Four legs too many...

My boss took our teaching staff out to lunch today so that we could celebrate my arrival and commemorate the departure of Candice, my current roommate. For some reason I was led to believe that we were going out for chicken -- a special Korean dish called "Samgyet'ang" which is prepared by stuffing a chicken with ginseng, cabbage and a variety of spices, and then boiling the chicken whole in a broth of rice wine and vegetables. Unfortunately I didn't get the memo telling us that we were actually going out for fresh seafood.

When I say FRESH SEAFOOD what I mean is: they brought a kettle FULL of STILL LIVING (read: moving) creatures (shrimps, crabs, squid, clams, mussels, and various other sea life) to our table, turned on the in-set BBQ, and boiled our slimey friends alive (in a broth of red peppers, bean sprouts and onions) right before our very eyes! And as if that wasn't enough, just as the food finished cooking the waitress returned with a strange black tub. She then pulled the lid off of the furiously boiling kettle and then dumped a LIVE OCTOPUS into the mix!!!!!!!!!!

Following the meal my boss said that my face went SO white when I saw the squirming creature that she was concerned I might faint! I must assure you that as soon as I realized I was going to have to put that writhing creature into my mouth I nearly brought-up all of our delicious appetizers. Naturally I was "honoured" with the first serving from the kettle. Smiling, I chewed appreciatively on the tightly curled tentacles and carefully swallowed in an effort to avoid having the creature's suction-cups choke me to death after only 1 week of work abroad. Never before have I eaten such an... EXOTIC meal. Apparently octopus is a delicacy in Mokpo, and I will be hard-pressed to avoid eating it again if I dine with others. Truth be told: I actually enjoyed the food today. It actually tasted very good. --But that doesn't mean I'm going to start eating the LIVE BABY OCTOPUS LEGS which are the TRUE specialty around these parts. That's going just one step too far in my opinion.

PS. I tried to take a photo of our meal before we ate it but apparently that's bad form in Korea. Sorry guys! I will get my ass into gear on the photo front this week -- PROMISE!!!

We're approaching cruising altitude...

Ok, so things are beginning to get interesting here. I went out with my co-workers last night to play a rousing game of Korean "pocketball" (I.E. Pool) and over the course of the evening the ENTIRE Ex-Pat ESL poplulation of Mokpo seemed to filter through the establishment. Crazy but also AMAZING!!! There are a lot more foreigners here that I expected, and many of them seem very kind and funny. Perhaps I've lucked-out coming to this small South Korean fishing port... (Don't worry, none of them are HALF as cool as my friends back home. There will be no replacing going on, I ASSURE YOU!)

Job-wise, I still can't conceive of myself as a teacher, but actually the work is coming very naturally to me and the kids are responding very positively to my instruction. Needless to say, that's probably a stary-eyed first-week-on-the-job perspective, but it's not a bad way to begin.

Whoa... Everything's written in Korean!

Well, I have arrived alive, although SEVERLY Jet-Lagged, in Mokpo, South Korea. They have already put me to work, however I am only shaddowing the other ex-pat teachers at Lee English Academy for the time being (which is FINE WITH ME!). I have set myself up in the school's apartment which I am presently sharing with 2 other teachers: Candice and Craig, both of whom are from Alberta, Canada. They are both very kind, accommodating and lovely, and the 3 of us may be making a jaunt to visit the De-militarized Zone this weekend to ensure that they both see it before leaving Korea for good. I haven't any pictures to speak of yet, but I promise I will post them once I remember to tote my camera with me when leaving the house. There is some resistance, on my part, of plaing the tourist role when if fact I will be living here for the next 12 months. But I'm sure everyone takes pictures initially, so if for no other reason I will make the effort just so that all of you can get a better idea of where I'm at and what my life is like here in Mokpo. I have yet to get internet installed in my apartment, but once that happens I promise to be a bit more in-touch on this front, so that you don't forget about me entirely or learn to live without my quirky out-written self.

Thanks again to all those who came out to SUPERMARKET on Sat. That was really good for my inner-self. It thanks you heartily. And for those I neglected to tell about my going-away-gig: I'm sorry. I was having a lot of trouble doing the goodbye thing and I thought it would be better just to leave without stirring up everyone's emotions. I now fell very different about that and I'm very sorry I was so insensitie. Please belive me when I say I love you and I miss you very much. Please don't cut me off! I was stupid, but I promise to try harder from now on.

Much Love, -- Tcy

A chip off the ol' Block: The Original Cup-a-Joe

Spent the dreary, rainy evening with Numero-Uno tonight and had a FANtastic time. It's been too long since the two of us urban, chic, motivated and happenin' gals have had a chance to just hang solo without thousands of outside concerns crowding the conversation. It was really really really GREAT, and its one of the most essential things I am going to miss once I leave this crazy hazy town. Truly. There are some things in life that can never be duplicated or replaced -- like laughing 'til it hurts over cats and whistles. Explanations aside, in this case only the original will do.
Got it?
Good.
"Hi now, goodnight...!"

Immune System Drudgery Delays Flight

Due to my present state of sickliness I have been forced to delay my Korean departure by 3 days, meaning that I will leave Canada not on the 17th of November, but on the evening of the 20th.

Please note that this means there will be some celebrations happenin' on Saturday the 19th at a yet-to-be-determined location. Suggestions will be gladly accepted. Declinations of attendance will be scorned eternally (with all my heart). RSVP if you care...

Back to the drawing board...

2 Leather Jackets, a tan, a cold, minus one wallet and one camera, but with 1000 great memories, 100 wonderful moments, at least 4 GREAT stories, and after 14-hour flight; my unplanned excursion to South America has come to an end. What can I really say...? Only this: GO!!! Just Go! Planning-shmanning! It's all overrated and besides, if you get too caught up in the logistics of it all you'll never make it there. It is a place unlike any other I've encountered. Sure you'll have to take a 20h bus ride to see Vero. But it's SOOOO worth it. Trust me. (Limited) Pictures and stories to come....

So I am back in Toronto for a whopping 6 days before heading off to the FAR East. I have much to do and very little time to get it done but I do want to promote coffee this week as an event NOT TO BE MISSED. Although random coffees may occur across the globe in various places and spaces, this will be the last official "Sunday-Night COFFEE" for quite some time. Although tradition would suggest otherwise, I believe it should be held at Futures (to accommodate drinking and cake), however the day and time shall remain the same (Sunday, 9:00pm). So that's my ADVANCED WARNING to everyone. Don't say I didn't warn you!

ARGENTINA

Is wonderful.
Beautiful.
Unbelievable.
HOTTTTT.
Life-Changing.
Eye-opening.
SOMETHING WE SHOULD DISCUSS OVER MATE...
I will write something more substantial soon.
I promise.
I love and miss you all.
But there is no other place ON EARTH i would rather be right now.
Love,
-Tcy