I went to church today at the university. I was invited to go to a baptism social by some friends from Australia. I had a good time talking with some people there. I finally met up with Jonathan, someone I worked with at another school. He was happy to see me. He asked me what I did when I was in the USA. I told him I worked and spent time taking care of my aunt who had a stroke. I know he got his master's degree in English while he was away from Korea. I could have gotten a master's as well, yet things didn't work out for me to go. I am actually glad I didn't get my master's in teaching because I decided I don't want to work with children as a career. In a sense, it was a blessing.
I have been wondering what to do with myself. I recently came across someone on facebook that I had met many years ago. I had remembered her name because we had many mutual acquaintances.
I had met her years ago when I was about eight years old. She was a friend of my schoolteacher's. She had spent a year abroad teaching schoolchildren on an island called "Truk" (Chuuk) in Micronesia. She brought in many picture slides, some coconut bowls, and even a grass skirt for the students to try on. I was fascinated. Right then I decided I wanted to spend time overseas. I wanted to help people. That was a goal I held onto since then.
I was pleased to finally take the opportunity to tell her how much that day had changed my life. It is amazing that sometimes one small experience can alter someone's life's course.
Lately I have been evaluating my time overseas. I came back to Korea nearly 10 months ago. Honestly, I haven't had a good year. I worked at a hagwon for 6 months and I hated it. I hated it more than any job I have ever done. I decided that I won't work with young children again. I also reconsidered ever becoming a parent. I am now working at a high school, which is a lot better. Yet, my health has been declining since I started. I have been having acid reflux and have recently had a skin condition and a type of flu. It wasn't swine flu though. I think it's related to stress.
I have been thinking of what to do with the rest of my life. I have still been dreaming of going to other places. I have thought of the Philippines, Africa, South America, etc. I want to study some more. I have thought of public health, which would give me something to do in other places. There is a programme here in Korea for that, which meets on Sundays, and it looks interesting. The problem I have with that is it's the only day of the week I have to do things.
I will be 30 years old next year. I envy those who already have master's degrees. I just have to pray about things and think about them, as to what to do next.
October 31, 2009
October 26, 2009
October 22
On October 22 there was a dedication ceremony for the new school building. Some old classroom buildings were removed.
Sunise
Late-blooming roses
Sunise
Late-blooming roses
October 24, 2009
Most Kissable People Contest:
A friend of mine posted a challenge on his blog: give the names of five men and five women you would like to kiss. Honestly, I can't come up with a definite ten people. First, it's not something I have thought of much. Who to kiss? I don't know. I am not gay or bisexual (he says he's not either), yet I can think of women I would kiss if I had to.
For women:
Madonna. She has always had that sexy aura about her even though she's older now. I heard there's a French saying that is "women are like wines, they get better as they age". I think that can be true to an extent. Ann-Margaret and Sophia Loren are women who looked sexy in their later years.
"Open Your Heart to Me" was very sexy. I can't find the official video.
Bettie Page. She was the iconic pin-up girl in the 1950s. The jet-black hair and the pale skin was a great combination.
Jennifer Connoly. I loved her in Labyrinth as a kid. She had nice long hair, was interested in fantasy, and was very fun.
The girls from T.A.T.U. It turns out they weren't gay after all, yet they did some sensual "lesbian" things in their debut.
Men:
Elijah Wood. He was one sexy hobbit. I have a hobbit fetish.
(Reuters)
Leonardo di Caprio. He was just too hot in "Titanic".
Matt Damon. He was in "Good Will Hunting".
Colin Firth
I have been a Sarah Brightman fan for many years. My sister and I collected eight of her albums when we still collected a lot of CDs. This duet with Jose Cura is a nice love song. I think he's kissable too!
For women:
Madonna. She has always had that sexy aura about her even though she's older now. I heard there's a French saying that is "women are like wines, they get better as they age". I think that can be true to an extent. Ann-Margaret and Sophia Loren are women who looked sexy in their later years.
"Open Your Heart to Me" was very sexy. I can't find the official video.
Bettie Page. She was the iconic pin-up girl in the 1950s. The jet-black hair and the pale skin was a great combination.
Jennifer Connoly. I loved her in Labyrinth as a kid. She had nice long hair, was interested in fantasy, and was very fun.
The girls from T.A.T.U. It turns out they weren't gay after all, yet they did some sensual "lesbian" things in their debut.
Men:
Elijah Wood. He was one sexy hobbit. I have a hobbit fetish.
(Reuters)Leonardo di Caprio. He was just too hot in "Titanic".
Matt Damon. He was in "Good Will Hunting".
Colin Firth
I have been a Sarah Brightman fan for many years. My sister and I collected eight of her albums when we still collected a lot of CDs. This duet with Jose Cura is a nice love song. I think he's kissable too!
October 21, 2009
October 13, 2009
Cosmos Festival
I went to a Cosmos festival yesterday in Guri. It was near the Han River. Ther were booths for crafts, food, information, and wares. There were also some entertainers there as well.
October 10, 2009
Nobel Prizes
Here are some videos from the University of Nottingham on Nobel Prizes. The staff there have received letters from the Nobel Prize committee, asking them to nominate people for the prize.
I still don't understand why Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize. I think it was rigged. He didn't do enough things in office to win that prize. He hasn't even been in office for one year! I do wonder who and how Obama was selected as a prize-winner for the peace prize.
In college I went to see V.S. Naipaul, just after he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. He spoke in front of a crowd of over 600 people at the Boston Public Library. He answered questions from the audience. I do remember him saying that he preferred to read things that would make him learn something, as opposed to simply for entertainment. He also said that it would be better for students to obtain science degrees these days, because arts degrees have become too easy to get. He said it was difficult for him to say all that because Boston is such a large educational centre. There are about 51 colleges and universities in the metropolitan area. For an example, he said that many years ago English majors would have to study Old English, and now that isn't required.
Nobel Prize in Physics about fibre-optic cables:
That is from the Youtube channel "Sixty Symbols" which is on physics. It has videos filmed a the University of Nottingham in England.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry on x-ray crystallography:
This video is from "Periodic Videos", another Youtube channel from the University of Nottingham.
I still don't understand why Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize. I think it was rigged. He didn't do enough things in office to win that prize. He hasn't even been in office for one year! I do wonder who and how Obama was selected as a prize-winner for the peace prize.
In college I went to see V.S. Naipaul, just after he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. He spoke in front of a crowd of over 600 people at the Boston Public Library. He answered questions from the audience. I do remember him saying that he preferred to read things that would make him learn something, as opposed to simply for entertainment. He also said that it would be better for students to obtain science degrees these days, because arts degrees have become too easy to get. He said it was difficult for him to say all that because Boston is such a large educational centre. There are about 51 colleges and universities in the metropolitan area. For an example, he said that many years ago English majors would have to study Old English, and now that isn't required.
Nobel Prize in Physics about fibre-optic cables:
That is from the Youtube channel "Sixty Symbols" which is on physics. It has videos filmed a the University of Nottingham in England.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry on x-ray crystallography:
This video is from "Periodic Videos", another Youtube channel from the University of Nottingham.
October 9, 2009
Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize
I don't think he deserved it. I do think his foreign policy is better than Bush's, yet I don't think he has done enough to be put on the history books as a Nobel Prize winner. I am sure there are many who have done more and could get that. I do find it shocking.
October 7, 2009
Second Kitten Dies
I buried the kitten, Zoey, on Saturday afternoon. It developed breathing problems and died. It died at the vet's. Thankfully he didn't charge me for the overnight stay. I was saddened because I had just lost a cat that I had left behind in the USA. It got ill and died. I was happy to find that kitten because of the loss of the first cat.
On Monday I went to the street market and rescued a kitten for 10,000 won. It was in a cage and was malnourished. I immediately brought it to the vet. It was there a few days and I visited it once. I found out today that it too, died. It had many parasites. I thought it was going to be fine. The vet said it was playful (it was), and that it could be healthy later. Well, the parasites were too much. I am not too saddened because I never got to have a relationship with this one. But I am beside myself. I am emotionally drained. When work gets out I will pick up the carrier. I really don't think I am ready to take in any more animals, especially foundlings, for a while.
On Monday I went to the street market and rescued a kitten for 10,000 won. It was in a cage and was malnourished. I immediately brought it to the vet. It was there a few days and I visited it once. I found out today that it too, died. It had many parasites. I thought it was going to be fine. The vet said it was playful (it was), and that it could be healthy later. Well, the parasites were too much. I am not too saddened because I never got to have a relationship with this one. But I am beside myself. I am emotionally drained. When work gets out I will pick up the carrier. I really don't think I am ready to take in any more animals, especially foundlings, for a while.
October 6, 2009
Meet Me At the World's Fair!
Next year the World's Fair will be held in Shanghai, China from May 1 to October 31. I should go to it. I should take this chance. I have wanted to go to a World's Fair for many years. There will also be a specialised World's Fair in Yeosu, Korea in 2012. It will be about the world's oceans. I would like to see that one if I can.
October 4, 2009
October 3, 2009
Goodbye, Zoey. Rest in Peace
Zoey and her friend.
I just finished burying Zoey. I only had her for just more than a week. I am sad. She developed a breathing problem.
I had picked her up while walking home on Thursday night. I took her to the vet the next day for shots and a check-up. I thought she would be a good pet for me. I had just lost a pet and felt that it was a stroke of Providence to find a new pet so quickly.
On Tuesday I left for a teacher's training session and left some food out for my cats. I was away for two nights. When I came back on Thursday afternoon, I noticed the kitten was breathing heavily. I called the vet and brought her over. He said she had the cat flu and gave her some shots and said to come back over the next few days so she could get the medicine. He said it wasn't serious.
On Friday I brought her in again and told the vet she hadn't ate anything. It was true. He gave her some more medicine and said some of it was for her appetite to get better. In the afternoon she still hadn't ate more than a few bites of food. I decided to call the vet again. He took an X-ray and said she had some trauma. She must have fell. He took her in to stay. He would give her oxygen and would give her medicines. She would have a 50/50 chance of surviving.
On Saturday morning I went to church and turned my phone on to vibrate during the service. As soon as we were walking out of the sanctuary, my phone vibrated. It was the vet. I took off down the stairs and talked. The vet said that Zoey had passed. I felt sad, but kept my composure. I went back upstairs to return my hymnal and shake a few hands. I quickly left.
I called my family from my cellphone and talked to my aunt. I got into a taxi and then went to the vet's. I picked up the cat carrier and Zoey's body. I wanted to bury her. The vet had her wrapped in tissue paper. I saw her yellow eyes now cloudy. Her little body with its scrapes that had been healing. I shed some tears. The vet said I didn't have to pay for it all. I thanked him and walked home. I buried Zoey next to the apartment building, where I already buried a hedgehog last month. I am saddened that I didn't get to know her well. At least she had a warm place to sleep for about a week and some good food, and someone to love her.
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