Never thought I'd write that as an objective

JUST finished a brand new version of my cover letter (specifically designed for education jobs overseas) and updated my resume. Whenever I finish something like that, I always feel especially cocky. I had to puff myself up considerably to write all those amazing things about myself but think it's a good sign that I feel so great about if afterwards. We'll see what sort of job I can get with what I've just written...I'm praying for the best.
I go to California in less than 3 weeks which is distracting. I know distracting is not the adjective anyone would expect, but it is just that. I love being overseas, it suits me. I think it's crazy exciting and even on"boring" days, I am still figuring out life overseas and that fact alone perks it up. Going back to a country I was born and raised in, understanding all the conversations around me, eating food I know the ingridients to...it's gonna be different. I am excited, though. No worries about that. It'll just be an old experience masquerading as a new one.
I can say "where is my head?" in Korean. For some reason, I thought this particular sentence was hilarious this morning. I got a mosquito bite in the palm of my right hand. No part of me thought that was hilarious. Currently on the phone with a loan payment company. Also not funny. Apparently, it's insulting to say to someone younger "how old are you?!" when you're angry. Gotta love Korean culture and the emphasis on age.

Sherbert fingers and happiness

Last weekend was absolutely beautiful weather. Because of this, I decided to go to one of the few attractions my city has called Independence Hall. It's this really awesome museum about Korean independence that is surrounded by a beautiful park area. While I was there, I stumbled upon this Korean group dressed in their traditional Korean clothes doing a drum/dance thing that was really cool to watch and reminded me of all the festivals at home with street performers. It made it feel like the beginning of summer :). I was the ONLY foreigner there though, so that got me a lot of stares. I usually don't notice the stares but I was by myself so it became really obvious. I feel like so far this entry is being written in really short choppy sentences, kind of like emo kids that write blogs like this:
"went the park.
you were there.
and I smiled."
Those sort of entries always irritated me just a little but since they're so vague and I'm not really sure what they're trying to say...anyways. ALSO while I was at Independence Hall, I got ice cream. Yes, I am still addicted to ice cream. AND they have this super cool ice cream here that has ice cream on the top and apple sherbert on the bottom! It's like two ice creams in one! Because of all the excitement over two ice creams I didn't think about a spoon. Also, the way the ice cream is, it looks like an ice cream cone in a plastic cup so you can lick it. So I'm wandering around this beautiful park, looking at the Mound of Reunification when I decide I want the sherbert and I'm sick of the ice cream...and realize I have no spoon. Me being the resourceful woman I am, I think, "I will use my fingers." So I scrape off the top part of ice cream onto the grass and start digging out the sherbert with my fingers. There was no one else around, so I didn't feel rude or weird, it was just me and the reunification mound. When I finished, I felt pretty satisfied with myself being able to eat the sherbert despite not having a spoon when I gave the cup a little shake. I heard a tapping coming from the bottom, noticed you could remove the bottom, and found a spoon. AWESOME. I hoped at that moment no Koreans had seen me using my fingers because they probably would have thought I was disgusting. And I felt like an idiot.
Just think, that is one story out of hundreds of situations that I regularly find myself in. Without sarcasm, I honestly and truly LOVE MY LIFE! I live a good one, no matter how many awkward times I tend to get into. :)
AND I can't forget to mention, my best friend is pregnant again! For some reason, knowing that she has the opportunity to raise another beautiful child fills my heart with happiness. I am truly happy for her and her family.

I got sick and suddenly enjoyed being a teacher

It has definitely been far too long since I updated this….two months! A lot has happened but it’s hard to say everything especially since I usually forget what I did most weekends by the time Monday comes around. I was recently very sick and that was a really horrible experience. Not necessarily because I was sick, but because of how my boss reacted to it. Here’s an email I wrote to a friend about it (because it seems wasteful to write it out again): I started getting sick on Friday but thought nothing of it because I was just suddenly EXHAUSTED and wasn't super sick, just very very tired and could feel it coming. Saturday and Sunday I basically slept...but still didn't think of it much because I could handle it (with over 12 hours of sleep/night). In Korea, they go to the doctor for EVERYTHING so every time it's suggested to me I kind of brush it off. I think in America we're pretty against the doctor because it often costs us a lot of money. Anyways, Monday was pretty bad and I was definitely sick at that point. Tuesday morning my boss had to take my co worker to the doctor because she had been puking for 4 days straight at that point (that day made 5) and his wife noticed I was still sick so suggested I also go to the doctor. At this point I was still convinced that it was a nothing cold so I said no. It progressed so rapidly throughout the day I was so convinced I would be dead by 9:05 (when I get off work). So, around 7 or 8 I begged my boss to take me to the doctor. He told me, "Okay, I'll take you tomorrow" And I was pissed so I said, ""Fine. I'll just go by myself then" I didn't, I ended up just going home. But this is how I went home: my last class is off studying for their school exams so I technically have no last class. BUT my boss and his wife don't like me having 50 minutes less of work a day, so they come up with stupid things for me to do that are not part of teaching. So I just started to leave without saying anything and my boss started to call me back when I gave him the glare of death and he let me go home...but I did have to kind of get it out of him. SO Wednesday (sorry, this is not the short version) I was really sick, like.....really. I get to work and ask him to take me to the doctor and he says, "Now? Ummmm.....pause.....all the doctors are on lunch break" He says this all without looking up from his computer (he has a habit of dirty chatting with women) and I stand there and say, "Um, seriously?" "Yeah, it's lunch time" So no doctor. He said he would take me the next day. My friend, I am not lying when I say to you that in no way should I have been working nonetheless working with CHILDREN. I was a mess. I couldn't focus, I was constantly blowing my nose, I looked as if I'd been crying all night and that day, it was really awful. I should have just taken a sick day....but we don't get sick days. Literally....as in we don't get them. I basically let most of my classes play games and then finally when i had one class left I stood in his office (my eyes barely open because they were swollen) and said, "Tobin, you have to do something, your medicine is doing nothing and I am really sick. Please." And he ignored me. Until he was ready to talk. He basically talked to all the students that came into his office after me and left the office. He came back to find me still there so he said, "Ok, so you're sick. Go to any hospital you want and I'll just pay you back tomorrow" He wanted me to go alone to a hospital that doesn't speak English. So...I tried to contact Korean friends but it was kinda late and he didn't tel me where any hospitals were. I look back and think I should have asked but I was so sick...I just left and fell asleep with my phone in my hand trying to find someone to go with me. He woke me up later and yelled at me for not going but I didn't really care I just went back to sleep. The next morning I made sure to ask him to take me to the hospital BEFORE the magical doctors only lunch hour. I called him at 11:45 am and he said he would come pick me up then called me 5 minutes later and told me to come to the office. So I got there and then he told me we couldn't leave until 12:30 and I was so angry so I responded a little in anger and said, 'Then WHY did you tell me to come now?" Him: "It slipped my mind" I just laid back and closed my eyes in frustration and he said, "Why are you so grouchy" I couldn't take it anymore Shannon, he had been putting off taking me to the doctor and was acting like an ass so I yelled, "I'm grouchy because I'm (held back fucking here) sick and you keep making me work when you can clearly SEE I am sick" He FLIPS OUT And screams"(something in Korean) I didn't give you that cold, you could have gone to the hospital days ago...blah (he yelled for a while)" "Well, I ASKED you again to take me to the doctor and you said they were all on lunch AT THE SAME TIME!" So he storms off to throw some things around before coming back and saying, 'Fine, we'll go NOW" and as we are walking out the elevator he feels the need to add, "Jesus Christ, you are fucking piss me off" That's the whole story. I could only add that the doctor is dumb and all he did was take my temp and ask how many days of do nothing pills I wanted. I'm sorry the story was so long...but I am so angry. It's not just my story, either. My co worker who has been puking for 5 days straight got barely any treatment at the doctor either and my boss is just worried she won't have enough energy to work (his words, not my assumption). He doesn't care that we're sick, he cares if we can work or not BUT we cannot take a sick day. Those are not allowed. It just really struck me how childish, selfish, and prideful my boss is. I knew he was before, but I must have forgotten...it was just really awful to have to deal with someone that honestly has no care for anyone else.That’s the long version of the story, but that’s the whole story. I was LIVID at him for days and still have very little respect for him based on how he treats his employees and own wife. My Korean is coming along nicely. I now have two tutors and they are wonderful! I have a crush on one of them because he’s so kind, gentle, patient, and just really cute. Apparently they say men that look like him have soft faces. He also looks like a guy from my favorite Korean drama so that helps. I go to California in 4 weeks and I am really excited! I get to be a maid of honor, see my best friend, and see OTHER friends I haven’t seen in 8 months!! I also get to experience America again, but I’m not sure I’m all that excited about that particular aspect. I am starting to look for jobs in Japan and getting excited about moving to Tokyo. It’s going to be a completely different experience and I’m hoping I can do language school while I’m there too. It would be perfect for me to learn Japanese in Japan and be able to use that while applying to grad school. I’ve been loving my classes for the past two months and have gotten to the point where I really enjoy teaching. I love where I’m at right now in life and hope that continues! I also hope the weather will make up it’s mind here, it’s been hot then cold, warm then cold, and so on for few weeks now. I just want summer, please.