First Korea Post

delicious asiana bibimbap!


So, I swallowed some gum today and I feel like I might die. I swear I can feel it BOTH stuck in my throat AND in my stomach. I remember when we were little ppl would say that if you swallowed gum it stayed in your system for like 8 years and I don't know why but that thought is terrifying me right now. I seriously don't remember the last time I swallowed gum. The worst part is that I totally swallowed it by accident. I have no idea how it happened, but it did and it is totally very much completely freaking me out. I can't think about anything else and I swear it's just lodged behind my throat and I will die very soon. Since I am in Korea and my family is far away, this is not a comforting thought.

On another note, I will probably have some time to write my thoughts on Korea so far.

i'm so proud of nyc.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/nyregion/10schools.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

so, back to korea. i've been here for a little over 3 weeks now, and in general my i've gotten a pretty positive impression of stuff. it's definitely developed a LOT in the past 11 years. stuff is much more comfortable and convenient and ppl have gotten nicer about foreigners and ppl who speak english and all that (in my opinion).

it's been really good to meet my family members (some for the first time, esp. the younger ones). i think i might just learn to love this country. i had a funny story i wanted to add but now i forget it. i miss my friends and home a lot. i missed speaking english to ppl and hearing it but now that i'm at orientation i'm pretty much surrounded by american students so that helps. the workshops and lecture type things so far have been pretty informative if not fun.

i'm already worrying about winter break and about how i'm oging to leave in 13 months. sometimes i am ridiculous in worrying way ahead of time. i need to just relax and focus on the now. i find that i am not always totally in the present. haha that sounds really hippie-ish but it's true. i'm always worrying about something that MIGHT happen or something that already has. my mom always tells me that i need to keep my body and mind in the same place/moment and since i'm always separating the two that's why i'm so tired. haha she has some kind of a point.

there have been 2 beetles in our room already. oh yea, the rooms are so small. i will photo it soon. there are two of us in here and it's smaller than ty's single in wayne manor this past year. and i'm not exaggerating. we have a bunk bed but no lofting and wardrobes that take up half the room instead of in-wall closets. it's kindof a big change from my 300+ sq. ft. room this past year and the apt. i had last summer. it's even smaller than my single from geneva. oh well, the room isn't half as bad as the bathroom situation. the toilets and showers and sinks are all in 2 separate bathrooms and it's so ghetto. i guess duke's spoiled me with wonderful relatively new dorms.

ok i'm getting tired and it's like 11:15pm at night. i'm an old geezer. i keep losing track of my thoughts. i want to go to seoul this weekend but we'll see if that happens. i hope it does. yayY!!! if not, i guess i'll have to make some friends with the other GIKS (english teaching assistants - that's what we're called officially). tomorrow the official SHINY office staff in korea is coming to visit. i hope i remember to dress nicely. ok, time for my written journal (thanks, priss for the gift) and then sleep. haha.

oh yea, this is one of the things i wanted to write. if you want to IM with me or call me, these are the times i'm usually by my computer and free. i'll put it in korea time and us eastern time.

Korea mornings: 8am-8:45am = US nights: 7pm-7:45pm
Korea nights: 7pm-11pm Mon, Tues, Fri = US mornings 6am-10am

weekends, we'll just have to wait and see

I'm taking taekwondo starting next monday, and that's Mon-Thurs. Calligraphy is Wed 7-9pm and Hanji is Thurs 7-9PM.