Long time no write

Ive been in Korea for 8 months. Wow. That sounds crazy. I can't believe that I am already 2/3's of the way done with my contract. Thats crazy.

I haven't written in a month. But, my what a busy month it's been.

I had a coworker perform something on the roof of a bar that sounds like something you'd see in American Pie 4: The Expat Chronicles. I guess everybody's working for the weekend...

I went to my first Korea wedding. It was short and sweet: Go in. Say hi. Drop off some cash. Go to the buffet with the rest of the non-family members. Hang around awkwardly until someone notices and offers to give me a ride home.

A new teacher was hired and fired. It could be because a college diploma couldn't be produced. Or perhaps it was the compulsive lying. Or maybe it was the frequenting of Ahnma "massage parlors." Who knows...

A one Kate Wiersema made a 10 day VISA renewal run to Korea. We boogied around and saw some sights. We went Bungee Jumping, Sky Coasting, and Ejection Seating(?). We saw one of the palaces, wore traditional Korean garb, went clubbin'... Twas a good ole time.

I had my second run in with the health care system. More back issues (surprise surprise...) I went to a western hospital. Luckily i had a Korean assistant who doesn't speak very good English and could hardly help. Nice try though:) The hospital took some really crappy x-rays, stretched me out on a weird machine, and prescribed me a pill cocktail. After interrogating the pharmacist as to pills they were trying to shove down my throat, it was revealed the medley consisted of a medicine used to treat cystic fibrosis, an ulcer medication, a laxative, and an anti-inflammatory. I then decided to go the "natural" way and try eastern medicine. The traditional Korean doctor took my pulse and looked at my fingernails. Shocked, he says "Stress! Don't drink the cold water." They then stuck some needles in my back, hands and feet. They also heated some ceramic cups with a device that was a cross between a blowtorch and a bunsen burner. These cups left giant hickeys all over my back. On my way out he gave me 3 Caprisun-like pouches filled with brown liquid and told me "you will not enjoy these."

I have also been booked to sing at not 1, but 2 Korean weddings.

Saturday I will be singing at my first wedding. An ex-coworker of mine is getting married. A few American teachers and I will be belting out the Disney classic "A Whole New World." This should be fun.

Hope all's well!


Here are pics to prove my story