Week Ten (April 28 - May 4)
April 28th
I decided to keep my word and go to the 15th New Life Family Walkathon sponsored by the WeLoveYou Foundation that an Ewha physics professor invited me to, despite my crutch and injured foot. She and the gathered students tried to dissuade me, but I made a promise! The journey to Seoul Olympic Park nearly killed my patience with myself and I felt ashamed to be slowing my group members down. I had to put the crutch and injured foot on the step and quickly get my other foot up to relieve the pain. Seoul subways have a love-hate relationship with stairs and escalators. Sometimes it's one or the other, or either or. It's nuts. At one point, Tommy, a female student from Canada though tall and lanky was an ex-wrestler, allowed me on her back for the last set of stairs. Can't tell you how surprised we all were at how strong she was, and I'm not light either!
The experience was fantastic over 12,000 of us were wearing bright lime green T-shirts watching performances by children, adults, and all the branches of the military (see the gallery for the military video). Many booths offer information, T-shirt crafting, clothes and purses, face-painting, just about everything. Finally, the walkathon was going to begin! Other than being African American, people were wondering what I was going to do, what with a crutch and all. I told myself 1km would be nothing!! So I only made it to the first check point with a nice girl named Crystal. We sat and ate apples and crackers before heading back to the starting line. By the time we got back, many of the people had already reached the finish line! That was how slow I hobbled!
Other than that, everyone was really nice to be for attempting the walk. I left with like three full water bottles, a T-shirt, soap, and pamphlets. Crystal and I took the long way home via bus, so I got to see a lot of that part of Seoul. It was a good day!
A direct quote from me on Facebook:
The Walkathon was a real blessing! W00t for saving the earth, laughing at a billion adorable children have fun, and watching Korean military men perform with guns ;)
April 30th
In order to prove to my Korean language teachers that I did not skip last Thursday's class for fun, I went back to the Ewha clinic just to get a doctor's note. Last time I was here, the receptionist spoke enough English to get me in. Well, this new lady nodded her head, so I thought she understand what I was saying. Not the case. Instead, she put me in for another exam! The doctor I got asked me what was wrong, and again, I said I only needed a note. The doctor ushered me to the next examination room over where my original doctor was sitting at the desk. The lady talked to her in Korean, so we got it down. The doctor remembered my name! She sent the note to the printer. I was told to go back to the front, where I got a bill for 3000won (~$3).. Last time I was here, I didn't have to pay! I had to hobble allllll the way down the hall to pay it at the post office. (Annoying.) Then go back, where I got the note. I made to leave, but the receptionist kept telling me to be seated, so I did. Then the pharmacist called me over. She gave me another week's worth of vitamin C, some other pill, and heating pads!! I still had pills from last week!! I only need a note T_T Whatever~
Upon exiting, these two Korean girls in the middle of the hallway entrance were talking to each other, then glancing at me, and talking more. I admit a side of me wanted to start something. I was tired, my foot hurt, and I lost $3 for something I didn't need, and I certainly do not take well to be talked about in front of my face. The taller of the two works up some nerve and introduces herself and she completely disarmed me when she said, "Do you know about Jesus?" saying 'Jesus' like 'Cheeesus.' Cuuuuuuuuuuuute!!! After about 15 minutes of chatting about Christianity, she talked me into bible study next Tuesday. Don't get me wrong, I really didn't want to do it, because Tuesdays are largely my art project making/do something productive day, but how could I refuse without sounding like a hypocrite?? T_T I also forgot to ask her denomination. Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian etc etc etc are waaaay different than Baptist. We'll see.
May 1st
(Since I'm a failure at being able to write blog entries in a timely fashion, do homework/art projects, and experience life in and around Seoul, I'm reconstructing from the photos I took and my Facebook status LOL)
A direct quote from me on Facebook:
Was sifting through planks in the art store. Scared a dusty some-number-ipede out of its hiding place. Choked back a bloodcurdling scream. Yes, spring has arrived.
Campus has bloomed!! And let me tell you, drastic change!! Really, go look at my Facebook photo album posted on the Gallery page. This place is bursting with vibrant colors. It's like a Kodak moment everywhere. I can't remember thinking about Virginia or Charlotte's nature life like this!
On my way back to the dorm for the Art building, I lost the metal clip that held the supportive wrap on my foot. I'm glad I bought a package of safety pins, because masking tape just didn't do it, hahaha!
I now deem Mrs. Lee [the physic professor] as my 한국 어머니, my Korean mother....Fruits are not cheap here, and these are California oranges!! Not to mention she also bought a "mango mosse cake"... and a "choux choco cream"... AND bought me lunch again!! I asked how in the world I could pay her back, but she refused and said she loved the people the met and time spent in USA and she wants to give back and she remembers my smile =^_^=
Later that night, I watched a new anime, because it's description and artwork seemed like something new and original. I was right, but ruined.
Oh my jeez, someone come hold me! Watched the first episode of "Attack on Titan" alone. In a dark room. Fullscreen. Not sleeping tonight. Or ever. Going outside? Out of the question. The cycle has started again, Emmie!!!
I seriously sat staring at the balcony door the majority of the night, waiting for a giant "human" hand to bash through the glass like tissue paper and pull me out and up to meet my end between its grinning teeth. O_O
May 2nd
I saw a naked Asian man. In my Drawing Workshop class, it was nude male drawing day. I had to draw this man for two hours, but close and personal. I couldn't even look this guy in the nose at first! I mean, in Family Life through out middle school and high school, we saw fixed pictures of what made men men, but this was seriously a man, in the flesh, not even three feet away from me, in his birthday suit!
During the first 10-minute break for the model to stretch and rest:
In class. Model switched between the 2 halves of class. We lucked out, though he's not my type. But hey, I appreciate art ;D
After class:
...I lived! First Asian guy I've seen in his birthday suit... Whoever said Asian men aren't well...endowed? Though I'm thinking he had to be gay. No way a guy in the buff cannot be affected by a entirely female class drawing him from all angles. Not possible. His poses were super cool though. Props to being able to hold still while doing action poses. (Think superhero in the midst of kicking apples.) The woman we had a few weeks ago didn't do anything worth drawing. Poses were too normal. The only complaint I have of him were that his feet were dirty. Tsk.
May 3rd
On my way to get lunch in the convenience store on B1, I run into Mrs. Lee, and guess what? She offers to buy me lunch for the 10,000,000,000 time!! I tell her plainly that this time I am not her guest, thus I will buy my own lunch. But she was like, this was luck and the first place we met! I must buy it!! Then she switched to Korean and told the cashier (a lovely lady) about my injury. Then Mrs. Lee goes to town on the shelf. She pulls out a rice burger, two packs of grapes, and what I think was supposed to be yogurt. I tell her it was too much. She wouldn't listen and pushed me out of the store with the meal. I feel so ashamed T_T
I'm playing my first two MMORPGs in Korea!.... but they're USA games, LOL. Neverwinter and Dragon's Prophet are their names. They're fun, but I feel like they're lacking something....
May 4th
I spent the beginning part of the day working on art projects.
Now entering Hell Month. So many projects due and it's not like I ever choose the simple way to do them either.
At 6, I go to the main gate on the crutch I no longer need, but I felt that I might have to go far, so I brought it anyway. I was supposed to go to a birthday party, but by 6:45, I grew tired of waiting and forgot that my phone cannot text hers. I met a French friend and his visiting parents' friends on the way back. They were super nice, and I learn that Raenna was going out-out for her birthday to day, so I opt to that instead and toss the crutch cause we were going club-bing!!
It turned out to be a pretty unsatisfying night for me mostly, one because my meal stipend is dwindling and two I don't care for drinking, especially something as gross as soju or beer. We went to a spicy chicken restaurant to eat dinner, which was the highlight of my night. The male servers kept dancing to the music, ridiculously cute how Koreans do what they want and don't care sometimes!
After, we went to a familiar bar, where I was seated between two of the guys I dislike most, because of a stupid boy/girl/boy rule for drinking games. Thus, for close to two hours, I sipped water, watched a boring baseball game, and played on my phone if someone didn't try to engage me in a conversation. Raenna dropped one of her cakes on herself, which was really funny but not at the same time. Because people kept disappearing or leaving all together, I had to pay 7000won, even though I didn't eat or drink anything. Bull.
Then they wanted to go to another bar! It was about midnight and no clubbing had been had, and that was the second reason I came to the party, asides from supporting Raenna's 21st. So again, I basically sat and stared. This guy from another university probably sensed my discomfort, because he kept cracking jokes like "Don't get too drunk now, Jasmine. Here's the cake box; throw up in it, not on me." etc etc. He was fun.
Around 2AM, people had left or were wanting to go. A few of the people and I wanted to go clubbing finally, and since Kelly and I had never been to Mike's Cabin, we went there. They failed to say that it was super tiny and was filled mainly with non-Asians. I'm sorry, I came to mingle with Asian men. I ended up accidentality drawing like a 7-foot New Yorker over. Talk about awkward dancing. When Kelly said she had to go at 3AM, I went with her. I gave the guy my email AND Facebook, but so he'd have no excuse to not be able to contact me. He never did. What a waste of effort and making myself look stupid on the dancefloor! And here I thought it ended on a good note!