Back to my 80's roots...

Well, here I am again. Another day, another dollar, another T.I.K experience!I'll try and keep this brief as I have a little bit of lesson planning to do before I go to bed - it will save me getting up early and preparing something when I'm all bleary-eyed and not thinking straight! That, and I'm meant to be going to the gym tomorrow morning. Hah. 

This weekend was rather eventful - Fatima came up from Busan on Friday night and we headed out to Sugar Joe's to catch Adrenalin's penultimate gig which was brilliant! I also had dinner with Katy, Amanda and Hyemi (my Korean co-teacher) - we went to a curry house in the city and it was good, although quite possibly the hottest thing I've eaten in Korea so far! Even my eyes were sweating.

Saturday we headed downtown where I got a haircut (I found an Australian hairdresser, formerly director of Toni & Guy who charges the equivalent of £15 for a cut and style!). London, you can shove your £160 hairdos! We headed out later that night to GoGo Party for Lia's 80's tight and bright party which was a brilliant night out. As with most boozy nights in Korea it finished at a noraebang, where it was all too much for some - we sang (well, I use the term loosely) and Jeannine and Chris somehow managed to sleep through the wailing. By the time Fatima and I headed home the sun was coming up and we were feeling a little worse for wear. Special mention must be made of Fatima's efforts the following day - she christened my toilet in a most spectacular fashion, courtesy of too many baggie drinks and noraebang soju chasers. I somehow managed to feel rather sprightly the next day, but had other things to focus on ... my first Korean date! 

Fatima will attest to the fact that I wasn't really looking forward to it at all. I was initially, but as the day drew closer I began to have visions of it being tedious - that, and there was also the distinct possibility that he wasn't actually good looking at all, and that I had initially viewed him through Korea's thickest soju goggles. Heavy with trepidation, I set off for downtown and hoped that it would be over quickly and painlessly.

As it turned out, I was pleasantly surprised. I recognised him immediately and he was very friendly and sweet - not to mention very nice looking. Bonus! He took me to a restaurant in the university district where we had a really nice meal and a drink. He was shocked to discover I not only ate Korean food, but liked it - why are Koreans always so surprised? They have the most amazing food! In short, it was a successful night and I'm seeing him again this weekend. He works for one of the big banks here in SK so is currently working in Pusan Monday to Friday and back in Daegu on the weekends. Suits me!

This week is absolutely chocka block already - I have classes and dinner dates with lots of new friends - some of which I haven't even met yet - so the week is shaping up to be a good one! I feel like I never stop in this country, but that's what I love about it. There's always something happening! Korea is dynamic, as they say.

Other little oddities from this week:

• Catching some of my students filming me cleaning my teeth at school. Filming someone I can understand, but your English teacher? Cleaning her teeth? Sad times. 
• Having four little students knocking at my door on Saturday morning - I had not long since staggered out of bed and answered the door looking a little worse for wear. They told me their names were 'Happy' and didn't know any other English so they just stood there grinning and trying to peek around the door into the house. Needless to say, as much as I love my little students, they are far less cute in the early hours of Saturday morning when you've got a hangover. 
• Being asked by a sweet little third grade student if it was ok to write "Oh shit" instead of "oh no!". I told her it probably was better just to use 'no' but didn't elaborate.
• Nearly being squashed on three consecutive crossings en route to my local subway station. This was NOT due to inattention, rather the Korean way of driving (again, I use the term loosely). Red light means go faster.TIK!
• Being whacked across the back by one of the older teachers (ajuma!) at school - apparently she really likes me so I qualify for the special treatment. I'm not sure what it was for, but apparently it meant I'm 'one of the gang'. Ouch.

Speaking of school, swine flu paranoia has well and truly set in. My school has managed to avoid it so far, but today several students were diagnosed with it and they're talking about shutting the school down. Of course as a teacher I still have to go in - ridiculous. Still, it will give me plenty of time to study my Korean as I never seem to get the time outside school to do it! That and I've got three Korean teachers on tap in my office - I might as well make use of them.

More soon!