And Another Week Slips Through My Fingers

I have been so busy since school started up again; my deepest apologies for being MIA.  So what have I been up to lately?  Hmm...let's see.

School started back up on Monday, which occupies most of my time.  This is what my life looks like now that I'm back at school.  I wake up about 7 or so and get ready for the day.  (This will probably be changing, because I'm planning on joining a gym.  Thus I will get up earlier so that I can gym before work.)  I try to be at work around 9.  School actually starts at 10.  From 10-3, I have 40 minute classes with my K kids split up with 10 minute breaks and an hour long lunch.  On M/T/Th/F from 3-5, I teach Elementary lower level kids (1st-3rd grade approximately.)  On M/W/F from 5-7, I teach Elementary higher level kids (usually 4th-6th grade).  After school is out, I usually spend half an hour or so trying to wrap things up from that day and prepare stuff for the next day.  So, yeah, that's generally what my day looks like...probably in a little more detail than you really care to know.  Anyway, since I really had only taken over my class for 2 days prior to break, I was super busy this week trying to get things in order and re-do my room and make lesson plans and talk with teachers, etc.  I don't think I did much of anything of importance this week other than work, with the exception of what I did today.

In order to live long term in Korea legally, you must get an Alien Registration Card (ARC).  Without an ARC, you are a second rate citizen.  You cannot open a bank account or buy a cell phone and various other things without an ARC.  In order to get your ARC, you must first go through a medical check to ensure that you are healthy and are not doing drugs and have no blood born pathogens, particularly HIV/AIDS.  Seeing as how I work everyday during normal business hours, I would only be able to get my ARC on a Saturday.  And since my time in Korea is flying by, I decided that I would go get my health check done today in order to apply for my ARC, so that in 2 months, I wouldn't be sitting here freaking out about possible deportation because I'm working illegally.  Generally speaking, things in Korea have been much easier than I thought.  I conquered grocery shopping, ordering food, and taking the subway all with relative ease.  Well I guess my luck has run out, because today was no easy feat.

I received directions from a co-worker as to where the hospital that I must go to for my medical check was located.  She told me that I must cross the street from work and walk away from the Paris Baguette (a bakery) for about 1 mile.  The hospital would be on the same side of the road after I crossed a small stream.  She also warned me that there were no signs in English and almost no one spoke English at the hospital.  I thought, "No big deal.  I can handle this."  So this morning I set out a little after 8am and began walking.  As I walked, it began to snow...great!  I walked for about 20 minutes and thought that surely I had walked a mile.  But I was determined to find the place so I continued walking.  After another 5 minutes I found the stream, and a couple buildings past the stream, I saw the green cross, the sign that represents hospitals.  I went in and after much wandering around, eventually found myself on the 2nd floor and in the correct room.  My coworker was not kidding when she said no one spoke English.  I stood there for 10 minutes trying to explain and use hand gestures with a Korean woman as she did the same to me.  Finally, she understood, and I began the exam.

They tested my eyes and blood pressure and various other things, which proved a little difficult when you have no idea what the other person is saying.  The nurse finished this part of the exam, and we sat for another 5 minutes or so trying to communicate to each other what was to happen next.  Just as I was giving up, a doctor who spoke some broken English came in and explained what I needed to do next...pay for the exam, have a chest X-ray done, give a urine sample and have blood drawn.  As my family knows, I am quite scared of needles, and I thought I'd faint at the idea of having my blood drawn.  I sucked it up and went to finish my exam regardless.  I paid, got the chest X-ray, gave a urine sample and then walked into the lab area to have my blood taken.  As I walked in, there was a man just sitting at a desk right by the door giving blood as he chatted with the nurse taking it.  I thought I was gonna die right there. Not only would I have to give blood, but it would be done more or less at a receptionist desk in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the lab.  I sat down before I could chicken out and turned by head and involuntarily held my breath as I felt the needle slide into my vein.  After what seemed like an eternity, I felt the end of the torturous pinch and felt pressure in the form of a cotton ball and tape.  And that was that.  I caught a bus home and have just been kinda chilling around the apartment today.

As I write, I'm actually sitting in the apartment listening to some Classical music and drinking a glass of wine by candlelight.  A very relaxing and serene way to end my Saturday.  Tomorrow morning, Lauren and I are going to the jjimjilbang again...yes, I think I'm addicted to it.  In the afternoon, I plan on running to the grocery store.  Tomorrow night, I've got church at the place that I've been going the last 2 weeks, and afterward, most of the people from the church are planning to go ice skating.  I'm still trying to decide how I feel about that.  I guess I'll have to let you know later if I go and if so, how much I embarrassed myself.

I hope you all are doing well, and that the New Year has been good to you so far. 

I miss you all quite dearly!!!!

KendallCooke