It’s late and I’m still up. Again. This one-hour jet lag is really getting to me! Plus, I’ve been so busy, getting my life back together after being away for so long.
Coming back here has not been easy. I had so much difficulty getting home on Sunday night—I had to take an airport “limousine” (bus) to Daejeon and then a taxi home for a whopping 70,000 won. Considering I traveled across a third of the country, width-wise, it still doesn’t seem like a bad deal. At least I didn’t have to deal with trying to get back in the morning with classes to teach at ten. That would have been so stressful. I was upset with my co-teacher, too. I was hoping that she would pick me up to stay with her, or at the very least, pick me up in the morning. But no. She told me I should meet them at Gyeryeong, which is a city at least two bus rides and an hour of travel away from where I was in Daejeon, at some obscure gas station, at 7:40am. You would think she could be more helpful. So out of frustration and a desire to be home, I took a taxi. And then the cab driver tried to ask me for 10,000 more, even after I’d given him the address. It sure wasn’t my fault he didn’t know where it was! I didn’t mislead him! Oh, the travel trials associated with living in a tiny town. It’s exasperating sometimes. I definitely question my decision to continue living here sometimes. But then I think of the hassle of getting used to a new school and I think I made the right decision. Maybe.
I’ve felt surprisingly coherent at school, though perhaps uninspired. I think I might be getting bored with teaching. My heart’s not in it at the moment—it’s just something I have to do, and I’m happy when classes are canceled. Some attitude for a would-be teacher, right? Maybe it’s not the profession for me after all…or maybe it’s just ESL. What I look forward to these days are my weekend trips and my rapidly-approaching ten week PAID winter vacation. NOT my classes. I hope I can get back into it, or it’s going to be a loooong year.
On Monday night I decided to take a hike. I went up the trail that’s half an hour from my house; the one that climbs up rocks and gives me an excellent view of the paddies. And then, against my better judgment, having a clear view of the setting sun, I continued. Onto a trail I’d never done before. At one point I suddenly realized I couldn’t see well anymore and the trail had petered out. I couldn’t turn back because I’d gone too far, so there I was, thorn-whacking through unfriendly bramble with no clear idea of where it would end, in rapidly diminishing light. I was a little scared—not that I’d get lost, exactly, because I knew where the road generally was, but that I’d lose all the light and wouldn’t be able to find my way through the menacing overgrowth. My legs are destroyed by that stuff. I was bruised and bloodied by the end, but I did find the road, which I proceeded to run down. I refuse to run anymore, generally, but I made an exception in this case. I was an hour’s walk from home and so euphoric at finding the road that it hardly felt like work, though I certainly feel it now.
That night I realized my new green tea has some caffeine. For some reason, I was thinking that tea made you sleepy, even though it’s never had that effect on me. I decided to break in my gorgeous new tea set as I watched a bedtime episode of my new Kdrama, Dal Ja’s spring. I consumed a liter of tea and could not sleep afterwards. I’d also wrenched my back somehow in my bush-whacking, so lying down was excruciating. Life was getting pretty crazy. When did I lose my sense of reason, anyway?
On Tuesday afternoon I went to Jeonju to visit Janaki. I had Wednesday off and wanted to do something fun, even though I’d yet to catch up on home things. The thing about living in Hongsan is that you have plenty of time to catch up—there’s nothing else to occupy the night hours! But perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to make this week so incredibly busy. Now I’m already planning a weekend trip (I have Friday off, too) and I am exhausted just thinking about it. But how could I miss the Andong mask festival???
Anyway, Jeonju was fun. It’s not far, but I have to take a bus to Nonsan and then switch to a train, so depending on connections, it can take a while to get there. It was about three hours both ways this time. Janaki couldn’t meet until 6, so I walked all over town and stretched out my sore legs. We met downtown and then ate at a famous mandu (dumpling) restaurant. They all had meat, but I ate the kimchi ones, anyway. They don’t have TOO much meat. I have such a weakness for filled foods—tortellini, ravioli, stuffed mushrooms and peppers, etc.—how could I NOT love mandu? Then we had patpingsu at a cheesy dessert place and then went to Miller bar for beer. It was fun to catch up and share Taiwan experiences—Janaki went there last year and loved it, too.
Today a teacher at her school took us to a flower-arranging class and then out to lunch. Jeonju is famous for its bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables). It was SOOOOOOOOO delicious! The best bibimbap ever, with great side dishes, too! And shortly afterwards, I began the journey home. I am already tired thinking about tomorrow. Oh, school…why do you have to interrupt my fun?