My Korean Doctor's Office Experience

Today was a very strange day, indeed. This is but one story of my strange day.


In order to get my Alien Registration Card this Friday, I am required to have a simple drug test to make sure I am not taking any illegal drugs and also an HIV test. Simple, right?? Uhm...not if you are an American who speaks no Korean! So, my Director instructs me on where to go and assures me that it will be fine for me to go alone as the doctor speaks English. I hop on Pinky (aka my Hot Pink Bicycle) and pedal off to the clinic. I find it easily enough and lock up my bike and head to the door...it is locked. I'm sure the sign on the door says to use the other entrance, but since I am illiterate, I cannot read it. lol...I venture around the building and manage to find the correct door and proceed upstairs to the clinic. At the desk I am met by a wide-eyed male receptionist who smiles and gives me a little paper about the size of an index card with nothing but Korean writing and blank spaces to be filled. It apparently is a registration form asking for my name, birthdate, etc., but, alas, I am illiterate. A kind nurse or medical assistant or whatever she is in her little white jacket, tries to assist me with the help of my handy dandy translation book! (Best $7.00 I have ever spent on a book) I manage to write my name, age, and birthday, then she escorts me to a seat.


After a bit, Nurse Lady motions for me to come over to the blood pressure machine. Yes, like the ones they have in Walgreens. It is in the middle of the waiting room. She takes my blood pressure which is through the roof because of the stress I am feeling and motions me to go sit back where she planted me previously. I take out a book and pretend to ignore the stares of all the Korean people, especially the little old lady next to me who makes it obvious she is staring. She mumbles something several times to me in Korean. I smile, nod, and go back to my book.


A few minutes later I am escorted into the doctor's "office" by Nurse Lady. Doctor "I-don't-even-know-his-name" is sitting behind his desk, motions me to sit on the stool in front of his desk, and proceeds to ask me, "What can I do for you today?" Hurray!!! He does speak English!! After a bit of exchange, I am finally able to get across what I need. I think he understands and I just want to get the heck out of there! He calls Nurse Lady on the phone and she appears instantaneously! He instructs her to take my "samples" for the "study" and she escorts me back to my perch. I sit like a good little girl waiting for my next instructions. Old Lady is still staring at me.


Nurse Lady comes to me with a PAPER CUP with a line drawn on the side and points to the "toilet" sign (I can read that one). I understand. Fill to line and bring back. Got it. I go into the restroom. I open the door to the "stall", and there it is...Squat Toilet. I say out loud to myself, "You have got to be kidding me!" For those of you who have no idea what a squat toilet is, I have included a picture. Yes, it is on the floor, I am wearing capris and have to give a sample in a paper cup. Really???
Somehow I manage to fill to the line without a major catastrophe, but then I am unsure what to do next. Well, I put some tissue around the paper cup and trot back through the waiting room (yes, the waiting room) and hand it to Nurse Lady who takes it from me with no gloves and sets it on the counter. Yes, you get it! No gloves, no lid, no sterile container, no "clean catch"...I am beside myself. But wait!! There's more!!


Now it is time to give my blood. "Sit," she says. I sit. On a stool. In a doorway. In front of the entire waiting room to watch as she takes my arm and ties the touniquet and proceeds to "slap, slap, slap" to get a vein to appear. Again, no gloves! I did at least witness a clean, sterile needle that she was going to use. She proceeds to take my blood into the container, then inject it into one of those tubes. Odd, just odd. She puts a cotton pad thing on my puncture then a bandage. All no gloves, sample still on counter uncovered, and the whole waiting room watching the Alien give blood. I really just want to run away at this point.


She manages to tell me I am finished and directs me to the receptionist. I need to pay 40,000 Won. Hmmm...would have been nice to know up front, as I only have 10,000 Won on me. I play the sign language game indicating I need to make a call. I call Teacher Jennifer (LOVE HER) and explain my dilemma. Graciously, she comes to rescue me, pays my bill, and whisks me away from this dreadful place. I am traumatized. Jennifer laughs and we both wonder why Mr. Cho (my Director) did not send one of the Korean teachers with me. We, Jennifer and I, cannot come up with a good reason, so we head over to her paint studio and have afternoon tea with her Art Teacher. My traumatization of the Korean health clinic is over. Now, I just hope I get that Alien Registration Card on Friday!

Stay tuned....

Things That Amuse Me In Korea...Episode 1

If you have ever lived in a foreign country, you can appreciate the differences in culture. Here you will find 11 things that I have found amusing during my first two weeks abroad. Enjoy!

First Two Weeks in Korea

Wow! I cannot believe it has only been two weeks! I am finally starting to settle in, and so many of you have asked for an update. So much has happened. I have seen so many things. I have experienced so much already! Where to begin is really the question! :-) Let's take things by topic, shall we?

My Apartment
My apartment is a small studio on the 4th floor of a building with no elevator. Each day the climb gets a bit easier, but first I have to make it up the hill to the building! :-) I'm very close to the highway and the hospital is within a 5 minute walk. (That is important for my parents to know). It is clean and modern and I really like it. I finally learned how to get the stove to light last week, so now I can cook. My first attempt was ham, potatoes, onion and cabbage. YUMMMMM!!! Just a little western meal in my Korean apartment! The strangest thing to get used to is the shower. I have to turn on the hot water about 5 minutes prior to showering, then turn it off when I am finished. Also, there is no tub...only a shower that encompasses the entire bathroom. It truly is a BATH room. lol Regardless, it is just the right size for me and I really like it.

My School
I really, really like my school. There are about 5 Korean teachers and one other English speaking teacher. He, Teacher Mark, has been very helpful in helping me get settled here. His wife is Korean, so he knows a lot of the "ins and outs" of things and can help me understand Korean traditions and such. I have a great schedule. I get to school around 1:30p.m. and the students come at 2:00. I teach two 25 minute classes then have a 10 minute break. I start over again at 3:00 until 3:50, then a 10 minute break. This repeats with the classes increasing in English proficiency until 7:50 pm. Then I clean up and go home. Total contact hours: 5 per day, 10 classes, and very minimal lesson planning. I could not ask for anything better. Next month, my schedule will shift by 30 minutes (I'll go in 30 minutes later), then back again the following. This makes for a nice break in routine and lets me see all of the kids in the Hagwon. :-)

Transportation
In order to explore more of my town, I bought a FANTASTIC bicycle!! It has been absolutely wonderful and I am so grateful to have it! Of course, it's hot pink with a basket and a bell and could not be any more adorable. lol... I traded my Jeep 4x4 for a hot pink bike...hmmmm... that just makes me giggle.

Transportation in Korea is second to none! I decided to take a trip to Pohang last weekend and hopped the intercity bus (which is majorly comfortable and actually fun to ride) and just a mere 1.5 hours later, I was shopping at a "supercenter" type store! It was really fun to see some American brands with Korean writing. (Go P&G!!) I took a walk down the "walking street" and managed to find a wonderful pizza place where I devoured a bacon and onion pizza. DELICIOUS. The sauce kind of reminds me of Dewey's. This is not LaRosa's, Cincinnati! After that, as I was walking by Starbucks, I saw a couple of western-looking girls and stopped to chat. We became fast friends and actually spent the Chuseok holiday together...more on that in a minute.
I grabbed a quick, cheap taxi back to the bus terminal, bought my ticket back to Uljin, and I was quickly on my way home! What a great day trip!

FOOD!!!
Everyone is asking me about the food. Well, for the first week, Ramen noodles and fried chicken were my best friends. I have since expanded my palette and tried more traditional Korean food. I have decided that I do like Bulgogi and Kimbap, but am not a fan of kimchi. I am also a HUGE fan of the Korean barbeque restaurants where you cook your own food on this grill in the middle of the table. In Pohang during Chuesok holiday, six of us found this delightful place called "Meat King". Yes, it truly was!! It was a buffet where you could have, cook, and eat as much meat as you wanted for 13,900 won (about $13.00). Couple that with some Korean Rice Wine mixed with "cider" (tastes like Sprite), some Korean Beer, and lots of water, and all the little tasty sauces and sides, you have yourself a fine, fine meal! Additionally, we had to take our shoes off at the door and sit on the floor at the low tables. It was very cool.

People
Korean people are generally very kind to me. One teacher from school took me out to "noribong", which is KARAOKE!!! Needless to say, I had a blast! The teachers at school are always more than willing to translate something for me, help me find a bus schedule, buy a cell phone, or even translate menus for me so I don't end up eating something I have no desire to eat. They always invite me to sit with them and ask me daily if I have eaten. If I tell them I have not, there is ALWAYS an offer of some food, whether it is half of their sandwich, some bread, noodles, or some rice. This is an important cultural thing which I find very endearing. They seem to genuinely care for one another and, well, if they don't, they at least keep up a good front!

When I go into the shops in town, I always greet them in Korean and sometimes they will answer back in English. This is not as common here as it was in Europe, but they genuinely appreciate the effort I take at butchering their language. lol... I really am trying, but it is not easy. It also seems to be common to walk away with a "free gift" after making a purchase. Let's see, I have gotten a bike lock, coffee, a wrinkle filler face mask (stop laughing), and some little stickers for the kids. Yes, the people here are very kind, and I like them. The ladies in the picture on the right helped me choose my bike, unwrapped it for me, gave me the lock, then posed for the picture. One funny thing... I knew I had been frequenting the local chicken place too often when I walked in for the third time in a week and the guy behind the counter says, "Ah! Fried Chicken? And Pepsi?? Sit anywhere!". Yes, I have become a regular already. lol

Shopping
I've been getting a lot of questions about prices. Well, it really depends on what you want to purchase. For example, if I go to Lotteria (Korean McDonald's for lack of a better explanation), I will spend about three times as much to get a burger (which is gross anyway), fries (tasty), and a Pepsi than I would across the street at the 24 hour Korean "Diner". I can eat very well on about 3,000 to 4,000 won there (under $4.00) and not finish my entire meal.

When it comes to shopping in the stores, it is much the same. Beef is VERY expensive here, but chicken and pork are reasonable. I have yet to see anything that resembles a tv dinner, but you can buy a bag of chicken nuggets or frozen cheese sticks. Again, they are far more expensive than the fresh food you can get in the market. The only problem with buying in the market is the language barrier, as there are not many prices posted, and it is hard to purchase a small amount of anything. For example, last week I tried to buy two apples. Well, that was not going to happen. I ended up with the basket of about 12. Yeah....Other than that, I love to go to the market and just wander around. You never know what you will find!

Entertainment
Well, Korean television is entertaining...for a minute. lol There are a few English stations, but I have yet to figure out a schedule of what is on and when. I did catch an episode of "Bones" and "NCIS" in English with Korean subtitles. That made me happy. :-)

Noribong, aka Singing Rooms, are very popular here. I have been twice and had a blast both times. It is not like back home where you go in to some random bar with random people. You actually get your own "room" with a comfortable sofa-like seating area, a big table, two mics, and lots of songs in both English and Korean. It is a great social time and it is most helpful that I can actually sing! :-) The picture on the left are my Korean friends who introduced me to the art of Noribang. They are all teachers. Although I can enjoy fried chicken and beer as much as the next person, it is nice to sing a bit while partaking in said beverages and snacks.

Another social thing is called Jimjibang. Now, I suggest you just google it and decide for yourself, but three of us Western girls with tattoos and piercings braved the "Korean Bathhouse and Sauna" and had a simply delightful time! I cannot remember the last time my skin felt so soft and wonderful. I have included a simple link, http://www.seoulstyle.com/art_naked.htm, which explains it a bit better than I believe I can, but suffice it to say, we have decided to make it a monthly thing within our little group of friends to visit the Jimjibang and scrub each others backs to become "silky monkeys".

What I Miss From America
Strangely, I miss macaroni and cheese. I have been able to find Hershey's, so I am good on the chocolate front. I miss my friends and family. I really, really, really miss my boys. I must say, however, I am very grateful for the Internet, Facebook, and Skype. I don't know if I could be this far from everyone without it, especially Brandon and Bryan. I think I actually talk to my boys now than I did when they lived with me! lol :-)

What I Like Most About Korea
Today, what I like most about Korea is being close to the sea and being able to ride my bike down to the ocean and just sit and read. I like riding my bike all over town and discovering little places I had previously missed. I like learning about the culture and practicing what little vocabulary I have. Mostly, I like teaching. I love the kids and I love teaching. I don't have behavioral issues, they listen, they engage, and they are eager to learn as well as teach me things! Most of my Korean vocab has come from my students and I am grateful for that.

Well, friends, this is a long post, but there were lots of questions from you all I wanted to be sure to answer. Should you have any other questions or are curious about anything, please let me know and I will address it!

Until next time, I will try to stay out of trouble (teehee) and stay safe on my Korean adventure. Love to you all!

Sights and Smells of a Sunday Afternoon...

Still battling jet lag, I ventured out into my new city to explore the market and see what other things I could find. I took my iPod (best purchase EVER!) so I could take video of my little excursion. (These videos are posted on my Facebook page as I cannot seem to get them to load on blogger).

Taking my big blue backpack (great purchase), my little red umbrella (even better purchase), and some Korean Won, I set out for a walk through town with no agenda other than to visit the Uljin Market. I wandered across the street, past the golf course (driving range, really), the park with the stange leaves in the pond, and into the main part of town, taking short little videos along the way.

Though the sign pointed left towards the Market, I spotted colorful umbrellas up ahead. My curiousity won out and I ventured straight instead of left. What I had discovered was actually another section of the Market. I was initially greeted by fish hanging under a tarp and was surrounded by foreign (by my sense of smell) scents of fish, kimchi, and spices. The women were all crouched down at their respective "booths" busily slicing, pealing, and cutting various foods. Most "stands" consisted of an umbrella, a couple of women, and various food items spread out on the ground in baskets or on top of cardboard or tarps.

Behind the open air market were the "brick and mortar" shops of make-up, clothing, shoes, and various other wares. I stumbled into a little cosmetic shop and bought a tube of lip gloss. The kind lady at the counter gave me "free samples" of other cosmetics and told me that my skin was "beautiful". Funny, I think Koreans have beautiful skin and I have freckles. lol Regardless, I showed my gratefulness by saying "thank you" in Korean and giving a slight bow. She invited me to come back again, which I am sure I will. :-)

Back onto the streets, I wandered around with this cheesy grin, smiling and nodding to those who stared and said "hello" to children who always answered back a kind "hello" to me. They study English, so it is safe to assume they speak at least basic English phrases. I then came upon a familiar nut (no, not one of my friends), or so I thought, and pulled out my dictionary. Sure enough, they were chestnuts! I did not buy any today, but will do so more into the winter months. They prepare them much as we do in the States, so I am looking forward to that tasty treat.

There was a lady surrounded by bushels of apples and I wandered by too slowly. She offered me a taste and they were indeed "quite delicious"! Since it is only me I have to feed, I tried to purchase only two apples. This was not going to happen. She explained it all to me in Korean, but I did finally understand that she only sold by the bowls in front of her or the big crates. I came home with 13 apples. I guess I could bake a pie, but I don't know how nor do I have an oven. :-)

I wandered through the market and then managed to find my way across the bridge to the other side of Uljin and where most of the night life happens. I happened upon the public elementary school, more chicken places, a bicycle shop (yay! I'm going to buy one), and various other little shops and restaurants. Finally back to "my side of town", I stopped in the local "burger joint" and had a snack of two cheese sticks and an iced tea. The tea tasted more like lemonade and was very good. I will have that again as it is right next to my school.

I then wandered in to a little supermarket and found a "pouf" for my interesting shower and some snack chips that taste kind of like Bugles. After exiting the supermarket, I was overwhelmed by a delicious aroma of roasted meat. As I ventured toward the place it was coming from, I decided it was indeed PORK!! I watched the man prepare the meat for a lady and then ordered some for myself. After all of this, I decided it was time to head home and enjoy my dinner and put my feet up for a while. I realized I had been walking for three hours!

I headed home, took out my trusty chopsticks (that's a sight!), put my feet up and relaxed the rest of the evening. So far I am enjoying my time in Uljin, South Korea and am looking forward to my first day of school. More later...

3 Airplanes, 2 Buses, 1 minor bump in the road...

So, indulge me while I tell you of my adventures on three airplanes, two buses, and only one minor mishap that got me to where I am sitting right now.

After spending the entire night awake and stuffing every thing I could into my new backpack, we set off for the airport at about 4:00 a.m. Amanda and Ashley accompanied me all the way to security to make sure I could make it through without having to leave anything behind. Much to everyone's surprise, I did!! :-) Of course, this was after we sat on the floor at the airport redistributing things in one of my suitcases to get it underweight. Lol During check-in, I discovered my seats had been changed due to a plane change. I was not happy about this as I had paid for the upgrade to “Economy Plus” in order to have a little extra legroom. The nice lady at United looked and found me a seat in an exit row for the flight from San Francisco to Seoul. That made me happy. Additionally, my seat from Chicago to San Francisco was a middle seat instead of the aisle I had requested. Ugh.. Remember these details, as they is important to how the story develops.

Well, the first flight from Cincinnati to Chicago was uneventful. I got an aisle seat and actually dozed off for a few minutes. That was much needed. Upon boarding the plane in Chicago to San Francisco, the kind lady who was in the aisle seat asked if I would like her to move over to the middle (my assigned seat). I told her that would be fine, thinking it was just so I could get settled without blocking the aisle. Turns out, her husband is sitting by the window, so she moves to the middle to sit by him! Yippee!! I get the aisle! I was happy and I got to sleep a bit. Once we landed in San Francisco, I had to locate the International Terminal and find my gate. This was a bit challenging, but I made it and even had time to grab a burger and call Dad. I was happy. Upon boarding, I discover my seat is NOT in an exit row, but one row behind yet an aisle. I was not happy, but proceeded to settle in with another American girl in my row along with an Army guy in the middle. Ok, this was going to be livable. Well, then the chatty dude flight attendant was talking with a guy in the exit row telling him he would have to change seats for some reason...I guess he was not qualified to be an exit row person. CHA CHING!! “Hey, I'll be happy to change seats!” This made Flight Attendant Dude happy and I began rearranging myself to the window seat in the exit row for a 12 and a half hour flight. **happy dance** Yay for leg room and a wall to rest my head for a much needed nap! I am convinced I had an angel on my shoulder as I got the seat I wanted each time. God is so good! :-)

It was a good flight and we landed in Seoul about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. I was shuffled through immigration without any delay **another happy dance** and headed to baggage claim to retrieve my really heavy suitcases. They arrived with me!!! I was happy with United Airlines. Very happy. I headed through Customs with ease and out to find the bus to take me to Dong Bus Terminal to get my bus to Uljin. I find the ticket counter, purchase my ticket and attempt to tell the driver where I am going. He sort of understands, but takes me all the way to the hotel he was servicing! Lol...Once we arrive there and I explain again with my translation book and an interpreter where I need to go, he agrees to take me back to the bus terminal! Wow! He could have totally made me get off and buy another ticket, but he takes me back, drops me off and three little Korean men assist me into the bus terminal with all of my luggage.

Now, allow me to paint this picture of me and my luggage to you. I have two very large black suitcases with a gray strap around each. I also have a smaller matching carry-on and a big blue laptop backpack and my big American pillow. I have managed to strap the carry-on to one of the big suitcases and they roll together. I then take the monster pillow and strap it to the other suitcase. I am wearing the giant blue backpack and towing one suitcase handle in each hand. Can you picture it? It is truly a sight! I manage to purchase a ticket to Uljin and find my place of departure. Now I must find a phone and call the director to let him know what time to meet me at the terminal in Uljin. I find the pay phones and have NO CLUE how to operate them, as there are four different versions at this phone bank. Finally, I ask a young Korean woman for assistance, show her the number and she helps me use the phone. Success!! My people here now know I have arrived and will be there to greet me!

I have about an hour to kill and am in desperate need of water. I find a little stand and purchase a bottle of water, some miniature looking oranges and a box of delicious chocolate, chocolate chip cookies. I love that the cookies are individually wrapped! I don't over indulge and can keep some for later. I walk around the bus terminal with luggage in tow and purchase an umbrella for 5000 Won (about $5.00) as it is raining during all this. I also find a bakery place that has these wonderful looking sandwiches that resemble grilled cheese. I buy one for about $2.00 and bit into it. Yes, it is cheese and something like ham in addition to the sweetest onions I have ever tasted! Yummm!! I needed that along with a little bottle of Coke. Now, mind you, I am giggling and smiling like a total cheeseball as I cannot believe I am actually here and have not gotten totally lost in this foreign land. I mean, I cannot read ANYTHING, yet am managing. Sorry, I found this quite humorous.

I head over to find my bus and the bus driver looks at me and my luggage and smiles and says something in Korean to two other drivers. They look at my tag to try to figure out where this alien has come from and where I am going. They read my name “Angela” and repeat it over and over as they assist me with my luggage. Finally! On the bus to Uljin I go! Upon arriving in Uljin at around 11:00 p.m., my director meets me and whisks me away to find dinner and take me to my new abode. He takes me to this little place and we order, (are you ready for this?), fried chicken and beer. LOL!! I was cracking up! He suggested Korean beer and, for me not being a beer drinker, it was quite good! He was impressed that I had studied a bit about the culture and knew not to pour my own drink, but also how to pour his and receive mine with two hands. “You have studied a lot!” I was happy he was impressed. He also introduced me to Kimchi which I am not sure if I like or not. I think it is an acquired taste, but I did not dislike it.

We talked for a bit about the school and what I will be doing. School starts at 2:00 pm and ends at 7:40 p.m. How cool is that? I have to be at school around 1:00 on Monday so I can get settled and that's it! It ends up being about a 30 hour work week. No late nights and no early mornings. I think I'm gonna like it here! Oh! And did I mention the Singing Rooms??? Oh yeah, baby, KARAOKE is the favorite pastime (along with drinking beer and eating fried chicken) and there are places everywhere!! Hmmm...sweet schedule, coastal city, a nice director, Korean beer is good, and I get to teach. Wow.

After eating, Mr. Cho took me to my studio apartment. It is on the 4th floor and is actually better than what I had hoped for. See the video for a short tour.


I am getting settled in and toured Uljin this afternoon with Mr. Cho. He showed where to shop, how to get to school, how to get to the ocean and even took me to a fish market where you can buy fresh, live fish, watch them kill it, then they cook it and you eat it. I cannot stomach that just yet. lol

Know that I miss you all and will continue to update my blog as I can. I'm hoping at least once a week, but will probably do more as interesting things happen. Once I get my apartment put together, I will post another video. So, after three airplanes, two buses, and a minivan, I have arrived. Stay tuned for more adventurous updates!

Night Before Flight

It is almost 3 a.m. and my flight leaves at 6:05 a.m. The plan was to take a short nap prior to leaving for the airport. Hmmm...we see that is not happening. I'm sitting here listening to the stillness of the night. The windows are open and the cool breeze wafts over me sending chills down my spine. I love this time of night. All is still and quiet, except for the crickets and other creatures of the night singing their songs.

In this quiet, I am able to reflect on my journey thus far. It is hard for me to believe that I am actually going to Korea for a year...12 months...four seasons...on the other side of the world! I have so many wonderful friends who have been so encouraging and helpful these past few weeks. My parents have assisted me and my boys have been very supportive. I could not ask for better people in my life right now. I don't know if my journey would have gone so smoothly to this point if it had not been for all of these people.

Many have asked what I am most looking forward to. I have no idea really what to expect, though I am looking forward to being near the ocean and being able to just walk out to it every day. I'm looking forward to tasting crab tomorrow in this city known for crab. I'm looking forward to seeing my school and my classroom and meeting all of my students. The open air markets are intriguing to me, so I am looking forward to exploring the town this weekend.

I'm not looking forward to being so far away from my boys. As a mother, I have to worry about them. That's my job, but I would worry regardless. However, I know they have a host of people ready to help if they need help and lots of folks who love and care about them. I think we will all grow a lot over the next 12 months and I am very much looking forward to seeing the results of that.

It is almost time for me to make final checks and preparations. Passport, visa, money, ticket, luggage packed correctly, etc. I hope and pray that the peace I feel about this journey is real. I am not really nervous, but excited. I'm excited about the possibilities that await me. I'm excited about the adventure of a new culture and new people. I'm also excited about sharing this with those of you who are following my blog.

I'm not sure when I will have access to Internet again, but I am planning to update this blog at least once a week. I hope you enjoy reading it and, please, feel free to comment or ask any questions you may have. I'll see you on the other side of the world!

Less than 36 hours to lift-off

With less than 36 hours left in the good ol' U. S. A., I find myself scrambling a bit to get things accomplished. Overall, everything has come together quite nicely and there have really been no major glitches. People keep asking me how I am remembering to do everything. It's really quite simple. Lists, lists, and more lists. Tomorrow will be my last full day to get things done, as I leave at 6a.m. Thursday morning. Yes, I have a list for tomorrow. :-)

I'm looking forward to dinner with a few friends Wednesday evening at a favorite BBQ place in Cincinnati. After saying "goodbye", I will head over to some dear friends who live near the airport and will spend the night there so they can take me to the airport at some ungodly hour Thursday morning. They are so looking forward to that. lol :-)

I also picked up $1000 USD worth of Korean Won, which was a little over 1 million Won. So, does that make me a millionaire? Oh well, it's fun to think about anyway.

I'm totally looking forward to this adventure and hope you enjoy reading about it. Funny thing is, although I am a bit nervous, I have a great peace and calm about everything. I honestly feel it is the right thing to do and the right time to do it. I have no idea what may be in store for me, but I am excited to find out! Keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers as I travel far from home and far from my boys. I'm so glad they are supportive of this!

Until next time...

One week left...

Today was my last day at my current place of employment. I am going to miss everyone so much. They are so supportive and kind. Most of all, every single one believes in me, my passion, my energy, and my decision to go teach little children in Korea. Not one of them laughed at me or told me I was crazy. lol... They were all encouraging and offered kind words as we shared a lunch together for one last time. I will miss the "T.A.N.K", as we are so affectionately known (Tracy, Angela, Amanda, Nancy, Katie), and the happy times along with the stressful times and the downright crazy times. Ah, yes, I leave the staffing world behind today to move on to other challenges.

I also left my condo behind today. I have to run back in the morning to get a couple of last minute things I just could not manage today, but for all rights and purposes, it is complete and I am outta there! As I took one of the final loads to storage today, I stepped back and looked at all of my belongings and wondered just how important those "things" were going to be to me in a year. Did I really need everything in there? At 40 years old, is this really all my life consists of? Then I pondered the idea that this ws not such a bad thing. I mean, someone earlier this week told me how people hide behind fancy clothes, expensive cars, big houses, etc. However, I am really stripping myself down. I have nothing to hide behind. It's just me. Simply me. Although a bit scary, I find it also quite refreshing and freeing.

Tomorrow I have to go exchange USD for Korean Won, renew my driver's license, get an International Driving Permit (just in case I need it), finish getting stuff out of my condo, turn the keys in, return my new laptop bag, find a new laptop bag that fits my laptop, and re-pack my suitcases. Upon carrying them down the steps tonight, I have decided, once again, that I may have overpacked. Ugh. My luggage has to have what I need and it must be managable by me alone. Right now it is too overwhelming. I have to remind myself that they really do have stores over there and I can actually purchase things I may need. Wow. What a concept!

For this final week, I want to spend as much time as possible with the people in my life who are important to me; my boys, my parents, my friends. Thanks to all of you who have been supporting me as I have sorted out the details of this grand adventure. This time next week, I will be saying my goodbye's and doing final baggage checks! Wow...where did the time go?