Animals I have lost/saved in Korea

Today I found out that 'Xander, a cat I took out of the shelter last week died this morning. He had a gangrenous infection on his leg and so he died this morning. A few weeks ago I lost Mongmong the puppy because he had water on the brain. Last year I buried two kittens (literally) because they had problems like parasites. It is sad to lose animals. Yet, I should focus on those that I have saved while I have been in Korea:

1. Nixie, a cat I pet-sat for someone who had to leave Korea.


2. Jasmine, a lovely calico I bought at the street market. (in a new home)


3. Suzy, Jasmine's sister whom I also bought at the street market. (in a new home)


4. Kyocki, a cat whose owner had to return to USA and her family wouldn't let her take Kyocki with her. (in a new home)


5. Pearly, a Persian with a bladder infection that was in the kill shelter. (in a new home)


6. Snowy, a Turkish Angora that was in the kill shelter for a few months. He was starting to get renal failure. (in a new home)


7. Onyx, a Russian Blue in the kill shelter. (in a new home)


8. Toby, an orange kitten I found near Gangbyeon Station.


9. Lucky, a tabby kitten from the kill shelter. He had skull fractures that healed and left him with some blindness and deafness, but his hearing and sight have improved.


10. Pepper, a mutt from the kill shelter. (adopted by someone)


11. Mr. Bojangles, a shih tzu (adopted by another English teacher)


12. Nora, a poodle


13. White poodle now living in Kangnam.


14. Shabba, a puppy now living in Goyang-si


15. Max, a maltese now living in the USA


16. Kkam-ko, a maltese now living in the USA


17. Alexander, a Yorkshire terrier now living in the USA


18. Moe-moe, a maltese now living in the USA


19. Max #2, a maltese now living in the USA


20. Spike, a bulldog now living in the USA


21. Ralph the shih tzu


22. Peanut the yorkie


23. Mutt now living in Pyongtaek with a U.S. military family


24. Jack the mutt


25. Zinnia the kitten


26. Catbert the kitten

Kitten Rescue

Last Monday I was walking near City Hall and I found a noticed a pen. I had never noticed it before. Inside the pen were a few animal carriers and I saw that one of them contained two kittens. They had no food or water and their eyes were shut with mucus. They looked very frightened in there. I immediately pitied them. I had to quickly go back to work because my lunch break was nearly over.
After work I walked over to the pen again and noticed the kittens were gone. On Tuesday afternoon I walked into City Hall and then asked what happened to the kittens. I was told they went to the shelter. I knew which one they were talking about. I later contacted them.
On Wednesday evening I went to the shelter by myself. I couldn't wait for them to be transported to the veterinarian. I know it often takes a few days for that to happen and I know I didn't have a few days.
It turns out the animal shelter is in the middle of NOWHERE. I saw rice fields while on the bus. I arrived late in the evening. A worker quickly brought out the two kittens by the scruff of their necks and dropped them on the counter in front of me. She wasn't very nice. Another lady later apologized to me and said that some of the people there weren't used to foreigners.
The nice worker helped me find the bus stop and I finally made it to the veterianarian at almost 10:30 pm. Thankfully it is a 24-hour place. The vet on duty helped clean their faces with saline solution and a fine-toothed comb. Their faces were caked with mucus.
I have been visiting them often and they have been doing better. I have been helping feed them with a syringe and wash their faces. Yesterday they both sat on me for a while being content and cried when I left.

Some pictures from May

Tired and Worn Out

Today I went to work and I had to spend time talking with other teachers about my presentation class for next week. I am not looking forward to it. The class will be open to other English teachers in the area.
I went to taekwondo later in the evening. I was already tired when I arrived at class. I haven't been able to attend practices much lately because I had so many things happening. When I arrived in Korea in January after Christmas at home, I had an ulcerated wound on my leg. I didn't go to taekwondo for two weeks so that it could heal. Later I had sicknesses, birthday parties to attend, and trips to the veterinarian after I got involved with animal rescue.
I haven't been doing well in taekwondo lately. I have been getting rusty at it. I do want to keep attending practices, but it's not possible to go as often as I can. I live far away from the dojang now. The problem is that I have to take a bus and then two subway lines in order to get there. I have been looking for a faster route.
When I first arrived in Korea I wanted to start learning a martial art. I started work in the afternoons, so I would go outside for a walk in the mornings and then went to the roof to practice stretching exercises. I was in a lot of pain at first, and then the pains went away after a while.
I finally joined a dojang when I started my newer job. I started doing well. I know that I was never very good at sports because I didn't have the greatest eye-hand coordination. I slowly but surely started getting better at it.
Lately, though, I have been so worn out. I haven't been having good health lately. I am constantly stressed out and I have been very depressed. I do need to make some changes in my life. I have decided I am NOT interested in working at the high school anymore. I don't feel that I am meant to work at a high school. I am looking for a job where I can spend most or all my time teaching adults. I would like that a LOT better.
I have been enjoying the animal rescue volunteering, but it has also been draining me too. I have been going to Kangnam at a vet to help with animals taken out of the shelter. I have taken some animals out of the shelter myself and have found homes for them. Unfortunately, so many of them were sick when they come out. I also don't want to take any more animals into my home because I live in such a small place. I am glad to say that some animals I fostered are now in other homes.
I do need to pay more attention to what I really like to do and what I don't like as much. I also need to think positively.

"Mushrooms", by Sylvia Plath

The Collected Poems--1959

Overnight, very

Whitely, discreetly,

Very quietly, our toes, our noses

Take hold on the loam,

Acquire the air. Nobody sees us,

Stops us, betrays us;

The small grains make room. Soft fists insist on

Heaving the needles,

The leafy bedding, Even the paving.

Our hammers, our rams,

Earless and eyeless,Perfectly voiceless,

Widen the crannies,

Shoulder through holes. We diet on water,

On crumbs of shadow,

Bland-mannered, asking little or nothing.

So many of us!

So many of us! We are shelves, we are

Tables, we are meek,

We are edible, nudgers and shovers

In spite of ourselves.

Our kind multiplies: We shall by morning

Inherit the earth.

Our foot's in the door.

Where to Study?!

I have been looking at www.topuniversities.com to research different universities. I would prefer not to study in the United States since the USA is notorious for its high tuition. I also want to stay out of the United States. I am not interested in living there right now.
Some places I have looked at include:

1. 
   Concordia University, Montreal


2. United Arab Emirates University


3. Stellenbosch University, Western Cape, South Africa


4. Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand


5. Mahidol University, Thailand


6. Tsinghua University, Beijing


7. Hong Kong University


8. Alexandria University, Egypt

OK, that is quite a varied list.

Random thoughts

I do feel better about Mongmong's death. That was a little yorkie puppy that I had taken out of the shelter. It wasn't in good health and I was told it had water on the brain. I had some medicine for it. It was beginning to do better, it was starting to be able to stand up and eat and drink on its own. This week he deteriorated some more and finally passed away yesterday morning. I felt bad, but he is not suffering now. It is also a load off my back, because I was wondering what to do with him. If he survived, I would either have to find a home for him or take him to the USA with me. I doutbed anyone would want him, so I would have to take him along, and the cost of veterinary care is so much more expensive in the USA. I feel bad that he died, but it is also something I don't have to deal with anymore.
My time in Korea is getting shorter. I haven't found another job yet. I talked to my neighbor this morning and she said her place is hiring. It's a school for little children. I don't really want a job like that. I worked at a children's English school last year and I really didn't like it. I would rather teach adults or older children. I don't feel that I have a talent for teaching small children. If I am going to work with kids, I would want to have a co-teacher with me.
I do feel overwhelmed with so much to do. I know that I am going to get rid of a lot of my things here. I do feel that I need a makeover with my wardrobe, so I am not saving a lot of my clothes. I have many clothes sitting in the USA, so I won't have to buy new things right away. If I am not coming back to Korea, I have to get a crate for my guitar, start mailing things home, and do something about my pets. My family said they don't want any more animals. My sister now lives in a small place, I didn't realize how small her place is.

Mongmong

I just got off the phone and I found out that Mongmong passed away this morning. It's OK, he was suffering. The poor puppy had water on the brain. I went outside to have a little cry and now I have to go back to teaching. I hate having to put on a happy face when I don't feel like it.
Mongmong, I'll see you in a better place.

Neutering

I saw a dog being neutered today. It was interesting. The dog was put under anesthesia and fell asleep. It was then quickly shaved and the veterinarian quickly put the scalpel to the dog's scrotum. He pulled something up and tossed it aside. Then he quickly started stitching the dog up. Again he quickly pulled something out and then started stitching the dog up. It was over very quickly, once the dog was under the knife it was less than twenty minutes. I didn't even know what I was seeing, I kept thinking "so when is the operation REALLY going to start?". It was done so quickly that I was surprised how fast it was. I got to see the dog's little sacs after they were pulled. They were so small.
I am appalled at how many pet owners won't get their animals fixed because they think it's cruel or too much of a big deal. It isn't. Yes, neutering and spaying is cruel, but the animal gets over it soon. It is much crueler that so many animals die in shelters because they can't get homes. So yes, SPAY AND NEUTER!!!

Sunday

I went to the doctor and she told me that I have mild hyperthyroidism. It's not an extreme case. That's good. She said I don't need medication.