Day 4: I Have To Go Potty!

So my morning with the kindergartens was rather amusing! I sat in on an English lesson being taught by a 'guest teacher' who only comes to our school once in a while. She had these really funny computer games for the kids to play. Today's first lesson was entitled "I Have To Go Potty" and was all about the importance of how 'to go poopy' properly (ie: the correct order for pooping, wiping, flushing, and washing) and what perils lie in waiting if we all don't follow it!!! These 3 animated characters, "Jolly", "Vanilla", and some-other-whose-name-I-forget re-enacted over and over for the kids on screen about proper bathroom etiquette, and really, it took all I had not to laugh out loud.... But hey, I guess it's important stuff to know, right? :-)

I had my first few lessons on my own this morning too, going over the alphabet and the spelling of basic words (fill in the blank kinda stuff) with the kindergartens. They're all absolutely adorable, and when I first walk into the class they all run up and hug my leg and don't want to let go! They're more difficult to teach than the older kids, even though the lessons are much simpler, just because of their fact that their attention spans last about 5 minutes and then they're bored, so you I have to keep things lively and changing to keep them interested.

At home for lunch I was all looking forward to enjoying a can of beans...yumm....(yes, the simplest things in life really do give the most pleasure, especially these days!) when all of a sudden I realized..."Fuck! I don't have a can opener!!!" Well, there goes that idea!!! And there it formed - my mission for the day - to seek out and purchase the ever-elusive can opener. (I figure if I give myself, and accomplish, at least one important mission which will make my life any easier, than it's been a successful day!)

The afternoon proved to be alright - I got to test my acting skills today when I had to be a mime for the kids and "mime/act out" objects/animals/emotions/body parts that they had to guess. Quite a fun game actually - they seemed to love watching me transform myself (in absolute silence of course, hence the power of miming) into a variety of things, ranging from an airplane to a spoon to a shoe to any and every farm animal imaginable. (I'm expeting my Academy Award For Miming to arrive in the mail any day now...)

I had an hour and a bit to kill in between blocks today, so I decided to go for a walk and check out more of the neighbourhood. REI is located, methinks, in the sort of 'commercial shopping centre' of Shihung City, or atleast this part of the city. There's a lot more streets full of stores in this area than I thought, but at least 1/3 of them seems to be a shore store, or someone selling squid. I've seen squid in every conceivable shape, colour, size, and smell since I've arrived. Koreans sure do love their squid. (and no, that's not a bandwagon I'm about to jump on anytime soon!)

During my walk I was thrilled when I discovered a pay phone that *actually* accepts coins, and not just phone cards, which I have yet to purchase. I attempted to phone my parents, who are visiting Nana in Phoenix, but was informed by an EXTREMELY RUDE OPERATOR BITCH that I couldn't make a collect call to Arizona on a Canadian phone card... What the fuck? Why not? When I tried to explain why I was doing so, she responded with "I can't understand you when you're talking and eating at the same time sir!" in a tone that made want to spit. Was I actually eating anything? NO! I'M ON A FUCKIN' PAY PHONE IN SEOUL, KOREA LADY!!! I swear if I could've reached through that phone to slap her I would have!! Oooohhhhh!!!
Looks like Mom and Dad will have to wait until they get back to Thunder Bay before I can speak to them....*sigh*

On the way back to class, I heard my first English song ever (well, since arriving here in Korea.) I was almost back at REI, when, like a gift from heaven, there I heard it, blaring from a not-unlike-Gap store in the market....Miss Britney Spears, proclaiming proudly what 'a slave for me' she was.... It totally made my day! I think it was a sign from above. I really needed a little Britney at that moment, or really, a little anything English, and it came at just the right time.

After work I set out on my mission to find a can-opener, and once again with a little help from Julia, I was able to find one, along with some tupperware, soap, and a tea towel. Shopping is a very different experience here, as many stores are just a mix of everything. 10,000 little mini-Walmarts all scattered throughout the market, each containing a slightly different combination of useless items for your household that you never really realize you need until you step into those stores... Impulse buying at its best.