Date: 10/25/2010
Today’s Recap: Evening
Ms Kim’s kids’ playroom 8.41 pm
So this afternoon I ran into the first hard thing that has happened since landing. We get to leave school a little early so that I can go shopping for some essentials. Only essentials because there are a couple teachers leaving soon and they want to give some stuff away so I just need breakfast food and some essentials like toilet paper and stuff. The Lotte Mart was cool, reminded me kind of like Kohl’s/Meijers, only with a grocery on the bottom floor and each floor is a different section: house hold items on 3 floor, clothes 2 floor, groceries on bottom floor.
My purchase list was:
o Toilet paper (with attached sample size Kleenex)
o Dish soap
o Scrubbie pad
o Milk (Pasteurized, low-fat) (with attached yogurt samples)
o Lemonade/grapefruit juice
o Some Cranberry Almond granola cereal
o Bright yellow (it was either this or hot pink) fitted sheet
o Bright golden yellow fleece-like blanket
o Bright sunny yellow pillow case
o Pillow
o Pink/green floral pattern bedspread.
The choices for bedspreads and stuff weren’t thrilling. Notice that I have 3 different shades of yellow. And that the pale pink and green do not really match. Plus, I have my quilt, which is lavender. I think the bedspread has just a pink side to it, so maybe the pink and lavender will go together. I officially have a pretty girly room.
Anyway, Ms Kim actually wouldn’t let me buy any of the 1000 won stuff for dishes and the like because she thought they were all really ugly, and besides, she said, she has some spare stuff at home. After the Lotte Mart, we go to her place and she gives me a spare frying pan, 1 plate, 3 bowls and a teakettle. She explains that she wants to give me more plates, but they are all parts of sets. I tell her that she is so super generous and that she is fabulous and thank you so much for the wonderful items you have given me.
So far, the day is good. I meet Ms Kim’s husband and two young boys. In fact, I meet all of the littlest one—he had just gotten out of his bath when Ms Kim and I walked into the apartment. I’ve been in the country maybe 36 hours, and I see my first naked male—granted, he’s 2, but still...
I say goodbye, expecting not to see them again. WRONG!
We head to my apartment. It’s about 20 minutes away (and it’s not that far, just lots of lights and traffic). She points out the high rises and I tell myself this is the time to stay strong. Unlike the other buildings I have seen in Gunsan, these look pretty old. Ms Kim said there are a few factories around this part of town (Susong-ru maybe?) and I’m guessing that make the buildings dirtier.
We park and start to take stuff up to the apartment. I’m 1306, building 102. I keep a good face on when I look at the wall where you wait for the elevator and see that male genitalia has been drawn. Great….
We know which room is mine because the door is open. Sunni (my land lord, who looks a lot like the Asian Charlie’s Angel’s actress) is waiting for me, along with three other people (one is a heating person, and I’m not sure the other two).
Simply put, the place is run down. Yes, they have done some up-grades. I have a super nice lock (electronic and it looks really strong), Mr. Han (I think another apartment building owner) has given me a queen-sized bed (luxury), and I have a new refrigerator. But I’d rather have a new apartment with old appliances and small bed, then this one. The wallpaper is peeling, the paint is all scratched, and the place just looks dirty. I do not have a washing machine, nor a closet—these will be delivered in the next day or two. The gas is not attached, (the guy is coming tomorrow), so no hot water tonight.
The whole place just makes me want to roll up my sleeves, buy a gallon or two or Clorox and scrub the hell out of the apartment. Oh, and buy some candles because these is a strong smoke smell to the whole place.
I now understand why Ms Kim was so cautious when telling me that my place was “too far away.”
So, more not –so-great news. The wallpaper is actually going to be replaced in the next few days. They don’t think I’ll be able to stay in the apartment because the smell of glue will be strong, and I’m guessing the fumes would not be good to breathe in. Yeah.
Right when they tell me this, Aaron knocks on the door. He is an American—from Ohio actually, has been in Korea for 1 year 8 months and lives 2 stories directly above me. So, I’m not in an apartment that I’m the only English teacher. And apparently, there are two more English teachers in building 101. He says that I am lucky with the big bed, but that it’s Korean style—very hard bed. In fact, I had almost asked if a mattress was going to be delivered because I thought the mattress was the box spring. Nope, it’s the mattress. He also told me that I nee dot remember to shut the blinds or I will be woken up very early by the sun because the windows face east.
Anyway, so because the wallpaper is getting redone, Sunni says that I can stay at her place (Aaron vouches that it’s super nice, I’ll have my own bedroom and shower, and that Sunni is a good person) but maybe Ms Kim knows me well, or perhaps she was thinking what I was thinking, but she also offers her place.
I pick Ms Kim’s place. It might not be a good idea in the long run because I have to work with Ms Kim, but I’ll be a really good houseguest, very polite and clean, and I offered to baby-sit if she and her husband ever want to go on a date.
So, I pack up my purple duffle and bring enough clothes for a couple days (I actually forgot to bring and jeans or other pants, so I guess my grey slacks are going to see some use) and we head off back to Ms Kim’s apartment.
In the car, I had a legitimate “Laugh or cry moment.” When Ms Kim asked if I was OK, I tried to explain that I had been looking forward to being able to call a place “home” and that the fact that my room wasn’t ready had made me sad. I hope I didn’t offend her (because she had looked into other places for me); and she told me that she was sorry she didn’t pick out the place for me. I started to get teary eye—which I am not allowed to do. Be professional! And, negative emotions are not shown to people unless you are very close friends. Only positive emotions—so I start laughing. I couldn’t help myself, I just start chuckling. I don’t think Ms Kim quiet understood that, and I explained the “laugh or cry” idea, and after a couple snorts, and giggles, I calmed myself down.
I could have gotten really angry—that emotion was in me and it could have been accessed. But really, what good would that have done? I want to appear as an easy-going, I want to help you, kind of person. Positive. Smiley.
So, that brings me to the present: I am sitting on the floor of Ms. Kim’s baby’s playroom. She had an extra mattress (I don’t know if it’s her’s or just an extra foam mattress) and laid that on the floor. I brought my pillow, and I have a blanket. I was able to hang up tomorrow’s clothes options so that I the wrinkles will come out. The Kim’s ordered pizza (from PIZZA HUT) and we had a good night.
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| My "Room" |
Hopefully by the end of the week I can move into my apartment, spend $20 on cleaning supplies, and just spend the weekend scrubbing the hell out of the apartment. My contract says I cannot change housing, “The decision to choose the Provided Housing or the Housing Allowance shall be made prior to the beginning of the term of Employment contained herein and, once decided, shall not be subsequently changed during the Term of Employment.”
The positive-side to this story is that I have an amazing co-teacher. One who said that when she studied abroad in London, she got lots of help from the locals there and that she is doing a “Pay-it-forward” thing. And I think she is generally a kind person. I will try to be equally kind and thankful to her.
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