ANOTHER GREAT IDEA DOWN THE DRAIN

As I wrote previously, I was considering opening up a combination PC room/Singing room. Last night I learned from some of the students that they exist. Imagine my shock and disappointment. It looks like my school career will keep going know that this unique concept in entertainment already exists. (So that makes my idea not unique).

I got my alien registration card so I am now a registered alien. I am so proud.


Canadian passport, permanent U.S. resident, Alien resident in Korea. A man of many countries, or a man without a home? Who knows.

I had another business idea prompted by this sign:


Maybe I should open and Ear and Ear clinic. If they can have a Nose and Nose clinic then why not an Ear and Ear clinic. Or a Throat and Throat clinic. Or maybe it's just that Korean's have serious nose problems. Twice the nose problems as other peoples. I'll have to check it out.

After I got my Alien card yesterday, Jack took me to get registered for health insurance. Needless to say, Kelly was wrong again. I can't apply. The employer has to apply for me. I just mumble under my breath. I'm tired of this crap.

I ran out of two of my drugs so I went to the doctor yesterday. By myself. No problem. It's great being a white face. I walked in and I don't have to say anything. They've seen me once and I'm probably the only foreigner they've ever seen, so they know me.

I sit and wait and then they call my name. (They even know that). I go into the doctor and say, "Remember me"? She says yes. I tell her I'm out of two of my prescriptions and could she please give me some new prescriptions. She says, "30 days" and I say yes. I want to keep this simple. She then takes my blood pressure (which was normal) and that was my exam. I leave and go to the front desk where they take my seven and a half dollars and give me a prescription print out for everything. Great. I only need 2 of them. I'll get the others when I need them which will be after I have my health card.

I go to the pharmacy and told the pharmacist that I only needed 2 of them. She speaks no English but I think she understood. I pick them up later so we'll see. I felt good doing all this by myself. I then went for a walk looking to buy a new cell phone. The one Kelly gave me is crap and keeps cutting out and the battery life is about 20 minutes. Kelly said I could probably find one for about $70. I was pleased to hear that because the one's I always see are about $300.

I go into 3 places and the cheapest I see is $200. No thank you. I'll look in Suncheon. I called Kelly to see if she could suggest a place I could look. I told her first that the phones here are expensive and she said, "What do you want me to do"? Maybe it's the culture, but I wanted to tell her to go fuck herself. Let me finish and ask my question. She says that a lot. "What do you want me to do"? I'm trying to just ask you a question and get information you idiot. Does it sound like I'm losing patience? Perhaps a little. I'm also venting.

At 5pm I had a class of animals. They were about 9 to 12 years old and knew nothing and are uncontrollable. Kelly said they were so I knew I had no hope. She said to just keep them in the room. That's it. No teaching, just be a jailkeeper. One boy sat with me and we read books as chaos reigned around us. After that class I told Kelly that this boy should not be in with the animals. He can learn and wants to learn. I don't know if she paid attention. I asked her why those kids were at the school. She didn't really understand what I was saying which was if you can't teach them why are we babysitting them. She said they were there to learn English. What a joke. But it's a business.

One of my favorite students in a different 5pm class has quit I believe. It seems the other teacher threw a marker at her the other day which she took offence to. I spoke to Jason about it (the other teacher) and he said that she had no respect and was mouthing off and putting the other students down because she's smarter. I was quite surprised because she is never like that in my class. I have no idea what goes on in these other classes. They're Korean with some English thrown in.

Tonight I'm going out in Suncheon with an Australian I met on the phone yesterday. I went to call the person I went out with 3 weeks ago to see if he wanted to do something. I couldn't remember his name so I saw this name and phone number on a piece of paper and think that's it. I call and a man with an Australian accent answers. Good. The person I had gone out with was Australian so I've called the right number. But he has no recollection of us ever going out. I give him the details and he says his memeory is bad but he's quite surprised he remembers nothing. He then says, "Was my wife with us"? I say, "I didn't know you were married". I then realized it couldn't have been him. Did I feel stupid. He knew who I was looking for, but we chatted some more and made plans to meet tonight. Strange way to meet people but beggars can't be choosers.

Yesterday was my first experience seeing someone on the street I knew while walking. After the doctor I was walking and my adult student came out of the pharmacy she works at to say hello. What a nice surprise. Made me feel like a local. Of course, I always have a little kid or two whom I don't know saying "hello" to me and then laughing. I'm glad I can provide entertainment so easily.

Off to tutor now. Then the big city of Suncheon. The excitement never ends.