A always,

I knew I had some updating to do, & once again Mark prompted me to make sure I stuck to my goal of updating on my random day off.

So, lots of nothing has changed in my decision-making. When my schizo school owner leaves me alone, I can grit my teeth and make it through. The problem is, she CAN'T leave me alone for long. & oddly, I'm the only one who deals with her & this shit. Naturally I blame that stupid fucking Hessed curriculum.

I've been mostly left alone this week, so I am counting it down & telling myself I can make it to June. Because those fuckers aren't doing SHIT to find me a replacement. Sara's last day is Friday, and they JUST got her replacement. But that isn't all that's happening Friday, or rather, all who's leaving. The last original Korean teacher there since I started, whom I like, Alisa, has that as her last day. And then shockingly on Tuesday Anna, the vice principal and head teacher for 5 years who really does run the place? SHE'S leaving on Friday too. So, we're definitely in for a whole other shit storm, even though Heidi-teacher (the terror-whisperer I love) and some new woman who seems ok so far called Emma, are taking over for them/her.

Anna told me that a student complained that I used his book to read from last week, & I need to bring my own, though why, when they're supposed to be doing the reading, so I don't. I'm sure it's a kid thing, though I still think it's a remarkably unbelievable Korean kid thing to get upset about. As in, I asked if I could read a page from his book, and pulled it over near me to do so when he said ok. Anna was trying to get me to... say she's right or something, and finally I just said "Look, I just don't care that much, because I'm leaving in June." And she had no idea I'd given my notice, apparently. And she's the head teacher, and certainly was when I gave my notice to Hetty. Not to mention with all the bringing in the new people to replace all these people they knew were leaving would mean that my replacement search won't happen til the last minute of the full extent of my notice. Kiara has mentioned hearing they found someone, but Kiara says a lot of shit, & I haven't heard a thing, so I don't believe a thing until shit starts happening. Meaning, right back where I started. Do I stay and get another job in Korea, or do I go? Found some great sounding positions, one in Vietnam, which I'm still curious about but ultimately from what I've heard I'm not sure I'd be able to abide. Internet is still a big issue in Thailand, so that's out. Saw an interesting posting in Malaysia, but don't know much about that country. Mercedes forwarded me the contract from the school she's studying Chinese in, and told me to whom to send my resume, though she doesn't know what English teacher's pay is, if they do the visa, etc. She said there are 100s and 1000s of schools there, always looking. You may or may not recall I stopped looking in Taiwan when the Reach to Teach recruiter told me that 29 years old is usually the age cut off. But then, that's the same recruiting company who sat on their ASSES for 6 months saying they couldn't find a hagwon job for me. When there are like 1000s at all times. So, maybe that company is full of shit. I don't know

I even thought of Turkey, since I'd be able to set up a social network quickly through couch surfing, plus still friends with my original host. Problem there is schools are much worse usually, so far easier to get way screwed. I'd rather take my chances once I don't have all this debt.

Sooooo, yeahhhhh. Still no decision. When I count it down including holidays & field trips, it seems doable. But one typical Hetty encounter & I'm ready to do a midnight run.

I'll send in my resume and get some info on Taiwan. Though again, social life in Korea has been really good. I mentioned Danielle I hope, yes? She's awesome, married to a Korean, has a 4-year-old daughter Leah who is fun & funny & smart & adorable & reminds me of Tyler when she smiles & adores me. There's wine and yoga pants night on Friday again. There's awesome food. There's living entirely off of January's salary for two months. There's technology and shit working, even with the utter and complete absence of common sense. So, I'm still undecided.

So before I go into the surprising turn of events, I'll relay the last Hetty encounter that prompted my job search and previous post. The last class of the day is 6:25 to 7:10. People who don't have class that time leave. It was 6:20 on a Friday, when Hetty is quite fond of coming to me about whatever bullshit is the bee in her bonnet at that point. She comes in and asks me where Elmo classes' Hessed books are.

On that Wednesday, Elmo finished level 1. These are the books to which she was referring. Maybe it's just me, but I honestly don't remember exactly what I did, including what I did with those books, 2 days later. But I know myself well enough to know that I would have left those fuckers in the Hessed room. So I go to look for them, but nope, they're not there. Shit. I go to Elmo's room, but no, they're not there either. Double shit. Not having a clue, I tell Hetty that my only guess as to what happened to them is that I must have sent them home, b/c the school is obsessed with us sending shit home. To which Hetty frantically replies, "HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO STUPID!!? The Korean teachers need to check them before they go home?!! Why would you do that!!??" Well I honestly don't know why, honestly don't know that I did, it's just my best guess because they're not where I'd have put them & all I do is wrong. So I would likely have chosen the worst course of action.

Then Hetty realizes that the books are too big to fit in their backpacks. This is absolutely true. I know I'd remember trying to cram those bitches into their packs, & I don't remember that. So Hetty says they must be here.

Fine. She takes me back to the teacher's lounge to look in there. I say, "But I wouldn't have brought them here, they can't be in here." Which is when Hetty gives me the reply that makes me want to throw her out the window. "But Anna had them last. Don't you remember, on Wednesday I walked with you to the Hessed room to get their books [of course she would have, she is that much of a micromanager], and I had you bring them to my office. You left them there, and I gave them to Anna to look at and give to the Korean teachers. But Anna left and she isn't answering her phone."

So. This WHOLE MOTHERFUCKING TIME, this wasn't even MY doing?? But I'M the one getting the interrogation and panic and bullshit??

When I say something to that effect, nicely, Hetty then lights into me about saying I'd sent them home when I knew that wasn't true (no, I DIDN'T know, that was the whole point, I had no idea what had happened to them), and I shouldn't say things I don't know to be true, and why didn't I just say I didn't know so she could help me figure it out? WHEN IT'S NOT EVEN MY THING TO FIGURE OUT, I might add, since they are quite literally out of my hands.

So, that was that episode. That was when I was like, fuck you lady, I'm so fucking out.

But then days go by, a day off is imminent, she stays away and I can soldier on painfully through my day.

And I would hate to have to start over again elsewhere, especially when I've met some really cool people here. And now might be dating someone.

Oh yes. I know. WTF? HOW the fuck? AND why am I breaking my military guy rule?? All of these are such excellent questions.

The how is through an online site that I hoped to meet more friends, even though I'm still usually just ignoring the guys who are, as always, just looking for a hook-up or friends with benefits. A really, really cute army guy emails me. He seems nice, he wants to meet me. I agree to go out to the air force base he's at because he has never in his life been on public transportation. Which is unbelievably shocking to many, I know, but think about people who've lived in the suburbs all their lives, and never really went to cities.

Naturally that isn't something I've ever done, gone to a military base, so I get to see that yes, it really is a bit like an American city in the middle of a city. You have to take a taxi from the front gate to the apartments/housing in back, the PX, etc. The PX has lots of shit that it surprised me I was marveling over, such as all-American products, everything in english, and lots of WINE!! At American prices!!!!!! Then I looked around his apartment & went, "OH yeah, your outlets are even American!"

He's an incredibly nice & sweet guy. 2 tours in Iraq, but none of any issues at all, like, normal guy, never-been-in-any-bad-situations sort of demeanor & guy. He is NOT looking for a hook-up or friends with benefits or one-night thing. And ever since I met him Saturday, he calls/text me every day, looking forward to the weekend, and seeing me again. And he's so nice, and so sweet, and SO BORING. OH my God, he just really doesn't have much to say! Except for actually, ACTUALLY using euphamisms to refer to sex, which is just head-scratchingly ridiculous (to me). I have to keep any conversation going, and he provides the bare minimum answers. There'd be no problems I think with silence, except that I'd still like to talk & get to know him more, only I'm not sure how much more there is to know! He's career military, has his whole life planned out with living off of retirement from it, etc. Does all the little gallant gentlemanly things, really nice and sincere, but that's about it. I need to be amused by someone, or impressed, or find them interesting, and so far, albeit I'm basing this off of ONE DATE, not sure that he has any of those things at all. Which is fine in that I did NOT want a relationship, did NOT want to date, so if I do up & leave suddenly, *I* won't deal with regret for leaving someone I might have really gotten into behind. Though of course I worry about hurting HIM.

Sooooo, yes, another wtf event that is my life in Korea thus far. Lol. I'll try to do better on keeping you posted. Especially when I use my weekends and days off for relaxing as I used to, instead of getting out & about all over the place for doc appointments, meeting people, etc.