Let's Play Kill the Cat???

My first week sleeping in my new apartment was anything but restful.  While I did manage to sleep peacefully for the first night, the remainder of the week was filled with what seemed to be the soundtrack to a horror movie. 

I should start off by stating that I am a deep sleeper.  I’m the kind of person that conks out and stays like that until morning.  I can be poked, prodded, and moved from location to another and I will rarely wake up.   My old roommate used to come home from school and blare the music and sing to her heart’s content  and when I would come out of my room hours later she would be shocked that I had slept through our household recital.  And so, spending almost an entire week enduring auditory torture was a new experience for me. 

I awoke to sounds of barking, whimpering, squealing, and howls that brought about visions of a dog being brutally beaten.  I tried to pull the covers over my head and fall back to sleep but it was so loud that, even after closing the window, I couldn’t fall asleep.  I had difficulty figuring out where exactly the sounds were coming from and I, being a dog lover, considered the possibility of trying to go out and rescue this poor animal from whatever pain was being inflicted upon it.  Then I decided that it was probably a foolish move on my part to try to be the foreign rescuer and that I would just ask my coworkers about it the next day.  The sounds finally subsided after a couple of hours and I managed to get a few hours of shut-eye. 

The next night brought about even more disturbing sounds that have I’ve only heard one other time in my life.  I had been staying with a friend up in Edmonton and we were housesitting out in the country.  We were taking care of two dogs, a flock of cockatoos, and an outdoor farm cat.  We hadn’t seen the cat at all during our brief stay there and we had started to get worried.   We were almost asleep one night when we heard squealing and hissing from outside.  It sounded like the cat was in battle with a coyote and was on the losing end.  Thankfully, we found the cat the next morning and it was safe but that noise was like nothing I’ve heard before…until Korea.  

For two nights, I tossed and turned being woken up constantly by shrieks and wails of cats until I was finally convinced that the horror stories must be true. Before I came to Korea, I read a few stories about rogue individuals that do this withI read a few stories about rogue individuals that do this with stray animals. So that's what I thought was happening.  Someone was taking these animals and beating them until they were tender enough to kill and eat in dog/cat soup (yes, they do eat that here in some places).   I know it seems dramatic but at the time I was so horrified by the thought of inhumane animal butchering that I couldn’t take it any longer.  So at 2:30am, I threw on a jacket, grabbed a flashlight and my phone, and headed out to investigate.  In hindsight, this was not a smart move nor is it recommended (mom, don’t tell dad).  So I wandered the neighbourhood following the sounds of a dying cat until I came to an empty dirt space behind a building that was close by.  So I creeped up closer and peered over the fence.  That’s when I saw them.  The mini gathering of tom cats.  The rest of them watched from their perches on the fence post while two others circled an abandoned truck.  They were not a happy bunch of kitty cats.  Think of a tamer version of demonic cats.  Anyways, so I broke up the fight, shooed them away, and went home ready for a good night’s sleep.  Now when I hear the cats and dogs in the nieghbourhood,  I can put my ear plugs in and be guilt-free all night long.  Now that I've been here for awhile I've also realized that the whining dog is somebody's pet that doesn't like to be left outside at nighttime and is left to "self-soothe."  A very anti-climatic ending but in this case, I was glad that it turned out to be so.  

Well those were the first few nights of my time in Korea but stick around for my next post, Banshees in the Neighbourhood…

Let’s Sprinkle in a Bit of Paris…

Welcome to the Paris Baguette!  This is South Korea’s secret pleasure and I’m sure it will be my downfall.  The word popular doesn’t even begin to describe these scrumptious delights.  Though they are delicious, it took me a little while to figure out why these café treats are so popular.  Apparently, household ovens are very rare in Korea (insanely expensive) and so breads and pastries are something that you can only buy in the stores.  These stores stay open until past 12am and I’m starting to wonder if they’re a 24hr-type of store because I’ve never seen one closed even on my early morning walks.  Some of them even have a coffee station so you can sit and chat with friends over a pastry and cappuccino. 

The other thing that draws people in are these delectable desserts.  I’ve had to fight the urge to splurge on one of these decorated masterpieces and eat it all in the name of Korean research.  I’m slightly apprehensive of just diving in because I’ve learned that things are not always as they seem.  For example, when I was in Mexico for one of my girlfriend’s (and fellow blogger –lionslacelattes) wedding, I was overjoyed to see an abundance of desserts.  Chocolate cheese cake, tarts, chocolate mouse, and other treats but we soon realized that the chocolate was nothing more than cream or mouse masquerading as a girl’s best friend.  There was no richness, no sweetness, and no creamy goodness.  As a result, I’m almost content to merely gaze upon these works of art and imagine what they taste like rather than deal with another dessert disappointment.  I wonder how long I can hold out…?

Let's Go for a Coffee!

There’s nothing better than spending a Sunday morning with new friends in a little coffee shop.  “What new friends?” you ask.  Well, let’s begin with my theory.  I think that by moving to the other side of the world I momentarily confused the cosmos and things began aligning to my advantage (at least for that for that first week).  As a result, I was walking home from work last Friday (my second full day in Korea) and out of the corner of my eye I noticed two foreigners carrying giant boxes and coming my way.  We met at the corner of the crosswalk and without a second thought I jumped right in and introduced myself.  Later on, my new friends would tell the story and claim that I had a lost look on my face and seemed overwhelmingly overjoyed to see them, lol.  They were some of the first foreigners (people not from Korea) that I had come across and I was not about to let that opportunity pass me by and of course, I jumped right in and introduced myself.  After a bit of chit chat, I learned that my new friends were an about-to-be-engaged couple from South Africa and have been in Korea for quite a few months already.  One thing led to another and I scored an invite to church for Sunday morning.  I met up with my new friends at a Paris Baguette Café where they kindly bought me a tea and a treat for breakfast before church.  The cappuccinos were adorable with their decorative hearts in the topping and I thought that it was well-suited to my two coffee companions.

Except for my one evening out with my co-workers, these were the first other foreign teachers I had met and they were absolutely delightful!  I shall nickname the lady of the hour as Winny and her fiance as Andy.  Winny is so full of laughter and has an externally young spirit even though she almost 10 years older than myself.  Andy is much more of a practical sort but is a charming and well-spoken gentleman.  They told me about how they started dating long-distance after being matched up by a friend back in South Africa.  At the time, Winny was living in the UK for work but feeling a little homesick, Winny called home and asked a friend to give her a phone number of someone who could tell her a good South African joke.  That person was Andy.  Random, eh?  I loved this story and it was quirky enough to resonate with me.  They had only been dating for a little over a year when Winny decided to make a career move and teach English overseas and her hunny followed suit.  So they've been here for about 7 months and been loving it and growing together as a couple.  Such a daring and romantic couple!  I am definitely looking forward to spending more time with them.  Unfortunately, they work opposite hours to myself and they are in that couple-type stage where they would prefer to nestle down into their home for the evening rather than go out and live it up in Korea.  But we will make it work and see each other when it is possible! 

Let’s recap the first week.  I’ve been in town for less than a week and I’ve already partied it up with my crazy (but married) coworkers, found an English-speaking home church, and met a couple of new friends.  Not too shabby for a Murphy girl.  

Words to Grow By…

This blog post is dedicated to the “yellowshoegirl” and the special ladies that encouraged me to take the plunge and move to the other side of the world so that they could live vicariously through me while I pursue new experiences and live a new life. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to bring a lot of knick-knacks or memorabilia with me to create that oh-so-cozy feeling of home but I did manage bring a few photos of some of my inspirational ladies as a visual reminder for me to keep pushing forward and to always be true to myself. My best friend has a creative spark that has caused her to become obsessed do-it-yourself and craft blogs.  The other day, I decided to purchase some awesome decorational stickers to brighten up my apartment.  That same day, the yellowshoegirl had posted a link that outlines how to create wall art similar to that of artist, Kathryn Anderson, host of http://kandeart.blogspot.com/ with the thought of setting it up in her own home.  

Taken from:
http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/how-to/how-to-make-a-string-tree-wall-mural-home-hacks-109655 

Due to our freaky psychic connection, I had already decided to set up some tree art in my place. If waking up on the right side of the my adorable bed isn’t enough, I now have my very own tree of inspiration to remind me of all the things that my friends and family back home would say to me on a daily basis.  So now, there is a little piece of all of you with me in Korea…

My Zone

Sitting at home alone with very little to do makes Mackenzie a very bored girl.  And so, I've had to find a few venues and new friends to provide me with some entertainment.  In the week that I've been here, I have discovered that Koreans love the night life, soldiers are a pretty decent bunch to hang out with, and that other foreign teachers are not as friendly as one would expect.  Now each previous statement carries a story of its own but today I want to tell you about the place where I've found refuge.  

As far as cafés go, this particular one is nothing special but it is close to my apartment, almost always empty, and has a nice sunny section that I can curl up in to carry out my philosophical reflections or blog writing.   Personally, I think that South Korea heard about Canada and decided to take the best of Tim Hortons and Starbucks and try to combine them to create this place.  In the end, it seems like Starbucks won out in the vibe, menu, and price categories but Tim Hortons squeezed its way into the name.  Tom ‘n Toms may not completely embody the Canadian ideals of crack coffee at a cheap price but the name was enough to catch my attention and draw me inside for a much needed mocha.  

The first time I visited, it was fairly busy (something I’ve discovered is unusual in this location) and I was the star attraction as far as the staff were concerned.  It was my third day in the country but I was able to piece enough Korean together to order a decent mocha in my reusable yet gigantic travel cup (it lives in my purse and I am rarely without it).  After giggling at what I assumed to be my terrible pronunciation, the baristas got to work on my order while everyone else stared at me while I made myself comfortable.  Sidenote, I think I now know how the zoo animals feel while everyone gawks at them day after day.  Anyways, being a blonde “celebrity” around here does have its perks.  That day I managed to score a cookie “on the house” and the best seat in the place.  Hopefully they will begin to recognize me as a regular and become more comfortable around me.  I think that this may be one of my new writing locations.  The only downfall of this place is that they don’t fill my travel mug all the way up to the top like they do in Canada.  This means that I pay the same price for less of a caffeine dose.  Darn it, I miss the good ‘ole, fill ‘er to the top Tim Hortons…

Home Sweet Home...

I’m settling down nicely in this foreign place that I should soon start to call home, or at the very least, my home away from home.  Though my apartment is small compared to western standards, it is a livable size for one individual especially one that is pint size like myself.  At first glance, it looked  like I have all the amenities that are necessary for an comfortable and efficient manner of living but once I began living out my life and trying to establish a daily routine, I soon realized that daily living was not going to be so simple…

My itty bitty kitchen

My living area

Let’s begin with the basics shall we?  Though my apartment was seemingly clean when I moved in, I wanted to start fresh with a little bit of OCD-type cleaning.  That meant dragging out the few pots and pans that were in my cupboards , moving the appliances, and taking a look under the sink.  And not surprisingly, what did I find?  Grease, dirt, and I’m pretty sure there was a substance that could be classified in the mold family inside my cupboards.  No need to worry though.  I broke out the cleaning supplies (that I thankfully ordered to be at my apartment when I moved in), threw in some elbow grease, and began a three-hour-long relationship with my scrubbing pads (yes, multiple, lol) and got down and dirty, the old-fashioned way.  I will say that I now believe in the power of the orange cleaner and the importance of doing a little bit of investigating to make sure things are up to one’s standards.  Now my apartment, or at least my kitchen and bathroom, is move-in ready.

My heroic substances!

Trail marks of an unknown substance

I have no idea what they were cooking

My multi-purpose bathroom

While some people like the feeling of living out of suitcases, I’ve had my fill of nomadic living.  In the past two months I’ve lived in my apartment, at a friend’s in Lethbridge, upstairs in my parents’ house, downstairs in the house, and crashing at various Calgary friends.  So while I’m sad to have left you all behind, I’m glad to have a place to call my own once more and a place to hang my “hat,” or in this case, my clothes…

My new "hanger"

Well I Definitely Know how to Make an Entrance

So my job today consisted of shadowing the other English teachers and answering the questions that students asked me about myself and Canada.  Turns out they think that kangaroos live in Canada and that chocolate is pretty much the greatest food ever.  Their favourite question turned out to be “how old are you” and in an attempt to answer indirectly, I told them that I was older than twenty but younger than thirty.  It’s important to keep my age a secret to some degree because in this Confucian society, age equals respect.  The class seemed to accept this answer and I feel that I’ve built a good rapport with them already, especially the teenage girls.  Unfortunately, it may have been a little too bond building too fast.  One of the girls had a green cast on her leg and I tried to show the class my own scar from breaking my ankle.  The class thought that breaking my ankle while wrestling in the snow was exciting (I personally thought that the green cast girl’s story of falling down the stairs was even more so) but when I raised my leg up on the desk to show them I ended up showing off more than I expected.  All of a sudden I heard “Teacher, your dress!” and realized that I had flashed the female side of the class.  Thank goodness these classes fall into the same social set up as a junior high dance and the male side of the class were tucked to the left so they missed out on the whole show.  Now the question is whether I can make it past that memorable slip up and have them remember me for something a little more appropriate.  Not to mention that my female co-worker was also sitting right in front of me and I’m sure that my first day of an ESL teacher shall always remain the day of Mackenzie’s panty-slip-up in her mind.  Well that’s my first day in a nut shell.  If this is any indicator, this should be an interesting year…

I Called Him Jaws

Meet my new “flatmate.” This little guy was lucky enough to spend the night with me especially because it was without my knowledge let alone my permission.  So imagine my surprise hearing him buzz around this morning and pulling the shades up to see this monster of a beast.   It took me about ten minutes and, I’m ashamed to admit, a lot of squealing while I wrangled him out the door and into the hallway.  To those of you who I have saved in the past from spiders and bugs, this was a moment where I wished I had a bigger, braver me around to have dealt with this.  I hope that this was a fluke giant and that the other bugs in this country are of a smaller caliber.  I’ve never been one to cringe from the creepy crawlies but I suspect that this foreign land has some creatures that could do some damage.  I think I’m just being a big sissy because I’m still recovering from those nasty shots that the doctor gave to me the other day.  While the flu shot made me nauseous for four days straight, the hepatitis shot is still swollen and there is a significant lump where the injection was made.  Now I have loonie-sized welts all over my body from being bitten (I’m assuming) from some invisible bugs because I definitely don’t remember something buzzing around me that could do this sort of damage.  Maybe winter in this place will be a good thing and kill off these blood-sucking monsters before they drain me…

Oh Goldilocks, Where Shall you Rest?

This is my bed.  Isn’t it adorable?  After sleeping on a couch for a month back home, I thought I would be overjoyed to sleep in a normal bed once again.  Not to say that the couch wasn’t comfortable, on the contrary. It was too soft.  To the point that I would become enveloped in its cushions every night and would slide into the back crease so that I would have to wrestle my way back to the surface in the morning.  So after a long day of travelling I am shown my new flat and see this precious little bed.  After a little encouragement from the school director to have a rest despite my remarks that I was full of energy I finally caved and jumped into bed, literally.  And to my disappointment, everything that I had read about Korean beds was accurate.  It is definitely comparable to sleeping on a rock.  Even tenting when camping provides an opportunity to wiggle my limbs into a crease of the earth.  This cute little bed was false advertising that swept me in with its promise of coziness and instead provided me with an evening of shifting and sliding to find the perfect position that would avoid my left shoulder, provide neck support, and allow for a few hours of sleep.  I awoke many times during the evening and forced myself to sleep until sunrise and then napped once more until I nearly suffocated under the covers due to the sun beaming down on me.  So though I did manage to find a somewhat comfortable position, I must still ask myself…how does this Goldilocks make her bed into one that is just right…???

So It’s a Survival Course…

I’m currently reading the Seoul Survivor and am finding it to be quite interesting.  I’ve already discovered, within five minutes of reading, that I’ve already broken quite a few rules in the Korean culture not to mention throwing in countless idioms in regular conversation.  In fact, out of the twelve that the author suggests to erase from my vocabulary, in the twelve hours that I’ve been up and about, I have already used seven of these.  Not to mention that I find it quite odd that a common greeting here in Korea is “Have you eaten yet?” and this is not an invitation to go for dinner but just another way of saying hello.  So yesterday when I said yes that I had eaten and I told my co-workers that I had eaten by myself in the restaurant downstairs they were shocked that I had been able to order by myself and against Korean culture, had eaten by myself. I find it very relaxing to be able to go and have lunch or dinner by myself although I'm going to have to get used to people watching me while trying to be inconspicuous about it. I think I should take it upon myself to sit and stare back, even take it up a level and allow myself to be slack-jawed while watching them, lol.  I wonder what other kinds of societal faux-pas I shall take part in while I'm here?  

YOU HAVE NOW ENTERED THE KOREAN LIMIT...

Hi everyone!  So I'm trying to figure out the computer that is all in Korean so bear with me if my posts aren't as high tech as they could be.  Oh where to begin?  Well I guess I should outline the my journey for everyone.  It was a long one so I will probably break it down into posts because even though I am an avid talker it takes a lot more energy to organize everything into coherent sentences.  So here it goes...

I had told everyone that I would make it out of Canada before the first snowfall but unfortunately, true to my procrastinating ways, I missed that goal by a day (still not too shabby).  I awoke to a thin layer of snow on the morning of my departure and while putting the dogs out on the chain in the morning I looked up to see the geese noisily flying south and knew that I too was shipping out.  I was packing until the very last minute trying to lighten my bags by 8lbs and 3lbs.  And so, I implemented a very chaotic rotation system of weighing each bag using two step scales, a luggage scale, and passing the bags back and forth between my dad and I with each of us standing on the scales and my little brother looking between our feet trying to get an accurate reading of each scale.  This is all after pre-weighing my luggage at the airport scale earlier in the week and determining that I was going to have to decide what crucial items would not make the cut.  In the end I had to abandon two pairs of shoes, my shampoo, a few lotions, and whatever clothing items that were unlucky enough to be near the top of the pile. So after a hectic morning of running last minute errands (copying documents, picking up food, etc.) my parents and I went out for a quick lunch at the local chinese restaurant (here they call it jampon as far as I can figure out (phonetic pronunciation?)) and then packed the rest up in a flurry.  Off to the airport I went and said my goodbyes.  Thankfully I didn't cry but I'm sure that will come later once it sinks in that it will be a long time before I see everyone again.  Anyways, so off to security I went. 

Here I thought that it was going to be a long and boring wait at the airport until my flight left because I checked in at 4:30pm and my flight didn't leave until 7:05pm but true to my style, some unlucky stranger became the target of my chit-chatting affections.  This guy was standing in front of me in the security line-up and I noticed his toe shoes strapped to the outside of his bag.  I couldn't help myself but start up a conversation that then led into us sitting down and having a coffee while waiting to board.  Jimmy turned out to be pretty interesting.  I deduced that he was not a student (his style was casual but higher quality), carried MEC baggage, and was in his late 20's. He provided me with very little information while he challenged me to guess what he did.  I figured he was in some line of oil business and it turned out that he is an engineer in Calgary but was heading to Australia to visit a friend.  I discovered that he designs bow ties as a side business (I know, so random, lol) and he showed me a few of them online.  Apparently bow ties are now fashion forward so men, start stocking up! Well then it was boarding time and we discovered that we were only a row away from one another.  Even so, we plugged in the headphones, opened up out reading material, and waited for the next 3 hours to pass until round 2 of travel began in Los Angelas. 

Well I've been up for, well due to this time change I'm not really sure how long, but I'm going to head to bed and I shall continue with my story in the morning.  So welcome to my blog.  I promise it will get more interesting once I get some sleep and find some action in this city!  So stick around and keep connected!