tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40252419547962363072024-03-11T16:35:09.497+09:00Red Pen of DoomTeaching, travelling and tea.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-89560269229180243292015-06-09T20:40:00.001+09:002015-06-09T20:43:25.799+09:00Should you be worried about MERS? Unless you've been spending a lot of time with Middle Eastern camels or tending to sick people in hospitals, then...
Why not?
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-35822852452751917242015-04-03T21:06:00.000+09:002015-04-03T21:12:04.456+09:00A Day In The Life of a Hagwon Teacher I decided to make the big leap from the 'safety' of public school to the 'high risk' environment of hagwons. All my research on Korea led me to blacklists of hagwons, and chipper Epik blogs, which led me to believe that a public school would be paradise and hagwons would exploit me and forbid me to use their bathrooms and kitchens, charge me to use the textbooks they provide, refuse to pay me on Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-55002593730310908732015-03-01T13:24:00.002+09:002015-03-01T13:24:38.808+09:00Travel Hacking Your Way Around The WorldTravel Hacking is gaming the system, using completely fair, ethical and legal ways to minimise your travel costs so you can have your amazing dream vacation on a budget.
The most effective way to do this is by racking up frequent flyer miles. Most people don't realise that you can earn more frequent flyer miles on the ground than you do by actually flying. Airlines have partnerships with each Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-59734662609347703222015-02-16T10:36:00.001+09:002015-02-16T18:33:13.383+09:00Weight Watchers in KoreaWell, it happened. The rice and chocopies and McDelivery and 찜닭 have taken their toll. I'm bigger now than I was when I got here, and while I could go to a diet center, the idea of it horrifies me. I've tried herbalife as well, and don't want to doom myself to a lifetime of expensive powedered shakes.
But I need to do something, and simply trying to eat right and move more clearly isn't enough Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-69977604793656144362015-02-03T16:45:00.003+09:002015-02-03T16:57:21.320+09:00Taxes and How to save a LOT of moneySo this week we're dealing with the tax nightmare that happens when the government increases taxes and then takes the difference out of one paycheck. We're looking at a chunk of about 300-400 000 won being removed before you even see your paycheck.
IT CAN BE AVOIDED.
If you use your debit card or credit card to pay for a lot of stuff, then you have probably worked up a large deductible Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-55400094056261554992015-01-29T10:14:00.002+09:002015-01-29T16:24:37.661+09:00Severance, Exit allowance, Pension and Moving OnIt's that time of year, folks. After two years in EPIK, it's time to pass GO, collect $200 and keep on going.
The DMOE sent out the following email which caused much a-fluttering:
Hi -
If you are receiving this email, you have requested copies of the documents that are necessary to continue employment in Korea after your current contract with the DMOE has ended, or have indicated that Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-80861905530594699452014-12-22T12:06:00.000+09:002014-12-22T20:18:40.780+09:00Skiing Solo in South Korea (Daegu to High1)
There are many group packages that are great for a fun, drunk weekend of skiing. But they can be a little expensive, and sometimes you might want to trade off the party for a bit more time on the slopes, and a peaceful night's sleep to soothe your aching muscles.
This year, the Boyfriend and I decided we wanted to ski as much as possible, since our vacation times don't line up. Here's howUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-8437900016002113142014-11-03T20:49:00.002+09:002014-11-06T14:27:52.775+09:00The End of the EPIK Job Security Myth
photo courtesy of Kat Hazzard
All good things must come to an end. It seems the DMOE is being forced to finally jump on the national bandwagon. Tonight the teachers in Daegu received this email:
Hi All -
I'm sure many of you are wondering why the contract renewal process has not yet started. We were prepared to have the official document out two weeks ago, but have been delayed due Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-6273563659339510302014-09-25T11:01:00.001+09:002014-09-25T14:10:22.815+09:00After-school Hiking and WalksI love hiking but I'm low on time so I try to get mini-hikes in after school, if the weather is good. We're going into fall now so the hiking will be sublime. Here are some of my favourite local hills that can be hiked in an hour or two.
Chimsan Park
This park has lots of little hiking paths that branch off the main path. A nice way to do it is to start with a steep climb up the stairs at Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-48294683718853404862014-09-03T09:30:00.001+09:002014-09-03T09:30:12.503+09:00Replacing Stolen StuffA continuation of this: Ultimate Doom
Of course, in true RPoD style, a certain moron left her passport at the police station. Well, if you're going to leave it somewhere, that's probably the best place, right?
Then later, when I went to collect my snazzy new frisbee from our captain, I found out that of about fifteen frisbees that had been ordered, mine was the only one that went missing Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-38778910404554901872014-09-02T09:21:00.002+09:002014-09-02T09:25:41.826+09:00Converting your school computer to EnglishThis is a regular headache for us NETs - over the vacation, a computer's been replaced or upgraded and you have to go through the whole process of converting everything back to English, or re-learning where all the good buttons are and how to avoid the bad ones. Asking the school techie helps little - ours tried really hard and worked for hours but in the end just gave us mouse-hover English Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-60093768048165462382014-09-01T22:24:00.000+09:002014-09-02T07:02:38.413+09:00Ultimate doom! As I was sitting in the back seat of the police car this evening, looking at the shiny black material that seemed particularly blood resistant, and the absence of a door handle on the inside of my door, I found myself thinking, "Well at least this is another thing to cross off on the bucket list of life..."
It all started way before I came to Korea. I met a guy. A tall, handsome, afrikaans lad Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-47597657060741537902014-08-18T20:58:00.000+09:002014-08-18T20:58:14.160+09:00Korean Yoga ClassIt's pretty easy to find yoga classes in English, aimed at foreigners in Daegu. However, there's a gym just a block away that I joined last year which has yoga every night at 7, and is super convenient for me. So, with rain all day and the Ultimate Frisbee League season I signed up for approaching quickly, and in the wake of all the burritos I'm carrying around in my butt cheeks, belly and thighsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-51207425872246740902014-07-01T16:40:00.001+09:002014-07-01T16:45:23.324+09:00And then something like this happensToday I got a nice surprise message from a colleague on cool messenger. Completely out of the blue - I did all my complaining in that last blog post and haven't said a thing about it at work. My main CT said that she and this teacher had been talking about it today. Anyway, here it goes. I'm posting it here so I can look back and remind myself of good things from time to time.
You know? You're Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-40451785105197800282014-06-26T08:55:00.002+09:002014-06-26T11:07:00.696+09:00Yes, I can use chopsticks... And ride the bus... And eat spicy food. This article has been doing the rounds, often tagged with "Substitute "Korea" and it's the same".
So I went through it and did that. Here you go:
Yes,
I can use chopsticks: the everyday ‘microaggressions’ that grind us down
BY DEBITO ARUDOU
<!--[if !supportLists]-->·
<!--[endif]-->MAY 1, 2012
Have you ever noticed how many interpersonal Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-26187437649696454202014-05-22T10:46:00.002+09:002014-05-22T10:46:51.734+09:00That time my students talked me into losing 5kg in a weekKorea is known for having ridiculous and un-achievable beauty standards, well, at least for those of us unwilling to consider plastic surgery. Deva Lee wrote a brilliant post about it. Read it here: Teacher Small Face. Usually I ignore it and waddle along the street, aware that I may be the fattest and worst dressed person standing at the intersection. My jeans have holes in them; I can't Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-71168482291923303352014-04-29T09:50:00.000+09:002014-08-20T08:01:02.131+09:00The Visa Waiver Program and using the ESTAThis post is not really related to living/working in Korea, but it may be useful for anyone trying to travel to the US.
The last time I went to the US, I was about 11. It was summer and we went to New York, where people were friendly and welcoming and artistic and a bit weird. It was April 2001. Getting a visa was a bit of a nightmare, though, as we filled out endless forms and had to go for Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-63193394437165147132014-03-11T14:00:00.000+09:002014-03-11T14:03:40.333+09:00And another year begins.Well, school has officially been back a week, and I've taught most of my classes. Things got shuffled up a lot this year. I'm now teaching half of every grade and will see the 2nd graders fortnightly for speaking practice. This frees me from the book a little but means I need to prepare extra activities for practice, and most of the kids were my first graders last year so they've seen the best ofUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-37810868210696462092014-01-28T15:46:00.003+09:002014-01-28T15:46:48.900+09:00My WWOOFCSA box arrived!The other day, I placed my order for my first WWOOFCSA sample box. Korea is the land of deliveries, where most people shop online for everything. You can even have your laundry picked up and dropped off, although I haven't tried that yet.
So anyway, my friend posted pictures of her WWOOFCSA box. And I thought it seemed like a good idea, so I ordered one too. And before I could articulate the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-21965928732899640942014-01-03T13:58:00.000+09:002014-01-03T14:00:50.315+09:00Less Miserable 2nd GradersWell, winter camp has just ended, which brings me to the end of my first year in Korea. I'm exhausted.
Here's a fantastic parody my students wrote today:
I dreamed a dream of times gone by
When class was fun, and life worth living.
I dreamed that kids would never learn.
I dreamed that teachers would be forgiving...
Then I was free and so relaxed,
And textbooks were closedUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-15865488305132353002013-12-04T16:47:00.000+09:002013-12-04T17:07:09.253+09:00The Happiest (and cheapest) Train
Hello, and welcome, children. Today we're going to talk about something very few foreigners seem to be aware of. I only discovered it myself over Thanksgiving weekend. It's a marvelous thing called the Happy Rail Pass.
What is it?
This is a little card that you buy which can then be exchanged for unlimited train tickets for the duration of the period you booked it for. So, slow trains and KTX.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-42621517921772338672013-11-14T22:57:00.000+09:002013-11-14T23:31:40.091+09:00Traitorous JjimdalkWhen I moved into my apartment, and before I learned how to order food, I relied heavily on local take-out places. I'd walk in, point at stuff, and show them my ARC so they could figure out where I lived.
I developed a mild addiction to Andong Jjimdalk. Run by a lovely ajeossi and his wife, this noodly, chicken and veg concoction makes me happy in my mouth. I want it.
It also made me fat, so Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-33615885368317219652013-10-25T16:33:00.002+09:002013-10-25T16:33:54.679+09:00The Ulsan Whale MuseumLast weekend I had a fun date at the Ulsan Whale museum.
There's no shade, so bring your own hat or steal someone else's
I took the express bus from Dongdaegu to Ulsan, and it took a little longer than expected. The bus to the whale museum stops right in front of the bus terminal ACROSS THE STREET from where the express bus terminal is. Buses 246 or 406 will get you there. My Cashbee card Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-58070129826428412582013-10-06T16:47:00.000+09:002013-10-06T16:47:53.457+09:00More reasons to learn KoreanGood morning, Daegu. After last night's debauchery, I hope you're picking up the pieces of yourself and sticking them back together with tape and sticky rice.
This morning I've discovered ten more reasons to learn Korean. I can't stress enough how much this will improve your life here.
1. Get discounts at stores because they're so impressed you speak Korean.
2. Stand up for yourself when being Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025241954796236307.post-9969079877853003752013-09-25T10:35:00.000+09:002013-09-25T10:35:05.830+09:00Hello, paydayUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0