Stephanie in Suwon

The day I thought would never come has. Christmas break is upon us, a solid 10 days off, and a trip to look forward to, a reunion of sorts on the some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and a chance to regroup, rest and reflect on my time here so far. Oh! And apparently a full moon party on the island we’re staying on Christmas Eve as well. I must have been a VERY good girl this year☺. Christmas in Korea has been a trip; Christmas in Thailand will be even better. I am hard pressed to remember a time I needed rest more then right now. Our little Christmas tree sits in the corner of our apartment; its small promise has kept me going the past couple of weeks. Changes continue to surround me here, as I was told, pardon me, “asked” if I would be willing to give up teaching for a month and assist at head office for the month of January. The 2 hour commute both ways was a big deterrent for me but after sweetening the deal with a place of my own for the first month of 2008 in a place ...

With Christmas fast approaching, and our long-awaited trip to Thailand looming, things here in Korea-land have been getting a little bit more jazzy. That’s right, jazzy. You heard it here first. There is a sense of anticipation floating around and with 11 school days left (but really who’s counting?) before our vacation starts certain realizations are beggining to come into light. Christmas eve will mark four months since landing here and that number astounds me for a number of reasons: 1) It feels like we’ve been here forever and 2) It feels like we just got here yesterday. My four month mark will pass without Korean fanfare though as Dave and I will be celebrating Christmas while lying on a beach with white sand, blue water, and a never ending supply of frothy, sweet, rum soaked beverages with big pieces of fruit floating around in them. And while that little scenario is one I have been eagerly looking forward to, it does not diminish the fact that this will be my first Christmas awa...

A few random shots...just for fun...moving on... A couple of weeks ago, I opened my e-mail to find a message form one, Matthew Lamers, writing to me on behalf of the prestigious Korean Herald, one of two English newspapers (that I have been made aware of at any rate) here in my corner of the world. Naturally assuming it was in regards to some sort of subscription, and being simultaneously impressed and indignant that they had somehow found my e-mail address, I was about to delete it without so much as a glance when curiosity got the better of me. Lo and behold, and much to my shock and delight, the following message appeared on the screen: “Good'day. I am with the Korea Herald newspaper. I was going through your website http://stephanieinsuwon.blogspot.com/ I am the editor for the expat section, which we are planning to expand in the near future. I like your prose and topics of coverage and am wondering if you might be interested in writing a column. You said: "But a write...

I’m feeling pretty good about the fact that it’s Friday. This week was one of non-stop stress, climaxing yesterday evening with an incident in one of my classes, involving me, a group of four thirteen year old boys and a serious flashback to a memory of me in junior high school. In this memory, which took place on a Wednesday afternoon (funny how stuff like that sticks with you), I was late for class and running down the hallway. I passed by a group of guys I knew in passing, who were undoubtably skipping class, who proceeded to chase me down said hallway, barking at the top of their lungs. You know. Cause I’m ugly. Like a dog. Get it? I ended up missing class because I was holed up in the girl’s washroom, bawling my face off, and too scared to come out in case they were waiting for me outside the door. This is a moment for me; I’d just like to point out. I just revealed an incredibly humiliating memory, and am allowing myself to be brutally honest with the three of you who actually re...

I miss theatre. I miss it so much. I’ve been a total slacker on the blog as of late. Apologies to the both of you who actually care☺ Actually that’s only partly true, not the both of you who care comment…if there are indeed that many sad, sad individuals who have nothing better to so then read about my so-called life….just kidding B! I know how valuable your time is and I love that you care enough to check in! Oh yeah…you too mom. Ahem. I was referring to the total slacker part; it’s not that I haven’t meant to write. But a writer requires inspiration in order to deliver the goods, and I’ve been lacking in that department as of late. The past little while has been pretty tame, no pig roasts or other such animalistic sacrificial proceedings to report, the nervous breakdowns have been reduced to one a week at most, by and large brought on by one of the many near death experiences I experience on a near-daily basis courtesy of the “drivers” here who seemingly peruse the streets in their d...

I was a deprived child. It’s true, Sure my parents gave me food, shelter and clothes to put on my back. Yeah, they made sure I was raised with a sense of responsibility for my own actions and an awareness of the people around me and how we all affect each other in some way, shape or form. Yes, they showed me that two people could survive three kids, two big moves, one amazing dog and a thirty-plus year marriage and still be in love with each other. And ok, they loved me more then I will ever know or possibly be able to understand. BUT. As a child, I was never allowed to go trick or treating. I know. I know. You have to pass through hell fire to get a drivers license these days, but they’ll let anyone have a kid. It’s sad. So sad. They told me they were concerned for my safety. Whatever. Give me a freakin break. Miraculously, I survived this grave injustice and have somehow managed to become the intelligent, rational, judicious, stunning individual you all know and love. Thank you, than...

Feelin some love for where I am right now. Not bad. Not bad at all!

Since moving to Korea, I have felt decidedly, un-at-home. I do not belong, in every way one can conceive of. I look different, sound different, behave differently, think differently. My cultural circumstances are obvious to anyone and everyone, and the ironic thing, is that those are the reasons I was asked to come here and do what I am doing. I feel envied and alienated at the same time. It’s odd. At the risk of sounding redundant (and….like…….duh……), I have never before felt so far removed from what I know, like, love and understand. And when one is faced with a situation as thus, I suppose it becomes a natural reaction to gravitate towards things, places and people that remind you of where you have come from. Living in Korea, as amazing as it has been so far, has had its fair share of unpleasant moments. Like being smoked by the handlebars of a speeding scooter while your walking…on the sidewalk. Like getting gawked at in an ungracious way on a very regular basis. Like wanting nothi...

So I actually started this post on Sunday night and this week has been such a gong show that I’m only now getting to post it. My life is insane right now. I realize this post is roughly the size of the Bible….and it’s not even finished☺. Ok, this past weekend was possibly one of the most random experiences of my life. Our story begins on a Friday night which accidentally turned into Drunk Fest ’07 courtesy of Melissa and Amber, 2 of the functioning alcoholics currently employed by YES Youngdo, teaching future leaders of the world how to speak English so as to enhance communication skills and bolster international relations between the west and the east. Functioning alcoholics. But I digress…… There is no such think as one quick drink on a Friday night. Do yourselves a favor and write that one down. I promise you it will come in handy. What do you mean you don’t have a pen? No you won’t remember it……trust me…..alright then fine. But don’t come crying to me when you find yourself stumbl...

Missin my mom☺ Just sayin. Apologies for the lack of postings as of late. I’ve been busy coping. And rediscovering certain gems of wisdom I had forgotten. Example: Everything in life is a little bit better when you’re half-cut. Or fully cut……either/or works really. I will be investing in a few bottles of red. It’s been decided. It’s been a rough go the past few weeks, and I have a sinking feeling we’re not in the clear quite yet. Inner strength that could bend steel non-withstanding, it turns out that uprooting your life, saying goodbye to everyone (well, almost everyone) you love, leaving behind passions that feed your soul and keep you sane, and trading it all in for a job that has you juggling kids and their fucking temper tantrums while smack dab in the middle of a place that is simultaneously technologically supercharged, and devastatingly old-fashioned all while suppressing your urge to vomit/scream in frustration at not being able to communicate with anyone without resorting to...

Fall is in the air and I could not be happier about it. The dense moisture that hangs in the air here is, at last, beginning to cool off and I have even required the assistance of a jacket the past few evenings on my walk home form school. The leaves are starting to turn mottled yellows and reds; there is crispness in the air that wasn’t there before. I’m sure if I were in Calgary, I would be confronted with the begginings of commercials declaring that there are only 78 more shopping days till Christmas and I better get on that shit now!!!!!! Here, however, there is nary a Santa hat in sight, and I can’t say I am unhappy with the fact that it is October 7, and fall is only beginning to happen. Autumn is really when New Year should happen, this is the time when things start to change for people, school gets back into the swing of things, the fantasy world of gorgeous summer days that stretch late into the evening, long slow sunsets, lawns and trees lush with greenery, BBQ’s, Margarita’s...

Things that are helping me feel better about being in Korea: -$5 bottles of Red Wine……it’s not half bad actually…..and it does the job. -My boyfriend -Korean food is actually not bad... -Experiencing a fabulous 100 piece orchestral concert conducted by a Hollywood legend, seeing and feeling for myself how music truly is the universal language and the passion that so many people have for film, music, and art. -The fact that I have found a bar that serves gin. -Mondu-Guk; a kind of dumpling soup with carrot, zucchini, onion and seaweed, only $3 from a restaurant just downstairs from the school. -Baskin Robbins……on EVERY SINGLE CORNER….. -My new computer -Calling Cards -Skype -Walking into my classroom and seeing a student writing, “I love Stephanie Teacher” on the white board. -The new James Blunt album; give it a bit, it grows on you. -The feeling I get when I step off the bus in Gangnam district in Seoul; organized chaos, deafening traffic, the smell of deep friend food, and the feelin...

It was a strange feeing at first, like a pressure in my chest that didn’t move or lessen no matter how many deep breathes I took. It moved up into my throat and mouth, tasted metallic, and bitter. I blinked and the world swam, white spots danced in the corners of my vision, and I couldn’t breath. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to punch something, someone. I wanted to breath and I couldn’t. I wanted to scream but I didn’t. I wanted to punch someone or something but my arms felt frozen, tingling and dead. There was only one more option left to me. Let me tell you, crying while not being able to breath is not something I am going to recommend. It was like a dam broke inside of me and everything was pouring. Things I didn’t realize I had been thinking were swimming out of me, feelings I didn’t realize were in me became torrential, and it suddenly became clear how very far I was from where I had thought I would be, now, in this moment in my life. I am in the middle of somethi...

A good friend of mine recently moved to my hometown, a good city, but a far cry from her own personal comfort zone and a scary step in what is known as “personal and professional growth”, or what I like to call, “stepping up to the motherfuckin plate and doing what you’re afraid to do”. She is an incredibly talented writer, playwright and actor, one who I am proud to say I knew when, and even prouder to say I still know. She is currently pursuing her Masters degree at the University of Calgary. Smart, talented, funny, witty, possibly one of the best senses of humor I’ve ever encountered, oh and did I mention she’s gorgeous? And did I also mention the fact that the main reason she decided to pursue a career in Calgary was for her boyfriend? A boyfriend who decided mid-way through this transition that he just wasn’t feeling up to it, and proceeded to bail? I guess finding yourself is a noble quest to embark upon….after all, you wouldn’t want to do anything silly like buy a house, get a u...