2017 RE-PRIORITIZED

THIS IS A BACK LOGGED POSTS FROM END OF 2016, BEGINNING 2017.
SO...

WHAT THE HELL HAVE I BEEN DOING SINCE BEING BACK FROM K-LAND, AKA KOREA? FOR NOW, THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN TERMS OF GOALS AND TASK LIST PRIOR TO ME TEMPORARILY FLOATING AWAY FOR MY KOREA JOURNEY. ALL I KNOW IS THAT MY INITIAL PLAN HAS TAKEN A 360 AND I NEED TO RE-PRIORITIZE.

REASON = EL PADRE.



PRE-RETURN
WHILE IN KOREA, THE PLAN WAS TO START PLANNING TOWARDS THE END OF MY CONTRACT (AROUND OCT 2016) EITHER WITH ANOTHER YEAR OF TEACHING IN KOREA OR ELSEWHERE (TAIWAN, AT THE TIME) OR START LOOKING FOR JOBS SO THAT I WOULD HAVE SOMETHING LINED UP WHEN I GOT BACK HOME. 
AND, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I THINK THAT IF I WANTED TO CONTINUE TEACHING, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO START LOOKING MID WAY INTO MY YEAR IN KOREA. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PAINFUL. THE COMMUTE BETWEEN CITIES FOR IN PERSON INTERVIEWS PRIOR TO MY WORK SCHEDULE WHERE I HAD TO BE ON THE SHUTTLE BY 2:08 NEAR MY APARTMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BURDEN.

I DON'T THINK MY BODY COULD HAVE HANDLED ANOTHER TASK OF SECURING A JOB IN ADDITION TO ALL THE STRESS DURING MY LAST MONTH. WORK WASN'T THE EASIEST EITHER.

TOWARDS THE END OF MY CONTRACT, MY EFFORTS WENT TO ORGANIZING MY EXIT THAT INVOLVE:

1. GETTING MY SEVERANCE-BONUS/PENSION FOR COMPLETING MY CONTRACT (AROUND $2,200)
2. FIGURING OUT HOW TO CLOSE MY BANK AND TRANSFER MONEY BACK TO THE STATES (A GOOD AMOUNT)
3. FIGURING OUT HOW I WANTED TO UTILIZE MY TIME TO TRAVEL WHILE I WAS IN ASIA BECAUSE TICKETS WOULD BE WAY LESS TO GO FROM KOREA TO SOMEPLACE NEAR RATHER THAN GOING BACK HOME AND THEN FLYING OVER TO THIS SIDE OF THE WORLD AGAIN. PLANNING OUT WHERE I WOULD LEAVE MY STUFF WHILE I TRAVELED AND NOT HAVE TO LUG AROUND MY CRAP. GOT PERMISSION TO LEAVE MY SUITCASES AT MY LANDLORD'S APARTMENT. THANK GOODNESS I WAS GOOD WITH THE LANDLORD'S FAMILY DURING MY YEAR.
4. FINAL ARRANGEMENTS AND RESEARCH FOR MY REIMBURSED RETURN FLIGHT BACK TO THE STATES. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO MY DECISION TO DEPART FROM KOREA AS MY FINAL DESTINATION. IT'S A WHOLE OTHER STORY ON WHY THE KOREAN BOSS LADY WOULDN'T LET ME SELECT ANOTHER COUNTRY TO DEPART FROM. #ROLLINGMYEYES
5. PLANNING ALL THE FLIGHTS FOR MY 2 WEEK TRIP, CASH, AND TRAVEL ROUTES FOR JEJU ISLAND AND JAPAN. WITH THE LACK OF SLEEP DURING THESE DAYS, I THINK I COULD HAVE HIDDEN SOME KOREAN SNACKS BEHIND THE BAGS UNDER MY EYES!
6. AND, NOT TO MENTION THAT WORK STILL REQUIRED REGULAR WORKLOAD WITH THE BRATZ AND ALSO SUMMARIES AND STATUS OF EACH CLASS FOR THE NEW INCOMING TEACHER AS MY REPLACEMENT.
7. AND, NOT TO MENTION THAT WORK STILL REQUIRED REGULAR WORKLOAD WITH THE BRATZ AND ALSO SUMMARIES AND STATUS OF EACH CLASS FOR THE NEW INCOMING TEACHER AS MY REPLACEMENT.

WRAPPING UP IN KOREA AND PLANNING FOR MY 2 WEEK VACATION AFTER MY CONTRACT WAS PRETTY TIME CONSUMING. ALL OF THE TASKS ABOVE WERE QUITE TIME CONSUMING AND INTENSE. IT REQUIRED TEDIOUS PLANNING AND CONSTANT CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE WHILE COMMUNICATING IN BROKEN ENGLISH. I ONLY HAD THE MORNING BEFORE GETTING READY FOR WORK. THOSE HOURS WERE LIMITED. I LITERALLY HAD ALL MY TASK LIST SCHEDULED OUT BY THE HOUR TO BETTER ORGANIZE MY TIME.

STARTED TO GET SICK ON MY LAST DAY OF WORK. NOT A GOOD SIGN FOR TRAVEL. I DECIDED ON JEJU ISLAND AND JAPAN (AGAIN) BEFORE HEADING BACK TO THE STATES.

AFTER COMPLETING IT, I WAS THEN ABLE TO MOVE ON TO FOCUS ON MY FLIGHT, AND LODGING ARRANGEMENTS FOR JEJU ISLAND AND JAPAND, AND THEN BACK TO KOREA TO PICK UP MY LUGGAGE. IT WAS ALL TOO METICULOUS. 
ON MY LAST WEEKEND AT THE APARTMENT, I BARELY SLEPT AS THERE WERE PACKING AND BUS TICKET ARRANGEMENTS TO DO. 

POST RETURN
I CAME BACK DURING HALLOWEEN 2016.
WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSE TO DO WHEN YOU COME BACK AFTER A YEAR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD? YOU EAT ALL THE COMFORT FOOD THAT WAS RARE OR YOU COULDN'T FIND IN KOREA ! AS WELL AS COMING UP WITH SOME AMERICAN-KOREAN FUSION FOODS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYTHING HERE WAS ALSO WEIRD. TRANSPORTATION WISE, I HAD MY BRO CHAUFFEUR ME AROUND FOR ABOUT A MONTH. I HAD TO RE-SET UP MY AUTO INSURANCE TO BE FROM GARAGE-STATIONED INSURANCE, TO DRIVERS INSURANCE. THERE WAS ALSO A DELAYED REACTION FROM ME IN RESPONDING TO STRANGERS TALKING TO ME IN ENGLISH AGAIN. ASK ME HOW MY DAY IS AND I WILL RETURN WITH A BLANK STARE FOR A FEW SECONDS.

YET, THE UNIVERSE WAS LOOKING OUT FOR ME. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I RETURNED, ONE OF MY FORMER GIGS CONTACTED ME FOR A WORK-FROM-HOME-TEMP JOB. YES, ANOTHER TEMP JOB.
THE POSITION? AN ART BUYER.  IT CAME WITH A COMPANY MACBOOK TO USE FOR THE DURATION OF MY CONTRACT. HOW SWEET WAS THAT? IT WAS KIND OF PERFECT FOR MY SITUATION WITH "EL PADRE". 

EL PADRE IS MUY ANCIENT.

BEFORE I LEFT FOR KOREA, HIS MOTOR SKILLS WERE CAUSING ME TO WONDER IF HE HAD A STROKE. HE WAS STARTING TO SLUR AND LOSE HIS BALANCE. THE DOCTORS SAID THAT THE BACK OF HIS BRAIN WAS SHRINKING. CEREBELLAR DEGENERATION IS WHAT I GOOGLED. AT THAT TIME, HE WAS STILL ABLE TO WALK ON HIS OWN OR STUMBLE TOWARDS A DIRECTION WITHOUT A CANE OR WALKER. 

FAST FORWARD TO NOW,HE CAN'T BE LEFT IN THE HOUSE ALONE. OR AT LEAST, HE SHOULDN'T. IT DOESN'T HELP THAT I FEEL LIKE I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT IS ALERT AND ASSERTIVE WITH HIS WELL BEING. MOST OF THE TIME MY BRO IS IN HIS ROOM WITH HIS HEADPHONES ON, IN FRONT OF HIS LAPTOP. THEN THERE IS MY MADRE. TWENTY-FOUR INCHES AWAY, HER EYES AND EARS ARE GLUED TO THE T.V. AS SHE IS DECIPHERING THE PLOT OF A KOREAN DRAMA. THE IDEA OF ASSISTED LIVING SHOULD PROBABLY BE PONDERED OVER. THIS IS A HUGE FACTOR FOR ME TO CANCEL MY THOUGHTS ON CONTINUING ANOTHER YEAR OF TEACHING ABROAD. 

THE TRAVEL ITCH STILL THERE. BUT, I NEED TO RE-PRIORITIZE.

SADLY, KOREA WAS JUST A TEASE.

THERE'S GOT TO BE A COMPROMISE. THIS HAS GOT ME TO CONSIDER MY OPTIONS.

WORKING FROM HOME IS IDEAL. EXCEPT...TRAVELING FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR SO IS STILL ON MY MIND.

I JUST NEED TO PONDER OVER OTHER OPTIONS. 
I'VE LITERALLY THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT I AM QUALIFIED TO DO IN ORDER TO TRAVEL. 
⏩ WORK FOR AN AIRLINE AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE
THE NEGATIVE SIDE TO THIS IS, THERE ARE NOT MUCH AIRLINE HEADQUARTERS IN OR NEAR ORLANDO. JETBLUE IS IN ORLANDO BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY POSITIONS THAT I AM CAPABLE OF DOING.
AND NO, I DON'T HAVE THE TALENT TO BE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT. #THANKS
DELTA IS IN TAMPA, AND I'M KIND OF LIGHTLY TAPPING MY MOM'S FRIEND TO KEEP AN EYE OUT. SHE WORKS FROM HOME AND SHE TRAVELS LIKE CRAZY. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH SHE DOES NOT NEED TO GO IN THE OFFICE EVERYDAY, SHE IS RESTRICTED TO WORKING AT HER HOUSE WITH THE DESKTOP AND SET UP THAT THE COMPANY GAVE HER. THERE ARE TRAVELING LIMITATIONS WITH THIS GIG.

⏩ ONLINE ENGLISH TEACHER
THIS COULD WORK. SOME COMPANIES REQUEST IN-CLASS ESL TEACHING EXPERIENCE IN WHICH I NOW HAVE. THE COMPANIES ARE MOSTLY IN CHINA. HIGH CHANCE OF ETHNIC PREFERENCE MAY BE A ROAD BLOCK FOR MY APPLICATION. UNFORTUNATELY, ASIANS ARE USUALLY NOT PREFERRED. IF I TRAVEL AND TEACH REMOTELY, I NEED TO BE PREPARED TO WORK AROUND THE AFTERNOON, CHINA TIME. THIS MEANS I WOULD HAVE TO BE SUPER ORGANIZED WITH MY TIME AND INTERNET ACCESS. POSSIBLE NEGATIVE IS THAT THE CONTRACTS ARE FOR 6 MONTHS. I WOULD HAVE TO BOOK MY TRAVELS AROUND MY TEACHING HOURS. THE POSSIBLE PLUS IS THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO CHOOSE MY HOURS POST FOR THE STUDENTS CAN SELECT.

⏩ ONLINE ENGLISH TEACHER BY NIGHT + WORK AS AN ART BUYER BY DAY REMOTELY
THIS REMOTE ART BUYING OPPORTUNITY I HAD AFTER I GOT BACK TRIGGERED THIS THOUGHT AS AN OPTION.

BECAUSE THE PROJECTS AS AN ART BUYER ARE NOT CONSISTENT. SOMETIMES PROJECTS LAST A FEW MONTHS AND THEN THERE ARE A FEW MONTH GAPS IN BETWEEN THE NEXT PROJECT. THE NEXT UPCOMING PROJECTS ARE NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED. THE PLUS IS THAT I COULD HAVE WEEKS IN BETWEEN WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WORK AND TAKE THE TIME TO SETTLE IN AND EXPLORE. THE NEGATIVE IS THAT THE DEADLINES FOR THESE PROJECTS CAN BE INTENSE.

I MAY NEED TO COMBINE ART BUYING WITH TEACHING ENGLISH ONLINE. OVERKILL???

EITHER WAY, INTENSE PLANNING, TIME MANAGEMENT, AND SUPER HIGH SPEED INTERNET WOULD BE NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THESE JOBS SITUATIONS TO WORK FOR ME.

THIS WILL NOT BE A PERMANENT WAY OF LIFE. EVENTUALLY, I WOULD NEED TO LOOK FOR A MORE STABLE-PERMANENT JOB. AS MUCH AS I NEED TO KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE ON "THE PADRE" I STILL WANT TO TRAVEL ABROAD FOR AT LEAST A MONTH AT A TIME.    

A PERMANENT GIG, WON'T GIVE ME THAT FLEXIBILITY AS MOST ARE OFFICE-BASED. EVEN WITH SOME OF WORK FROM HOMES, THEY REQUIRE SOME DAYS TO BE AT THE OFFICE.

SO THIS IS THE DIRECTION I AM HEADED TOWARDS.
THIS MIGHT BE AN OVER ACHIEVING AGENDA. BUT, WHAT ELSE IS NEW.

TEACH IN KOREA PROJECT: WEEK 19 FOOD JOURNAL

MONDAY FOOD FROM WORK - I ONLY LIKED THE SEAWEED SOUP

MONDAY MID NIGHT EATS

TUESDAY FOOD FROM WORK - OK I'M KIND OF OBSESSED WITH THE BROWN JELLY THINGS ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER.

HAD MY 2ND ROUND

TUESDAY DOWNSTAIRS WORK RUN TO LOTTE MART, BREAD ON SALE FOR $1

TUESDAY MID-NIGHT EATS - CHAMOMILE TEA, BREAD WITH TOMATO CHEESE SAUCE

WEDNESDAY FOOD FROM WORK

WEDNESDAY MID-NIGHT EATS - LEFT OVER BURGER,TOMATO GRAPES, BREAD

THURSDAY FOOD FROM WORK - EVERYTHING IS SPICY

THURSDAY FAST FOOD RUN DURING BREAK - GARLIC CHICKEN & FRIES
                AROUND $3.50-ISH

FRIDAY FOOD FROM WORK

FRIDAY MID-NIGHT EATS - GRILLED CHEESE OVER KIMCHI ANYDAY

PROJECT KOREA: WEEK 18 MY SUNDAY OF RELAX DAY

OK SO TODAY IS MY NON STRESS DAY.
BUT I ALSO GOT UP AT 12:30PM AND DIDN'T GET OUT TO EXPLORE THE BULDANG-DONG AREA (WHICH IS THE AREA THAT I NOW LIVE) UNTIL AROUND 3:30PM.

#LAZYMODE

WENT OUT FOR A WALK, AND KEPT ON REMINDING MYSELF THAT I NEED TO SEE DAYLIGHT MORE OFTEN SINCE I WORK FROM 2PM AND ON DURING THE WEEKDAYS.

WALKING OUT OF MY SUBDIVISION AND HUNTING FOR STARBUCKS. IT WAS A BIT CHILLY STILL, BUT THE SUN WAS GOOD ENOUGH.

#FAILURE
DECIDED TO MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO FIND LANDLORD'S DAUGHTER'S COFFEE SHOP THAT SHE HAD JUST OPENED AROUND A MONTH AGO AND FAILED AGAIN.
THINK THIS IS THE 2ND OR 3RD TIME I'VE FAILED TO LOCATED THIS PLACE.

THEY HAD EVEN SAVED IT ON MY PHONE UNDER GOOGLE MAPS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE LOCATION IS IN KOREAN AND I HAVE SO MANY SAVED STARS AROUND THAT AREA THAT I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD STARRED. AND ON TOP OF THAT, TODAY WHILE I WAS USING MY GOOGLE MAP TO LOOK FOR STARBUCKS DUE TO MY BRAIN FART WITH THE ONE THAT I ALWAYS COME ACROSS IN THAT MY, THE MAP POINTED ME TO SEOUL (WHICH IS AN HOUR AWAY) SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S UP WITH THAT.

BUT I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO FINALLY REMEMBER THIS STARBUCKS IN MY AREA, WHICH IS THE BULDANG-DONG AREA IN CHEONAN.

I WAS LOOKING FOR A DARK BLEND WITH SOME SORT OF FLAVOR INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL BLAH-NESS FOR MY PALATE AND THE ONLY ONE SITTING IN THE BASKET THAT I WAS EYEING ON WAS THE DARK CHERRY & SPICE BLEND.

I WISHED THAT THEY HAD IT ON THE MENU FOR ME TO PURCHASE A CUP TO TRY BUT THEY ONLY HAD THE CHRISTMAS FLAVOR, IN WHICH IT WAS NOT OFFERED IN THE BAGS.  THE GIRL OVER THE COUNTER (AKA BARISTA) SAID THAT IT WAS A LITTLE SPICY. SO WE WILL HAVE TO SEE IN WHAT DEGREE SHE MEANS BY "A LITTLE SPICY".......

I HOPE IT IS NOT TOO SPICY FOR MY LIKING.

IT WAS 18,000 WON, THAT MEANS THAT IT IS AROUND $15 FOR THIS BAG OF COFFEE SPICE. I AM HOPING THAT IT IS WORTH IT AS I AM REALLY SICK OF ALL THE OTHER BLAND COFFEES IN KOREA. THEY ARE NOT AS STRONG. AND I'M NOT EVEN A HARD COFFEE LOVER.

I DID TRY IT LATER ON AND THERE IS NOTHING CHERRY & SPICE ABOUT IT. IT IS HOWEVER, STRONGER THAN THE PREVIOUS KOREAN PACKAGE THAT I BOUGHT. AND THE AROMA IS JUST FABULOUS!


AFTERWARDS, HEADED BACK TO THE APARTMENT WHILE IT WAS STILL DAYLIGHT TO MAKE MY PASTA THAT HAD BEEN SOAKING IN WATER BEFORE I LEFT EARLIER ON. PASSING BY THE SO CALLED "BAD" SIDE OF TOWN, THE HOMER SIMPSON ART WAS ENTERTAINING.

      

ALTHOUGH I FEEL LIKE I AM CONSUMING SO MUCH CARBS DUE TO THE LACK OF DESIRE IN MAKING MEAT, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ALFREDO SAUCE WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES THAT I CAUGHT ON SALE AT EMART.

I HOPE TO BE STICKING TO THE PLAN OF ABSORBING DAYLIGHT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN EITHER BLOGGING OF SOME SORT AT THE CAFE (BECAUSE I'M SURELY WILL NOT DO IT AT THE APARTMENT) AND THEN HEADING BACK TO APARTMENT TO WATCH FREE MOVIES ON THE LAPTOP AFTER THE CAFE CLOSES AT 12AM. SURPRISINGLY THERE ARE PLENTY OF SITES THAT ALLOW ME WATCH FREE AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL MOVIES WITHOUT ANY SUBSCRIPTION. SOMETHING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

HEADED TO CAFFE BENE SINCE IT IS JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY CRIB.
I NEED TO EXPLORE THE OTHER CAFE SHOPS, BUT I HAVE NOTICED THAT MOST ARE CLOSED AT 11PM, BUT CAFFE BENE HAS AN HOUR FOR ME TO EXTEND TO BEFORE HOPPING BACK TO MY CRIB.

I DIDN'T BOTHER TO ORDER ANYTHING FROM CAFFE BENE, AS I AM NOT REALLY A FAN OF THEIR DRINKS. AND I HAD JUST SCARFED DOWN THE PASTA AND ALFREDO SAUCE THAT I MADE. IT IS PROBABLY FROWNED UPON TO JUST WALTZ IN THERE WITH OUT BUYING ANYTHING, BUT OH WELL!

I FOUND A GREAT SEAT NEAR THE DOOR WITH AN OUTLET!

PEOPLE STARTED COMING IN AFTER 9:30PM. KOREANS JUST DON'T WANT TO BE HOME. I SAW A RANGE OF PEOPLE FROM COUPLES TO FAMILIES TO GROUPS.

SPOTTED A REGULAR, AND WHEN I GLANCED OVER, I NOTICED THAT SHE WAS WORKING ON HER ILLUSTRATION. SHE WAS THE LAST TO LEAVE.



PROJECT KOREA: WEEK 18 WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?

SO, 18 WEEKS INTO MY TEACHING GIG IN SOUTH KOREA, I'M FINALLY MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO BLOG.

KEYWORD #ATTEMPT

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. I AM PLANNING TO JUST BACK TRACK AND POST THINGS ACCORDING TO THE WEEKS SINCE I HAVE VISUALLY DOCUMENTED EVERYTHING SINCE DAY ONE OF MY ARRIVAL.

RIGHT NOW, I'M IN THE CAFFE BENE COFFEE SHOP AND DROWNING OUT MY SURROUNDING BY LISTENING TO:Medtner Sonata Op.25 No.2 ''Night Wind'' I'VE FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW I WILL BE MANAGING MY FREE TIME IN KOREA. AND YES, IT TOOK AT LEAST 16 WEEKS FOR ME TO FIGURE THIS OUT. INITIALLY, I WAS TRYING TO FIT AS MANY WEEKENDS HEADING OVER TO SEOUL AND TRYING TO COVER A CERTAIN AREA ON MY SATURDAYS. BUT THAT ITSELF WAS TIRING AND AT TIMES STRESSFUL.

EVER SINCE I'VE GOTTEN HERE, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CRAM WHAT I CAN ON THE WEEKENDS. THEN IT WAS TRYING TO EXPLORE ON SATURDAYS WITH GROCERY SHOPPING AT THE END OF MY SATURDAY AND DO HOUSEHOLD WORK SUCH AS CLEANING MY APARTMENT ON SUNDAYS.THESE DAYS, I'VE DECIDED THAT I JUST NEED TO SPREAD OUT MY EXPLORATIONS AND ACTUALLY ENJOY DAYLIGHT WHILE I CAN. I START WORK AT 3PM, WHICH MEANS THAT I NEED TO GET READY AROUND 1PM.

AND UP UNTIL LAST WEEK OR SO, I'VE BEEN SLEEPING IN UNTIL I HAD TO GET UP. THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO CHANGE. I'M HOPING TO MAKE MY MORNINGS PRODUCTIVE WITH LEARNING KOREAN VIA MY TABLET WHILE I'M GETTING READY. OR PERHAPS STARING AT SOMETHING RELATED TO LEARNING KOREAN WHILE I'M STILL IN BED, REFUSING TO GET UP. WHY WOULD I WANT TO STAY IN BED? IT IS THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE BED I'VE EVER SLEPT ON. I STILL HAVE TO SLEEP ON THIS THING UNTIL MID OCTOBER!

I DID BUY THE MOST COMFORTABLE BLANKET THOUGH!