What Joss is up to!

2012-01-23T13:52:00.004-03:00

Saturday was really hot, so we decided to spend the afternoon in Pirabeiraba, on the River Fleith. Just as we were leaving Joinville it started to rain and thunder.

Pirabeiraba is about 30 minutes from Joinville so we hoped it wasn't raining there.

Unfortunately it did start to rain after about half an hour but by that time we were wet from being in the river already.

Then some people left who were using one of the shelters, so we hung out under that.

2012-01-12T14:54:00.000-03:00

FINALLY, I have my e-ticket sitting in my inbox!

Talk about a Palava though! I spoke to a TAM representative from the US on Saturday. He said I need to call back on Monday to speak to the special department.

I called back on Monday and put in the request to change my ticket and was told to wait 48 hours.

On Wednesday I got an email saying to call the International Reservation Centre. They didn't actually give me the number to call and Google couldn't find it for me either. So I called a Brazilian number using the house phone. The Brazilian Guy I spoke to said it was impossible for me to change my ticket and I had to go to the airport to change it. When I asked could I go to Joinville airport, as it was a smaller aiport. He replied 'yes you have to go to the airport. I cannot change your ticket because it was purchased in the UK. You cannot change your ticket'

I ended up calling the UK call centre on skype and spoke to a rep there who told me the details of my new ticket and took my credit card details to pay for the change fee. Again the line was really bad but Lu was really helpful, changed my ticket and charged my card!! Silly Brazilian man knew nothing. Wonderful Lu said that I would get an email in 24 hours with my new ticket. If I didn't to call back again.

24 and half hours later, I got another email saying the credit number was wrong. I called the UK line AGAIN from Skype and explained it another Rep. He accused me of giving them the wrong number to which I replied ' No I didn't but the line was very bad so she could have misheard me.' After 10 minutes of being on hold and him taking my details again. He said it should be processed and I should get an email in about 10 minutes with my new flight.

Lo and behold 10 minutes later I FINALLY had my new ticket in my hand!!!

I will be back in the UK on March 30th!!

Extending a Tourist Visa in Brazil 2

2012-01-09T18:46:00.001-03:00

So we trundled back to the Federal Police with all my photocopies of my bank balance, my entry card, my credit card and all the forms and payments.
The guy asked Fabio a few questions.
Why was I staying longer - to be with him *sigh*
How long did I want to stay? 82 days.
Why 82 days? Because I had a wedding to go to.

He took the Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo DPF - 270 and the payment form, disappeared for about 10 minutes then came back stamped my form and passport and that was it!! Didn't want to see my bank balance, ticket or anything!

Turns out that was the easy part!

I now have to change my flight. Called Cheaptickets and was on hold for about 10 minutes, then skupe cut off just as I finally got to talk to someone.
Called again, on hold for 13 minutes, got to talk to someone, skype cut off!!!
Called again, on hold for 23 minutes, finally got to talk to someone at cheaptickets, who transfered me over to TAM who put me on hold AGAIN!!! Well at least it didnt cut out this time!

After 50 minutes on the phone they found out they had to work out the cost of the difference in my tickets manually because I had changed my flight. Everyone kept saying this to me but I hadn't!! Turns out the 'involuntary' changes the airline had done 4 times, made it impossible to work out the difference. A request has been sent, for it all to be done manually and I will find out in 48 hours what the cost is..... The good thing is that there is space on all the flights.... or there is now.. who knows in 48 hours!

I guess I will just have to sit and wait with my credit card in hand....

But looks like I will be in Brazil until the end of March! :D

Extending a Toursit Visa in Brazil

2012-01-07T11:10:00.000-03:00

I had found out that the school I was working at in the UK was having problems with student numbers (for a change!) and also that I was unable to move back to where I had been living in Leeds. I took this as a sign that I was meant to stay in Brazil for longer!I wanted to extend my Tourist visa until April, when I have to be in the UK for a hen party I am organising and also a wedding in which I am a bridesmaid!

The process seems to be pretty easy. This website was extremely helpful. So I printed off all the appropriate forms, photocopied a few things and printed off a bank statement. Fabio had decided it was better to say that we were just friends and I wanted to extend my stay to see more tourist things.

After taking a few buses, walking in the afternoon sun we finally got to Joinville Federal Police. We said that I wanted to extend my visa and the guy (I am not sure if he was an officer as he was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and didn't look very professional!) looked through my passport. He mentioned I had had Brazil a lot by looking at all the stamps. Fabio responded it was because we were 'namorar' or dating. So much for not saying we were together!! He seemed pretty satisfied with that. But told us to come back next week. They would renew the visa from that day and seeing as I still had time left on my current visa it made sense to do it later to make the most of it. He gave us the 'Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo DPF - 270' to fill out.

'Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo DPF - 270'

Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo

If you look at Official Use part it has tickboxes for:

Means of subsistence
Plane ticket
DARF - the Guia de Recolhimento da União
SINPI- I am not sure what this means, I think it maybe something to do with getting your finger prints or 'biological data'?
Financial capacity - how you will support yourself while in Brasil
Work Contract - to show you have a job back in the UK
Proposal by the lecturer - I think this is my reason for staying?

So anyone looking to extend their tourist visa, it is probably a good idea to have evidence of these.

We then headed to a Banco Do Brasil to to pay the 67 reais with a Guia de Recolhimento da União, so we have everything ready and will head back on Monday to complete it.

Fingers crossed it shouldn't be a problem..... More updates on Monday!

A very WET New Year

2012-01-03T08:42:00.000-03:00

Thursday
We went to stay at a friend's small 2 bedroom apartment for New Year. There was Claudia, her boyfriend and dog who own the apartment. Her mum, Dad, Brother, brother's girlfriend, brother's girlfriend's son, 2 of Claudia's friend's and me and Fabio!! So there were various mattresses all over the place and various games of musical mattresses! We got a couple of buses and arrived about 4pm. Claudia was working so we headed to the beach for a bit.
When we got back Cluadia was home and it started to rain, and rain and rain....

Friday
It was still raining, so we spent the day mooching around the apartment, eating, sleeping and drinking. One of Claudia's jobs is at the club Bali Hai and she had managed to get us free tickets that should have cost about £30!

The club was pretty amazing and after climbing up about 4 flights of very precarious wooden steps we reached the top of the cliff that the club was set in. It was a huge open air club with a main arena in the middle with streteched canvas covering the dance area, various other rooms set inside the cliffs and lots of wooden terraces and palm trees.

Brazil has the most stupid and annoying way of using tickets for everything. You literally had to line up to buy a ticket for a drink, then go to the bar to redeem your token. But you had to make sure you went to the right bar that served your drink, that was normally on the other side of the club!
We danced lots and walked home and got in about 7am!

Saturday
It was still raining and we were all really tired from the night out, so again lots of sleeping, drinking and eating again.

We were all awake and drinking champagne at midnight though. Unfortunately because of the rain we didn't go to the beach.

Sunday
It was STILL raining, so again, more drinking, eating and sleeping. We also played a lot of Pictureka
which really tested my Portuguese! There were cards with pictures on and you had to name something or describe the picture. It got a little heated but was lots of fun. My arguing skills in Portuguese are getting better!
In the evening it had stopped raining and we headed to Itapema for a look around the shops and something to eat.

We went to this amazing restaurant called Indaiá Restaurante
It was way up in the hills and had a great view of the bay.

Monday
On our final day, it stopped raining!!! So we spent the day at the beach!

Our bus back to Joinville was supposed to leave at 7. About 7.30 it turned up. The traffic was HORRENDOUS. It took us about 4 and half hours to get home, when it normally takes just under 2 hours.

All in all despite the wet miserable weather, it was a really fun new year!

2011-12-28T10:57:00.000-03:00

Christmas in Brazil

2011-12-23T15:51:00.001-03:00

In Brazil Christmas is celebrated on the 24th.. well midnight on the 24th.
On the evening of the 24th families tend to have a big meal and then will exchange gifts at midnight. There are fireworks, lots of drinking and the 25th is spent pretty much hungover!

We are each going to cook something for the meal. I wanted to make something traditionally English. I was going to make mince pies but they don't have mincemeat here and I was too lazy to make my own. Then I thought of trifle, but they don't have custard here. Or fresh cream. Or whole milk - only the UHT stuff. So I thought I would make fairy cakes and decorate festively. However they only seem to sell teeny weeny cake cases for truffles in the super market.

Seriously Brazil!!! Why are you trying to stop me from baking?!

So I opted for a Victoria sponge cake in a ring tin as that was the only cake tin in the house, with butter icing and some festive decoration.

The cake slightly fell apart because of the ring, and then was undercooked, so I had to put it back in the oven. Then the butter icing completely melted and it was pretty much a disaster!

We spent the Christmas Eve afternoon at a a friend's house by the pool.

We then headed home to finish cooking dinner and to put the presents around the tree!

For dinner we had salmon, Turkey, potato salad, tabbouleh and tuna salad.

After dinner we opened presents. We didn't wait until midnight as Fabio's brother had to drive back to Floripa.


Neuci - Fabio's mum

Fabio with his stocking!

I bought Fabio some gliders but it seemed his Dad was more excited about them!

Opening a present from Katy and Seb.
It was a union jack bag!

Fabio was very excited over his water pistol, unfortunately us and the dogs who he kept using it on weren't!

Charms Fabio bought me!

Feliz Natal!!!

Pool Day!

2011-12-23T15:22:00.000-03:00

Wednesday, we spent the day at a friend's apartment, at the pool!

In 39c heat, drinking champagne and eating pastels.

It was such a nice, relaxing lazy day and I could definitely get used to it!

Fabio, Me, Tiago - my 'brother from another mother', Tiago's Mum

Joinville Weather

2011-12-16T11:19:00.000-03:00

Joinville weather is schizophrenic.

The other day is rained really heavily for about 3 hours. As a result downtown was flooded.

Then again yesterday there was more rain and hailstones!!

There was also an amazing lightening storm.

And the weather today... glorious sunshine and 30°C!!! for now anyway!

Well, they do say that Joinville is the 2nd rainiest place in Brazil!!

Brazilian Engagement Traditions

2011-12-09T18:30:00.001-03:00

In Brazil when you are dating the couple both have silver bands,worn on the right hand. When you become engaged you have a gold band, again worn on the right hand. When you actually get married you then use the same ring on the left hand.

However both of us prefer silver, I wanted to wear the ring on my left hand being English and Fabio's finger on his right hand was fatter so it alternating to see which he prefers! A mix of both cultures!

He has my name engraved on the inside of his ring and I have his on the inside of my ring!

This article here gives you a bit more of an insight!

In case you hadn't guessed.. we are engaged!!

2011-12-07T11:57:00.001-03:00

Soon Monday I was supposed to teach. They called me at 8 saying they would pick me up at 9-9.30. Them being Brazilian I knew they would be late. 10.20 still no sign of them. I managed to get hold of them and find out that instead they would pick me up at 12 and we would have lunch together.

I have pretty much been doing nothing, so I was excited to have some students and lessons to plan, but being an hour and half late put me off. I tried to keep an open mind and went to have lunch with them.

It turns out they are a really nice family. I had lunch with them - they are vegetarian. I will be teaching the 2 very polite and eager to learn children for 2 hours twice a week, the Mum whose English is really good, 1 hour twice a week and their Dad, whose English is not good at all for 1 hour twice a week! After lunch they took me to the cinema as well.

The pay is actually pretty good. I will get 1000 reais per month for 32 hours per month. Last year at the school I got 850 reais per month for 160 hours a month!! Private students are hard to come by but when they do, it works out well!!

My first lessons were yesterday. They picked me up, fed me some breakfast. I taught the mum for an hour just conversation. Then the kids with some games and things for 2 hours. Then struggled a bit with the Dad for an hour, had lunch with them and then they took me home!

It's nice to be feeling a bit more productive again. Going from 2 jobs in the UK to just relaxing here, takes a bit of getting used to!

2011-12-04T21:34:00.001-03:00

This week I have mainly just been... going out!

On Thursday I went to Joinville Square Gardens. I went to a formatura there in January. But this time it was as a club. Instead of it being the main hall, it was the (mostly apart from the bits not sheltered by the rain) covered outside.

It was Tiko Groove and some other DJ playing Electronic music. Not normally my type of music but it was fun to get out and people watch. Apparently it is the cool thing to wear sunglasses... at night.. in a club... a dark club!

On Sunday there were some big football games on, so I went with a group a girls to Madrileño Bar to watch them. It was quite entertaining watching the crowds reaction and then there were two big fights between the teams. The best part was though, as there were 5 of us and being female we were given a bottle of smirnoff vodka! They have a really good system where you leave your name on it and can leave it behind the bar if you don't finish it all.

We then headed to Expresso where they were playing live Pagode. However I headed home early as tomorrow... I actually have some students to teach.. I think.... I had a conversation with some random women all in Portuguese but I think tomorrow morning I am teaching 2 children... I think...

We will see how it goes!

In the garden

2011-11-14T13:10:00.001-03:00

In the garden there is......
an ajabuticaba tree


Jabuticaba Tree

a passion fruit tree


Passion Fruit

a banana tree

And some pretty flowers....

New Year Traditions in Brazil

2011-11-14T12:37:00.001-03:00

In Brazil for New Year people tend to wear white as it symbolises harmony, balance, and can be used to purify energies for a peaceful new year.

Also the colour of your underwear is what determines what you want most in the year to come!!

Red - Passion and desire.
Yellow - Money.
Blue - Power and action.
Green - Health and justice.
Pink - Love.
Violet - Transformation
White - Peace

Most people will go to the beach for New Year and at midnight jump seven waves and throw flowers in the sea, while making a wish. This is also supposed to bring good luck and fortune.They say that the goddess who protects the sea will make their wishes come true. Because of that, some people also light candles in the sand on the beach.

We are heading to Portobello Beach today to stay at a friends and spend New Year there.

Happy New Year and see you in 2012!!!

2011-11-09T12:55:00.003-03:00

On Friday we helped a friend move from Joinville to Portabello Beach about an hours drive away. The apartment is about a 10 minute walk from the actual beach.. not jealous at all.

Portabello Beach

After moving everything, having some lunch and some beer and a nap (Another think I love about Brazil - napping!) we caught the bus to São José to see Fabio's brother and his fiancee. His fiancee's niece was in a dance show at Colegio Gardener, so we went to see that. It was all about Evolution and showed different dances through different time periods.

After we went to a rodizio de pizza. Basically you sit at a table, which has a a wheel that you can change to say if you want salgado (salty), doce (sweet), both or if you are full. They keep offering you pizza until you are full. The best one was a chocolate pizza with ice cream on!

On Saturday we headed to Lagoa da conceição in Floripa.

We had a sequencia de camarões, where they bring out shrimp in various recipes.

After this we walked along the coast, took lots of photos and ate ice cream.

Mirantes

In the evening I introduced them to veggie burgers, which went down as well as can be expected!

Fabio, Me, Neuci, Titi, Felipe

2011-10-31T11:05:00.000-03:00

We were invited to another BBQ. I love the fact that one minute we have no plans and then in half an hour we have too many plans. In England when I meet up with friends it requires a lot of planning, date/time changes. In Brazil you phone someone, go and buy beer and meat and the party begins!

At about 10pm at this BBQ a couple turned up with a baby. I would have thought it was way past this 4 months old baby´s bed time but she seemed quite happy. The music wasn´t turned down and she seemed quite content. Even when she went to bed, the party continued as normal.

Then at about midnight another couple turned up wth their 9 month old baby. Again she had no problems with the party, noise or random people and was still up at 3am when her parents left.

On one hand I like the fact that these parent´s socialising and lives don´t end when they have a baby but on the other hand what is the routine for the baby? How do the couple really surive with the lack of sleep a baby brings and still manage to socialise?!

Just another cultural difference Brazil has......

2011-10-28T09:42:00.000-03:00

I have finally go over the trauma of my flight.

Last weeknd was spent catching up with friends. We went over to Taby and Tiago´s for a BBQ.

We then decided to head to Luiz´s beach house and hung out there for most of the weekend and headed back to Joinville late Sunday evening.

The rest of the week I have been relaxing and catching up with more friends! :D

I hate TAM airlines

2011-10-24T07:57:00.000-03:00

Back in Brazil after quite possibly the worst flight I have ever had. I feel like that is a bit harsh as I did just manage to make all my connections and get here at the time I said I would, but not without problems.

First of all Brazil sent a plane over to Heathrow that was too small. TAM airlines were offering people checking in at Heathrow 400 pounds to go on the next flight. As I had flown from Manchester, I was already checked in and wasn´t offered this, as I may have taken it!! As we were boarding some people were being taken to one side, but no one was told what was going on. We sat on the plane the pilot announced we were going to fly via Recife. This is way up in the north about 1652miles frm Sao Paulo. Still not having a clue what was going on, we continued to sit on the plane. I earwigged on the girl´s conversation next to me and found out about the plane situation. We were going to fly via Recife to either change planes or change staff. I also found out that there were 2 spare seats, so the plane size was ok. After sitting for longer and it being half an hour past our alloted time. They then announced that they needed 3 volunteers to get off the flight. After more faffing and it sorted itself out. However by this time it was an hour past our slot and they cancelled the flight.

Cue lots of very unhappy people. We all got off the plane and went back through immigration and were at baggage claim. There were whispers of coachs waiting outside to take us to hotels but again no proper information. Then they wouldn´t give us our bags back as they said we would be using the same plane when we probably flew tomorrow. Nobody seemed to know anything, not even the staff.

Fortunately 2 hours after we should have flown they announced that we were going to fly that night and we all bundled onto the plane.

By this point I was so tired and happy to actually be on my way, I fell alseep, woke up later and nearly fainted. I am not sure if I was too hot or tired but there was something going on!

We finally arrived in Sao Paulo at 9.25am I should have arrived at 6.05am but I thought I would still have enough time to get my next flight at 11.55. I got in baggage claim and waited for my bags... and waited......and waited.... and waited..... for an hour. It was now 10.45am, no bags and still hadn´t checked in for my other flight. I kept asking people if more bags were coming out and was told to wait. Finally when there were 4 people left, they realised that our luggage had been lost. After more faffing and form filling and I was finially escorted through customs when I ran round like a headless chicken trying to figure out where to check in. It was now 11.15 and I was sure that check in had closed.

Eventually I found the right desk and burst in tears and kept saying ´´I have missed check in´. A rather bemused girl asked me where I was going and if I had any luggague, cue more tears as I said it had been lost. ´TAM?´ she said sympathetically (Seems it must be regualt occurence!), gave me boardng card, and pointed me in the right direction. Ran through security and surprise surprise actually mananged to make the flight!!!

The flight to Joinville was only about an hour wher I managed to squeeze myself into the tiny toilet and at least brush my teeth for the first time in over a day.

We spoke to rep at Joinville airport who told me my bags were in Sao Paulo and would probably be delivered today on the next flight at around 5. After calling them again later that night. We were told that actually my bags were in London and never made it on the flight!!!! and should probably come in tomorrow.
After a few more phone calls, my bags finally turned up on Saturday evening. Accompanied by a reciept confirming my bags had been recieved on the 6th Ocotber..... funny that I was still in the UK and hadn´t even packed then!!

What I found really frustrating about the whole flight was the lack of communication and information about anything. Even when they did give info in London, it was all in Portuguese so half of us never knew what was going on. When we were given information, most of the time it was wrong. TAM sort yourself out!!!

Happier post to come next time!

Back to Brazil

2011-10-19T18:38:00.000-03:00

After 7 months away from Brazil, I am heading back for just under 3 months.
I will be in Brazil for Christmas and New year! Looking forward to be in a sunny climate instead of the snow over Christmas... but will it be the same?

I'll keep you updated!!

2011-08-04T08:46:00.009-03:00

So the destination of choice was Winchester via the super cheap Megabus to see Rose and Keith.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the few days consisted of going to Winchester Cathedral.Walking round AlresfordWatching the alpacas in the back garden

and just general eating, drinking and relaxing in the garden!

2011-07-30T03:53:00.004-03:00

Again, it has been a while...

I met up with (nearly) all of my old uni friends. It was so god to catch up with them all, for Emily and I it had been over 5 years since we last saw each other!Then, it was a colleague's Wedding, much fun and dancing was had.Last week Sian came up we mostly ate, went to Betty's Tea room. shopped, ate some more, chatted, ate some more and .. oh ate some more!
Tomorrow I am off to Party in the Park and just found out I have no students so have next week off..... oh the possibilities!!

2011-07-05T12:42:00.002-03:00

It's been a long time, as nothing really has been happening. I have just been working lots!!
I have been working at the pub, teaching at the school, teaching private lessons and learning Portuguese.

All of my Arabic housewives have left for the summer, so we have lots of new students. At the moment I am teaching a weightlifter from Spain, a 16 year old boy and his Dad and another Saudi boy with the biggest afro ever. They dynamics in in the class are interesting to say the least!! It is nice to have a mix of langauges and students after having the same students for 14 weeks.

This month is going to be a busy one. Last weekend I went to see Footloose at The Grand Theatre, which was really good. This weekend, a Uni reunion, then a colleagues wedding, then another friend is coming up and then a possible visit from a friend from NYC.

However more importantly, I have booked a flight back to Brazil in October for about 3 months. I am super excited to spend Christmas and New Year at the beach and in the sun! :D

2011-04-24T06:14:00.002-03:00

It's been 3 weeks since my last post and I feel under pressure to write something....
But really nothing exciting has been happening.
I have just been trying to get back into a routine - which has been hard with all the bank holidays and long weekends.
The weather has been really nice and Katy and I have been checking out all the local beer gardens and just generally enjoying ourselves!!

2011-03-30T12:03:00.013-03:00

I arrived in Rio yesterday and am staying with a friend in Jardim Botânico.

She has a really nice apartment and is it nice to stay with her and her family and get a real perspective of Rio, not the touristy version.

Today we went to see Christ the Redeemer, unfortunately it was really cloudy, so I didn't get a view of the city but I did manage to get some good photos of the Christ.

After we had a quick walk around Parque Lage and Escola de Artes Visuais de Parque Lage

We then hung out in Leblon, did some window shopping and walked along the beach, while Grace's son has basketball practice.

2011-03-17T14:32:00.003-03:00

Finally we had a sunny day, so we walked to the zoo/botanical park. There wasn´t that much there but it was better than sitting at home!!

2011-03-15T10:25:00.002-03:00

One thing I had forgotton about but love about Brazil is the abilty to have random parties or gatherings at a moments notice. On Saturday, I went to an ex-collegue´s boyfriend´s Birthday, ate lots of fresh mussels, practised lots of portuguese and drank lots of tequlia.

Last night we had an impromptu dinner at a friend´s house. I love that. To see my friends in the UK, we have to organise it at least a few weeks in advance and plan everything, organise lifts, if people are staying over. Here in Brazil, it just happens and nobody stresses about any of it!

On Saturday, we have been invited to another ex-collegue´s boyfriend´s mum´s Formatura or Graduation. They are a HUGE deal here, so it should be exciting to experience it.

2011-03-13T18:21:00.009-03:00

Today I went to a Formatura of an ex collegue´s boyfriend´s mum!

A formature is basically a graduation but on a huuuuuuuge scale. This blog sort of describes the madness involved.

This one was at Joinville Square Gardens. There had been other parties he night before and this was the final one. Basically it was just another excuse to drink and dance. It was a big hall with seperate tables for each student.

All the student´s names were announced and the the student danced with their husband or wife, then children, then we all go to dance!

Lots of wigs, glasses and feather boas were produced and we all dressed up as well.

Chuva, Chuva, Chuva!!

2011-03-11T14:39:00.002-03:00

It´s been raining - A LOT. Downtown is flooded but some how yesterday we didn´t have any water...!

2011-03-10T15:12:00.007-03:00

I spent Carnaval in Portobello, at a friend's beach house a beach town about 2 hours drive from Joinville.

I had toyed with the idea of going to Salvador for Carnaval but didn't think I was up for the crowds, sweaty bodies and groping that would happen.

This video gives you an idea of it all.

It was a pretty chilled affair with lots of drinking, lying on the beach and eating.

The first night we went to Bombinha's and there was a parade and a beach party.

The weather was pretty good, as in Joinville at the moment, all it seems to do is rain!

Yesterday it was Joinville's 160th Birthday and there was a parade and an exhibition centre. I managed to get a rose for being a woman, a recycled bag and a coconut plant!
However it began to chuck it down again, so we only saw part of the parade.

Brassssil!

2011-02-27T20:24:00.013-03:00

I finally made it to Brazil. After about 3 days of travelling!

I flew to London on Monday evening and was picked up by my wonderful friend and spent the night at hers, as opposed to 18 hours sitting in Heathrow. I then went from London to Texas about 10 hours. Then Texas to Rio - another 10 hours. Then Rio to Sao Paulo - about an hour, then Sao Paulo to Joinville - about 45 minutes!!!

Everything went really well, no missed or delayed flights, no weirdos sitting next to me. And I had 2 seats to myself on every flight.

On Saturday I attended my first Brazilian wedding!

It was in the evening, which I was surprised at. They don´t have bridesmaids and best men but Godparents who walk down the aisle before the bride. Before Lila entered the church there was a fanfare, then the doors were flung open and she walked in. Obviously I did not understand much of the service. The Vicar gave a speech and then they exchanged vows and that was it.

Throughout the whole service, there were wedding planners running round with head sets, 2 video cameras and about 3 photographers!!

The reception was at the local tennis club and if your name wasn´t on the list, you weren´t allowed in!

All the way up the stairs to the room, there were huge posters and photos of the couple. The reception was a buffet and you sat where ever you wanted.

When the couple entered the room, there were fireworks and they gave a short speech. There was a slide show of photos and then a cheesey spoof music video they had done.

Then there was lots of drinking and dancing, a fire show, a cocktail bar, a band, a man in drag, the catching of the bouquet for women, the catching of a bottle of whiskey for the men!

I got home about 6am with a feather boa, framed picture of the couple, 2 hawian leis, some cake and the flower table setting!!

2011-02-07T13:37:00.002-03:00

Well, it's been a while...

I had a slight change of plans. I was going to go and teach in Mexico but decided it wasn't the right choice . For the past 2 months I have been living in Leeds, teaching Arabic housewives, living with 2 of my great friends, catching up on lots of missed time with other friends, working in a pub and missing Brazil.

I managed to change my ticket to Mexico to... Brazil! So in 16 days (not that I am counting!) I am heading back to Brazil for 5 weeks, to be part of a Brazilian wedding, actually try and learn Portuguese and of course see some of my favourite Brazilians!

2010-11-30T14:59:00.005-03:00

So on Saturday I had my leaving party... not my goodbye party, as I am hoping I will be back, more a see you in a bit party.
I have been extremely fortunate here and made a great circle of friends. The party was really no different from our normal kitchen parties that seem to happen, except I had all my favourite Joinvillians together at the same time.
I was presented with a bottle of top quality Cachaça off my brother from another mother who was born on the same day, month and year as me!Lots of lovely words were said, that gave me a very big head, made me cry, and made me determined to return.

5 years on, I finally return to Salvador

2010-11-26T14:53:00.006-03:00

After 5 years I finally made it back to Salvador.

I was actually really nervous about going back for several reasons.

One was when I have travelled here I have been with Monica who speaks fluent Portuguese, so I was slightly concerned about my shameful and appalling lack of Portuguese.

Also I was leaving my safe comfortable bubble of European Brazil and heading up north which is much poorer and therefore more crime and favellas. I would be travelling alone and with out the safety net theoretically of CCS like last time. (Obviously anyone there would be there to help me if I needed it) But it was me that had to get my self to and from the airport and over to see frutos.

The main reason for my anxiousness was last time I was in Salvador, it was amazing, incredible and a life changing experience. After 5 years I was concerned I was just seeing it through rose tinted glasses or that something would happen to make me hate the place, or that it was as amazing as I remembered.

Turns out I was wrong. On all counts.

I managed to get myself all the way from Joinville to Curitiba, to Curitiba airport, to Sao Paulo, to Salvador, from the airport to the hostel, all by myself, with my baaad Portuguese, without being mugged or getting lost. Good start!

I got to my hostel - Che Lagarto about 7.30, called Jonas, my Capoeira teacher from 5 years ago and we headed into Pelourinho. It hadn’t really changed and it was really strange to be back there after all these years.

On Monday I headed over to the CCS house to see the staff that had played such a huge part in my experience last time. They had moved to a different house that was roughly in the same neighbourhood. So armed with my google map I set off several hours earlier as I knew I would get lost. I actually ended up finding the old house – or at least where it used to be. It had been knocked down and huge apartments had been built there.

I got to the house and Vini was picking up the volunteers from Placement. Vivienne was there and Lolo the cleaner. I got the biggggggest hugs off Lulu and she gave me a tour of the massive house, that can take up to 45 volunteers. The volunteers came back and I caught up with Vini and had lunch with them. Also much to my surprise I knew 2 of the volunteers!! Judy and her husband! Judy used to work in the Canada office and all of us did the Guatemala program and I travelled with them up to Quezeltanango!!

On Tuesday I decided to head to Frutos, again I was pretty nervous about going. I would not be being chauffeured around by CCS and would have to get a bus into one of the favellas. I had spoken to the guys at the hostel and their reaction when I told them where I was needed to get off the bus didn’t fill me with confidence! I ended up getting the bus to Bonfim Church and then got a taxi to Frutos.

The neighbourhood Frutos is in

I completely recognised the place and was let in by the guard. He obviously knew I was a volunteer – some white girl turning up - and he showed me to the classrooms where the CCS volunteers were. I tried to explain that I was an old volunteer and wanted say hi to Sara – who I had been in contact with. I felt like a bit of a fraud and hoped they didn’t think I was just some random walking in off the street. He then showed me to the class room with the 1 and 3 year olds. I literally walked into the classroom and within 2 seconds had a child wrapped around each leg shouting ‘Tia, Tia’. And my heart completely melted. I spent the next few hours being smothered in hugs, kissing as many kids as I could, giving hundreds of cuddles and pinching myself to make sure it wasn’t a dream. The kids here are adorable and very very stark contrast to the kids I have been teaching in the south.

After playing with the kids, it was lunch time, so I was helping feed them. I had seen the teacher who was in my class years ago, she was the cook now but I hadn’t said hello. I really didn’t think she would remember me after 5 years and goodness knows how many volunteers, I hadn’t said anything. I was feeding the kids and she walked past me and said hello, then did a double take, squealed Jossee and gave me the biggest hug ever. I was so so surprised. She completely remembered me I honestly couldn’t believe it. I felt so proud that I must have made some small difference last time for her to have remembered me.

By this time Sara had arrived back and we sort of chatted in my baaaad Portuguese. I kept saying how surprised I was to be remembered and she kept telling me what a special volunteer I was and I would always be in her heart. (I bet she says that to all the volunteers but still!)

Frutos De Maes had recently closed because of admin problems. Tia Mira set up the place as a family business to help out people, and it grew and grew. When I was there 5 years ago here were about 300 kids. As amazing as the place is Tia Mira didn’t have the business skills – that’s what it is – a business. Donations stopped coming in and Tia Mira became ill. Fortunately an Italian priest has stepped in and is providing funding for the next 2 years. After this they should be sustainable, and with new administration it is back open. There are only about 85 children there now but hopefully it will flourish again.

I am working with them to create a website for them to help attract sponsors and funding. So quick plug here. It is coming up to Christmas, so how about spending a little less this year on gifts that we really don’t need and donate to Frutos De Maes instead. I will update more later.

The AMAZING, wonderful, hard working staff at CCS Brazil.

I headed to the CCS house again as Grace was supposed to be over from Rio. Her and Vini had just left for lunch. I got some lunch and chatted with the volunteers until they arrived. It was so good to see Grace. We went for ice cream and had a fantastic talk about Brazil, how I felt the first time round, how I felt now, what I had done since Brazil, everything, the impact of the volunteers. Grace is an amazing woman and I feel honoured to have her a as a friend. I couldn’t believe that after 5 years I was sitting there with her. Her and Vini and the rest of the staff do such a fantastic job. It is too hard to describe, unless you have done a CCS program, you just don’t understand. This program literally changed my life. I know it sounds corny but, I feel as if the program in Brazil was the catalyst for how my life turned out.

The rest of my time I spent catching up with friends, I went to the São Joaquin open market. It is a public market abut 15 minutes outside the city where all the locals shop. I somehow managed to end up in the meat part. I was hoping to avoid it as last time it was not a great experience. After a lot of gagging, flies, livers, stomachs and intestines I made it out the other side and did some shopping. I love this market as it really feels like Brazil, the smells – some good some bad, the amazing array of fruit and the fact you don’t have people hassling you like in the tourist areas. I was also super proud of myself for finding it and getting the bus there by myself again! Have a look at some of the pictures of it here.

Porta da Farol at night

So once again an amazing trip to Salvador to catch up with some inspiring and wonderful people. Hopefully it won’t be so long next time.

flowers, farms and fun!

2010-11-15T12:25:00.008-03:00

It was another long weekend instead of travelling though, I stayed in Joinville.

Saturday night, I went to a very civilised and grown up dinner for a friend's Birthday. This then led us to another friend's house where some Wii was played, when he fell asleep, we went to another friends house to play the PSP version of Wii, at 6am when he wanted to go to sleep, we headed to Adriano's for some food, which was packed full of people for 6am on a Sunday morning!!

On Sunday I went to an Orchid Festival at Expoville which had some really beautiful flowers and orchids.
Sunday evening, we headed over to a friend's farm. It was only about a 30 minute drive and was soo cute!! There was a huge plot of land with a 2 small lakes, horses, chickens, a well. The house just looked like a barn, but inside it was so cute and farm housey!

This is my last week at school.... not quite sure how I feel, I really don't want to leave Brazil, but I don't think the school is the best fit for me!!

Random things I have observed while in Brazil...

2010-11-11T11:29:00.007-03:00

Brazilians like cold beer - I mean REALLY cold beer. If they have half a can left which is slightly warm, they will throw it away rather than drink it. I have been involved in many discussion about ale and beer and why English people drink warm beer.

Brazilian couples are not shy. As a stiff upper lipped British person, I am not used to couples kissing (very passionately!) in restaurants, buses, bars, supermarket lines, on the street, in the car, at the park, outside the bathroom etc. etc.

Brazilians when leaving their rubbish out to be collected they have these:Which if you think about it make sense. It is off the floor so it doesn't attract animals. However if it's really heavy and you catch it on the side when you are struggling to lift it up and rotten rubbish explodes onto you.. not so good.

In the bikini department.. the smaller the better, for men and women. Brazilian beaches are not for the fainthearted. I was going to post a picture, but I didn't want to offend any stiff upper lipped British people.

Brazilians need no excuse for a party or a day off. Since being here I have had about 1 long weekend a month for Saint's day, Independence day, Proclamation of the Republic day and other random things. Also if the day lands on a Tuesday? Do we work on the Monday - heck no!! Holiday on a Wednesday? Why not just have Monday and Tuesday off!

I am sure there are some other things... but I can't think of them now.....

Just remembered!!
Cocktail sticks! Normally if there are nibbles on the table, pieces of cheeses, chips anything, they are always accompanied by.. cocktails sticks!! not forks, Brazilians tend not to use their fingers but cocktail sticks!!

2010-11-07T09:41:00.004-03:00

Well, this had been the week to book flights!!
I have my flight all organised for Mexico, the next new and exciting adventure.
My flight back to the UK is booked. I finish school on the 19th November and fly out of Brazil on the 3rd December.

During the 2 weeks I have to do nothing I am FINALLY after 5 years heading back to Salvador, where I did my first CCS program and the catalyst for how my life so far turned out! I am so excited to get back there and visit my old placement. I have been in touch with them on and off for the past 5 years and am curious to see how much it has changed and if the kids from my class are still there!

It still hasn't hit me that I will be leaving Brazil. I have a great circle of friends here, school can be crazy but I have other distractions to make it bearable.
Random parties always seem to happen.

BBQ's and Dinner invites are abundant.

Long holiday weekends seem to be every month. But on to the next adventure... and then maybe I will settle down...... maybe!

Florianópolis

2010-11-02T20:08:00.003-03:00

It was another long weekend in Brazil - it was All Souls Day, so we headed to Florianópolis for the a few days. It is only about 2 hours on the bus and we left Saturday morning. It was much nicer to have a 2 hour journey rather than 12 hours!!

We stayed at a really nice hostel called the Backpackers Sunset, highly recommend it!
Floripa has 42 beaches so as you can guess we spent 90% of the time on the beach!
We basically just ate, relaxed, sunbathed and drank for 3 days! It was much needed!!

Tehuacán, Puebla Mexico

2010-10-24T13:13:00.008-03:00

So for my next adventure I will be heading to Tehuacan in South Mexico!

I am going to be teaching with a school called Help! for 4 months from January 1st to April 30th and then will head to NYC for 10 days to catch up with everyone there!

I found this blog and this one by teachers who did the same program and think that this will be my school and apartment that I will be sharing!
The main reason for choosing Mexico was to learn Spanish.. wish me luck!!

2010-10-19T20:36:00.008-03:00

Saturday a group of us went to Oktoberfest in Blumenau it's after Munich, the second-largest "beer celebration" of the world.

The journey was about 2 hours and involved preparing for the festival by drinking.
There was a parade of different clubs like the shooting club and jeep club.We then went to a German Park where they had a hall with different beers and music.

2010-10-17T09:52:00.005-03:00

On Saturday we went to Rio Piraí which is a river about 20 minute drive from Joinville. It was kind of strange to have such sort of tropical forest so close.

As it is still spring here, the river wasn't very busy. Apparently during summer it gets really busy.
We just swam and relaxed by the side of the river and it was just nice to be somewhere different!

Gramado

2010-10-17T09:16:00.008-03:00

Well I am back... my computer has been out of action and I have actually developed a social life so I have been pretty busy!!

Last weekend as a long weekend so we went to Gramado in Rio Grande do Sol, the next state down. It is a very pretty, European town known for its chocolate and wine!

We went to a few chocolate factories and got lots of free samples!

We went on a wine tour, of which the first stop was a pot and pan outlet store. All theBrazilians seemed very excited to be there and took lots of photos!!

We finally got to a proper vineyard and had a tour of how it was made.

And then for the best part of the day, a wine tasting class!

There was also a wine festival going on where you could buy a glass and then a coupon for 6 tasting.

We also went to Canela and Parque do Caracol to walk down and back up the equivalent of of a set of stairs 40 stories high!

We then spent most of the time sitting in cafes, eating and drink the best hot chocolate ever!! It was hot milk, with cream on top and a bar of chocolate melting in the milk!

2010-09-21T23:04:00.003-03:00

Last weekend we headed to Curitiba which is about a 2 hour bus ride from Joinville. We got a taxi from the bus station to the Botanical Gardens to get on the Linha Turismo bus, only to dinf out that the people at the bus station knew nothing and that we could have got the tourist bus from the bus station.

The first stop was Museu Oscar Niemeyer who is a famous Brazilian architect.

We also headed to the Curitibian version of Little Italy which wasn't that great!
The weather was pretty cold, so we didn't use up all our stops on the ticket, so I think we will head back when the weather is warmer.

Besides that things have been pretty quiet, busy at work with extra lessons with the teenagers and I will be preparing students for the Cambridge Young Learners Exam as well.

2010-09-08T20:34:00.001-03:00

This is an interview that a local station did at the school.
Look out for the small boy in blue, with curly hair - he was the one who told me to go back to where I belong!!!

2010-09-07T08:40:00.007-03:00

well where to start.....
Last week it was my Birthday which also coincided with test/cake day at school.
Basically the kids make cakes, are literally fed spoonfuls of pure sugar - as long as they ask for it in English - then batter, then the bowl is put on the table, the teacher shouts attack and they all go for the bowl..... then they are expected to sit down and do a test!!!!

For my Birthday we went for dinner at the amazing all you can eat buffet place again.

Then a group of us from work headed to the public market for some drinking and dancing to the live band.

This weekend was Declaração de Independência do Brasil so we had a long weekend. We decided to take the 12 hour bus ride to Iguaçu Falls. It was amazing!!

As the falls border Argentina and Brazil, we decided to head over to Argentina for the day to see them from both sides. The views were incredible and the photos and videos do not do it justice!

2010-08-29T19:56:00.004-03:00

This Saturday we had a party for Nelson's birthday. On Saturdays it is typical to eat feijao so Marcia had made a huuuuuuge pot of it for the party. There was lots of dancing, lots of beer, lots of caipirinhas and lots of new people! It was lots of fun and great to meet some new lovely people!

Today we went to Estrda Bonit, which is a long round in the countryside, in Joinville. Along the road are lots of different farms that sell homemade cheese, bread, jam etc.

We found another little cafe with an all you can eat home-made buffet. They seem to be everywhere, which is great as it is cheap, but not going to be good for my waist line!!

2010-08-21T21:46:00.005-03:00

Today we went to São Francisco do Sul it is about an hour busride from Joinville and was 17 reals return which is about £6.

It is a really cute little port town, we hada really nice lunch on a pier and a wander round the town.

We were going to try and stay in a Pousada (the local definition for guest house) but they were more expensive than we wanted. We were talking to a guy who owned a local night club, but lived in Joinville, who said we could get in free to his club and then just stay at the club for the night! It was a really nice club and we managed to take some photos from the balconies but declined his offer and headed home.

2010-08-15T10:38:00.002-03:00

On Saturday Marcia (my boss' sister in law) called and said she would show Monica (my new house mate) and I around Joinville.

Her family are really big sailors and they have a boat at Joinville Yacht Club so we headed down there for a look around and a coffee.
Every Saturday they have have a band playing Samba or Forra, so we sat and had a few beers there.

After we went to Joinville Tennis Club and had some lunch and caipirinha. It was a really nice day but totally different from my experience in Salvador. Yachts and tennis clubs are not really a big thing in Salvador as it is a much poorer area.

2010-08-08T10:28:00.006-03:00

So Saturday was actually quite sunny!
I attempted to try and find downtown and the shopping mall... I didn't. But I did take some photos!

The house!

View from the front garden and 'Big' Supermarket

View down the street.

Today is Father's Day in Brazil, so we went round to my boss' brothers house for a biiiig meal and Moqueca. Between about 9 of us we went through 13 bottles of wine, a huge clay pot of moqueca, another one of paella and 4 different desserts!!

2010-08-06T20:04:00.002-03:00

Well I survived my first week!

I had mixed ages from 5/6 upto about 11/12. It all went pretty well but is totally different from Korea. The kids here are very lively, talkative and as a whole lack discipline. It was difficult to get them to sit down and stop talking. However a noisy talkative class is always better than a deathly silent one!

I did have one incident with one of the younger ones. I was playing a game and it was time to finish. But it was the little boy's turn and he did not take to kindly to it being finished before his turn. He proceeded to throw a full on tantrum - proper Super Nanny Style. He then told me he didn't like me, to go back to where I belong and that he was never coming to school again because of me!! All in perfect English, so at least that was good! I ended up leaving him in one room but he followed me, sat next to me and continued to tell me he didn't like me!!

Needless to say I was pretty much dreading the next lesson. He was pretty ok with me. At one point he was losing the game and I could see he was about to throw a tantrum, I managed to calm him a little but then another student set him off and they launched in to a full on fight! This class is pretty difficult, I have to sit them all at opposite ends of the carpet so they can't touch each other, kick each other, bite etc.. Seeing as none of this was aimed at me, I thought it was a pretty successful lesson!

Also, the weather here has been COLD!!! I was told it would be cold and was thinking hmph I am from England. However the state I am in actually had snow!! I have about 3 blankets on my bed and have been wearing my leggings under.

I'm going to have a mosey around Joinville this weekend so hopefully expect some pics!

Being a foreigner

2010-08-01T19:05:00.004-03:00

What has really struck me in Joinville is that I don't stand out. I am so used to being in Korea and sticking out like a sort thumb. In some ways it is really annoying constantly being stared at. In other ways it gives you a lot more leeway for getting away with things! People tend not to ask you do surveys or harass you to sign up for credit cards etc.

However Joinville is made up of German, Swiss and Norwegian immigrants, so I don't stick out. In one way this really nice, I don't feel as self concious and I can blend in. But it also means that people do ask you to sign up for credit cards or try and advise you on what iron to buy, or if you want to use your hipermarket card. Then when you dumbly stare at them, they just think you are an ignorant person. Hence why 'Nao fala Portuguese, eu sou inglesa' is the phrase I am using the most at the moment!

There is a great quote at school:

I'm a world citizen
the whole world is my home
I am not a foreigner
no matter where I roam

Showers in Brazil

2010-08-01T18:51:00.007-03:00

We have 3 bathrooms here that all have showers. As I appreciate my life I only use one of them.

Brazilian showers are electric.. fine you think.. basically Brazilian showers zap the water with electricity usually in the form of bare wires taped to the shower with insulation tape.

One looks pretty harmless but apparently when you turn on the water you get shocked.
Also you get hot water at the sink I have to plug it in... above the sink....

One seems to work fine and there are no bare wires.

The third looks like this.....

Don't worry Mum and Dad, I sent you the details of my insurance policy!!

2010-08-01T18:24:00.002-03:00

Saturday was pretty much spent pottering around, making my room a bit more homely, I went for lunch with my boss.

The garden we have is pretty big, we already have an orange tree, lemon tree, papaya tree, some random berry plant, mint, a straggly tomato plant and other random things we have yet to identify.
We have decided to try and grow a few more things and I have planted some tomatoes, lettuce and peppers... lets see how they go!

Today the heavens opened it pretty much rained and thundered all day. I went to Curtitiba which is also where I flew into. It about an hour and half drive. We went to Jardin Grill which was a huge buffet with lots of really nice food. Oh and lots of waiters running round with swords full of dripping dead flesh that would come and carve it at your table! One was so rare that it was called 'screaming cow'!!!

Well first day teaching tomorrow... wish me luck!!

2010-07-31T08:29:00.002-03:00

I made it!!!
I realised that when I left Brazil the last time, my flight to Sao Paulo was getting in as my London one was boarding. I never went through immigration or customs, so officially I may still have been in Brazil…. For the past 5 years.
So armed with my fake hotel vouchers, refundable one month airfare and no exit stamp to go to Brail to work on a tourist visa for 6 months, I was all prepared with my low cut top, sob story and dumb blonde look. Turns out I ended up with a woman, who asked me nooo questions at all. I nearly danced out!

I was picked up from the airport and we then got stuck in a huge traffic jam. We headed to the school to pick up some towels and things and I met some of the other teachers. I had forgotten how friendly Brazilians were and after travelling for over 24 hours I am sure they regretted hugging and kissing me!

We then headed to the house which is huuuuge! And we have adopted the cutest cat ever with blue eyes. The house has 4 bedrooms 2 living rooms, 3 bathrooms, an indoor kitchen, a huge out door covered kitchen with a breakfast bar, sofa and table and also a gravel area with a fire pit and some flower beds, that I may try to grow something in. There is only 2 of us at the moment with another teacher due to arrive a in a few weeks and another in September.

Across the street is a small shopping mall and supermarket – literally right across the street. The school is about a 5 minute walk around the corner, a train station on the other side of the supermarket and down town I am guessing about a 30 minute walk.

The first day at school was fine – as it was Friday and there are no kids just meetings and planning. I will have classes that are about an hour and hour with around 5-6 students in each class. It all seems to be very free and flexible where we can basically teach how we want and what we want, as long as it loosely ties to the books.

After work I headed for a few drinks with a couple of the other teachers and then headed home for some dinner. We had random people dropping in all night ranging from ex teachers to the neighbour and his friends Turns out our neighbour is the landlady and complained there had been a few too many noisy parties – which actually consisted of her son and his friends! I really need to get on learning Portuguese. Although I do actually understand some and I feel like as I know the characters I at least have a head start!!

Then about 11.30 anther teach came to pick me up and take me to pub where her cousin was playing. It was the strangest mix of people , ranging from what looked like 12 year olds with braces, to cougars, to 70s throw backs, people dressed in 40s clothes all dancing to Britpop and 60s music. It was a fun night though.

Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming that already I feel comfortable here. The difference between here and Korea is sooo vast. I feel like everything is so much easier here. People at work speak amazing English and I ….. don’t…….. have …….. to……talk….really…….slowly, I understand some of the language already and there are no strange dried fish products! Although I have found my self bowing, serving drinks with 2 hands and saying ‘kamsamneeda’ and using Korean when I don’t know the word in Portuguese!

Queen of packing!

2010-07-27T07:29:00.005-03:00

3 pairs of trousers, 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of cropped trousers, 2 pairs of leggings 25 tops, 2 pairs of pyjamas, 6 dresses, 2 jumpers, 1 cardigan, 2 scarves, 1 rain coat, swimming costume, tankini, bikini, 15 pairs of underwear, 3 bras, 7 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of shoes, first aid kit, toiletries, Portuguese dictionary, grammar book, Portuguese text book, flashcards, alphabet letters, card games, stuffed teacher pencil case, laptop, mini hard drive, phone charger, camera charger, hair dryer, straighteners, jewellery case, sewing kit...

Gosh... I'm good!

Next Adventure....

2010-07-21T12:49:00.003-03:00

So finally finished the CELTA course much to the relief of all the trainees on the course.
We don't officially find out the results off Cambridge for about 6 weeks and by that time I will be well out of the country and on my way toooooo.............. Brazil!

Finally after 5 years of declaring my love for the country and wishing to be back there I am finally going!!! I am going to a completely different area than Salvador so am not expecting it to be exactly the same but still realllly excited! I will be living with 2 guys and a girl from the US and teaching teenagers (eek!). I fly out next Wednesday and there may be the possibility of trip to Peru to see a friend.. but who knows. As always my life is subject to change depending on what cheap flights I can get!

I also have all my uni girlfriends coming to stay, we have not been together for about 3/4 years and a few are missing this time round. But with the introduction of grown up life, husbands and babies, you can't have everything!

3 weeks in....

2010-07-09T10:57:00.005-03:00

3 weeks, 6 observed lessons, 3 assignments and about 20 students later.... I am nearly there!
The work isn't difficult but there is LOT of it.

For an hour lesson plan, you have to do the lesson plan, white board plan, student interaction, timing, language focus sheet, vocab analysis handouts etc. You then have a million things to remember to do while teaching the lesson, such as making sure you elicit, concept check, error correction, drilling and actually teach and stick to your lesson plan and deal with any random questions that the students decide to throw at you.

Then after you have to fill out a self evaluation form, then have feedback from the other trainees in the room. Then sort out all of this in your CELTA portfolio.

Typically you have 2/3 lessons a week, so you have to do this 2/3 times a week!! You also have about one assignment a week to do on top of this. They are normally about 1,000 words. The ones I have done are:

interviewing and analysing a students language skills
one basically creating a lesson plan based around authentic material
one focusing on language function
analysing your own strengths and weaknesses as a teacher

In the mornings we have input lessons about things like methodology, lesson planing, authentic material etc and then there are the teaching practices in the afternoon. You are expected to implement everything you were taught the day before and the day before that.. and that.. and that.. etc in your lesson the following day.

I am learning a lot but there is soooo much to take in. I am at the stage where I want it all just to be over!! It is a course that you just have to slog through and know you will get there in the end.
If teaching English is a career path you want to do and you have no qualifications, I really would do the CELTA right away. Online TELFs are generally not accepted as they do not have any observed teaching time.

2 lessons, 1 assignment and one week left.....

2010-06-27T05:15:00.002-03:00

Well.... I survived my first week on the CELTA course..... just!! It is pretty intensive and long days. Typically in the morning we have an input session and learn about lesson planning, phonetics, concept questions etc. Then in the afternoon we teach. There was no grace period. I started on Monday and on Tuesday I was teaching. It's tough. Even though I have lots of experience, when you have a room full of students, 6 other trainees and an assessor watching you, making sure you include everything you learnt the day before in you lesson I tend to turn in to a quivering teacher like mess!!! Some of the feedback I have received is that I am not aggressive enough and come across as very nervous. Anyone who knows me knows this is not me!!! Yet I am petrified when I know I have to teach. This week I did 2 30 minute lessons and 1 60 minute lesson. I thought they all went pretty badly but apparently I am improving and can't be that bad as one of the students asked why I wasn't teaching a lesson that day!

I worked on my lesson plan and assignment for 8 hours yesterday and had a well earned break and went out in Huddersfield - the first time in about a year and half! Yet I still saw people I knew. I definitely feel like I have regressed to be a student again, moving back to my old house from when I was a student and having lots of studying to do!

Three more weeks, 5 more observed lessons and 3 more assignments to go!!!

2010-06-17T07:46:00.003-03:00

So I have been sort of back in the UK for 3 weeks now.

It was strange to come back and be able to understand everything, order food and know exactly what was coming, be able to get on buses and trains and know it was the right train.

It also felt like Korea didn't really happen, that is was some sort of dream or hazy memory. Everything here is pretty much the same, I am in the same situation I was a year ago, jobless and back with my parents, so nothing had changed.

After a week in the UK, I went over to Denmark for a long weekend to see a friend I met while volunteering in Ghana. It was so good to see her after nearly a year and half and Copenhagen is beautiful but expensive city.

Last weekend I headed to Stevenage to see an old uni friend, Cambridge to see an old Helsby friend and London to see an old NY colleague. Then back to Helsby for a few days and today I move up to Huddersfield for a month to do a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults.

It is a super intensive course that requires me to do observed teaching, assignments, lessons plans and all kinds of hard work! Most jobs in Europe require a CELTA and I think it will be good to get some proper official training!

So I am going to be M.I.A for the next month!!

Busan

2010-05-25T02:19:00.002-03:00

My last weekend is Korea was spent in Busan with a few of my favorite buddies I have made in Korea. Fortunately it was Buddha's birthday, so it was a long weekend.
I got the bus to Deajeon on Thursday night, spent the night at Claries, then Louise, Claire and I got the KTX to Busan Friday morning.

Busan is supposed to be the Korean equivalent of San Francisco, with really nice beaches and a laid back feel.

Friday was absolutely gorgeous and we spent the day pottering around, shopping and exploring Busan.

In the evening we headed to the uni district where all the bars and clubs were and danced up a storm.

Saturday we headed out to the beach and as we stepped out of the hotel realized it was raining and raining and raining!! So again we spent the bay shopping, sitting in coffee shops, eating and just generally chatting.

Sunday, it was still raining, so we found a really cute coffee shop and had a bargain of a breakfast!

I didn't get to see as much of Busan as I had hoped but I got to spend some wonderful quality time with really good friends, who I don't know when I will see next - so that is the most important thing!!

I think you can see the pictures here!

Last weekend in Gunsan

2010-05-17T09:19:00.005-03:00

Well, my last weekend in Gunsan was definitely fun filled!!

Friday night, I went out for dinner and then met up with some other friends and we shared a few beverages!

Saturday, I had a mini garage sale in an attempt to get rid of all of my stuff and then had bbq on Liz's roof top.

I dominated a few games of flip cup, we played some pictionary and then headed out downtown.

All in all, it was great to spend my last weekend with my favourite people from Gunsan!

5 years since Brazil!

2010-05-12T10:35:00.003-03:00

Warning these next few blogs are probably going to be pretty mushy. With lots of anniversary type dates and 16 days until I leave, it’s all pretty emotional!!

So…..

This day five years ago, I was on my way to Brazil on my first Cross-Cultural Solutions program. It’s crazy to think how much has happened since then! I remember getting my final expectations talk and really having to stop myself from crying on the phone! It was the first time I had travelled alone to a different country and I had no idea what to expect.

Turns out doing that program was the best thing to ever happen to me. It gave me the confidence to believe that if I could ‘sort of’ control a class of 30 three year olds who didn’t speak a word of English; I could pretty much do anything. I met some amazing and inspiring people in Brazil who I am still in touch with now. Brazil and the people I met captured my heart.

This incredible event led me to move to New York to work for the organisation.
It led me to travel all over the States, again meeting more remarkable people.
It led me to volunteer in Costa Rica, volunteer in Guatemala. And even when I made the hard decision to leave CCS and New York, my astounding journey continued. I volunteered in Ghana for 2 months and realised my passion for teaching, which led to me move to South Korea for a year to teach.

I have said this previously but on each Cross-Cultural Solutions program and each step of my travels I have met wonderful people who have inspired and encouraged me. Every new journey I have embarked on I have always been nervous and apprehensive. But I have the support from family and friends to go and do, it resulting in life changing and unforgettable experiences.

My advice is to go and do. Go and travel. Get out of you comfort zone. Yes it will be scary, yes it will be uncomfortable and there will be awkward situations where you wonder what the heck you are doing. But the positives will definitely outweigh the negatives and who knows what it could lead too….

‘A positive experience causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.’

Children's Day

2010-05-05T21:31:00.005-03:00

Yesterday was Children's Day, which meant we got a day off work mid week - assah!!

Being the caring teachers we are we decide to spend the day at various orphanages. We managed to get some donations together of roughly £100 and bought a mass of sweets, crackers, pencils and other goodies!

We went to 2 orphanages played some games and handed out sweets.

It was good fun but pretty exhausting as we had all been out the night before until about 3am!

We then headed back to mine for Poker night where I won about £4!!

Finally sun in The Goon!

2010-05-02T10:18:00.005-03:00

I don't know where the weekend went but it was lots of fun!
Louise came down to The Goon on Friday and we ended up dancing all night at Cheers and not getting to bed til 5.30am.
The Alex came round in the morning for a big English fry up!

We pottered around, played on some swings and saw half my students on the way to Coldstones for icecream and then Lousie headed home.

The sun has finally decided to appear in Gunsan so on Sunday a few of us headed to the park and had a picnic and BBQ.

We were also a huge source of amusment for the rest of the park.

30 days left!

2010-04-28T07:08:00.007-03:00

So I have exactly one month left in Korea. I can't believe that 11 months have gone so quickly!!
I have enjoyed my time in Korea a lot more than I thought I would. I was actually contemplating on my layover in Germany just hopping on a plane to Ghana, as that was my layover for Ghana too. To be brutally honest I would have quite happily not come to Korea and had a mild panic attack at Manchester airport.

However, I have actually had a pretty interesting, educating, enlightening and dare I say fun time. I will actually even... MISS... Korea!

Things I will miss about Korea:
The amazing friends I have made here.
My students - especially my adult class
Poker night every other Wednesday
Tuesday morning coffees at Bean and Bean with Alex and Izzy
Serviceeeee - The amount of freebie stuff I get at places
How kind and honest people are. I can leave my bag and purse, go to the bathroom, come back and it is still there
Couple t-shirts - you know who is with who, as they are wearing matching clothes!!
Having every argument dealt with by using rock, scissors, paper, stone
Cheap and easy transport - especially taxis
Free rent
The amount of hours I DON'T work!

Things I won't miss:
people hocking their guts and flem up every where
feeling like a big fat heffer and being told no largee size
names that I cannot even begin to pronounce!
having to remember to take toilet paper from the communal roll outside the bathroom stalls!

Things I will probably subconsciously take away from Korea:
Nodding and bowing at people
Offering and taking things with two hands (to show I am not going to kill them, with the one hand I am not using!)
Saying 'Assah!' accompanied by an arm pump, when something is great

Fish, fun and fabulous friends!

2010-04-26T07:50:00.006-03:00

This weekend I headed up to Seoul.

I got in early on Friday evening as my last class didn't turn up.

I headed to Itaewon where a friend was singing. There was also another guy who was from he Chester area. He asked everyone to to write down a few random words and then free styled it into a rap He was REALLY good!

On Saturday we headed to Dr. Fish. Basically a load of fish eat all the dead skin off your feet. It is the most bizarre experience EVER. It is like being slightly eletrocuted on your feet!

After getting slighlty lost on the subway for 2 hours we finally made it to the COEX Aquarium.
We were a little grumpy by the time we got there but it was still fun.
One part they had the fish in different types of tanks such as:

There was even a 2 headed turtle!

Scam update

2010-04-22T09:53:00.006-03:00

I have been researching the whole Spain scam a little more and it seems that these crimnal masterminds have done the same thing several times but used different but real school names.
They have even used the exact same email, sometimes the same name for the transfer.

Check out this forum with ESLbase.

I wouldn't say I am particulary guillable person, but I have to admit I was pretty close to sending the money.
ESLbase have some good tips on how to avoid scams. Check them out here.

Obviously this has been a great lesson for me in being able to identify job scams. I am actually getting pretty good at noticing them now! Yes, I mean you $3100 a month job in Abu Dhabi, that doesn't need a masters!

Oh Google, you are indeed a wonderful invention when it comes to trying to stalk....sorry research people!

Cherry Blossom in Gunsan

2010-04-22T09:36:00.005-03:00

Spring has finally sort of started to appear. Last week, there was snow, Saturday was lovely and sunny and all of this week it has pretty much rained and been miserable and grey.

I finally managed to get over to Eunpa Park to see the blossom.

I took some night photos and went back before it got dark, however it was pretty grey so the photos are not as amazing as some I have seen!

2010-04-13T21:24:00.009-03:00

So I was nearly part of a job scam. As annoying and disappointed as I am, at least I didn’t send any money and want to make as many TEFL teachers aware of it as possible.

I was contacted saying that they had my contact details on a TEFL website. I do have my resume up on lots of different websites, so this seemed fine. It was a German Private school in Spain.

I was asked to send my resume, details of certificates, etc. Again not unsusal.
I did that and was selected for a the second round.

There was a list of about 20 questions that I had to answer. There were pretty detailed questions asking about discipline, teaching methods etc. I was told that there would be no need to have a phone interview, which I found highly unusual, as surely they needed to hear my accent etc.

I was then sent the following email.
'This is to inform you that you have been finally selected to work with us.Our recruitment/employment procedure this year does not require a phone interview.That is why we selected only the candidates with the best qualifications.A detailed work contract is attached to this email.Fill your name and other necessary information carefully and sign at the space provided below.

Please print out the contract,then sign,scan,attach and return the signed contract to this email address.At no.4 of employee's personal information,you will see CONTRACT PERIOD,just fill 7thJuly 2010 to 7TH July 2011.

Please be informed that you are expected to arrive on the 3rd of July in order to attend the orientation programe prior to job commencement.Kindly send thepaymentthrough WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.Receiver's name: DAVID FREEMANAddress:Apartado de Correos, 318Marbella,Malaga,Spain.

Please send the transfer details to: info@colealemanjuanhoffmann.comAs soon as the finance department confirms your payment,we shall reserve your accomodation and commence the processing of your travelling and working documents. Only non EU's are advised to send both the accomodation reservation fee and the visa processing fee.EU's are expected to send only the accomodation reservation fee.NB: At your leisure,do not forget to fax a copy of the payment slip/receipt that was issued to you after the payment at the WESTERN UNION OFFICE.It has to be kept in your record for future reference.Our fax number is found on our website www.colealemanjuanhoffmann.com and on top of the contract paper as well.Congratulations!Daniela'

They wanted me to send 900 euro via western union to secure my accommodation. I was told that I would be reimbursed during orientation.

The money was to be sent to DAVID FREEMAN
Address: Apartado de Correos, 318 Marbella, Malaga, Spain.

Even when moving to Korea, I did not have to send any money. I asked for an email address of someone who was currently working there and was giving the email address 'georgephilip70@yahoo.co.uk'. I googled this and came up with this social networking website.

I was still wary and searched for the address online and it came up on this scam website. There is also a post on Dave's ESL about it here.

This is the schools real website - http://www.dsmalaga.com/

The scammers use this website - http://www.colealemanjuanhoffmann.com/.

They have even created an ESL page. That wasn't there a few days ago. The 2 websites are identical and the scammers have just replaced the real email addresses with their fake one!

The email addresses used for communication are
info@colealemanjuanhoffmann.com
cajhdocuments@rediffmail.com
director@colealemanjuanhoffmann.com

I am trying to include as much information as possible so that if anyone searches for them, like I did, this post will come up.

2010-04-10T05:10:00.010-03:00

Again, it seemed to be a busy week socialising.

Monday, I was helping Jo do a friends son's homework - why he couldn't do his own, I am not sure. We ended up roping Saint into buying some beer and coming over which resulted in me chucking 2 very soju sodden Koreans out of my apartment at 4am.

Wednesday, a group of us had dinner at Elizabeths, which was as always a fun time.

Thursday, Jo, Saint and I headed to Daechon Beach in the evening and bought some seafood, then headed to a restaurant that prepares it all for you.

We had shrimp,

Some weird shell thing and oysters

Some type of fish soup

and crab.

We also had octopus, the kind that is cut up yet still moves. I have tried it before. I was going to try it again, but after having problems just pulling it off the dish as the it had suctioned itself to the the dish, I decided against it!

Friday, Jo and I went to see a movie, then met up with some friends for drinks and ended up at Saint's apartment eating sushi, that his room mate had caught fishing til 4.30am.

Saturday, It was some friend's birthdays and a leaving party which involved flip cup, beer pong, fire shows, free shots - a typical night in The Goon!

Sunday, I went to a house warming party. Alex and Kenton have a really nice place and a baby, so I spent most of the day playing with her and trying not to feel broody!!

2010-04-05T00:10:00.001-03:00

I don't seem to have done anything this past week but I seem to have been pretty busy. Lots of lunches with friends, dinner, drinks, shopping and socialising. Getting in as much time with people before I leave!

The weather is finally starting to get nicer. Although the other day it was raining and I was on my bike to work. I was waiting at the traffic lights to cross the road. An older Korean lady saw me waiting with no umbrella and came and stood with me until the lights changed. It was the sweetest and also slightly uncomfortable thing! The traffic lights take a while to change here and my Korean is so limited that we couldn't really talk! So we stood awkwardly until they changed!

It has also become ritual at spinning classes for the whole class to be introduced to the weiguk and the whole class has to turn round, wave and say 'Hi Joooss!'. A little embarrassing but I am getting over it.

There are also lots of new teachers arriving in Gunsan because a new school year started recently. It turns out that a new guy is friends with my old neighbour in NYC!! Talk about a small world!

De-Militerised Zone

2010-03-28T22:17:00.023-03:00

This weekend I headed up to Seoul to visit the DMZ or de-militerised zone between North and South Korea. It is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea.

We went with Wow Corea through Elvis!

We started off at the Imjingak Pavilion.

'Located about 54km north west from Seoul Metropolitan City Hall and about 7km south of the Demarcation Line, Imjingak Pavilion is as far as civilians can go to the north. It is a remnant of the Korean War. Built in 1972 to console those who had to leave their homes in the north, it stands on the 19,835m² area and has three floors and one underground floor. Around it, there are Mangbaedan, an altar where those who cannot go back to their homes get together and pray for their ancestors, a museum where various documents and about 400 pictures are displayed to provide a rare look at North Korea's military, politics, and society, the Peace Bell, the Peace Garden, the Imjingang River Battle Memorial, the American War Monument, and tanks and planes that were used in the war. It is a place where tourists feel the pain of the war and national division as well as the country's desires for unification. '

We then headed to Dorasan Station, the station that used to connect the North and South.

It was pretty eerie. Just a normal train station waiting to be used, with a ticket booths, security check points just waiting for the the 2 countires to reunite for it to be in use again.

Next we headed to the The 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, there are 4 that have been found and there are supposed to be up to 10. We were not allowed to take any photos, and I got told off by Gina G our tour guide for taking some snaps of Victoria and I in our helmets. Have a look at this search to check out some though!

I didn't think I was a tall person, but I banged my head a few times, so could not imagine walking just over a mile in a tunnel that was wet and only 2m high and wide with all the gear that a North Korean soldier would have to carry.

There was also the Re-unification Monument, which "Depicts the division of Korea, and the world, and the hope to reunite what was divided."

The last stop was the Dora observatory. This where you can actually get to see North Korea. There was a line that we had to stand behind when taking photos of North Korea, so unless you were super tall, you couldn't really get a good photo.

Also it was really foggy so we couldn't really see much anyway. You could tell where the south ended the north started as the North had no trees on their side. This is what it would have looked like minus the fog!

The end is nigh!

2010-03-23T20:33:00.003-03:00

So, on Monday I booked my ticket back to the UK!!!!!
I fly out Friday 28th May and arrive in the UK Saturday 29th May at 8.40 at Manchester - in case you want to arrange a big welcome party at the airport, with banners, flowers and trumpets! Come on, it will have been 360 days since I was last on British soil!

Other big news, KM finally quit!!!!!! With only 66 days left she finally decide to quit. Why she couldn't have done it sooner and made my life easier is another question but the next 66 days should be great without her! Apparently she has another job teaching conversation at a middle school in Gunsan, so I have been trying to find out if any of the weiguks I know are teachers at that school! I pity the students and teachers she will be working with!!!

Wow 66 days! Lots to fit in before then!

2010-03-18T19:31:00.003-03:00

This week after working in O2 Grande for nearly 10 months, I finally got to see inside one of the apartments! One of my adults invited me over for lunch. Or a 3 hour marathon eating session!! We ordered Chinese, had a massive plate of strawberries, ice cream, cookies, this fish bread or bungeonppang chocolate and more!

The apartment was pretty nice but I thought small for a 4 person family. There were 2 bedrooms, a small study, an en suite for the master bedroom, bathroom, open plan living room / kitchen, a sort of loft area and a small rooftop terrace. I guess it is just because I grew up in a 3 bedroomed house, with a front and back garden!
It did have some pretty funky gadgets, including a touch screen pad you could use to call other apartments and the lift, so that by the time you leave the apartment and walk to the lift, it is there!

This week I also worked out how much I actually work. My contract is for a 35 hour week. I used to go in at 11 but not start teaching until 2. They fortunately decided this was a waste of time. So now I am in for 24 hours out of my 35 hour contract - yet still get paid for 35. Out of those 24 hours at work, I only actually teach for 15!!

I have also been trying to figure out the date I will come back to the UK. My contract is done May 31st but I finish teaching on May 21st.

I started to think that I may actually miss Korea! It is a pretty easy life here, the money is good, I have my own studio, the job is pretty easy and I enjoy it.

I have a good social life, I have the sushi place that know me, Wow and Joy, the bar that always gives me free stuff. Even the people at the bank know me. I was transferring money and the Bank Manager kept loitering near me obviously wanting to impress me with his English - which he did!

I have been going to the gym about 2 or 3 times a week recently. I have been trying to go in the mornings, as it is quieter and also do the 9 o'clock classes of spinning and yoga. The guy who does the yoga class is really nice and I am sure is telling the class wonderful words of wisdom to improve your health but I obviously don' understand any of it.

The lady who does the spinning is slightly scary and shouts at you if you sit down. She also incorporates these jazzy hand moves along with cycling like a crazy woman, disco lights and ear splitting K-pop. I am not yet brave enough to let go and join in the jazz hands for fear of losing control and falling off!

There is also this loud and I thought slightly obnoxious trainer, who when I did go in the evenings would shout encouragement at me, so that the whole gym would turn round and look at the fat sweaty foreigner - hence why I tend not to go the gym in the evenings anymore!

However I went last night and it just turns out that he loves me and gave me some traditional Korean cake! As much as I hate the gym the instructors are all really nice and do know me and always try and use what little English they do know on me.

However much I complain about Korea, the people here are lovely and life is pretty good. I was thinking about all the things I miss back in the UK. Turns out there wasn't that much! Some types of food, being able to shop for clothes, of course family and friends. It will have been a year since I last set foot on British Soil -the longest amount of time I have not been back before.

I do think that going back to the UK will be a massive culture shock. I will be able to read and understand signs. I will be able to order a meal and know exactly what I will get. I will be able to understand all the channels on the TV. I will be able to sort out my own phone contract/gas bill problems - what a novelty!!

It is so crazy to think that I will have been here for a year soon, it seems to have gone so quickly!
73 days until the end of my contract!

2010-03-13T22:12:00.003-03:00

This weekend was a pretty packed weekend in The Goon!

Friday at work went really well. With my adult class I did a version of 'Call my Bluff' I gave them different definitions of words and they had to guess the right answer. I used words like flibbertigibbet, lollygagging, canoodle and gobsmacked. They really enjoyed it and we had a lot of laughs.

Then with the kids I did games including a version of 'Wheel of Fortune' and the kids loved. It was definitely one of those days where I could definitely say I LOVE TEACHING! Also discovered that bribery and sweets are a total motivator!!

In the evening I tried to get all the new and old teachers together. Not too many newbies turned up but there were about 10 people at my apartment and a couple of new faces I had not met.

Betty was complete tart and was getting love and attention off everyone. I was surprised at how she kept hopping around and wasn't bothered by all the people.

We then headed out to Bar Street met up with some other teachers and then a couple of us headed to noraebang. I LOVE NORAEBANG. I am the woooorst singer but it is just so much funny. Judging by my sore throat the next day, I apparently did a lot of singing/screaming/shouting!

A couple of us went over to Jeonju to watch Jeonju KCC Egis basketball team at Chonbuk University.

It was packed and actually really good fun! I was surprised at how commercialised it was. They would keep stopping the game, get the cheerleaders to come and and do chants about KCC.

Jeonju won though and a good time was had by all!

We then had a really nice Vietnamese meal and found a really nice bar. It was called Art and Travel or Samsara was slightly hippyish and incensey. The whole place was covered in photos of the couple who owned it and places they had travelled and pictures drawn by people. It had good sangria, wine beer and cocktails and boardgames!

Everland

2010-03-08T08:31:00.005-03:00

This weekend Danielle and I headed up to Seoul to go to Everland, think the Korean version of Alton Towers combined with Disneyland and Zoo.

Quite a few rides and shows were closed but we still head fun. The T Express was really good and I screamed A LOT. It is Korea's longest, steepest, fastest wooden roller coaster.

There was also a zoo and an 'Animal Wonder Show. Which was actually pretty impressive. It involved a tiger cub, pelicans, monkey's guinea pigs, dogs, parrots, a horse and many others. The funniest part was when the chickens ran across stage and one was so scared/excited/confused it ran into the wall!

At one point the pelican was not doing what it was told and had to be escorted off.

We also saw a seal show which again was pretty impressive. I can't get some of student to behave and these seals knew exactly what they were doing!

In the evening we headed to a comedy show a friend of a friend had put on through Stand up Seoul. There was free wine and food before hand and the show was pretty funny. As it was arranged by foreigners the place was full of foreigners. It is the most foreigners I have been around in almost 10 months!!

After a pretty packed day we headed back to our slightly dodgy love motel!

Change, Change, Change!!

2010-03-03T06:19:00.005-03:00

Well.... things have definitely been shook up at work!

I have a new co-teacher, who is supposed to be replacing KM!! What no more outlandish and crazy stories about KM anymore I hear you gasp.. well hold your horses.....

The new co-teacher seems really nice, she was a tour guide for 7 years, a teacher for 2 and half, speaks English (REALLY well), Korean, Mandarin and Italian and has been to 35 different countries!

I only found out about the new teacher when she walked into my other school asking about the job... the job which neither of I or my other coworker knew about! KM finally told me about it when I asked her. She said she will be getting some experience in a middle school so will be too busy. As she is still tied into her contract, the uni are still paying her and then she is paying the new teacher. However, the new teacher had asked me why KM had quit, so who really knows what is going on.

So her first day at the job was a complete nightmare, as usual KM had not prepared her for anything, told her lies, told her the wrong working times, not ordered text books, not written lists of students as she could not remember their names - Korean or English.

At several times during the day, we had parents either call or come in to complain about KM. It was a nightmare. Neither of us knew what was going on.

Then at the end of the day KM turned up, called the parents, shouted down the phone at them and also had a few arguments with the new teacher. The new teacher had asked me why KM had quit, so I thought she had left but then she turned up. It was all just a big crazy nightmare!!

But on a happier note, at the other school I will only be teaching 4 classes on Wednesday so work 1-6 and 2 classes on Thursday working 2-5!!!!!

Also, one of the other teachers left to go back to New Zealand, so I inherited Betty!

Thailand!

2010-03-03T01:55:00.000-03:00

So finally back from Thailand.. be prepared this will be a long one!

Saturday
Set off to the airport at 5.30 and got there early than I thought, so had lots of time to kill around Incheon Airport, which is a pretty nice airport, so I didn't mind too much.
On the flight to China, I was sitting next to a British guy who had been working in Korea but not liked it and was moving to China to work there. It was nice to chat to an English person for a few hours. I then had a 5 hour lay over at Beijing, and then about 4 hours to Bangkok.

Sommer's flight was due to get in at exactly the same time as mine - 12.45pm.

I rushed through departures to find Sommer in a movie like reunion in slow motion and background music but couldn't find her flight. I then found out that her plane had broken, the flight cancelled and she was still in Japan! They didn't know when she would arrive and gave me a number to call after 9am the next day. The hotel was booked in her name so I jumped in a taxi and hoped that they would let me check in.

Managed to check into the hotel and conked out! It was a really nice hotel called the Lamphu Tree Hotel.

Monday

The Internet was down at the hotel so I couldn't check if Sommer had sent me an email or not. I ventured out for a walk round to find an internet cafe and then started chatting to a tuk tuk driver who took me around for a bit.

I saw the Giant standing Buddha

I also looked at Wat Benchamabophit

I then headed to The Queens Gallery which had some really nice pieces of art.

Headed back to the hotel and managed to call the airline to find out that Sommer would not be getting in to Bangkok until 12.45 on Monday night!!!

So realising that I would have 2 full days but myself, I set about on a sightseeing frenzy!

I headed back out in the afternoon and checked out the Golden Mount or 'Wat Saket'

and the King Rama III Monument and the Democracy Monument.

Monday

I had booked a trip through the hotel to Damnoen Saduak floating market. It was pretty interesting to see but definitely a tourist trap.

Then Sommer finally arrived at 12.45 in the morning!!!!

Tuesday
We got picked up at 6am to go and do some Ziplining.

It was sooooo much fun!!

We then got dropped off in Pattaya and checked into our super swanky hotel The Avalon. Because Sommer had been so delayed and the hotel was so nice we decide to stay an extra night here and not head out to the island.

Pattaya itself is a pretty touristy beach resort. It is really well known for its sex industry so there were A LOT of old men by themselves or with young Thai girls. So some parts seemed pretty sleazy.

Wednesday

We went on an Elephant trek!

Thursday

We hung around at the hotel, sat by the pool, went into Pattaya to do some shopping and then headed back to Bangkok. We decided to stay in a super cheap and very basic hotel right on Kosan Road. We did some shopping in the area. I went slightly crazy as to find clothes that fitted me in none boring colours. (Most of the clothes in Korea are pretty dull) and also found sandals to fit me as well!

Friday
We checked out the Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew.

We then found this amazing vegan/vegetarian place called Ethos. That had ammmmmazing food so we sat and ate A LOT there! We waddled back to the hotel to try and back up all our goodies!

I had booked a min bus to take me to the airport. I had wanted to book it for 9 but as my flight did not leave until 1am, the lady said 10 should be fine. So at 10.30 when the mini bus still had not arrived I started to panic. A little Japanese man ran back to the woman to get our money back and we were going to share a taxi. They both came back and she hailed a taxi and gave the driver our money. We then got stuck in some serious traffic and I didn't get to the airport until 11.45, the fight was supposed to start boarding at 12.15 so I was slightly panicking. Of course the check in desk was the furthest one away, there were massive queues at immigration and then the gate was at the other end of the airport! However the flight was delayed but about 30 minuted so actually made the flight.

I arrived in China to -3c temperature and snow. The airport was in Emergency weather alert and I wasn't sure if I was going to get out. After about an hour delay while they deiced the plane we finally took off. Got back to Seoul and just managed to catch a bus back to Gunsan to get stuck in holiday traffic as it was Independence Day in Korea on Monday!

So finally got back into The Goon at 6.30pm on Saturday evening!

Over all it was a pretty good trip but I am so not used to the touristy thing. I am used to 'Volunteer Vacations' where you are integrated in the local community on programmes with Cross-Cultural Solutions and being part of the community. I hated being a tourist and the fact there were so many scams to try and get money out of you. Some of the taxi and tuk tuk drivers would not take us where we wanted to go unless they took us to gem stores as they got 'free gasoline' If you did that they would charge you 10baht, if not it was about 500 baht or they wouldn't take you at all. Bearing in mind it cost us 300 baht for the 45 minute drive from ther airport and they were asking for 500 baht for a 5 minute drive!

But it was a good trip and great to see Sommer and get some sun!

All the pictures here!

2010-02-19T09:47:00.005-03:00

So this week I had a slight disaster with dying my hair.

Jo and I dyed it on Tuesday night, but because I had dyed it a pretty dark brown previously, my roots took the dye more, so I ended up with slightly ginger roots! We went to the hair dressers at 9am the next morning, but unfortunately that didn't take and I still had slightly ginger roots. So I had to go back AGAIN on Thursday when finally my hair was all one colour, so one hair cut 3 dye jobs and £24 later I was all sorted!

This is also the last week of term. I went out with my adult class. (Have I said how much I love my adult class!?)

We went for a meal, some beer and then headed to a noribang!!! We had soo much fun and some funny conversations. The girls are pretty good singers and dancing and did some really good renditions of some English songs! I think this is the way to teaching English, at the noribang!

For activity day today, I just played games with the kids and we had snacks.

I am so ready for Thailand tomorrow. All packed and ready to go and so excited to see Sommer. Sommer, I met while volunteering in Guatemala, we had a reunion in June 2008 in Florida, so it has been about 18 months since we have seen each other.

I am also looking forward to some sun. It snowed again this week, and is windy and cold. I am ready for spring!!!

See you in a weeeek! :D

Crabs and Cocktails!

2010-02-13T01:46:00.006-03:00

Went for dinner last night to a crab place. Eating in Korea is always an adventure as you are never really sure what you will get, if you ordered the right thing, if they understood your order!

You could pick your crab out

Then they brought it all prepared for you

You could also feed you child to the crabs...

After I headed downtown to some western style bars. It was wall very bizarre as there we so many GI's that it didn't feel like I was in Korea anymore!

2010-02-10T23:37:00.002-03:00

This weekend is Lunar New Year it's a pretty big deal here and also means I get next Monday off! There seems to be the same sort of atmosphere as Chuseok with the big gift sets out in Lotte Mart. KM gave me a beautiful gift boxed one - holding 10 cans of Tuna! Which is actually more useful than the 10 tubes of toothpaste she gave me last time.

I feel like I need to mention my adult class again. We have so much and fun and random topics always seem to pop up. Last lesson we ended up talking about drag queens, speed dating and how one of them had thrown up in a taxi because she was too drunk. Bear in mind that the majority of the class is 40+ housewives!! The lessons are definitely a cultural exchange for all of us!

They also told me about a part time job as a 'Pusher man'. This is literally a man who during rush hour, is paid to push people onto the subways in Seoul!! I don't think this still happens, as they have introduced double doors now. But I couldn't believe that this job actually existed!

2010-01-31T01:31:00.015-03:00

So I have 120 days left in Korea. I spent a while trying to figure out my new life plan, should I settle down, stay in Korea, teach some where else, apply for a PGCE, travel....the options are endless!

I was toying with the idea of do a Spanish course in Spain and trying to find a TEFL job there. I was also thinking about Italy. I thought that learning Spanish would be more useful and open up places in South America as well. I was also thinking about applying for a PGCE, however being in South Korea meant I could not attend interviews, so I would have to wait to apply until 2011. If I was in Spain it would be really easy to pop back to the UK for the interviews.

I had been applying for jobs and uploading my CV on to various teaching websites. I had some response from a job in Spain and had someone get in touch with me about a few jobs in Korea.

A friend then posted a job in Joinville, Brazil starting in February ending in July. My contract doesn't end until May but sent off my CV anyway saying I would be available in July, if another position opened up.

I got a really positive response and lo and behold, looks like my next TEFL job will be in Joinville, Santa Catrina, Brazil!

The school - Escola Americana has been going to 20 years and has kids from 18 months up to teenagers. I will be responsible for teaching the pre-teens and teens! What I really love about the school is that they teach English through science and art projects. They do lots of different and meaningful projects, as opposed to following a text book.

Apparently the teenagers are going to start in February a project about "The Wave", talking about autocracy.

I get my own studio (phewww! I love having my own little place, SK spoilt me!), they pay for my flights, and will also pay for me to study Portuguese at a university!

I am sooo excited about this job, it combines teaching, art, and Brazil. I have always wanted to go back to Brazil and I now I get to! For a whoooole year!!

Joinville is going to be completely different to Salvador. About 50% of the population is from German descent. I think this might be good that it will be totally different. I am not sure if I am just remembering Salvador and Brazil through rose tinted glasses as it was my first solo travel experience that pretty much kicked off my life. So it being a brand spanking new place means I won't compare it to Salvador, yet I will still be in Brazil!

Have a look at this video tour of Joinville here. and one here.

So 2010, so far seems to be bringing some amazing opportunities and again I feel so thankful that I am able to do all this travel, experience new cultures all under the guise of teaching English!

This job just sort of happened and fell into place, so my luck still continues...... :D

2010-01-24T09:28:00.004-03:00

One thing I do love about Korea is the free stuff you get. Everywhere! I bought some makeup at a shop and got a facemask, hand sanitiser, shower gel smaples, foundation samples and moisturiser free with it!

I also did lots of games on Friday with the kids, they really enjoyed them and this is a couple of students playing a kangaroo game where they have to collect pieces of sentences then, put them in the right order. The video is off my phone and the sound never seems to transfer over......

Also had an interesting lesson with my adult class where Paul asked me how to pronounce 'beach' and 'b*tch'! She also wanted to know what the meaning behind the words were as well!

I did a bit of shopping at 'Super Girl' which is a very small shop with 'large sizeee'. The lady there is really nice and has a couple of kids, who just kept wandering in and out of the changing room, while I tried things on. Koreans really have no idea of person space at all!

English names for Students

2010-01-17T03:48:00.002-03:00

I got a new student in my adult class this week. Her name is Paul.... Yes, HER name is Paul. I wasn't sure whether she meant Paula, so asked her to repeat it a few times but it was most definitely Paul. Then I started to doubt her gender and had to confirm with my co-teacher that she was a woman. I don't really know what to do now, having had 3 lessons with her I can't really say now 'oh by the way your name is a man's name'

At the start of each term, if I get new kids, I always give them an English name, this sounds really arrogant but all English Academy's do this. It does make it easier when you have names like Ji Eun, Ji Won, Joo Young, Joon Young etc etc.

Unfortunately, if I am not there when the kids are being given their names, they can end up with some pretty strange ones.

I have a couple of best friends called Bella and Fella. A Jade who somehow became a Jada, another class that is named after the cast of Gossip Girl. Once I forget my list of names so also have a class named after all my family!

It did get a bit confusing when one of my students who I had named moved over to the other academy and was given a new name!

Other names I have heard off fellow teachers are:
Harry Potter - (at an all girls school)
Satan
Hitler
Hulk
Drunken Sheep (The reasoning behind this one was that she has curly hair, like a sheep, and goes pink in the cold and so looks drunk)
Golem
Crazy Grandfather Dinosaur,
Brother, Sister (who are in fact brother and sister),
Umbrella

There is a facebook application that works out your Korean name, as sometimes the kids do ask me what my Korean name is. Apparently it is Gi (기) meaning "brave one". Pretty easy to remember!

2010-01-14T09:07:00.004-03:00

I think that South Korea is a pretty safe place, crime is really low, and I feel safe walking home in the dark.

This photo shows how trusting South Koreans are:

You can steal the bike just not the bike lock!

Another example was when I accidentally left my keys in my bike basket, came back an hour later and they were still there.

One of Korea's cultural nuances is that you take your shoes off when going into someone's house, some restaurants and work places. For the past 6 months, I have taken my shoes off at work and left them in the shoe rack outside work. For six months, at the end of the day, my shoes have always been there.

So imagine my surprise when on Thursday somebody had stolen my size 7 black ankle boots. I WAS NOT IMPRESSED!! For a start, it is really difficult to find shoes to fit me here as the biggest they go up to is a skinny 6 1/2.

Also it has been snowing for the past week.

So I had to walk the 15 minute walk home in snow a foot deep, in my SLIPPERS!

I hope the tiny footed Korean who stole my boots, falls over on the ice and hurts themselves!

Also, I actually got off my lazy bottom to go to the gym this week. Having been successful in going on Tuesday, I headed out at 7am on Wednesday morning to find even more snow. Seeing as I was up and trying to get back into going to the gym, I ploughed though the snow looking extremely sexy in all my layers, leg warmers, hat and scarf. I had trudged up the hill to the gym when a bus went past and covered in me in brown, slushy, dirty, wet snow.

Needless to say I went home and didn't make it to the gym that day!

So note to self always keep an eye on your shoes and only walk on wide footpaths, walking as far from the road as possible!

Let's hope the weekend it better! :D

2010-01-11T07:33:00.005-03:00

Integrating with a new Foreign Teacher (FT) can be hard, be sure to follow these simples rules and tips for a happy and harmonious relationship!

Always ensure that the FT feels completely smothered and overwhelmed
Goods ways to achieve this are:
- go round to FTs apartment all the time without invitation.
- Enter FTs apartment without knocking
- Read and go through FTs emails
- Go through FTs rubbish
- Rummage through papers on FTs desk while FT is in the bathroom
- Telling FT that you are going out for dinner but really take them to a Korean Bible reading meeting

Make sure FT has transport
This may include driving the FT on the wrong side of the road, stopping in the middle of a motorway, driving through red lights and doing make up while driving.
If the teacher becomes a nervous wreck due to the driving, get the FT a bike. However be sure to follow the FT home on the 5 minute ride, shouting directions out of the window, stopping traffic and completely embarrass them.

Socialise with FT
Guilt FT into going out for drinks. Offer to drive home FT home while drunk and in 2 foot of snow. When FT refuses and walks the 5 minutes home. Consistently call FT every 5 minutes and wait outside their apartment. Ensure that FT catches a cold by waiting outside the apartment for at least 10 minutes while FT hides behind a lorry.

Make sure FT has lots of friends
Introduce FT to your friends and then ban FT from seeing said friends as they are a bad influence and drink too much.

Make sure that the FT knows that you are ALWAYS watching them
Good ways of doing this is to subtly ask about a new restaurant in the neighbourhood. When FT confirms its existent. Tell FT you know they already know the restaurant as you have interrogated the chef about how many times FT has been there and who with.

Insist on knowing everything about FT personal life.
Persistently ask why FT does not have a boyfriend. Insist that FT must be a lesbian if FT says that boys are too much trouble.

Value your FT
An excellent way to do this is to sleep in class while FT is teaching. Nothing shows interest like a sleeping co-worker!

Ensure that proper English is always taught.
Especially sentences like ‘Can I take a bread/milk.’ If FT disputes the grammar of these sentences then tell FT it is American grammar. If FT still disputes, then tell them it is Canadian grammar.

Detailed ‘lesson planes’
Always ensure the ‘lesson planes’ are thorough and included in-depth information such as ‘student wriing difficult thinking'

Help to increase the confidence of FT.
An excellent way to do this, is to break FTs chair to give them a complex about their weight. Be sure to break their chair at least twice but DO NOT tell them. This is much more amusing when they sit on it and fall on their arse in front of students!

Communication
Ensure that communication is great by forcing Korean lessons on FT. Have lessons at the FT apartment and turn up with lots of friends and force FT teach your friends English. When FT complains about having their house invaded and wants the lessons some where else, ask them ‘is it because your house is dirty?’

Give great advice and support to FT when they need help
Great ideas are helpful tips like ‘Hit the kids or give them crackers if they don’t answer questions’.

If FT comes to you for support because one of the students is being naughty. Be sure to just send the student back into the classroom allowing you go back to sleep.

Always be late.
A FT will always work better if they have been waiting outside in the cold for 30 minutes.

Respect FT personal space
Always invade FT personal space, this can include trying to dress them, trying to hold their hand and general shoving around.

Ensure your personal life is kept personal
Feel free to have personal conversations within the office. Especially ones that include trying bribe your professor to change your grade to a higher one to ensure you have more TOEFL points for a new job you are applying for.

Holidays
If FT questions why they have to work during their holiday time, scream and shout at FT and tell them it is their responsibility to. If FT has already booked flights, demand that they change the flights. If FT asks if they will get paid for working during their holiday accuse them a being a lazy money grabbing foreigner.

Following these tips will definitely lead to a happy FT who will absolutely re-sign to build upon the joyous relationship that has been formed!

2010-01-09T04:47:00.002-03:00

This time last year I was in Ghana about to embark on an amazing and life changing experience. It was in Ghana that I realised I loved teaching, met amazing and inspiring people and totally changed my career path, leading me to teach English in South Korea!

After reminiscing over all my photos, a year on I decided to finally put them into an awesome montage which of course had to accompanied by my favourite hip-life song Angelina!

I have been so lucky in my life to have such amazing experiences and met so many interesting and inspiring people, resulting in many fabulous friends all over the globe!

Let's hope the luck doesn't run and see what 2010 has in store........ :D

New Year and nakedness!

2010-01-04T08:29:00.004-03:00

New Years Eve was a pretty typical Korean affair. In that it involved a random eclectic bunch of people from various countries! I spoke to people from Columbia, Ecuador, Barbados and the usual Korean, American, Canadian!

We just headed into Bar street, had a few drinks and nearly set TLC on fir with sparklers and balloons!

Yesterday was my first experience at a jjimjiibang. It is a Korean bathhouse, with saunas, hot pols, movie room, oxygen room, massage room, restaurant, sleeping room. Basically everything you would ever need. We did spend some time discussing if it would be cheaper t live at a jimjambang or pay rent somewhere!

Click here for a really good article that explains them a bit better.

I had been a bit dubious about going as you have to naaaaked! Some you are naked for the whole experience (in single sex ones) and some just while you shower, as the saunas etc are co-ed.This was was co-ed.

When we got there, we took off our shoes and put them in a locker, we then swapped that locker key for another key/tag, towels and our uniform of shorts and a t-shirt. We then went to the locker room got completely butt naked and went to the shower room.

It was a massive room with showers along one side, a sauna at the back, a couple of hot tubs, an area for scrubbing yourself and lots of naked women! I am totally self conscious about my body so it was all a bit daunting. But after showering and chatting to my friend, while a small baby boy sat in a tub near my feet, me and his sister was running around with her naked mother chasing after her, I started to get over it! We then put on our uniforms and headed to the sauna, there were 3 saunas one of 72c, 60c and 42 and then an ice room.

The outside of the saunas

We spent some time in all of them but I didn't even attempt the 72c one. We went and got some ice cream, the tag with the key, has a barcode on it. So if you buy anything, get a massage etc, they can your tag and then you pay for everything when you leave.

We sat in the 'oxygen room' eating and chatting, then headed back to the saunas. After we all then showered again. There is also a section in the shower room to totally scrub and exfoliate, I was pretty much done with the whole nakedness so I headed home, while my friends all sat in the hot tub naked with with some random Korean women! One step at a time for me!......

It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had been groped on the thigh by an 'ajamma' (old women) while being fully clothed at a bus stop, so the thought of being naked made me wonder what else they would grab!! You do realise that actually no one does stare at you because you are a foreigner. We also learned that if you travel in a group people will come into the sauna see a group of foreigners and run away, leaving you to have the whole place to yourselves! I was also with a girl who had lots of tattoos and both her nipples pierced, so if they were going to stare at anyone, I am guessing she would be the main attraction!

2009-12-25T23:50:00.007-03:00

Wow, this will be a long one!

Last weekend I headed up to Seoul for the first time, to properly see it, not just go to to go somewhere else. SOO much fun, I felt like I was back in New York, everyone spoke English, lots of shops I recognised, the subway was so easy, as it was in English.

I did a lot of shopping as found clothes and shoes to fit me, went to see Handel's Messiah and went out for some drinks. It felt like I was on holiday being away from the Goon!

This week the 'Christmas Parties' set in.

On Wednesday I went out for dinner with my adult class. I love my adult class, they are a bunch of housewives in their late 30's early 40's. They were very excited to be out without their husbands or children!

Some of the teachers were out in Bar street, so after I headed over to see them. This descended into random balloon animals, shots and a fire show.

I didn't end up getting home until 3am and on a school night!

Christmas Eve, again headed out to Bar Street and met up with some friends and also didn't get in until 3am!

Christmas day, I invited Jo, Elizabeth and Jimmy over and extended it to any of the other expats in the Goon. This descended into party of 15 people in my tiny studio!

We had our Christmas dinner -

Did some push ups -
Some arm wrestling, Brittany Spears games and dancing!

Then we headed to Bar street - again.

This was definitely the strangest and most nontraditional Christmas I have ever had but a good time was had by all!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas....

2009-12-16T22:05:00.006-03:00

I got home the other day to find 1 HUUUUUUGE parcel, 2 smaller parcels and a Christmas card.

The huge parcel was off a friend who had to leave South Korea suddenly for me and Victoria who had sorted out her apartment after she left.

Victoria came round last night to open it and for our usual veggie British dinner.

Let me set the scene.....

It had started to snow in The Goon and we had the Christmas tree lights on and some Christmassy music on.

It didn't take us long to rip through the massive parcel that held Christmas crackers and lots of individual presents, containing much needed and missed items in South Korea.

Such as falafel, English Chocolate, nutroast, tampons and Irish socks. Things that South Korea either does not do or does not do well!

The gift we were most excited about though was ......

Our onesie pajamas!!!!!

We sat down to veggie toad-in-the whole and Earl Grey tea listening to 'White Christmas' feeling like Christmas had finally arrived in The Goon! The only thing that was missing was Eastenders on the TV for us to fall asleep afterwards too!

2009-12-14T12:18:00.007-03:00

This weekend Jo and I went to Boryeong for the Cheonbuk Oyster Festival. We got there at the end but still enjoyed a MASSIVE bucket of oysters.

It was huge. We had our own grill to grill them on and then kept popping and spitting water. It was a pretty fun experience. And surprisingly we managed to eat our way through them all!

After we went for a coffee at Gunsan Migratory Bird Observation. They have a rotating restaurant on the 10th floor, which gives you pretty good views of Gunsan.It was at this point that I realised how small Gunsan is, how often I eat out or how famous I am!! The waiter was talking to Jo in Korean and kept looking at me.Turns out he was a waiter at Green Sky (the restaurant in the same building as my gym, that I always go to and the chef always gives me freebies.) and recognised me!

6 Months!!!

2009-12-09T19:47:00.002-03:00

Well, this week marks my 6 months in Korea!! SIX MONTHS! I am half way through my contract!!

This time 2 years ago I was in Guatemala, this time last year, I was in Spain and about to go to Ghana! I wonder where I will be this time next year!

I never would have guessed that I would end up in South Korea, NEVER in a million years did I think I would live in Asia for a year. I have never had an interest in Asia and I now I live here!

Not much been happening this week, I broke my chair at work - extremely embarrassing but never mind.... been stalked by KM. Turns out she now goes to restaurants near my apartment and asks if I have been in!!!

Also booked tickets to Thailand for February!!!!! I am meeting a friend I met on my Guatemala program with Cross-Cultural Solutions. Really excited about seeing her again and also travelling with someone, as opposed to by myself like for the past 5 years!! It has been 5 years since I took an actual holiday with someone, instead of going to visit family or volunteer!

So considering I'm not interested in Asia, I doing pretty well at getting around it!

Football in Jeonju

2009-12-06T07:28:00.006-03:00

I went to my first ever professional football today! It was Jeonbuk (the province I live in) against Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, a province up near Seoul.

It was pretty fun and at only £3 for a ticket a bargain! We won 3-1!

I also attempted to make my apartment a bit Christmasy and with the help of Jo and Selda decorated a tree for my apartment!

China Video!

2009-12-01T12:24:00.002-03:00

China - it's a long one!!

2009-11-29T08:38:00.013-03:00

Saturday 21st November

My journey started off at 4am, I went to try and find a taxi to take me to the bus station. Being 4am in the morning I knew this was going to be a difficult task.

I finally got a taxi, which then proceeded to go and pick up some really drunk Korean woman who stank of booze. I finally made it to the bus station to find it was closed, by this time was 5am and I knew there was a bus at 5.30. I wondered around for a bit and then found an open café and managed to get some help off a couple of older men in there. One of the men had ok English and helped me buy my ticket, sat with me until the bus came, declared he was my friend and when saying good bye hugged me and went in for a smooch!!!

The bus journey was about 4 hours long and I was the only one on the 50 seater bus. Made it to the airport and checked in and tried to go through immigration. Turned out I had printed the wrong thing off for my multiple entry visa back into Korea and had to go over to the immigration office to sort things out.

The flights were fine, I kept being asked if I had ordered a special meal, which I had – vegetarian, but they kept bringing me chicken, cocktail sausages and beef....
Both of them were delayed, which meant I didn’t actually get into Xi’an until about 11pm, when it should have been 8.30.

When I arrived in Shenyang, I wasn’t expecting much culture shock. I was just going from one country where I didn’t really understand anything to another!

I was a little bit nervous getting off the plane and going through immigration. There were lots of guards standing around in very smart uniforms, looking very imposing. A few people ahead of me had been sent back and they were studying the passport photos very intensely. I got through immigration fine and even got a smile off the officer and picked up my luggage.

There was quite a lot of snow when I landed which made me realize this was going to be slightly colder than Ghana!!

Sunday 22nd November
First full day in Xi’an!
We spent the morning cycling around the city wall, it was about 6 miles and sooo much fun. Sarah and I had a tandem bike and were surprisingly good. We didn’t fall off once. We had a little trouble starting but the stopping part we had down.

The view from the wall was really interesting, we could see the Bell tower and also saw the only Buddhist temple in Xian.
It was such a beautiful way to see the city, the weather was cold and really crisp with some remnants of snow about.

In the afternoon we had orientation, which was really interesting. We skimmed the surface of some of my many questions. The answer was mainly the same though – Chinese people are obedient! I didn’t realize what I rebel I was as I was like what if you don’t agree, what if you don’t love the communist party. Jerome’s answer was but we do, we just know the reasons. The kids are pretty much brainwashed into thinking what the government want.

There is also a saying about do not be the first bird to put your head up in a flock, as you will get shot. Basically any sort of individualism or creativeness is not encouraged in China. It is so difficult for me to get my head around this!

Monday 23d November

In the morning we headed to Xing Quing Palace park.

It seems like all the elderly population gathers here in the morning for tai chi, sword dancing, singing, and badminton. It is a huge social event and is very important as most people live in apartments here and do not get the opportunity to socialize with their neighbors.

One thing that has struck me, is the smog/mist/fog. As it is so cold it lingers and makes Xi’an seem pretty depressing. The amount of pollution is here is tremendous with all the trees at the side of the road being covered a layer of grey grime. I can really feel it in my lungs sometimes.

We also had a mandarin lesson. The characters here are so complex and really makes me appreciate Hangeul!! Originally some of the characters were pictograms with the character representing the thing it was trying to depict, gradually they got more complicated – even though now they use simplified Chinese. There are still over 1,000 characters!!! There are also 5 tones which can completely change the meaning of the word. For example ‘ma’ depending on the tone it can mean mother, spicy, horse, when you are scolding someone or used to make a sentence into a question!! Not much difference at all!

In the afternoon it was our first time at placement!
We worked with about 13 kids to help them practice Snow White.

The school is government run and has about 2,000 students in total. Each class has about 60 students in!!!! The students have different teachers for each subject and move around from class to class. It is pretty open and as a result is FREEEZING! It doesn’t seem very welcoming in that it is quite grey and not many posters/pictures everywhere. But the kids seem very well treated.

After rehearsal we spent a few hours with the teachers helping them with questions they had about English. They had questions about how to teach phonics and also how to write the alphabet. Because Chinese characters are so complex with many strokes they were worried about what was correct. Adding a line here or there in Chinese can completely change the meaning. We explained that it was just different styles and all of them were right.

In the evening we had a performance by some local music students. They played the Er Hu and Pi Pa. It was pretty amazing and really difficult!!

Tuesday 23rd November
In the morning we went to Shaanxi History museum. Xi’an had been around for 13 dynasties, so the history of Xi’an is pretty much the history of China. There was a lot to take in but it was extremely interesting.

In the afternoon we practiced the play with the kids again and then helped grade 3 and 4 practice their speeches for the speech competition. The level of English is pretty good.
When you walk into the school you feel a bit like a celebrity. All the kids stare at you in fascination and shout hello, what is your name. When we arrive it is break time, so there are hundreds of kids running around shouting and waving at you. They are so cute!

In the evening we had a lecture about traditional Chinese medicine, which includes things like cupping, acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine, moxibustion and massage. All of these are available and patients can choose whether to have traditional treatments or ‘western’ treatments. There is no bias on what can be chosen. Typically older people will go for more traditionally methods and the younger people for western.

After the lecture we headed to Trust Mart to buy some chocolate, where Nicole nearly got arrested for stealing chocolate! They had security tags on the bars of chocolate and it had not been deactivated. It caused a bit a scene but we managed to get away!

Wednesday 25th November

In the morning we had a lecture on the history of China and the one child policy.
The one child policy or ‘Family Planning policy’ fascinates me. It was established in 1979 and was to encourage later marriages and late births. (By late they mean aged 23-25!) It was supposed to promote less but healthier children and to slow down the population growth.

Again, at placement we practiced the play and helped some students with their speeches.
We actually had the contest for the younger ones, they were really good. We had to mark then on appearance, their introduction, the text/story they read and then how well they answered some questions we asked them. Some of them got total stage fright and it was so awful to watch. But they were really good.

In the evening we had a calligraphy lecture, which was really interesting to learn about the history of the Chinese characters. The characters originally started off as pictograms, so that the words would look like what there were trying to say. We had fun guessing what certain characters were not too much success though!

Thursday 26th November
In the morning we headed over to the Terracotta warriors. It was about an hour drive (with no traffic!) from the home-base.

The warriors were pretty impressive, there are over 2,000 of them and each one is different, different clothes, facial expressions, hair etc. The detail on them is amazing. The mausoleum was started when the Emperor was 13 years old and he died when he was 50. I find it slightly morbid that they start preparing his mausoleum before he is even dead, but after seeing the amount of work that went into it, it is understandable!

In the afternoon it was the 5th an 6th grades speech competition. Some of them were really good, others were so nervous and forgot their speech it was awful to watch. To stand up in front of a group of people and do a speech is bad enough, but to have to do it in a foreign language – I’m glad I didn’t have too!

The Snow White performance went really well, I was so proud of the kids! I t was pretty sad to leave them even after only working with them for 4 days.

In the evening we had English Corner, where students from the local area come and practice their English with the volunteers. It was pretty interesting to hear some of the questions that they had.

Friday 27th November
We had the morning free to go and do some shopping. We headed down to Muslim Quarter and shopped – a lot! We somehow managed to get lost and ended up in the meat and slaughtering section – not very pleasant to see sheep being dragged down the street to their death.

In the afternoon we went to a foster home, it is run by a South African lady in 2 apartments. There are about 50 children in total ranging from babies up to about 2/3 years old. They all have disabilities some of them have heart conditions and have been abandoned. Other ‘disabilities’ include a cleft pallet. I was shocked to learn that children were abandoned because they had facial disfigurements. People cannot afford the surgery, so they abandon them. They were so adorable and it was great to get some cuddles in off them all!

In the evening we all headed out for dinner. We had hot pot where we all our own individual pots and we cooked fish, potatoes, spinach and lots of other delicious food!
After Nicole, Makayla and I headed to Karaoke! It was super swanky place with some one to carry your beer from the shop to your room, open your beer, escort you to the bathroom! The doors had small circular windows a man walked past, happened to glance in and saw a bunch of foreigners and kept trying to come in to have his photo taken with us. We ended up having a body guard out side the door to stop them from coming back!

Saturday November 28th
Last day - L Nicole, Eva and Johanna left at 6.30, so just Sarah and I were left in the morning. We had a wander round and went to get a massage. For one hour it was 5 pounds 50! Not bad, it was pretty intense but for 5 pounds you can’t complain!

I also went and got my hair cut, £1.50 later I was pretty much scalped. He didn't understand the term 'I want to keep as much length as possible'!

Then 3 planes, 2 taxis, a bus and 24 hours later I was back in The Goon.

China thoughts......

2009-11-19T07:35:00.007-03:00

This week I have been a bit of a domestic goddess, making Birthday cakes, scones, cleaning, laundry and sewing on buttons.

On Wednesday there was the Leonid Meteor Jo and I got up super early to watch it in the freezing cold and saw....... nothing.

This is what we should have seen:

So, 2 days until China! I am so excited. I am looking forward to travelling again and experiencing a new culture. As I previously mentioned I have never had an interest in China but I have been reading up on some things. I actually have about 4 pages of questions to ask and talk to the staff about when I get there. I am not sure whether I am maturing and appreciating different cultures more but China has really intrigued me.

The biggest thing that interests me is the one child policy. Obviously I do not know the ins and outs but the title is pretty obvious! What I found interesting is that if a couple has 'a girl or or has a physical disability, mental illness or mental retardation' they can apply to have a second child. This leads to a lot of female infanticides. I am really interested in talking to the staff about what they think of this and getting actual real peoples opinions rather than information from the media.

Another thing is that Facebook is blocked in China. Shock horror for a TEFL teacher who spends at least several hours on it a day. (Yes teachers in Korea have a lot of down... err preparation time). Twitter, Youtube and many other. See here for a list.

It amazes me that hotmail and gmail have also been blocked at some point. In a world where freedom of speech is a human right and that a government can be publicly so controlling, is a little scary.

I have also been reading about the death penalty and 'black jails' and the fact that there is a generation of people that do not know about the Tianamen Square protests because all the information is blocked in China.

Obviously I do not know everything and am only summarising some the articles that I have quickly scanned,. Some of this information could well be wrong but it definitely has got me thinking of questions to ask people and really wanting to learn more.

I do not want to focus on the negative as I have also read about the rich and interesting culture it has, how it is one of the worlds earliest civilisations, the beautiful calligraphy they do, the Beijing Opera and much more.

I am definitely excited and intrigued to learn more! That is another thing I love about Cross-Cultural Solutions, I can just turn up at the airport and know there will be someone there to pick me up. I don't have to worry about all the logistics, I can really focus on volunteering, immersing myself in the culture and pestering the staff with my questions!

2009-11-10T23:23:00.004-03:00

On Wednesday it was Pepero Day. A bit like Valentines day for Koreans where they give each other this snack that are sticks, that look like 11/11 hence why they are given on 11/11! I got 2 packets, one off a student and one off my co-worker.

This week was an interesting one work wise. I went for dinner with one of my adult students, which caused more trouble that it should have because of.... yes.. you guessed it KM!

I was doing L blends with my phonics class - black, sleep etc. The l and r have the same character in Korean, which caused a few mispronunciations. I was getting the students to repeat the words after me. Me - black, my student - Black. Me - clap, my students - crap. Me no no cLLLap. My students - crrrrap! They couldn't understand why I was laughing.

Then with my Kindergarten doing sh blends. Shake was one of the words. One of the kids recognised the word and proceeded to tell me to 'Shake my bon bon' which of course made me laugh, so she proceeded to tell me again, and again, and again!

Last week one of the kindergartners came in with a 'little black book' I often have deep and meaningful conversations with my kids where they just stare at me blankly or laugh at me while I talk at them. I was talking to her about her little black book and asking if she had many men in there and if she had been on any hot dates recently. One of the other students recognised the word 'man' and replied 'oh superman superman!' So apparently one of my kindergarten students is dating superman!

It always surprises me how some of my kids know no English but mention homework or something they do not like and I receive the response 'oh my god! Oh my god!'

One of my students came to talk to me at my desk and I got a huge whiff of alcoholic, not wanting to judge my 11 year old student for drinking at 4 in the afternoon or accuse of her of being an alcoholic, I carried on talking to her. Then she pulled something out of her pocket and said 'Jocelyn teacher'. It was hand sanitiser and proceeded to squirt it all over my hands! Turns out she wasn't a wino just another paranoid swine flu fearing Korean!

Yesterday, I went on base for 'Save your Bacon'. It is basically a scavenger hunt, that involves finding different locations, where there are drinking games and lots of pork products. At the end everyone ends up at the Delta Bar where there is huge roasted pig. Even being vegetarian I had fun and especially enjoyed the veggie BLT's! We had a poker game, the price is right, golfing, 80's quiz, beer tasting and dancing to the Birdie song.

I also got a proper look on base and saw what the dorms were like and the food court. The dorms were very much like halls of residence, lots of little studios but with a small kitchen, rather than a shared kitchen, like I had at good old Storthes Hall in Hudds! Some of them were one bedroom apartments. The food court had a Burger King, Starbucks, Baskin Robbins, Pizza etc etc. You have to pay for everything in American dollars. It is such a little bubble of America. I met one GI in bar street in Naundong. He was leaving in a week and this was his first time on Bar street. Some of the guys never really leave the base and have no clue about what Korea is like!!

One more week until China!

CCS China!

2009-11-10T17:51:00.004-03:00

It has been just over a year since I left NYC and Cross-Cultural Solutions. I cannot believe it has been a year, or what has happened in that year. Since leaving I have been to Spain, Ghana, moved to Asia and changed career paths!!

Out of all the CCS programs I was never very interested in China or Thailand and had no interest in Asia what so ever! So what do I do... I move to Asia for a year!

I am really excited to visit China. A - to see another part of Asia, I think that South Korea is very erm.. unique.. and it will be interesting to see another part and compare. B- it is nearly 6 months that I will have been here, that is the longest I have been in one spot and not travelled outside the country/state for a LOOOOOONG time. Getting 'cabin fever' slightly so looking forward to travelling.

I also received my placement today! I will be volunteering at a school!

The school was established in 1957. It is located in western part of Xi’an and covers an area of 8,000 square meters. Presently, it accommodates around 2,200 students who are divided into 36 different classes according to their ages.

The content of the volunteer work at School is composed of 3 sections:
l Rehearsal of a short stage play
l Coach the students for an English Recitation Contest
l Judge in the English Recitation Contest

Volunteers help students rehearse the play Monday through Wednesday and the play will be acted on Thursday. The Recitation contest will be on Wednesday and Thursday.

Approximately 30 students from Grade 3 to Grade 6 will take part in the English Recitation Contest. And the volunteers will be divided into 3 groups to help different students with their pronunciation, grammar, and presentation skills if possible. The students can choose either a text from their book, or one of their favorite stories to be the content of their speech. Each student is expected to finish their speech in no more than 4 minutes and it should last no less than 2 minutes.

So on my week off from teaching English, I will be ... teaching English! It is going to be pretty interesting to see the differences between teaching here and in China. For the first time I actually feel qualified for my placement! I remember when I got my placement for Ghana, I was so nervous about teaching!

2009-11-08T09:51:00.006-03:00

Saturday, I spent all afternoon and I really mean all afternoon sitting in a 'Bean and Bean' drinking tea and coffee. It is a really nice coffee shop, with outdoor seating and blankets, a really good chocolate latte with grated white and dark chocolate on and a very nice English speaking owner.

It is round the corner from Wow and Joy, which I have decided is to be my new local, another bar, Lotte Mart and a nail place. Susong-Dong is definitly an up and coming area! They are building a huge funky looking building across the main road from me. I'm excited to figure out what it is as it has quite funky architecture.

Sunday I was thinking of going to Daejon but the weather was awful. I ended up seeing the worst movie ever.

I then went to Jinpo Marine Amusement park. It had a huge old ship, and some planes. Not much of an amusement park but was pretty interesting for about 30 minutes.

After this Jo and I headed to Deachon. These were the 2 places I mispronounced and lead me on a six hour detour. Just to emphasis how easy this is is -

Daecheon 대천 and Daejeon 대전.

See the difference!!!!?? The little hat on the 천 part!

We headed to the fish market and bought 2kg of shrimp for about £7 and then got them cooked for us at a restaurant. It was a traditional Korean restaurant where there were long table and you sat on the floor. We ended up sitting next to 2 couples, one of the guys had hit the soju pretty hard and proceeded to entertain us through the whole meal and shared his food with us. We did shots of soju and beer together and he then asked me to dance.. in the restaurant.. with no music.. so I obliged! One of the waitresses, an older lady kept telling him off for pestering us but then proceeded to hand feed him the heads off our shrimps. As we were leaving we found out that they had paid for all our meal!

Definitely one of the most random nights ever!

Also, just a few random things that I learnt/found out/ have been thinking about:

I asked my adults if they wanted to new husbands, and if they did who, the speedy responses were Brad Pitt and Jonny Depp.

I was discussing holidays with my grade 6 class. Mother's Day came up and how you could create a book of tickets for your mother, with tokens such as breakfast in bed etc. One of my students said she had made one for her mother. I asked what kind of things she had written. One of them was a ticket to pull out all of her mother's grey hairs!!

Gunsan has the most number of churches in South Korea.

2 weeks until China!!

Gmarket is my new best online shopping friend!

Korean is finally starting to sink in. I was speaking to a friend and kept answering in Korean!

2009-11-06T22:50:00.001-03:00

2009-11-06T13:21:00.001-03:00