EPIK 365 Day 339: Gift with Purchase

"Gift with Purchase" is pretty common in Korea....they simply call it "customer service"...although you usually need to make a "minimum purchase."  This gift is usually nothing too extreme, but I think it is the thought that counts.  Anyway, I went to the grocery store today and the cashier gave me this big plastic bowl.  Ok, I've never gotten a gift from the grocery store before.  And it is huge....I put my work bag in it to show how big it is.  My bag is a full-sized backpack and it fits the bowl pretty well.

EPIK 365 Day 338: Well-Wishes from a Student

A student left a little message for me this afternoon.  Sweet!

EPIK 365 Day 337: What is it?

I have no clue....I don't know if it is "decorative" or "edible."  I will try to figure it out and if I do I will let you know.  Or if you know, why not leave a little comment and share?

EPIK 365 Day 336: Bill Pay ATM

These are pretty cool.   You take your bills and ATM card to these special ATM.  The bills are auto-paid from your account.   It's all in Korean and you have to make it before 4:30, but its really quick and easy to do.

EPIK 365 Day 335: Persimmons Ripening

The persimmons are ripening...changing color and becoming sweeter.  They will be ready in a few more weeks.

EPIK 365 Day 334: Catching Seeds

They put these bags around sunflowers and other "seed" plants to catch the seeds and keep the birds from getting to them.

EPIK 365 Day 333: Why I'm Behind on my 365s

Its more than a little daunting to think that school has not even been in season a full week and I am behind on my paperwork.  Sigh!  Starting in the red.... :(  Well, dedicating the weekend to get caught up with work and the blog.  Wish me luck!

EPIK 365 Day 332: More Signs of Fall

Squash...well, pumpkin....blossoms!

EPIK 365 Day 331: Fall is Coming...

I love the fall!

Autumn is apparently in the air here...it's a bit cooler and not quite as humid.  The official end to the "21 Hottest Days of Summer" (that's a real thing here...there are 3 weeks that are designated as the "hottest" and culturally, everyone abides) was a couple of weeks ago.  AND the persimmons are growing...the persimmon is one of the "signs of fall."

EPIK 365 Day 330: McDelivery

It's only available in the cities, but McDelivery is amazing to me.  You call or go online and then the McDelivery Man brings your food to you on his little scooter.  It's probably good that I don't live in the city or might just stay in all day and McDonald's brought to me.

EPIK 365 Day 329: So, These Things...

I've heard of these, but never actually seen one until now...either I never saw them or wasn't paying attention when I did.  Anyway, they are a type of vending machine, where you make your selections and purchase and your stuff is delivered to your door.  Pretty nifty.

EPIK 365 Day 328: Finished!

All 498 passports assembled, folded, and stapled!  Whew!

EPIK 365 Day 327: Taking on a Life of its Own

The Great Passport Project of 2014 has taken on a life of its own!  Somewhere under that stack of papers is a computer and desk.

EPIK 365 Day 326: Why Did I Think This Would Be a Good Idea?

Because, honestly, it is an awesome idea.  It is less of an awesome idea when I remember that I have just short of 500 students.  Anyway, I have committed to it.  "English Passports" for students to earn stamps for accomplishing small tasks in my class.  There's a page for each skill (reading, writing, speaking, listening), behavior and participation, and bonuses they can earn by helping me out sometimes.  Exhausting and overwhelming, but I think it will be worth it.

EPIK 365 Day 325: Ten Days Post-Surgery

How nice!  The eye clinic sent a ten day post-surgery email to let me know what I still needed to be doing and what I could expect as far as healing/discomfort.  I thought that is just so nice!

EPIK 365 Day 324: Artificial Tears

Just in case you ever need to know.  Even though they are OTC, you can't just them off the shelf yourself...you'll have to ask the pharmacist to get them for you.

EPIK 365 Day 323: Korean Hole-Punch

This is not a weapon.  It's a Korean hole-punch....and it is dangerous.  I tried using it and almost stabbed myself.  So, I ended up asking my mother to send me a western-style hole punch so I would not hurt myself filing paperwork.

EPIK 365 Day 322: Pickled Radishes

So, I probably would not have believed you if you had told me how much I love pickled radishes.  Anyway, these are one of my favorite things here and there are so many varieties.  Cubed, sliced, long strands for kimbap, round discs (in different flavors) for wrapping around pork or duck.

EPIK 365 Day 321: A Present

One of my summer camp girls came by to see me and brought me a little origami boat.  So cute.  I let my Pokemon (from another student) sail around in it.

EPIK 365 Day 320: "Real" Pizza!

I went for my first post-surgery check-up...good report...my eyes are healing normally and they removed the protective lenses so my eyes can continue the process.  Before heading home I treated myself to a California Pizza Kitchen Jamaican Jerk Chicken pizza...yum!

I managed to remember to snap a photo after I had already started eating, but before I plowed my way through half of it without breathing.  But give me a break...in almost a year I have only had 2 slices of Korean-style pizza (which does not taste the same at all)...and I did manage to and and bring the leftovers home.

The CPK is in Gangnam...next to the bug Kyobo bookstore.  (Line 2 to Gangnam Station, Exit 10 and walk straight 2.5 long-ish blocks.)  It's on the second floor.  Just go in and up the stairs because the elevator actually takes you to the service entrance.

EPIK 365 Day 319: I'm Not Sure What Its For...

I'm not really sure what these are (in Korean or English), but when I finally ventured outside with my new eyes I saw these.  I just like the way they look.

EPIK 365 Day 318: AudioBooks are My Heroes

Audiobooks have really saved my life over the past week.  I didn't realize just how much I use my eyes everyday...especially reading...I love to read.  I used to listen to books on tape when I had an hour long commute to school back in my college days...and I forgot how nice it can be to have someone read you a story.

EPIK 365 Day 317: Ow....

One of the post-surgery eye drops is made from your own blood...sounds gross, but it's not blood-colored and it kinda makes sense...like using your own stem cells...you body won't reject your own antibodies, etc.  Sadly, I have really deep, rolling veins and the poor girl tried 4 (kinda painful) times to get my blood.

EPIK 365 Day 316: Sleep Googles

Hardly the most comfortable thing to sleep in, but practical...after all, you don't want to ruin your expensive surgery by rubbing your eyes in your sleep...

EPIK 365 Day 315: Eye Care Goody-Bag

Fun little "goody-bag" of post-surgery eye care supplies...a list of instructions, three kinds of eye drops, pain medicine, sleep googles...and more.

EPIK 365 Day 314: Last Day in Glasses

Getting ready for my "eye upgrade," as a student called it.  It's a little bittersweet to say goodbye to my glasses after all these years, but still, ready for the the change.  (Also, that's a 100% make-up free, un-photoshopped picture...oddly, they don't all turn out like this one.)

Apologies...

Dear readers,

I have not forsaken you.

LOL.

I had LASEK surgery last week and, understandably, my eyes were not up to the challenge of blogging.  I will get the 365 photos up soon from the past week...mostly they cover my surgery and recovery.

Also, I have not exploited my students' work in a long time.  It's not because I don't have anything...I have a lot to get posted here...but I was so busy wrapping up Spring Term and then preparing for my surgery.  I will try to get some things posted soon.

Until then, please hang in with me...and leave a little love, would you?  I love getting comments!

Cheers!

EPIK 365 Day 313: Now We Can Start Talking About Hot Weather

For the past 2 months people have been complaining about the hot (and increasingly hotter) weather here.  I just want to say, and if you'll forgive me for going all "dirty South" for just a minute: "It's hot, but it ain't Memphis-hot!"  And from a girl who spent summers either digging up artifacts out of the dirt, hauling heavy equipment in and out of building in the heat of the day, or going door to door conducting research polls: "Quit your whining!"

I mean, I'm not gonna lie, it's hot, but for me, it's not unbearable...and it certainly hasn't warranted the use of AC until recently.  Today, the temperature peaked in the high 80s/low 90s, with enough humid to boost it up to feeling like 97...now (yes, just now) it's starting to feel like summer!

EPIK 365 Day 312: Instant Seaweed Soup

I really like 미 역 국 (Moyeok guk), Korean seaweed soup.  It's traditional birthday food and the food of choice for postpartum mothers.  It is also one of the first Korean foods I had when I first arrived.  So I was thrilled to find an instant version on the Ramen aisle.

Not 100% like the real (i.e., made the old-fashioned way) type, but I can work with the next batch to improve it.  It hits the spot at any rate.

EPIK 365 Day 311: Finished Summer Scarf

I haven't spent the weekend at home in over a month and as a result, I haven't been as "crafty" lately.  I'm taking this weekend at home...getting ready for my surgery on Monday, so I need to clean and do laundry, cook, and other things I won't feel like over the next few days.  Anyway, I took some time out of the day to finish up my daisy scarf.  I think it's cute!