If it works this time, this should be a brief tour of my apartment! Just to let everyone (who hasn't been here) know what my digs look like. You might have to turn the volume up a bit.
Anyway, as for the job situation, it's pretty much been same same but different, as my students would say. The teaching itself is pretty much identical, although I've definitely added quite the sleeveful of tricks to my repertoire to keep the students in line and get them speaking and writing in Engerlish. DecisionTime is quickly approaching as regards my future here at SLI, and a few weeks ago my meeting with 이상생님 (my boss) produced moderately favorable results. My original intention was to extend my contract for another five or six months, and end my tenure in December or January. This would have allowed me to visit Elise in Mali during the cold season, which I hear is about the only time I would be able to tolerate the climate there what with my Northern blood. This is looking to be increasingly unlikely because replacement teachers are few and far between in the winter months. Since we mostly hire recent college grads, naturally the summer months are peak season for new teachers. So, I am currently faced with choices: either I can leave in two or three months, whenever the school finds a replacement for me, or I can stick around for perhaps an entire extra year. Currently, since the pay is good, my living conditions favorable, and I would get a three-week vacation to go visit Elise, I am leaning heavily toward extending my contract for another full year. Am I nuts or what?
In other news, recently my bike ("Lil' Cuz") was stolen by some ne'erdowell from right outside my building. I console myself by laughing at the thief because of the terrible shape the bike is in. Although I mourn, my wounds are assauged by my acquisition of a totally free couch from what used to be Cafe Nostalgia. As I was walking to the drug store for some antacids, I noticed a veritable pile of loveseats and couches in the alley. Now, it is common practice in Korea, especially among foreigners, to pick up furniture that has been discarded near garbage pick-up zones (but only if its not really skanky-smelling). However, the preponderance of couches and their questionable placement near a recently-disemboweled bar and far from any trash pickups made me hesitate. I called Fellow Teacher Matt and we waited until the workers came back. Sure enough, they told us to hoist away what we wanted, so Matt and I each scored a couch, two matching cushions and a matching footstool.
Also recently, I joined a new gym that has just opened here in Suji. In an increasingly desperate attempt to make myself actually go to the gym, I shelled out the big bucks for a month's worth of personal training. Three days a week, four weeks. So far I have gone to the gym five days in a row and, seeing as how I have another session tomorrow, I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. Since the initial total muscle breakdown wore off (that just happened today), I have felt great! I'm also giving up red meat and increasing my veggie intake - just tonight I made a most righteous salad with more kinds of lettuce than I knew existed.
So, positive steps all around - I've got job security, mostly, I'm still meeting excellent new people all the time, and I'm feeling quite good. Which is good, because the big busy season is just starting to wind up, and soon I'll be pulling down 12-hour days at the academy.
Just to whet your appetite, here's a little sneak preview of what will probably be my next entry - a picture extravaganza of May's trip to Jeju Island:
That's me aboard my lovely motorcarriage Lucille. Don't I look beefy.
