Busy Bee

Today I've been really busy. I just have so much to do and not enough time to do it. I didn't prepare my lessons completely until this morning, but I managed to finish with two minutes to spare and so I didn't get totally screwed. Actually it turns out my students really enjoyed the lesson. Or if they didn't enjoy it, they seemed to get it, and that's nice. I'm not sure it's because it was too easy (they seemed to not know some of it until I taught it), but they did a good job, and I'm happy.

Now I'm prepping my high school lessons for the week. Luckily, I can just recycle my grade 3 lessons with them since the high school boys are only one year older and not one level more advanced. This week we are working on the simple past. It was a tiny bit difficult for some of my girls, but I think the boys will be able to handle. Especially since there are only ten of them as opposed to 36.

I have to go to Itaewon sometime this week to pick up some books I ordered from What the Book? This will be my first time going to what is ostensibly South Korea's largest used and foreign book store. I've heard good things, but haven't made it out there. Itaewon is just such a bitch to get to from Incheon (too many transfers) and I'm so busy most weekends.

Next week is me and the bf's 100 day anniversary. But, nothing special planned. I have no school because our 100 day anniversary happens to fall on my school's birthday, but he has exams that week, and so he will be super busy. I'm supposed to be teaching at the high school but I figure I can call in sick. Maybe? Maybe I'll actually get a little sick and it'll warrant the calling in sick. meh. Either way, I'm not sure we'll be doing anything, which is kind of a bummer...

xoxo
A

My first ever Hot List

 1. John Steinbeck.
On Saturday morning on the subway I finished reading John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. It was an incredibly quick read (Started reading on Thursday, finished on Saturday... reading maybe an hour to an hour and a half/day), but impeccably well-written. I think John Steinbeck is rising to become one of my favorite authors of all time. In this novel we are introduced to Cannery Row, in Monterey, California. This small town gets by on fish canning, Lee Chong's tiny store but abundant supply of goods (and goodwill), Dora's Bear Flag whorehouse (operating illegally and under the protection of large charitable donations by the proprietress, the stunning, red-haired Dora), Doc's benevolence, and the sneaky, fool-hardy but good-intentioned actions of Mack and the boys up at the Palace Flophouse. This is certainly the best read I've had since coming to Korea, and I highly recommend it to those of you who enjoy fiction. This book runs very similar to Grapes of Wrath, without all the extra bulk. This is a story of the lives of what could very well be twenty or so real people in a real place.

 This man is my new hero/idol/obsession/favorite author

I'm hoping to pick up East of Eden or Tortilla Flat sometime soon. Both are supposed to be incredibly well-written, and having already read Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, and The Pearl, I feel like I must immediately absorb all of the rest of this great authors literary cache. Seriously, I become increasingly convinced that John Steinbeck is the true American writer of the 20th century.

It's unfortunate that English books are so damn expensive over here. I MUST go to What the Book? a.s.a.p.

2. Dumbfoundead.
A Korean American rapper from Koreatown, LA, California, this guy has hilarious rhymes, and his latest song, a collabo with Sam Ock, is basically on repeat for me these days. I've watched about a dozen rap battles he's done with grindtime, a battle rap organization in the States, and seriously, he is the funniest battler out there. He's clever as can be, and the music he's produced reflects that. "Hollyhood Rats" and "Rapper Os" are absolutely hilarious, and Night Riders and Different Galaxies are just brilliant. Also how can you hate on a guy who samples audio from the 1990s classic, Home Improvement?

3. Hello Kitty.
Seriously, I'm part embarassed by this newfound obsession, part completely okay and happy about it. I just can't get enough of this unbelievably cute little cat. It's particularly ironic given my absolute aversion to the species, but with that little pink bow, and the cute clothes she's always got, I just can't say no. Maybe this is just me attempting to relive my childhood, but everytime I see something Hello Kitty related, I pause and look and seriously think really do need a hello kitty toilet seat cover, or a hello kitty license plate (you  know, for the car I don't have).

4.McDonald's coffee
This only makes my list because I get it probably 4-5 times/week. I just can't say to no to a little java, and it's about the only place I can get decent coffee in my area. To get any where else, I have to take a bus or subway, and that's a pain, so every morning before school I go to mcdonalds to get my fix. I have coffee at home but it's instant, and that kind of sucks.

That's all for now folks. The only reason I made this list was for Cannery Row. I had to share it's amazingness with everyone. Plus, y'all, dumbfoundead is pure freaking genius.

I wish

I wish I had the energy to create hot lists, but I simply don't. Additionally, I don't do anything interesting enough to warrant creating hot lists. I don't watch t.v. and I don't listen to new American music (although, Lady GaGa's new video for Bad Romance is fucking INSANE).

I would also add The Year of Living Biblically to my hot list if I had one. The book is by A.J. Jacobs, the same author who wrote The Know-It-All where he chronicles his experience reading the Encyclopedia Brittanica from A to Z. While The Know-It-All was humorous, I found it at times to be a bit contrived and TOO LONG (but when it's an attempt to summarize reading the WHOLE encyclopedia brittanica, what can you expect?), The Year of Living Biblically is sincere and, at moments, even laugh-out-loud funny. I'm finding out new things about the bible and a shocking desire to read the bible all the way through for once and take a shot at analyzing its contents entirely on my own, without the interpretive spin of a pastor, religion or church being fed to me. Will I suddenly become fundamental or evangelical or orthodox? Probably not. Or rather, definitely not, but the premise of the book (an agnostic liberal secular Jewish New Yorker following all of the biblical laws to the best of his ability) is an intriguing one.

I would also like to add that my life here in Korea is intense, and I've found myself suddenly in a swirl of emotions. Strangely, the emotions aren't bad, but I am full of wonder and surprise and elation and still uncertainty about everything that surrounds me. I think what is really striking me now is the question: "Am I really here, in Korea, on the other side of the earth from what I traditionally would call home?" And beyong that, "am I taking this experience for granted? Am I fulfilling that which I hoped to fulfill? What was/am I hoping to fill in the first place?" Korea is a joy and an enigma.

Now, I'm going to catch up on lost sleep, clean my apartment, and prepare for a wonderful weekend of laziness. Good day to you all!

xoxo,
A