Day 21

It's a Monday yet again. I feel tired because I stayed up until two with my brother. Since he officially ended school, he decided to play video games with me until I got way too tired and started to fall asleep. He played the game I made (he didn't win) and I made some challenges for him to complete on a tf2 map in gmod. We ate American candies and talked about American presidents and some Korean current events. We also played some Minecraft and bonded. It was pretty great! We didn't have internet in that particular room, but we still managed to have a ton of fun.

I woke up, pushing my alarm clock time further and further until it was already 7:20AM. I usually ate breakfast at 7:20AM, so, needless to say, I jumped out of bed and quickly got ready, eating breakfast quickly and rushing out of the door. Before I left, I heard my mother scolding my brother for eating candies. He left out the wrappers and out room was a bit of a mess, although I did try to tidy it up a bit before I went to sleep. I had some dreams about home again, but I was excited to get back into school and get back into the swing of things.

Today, I listened to my music, walking out the door with style with the world button off as I walked on by. I was lost in my music and thoughts while also not being present in the area that I was in. Through this method, I was able to put on a rbf but not feel sad. Although I love to stop and smell the roses, I'm slowly assimilating into this rushing culture. With my destination unclear, I was just in autopilot with no need to steer. I live in the moments where I can, while walking everywhere with purpose and as if I had to be somewhere quickly, all with an apathetic face. This way, I was able to go through stores naturally, looking at everything while simultaneously not looking at anything. I would walk through the store and walk out, all only stopping as if I was doing something important. (ㅋ)

On my way to the school, I spot Sura waiting for the train in Sadang. We talk for a bit and the train arrives. It's packed to the brim with people and very. warm.

We decide to switch carts. We start pushing our way into a different cart when we spot Jessica! We decide to just stay in the same cart and talk until we get to our destination. We stop by a 7/11 store nearby the college and buy some drinks. The store had a 1+1 special where if you buy one drink, you get another of the same drink for free. I didn't understand this, so I kept getting the 1+1 wrong. At first, I thought it meant that you can get any other drink for free as well. Then, I thought that it meant you can get any similar drink for free. Then, right as I understood, the drink that I originally bought had run out, so I just got a water with my disgusting tea drink.

Well, it wasn't disgusting until I started drinking it, so I guess "I just got a water with my tea drink." ***

We got to the college and our classes. During class today, 분위기가 좋아요. The content was a bit difficult to me to understand because we moved onto a new chapter, so I hadn't learned most of the words that we used in the reading and examples. We got information about our week:

On Thursday, we will have our midterm. On Friday, we will have a field trip to a Korean market. On Saturday, we will have a NSLI-Y wide camp where we compare life in America with the lives of Korean students in, well, Korea.

Also, my mother will be leaving for a three day trip to Europe for a 30 year planned class reunion. On Sunday, my mother will return from Europe and we will go to shop for clothing at around 2 or 3PM. Later, I will watch a scary movie with either myself or someone that doesn't exist right now.  Needless to say, this week is jam packed with activities and i'm very excited.

During our weekly meetings, we talked about our 'roses, thorns, and buds' of the program. Afterwards, I ate 짜장면 with Jessica at a really cute Chinese restaurant and the food was actually amazing!! We talked about our ventures in Korea, our host family stories, and meeting famous music producers. nbd



Afterwards, we got some bobba and I left her at the station to go celebrity watching some more with other NSLI-Yians. After an awkward sequence of events involving arm and step, I managed to make it to the bank near the school, where I reunited with Ariel and Elliya.

We went to an 'authentic' 'bakery' and did some Korean homework while eating the 'bread' that the 'store' had 'baked.' After leaving the 'authentic' 'bakery,' we went to a cafe that we had been to before and, after I showed Ariel and Elliya some weird adult swim videos, we actually did our homework.

I left to go back home and was greeted with a lot of food. With enthusiasm, I attempted my Korean with my mother and brother. My Korean is still not so good, but it's coming faster and I can actually feel my progress, which is a bit exciting. I still do, however, have a ton of homework. As I said on the kakao talk, Тнат Fееl Wнеи 숙제가 만아요 그리고 시간이 없어요.

For the remainder of the day, I have been splitting my time between writing this blog, fixing my homework for my supporter group, and doing my homework. Notice how I said I wasn't studying my vocabulary. Yep. That usually takes about 4-5 hours per 30-50 set. However, I'm so busy and burn out from studying new words constantly that I have not been on top of my word review game. It's hard to balance doing a huge load of work while also doing a lot outside of studying. See, if I do one, then I feel like i'm missing out on the other. I study and get better at Korean, but I don't have experiences of being in Korea. I go out into the city and don't study, so my Korean doesn't get better. It's a lose lose situation. Kind of. Not really. Ah whatever- you get the point.

I will give you all some extra stuffs on a different post, so you catch a glimpse of my work life.

For now, I will say goodnight! I must wake up early in the morning because I still have about 100lbs of homework, give or take. Sleep a sleep tonight! ^^;






-end