, I was going to call a taxi, but host mom was all, 'No! We'll walk! Together! Let's go!' It's below the freezing point, we're both drunk, and she wants to walk home?
Well, we got home around 4:30.
Now, had it been a normal Thursday turned Friday situation, I would've just gone to bed.
I didn't.
I packed my bag since after work today, my traveling for the weekend began. One night in Daegu and the following in Seoul. I got to sleep around 5am. Did I say something different earlier in the post? Bah, that's wrong. I went to bed around 5am, just to wake up at 7:45am for work.
And what I thought would be a regular morning was not the case.
Apparently, host mom had the bus driver's keys and phone. I had wondered last night where she'd gotten the bag that she suddenly acquired, but...I was busy trying to stay warm at the time.
And we needed to go get the car from the bar.
And breakfast.
One second, I was about to make myself a bagel and the next I was climbing into host dad's truck to be driven to the bar to get the car, but host mom and I went to GS25 (a convenience store) and looked for breakfast before heading into work.
And when we get to work, thirty minutes later than usual, but still on time...I realized...one of the cars back at the bar has been one of the teacher's cars. She hadn't gotten it yet.
Was she...was she not coming in?
Sis rolled in at the start of first period...
And now I have a raging headache and have to go teach one of my rowdiest classes in about twenty minutes.
#SaveOurToya
Remember how I was struggling with some problems about Christmas caroling for the festival my school held? Well...the festival has come and gone and things got wild afterwards.
After all my tough times, I want to tell y'all about something fun. And what happened last night, embodies fun in its entirety. But bear with me, I'm hungover as I'm typing this.
I also only had 2 hours of sleep.
I'm apologizing now for any typos, grammatical errors, and English tomfoolery I'm about to unleash in this post.
First, I'm happy to announce my kids nailed it last night. Wish me luck as I start teaching them some Lion King songs in honor of Lion King being in South Korea. The school is taking a field trip in December to see the show. Gotta get these kids ready.
Anyways, the show ends, parents are going home, teachers are passing out school fliers and helping parents gather their children together. I'm trying to figure out what time my car pool was heading home. It's 9-ish in the evening and I thought I heard we were staying until 10pm.
So, as I'm trying to work out what time we're leaving, which ended up more of a 'we gotta nunchi this', one of the teachers asks, "Who wants to go drinking?"
The speed that many teachers were willing to put cleaning up to tomorrow and have some downtime was eye opening. I hadn't realized just how exhausted they all were. My coworkers hide their struggles very well. And when that invite came my way, I was quick to say 'yes'.
Now, I also thought it would just be for an hour.
Oh no. I didn't start making my way home until 4am. But that's jumping ahead in the story.
Where was I...oh right! So we go to a bar named Cheers. No one there knew my name. But I had 500cc of beer in my hand within seconds of the head teacher sitting down. For those of you who don't know what 500cc is, its equivalent to 500ml. It was a good amount of beer. I had roughly 4 of those as the night passed.
There was also a bottle of soju thrown in there, because why not?
Alright, so I got the alcohol covered, here's what floored me. My co-workers were so relaxed and comfortable, that the intimidation of the language barrier lowered. I was able to speak to many of my coworkers last night and gotten to know them better. It was such a wholesome feeling that I got from them.
And then...one of the teachers told me, outside of work hours, I could call her 언니. Basically, our relationship leveled the fuck up. We also considered ourselves platonic soulmates because we understood each other so well. And I mean, really well. Practically thinking the same thoughts when we're conversing.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, the bromance between the guy teachers was very real, which sparked a conversation about LGBTQIA+. And those of us in the conversation agreed, love is love is love.
The night was literally a beautiful night.
But...the second one of us actually fell asleep at the table mid-conversation, that should've been my clue that things were about to get wild.
Everything that follows feels like it happened so quickly, but I know it happened over a 3 hour time-frame.
Five of us looked for a 노래방 (karaoke), and realized we're in a small rural town and that things don't stay open that late.
I called a taxi for one of the teachers, she was drunk after one of her three 500cc mugs.
Philosophical conversations in English and Korean. Both being quite slurred, but having the best of intentions as we try to figure out how to best work with an obstinate student.
Lost and found cell phones. Never mine...I was still aware enough to know where my phone was...
Oh my god! Let's talk about the bathroom situation. There was one bathroom with a regular stall and a urinal that was more or less covered up by one of those bathroom divider things. It was a gender neutral bathroom. And you never knew if someone was in there using it or not...Of the three times I went to the bathroom, I know for a fact, one time...there was a guy using the urinal. I don't know if he ever realized that I was in there as the same time as him...
By 1am, one of the most docile teachers announces to the group, 'We're not going home. We go to next place. More beer' in her best English. Normally she's so shy and hesitant to speak English, but brah...she took charge and it was in English.
I definitely need to reach out more to the teachers at this school. Extend my hand further, because the wholesome feeling from last night was something I want them all to enjoy more often.
Wait...does this mean we need to go drinking more?
Well we're in luck! Despite coming up with a group name (we're called AM...not sure why...but it made sense last night, I guess?), we also have plans to meet up on Monday in the evening.
Anyways, we're all getting ready to go, being the last group at the bar by the way. Cheering and laughing and speaking a mix of Korean and English. I think some of the teachers were slightly startled at the amount of Korean I could speak. Which isn't much, but enough that I can get my thought across at times...
ANYWAYS! 6 from the original 11, went right ahead to the next drinking spot. And yes...that included me. And not to worry, we took a taxi! Oh! Before I forget...our next drinking spot was going to be a 노래방. (Yes...we tried finding 노래방 again. No regrets.) But realized, again, that there wasn't one open, we went to a...I actually don't know the name of the place.
It's a place you can eat hot Korean food and keep drinking for a cheap price. Which is what happened for the next three hours.
By 4am, I was finally falling asleep and the night was called. Time to go home.
Now, I was going to call a taxi, but host mom was all, 'No! We'll walk! Together! Let's go!' It's below the freezing point, we're both drunk, and she wants to walk home?
Well, we got home around 4:30.
Now, had it been a normal Thursday turned Friday situation, I would've just gone to bed.
I didn't.
I packed my bag since after work today, my traveling for the weekend began. One night in Daegu and the following in Seoul. I got to sleep around 5am. Did I say something different earlier in the post? Bah, that's wrong. I went to bed around 5am, just to wake up at 7:45am for work.
And what I thought would be a regular morning was not the case.
Apparently, host mom had the bus driver's keys and phone. I had wondered last night where she'd gotten the bag that she suddenly acquired, but...I was busy trying to stay warm at the time.
And we needed to go get the car from the bar.
And breakfast.
One second, I was about to make myself a bagel and the next I was climbing into host dad's truck to be driven to the bar to get the car, but host mom and I went to GS25 (a convenience store) and looked for breakfast before heading into work.
And when we get to work, thirty minutes later than usual, but still on time...I realized...one of the cars back at the bar has been one of the teacher's cars. She hadn't gotten it yet.
Was she...was she not coming in?
Sis rolled in at the start of first period...
And now I have a raging headache and have to go teach one of my rowdiest classes in about twenty minutes.
#SaveOurToya
21 November, 2018
Can You Not?
I feel like it's been years since I've written a happy post. Which is preposterous...this blog came alive in May. It's barely been six months. And yet...this feeling persists.
So, what brings me back for my latest update?
Christmas carols.
I bet you didn't see that coming.
And yes, I know, Thanksgiving hasn't come and gone yet, but here we are anyways.
My school is hosting a festival of sorts on 11/22 (yes, Thanksgiving day), and I was asked last month to get the kids ready to sing an English song.
My reaction: Um...okay? What song?
Now, take a moment to be in my shoes. It's been some odd years since I was in Elementary School. But, I'm pretty sure we never had a festival. Maybe a Christmas pageant, but even then...it was all done in one language that a majority (if not all) of the students spoke. I was so lost on what the school was looking for.
Teacher mode flipped on and I decided that I wanted to find an easy song that also ties in the season (making decisions like a boss). I landed on, 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'. Side note, did you know it was considered a Thanksgiving song back in the day? I didn't. And! There was a readily available ESL version. I was gonna have them all do an A Cappella version, like Christmas carolers. Being able to slide in a cultural piece, beautiful, right?
Well, I was told they needed to do more.
Brah...you want them to do two English songs?
And you want them to do Let It Go?
Somehow, I was able to scale the song back to them only having to sing a 30-second part of the song. The "easiest" part I could find.
They got it down with some struggles, but its good. Timing may be off a smidge, but they know the words.
Phew. Okay, easy breathing.
They're still struggling with We Wish You a Merry Christmas, but they're getting the hang of it. Slowly.
Mostly okay breathing, then.
This morning, when we did a final rehearsal, I was so proud of them. I sat in front of them and mouthed the words, but they did it! The whole way through without me having to fix pronunciation. Word order is still a bit off, but the pronunciation was good!
I even did a little happy squeal afterwards. That's how happy I was!
However...
The VP didn't approve...not completely. She wants to add music or a piano in the background to the song. And her reasoning, 'the timing is off'.
Honey, it's not the timing. It's their confidence in the words. It's an English song with words like 'figgy pudding' and 'good tidings' in it. And now, when they're finally getting the hang of the song, you want to introduce a piano to freak them out even more?
No.
Also, I told her I wanted to do the song in a traditional caroling way. Aka, no music, just voices.
But instead of respecting the culture that I'm introducing to your students, school, community, you'd rather add a piano because it'll make you feel better?
No.
I've recognized that for many people at the school, saying 'no' is hard to do. And sometimes, it is for me too, not wanting to disrespect them, their teaching experience, and their culture. All I ask, is the same be afforded to me.
And when it isn't...in what language do you want me to say 'no'. I got five I can give you, right here, right now.
Here's the other thing...why am I constantly told, "respect the Korean culture", when the same is not told to the workplace that has requested a foreign teacher to respect the foreigner's culture? Do they not get a training session on what to do when you have a foreigner in your office?
Perhaps this is my own privilege/entitlement coming out right now...I definitely can see how foreigners back home can feel intimidated, startled, uncomfortable, and coerced with a few words. This is definitely a learning moment for myself for when I get back home.
Moral of the story, I'm irritated. This isn't the first time I've been put in an uncomfortable situation due to cultural differences, but it is the first time I've had enough and won't let it slide.
#SaveOurToya
Curious whether I'm about to burn a bridge with the VP or not, hit the 'FOLLOW' button to find out!
So, what brings me back for my latest update?
Christmas carols.
I bet you didn't see that coming.
And yes, I know, Thanksgiving hasn't come and gone yet, but here we are anyways.
My school is hosting a festival of sorts on 11/22 (yes, Thanksgiving day), and I was asked last month to get the kids ready to sing an English song.
My reaction: Um...okay? What song?
Now, take a moment to be in my shoes. It's been some odd years since I was in Elementary School. But, I'm pretty sure we never had a festival. Maybe a Christmas pageant, but even then...it was all done in one language that a majority (if not all) of the students spoke. I was so lost on what the school was looking for.
Teacher mode flipped on and I decided that I wanted to find an easy song that also ties in the season (making decisions like a boss). I landed on, 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'. Side note, did you know it was considered a Thanksgiving song back in the day? I didn't. And! There was a readily available ESL version. I was gonna have them all do an A Cappella version, like Christmas carolers. Being able to slide in a cultural piece, beautiful, right?
Well, I was told they needed to do more.
Brah...you want them to do two English songs?
And you want them to do Let It Go?
Somehow, I was able to scale the song back to them only having to sing a 30-second part of the song. The "easiest" part I could find.
They got it down with some struggles, but its good. Timing may be off a smidge, but they know the words.
Phew. Okay, easy breathing.
They're still struggling with We Wish You a Merry Christmas, but they're getting the hang of it. Slowly.
Mostly okay breathing, then.
This morning, when we did a final rehearsal, I was so proud of them. I sat in front of them and mouthed the words, but they did it! The whole way through without me having to fix pronunciation. Word order is still a bit off, but the pronunciation was good!
I even did a little happy squeal afterwards. That's how happy I was!
However...
The VP didn't approve...not completely. She wants to add music or a piano in the background to the song. And her reasoning, 'the timing is off'.
Honey, it's not the timing. It's their confidence in the words. It's an English song with words like 'figgy pudding' and 'good tidings' in it. And now, when they're finally getting the hang of the song, you want to introduce a piano to freak them out even more?
No.
Also, I told her I wanted to do the song in a traditional caroling way. Aka, no music, just voices.
But instead of respecting the culture that I'm introducing to your students, school, community, you'd rather add a piano because it'll make you feel better?
No.
I've recognized that for many people at the school, saying 'no' is hard to do. And sometimes, it is for me too, not wanting to disrespect them, their teaching experience, and their culture. All I ask, is the same be afforded to me.
And when it isn't...in what language do you want me to say 'no'. I got five I can give you, right here, right now.
Here's the other thing...why am I constantly told, "respect the Korean culture", when the same is not told to the workplace that has requested a foreign teacher to respect the foreigner's culture? Do they not get a training session on what to do when you have a foreigner in your office?
Perhaps this is my own privilege/entitlement coming out right now...I definitely can see how foreigners back home can feel intimidated, startled, uncomfortable, and coerced with a few words. This is definitely a learning moment for myself for when I get back home.
Moral of the story, I'm irritated. This isn't the first time I've been put in an uncomfortable situation due to cultural differences, but it is the first time I've had enough and won't let it slide.
#SaveOurToya
Curious whether I'm about to burn a bridge with the VP or not, hit the 'FOLLOW' button to find out!
04 November, 2018
How does this KEEP happening?!
 |
| PC: Ashley |
November is here, the leaves are changing, the heat mats are coming out, and I have climbed yet another mountain.
I'm not...mad...or anything.
But how do I keep finding myself on a mountain?
It's as if Korea has evoked the hiking enthusiast out of me. And today's hike was an adventure.
Where do I even begin?
Let's start with how I'm feeling now, shall we?
 |
| PC: Ashley |
My feet hurt, but my ankle is mostly fine. As you know, I had to go to the hospital a couple months ago to have it checked out. I had been a bit too active for my Achilles' taste and discovered I had tendinitis. The doctor told me to rest it for a month.
Well that month was up as of November 3rd.
Well that month was up as of November 3rd.
But...it did hurt for a while on the hike. I'm going to take that as a 'not completely healed yet' sign.
My head is killing me, as it usually does when I'm out in nature for a long time. I have nothing against nature, in fact, I love it. It's really peaceful and wholesome!
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| PC: Ashley |
However, my head still hurts.
Moving right along...despite the few aches and pains, I feel...GREAT! I climbed a mountain. I finally made it to the top of a mountain, despite my trash-talking.
 |
| PC: Ashley |
And no. We hadn't just started walking. (Don't be rude.)
That being said, I couldn't have climbed that mountain with a better group. We were...I don't think I actually have a word that describes us. Except, CHAMPIONS. (Since you know, we climbed a mountain...and listened to Queen while doing it.)
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| Look at this view. You're welcome. |
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| PC: Ashley |
Here are some more pictures from today's hike!
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If you wanna keep up with my latest shenanigans, hit the 'FOLLOW' button on the right!
#SaveOurToya
#SaveOurToya
14 October, 2018
Week 14 - What do you mean it gets COLDER?
 |
| Basically everyone around me, telling me about the weather. |
Brah, it is 5-degrees Celsius outside.
(41-degrees Fahrenheit)
What do you mean it gets COLDER??????
It's barely October! And yet here I am, wearing long-everything, scarf, jacket, and a hat, wondering why I'm still cold. I'm about to experience a literal winter and I am not ready.
But don't get me wrong. I am excited for a few things this coming season. Like...snow~!
Having lived in Florida for 14-ish years, snow isn't something you see in person. Not really. And without knowing, I embraced the Floridian life quite a bit. Heat and sunshine? I know how to handle that pretty well. I still complain, but that's because it's still hot.
So yes, snow!
Had a dream this week that I saw gigantic snow flakes in front of my face. More than likely that dream was sparked by how cold its been getting, but hey. Snowflakes the size of my face? They're beautiful.
Who knew I was so artistic when I slept?
I'm also very interested to see how South Korea handles winter here. Such as, what foods pop up? Music? What about fashion? Will work/school have snow days? I mean, it's already different since I have most of Janurary off for the winter holidays, but work all of December. For me, that's a bit backwards, but I'm taking a wild guess that it's even colder in Janurary?
As the days grow colder, I will be getting my hands on hot teas and cocoa, thick blankets, and my package from home that has all my winter stuff in it. Like boots, socks (the fuzzy kind. What are we, plebs?), sweaters, and my wintercoat.
Word of warning to anyone moving to Korea and is stuck with the 2 suitcase rule as I was. You can have your winter clothes shipped (if you come during the summer and it's a literal heatwave in constant effect). Just make sure of one thing. If you're accustom to a more tropical climate, and lived in a place known for its sunshine, make sure your package gets to you within the first week of October. Because September will betray your trust in the coldest of ways that keeps getting colder.
If you wanna keep up with the shenangians that I find myself in, please hit the 'FOLLOW' button on the right!
#SaveOurToya
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