Hi friends,

I'm sorry it's been a while! Mostly, that's to due with the fact that I've settled in so comfortably here; it doesn't feel like there's much extraordinary to write about these days! Nevertheless, I've compiled some tidbits, mostly things that come out of my students' mouths; that's when I have the most contact with Korean culture, and it tends to amuse me!

· I wore my awesome, mirrored aviator sunglasses in to work a few days last week, and the students' response to seeing them on my desk was
o These are men's sunglasses, Teacher!
o Do you ride a motorcycle in America, Teacher?
o You are like Rain, Teacher.
This last one gave me great joy: Rain is a big Korean pop star (a guy, mind you) who Stephen Colbert has had a rivalry with in the past. The K-pop drones up from the square twelve floors below my apartment windows, so I'll probably be able to sing you a few of his songs when I get back! Aviators and all.

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· One day I was taking the subway alone (often I have a male co-worker with me, or am too engrossed in my iPod to make friends) and a middle-aged Korean man gestured me over to a seat next to him. Then he put his arm around me, and before I knew what was going on, had extended his other arm and snapped a shot of us together, à la drunken-best-girlfriends. Thinking about it afterwards, I should have probably cleared up that I am not in fact a celebrity; just white.
I do get the occasional man wanting to have English conversation too though, or, on one memorable occasion, stalking me into the stairwell at school from the street to have me proofread his University application. Which was already perfect. I never get the aggressive vibe from these men, just interest - it's new.

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· My students had this obsession about me being rich, and I told them again and again that I am tremendously poor if you look at my accounts. Finally, one student explained to me that it was my earlobes. Apparently, having large earlobes is a sign of wealth to them! I wish that were true; then all of us with Rennick blood would be rolling in it!

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· The students choose English names to go by in class, and I didn't realize how informal they were until a few of my students asked to change them on a whim. That's why we have students named V.I.P., Barry BonZ, Gogi Mandu, and a slew of Obamas. Good grief.

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· People here go by their lunar age. So I never really know how old the kids are, since it falls within one or two years. I'm told to give my year of birth for any official documents to avoid confusion. I tell the kids I'm 53 and try to have them drop it!

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· Recently, a bunch of our students started Middle School. Often they're still in school uniform (navy and grey, pleated wool skirts and ties) when they come to us at 7pm for another 3 hours of after-school classes. The real telltale sign is the haircut, though. The girls, especially, arrive with thick bangs and a straight cut above their shoulders. They are absolutely shocked that we never have to cut our hair for school in North America! Imagine American students learning that not a single public school in Korea is co-ed. That's why some students are reduced to tears when I make them work in boy-girl groups. A boy's detention essay recently clarified for me that he agreed with keeping girls in a different school so that they could remain "pure". Pffffffffff

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· A perk to being a teacher is that, although I don't get the bowing respect I had heard of here, I do get food. Sometimes the parents have sent their kids with homemade stuff for me, but I've been told not to trust too much non-packaged food. So they offer me disgusting fish-flavoured rice chips regularly. We teachers all bring these gifts to the staff room where we can discuss, eat or throw them away!

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· The other day a droning siren was pumped into the city streets. Air raid. I didn't know what to do, so I stayed in my apartment while traffic was halted down in the streets. It was just a drill, but the students were very excited once we came to class. I'm sure public schools had a big drill to do. I don't quite know what to make of it!

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· Yellow Dust has invaded. Or so I'm told. This is the phenomenon of surface winds blowing in from the Gobi Desert and further infecting the air here. Kids come to school with masks on more now, but we Westerners haven't noticed much but a mustard-sheen on some windows.

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· Spring has sprung! It has been warm enough the last three days to justify the sealed windows and air conditioning at school, although I think that has to do with Yellow Dust. I have been filled with joy. The nights are even a little humid and smell like summer; plastic tables are set up outside of 7-Elevens for businessmen drinking beer on the sidewalks when I return home around 11pm. Tulip trees bloom everywhere! And I'm told Cherry Blossom season might be early this year! It makes me want to garden.

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· Instead, I walk Mongie the dog through the parks near home! Mong is a 9-year-old rescue from Seoul, who is living with me for a couple months while his owner finds a pet-worthy apartment. She came down to bring him to me last weekend, broken-hearted. I'm in love with his huge brown eyes and calm personality! He dances around in the morning because he LOVES our long walks, and he stretches out on the sun-drenched couch while I make brunch afterwards. He's the sweetest greeter when I come home at night, and curls up at the foot of my bed while I sleep. Everything a dog should be!

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· My social circle is small but so interesting. I'm out with other English teachers a lot, and the beer is cheap so we seek hard-to-come-by quality. I regretted last weekend when we went to the bar-district batting cages after polishing off a pitcher, and I ended up doing serious damage to my right index finger! The swelling has gone down and the nasty bruising has faded mostly, and I imagine it was only fractured since I can still bend it. I don't have my medical card yet, damn! But I've survived teaching so far this week, and will stick to virtual Wii baseball for a while yet…

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· While Valentines came and went with a feeble attempt at American commercialism, White Day was more of a deal here - March 14th. Valentines is meant for girls to give boys candies, while White day is for boys to shower girls with gifts.
I'm excited for Black Day, April 14th, for single people who get together to eat Jajangmyeong (fresh noodles in black bean sauce) to commiserate singledom. Got to love this country.

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· St. Patty's Day was greeted by us teachers with green clothes and exciting impromptu lessons on Irish heritage for our bored students. We went out afterwards for pub food (Korean style: smoked chicken and hot sauces on various processed meats) and lots of dark beer! Still, it was a slight disappointment for us ex-pats…

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· Finally, my newest joy: reading Gone With the Wind, hopefully all 1'448 pages of it. It began when we were discussing must-reads, and co-worker James (from Carolina) told me I would only understand the South ("Sath", of course) if I read this, his favourite novel of all time. I have yet to even see the movie! *shame*
Then co-worker Dave (from Mississauga) went to Seoul, where there are precious English bookstores, and I told him to pick me up anything he thought I might like. BAM! He drops the brick-of-a-softcover on my desk Monday morning. I've only read a few pages, and I'm already enthralled. Maybe it's the sweet summery air; me humming "Summertime" with the windows open, but I only hope the next 1'440 pages are as good!

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I had more tidbits than I thought! I suppose every anecdote here is engrained in me by virtue of its newness alone… I hope it has been a worthwhile read (aspiring to the Margaret Mitchell inside of me?), and know I love you all!

xo K