Starting new things

Going to the English conversation class has been pepping up my life.
In the class, I can speak English, which I rarely do at work because I don't talk to my Canadian account often because of the 16 hour time difference between British Columbia and Seoul and my German account doesn't speak good English even though he is a Ph.D.. (I really should make use of this chance and start studying German but the business with the German company is not going so actively.) Sometimes, I talk to the people at Toshiba but their English is not good, either. Oh, here's a good reason why I should study Japanese, too. haha
Anyway, in the class, I can talk to the teacher from a foreign country and ask him about their culture and learn something new. (Only if I had realized the pleasure of learning when I was in my teens...)
I laugh in the class 50 times more than I do at work so after every class, I feel so good and I can see my stress completely disappears.
The only thing I don't like is that the class starts at 8: 15 pm, which is not so convenient for me but it's okay because I can look at things like cyworld in the YBM computers or I can eat with Helen and chat to her. Plus, I don't have to worry even if something urgent happens and I should work overtime.
Why didn't I start taking the class earlier?
If you are complaining about something in your life, you should do something about it. Good lesson!
But what if there's a great deal of risk involved with slim chances of success? Hmm...I don't buy lotteries. hehe

Illegal acts

I will be interesting to see what sorts of stories will be uncovered if this kind of investigation is done at Korean governmental organizations.
I remember the time when I asked Eunjin's friend who was a police officer to find out the personal ID of Sangwon and which police station he was allocated to. hahaha

Last night 2

When I went into the classroom, there were only one student and Mark. She looked relieved when she saw me...haha. Mark looked very tired as always.:) On the last day of last month's class, we went to a western bar and people from the level 4 class joined us. There was a Korean Canadian teacher and he called himself an English teaching slave. Because the teachers at YBM work in the morning and have a break in the afternoon and work again from the evening until night. Mark always looks at his watch during the class and even yawns, which is understandable but I think he should try not to do that.

In the last night's class, we did something like a trivia game. The chapter we were studying was about music, western music to be precise. Fortunately I knew more about western music than the other student so Mark didn't feel too bored playing the game.:)

Mark, the teacher from San Diego is a nice person and makes the class enjoyable but he seems like one of the English teachers in Korea who don't speak Korean at all and don't even try to learn a few words. What's even worse is Mark doesn't know his home address in Korean and in English, either! Isn't that amazing? When we talked about music, he said he doesn't know any Korean singers or music. We (including the other student, don't know her name. haha) didn't have anything in common to talk about. I asked him to give me the answer sheets and let him answer to our questions. It was so much fun!
We came across some musical terms and instruments. There was "viola" among them. He made me shocked by saying "Viola...hmm...isn't it the plural of violin?" I couldn't believe my ears. As soon as I got home, I looked it up in my dictionary. Of course, it is not the plural of violin. I am sure most Korean people might not know what viola is exactly. But we know viola is a different instrument to violin. Hmm..maybe for English speakers, it could look like the plural of violin?
Most of the time, we just talk about all sorts of things in the class. It's a very good way to practice speaking but it doesn't feel fair that English teachers make money so easily. They just chat to students, have fun and make money. Sometimes, it might be boring and frustrating for them to have to listen to the students' poor English, though.

Mark tried to keep doing the text book after we finished the trivia game but I distracted him by asking some questions I had from my work because I thought it was a good time to ask when there were only two students. Yes, that was what I wanted to achieve from this class.

I satisfied all my interests in the class last night. I had fun, laughed a lot, learned about western music, and found out the answers to the questions that I've got from work. Oh, I won over the desire to skip the class, too! So I felt great. The weather was too nice to go home to sleep.

Last night 1

The weather suddenly changed. It had been sultry even until the day before yesterday and now we are getting some cool breeze although the sun is still strong. It feels so good. Weather is definitely a crucial factor affecting my mood.
When I am free, I get really free. When I am busy, I get really busy. Last evening I was meeting Songi when Eunjin texted me and called me. I was talking to Songi and my cell phone was on vibration in my bag so I missed her call. Eunjin wanted to see me several times already but I was busy meeting somebody else every time she wanted. Eunjin texted me this morning again and asked if I am free tomorrow. I am so sorry, Eunjin. I've already made a plan.:( She said "You are always busy." But it's not true. I hope she didn't feel rejected or anything. If I were her, I wouldn't keep asking any more because it bothers me a bit when somebody says he/she is not available to meet me for any reasons. So normally I don't ask people to go out before they do. I know it's stupid, though. Anyway, it's good that Eunjin is different to me.:)

Last evening, Songi and I went to a porridge place and she had a vegetable porridge alone. I had to skip dinner cause my belly is abnormally protruding these days. It's hedious! After an hour passed, I had to go to school. As she came to Guro all the way from Gangnam, she asked me to stay with her instead of going to school. But this week there has been only one class because of the public holiday. So I decided to go to school but of course I didn't feel good about letting her go back home after spending only one hour near my school.

To Eunjoo

Eunjoo...I was sad to hear you were sick. Knowing that you have no time at all to enjoy yourself or nothing exciting to do to release your stress, it felt even sadder. Thank God (there should be another expression for this. what is it, Richrd?:)) you were with your mom at the time. How long has it been since you moved to Pohang? About 2.5 months? Then I have to wait for another 10 months until you move back to Seoul? :( Songi is in Seoul with me where you are in Pohang. When could three of us get together again? Don't get sick ever again!! Gotta go home now.

English conversation class

Last evening I went to Guro YBM to attend the English conversation class. I left work at 6:30 and got to the school very early although the class begins at 8:15. I went into the study room to do some reading as I got plenty of time left. Not long after that, Helen who I met in the last month's class came in. So we came out of the room and talked in the reception area. She is 33 year old woman working in overseas sales of meteorological sensors. I managed to get her to tell me about her age last night finally.:) Actually I decided to take the evening class partly because she said she would take the evening class as well. She seems very nice and easy to talk to. I don't believe first impressions any more since I learned it from G, though.:) Helen and I got close quickly like Eunjoo and I did.:) I naturally become very active to get close to someone once I really like the person. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how long I've known the person. Of course, time spent together helps build up trust, though. For the most part, people instinctively recognize the people who can be their friends. Helen is single and there must be a lot of pressure from people around her to get her to marry. There's a new guy in my office who is 33 year old software engineer working for a company that works for/with Prosonic for a big project. I told her about him. She said "Be his friend and fix him up with me." :)

The teacher of this month's class is Mark, the same as last month. All the students say he is nice and I agree but I need a teacher who has more teaching skills like giving me advice on my English so I can actually learn something as well as I enjoy the class.
We've got some new students but their English doesn't seem good except one middle-aged man's. I really enjoy the class but when I have to spend lots of time talking to those people who have much lower English abilities than me, I feel I am kind of wasting time. However, it's good that I have more chances to talk. There are pros and cons in everything. I will just have to make the most of the pros.
BTW, I am worried if my English speaking ability could ever improve.:(

Drinking all night long

Yesterday G asked me if I wanted to join them (including I and K) for a beer on the first day of post-vacation. I rejected her suggestion flat out.:) As I don't talk to K any more, I had a good excuse to make.:) She said I am stubborn. I said yes.:) I prefer to have things done as planned. Unless people I like want to go out with me without giving any prior notice, I don't like to do things spontaneously. Maybe they like each other very much.
This morning I asked Gina when they went home last night. She said 2 am. :O I don't understand why they wanna drink until very late when they have to work next day. It's crazy.
I really hate this sort of night-out which doesn't seem to exist in Australia or other western countries.
Last night after work, I went to Homeplus to do some grocery shopping and came home at about 7:40. Then I had a light dinner watching 60 minutes, made curry for later, did the dishes and hand-washed my clothes. And I fell asleep around 11pm. I have things to do on my own at my place especially after work during weekdays. I wanna read books, do some thinking and get rest.
Mr. Kim, the manager of domestic sales team was bragging about his binge drinking when all of us had lunch together yesterday. He said he drank tons of alcohol with his friends until 5:00am. David, the Australian guy who I met in Andong said he doesn't have many male Korean friends because when they hang out, perpetual drinking is all they do. It must be an issue that Korean society has, really. Most Koreans realize it but they keep doing it.
People at my work say I would have a happier life if I lived in western countries where people don't have to drink much and reluctantly and business and personal lives are separated.
I am individualistc in some ways. I like being with someone else lots of the time, though.
This is one of the encouraging factors which make me wanna move to Australia.

Smoking in the morning

It's impossible to understand people who smoke in the morning, even in the scorching hot weather. They are extremely annoying when I have to walk behind them to go to work!

Imperative conceptions

It's Tuesday already and I haven't done anything but eating, watching Korean TV and sleeping. I am upset that I am having such boring times because vacations are supposed to be special and taking 9 days off is possible only one time a year.
I came to a PC bang nearby because my mom went out to meet a friend and Dad is watching the super-boring parliamentary hearing for the deputy prime minister who submitted papers reusing his previous papers just under different titles.
I suggested to Hyekyoung that we go to a beach but she said she needs a car to go there and a hotel room to have a shower in. We went to the Haeundae beach without a car and had a shower in the public showers when we were in high school. But as long as we are grown up, apparently we need many things to do something. So we decided to meet in downtown Daegu on Thursday.:(
Last night I texted Soojin to make an arrangement to meet her. Then she called me and said she has been taking a training course and having an exam next Monday so she could meet me if I could come to her place in the morning of Saturday. I have no more friends to call. Maybe I should have kept in touch with other friends from high school.
I get cranky when I spend my time at home on weekends or during special times like this. I brought a book about the interpretation of ultrasound images to read but it wouldn't feel like I am on a vacation if I read it.
Guro YBM called me yesterday and said there's no level 5 in the morning class from 7: 40 to 8: 30 opening in August because there are no students registered for the class except me. I am supposed to take the level 6 class but it didn't open last month and this month as well because the number of students is not enough for the class to open. Frustration is continuing. The choice I can make is either take the morning class from 6:40 to 7: 30 every day or take the night class from 8: 15 to 9:55 every Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday. It will be a real challenge if I take the morning class. If it is guaranteed there's no work dinner which requires obligatory attendance:(, I would take the night class, the same as last month, though.
I need ice cream or chocolate to relieve my frustration now. Or something else. hehehe