Man I've been productive the past few days.
Emergency freezer defrosting in an hour.
Packing my lunches and dinners.
More than a few loads of laundry (augmented by item number 1).
Boiling peanuts and experimenting with plum cobbler (as I'm trying to clear out fridge...).
Resumes.
Dry cleaner.
Blogging.
Actually answering my Kakao talk.
Finishing reading a book (Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, if you were curious).
All the while going to the gym like the loyal exercising trainee I should be.
I'm sure I'm missing something here.
The weeks sure are flying by, which is a blessing and a curse. I'm getting a lot of things done, but it also feels like some of the looming things like securing my next job are at a standstill. Arguably, they're not, but it feels that way.
My first grand resume push was last week, and I actually got a few responses. Follow ups after the first few responses have been weaker, but I at least find it encouraging that I'm getting more attention this time around than when I had first tried job seeking after graduation. I must have been doing my resume all wrong then! Or something.
But the bottom line is things are moving, and I got my feet put to the fire in one of the first responses I had. One company had called back the next day and spoke with me about taking a written test as soon as possible. The woman spoke to me in Korean the whole time (note that I intentionally sent resumes and cover letters in English, unlike when I sent bilingual documents after graduation). Gladly I would take this written test, I said.
I was expecting a copywriting test, like when I had done interviews before. Alas, the next morning, bright and early, I received the file by email, opened it, and saw that it was in fact a translation test. Two articles, one English, one Korean. Directions: You have an hour. Translate.
No time to waste on panic, I just started. It took me a solid hour to translate to English. Forget putting it into Korean. Times up. I obediently sent in my work after an hour. Two minutes later the phone rings.
"You didn't get to the Korean? Not at all?"
Sheepishly, I reply, "No..."
"Okay, I'll give you more time. Work on that and send it in as soon as you can."
It was a relief and a bombshell at the same time. I wasn't automatically disqualified, but I had a mountain in front of me. And... work to go to in 2 hours. I toiled and toiled and managed to send it off and I ran to work.
I wish I could tell you how it turned out, but I myself am waiting by the phone. That's a figure of speech these days, I couldn't live without my cell phone within an eyeshot even when I'm not expecting news.
Part of me wants to show my test to my friends to see how horrible my Korean is. But at the same time, I don't want to because I don't want to actually know how horrible my Korean is. I'm going to have to get over that and just force myself to practice knowing that I'm making mistakes, but to keep being corrected. It's a new stage--when you first learn a language, you're afraid of people fixing your pronunciation, then your grammar in speech. I've gotten over that, but now I have to humble myself again and accept criticism of my writing.
My Korean writing is only for my own personal use talking to friends on messengers or leaving short notes for people. I speak decently enough, but writing is completely different animal. Having skipped out on learning Korean in an educational setting, I have no confidence in my writing skills at all (don't tell my employers that). I do, however, have confidence that I can get better.
Just gotta establish a no-exceptions study hour to my day and dive back in. Wish me luck!
By the way, here's my Instagram feed if you would like to follow my day-to-day life a little closer. I'm just so proud of my kimchi veggie wraps that I packed for lunch today. Yumyumyum.
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
7.01.2014
4.21.2014
New Beginnings on the Horizon
In a brief moment of mental clarity coinciding with free time on this Monday morning, I finally have a chance to give you guys an update.
Sorry for the long delay. As you hardworking folks know, time seems to become rarer and rarer. To put an additional challenge in, there have been interesting turns of events in the ever-exciting world of me.
First notable event: I finally got my back pay from my old hakwon! Yay! It took 9 months for my old employer to scrape together the funds (plus or minus some honesty on his part) and pay the teachers. Now that the case is officially settled, I feel like I can disclose the negotiations and speculations of the case without compromising my own returns.
I know that I received 100% of what was calculated by the Board of Labor, no interest or lawyer fee reimbursement, because I just wanted him to hurry up and pay up. Adding on additional fees could have been adding risk to him deciding to just declare bankruptcy and merely pay a fine where he would then have his first criminal record (basically the same as having something put on your permanent record in high school. A slap on the wrist as far as legal ramifications go). So to play it safe, but stand up for my basic rights, I agreed to just end it after he pays me what he owes me. Given, too, that I recognize the desperation of his situation (again, plus or minus some honesty) with having an infant son to care for, he must be strapped for cash in some manner. I decided to be a little forgiving. But I wanted my money, dang it.
I got it. Paid off my credit card from when I went to the States (plane ticket and Black Friday shopping), plus my Costco expenses. Costco in Korea only takes cash or Samsung credit cards. However, they don't clearly explain that American Express works as Samsung in Korea. Yay! It's always so hard to leave with only what you went for, therefore just as hard to bring just enough cash. So that's why I always use my credit card at Costco whenever I manage to make a trip.
And make a trip this weekend I did! I went for Greek yogurt, but they were all out. Sad. So instead I got some "Denmark Plain Yogurt." I checked the sugar. If there's like... none, then you know it's good to eat! at 5g per serving compared to the next "plain" yogurt at 11g, I figured it would get a seal of approval from my inner dietician. As sour as it tastes by itself, add a little natural (not quite so processed and sugar added) jam or preserves, maybe some muesli (granola without the sugar), and it's actually not that regrettable.
Anyway. As predicted I left with a lot more than yogurt. Preserves, salmon wrap wheels, jerky, bacon bits, and a pack of bagels. Bagels are probably a no-no, but who cares, they're delicious.
I'm planning on making my own meals for lunch (the only time I'm supposed to eat normal people food). My plan: sandwich, yogurt, and a fruit of some kind. Breakfast and dinner are essentially a choice of 2 of the following: boiled egg, small sweet potato, or banana. Mix and match any way you want! and cry. Just cry. (Stand up comedy reference). Here.
Anyway. Gotta start this diet thing again. Gotta lose weight to save my knee. OH BY THE WAY. (today's transitions work so well...)
I signed up for another round of PT (Personal Training). It's a 3 month plan. I went to a training studio in the neighborhood that I had an eye on since I went looking for gyms. Training studios do not have a gym package where you can come on your own, you have to be taking classes to use the facilities, so I nixed it early on. 30 classes for about 1,500 bucks. You come use the gym whenever you want, but meet with an instructor twice a week. Last time I did this, I lost 19 kilos, about 35 pounds or so. Since then (it's been 9 months), I gained half of it back. No doubt largely due to stress from the lawsuit and also from hurting my knee.
The trainer I was matched with has a bit of experience in physical rehabilitation (as in when athletes hurt themselves, these are the trainers that get them back into competitive shape). He assessed my body imbalances (one side stronger than the other, for example, in my shoulders. That can lead to further injury if your body overcompensates.) They did a really good job doing a physical. Wednesday is the first class. Today was my first power walking exercise at that gym. (Treadmill, why hello, long time no see.) Heart rate was well over 160...
This should be good.
In addition, I finally gave in to lifting up my seat to the recommended height where the leg becomes fully extended.
Little did I know that I can't actually ride a bike. I had always taken off by pushing one foot on the ground while seated and then while coasting starting to pedal. (Yay teaching myself how to ride a bike... the wrong way). So now it's really scary to try and push off by just pedaling. It takes me about 10 minutes to get a successful start. And God save the person that makes me stop before I want to. It begins another 10 minute session trying to start. Most of the time, all of the sweating happens when I am focusing so hard on my feet and not tipping over before getting the pedals moving enough to keep my bulk centered. After that it's smooth sailing. I'll get the hang of it eventually...
There's actually a bit more to the life of Tessa, but that's all I have time to recap for today. I have lots of topics to talk about coming up. And I might post a more detailed account of my experience filing a lawsuit in Korea. For a preview, I can say that I am now looking for a job starting in September using a two pronged attack. One line safely pursuing hakwons and the other in the high risky hopes of finding an office job outside of the English education field.
I wish good luck to myself in all of this. haha.
Comments? Requests? Yes, please!
Sorry for the long delay. As you hardworking folks know, time seems to become rarer and rarer. To put an additional challenge in, there have been interesting turns of events in the ever-exciting world of me.
First notable event: I finally got my back pay from my old hakwon! Yay! It took 9 months for my old employer to scrape together the funds (plus or minus some honesty on his part) and pay the teachers. Now that the case is officially settled, I feel like I can disclose the negotiations and speculations of the case without compromising my own returns.
I know that I received 100% of what was calculated by the Board of Labor, no interest or lawyer fee reimbursement, because I just wanted him to hurry up and pay up. Adding on additional fees could have been adding risk to him deciding to just declare bankruptcy and merely pay a fine where he would then have his first criminal record (basically the same as having something put on your permanent record in high school. A slap on the wrist as far as legal ramifications go). So to play it safe, but stand up for my basic rights, I agreed to just end it after he pays me what he owes me. Given, too, that I recognize the desperation of his situation (again, plus or minus some honesty) with having an infant son to care for, he must be strapped for cash in some manner. I decided to be a little forgiving. But I wanted my money, dang it.
I got it. Paid off my credit card from when I went to the States (plane ticket and Black Friday shopping), plus my Costco expenses. Costco in Korea only takes cash or Samsung credit cards. However, they don't clearly explain that American Express works as Samsung in Korea. Yay! It's always so hard to leave with only what you went for, therefore just as hard to bring just enough cash. So that's why I always use my credit card at Costco whenever I manage to make a trip.
And make a trip this weekend I did! I went for Greek yogurt, but they were all out. Sad. So instead I got some "Denmark Plain Yogurt." I checked the sugar. If there's like... none, then you know it's good to eat! at 5g per serving compared to the next "plain" yogurt at 11g, I figured it would get a seal of approval from my inner dietician. As sour as it tastes by itself, add a little natural (not quite so processed and sugar added) jam or preserves, maybe some muesli (granola without the sugar), and it's actually not that regrettable.
Anyway. As predicted I left with a lot more than yogurt. Preserves, salmon wrap wheels, jerky, bacon bits, and a pack of bagels. Bagels are probably a no-no, but who cares, they're delicious.
I'm planning on making my own meals for lunch (the only time I'm supposed to eat normal people food). My plan: sandwich, yogurt, and a fruit of some kind. Breakfast and dinner are essentially a choice of 2 of the following: boiled egg, small sweet potato, or banana. Mix and match any way you want! and cry. Just cry. (Stand up comedy reference). Here.
Anyway. Gotta start this diet thing again. Gotta lose weight to save my knee. OH BY THE WAY. (today's transitions work so well...)
I signed up for another round of PT (Personal Training). It's a 3 month plan. I went to a training studio in the neighborhood that I had an eye on since I went looking for gyms. Training studios do not have a gym package where you can come on your own, you have to be taking classes to use the facilities, so I nixed it early on. 30 classes for about 1,500 bucks. You come use the gym whenever you want, but meet with an instructor twice a week. Last time I did this, I lost 19 kilos, about 35 pounds or so. Since then (it's been 9 months), I gained half of it back. No doubt largely due to stress from the lawsuit and also from hurting my knee.
The trainer I was matched with has a bit of experience in physical rehabilitation (as in when athletes hurt themselves, these are the trainers that get them back into competitive shape). He assessed my body imbalances (one side stronger than the other, for example, in my shoulders. That can lead to further injury if your body overcompensates.) They did a really good job doing a physical. Wednesday is the first class. Today was my first power walking exercise at that gym. (Treadmill, why hello, long time no see.) Heart rate was well over 160...
This should be good.
In addition, I finally gave in to lifting up my seat to the recommended height where the leg becomes fully extended.
Little did I know that I can't actually ride a bike. I had always taken off by pushing one foot on the ground while seated and then while coasting starting to pedal. (Yay teaching myself how to ride a bike... the wrong way). So now it's really scary to try and push off by just pedaling. It takes me about 10 minutes to get a successful start. And God save the person that makes me stop before I want to. It begins another 10 minute session trying to start. Most of the time, all of the sweating happens when I am focusing so hard on my feet and not tipping over before getting the pedals moving enough to keep my bulk centered. After that it's smooth sailing. I'll get the hang of it eventually...
There's actually a bit more to the life of Tessa, but that's all I have time to recap for today. I have lots of topics to talk about coming up. And I might post a more detailed account of my experience filing a lawsuit in Korea. For a preview, I can say that I am now looking for a job starting in September using a two pronged attack. One line safely pursuing hakwons and the other in the high risky hopes of finding an office job outside of the English education field.
I wish good luck to myself in all of this. haha.
Comments? Requests? Yes, please!
1.13.2014
Swimming Pool 101
Alrighty guys. Gonna make a quick post that I've been meaning to put up since last week.
This past week flew by since I started a new schedule at the hakwon for a short 6 week winter break program. It basically takes up my Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but still gives me time to make the 8:00-8:50 swimming schedule at the YMCA. Swim, shower, home, change, work til 9. Wednesday (work at 12:30, finish at 8:00, go tutor for 3 hours, go home and sleep) gets sandwiched by 8:00-9:00 Tuesday Thursdays. Don't get me wrong, it's worth the pocket money, but goodness I'm beat by Friday night.
So about that swimming pool.
First of all, swimming pool memberships are locked into time slots prepaid by the month. Basically these time slots are the times that are not being used by various other classes and programs. Generally, it's at the crack of dawn, lunch time, and again around 7 or 8. Most pools work this way.
Getting into the pool is quite different from what the American would be used to... i.e. getting publicly naked first. It's a fusion of pool and Korean sauna. Get your key, go to the locker room, strip down (essential to going to the showers as you will be stopped along the way by some ajumma before you have time to reach the shower floor in your bathing suit), go down stairs to the shower room, shower down with soap (rinsing is frowned upon), put your bathing suit on, and go straight from the shower room to the pool (you have to go through it to reach the pool).
I first experienced that when I was going to Korea University and I took a swimming class to finish off my credits while helping out with exercise at the same time. I lived right next door, so I saw no difference between rinsing down before and leaving my house with my bathing suit on under exercise clothes and making a B line for the pool--cause who wants to flaunt themselves to the local grandma population and fellow classmates? I was stopped many a time, but pulled the "I don't know, I'm a foreigner card" and they stopped bothering me. Bad Tessa, bad.
But as time goes on, you get used to the whole naked thing and just do it for the sake of efficiency and oddly enough avoiding interaction. That was the extent of my knowledge until I got to the YMCA for free swim...
It turns out there's an unspoken social dynamic in the 8:00 swim population.
You see, there's 6 lanes, two for each level: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. In the first week, I went with the intermediate level. And kept getting hit on the head by swimmers in the lane (there are usually about 5 people or more in each lane, just swimming laps). They were also really slow. I'm no competitive swimmer, but this was too much. Apparently "beginner" means "I can be in water by myself and not die" and intermediate means "I can reach the other side and come back without stopping midway." I couldn't get my heart rate up with this group taking up the lane, so I got some guts and went over to the advanced level.
I got fussed at by this woman for being too slow. As it turns out one of the advanced lanes (which had the least amount of people, the reason why I went there) is for this clique of swimmers that like to have leisurely laps and then suddenly sprint with butterflies and stuff. The next lane moved at my pace, or a little faster which pushes me to swim harder. Fine with me. But I had to be shamed first to get in. I always felt the disapproving eyes of that woman ever since--and you know she comes every day, as you will notice with most of the swimmers.
Though there are jolly and light hearted old women in the swimming "community" you can't help but feel the burn of those who seem to somehow be sitting at the top of the hierarchy. Going back to the shower, there are a lot of old women striking up conversation (some people try to talk in the pool but I promptly cut conversation with the point that I need to exercise. If I stop, it's cause I absolutely should breath before I go again if I don't want to drown.) but there are many whose lives revolve around making others follow rules.
Last week I had a bad day. I woke up a little late, and rushed to the pool. Started my laps. I made a lazy stretch with my arm as I was swimming and just slammed my middle and ring fingers into the plastic lane ropes. It's still bruised. But that put me off for the swim, thinking about whether it was worth it to stop and go ice it. I didn't. Somewhere along the way in deep thought, I realized my ear plug fell out (I've got sensitive ears). I stood up and looked around. It would be impossible to find the sky blue silicone plug in the turquoise water. As I was being hit by swimmers going past on both sides, the mean lady asked me if I lost something. Disheartened, I pointed to my remaining plug and said that it fell out. To get out of the way, I popped it back in my ear and I kept moving. For about 2 laps, I was thinking about where to get it and whether internet shopping would be worth the 2.50 shipping fee for something that only costs 7 dollars... but where would I find swimming gear nearby? etc etc etc. Back to the end of the lane, the woman was waiting for me with my ear plug in hand, and gave it back to me smiling.
At that point, I felt so relieved but also in a state of surprise and near confusion about my relationship with this woman. I realized then that she wasn't there to chastise me so much as to look after me. Though she has yet to compliment my swimming, she has accepted me as a "usual" member. There's a term for relationships between Koreans--jung. It's not quite love, but a bond that people have as humans to look out and care for one another. Ah, it's not social responsibility either. You have to feel it and then you know.
That morning, I realized that there's more kindness in that cold pool than I thought, and as cliche as it seems that bad days can and do get better.
That's as well as I can conclude this story, since I have to rush off to work. I spent the morning finding a laundromat that would clean my Uggs after I spilt board marker ink on them. They're now in the "hospital" for 3 weeks... Let's hope that bad thing will turn out nicely, too. Pleeeaaase?
This past week flew by since I started a new schedule at the hakwon for a short 6 week winter break program. It basically takes up my Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but still gives me time to make the 8:00-8:50 swimming schedule at the YMCA. Swim, shower, home, change, work til 9. Wednesday (work at 12:30, finish at 8:00, go tutor for 3 hours, go home and sleep) gets sandwiched by 8:00-9:00 Tuesday Thursdays. Don't get me wrong, it's worth the pocket money, but goodness I'm beat by Friday night.
So about that swimming pool.
First of all, swimming pool memberships are locked into time slots prepaid by the month. Basically these time slots are the times that are not being used by various other classes and programs. Generally, it's at the crack of dawn, lunch time, and again around 7 or 8. Most pools work this way.
Getting into the pool is quite different from what the American would be used to... i.e. getting publicly naked first. It's a fusion of pool and Korean sauna. Get your key, go to the locker room, strip down (essential to going to the showers as you will be stopped along the way by some ajumma before you have time to reach the shower floor in your bathing suit), go down stairs to the shower room, shower down with soap (rinsing is frowned upon), put your bathing suit on, and go straight from the shower room to the pool (you have to go through it to reach the pool).
I first experienced that when I was going to Korea University and I took a swimming class to finish off my credits while helping out with exercise at the same time. I lived right next door, so I saw no difference between rinsing down before and leaving my house with my bathing suit on under exercise clothes and making a B line for the pool--cause who wants to flaunt themselves to the local grandma population and fellow classmates? I was stopped many a time, but pulled the "I don't know, I'm a foreigner card" and they stopped bothering me. Bad Tessa, bad.
But as time goes on, you get used to the whole naked thing and just do it for the sake of efficiency and oddly enough avoiding interaction. That was the extent of my knowledge until I got to the YMCA for free swim...
It turns out there's an unspoken social dynamic in the 8:00 swim population.
You see, there's 6 lanes, two for each level: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. In the first week, I went with the intermediate level. And kept getting hit on the head by swimmers in the lane (there are usually about 5 people or more in each lane, just swimming laps). They were also really slow. I'm no competitive swimmer, but this was too much. Apparently "beginner" means "I can be in water by myself and not die" and intermediate means "I can reach the other side and come back without stopping midway." I couldn't get my heart rate up with this group taking up the lane, so I got some guts and went over to the advanced level.
I got fussed at by this woman for being too slow. As it turns out one of the advanced lanes (which had the least amount of people, the reason why I went there) is for this clique of swimmers that like to have leisurely laps and then suddenly sprint with butterflies and stuff. The next lane moved at my pace, or a little faster which pushes me to swim harder. Fine with me. But I had to be shamed first to get in. I always felt the disapproving eyes of that woman ever since--and you know she comes every day, as you will notice with most of the swimmers.
Though there are jolly and light hearted old women in the swimming "community" you can't help but feel the burn of those who seem to somehow be sitting at the top of the hierarchy. Going back to the shower, there are a lot of old women striking up conversation (some people try to talk in the pool but I promptly cut conversation with the point that I need to exercise. If I stop, it's cause I absolutely should breath before I go again if I don't want to drown.) but there are many whose lives revolve around making others follow rules.
Last week I had a bad day. I woke up a little late, and rushed to the pool. Started my laps. I made a lazy stretch with my arm as I was swimming and just slammed my middle and ring fingers into the plastic lane ropes. It's still bruised. But that put me off for the swim, thinking about whether it was worth it to stop and go ice it. I didn't. Somewhere along the way in deep thought, I realized my ear plug fell out (I've got sensitive ears). I stood up and looked around. It would be impossible to find the sky blue silicone plug in the turquoise water. As I was being hit by swimmers going past on both sides, the mean lady asked me if I lost something. Disheartened, I pointed to my remaining plug and said that it fell out. To get out of the way, I popped it back in my ear and I kept moving. For about 2 laps, I was thinking about where to get it and whether internet shopping would be worth the 2.50 shipping fee for something that only costs 7 dollars... but where would I find swimming gear nearby? etc etc etc. Back to the end of the lane, the woman was waiting for me with my ear plug in hand, and gave it back to me smiling.
At that point, I felt so relieved but also in a state of surprise and near confusion about my relationship with this woman. I realized then that she wasn't there to chastise me so much as to look after me. Though she has yet to compliment my swimming, she has accepted me as a "usual" member. There's a term for relationships between Koreans--jung. It's not quite love, but a bond that people have as humans to look out and care for one another. Ah, it's not social responsibility either. You have to feel it and then you know.
That morning, I realized that there's more kindness in that cold pool than I thought, and as cliche as it seems that bad days can and do get better.
That's as well as I can conclude this story, since I have to rush off to work. I spent the morning finding a laundromat that would clean my Uggs after I spilt board marker ink on them. They're now in the "hospital" for 3 weeks... Let's hope that bad thing will turn out nicely, too. Pleeeaaase?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)