Wednesday, June 2, 2010
apt number 1
So here is the first try with an apartment. I may be moving from here in the next couple days as other teachers are moving out. This one is a bit of a walk away from the school, not too bad, but all the other teachers are located soooo much closer and i would like to be closer to more westerners.
Which does lead me to my next thought. When i was getting prepared to come to Korea i thought that there would be a lot more people who speak english. My preconception of this stems from my trip to Europe where sooo many people spoke english, and not just a little english. but a lot of english. It is very common to go to many different restaurants here and not have any of the staff speak english... hilarity ensues.
The other factor in me thinking more people would speak english is because of how many teachers are over here doing the exact same thing i am. And the kids that we are teaching are soo incredibly good at it. We all have the policy where no one is to speak Korean or any other language while they are in the classroom. The classes are three hour blocks with 5 minute breaks every hour where they cannot speak Korean. These classes all take place after they get done with their normal school day and any other academy classes they are scheduled for. I ran through the typical day of an american kid and they could not believe it.
Anyway, enjoy the video. Classes went good yesterday and today. i will write more on all that later.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Seoul Man
Touched down last night. Didn't sleep the night before i left, a whole lot due to last minute packing and cleaning up the apartment at Fishtrap. It was good though, Jared came out and we reminisced and talked about how this really does feel like the end of our college era. He is going to be the last one in the Spokane area and everyone is graduated or close to it.
In SeaTac I met two other teachers going into the same program as me. Which was awesome because that means we found the right bus together and got a cab together to our hotel. We were all so tired and wanting a shower so badly from the plane ride, I got to the hotel around 8:00 PM last night, showered and passed out for 3 hours and woke up when my roommates came back from the bar. Pretty cool people. One was from Snohomish, WA, the other two from California. We talked for a few hours and I made use of the hotels high speed internet and got caught up on my episodes of the Office and Doctor Who.
A quick story from the plane ride. We were served two meals on the plane along with several drinks, and everytime they asked me what i wanted i always opted for the Korean food or drink. The two koreans on either side of me enjoyed this and when I got the lunch special the stewardess asked if i knew how to eat it.....
It's food right? been doing it for 24 years now, most of those years on my own. But the lady next to me told her not to worry and she would show me how. The gentlemen on my other side kept telling me to put more and more hot sauce on it and i was like, maybe i'll put more on later. So she showed me how to mix all the stuff together and what NOT to mix in with the main meal. And i finished everything on my tray which apparently means i want more because everyone all three of these people in my story kept asking me if i had enough to eat and if it was "sufficient". I laughed and said yes, not all americans need to eat multiple helpings (it was true i did eat a cheeseburger right before i got on the plane)
But it was a good, if not sleepless, plane right with plenty of head-rest movies to watch.
That's all the blogging time for now. My roommates are getting up and i think we are going to venture out for some food.
More on the Korea situation later.
In SeaTac I met two other teachers going into the same program as me. Which was awesome because that means we found the right bus together and got a cab together to our hotel. We were all so tired and wanting a shower so badly from the plane ride, I got to the hotel around 8:00 PM last night, showered and passed out for 3 hours and woke up when my roommates came back from the bar. Pretty cool people. One was from Snohomish, WA, the other two from California. We talked for a few hours and I made use of the hotels high speed internet and got caught up on my episodes of the Office and Doctor Who.
A quick story from the plane ride. We were served two meals on the plane along with several drinks, and everytime they asked me what i wanted i always opted for the Korean food or drink. The two koreans on either side of me enjoyed this and when I got the lunch special the stewardess asked if i knew how to eat it.....
It's food right? been doing it for 24 years now, most of those years on my own. But the lady next to me told her not to worry and she would show me how. The gentlemen on my other side kept telling me to put more and more hot sauce on it and i was like, maybe i'll put more on later. So she showed me how to mix all the stuff together and what NOT to mix in with the main meal. And i finished everything on my tray which apparently means i want more because everyone all three of these people in my story kept asking me if i had enough to eat and if it was "sufficient". I laughed and said yes, not all americans need to eat multiple helpings (it was true i did eat a cheeseburger right before i got on the plane)
But it was a good, if not sleepless, plane right with plenty of head-rest movies to watch.
That's all the blogging time for now. My roommates are getting up and i think we are going to venture out for some food.
More on the Korea situation later.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Chase WaMa, Columbus, Ohio
Well the first day is over. It's been a very long two days. seems more like a week. Flew from Spokane to St Paul to Columbus. Met a couple of other techs from Spokane about 10 minutes into the flight out of spokane sitting right behind me. Oh yeah, for those of you who don't know whats going on with me....
About two months ago i responded to a job post on Craigslist for a spokane tech needed just for one weekend for the Chase-Washington Mutual Conversion. After a bit of paperwork and phone interviews i had it all set up. One day of going to a WaMu branch on Division to sit on my hands for 9 hours and work for 20 minutes.
They pay was pretty good and a job is a job.
A couple weeks later the same recruitment company e-mailed me to see if i was interested in being a lead tech and working for a longer term. After several phone interviews and planning and coordinating and confirming many things I got the job (which i still didnt really know what it was.... or for how long....) in Columbus, Ohio. So Tuesday i got my flight information, Wednesday I flew out. We all caught up now?
So the first day is over and i learned a lot more about what is going on. I am going to be working in one of the main Chase offices here in Columbus with as a help desk technician. The main job is the one weekend changeover July 24, 25, and 26. I will be in charge of 3-5 branches, communicating with the lead technicians and managers there if any problems arise and to monitor their status for my higher-ups. So yeah, im that cool....
Which leads me to my next point... Being cool.
I've always kinda prided myself on being nerdy, well, not so much nerdy but just good at what i do. Dave is knowledgeable as well, and so is Jared and Jerrod. But They are also proper human beings, you know, with people skills. My fellows here are somewhat lacking in the social skills department. Out of 149 people in training today, 2 were female. And the rest just seemed to all have that certain 'Trekiness' about them.
Anyway, i havent gotten much sleep lately and its almost 11 here. got to be up early to catch the shuttle into work.
Out for now,
Jeff
About two months ago i responded to a job post on Craigslist for a spokane tech needed just for one weekend for the Chase-Washington Mutual Conversion. After a bit of paperwork and phone interviews i had it all set up. One day of going to a WaMu branch on Division to sit on my hands for 9 hours and work for 20 minutes.
They pay was pretty good and a job is a job.
A couple weeks later the same recruitment company e-mailed me to see if i was interested in being a lead tech and working for a longer term. After several phone interviews and planning and coordinating and confirming many things I got the job (which i still didnt really know what it was.... or for how long....) in Columbus, Ohio. So Tuesday i got my flight information, Wednesday I flew out. We all caught up now?
So the first day is over and i learned a lot more about what is going on. I am going to be working in one of the main Chase offices here in Columbus with as a help desk technician. The main job is the one weekend changeover July 24, 25, and 26. I will be in charge of 3-5 branches, communicating with the lead technicians and managers there if any problems arise and to monitor their status for my higher-ups. So yeah, im that cool....
Which leads me to my next point... Being cool.
I've always kinda prided myself on being nerdy, well, not so much nerdy but just good at what i do. Dave is knowledgeable as well, and so is Jared and Jerrod. But They are also proper human beings, you know, with people skills. My fellows here are somewhat lacking in the social skills department. Out of 149 people in training today, 2 were female. And the rest just seemed to all have that certain 'Trekiness' about them.
Anyway, i havent gotten much sleep lately and its almost 11 here. got to be up early to catch the shuttle into work.
Out for now,
Jeff
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