Tuesday, April 14, 2009

So tired...

Recently a lot of things have been going well, but in a way that's bad. A lot of things have also been going bad... and that's really bad.

Spring had brought around a lot of activities in Mokpo, and that means Cody and I are doing something almost every day. It also means I don't seem to ever get enough sleep, and since the weather is getting warmer and warmer, that means I probably won't sleep well until we leave. Right now the weather can't decide whether it's going to make me feel hot or cold, and Cody always wants the window open because he's always hot and because of his tinnitus (for those who don't know, it means y6ou have a constant ringing or buzzing sound in your ears). The open windows always bother me because either I get cold easily, or most often, the noises outside bother me, especially in the early morning. Some mornings my body has a hard time waking up, but many, my body doesn't want to stay asleep until the proper time because of many factors (light, the sheets or blankets are bunched up funny, there is a dog barking, the birds are just a little too loud, a good or bad smell). I suppose I am just sensitive in the mornings, as my mind seems to take all that is going on around me if I am even the least bit awake.

Anyway, here is my typical schedule right now:

Monday:
In school by 9:00 am; 5 classes total between school and Online (3.5 hours of teaching, 4.5 hours of 'down' or lesson-planning time), out of school at 5. Take a taxi home to gather up my orphanage things, leave for Kimbap to meet the other Orphanage teachers by 5:30. Eat Kimbap or some other delicious dish there, leave by 6:15, head to Ti Amo to pick up a ritual coffee drink or treat ourselves to Gelatto. Walk to Orphanage, have class with my two wild 3rd graders from 7-8pm, taxi with the people living in hadang to Trista's house, walk home, and homefully be relaxing on the couch by 9:00. I am usually exhausted by the end of Mondays.

Tuesday:
In school by 9:00 am; 5 classes total between school and Online (3.5 hours of teaching, 4.5 hours of 'down' or lesson-planning time), out of school at 5. Try to force energy into self for weekly soccer from 6-whenever we can't see anymore because it's too dark, usually 7:30. If Cody and I skip, we usually end up having some other activity or important thing to do...

Wednesday:
In school by 9:00 am; 5 classes total between school and my extra Kindergarten class (3 hours and 16 Minutes of teaching, 4 hours and 46 minutes of 'down' or lesson-planning time), out of school at 5. This is technically a free day for nothing, but it's becoming board game day, or often another activity will insert itself here...

Thursday:
In school by 9:00 am; 5 classes total between school and Online (3.5 hours of teaching, 3.5 hours of teaching, 4.5 hours of 'down' or lesson-planning time), out of school at 5. Unless something comes up, this is my only day for "me" time. Cody has Hockey, which means unless he's sick or something, I get at least 2 hours by myself. These hours are precious to me, even though I usually end up doing nothing or watching TV, but still, I'm by myself for awhile.

Friday:
In school by 9:00 am; 6 classes total between school and Online and Kindergarten (4 hours of teaching, 4 hours of 'down' or lesson-planning time), out of school at 5. This day is inevitably Date night, or some sort of party or dinner, which I love, especially date night. We've been Double-dating with Fallon and her new b/f, and it's really fun to be able to do that with another couple more often.

Saturday:
This is always a party, a festival, or soemthing. We almost never have a Saturday free anymore, and we have to plan an event on a Saturday at least a month out.

Sunday:
It depends int he morning, but from 4 or 5 pm to 8 or 9 pm Cody and I are almost always playing Dungeons and Dragons with Niles, Stephen, and Wim. So, we pretty much spend Sundays being general dorks, and we love it.

The good thing is we keep busy, and we are always seeing people, and we can't say we wasted our spring in Korea being lazy people, and we will always have a ton of pictures and memories from this experience.

I do have to say we have made a lot of friends here, and I love them all, but I think I am ready to go home. I miss cheap gyms, a large variety of food from many cultures, my friends and family back home, efficient heating and cooling, laws and rules that actually make sense most of the time, Winco, Target, New Seasons, Trader Joes, Red Robin, The Racoon Lodge, McMenamin's, Applebee's and their late night 1/2 off appetizers, The Max train, temperate climates, Portland in general.

I think we'll miss everyone in Korea and always miss Korea itself, but I really can't wait to e done with my contract in... 4 months and 2 days (or 126 days). I keep telling myself to not countdown yet... it's still to early and I'll drive myself crazy!

My school has been driving me crazy lately, I really think that's part of my wanting to go home, so we'll see, but I think the decision has pretty much been reached by Cody and I...

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