Day 19: Odds & Ends

So I'm very happy to report that I've got all my money matters all sorted out! I've got a full tummy now and food in the cupboard...YAH!!!! :-) Scotty's a happy boy!!! This morning my boss took me for a ride to that bank in Bucheon to get my traveller's cheques sorted out. It was really nice of him to take time out of his day to do that, especially considering how busy he is. The Korea Exchange Bank in Bucheon had no problem taking my Canadian money, and about a half hour later I was walking out with a wad of won!! By the time we got back to Shihung City we had missed all the morning classes, so in essence I had the morning off today.

Life in Korea really is about taking things one step, one day at a time. When you first arrive absolutely everything is unknown and intimidating, and you can't figure out how to get anywhere, where to buy food, what the currency is like, or even how to use your own washing machine. It seems that nothing is simple, and everything is a complicated ordeal. But everyday you find a new mission and accomplish something that makes your life that much easier. Bit by bit, you start to figure out life here. And so now after nearly 20 days I've got most of the basics down I think. I know how to get myself into and out of the city, I know where I can buy food that I'll wanna eat, and I'm slowly starting to make friends. And hey as of today I've know which bank will cash Canadian Traveller's Cheques! I still have a few other major missions to accomplish, like getting my Alien Registration Card, opening up my first Korean bank account, wiring $$$ to my account in Canada, and getting a phone line! But like I said, it's all about one day at a time. If you try to think of *everything* that you have to do, it just overloads your brain.

On the way back to Shihung Steven informed me that they're starting construction soon on a new subway line - one that's going to connect Bucheon to Shihung City - and there will even be a new station like a block away from where the school is. Too bad I won't be here to enjoy it when it's finished...in 2009!
Shihung City (and Bucheon to an extent as well) seems to be in a constant state of construction, everywhere you look. The Koreans literally cannot build houses and roads and transit fast enough to keep up with all the growth. I think it would be really cool to come back to Shihung City in like 10 or even 5 years and see all the changes...

So I'm sad to report that we're STILL singing "My Love" every single day in class....not sure why the torture continues!!! I'm thinking that I need to either suggest a new song to my boss or we just move on, cause let's be honest here, all of us - staff and students included - can recite the god damn song backwards and forwards without any effort at all. I firmly believe that this song is now permanately ingrained in all of our brains! FOR LIFE! :-)

I had dinner out tonight with Glen (he was one of the guys that I partied with at Bucheon a week and a half ago) and it was cool to eat out with another teacher and trade stories. We went to this Korean restaurant near where we live and had a chicken stir-fry dinner, very similar to the one I had last week with Hye-Young, but not as spicy this time... Maybe I'm adjusting to Korean cuisine? That would be a good thing, methinks.

Anyways, it was a pretty quiet day here today - no major dramas to report! (and I know how much you love reading about the dramas....!) Hey! A guy needs a break from it once in a while! hehe.... The weekends always seem to be extremely eventful and exciting...I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories then!