College, relived

Tuesday 3/21: Listening to NYC’s WFUV online and feeling like I’m cheating, culturally…but it’s sooooo nice! Puttered around and got stuff done in apartment and with admin., then ran with my neighbor in search of the local bike shop, which ended up being a room with a few bikes on it and a little biking stuff on the wall. I got some lube, at least, so: mission accomplished. I'm not sure how psyched he was about the duration/pace of the run, but he had been warned! Elana and I met at Anne’s for some (hah—we killed three bottles) wine and chat.

Wednesday 3/22: Oh, my head. Oh, my system in general… Parade stuff, including restaging it for an indoor show in the event of rain, and crosstraining in the Young Learners content area (gym: games, science: making ice cream, art: drawings with crayons and ice, multicultural games). Made it through the day and went out to one of the village restaurants for dinner to celebrate a co-teacher’s bday. Not great food, but good company and zero commute.

Thursday 3/23: another day of mostly the same, then went to Heyri for dinner with Anne, where we ran into Mel, Stanton, and Dusty (Director of Education). It’s really fun to be hanging out with the higher-ups here, in that I really like them, I’m learning a lot about the inner workings, I’m able to participate in conversations about developing curricula and other programs, and, well, I get good scoop. If any openings in areas of interest to me should arise, I feel that I’d be in a good position to apply for them. After years of auditioning and showbiz, I must confess that it is a nice change to be in a long-term job where I’m involved in long-term, large-scale planning. I don’t miss auditioning every day or the constant flux of that world, even though I miss those people and the processes of the theatre/TV/film work in the New York area. I’m excited to see what we’re able to create here…but I think it will be a real challenge to maintain the patience I know will be necessary to realize most goals.

Friday 3/24: A quick run and a pit stop at Admin., since my toilet hasn’t been flushing properly for 2 days (we lost hot water earlier this week, but that’s back on now). Our fabulous choreographers rearranged and condensed the entire parade so that we’ll be able to perform it Saturday, Sunday and Monday (when we open for real) with only half the cast we’re using now (some people will have weekends off, some Mon/Tues). A huge task, and they pulled it off well. Lunch and a brief gathering with people who’d expressed interest in the visual arts…we’ll hopefully have excursions to museums and the like. I stopped at our village bakery to buy something for a somewhat impromptu birthday party for my neighbor that I was hosting (it just about KILLED me—I can’t remember the last time I BOUGHT baked goods…I’ve got no oven and we haven’t arranged access to the classroom ones, nor have I found ingredients I’d need), and left with a pecan pie (that was fine but not what we’d consider authentic). I went to Anne’s for an acupuncture treatment (my system’s been a bit wonky), which was relaxing. A little party setup, caught part of the choral rehearsal, then came home to attend to final hosting details. The bday boy, having discovered some last minute enthusiasm for the idea of a party, went nuts and got some pizzas from our Italian place, lots of people brought booze, the guys happily DJed from my ipod, and we think he and everyone else had a pretty good time. Parties here tend to revolve around a theme or event, in that we can’t invite everyone (apartments are too small), even though anyone is welcome. We had the bday event, and specifically invited our neighbors, the visual arts people (he’s an artist), and a few others within earshot. They told two friends and so on and so on and so on, so we had a great turnout. I do sometimes feel like I’m in high school again, and when the ‘cool’ people show up and stay for a while…ah, don’t we all love to be cool… Several people with whom I’d never really gotten a chance to talk to at length came, and that was great. too. Got to bed by 3…

Saturday 3/25: Yeah, so no running today. Street edutained on a gorgeous day, worked at Immigration (the kids all come through, give a two-member team their names individually; the English-speaker asks where they’re from and where they’re going and other questions while the Korean checks the name and prepares the students’ passports for their stay at EV…then they get on a tram that brings them into the campus) before the parade, and am taking it easy tonight. I’ll be early to bed, for sure! Tomorrow will be another day of the same (still pre-opening), then a follow-up acupuncture treatment, a meditation group session, then later a slightly scandalously-themed party at Anne’s…

The extracurricular scene here (and I don’t know what else to call it—this is like college camp) abounds, and of course I’m signed up for too much: choral group, soccer, hiking, book group, cooking, Shamanism, visual arts, meditation, films, play-reading…I’m sure I’ve left some out, too. I may drop out of some because there are a couple of people with whom I’d rather not be spending my free also signed up, but we’ll see--perhaps that will be the context in which I discover the fabulousness of the individual… We have only Monday off this week, and I’m going to a tour of Heyri in the morning, shopping, cleaning, exercise in the afternoon, and book group that night. Tuesday night is soccer, Wednesday is chorus, Thursday is rehearsal for an opening day show and then some organized village party, and Friday is a full day and night retreat before our opening weekend. Saturday we’re heading to Seoul for flea marketing, a sex-district tour, jazz clubs and dancing, for which Don will join us. I’ll look forward to reporting on it all!

As is probably pretty apparent, there are many interesting people here, all eager to do interesting things together. It seems that I will have the delightful dilemma of trying to carve out the solo time I’ll want for exercise, exploration and being the fiercely independent gal that I am amidst all the goodness of getting together. I also want to be sure to continue to get out into the real Korea as much as possible; it would be very easy to get comfortable within the castle walls.

To answer some questions I’ve gotten:
YES, the plastic covers are off of the furniture; I’ll take new photos when I’ve gotten better décor.
No, the washing machine isn’t a dishwasher. I hope no one has made the unfortunate error of thinking otherwise.
Outside my windows is a courtyard with the entrances to several other residential buildings (they’re mostly 2 floors and 8 or fewer apartments each). There’s a fountain that’s not working yet, and trees that are newly planted and will hopefully get watered and then turn green. I’ll take photos soon. The apartment smells like… hmmmm… I think the industrial-type carpeting smell is mostly gone, so it smells mostly like whatever I’ve just cooked. The heater makes noise whether or not it’s on, which is somewhat annoying but is pretty background-y, as noises go.

Anyong hi gesayo!