9/30: Holiday shopping... blah.

Today was one of those weird days when Korea was really interested in me. I'll go mostly ignored (save about a hundred Hello!'s every day) for a week at a time, and then suddenly everyone will suddenly start noticing me again.

For example, one of my students who sucks bad at English started interrogating me about my tattoos today. They've seen them before, lots of times, but he must be in the market himself, because he started quizzing me about the cost, and pain level, of each star. Then he was like, "So are the stars all you have?" (in Korean, obviously). So I pulled up my undershirt and showed him my coinslot clover, just as a few teachers walked by. It was awesome. 

Then in another tattoo-related interaction, I was at the convenience store buying a Coke Zero when some buff 20something year old guy in line behind me remarked to his friend "Wow! Those tattoos are stylish!" Probably not anticipating, or perhaps not caring, that I might understand. I turned and said, "Thank you," and he surprisedly complimented my Korean and proceeded to pull up his sleeve and show me his. Too bad he wasn't even remotely sexy. :) 

A sexy police officer randomly greeted me tonight in the street while he was out on patrol with his partner. All of the police in Naju look like they're between 15 and 19. When it's cold out they wear stuffed wolf hats that fasten around the chin, for God's sake, and I saw a pair of them walking down the street with their hands in each other's back pockets last winter. So I'm not sure they're who I'd want around if I was in an actual crime situation, but they're cute. I've never, however, been officially greeted by one, so it was surprising. I looked surprised, then greeted him back with a half-bow, which prompted him to say "Wow! You're good at Korean." Which is ridiculous on so many levels. He said "hello" to me. Did he not expect me to know how to say hello? Obviously he did, or he wouldn't have said it to me to begin with. But knowing how to say hello isn't wow-worthy. Maybe it was my perfect pronunciation (ha!) 

As I'm not sure if I mentioned yet, "Korean Thanksgiving," Chuseok, is coming up this weekend. Remember? It's pronounced "chew-sock." Awesome, right? I know. So the ETA Coordinator sent out this bitchy email (all her emails are bitchy) about how it's the most important Korean holiday, and we absolutely have to give gifts to our homestay family, principal, vice principal, and co-teacher. Okay, I can see the family, and the co-teacher (especially if she or he is particularly helpful and kind, as mine are). But the principal? That's weird. I bet that all teachers don't give him gifts. And he's certainly not giving ME any presents, I'm sure. (He didn't last year, anyway). Nor would I expect him to. Why would he? It's so confusing. This is a family holiday, that's all about getting together and honoring your elders and ancestors. So why weird gift exchange? And by exchange I mean one-way giving. 

The other weird thing is the content of the gifts. All the convenience stores and grocery stores are stocked up on gift sets of the most ridiculous stuff - spam, tuna, cooking oil, and toothpaste are my favorites. Like $30 worth of these things. But don't worry, she says. You don't have to break the bank. She's seen Korean people give socks and chocolate, so long as it's wrapped nicely. Which is my problem... I can't wrap. At all. I DID, in fact, buy a nice $10 box of men's socks from the grocery store for the principal. I hope they don't fit, and he's completely confused by why I'm giving him a present, especially such a stupid one. I got smart and bought pre-boxed free-wrapping cookies and chocolate from the local bakery for VP and co-teacher. But it WAS expensive. Money I don't have, because I haven't even gotten paid yet. And for what? I just brought them presents a month ago. I'm leaving in 3 months. Plus I have two principals and two co-teachers. Bah! 

I'm more looking forward to shopping for the family, except Dad, who I can shop for a little more personally. Because I live with them. They deserve gifts. The actual holiday isn't until Sunday, so I have a little while to get their stuff in order. Tomorrow's my last day at Noan before the holiday though, so I needed to get on the ball quick tonight. 

Otherwise, a great day. I dominated my lesson planning, got in a treadmill run I wasn't expecting to have time for, and didn't even nap. I'm so excited to get into bed, and not to have to wake up early tomorrow to go to the gym. God bless us, everyone.