Korea Life Blog - Leaving Nowhere-dong


I'm getting my stuff together for the big move tomorrow. I'm going to be staying in a yeogwan (small motel) for the next month. The good news is I'll be living in Seoul again and therefore I should have a lot more to post about. To be honest, things couldn't have gotten much duller around Nowhere-dong. For now, here's a pic at the mess I'm working on...



Not too bad. Julie's coming now to help me pack, the doll. We're using a "Call Van" service tomorrow. Only 45,000 won for the move from the country side into Seoul! Pretty cheap. They even load and unload the truck for you.



A huge bag full of word search puzzles, etc., by the kids from the last few months. I have brainswashed every kid in that school with only 1 or 2 exceptions that word search puzzles are sooooo much fun (and first kid to finish gets a sticker). They totally love them. Our school has no recycling system, so I bring home my papers and then leave them for the recycling haroboji (grandfather). Whether he gets a few bucks or curses and burns them, I don't know.



My last month's salary and bonus pay. Whoo hoo! Most of this, unfortunately, will likely be spent on traveling and/or an apartment deposit in the future. Most decent one room apartments require a 5,000,000 (about $4250) deposit, though you get it back and rent isn't too much. The thing is, even though it's free, I no longer want my boss to own the place I live. As much as I enjoy calling in to miss work and then having the boss bang on the door later asking a million questions, I'd rather have my own pad and have the boss pay me the rent money.



I was pretty well happy with getting that money (to be honest, even though I was entitled, I was really uncertain I'd actually get it) but have a look at the circled item from my pay receipt... "etc. Expenditure: 150,000 won"($125)? I have no idea what that is all about but it's typical penny pinching BS that unfortunately is all too common here. Due to the nature of my working status over the past year though, I won't be taking issue with it. I'm going to count my blessings and leave it at that.


Keep checking back for updates tonight. I'll be taking more pictures....



Mmmm...goodbye 10,000 won pizza. Not just that it's cheap, this place is right next to my home. I taught the guy's son for a year. He made me the best pizzas. Julie and I almost cried eating this last one.






Well, the cats ate all their food again today. I'll bet they'll miss me more than anyone else will.



Well, maybe this poor gal is gonna miss me too. I've been going out there almost every night for the past few months petting her and feeding her treats.



Tonight I'll go all out and make sure she gets her fill. Lots of hot dog/sausage snacks.



A couple more shots. I'm still sorely tempted to cut that strap off her neck, but I guess there's no winning situation for her. I wish I had my own house; I'd surely steal her and make her a good home. Sigh. Looking at her miserbale existence is heart breaking. Look at all the garbage. The owner burns his trash right in front there - you can see the big pile of ashes. Nothing like sitting downwind of a hot fire and smoke tied to short chain...



Bye bye, poor dog. I hope somehow your existence gets a little more exciting. Maybe you can work on getting your collar off instead of taking your house down...