re: the many questions about how to get glasses in korea.
it's really fairly simple!
to get glasses in korea:
1) enlist the services of a friend who speaks both korean and english
2) wander around being amazed at the cheapness of frames, and resist the urge to buy 3 or 4 pairs
3) enjoy the glory of a completely *free* eye exam that does not involve a puff of air in your eyeball
4) try not to trip over yourself as you adjust to having new glasses for the first time in ages
5) be very very happy about the glasses, as pink eye may be in your near future :P
also.. i have not been online for the last few days, b/c our internet went 'out' again.. hah. next time we should make sure the modem has not come disconnected from the wall before getting up in arms about having no internet. we are all brilliant people in apartment 106.
6.12.2006
ok. so. it's been a while. let's start with HAPPY BIRTHDAY DYLAN!! holy *crap* my little brother is 15! technically it's still his birthday where all y'all are.. wow. funny how i still think of my lil bros as being so small, when in reality they're both bigger than me.
we went to busan a week and a half ago. i spent saturday wandering around youngsan university and then other places in busan with a professor/student affairs guy from the university, then hooked up with my bro and our friend michelle (who is from busan) for some fun on sunday. i don't have any good pictures of myself from that weekend, so you only get to see other people ;)
this is a picture of a little corner of the university that i enjoyed finding. the school is pretty much in the middle of the mountains, so everywhere you look there are lots of trees, and the hill it's on pretty much kicks bascom hill's butt.
on sunday we started the day by wandering around the international market in busan, as well as the fish market there. busan is the biggest port in korea, so a lot of things come through there. including these darlings that greeted us upon entering the fish market
this is michelle with two of her best friends from growing up. they were adorable. she calls them pancake and BB (big boobs). you can guess which is which. BB didn't speak any english, but did speak japanese, so i had an enjoyable afternoon chatting with her and translating bits of english conversation into japanese for her. was super fun to practice!
cute picture of tim and michelle. happened to catch it just at the right moment. love it when that happens!
obligatory picture of adorable students.. this is another one of my favorite classes. they're crazy all over the place, but they're super fun, and seem to relish in teaching me korean words.
and this... drum roll please.. is me in my new uber geeky super cute glasses, on our fabulous orange couch :)
and that. that, my friends, is an update.
we went to busan a week and a half ago. i spent saturday wandering around youngsan university and then other places in busan with a professor/student affairs guy from the university, then hooked up with my bro and our friend michelle (who is from busan) for some fun on sunday. i don't have any good pictures of myself from that weekend, so you only get to see other people ;)
this is a picture of a little corner of the university that i enjoyed finding. the school is pretty much in the middle of the mountains, so everywhere you look there are lots of trees, and the hill it's on pretty much kicks bascom hill's butt.
on sunday we started the day by wandering around the international market in busan, as well as the fish market there. busan is the biggest port in korea, so a lot of things come through there. including these darlings that greeted us upon entering the fish market
this is michelle with two of her best friends from growing up. they were adorable. she calls them pancake and BB (big boobs). you can guess which is which. BB didn't speak any english, but did speak japanese, so i had an enjoyable afternoon chatting with her and translating bits of english conversation into japanese for her. was super fun to practice!
cute picture of tim and michelle. happened to catch it just at the right moment. love it when that happens!
obligatory picture of adorable students.. this is another one of my favorite classes. they're crazy all over the place, but they're super fun, and seem to relish in teaching me korean words.
and this... drum roll please.. is me in my new uber geeky super cute glasses, on our fabulous orange couch :)
and that. that, my friends, is an update.
6.06.2006
i have amazing friends. they know who i am, and what i need. they know when to listen and when to offer things to help. they respond to who and how i am in the most amazing ways.. jacob sent me this today. it is a reminder of something i tend to have trouble with..
Trying to Catch the Wind
Smiling into tired eyes a cup of tea is passed. It appears that something has gone wrong, and yet there are no words to convey just what that might be. Just the silence of two who have found that sometimes words are unnecessary, that words will come on their own when it is time, that nothing need be forced.
Sitting in the backyard tea cups are set aside, as one smiles into the breeze and the other looks upon that smile in wonder. A deep sigh as a hand is raised and the invisible breeze plays between outstretched fingers. Sensing the wondering eyes, the glance is returned, a smile still upon the face, but the eyes much more direct now. Hand still held aloft turning this way and that as the breeze gently tickles the palm, the inner wrist, raising goose-bumps.
A quiet little laugh as fingers suddenly close in on themselves, fingertips pressing firmly into the palm. Quizzical look as a question is asked. ìDo you think I caught it?î
ìCaught what?î is the reply.
Opening of the hand, held out as in offering, ìThe wind of course.î
Laughter now in the eyes that had looked so tired. ìYou canít catch the wind.î
Looking away and leaning over a dandelion blossom, ìAnd why canít I?î
A bit more seriously the reply comes, ìThere is nothing to catch.î
Face turning up from the dandelion, ìIf you know that, then why do you look so tired my friend?î
How often do we find ourselves hurrying through our day trying to catch something that is elusive to us? We tell ourselves that if only this happens we will be ok, that if only that happens things will even themselves out and we can finally sit back and relax. We wear ourselves out trying to catch something that is as unobtainable as the wind, when all along it is flowing, ebbing, and rising all around us. We get so caught up in our endeavors that we miss the gentle tickling on our palms.
..my goal in korea has been to notice the tickling on my palm.. to take the time to appreciate it, and stop grasping at nothing. recently this has been a little more difficult as i have tried to regain more sense of people and things that i will perhaps never understand again. as difficult as it may be, maybe it is time to let some things flow away and be gone like it seems they were meant to. as it seems they want to. i don't like seeing tired eyes in the mirror.
Trying to Catch the Wind
Smiling into tired eyes a cup of tea is passed. It appears that something has gone wrong, and yet there are no words to convey just what that might be. Just the silence of two who have found that sometimes words are unnecessary, that words will come on their own when it is time, that nothing need be forced.
Sitting in the backyard tea cups are set aside, as one smiles into the breeze and the other looks upon that smile in wonder. A deep sigh as a hand is raised and the invisible breeze plays between outstretched fingers. Sensing the wondering eyes, the glance is returned, a smile still upon the face, but the eyes much more direct now. Hand still held aloft turning this way and that as the breeze gently tickles the palm, the inner wrist, raising goose-bumps.
A quiet little laugh as fingers suddenly close in on themselves, fingertips pressing firmly into the palm. Quizzical look as a question is asked. ìDo you think I caught it?î
ìCaught what?î is the reply.
Opening of the hand, held out as in offering, ìThe wind of course.î
Laughter now in the eyes that had looked so tired. ìYou canít catch the wind.î
Looking away and leaning over a dandelion blossom, ìAnd why canít I?î
A bit more seriously the reply comes, ìThere is nothing to catch.î
Face turning up from the dandelion, ìIf you know that, then why do you look so tired my friend?î
How often do we find ourselves hurrying through our day trying to catch something that is elusive to us? We tell ourselves that if only this happens we will be ok, that if only that happens things will even themselves out and we can finally sit back and relax. We wear ourselves out trying to catch something that is as unobtainable as the wind, when all along it is flowing, ebbing, and rising all around us. We get so caught up in our endeavors that we miss the gentle tickling on our palms.
..my goal in korea has been to notice the tickling on my palm.. to take the time to appreciate it, and stop grasping at nothing. recently this has been a little more difficult as i have tried to regain more sense of people and things that i will perhaps never understand again. as difficult as it may be, maybe it is time to let some things flow away and be gone like it seems they were meant to. as it seems they want to. i don't like seeing tired eyes in the mirror.
5.31.2006
as promised.. some pictures of my absolutely ridiculously adorable students!
the first is one of my favorite classes. they're just starting to learn english.. from left to right it's max, rusa, julie and mint. max never stops moving. that's why it looks like he crashed into the girls. i'm pretty sure he actually did. :P
next is tim and two of his favorite students.
and last is another one of my crazy fun classes. the girl on the far right likes to hang on me.. and in the picture is doing a ballerina pose because we had just been playing simon says and she thought that it was hysterical when i made the boys spin like ballerinas.
the first is one of my favorite classes. they're just starting to learn english.. from left to right it's max, rusa, julie and mint. max never stops moving. that's why it looks like he crashed into the girls. i'm pretty sure he actually did. :P
next is tim and two of his favorite students.
and last is another one of my crazy fun classes. the girl on the far right likes to hang on me.. and in the picture is doing a ballerina pose because we had just been playing simon says and she thought that it was hysterical when i made the boys spin like ballerinas.
5.24.2006
hooray for running at 1am.
hooray for my wonderful brother who came running with me and didn't make fun of how slow i am (actually i think he was impressed that i wasn't completely turtle-like :D )
hooray for my wonderful arianna who mailed me grey's anatomy.
hooray for TV that can make me think.
and hooray for seeing new places that make me think, with people who make me think.
this is a picture of me at the korean war memorial park in seoul.
and this is julie, michelle, roman, me and my bro, out for a night of fun with coworkers and friends.
and this is seoul tower at night, which i mentioned previously that i am in love with. the part where it's green actually changes colors to red and white and yellow.. absolutely mesmerizing..
hooray for my wonderful brother who came running with me and didn't make fun of how slow i am (actually i think he was impressed that i wasn't completely turtle-like :D )
hooray for my wonderful arianna who mailed me grey's anatomy.
hooray for TV that can make me think.
and hooray for seeing new places that make me think, with people who make me think.
this is a picture of me at the korean war memorial park in seoul.
and this is julie, michelle, roman, me and my bro, out for a night of fun with coworkers and friends.
and this is seoul tower at night, which i mentioned previously that i am in love with. the part where it's green actually changes colors to red and white and yellow.. absolutely mesmerizing..
5.22.2006
one of the ways this place has been interesting for me has been the way i simultaneously feel very beautiful and really not. the feeling beautiful comes from a lot of things.. lack of stress is a huge one. i wake up whenever i wake up every day, and stay up pretty much as late as i want (which, being me, is not very late. but whatever.). i've been getting exercise and spending lots of time juggling. i think i've also been told that i am beautiful more times in the last three weeks than in the last four or five months. i have one student that every time i teach him he says 'teacher, you are beautiful!' it's adorable, and makes me smile every time. on the other hand, i have moments of feeling just.. gross. it's so weird for me to be bigger than everyone else. in every way. to know that if i walk into a store the chance of finding clothing that would fit me (or that i could get on my body even) is pretty much zero. there are days when my thoughts are ugly, and i feel as though i can see it in my face and my eyes.. sometimes i am amazed that others can't see it.
saturday night i felt very ugly. i was tired and overwhelmed (and hungry too i think). we were on our way into itaewon to get egg sandwiches and sit for a drink at a club for a bit, and i just got black inside for a while. it was awful. i felt like dorian gray.. fine on the outside, but had someone perceptive painted a picture of me it would have been wretched. by the time we got to the egg sandwiches i was on the verge of tears and completely not hungry anymore. for a while my insides felt like they were ripping, really only being held in by walking arm in arm with Roman. that bit of contact kept me present. i felt better once at the club.. eric pulled me onto the dance floor and *made* me dance with him. there's something about spinning and just feeling the rhythm that is so good.. so true. anyhow. it brought me back to equilibrium and i felt alright after that. i have been contemplating the ups and downs and simultaneous polar feelings for the past couple of days.. i think they're just something i have to work through this summer. working through things is, after all, why i am here.
saturday night i felt very ugly. i was tired and overwhelmed (and hungry too i think). we were on our way into itaewon to get egg sandwiches and sit for a drink at a club for a bit, and i just got black inside for a while. it was awful. i felt like dorian gray.. fine on the outside, but had someone perceptive painted a picture of me it would have been wretched. by the time we got to the egg sandwiches i was on the verge of tears and completely not hungry anymore. for a while my insides felt like they were ripping, really only being held in by walking arm in arm with Roman. that bit of contact kept me present. i felt better once at the club.. eric pulled me onto the dance floor and *made* me dance with him. there's something about spinning and just feeling the rhythm that is so good.. so true. anyhow. it brought me back to equilibrium and i felt alright after that. i have been contemplating the ups and downs and simultaneous polar feelings for the past couple of days.. i think they're just something i have to work through this summer. working through things is, after all, why i am here.
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