8 weeks to go Monday

Yes, that's it folks. Just eight weeks to go before I'll have been working at Namsa for an entire year. Where did it go, I ask you? It's certainly been an adventure. Not the work, so much, but being in Korea. I am really excited to be moving on! I'm seriously keen to try something new and ridiculously hopeful that I'll get to be a teacher for the next year. I can't say I've been disappointed with this job, as I didn't have any concrete expectations from it, but I am relieved that they saved me from my lazy self by not renewing my contract. I think that if I felt they had given me any chance as a teacher and *then* decided not to keep me, I'd feel differently because it would mean they didn't think I was any good, but I honestly feel that have no idea of who I am or what I can do, so their decision is either personal or economic (you get increased pay and more holidays if you stay a second year). I don't much like them as people, so I don't mind if it's personal, and I obviously don't care if it's economic, so I don't feel bad in any way. My ego hasn't been damaged, so all is well :)

These eight weeks might be a bit of a drag, though! Hopefully I get a great job offer and can get everything settled. No worries if I don't though. They've introduced a nifty new visa (the D10) that'll let me stay in Korea for 6 months looking for work. I'm pretty sure I won't do that/need to do that, but it is a relief. It means I won't have to resubmit all the pesky documentation I had to do to get here (serious pain in the butt!). I actually want to teach at a kindergarten. Perhaps I've gone temporarily (??Or not??) insane, as the minute I mention this to people they tell me how awful it'll be (just FYI: none of them have actually done it), but I'm kind of eager for a challenge. I guess I feel like I've wasted the past year, work-wise. Perhaps that was what I needed after working so hard for so long at school and university, but man, I'm ready for something more! Bring it on!

I am also ready to not have a co-teacher. More specifically, I am ready not to have to work with or see Mr B ever again. Just now I got finished asking him a simple question: when does after school class start today. God forbid we have a schedule or anything. It changes every day. Any way, he asks someone else, goes over to look at the school day written on the board and tells me "thirty three". I was like, "What time, sorry?", and he repeats "thirty three". I pulled my screwed up, I don't understand face and said "I don't understand", and so he goes, really slowly, loudly, and pretty rude actually -ly "THHHHRRRREEEEEE THIIIIRRRRTTTTTY". I was like ooooooohhhh, right. He has no idea that the first two times he told me 33. It's not the mistake I mind, it's that he was rude. Which is actually not normal for him. He's a pain in the ass, but not rude. Must have been having a bad day.

I just got finished emailing a bunch of local universities. I doubt anything will come of it, but it was worth a try. I'm also a bit early in looking for work. By about the middle of next moths the timing should be right, but doesn't hurt to get in early. I'm also setting my start date back by two weeks, to the beginning of November. If I take a private school job, they only give 10 days vacation, so if I take two week before, 10 days during, and then some after, maybe I can not go crazy As much as I want to work in a good job, I like my holidays, too!

Ok, update on the weekend: It was really quiet. I spent Saturday playing The Secret World and having a blast, and then I spent Sunday hanging out with Andy ( and having a blast, too, might I add). We went to a coffee shop and chatted, and I read my book, and he did some study. Then we went to E-Mart and got some picnic food and went to the river in Jinwi and had a dinner picnic. There was a sandy island in the middle of the river which we waded out to and had dinner on. Ok, 'island' is over-selling it a bit. It was a sandy bit of ground not underwater :) It was nice, anyway.

Right, that's it from me. Five things, and then I'm off to find some Korean recipes to try out. I'm feeling like cooking.

1) It's raining, which means it's cool. Wet, but not boiling hot for a change.

2) I have after school class today. I'm going to make the kids do weather report skits. If I can get a video camera, all the better :D

3) My order of coconut oil arrived on Friday! I cooked with it that night and it was pretty good. It smells very coconutty, but wasn't too overpowering in the food. I like it!

4) I finally got around to emailing the local universities. That's one job out of the way!

5) Lunch today was good.