I just had a chance to reconnect with an old friend last night after I tried to post a zoom invite to some other pals. It's interesting that none from our hometown made it. Well, it's probably because of internet capability since the speed and price of the internet there sucks. What is more interesting were the reasons that came up.
There were a few that indicated interest, one even made it for a few sec just to disappear right away and never made it back. She was the one that really tried so far. I do appreciate that. There were also some that were pretty busy as I understand since they do have little kids, work, and all that jazz called life. But there were also some interesting replies that came my way. One asked about who are the other invited ones. I could totally see myself giving that line at some point in my life specially on a real get-together but this is online. It would be very easy to pop in, check out and pop out, specially with the default factor of internet situation. Then, there were a few that just didn't have any idea what is it nor any courage to try.
The last part was what got me thinking, the courage to try new things. There is a whole new world, without the need for a carpet ride, right outside your doorstep. Well, in this case, it's just a click and outside one's comfort zone. One needs courage to get past the fear-of-the-unknown to discover new things. It may be just a ripple in the water but it would have an effect nonetheless. It could be something new, can improve one's life, can cement your own belief, or can make you understand other people and the world around you more. This is something that I had unconsciously gotten myself into as I grow older. Yet, other people, if not most, are on a different thinking plane when it comes to trying new things. Age, culture, location, education, exposure to an environment and even hormones, are just a few factors to delve into. It really is a complicated idea to fathom on how people think and behave.
Personally, I am not the try-everything kind of girl but I do make a conscious effort to do so. It can be on a whim but I also weigh any irreversible damage to myself, short-term or long-term. Food is something that can be testy as I am a picky-eater, but other things that doesn't involve tasting, body harm or treading personal values is most likely an open game for me. This is where I see personal growth. I learn a lot of different things, about people and how the world outside my own self works.
What initially started as a simple reaching-out turned into this --- a blog post and an informal social experiment inadvertently. I appreciate my two friends who showed up and spent a few hours of exchanging POV's with me. It's just funny that all of us are living outside our home country at the moment. Thank you for the shared values and time.
For those who indicated an interest but didn't make it, thank you, too. And for those who really didn't try, thank you, too. Life is just as interesting as it is, until the next time. :)
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Sunday, February 2, 2020
02022020
Mirror dates are fun!
This is a special post on what is currently happening on this special date.
The world has been battling with another corona novo virus. And repatriated Koreans from China are being quarantined right here in town. Let’s just stay positive that they will be able to contain things and there won’t be a big aftermath in the locality.
On the other hand, I have my own battle at home: decluttering
Two New Years had already passed, solar and new year and I am still at a the bottom step of this thing. I am counting the days that my son will move to his dorm by the end of this month so I can tackle his room and hopefully, the rest of the apartment.
Another personal issue is my father’s second post-surgery doctor’s visit by tomorrow. We need to know how his throat wounds are healing, what other medications he has to take for the next few weeks again and possibly the result of the biopsy after his surgery.
Let me just take this chance to clear out my brain for things that needed to be done this following weeks and months.
Feb.
Week 1:
Tats Dr. check up
Tax thing
Week 2:
Hospital bill via sentbe
P’s school supplies
Week 3:
P bank renewal, get documents for ID
Week 4:
P O camp
March: School starts, March Month clean up!
Add on P hamper
April: Venture to online morning work or restart Korean online class, start morning Extra income
May: Renew TD
Work contract?, sign up for pension system
Check for flight tickets for October
June: plan for summer stuff, IT for summer or October
July-Aug: Summer? activity for P?
September:
Oct: fam trip, holiday, chuseok
Nov. Car insurance renew
P SKY field trip
Dec. Winter car check
Whew! That was one pretty stretched out year plan.
Let me just back track to this month. Big event is the dorm life stuff, my father’s health and other income resources amidst this virus related news that may affect everyone, one way or another.
That should be about it for now. For today: I need to get lunch started, clear out the trash, wash my hair, get out of this place for a few hours and get a hair cut. Fingers crossed!
I still need to get back and iron all clothes needed for the following weeks.
I may also post another one on the other sites, CiK and FiC later if I have more time. Outdoor writing may not be an option as it is pretty dusty today. Seems like it’s back to regular factory schedule again somewhere.
Get that haircut! Lea S. inspired even if most Koreans will find it downright ugly on me.
That will be for this 02022020 date!
This is a special post on what is currently happening on this special date.
The world has been battling with another corona novo virus. And repatriated Koreans from China are being quarantined right here in town. Let’s just stay positive that they will be able to contain things and there won’t be a big aftermath in the locality.
On the other hand, I have my own battle at home: decluttering
Two New Years had already passed, solar and new year and I am still at a the bottom step of this thing. I am counting the days that my son will move to his dorm by the end of this month so I can tackle his room and hopefully, the rest of the apartment.
Another personal issue is my father’s second post-surgery doctor’s visit by tomorrow. We need to know how his throat wounds are healing, what other medications he has to take for the next few weeks again and possibly the result of the biopsy after his surgery.
Let me just take this chance to clear out my brain for things that needed to be done this following weeks and months.
Feb.
Week 1:
Tats Dr. check up
Tax thing
Week 2:
Hospital bill via sentbe
P’s school supplies
Week 3:
P bank renewal, get documents for ID
Week 4:
P O camp
March: School starts, March Month clean up!
Add on P hamper
April: Venture to online morning work or restart Korean online class, start morning Extra income
May: Renew TD
Work contract?, sign up for pension system
Check for flight tickets for October
June: plan for summer stuff, IT for summer or October
July-Aug: Summer? activity for P?
September:
Oct: fam trip, holiday, chuseok
Nov. Car insurance renew
P SKY field trip
Dec. Winter car check
Whew! That was one pretty stretched out year plan.
Let me just back track to this month. Big event is the dorm life stuff, my father’s health and other income resources amidst this virus related news that may affect everyone, one way or another.
- Pack P stuff
- Shop for his clothes
- Shop for his school supplies
- Pick up his uniform in a suitcase or big bag
- Find a temporary hamper
That should be about it for now. For today: I need to get lunch started, clear out the trash, wash my hair, get out of this place for a few hours and get a hair cut. Fingers crossed!
I still need to get back and iron all clothes needed for the following weeks.
I may also post another one on the other sites, CiK and FiC later if I have more time. Outdoor writing may not be an option as it is pretty dusty today. Seems like it’s back to regular factory schedule again somewhere.
Get that haircut! Lea S. inspired even if most Koreans will find it downright ugly on me.
That will be for this 02022020 date!
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Korean High School Admission (Part 3: Results and After Admission)
The initial release of result of accepted students was scheduled on the 3rd of January, the same day of my kid's graduation. We were a bit in trepidation on how that day will turn out. Fortunately, waiting time has been shorted and we were informed the day before that he made it in.
We just had to show up for the graduation the next day with real celebratory feeling. ^^ (The graduation day itself might have a different post.)
After the results were published on the school website, there was also another date to add to the calendar. This is basically the "enrollment" of sorts, I think. There is a file downloadable from there with all the information we needed to know. Included are a few pages of forms for printing to be filled up and submitted on that specific date.
Enrollment Day: January 8. 2-3 PM
This is the closest to enrollment day if I would compare it with the system in my home country.
Most of our concerns were the fees, uniform, bedding, rules, curriculum, and when they will be expected to move to the dorm.
All of these were covered in the downloaded file before we actually went to the school so no lines for payments except for the parking. :D
Info included:
1. school year curriculum
2. dorm rules and points system
3. 4-day dorm life orientation (scheduled a week before official school starts)
4. *fees (uniform, 4D Camp, and general school fees) bedding was not included
*info on possible discount on fees depending on family income is also included
(The documents for this has already been submitted during the initial document submission, early on the admission process. Additional fees later for after-school activities, field trips are also discounted if qualified. To sign up for these discounts, a visit to the nearest jumin center or online are both possible.)
Forms that we printed and signed up:
1. Online-banking sign up for the school fees
2. second language choice
3. pick up time for the kid every week, Friday night or Saturday morning
4. uniform reservation sign up
5. bedding reservation sign up
6. dorm sign up form and contract
As I've guessed, there was a table with samples of bedding. What I was hoping to see was a thrift shop kind for the uniforms but there was none. :D Pushing it too much as this is Korea where everyone thinks it's better to buy new stuff all the time.
Bedding: The materials seems decent but I'm pretty sure that one can get better price if you dig some more online. K hub simply signed up for what I think was a crazy price even if already checked for way cheaper ones online. I am not sure that it would be the same ones (four-season items) though.
If you want to save a bit, check out bedding options somewhere beforehand to compare prices. There were two color choices: pink and blue. I was just too much in a hurry to try to take a photo.
180K for Quilt bedding Set 1: quilted blanket + pillow cover (pillow case?)+ mat cover (bed sheet?) + double sided pad (mattress pad?) + cotton pillow
199K for 4 Season bedding Set 2: duvet + pillow case + bed sheet + mattress pad + cotton comforter + cotton pillow
Company name: Blooming Deco
Delivery will be between Feb. 12-14.
*insert photo
Uniform:
As for the uniforms, there is a three-day date scheduled for us to visit the one and official uniform store a few weeks later. Uniform related info will be in another post.
Notes and reflection on this one hour school admission process.
Come earlier than the scheduled time to secure good parking. It rained the day before so we were not allowed to park on the field, I think. I had to figure out my hubs parking logistic after we got there separately since I had to head to work with just enough time for me to check out the beddings supply. That was really my main concern. K hub will have to manage the documents and stuff.
As I reflect on the this part, this is basically the enrollment day. Almost everything was covered. No lines for fees as everything will be set up thru the school banking system. The forms and other documents which we already printed before coming were filled up and we just have to submit them. Process was a breeze even though the cost of stuff is a storm. :D
My son could have gone back to my home country or stayed there to study. Both would have the pros and cons. As for now, we opted to do it here in Korea even if it has the notoriety of Hell Joseon. Once he finishes high school and taken the Korean CSAT three years later, we will have to re-evaluate again our options.
We just had to show up for the graduation the next day with real celebratory feeling. ^^ (The graduation day itself might have a different post.)
After the results were published on the school website, there was also another date to add to the calendar. This is basically the "enrollment" of sorts, I think. There is a file downloadable from there with all the information we needed to know. Included are a few pages of forms for printing to be filled up and submitted on that specific date.
Enrollment Day: January 8. 2-3 PM
This is the closest to enrollment day if I would compare it with the system in my home country.
Most of our concerns were the fees, uniform, bedding, rules, curriculum, and when they will be expected to move to the dorm.
All of these were covered in the downloaded file before we actually went to the school so no lines for payments except for the parking. :D
Info included:
1. school year curriculum
2. dorm rules and points system
3. 4-day dorm life orientation (scheduled a week before official school starts)
4. *fees (uniform, 4D Camp, and general school fees) bedding was not included
*info on possible discount on fees depending on family income is also included
(The documents for this has already been submitted during the initial document submission, early on the admission process. Additional fees later for after-school activities, field trips are also discounted if qualified. To sign up for these discounts, a visit to the nearest jumin center or online are both possible.)
Forms that we printed and signed up:
1. Online-banking sign up for the school fees
2. second language choice
3. pick up time for the kid every week, Friday night or Saturday morning
4. uniform reservation sign up
5. bedding reservation sign up
6. dorm sign up form and contract
As I've guessed, there was a table with samples of bedding. What I was hoping to see was a thrift shop kind for the uniforms but there was none. :D Pushing it too much as this is Korea where everyone thinks it's better to buy new stuff all the time.
Bedding: The materials seems decent but I'm pretty sure that one can get better price if you dig some more online. K hub simply signed up for what I think was a crazy price even if already checked for way cheaper ones online. I am not sure that it would be the same ones (four-season items) though.
If you want to save a bit, check out bedding options somewhere beforehand to compare prices. There were two color choices: pink and blue. I was just too much in a hurry to try to take a photo.
180K for Quilt bedding Set 1: quilted blanket + pillow cover (pillow case?)+ mat cover (bed sheet?) + double sided pad (mattress pad?) + cotton pillow
199K for 4 Season bedding Set 2: duvet + pillow case + bed sheet + mattress pad + cotton comforter + cotton pillow
Company name: Blooming Deco
Delivery will be between Feb. 12-14.
*insert photo
Uniform:
As for the uniforms, there is a three-day date scheduled for us to visit the one and official uniform store a few weeks later. Uniform related info will be in another post.
Notes and reflection on this one hour school admission process.
Come earlier than the scheduled time to secure good parking. It rained the day before so we were not allowed to park on the field, I think. I had to figure out my hubs parking logistic after we got there separately since I had to head to work with just enough time for me to check out the beddings supply. That was really my main concern. K hub will have to manage the documents and stuff.
As I reflect on the this part, this is basically the enrollment day. Almost everything was covered. No lines for fees as everything will be set up thru the school banking system. The forms and other documents which we already printed before coming were filled up and we just have to submit them. Process was a breeze even though the cost of stuff is a storm. :D
My son could have gone back to my home country or stayed there to study. Both would have the pros and cons. As for now, we opted to do it here in Korea even if it has the notoriety of Hell Joseon. Once he finishes high school and taken the Korean CSAT three years later, we will have to re-evaluate again our options.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Korean High School Admission (Part 2)
The next part of the admission process is over and another waiting game begins.
Quick recap of this month:
Week 2. Part 1 Submission of documents online (3 days)
Week 3. Result for the qualified ones and submission of personal essay the next day (2 days.)
Week 4. The interview.
We were scheduled to be there at 12 o'clock which is just super fine with me as the official driver, moral supporter/parent. :D We had time to cook and eat hoteok as brunch (not necessarily the best choice for nutrition but all for setting the good mood for a possibly stressful hours ahead.) I had my gears packed: 3 screens, papers, and snacks. I knew we will be in for a long wait.
We got to the premises almost on the dot, drop the kid off and found myself a good place to park. There were already a lot of cars in the field/parking lot but not as full as it was during the "orientation." As few minutes after we got there, the morning set started to finish and leave. I didn't bother to go inside for the next 2 hours since there were a lot of other parents going in and out of the building just waiting.
Much more than the interview that got us there in the first place, I was keen on working on my monthly plan, writing and figuring out my new Ipad. lol. Kidding aside, I knew it would be another few hours of hanging so gotta keep myself busy. I chose to stick inside the car but when I finally felt cold and needed a break, I went in to get some hot drinks. There were still a few more parents waiting inside near the heater, and inside the gym while some are milling about with younger kids in tow. I just can't stand sitting around with them while waiting for the interview to finish. I headed out for a walk to warm myself up.
I found a nice little hill behind the school with about a hundred steps to the top. It took me a minute to go up but almost two to go down. I had to stop in the middle as I've realized that it's because it's steep and I had to be more careful as I take each step while looking down. There's more "fright factor" in every step. Unlike heading up, my focus is on what's at the top.
It's time to head back to the car even if I still wanted to explore since my battery is almost gone. I had no idea when my kid will finish and call so better find a way to charge. It still took almost an hour's worth of me making a rough template on the "good notes" app. All is good for the day except for the blog writing that I didn't get around to as there was not much call to write for me. ;) (This came later day.)
My kid finally emerged from the building around half past four and he was, of course, hungry. We both were. I got a bit of quick run down of what happened at the interview in the drive back home but we left more details for later. We hurried home to cook rice and salmon for dinner with an hour or so before my husband got home around half past six.
So here is what we got from the kid.
The phones were collected and they were made to wear graduation gowns over their clothes. Only some papers were allowed while waiting. Unfortunately, kid didn't bring any book. And the gowns, I figured it's to keep any bias towards outfits and all. Hubs also thought the same. Pretty neat.
There were two rooms. One for the similar question and the next is for the more random ones.
There were 4 questions.
1st Q. They were given a few minutes and a sheet of paper to write down their answers. This, I think, is to jump start the interviewees to answer questions and calm the nerves. I really had no idea if P had to calm any nerves since he said that he fell asleep while waiting for hours. :D
2nd to 4th Qs. The basic oral questions which can sometimes be actually fun for both parties. As an interviewee, you have to think on your feet, be creative while being honest and leave a good impression. As an interviewer, it's interesting how different people will behave in such circumstances and how varied their answers will be for the same questions. I find interviews pretty interesting, generally speaking, as long as it is not an oral-quiz-kind of interview. That reminds me of something else that I really don't want to rehash right now.
Back to the present interview, the kid emerge not feeling very confident on how it went. It was all a very new experience for him. Some questions were from real life while some were a bit philosophical.
One question was about the country's declining population, and another from his self-introduction essay. He was pressed to come up with a "career type" of question and his answer totally had both me and his father trying to suppress our laughs. We instantly thought about the time when we were stressing out over his essay. Writer.
But who knows? The next three years of his high school life might be a revelation on what he can do, whether it be writing, public speaking, or something. I'll leave at that.
We got a few days to wait for the final result on this whole thing and I can now start on the "lists" and financial part of this next phase. One day at a time.
Quick recap of this month:
Week 2. Part 1 Submission of documents online (3 days)
Week 3. Result for the qualified ones and submission of personal essay the next day (2 days.)
Week 4. The interview.
We were scheduled to be there at 12 o'clock which is just super fine with me as the official driver, moral supporter/parent. :D We had time to cook and eat hoteok as brunch (not necessarily the best choice for nutrition but all for setting the good mood for a possibly stressful hours ahead.) I had my gears packed: 3 screens, papers, and snacks. I knew we will be in for a long wait.
We got to the premises almost on the dot, drop the kid off and found myself a good place to park. There were already a lot of cars in the field/parking lot but not as full as it was during the "orientation." As few minutes after we got there, the morning set started to finish and leave. I didn't bother to go inside for the next 2 hours since there were a lot of other parents going in and out of the building just waiting.
Much more than the interview that got us there in the first place, I was keen on working on my monthly plan, writing and figuring out my new Ipad. lol. Kidding aside, I knew it would be another few hours of hanging so gotta keep myself busy. I chose to stick inside the car but when I finally felt cold and needed a break, I went in to get some hot drinks. There were still a few more parents waiting inside near the heater, and inside the gym while some are milling about with younger kids in tow. I just can't stand sitting around with them while waiting for the interview to finish. I headed out for a walk to warm myself up.
I found a nice little hill behind the school with about a hundred steps to the top. It took me a minute to go up but almost two to go down. I had to stop in the middle as I've realized that it's because it's steep and I had to be more careful as I take each step while looking down. There's more "fright factor" in every step. Unlike heading up, my focus is on what's at the top.
It's time to head back to the car even if I still wanted to explore since my battery is almost gone. I had no idea when my kid will finish and call so better find a way to charge. It still took almost an hour's worth of me making a rough template on the "good notes" app. All is good for the day except for the blog writing that I didn't get around to as there was not much call to write for me. ;) (This came later day.)
My kid finally emerged from the building around half past four and he was, of course, hungry. We both were. I got a bit of quick run down of what happened at the interview in the drive back home but we left more details for later. We hurried home to cook rice and salmon for dinner with an hour or so before my husband got home around half past six.
So here is what we got from the kid.
The phones were collected and they were made to wear graduation gowns over their clothes. Only some papers were allowed while waiting. Unfortunately, kid didn't bring any book. And the gowns, I figured it's to keep any bias towards outfits and all. Hubs also thought the same. Pretty neat.
There were two rooms. One for the similar question and the next is for the more random ones.
There were 4 questions.
1st Q. They were given a few minutes and a sheet of paper to write down their answers. This, I think, is to jump start the interviewees to answer questions and calm the nerves. I really had no idea if P had to calm any nerves since he said that he fell asleep while waiting for hours. :D
2nd to 4th Qs. The basic oral questions which can sometimes be actually fun for both parties. As an interviewee, you have to think on your feet, be creative while being honest and leave a good impression. As an interviewer, it's interesting how different people will behave in such circumstances and how varied their answers will be for the same questions. I find interviews pretty interesting, generally speaking, as long as it is not an oral-quiz-kind of interview. That reminds me of something else that I really don't want to rehash right now.
Back to the present interview, the kid emerge not feeling very confident on how it went. It was all a very new experience for him. Some questions were from real life while some were a bit philosophical.
One question was about the country's declining population, and another from his self-introduction essay. He was pressed to come up with a "career type" of question and his answer totally had both me and his father trying to suppress our laughs. We instantly thought about the time when we were stressing out over his essay. Writer.
But who knows? The next three years of his high school life might be a revelation on what he can do, whether it be writing, public speaking, or something. I'll leave at that.
We got a few days to wait for the final result on this whole thing and I can now start on the "lists" and financial part of this next phase. One day at a time.
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Korean High School Admission (Part 1)
It’s the holiday and I have this headache bugging me to get a nap but I can’t help the draw to write.
Part 2
We are in the middle of waiting for the second part of the process in getting into the target high school. I heard that a friend we know I had already got the result from another school that they had applied for around the time that our had started. This holidays had not been very specific yet as we still have to complete the whole process for ours. There are a lot of things going in relation to that school admission so other things had gone down the priority list.
The self-introduction essay has been the one that gave us a lot of stress for the past few weeks. We only got a bit of break after submitting it last week. Got a weekend off before the interview this coming weekend. I have no idea how other kids are preparing but we definitely are not. The initial documents screening has been a bit stressful as well because we had to keep an eye on the numbers coming in as compared against the quota set by the school. Fortunately, the numbers are almost perfect for what we had been hoping for. There was some worry on the second day when it didn’t add up but it went down the next day to the ideal numbers to keep our minds with less worry. We sure breathe a sigh of relief at the end of the submission period.
The next part is the interview this weekend and the final result will be released next Friday. This is also the same day as their middle school graduation so it’s going to be a pretty tricky day. There’s so much suspense in this schedule. I will have to start making a possible schedule on my calendar on what needs to be done around next week and after we get the results.
Let me just get this through one day at a time. On to my lists now!
Part 2
We are in the middle of waiting for the second part of the process in getting into the target high school. I heard that a friend we know I had already got the result from another school that they had applied for around the time that our had started. This holidays had not been very specific yet as we still have to complete the whole process for ours. There are a lot of things going in relation to that school admission so other things had gone down the priority list.
The self-introduction essay has been the one that gave us a lot of stress for the past few weeks. We only got a bit of break after submitting it last week. Got a weekend off before the interview this coming weekend. I have no idea how other kids are preparing but we definitely are not. The initial documents screening has been a bit stressful as well because we had to keep an eye on the numbers coming in as compared against the quota set by the school. Fortunately, the numbers are almost perfect for what we had been hoping for. There was some worry on the second day when it didn’t add up but it went down the next day to the ideal numbers to keep our minds with less worry. We sure breathe a sigh of relief at the end of the submission period.
The next part is the interview this weekend and the final result will be released next Friday. This is also the same day as their middle school graduation so it’s going to be a pretty tricky day. There’s so much suspense in this schedule. I will have to start making a possible schedule on my calendar on what needs to be done around next week and after we get the results.
Let me just get this through one day at a time. On to my lists now!
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Car Maintenance Diary
It's almost the end of the year and my wallet is almost empty even if I had just my salary this week.
Well, not quite empty but there is definitely some gaping hole. It would have been better if it has gone to some investment fund but it went into the car insurance and maintenance instead. Cars are really a double-edge sword when it comes to life. The cost of freedom can be pretty expensive.
Since this is a "diary" entry, I will try to recall the big ticket cost that I had to get done for the vehicle this year. There are papers related to this but it's currently unavailable. I will have to update my notes and files before the month ends. For the meantime, here's the list.
Early this year:
belt - Cost: around 350K, included washing liquid, maybe change oil?
(whatever belt was that) This is a pretty expensive belt as I had to change every part. The mechanic informed me that the belt was almost totally broken and it was a miracle that I was still able to drive without a big accident. I caught it at a critical time, having heard some strange noise a few days before bringing it in. I was actually more concern about the brakes, those being the only thing I was familiar with as the common problem for a newbie.
Oct. - Car insurance renewal.
Cost: around 600K.
Hubs managed to get a 100k discount (cash back actually) by acquiring a new credit card (Shinhan) but it will be reflected after a month. So far, we only have 2 CC, both acquired because of some discount from car insurances I think.
Nov. - 2 or more liquids, and rear light.
Cost: 200k?
I got this nagging feeling that I ought to visit the mechanic around the last quarter. First was to check those break pads again, and perhaps change tires in order to prep for winter driving. But it will have to be after the insurance and before the snowy weather.
This happened around mid to end of November. Again, I went in for a concern but ended up with a different thing. It was still the breaks but we only managed to change the liquid and the left rear light. The light was busted and filled with water but I had never noticed it at all. When I asked if I can put that off, I was told that it was the signal light or something and it will be awfully dangerous not to fix it right away. Who knows since when that got broken? My only guess is when I drove through automatic car wash.
Dec. 2 - total tire change, breaks, break pads, and trans/emission fluid.
Cost: 600K
Finally, my main concern from the beginning and the real big ticket item that I know coming has been dealt with. I now have the peace of mind of driving more safely in this winter season.
The only thing that I may have to put in my laundry list by next year is the battery. From the looks of it, the battery would still be at best until next winter. Well, that plus the insurance, 17K-won required car safety check, and regular liquid checks.
My to-do list for car maintenance:
1. find all those docs from shop
2. figure out when and which liquids needs changing
3. put the info in the calendar for schedule and budget
4. start building another running SA account for those expenses
5. start saving up for another car when I decide to let go of this one in a year or two
Bottom line. Having a car is a liability. It's better to maximize this "asset" to be able to offset all the expenses that comes with it.
Well, not quite empty but there is definitely some gaping hole. It would have been better if it has gone to some investment fund but it went into the car insurance and maintenance instead. Cars are really a double-edge sword when it comes to life. The cost of freedom can be pretty expensive.
Since this is a "diary" entry, I will try to recall the big ticket cost that I had to get done for the vehicle this year. There are papers related to this but it's currently unavailable. I will have to update my notes and files before the month ends. For the meantime, here's the list.
Early this year:
belt - Cost: around 350K, included washing liquid, maybe change oil?
(whatever belt was that) This is a pretty expensive belt as I had to change every part. The mechanic informed me that the belt was almost totally broken and it was a miracle that I was still able to drive without a big accident. I caught it at a critical time, having heard some strange noise a few days before bringing it in. I was actually more concern about the brakes, those being the only thing I was familiar with as the common problem for a newbie.
Oct. - Car insurance renewal.
Cost: around 600K.
Hubs managed to get a 100k discount (cash back actually) by acquiring a new credit card (Shinhan) but it will be reflected after a month. So far, we only have 2 CC, both acquired because of some discount from car insurances I think.
Nov. - 2 or more liquids, and rear light.
Cost: 200k?
I got this nagging feeling that I ought to visit the mechanic around the last quarter. First was to check those break pads again, and perhaps change tires in order to prep for winter driving. But it will have to be after the insurance and before the snowy weather.
This happened around mid to end of November. Again, I went in for a concern but ended up with a different thing. It was still the breaks but we only managed to change the liquid and the left rear light. The light was busted and filled with water but I had never noticed it at all. When I asked if I can put that off, I was told that it was the signal light or something and it will be awfully dangerous not to fix it right away. Who knows since when that got broken? My only guess is when I drove through automatic car wash.
Dec. 2 - total tire change, breaks, break pads, and trans/emission fluid.
Cost: 600K
Finally, my main concern from the beginning and the real big ticket item that I know coming has been dealt with. I now have the peace of mind of driving more safely in this winter season.
The only thing that I may have to put in my laundry list by next year is the battery. From the looks of it, the battery would still be at best until next winter. Well, that plus the insurance, 17K-won required car safety check, and regular liquid checks.
My to-do list for car maintenance:
1. find all those docs from shop
2. figure out when and which liquids needs changing
3. put the info in the calendar for schedule and budget
4. start building another running SA account for those expenses
5. start saving up for another car when I decide to let go of this one in a year or two
Bottom line. Having a car is a liability. It's better to maximize this "asset" to be able to offset all the expenses that comes with it.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Moving Up to a High School in Korea
(15 Minutes. That is all that I have to write whatever in on my mind lately.)
This is just a SotM (State of the Mind) write up on how we are going with the upcoming phase in my son's academic life.
This month is the start of the application period for the high school that we are eyeing for my son. This was not really something out of the blue since this particular school has been an additional point of us moving to this side of the country. But through the following years, the reality of not being able to get in or even just trying has not been particularly encouraging. For one, my son has not been that keen on his academics as most Korean straight-A kids are because we started him here on a laid-back approach to first learn the language.
Middle School came a bit of a panic as some parents are already starting attending High School orientation programs even if the kids have just started middle school. Non-Korean me is basically clueless and a bit appalled at the idea and my Korean husband is not really quite helpful. By the time the 2nd and 3rd (final year of MS) came around, our son's grades has not really shot up to stellar levels that a fancy high school requires. Only one thing that is consistent is the English one which will be a no-brainer since that is his first language at home.
We had tried to gather bits of info about the intake system but the local MS he is at was not really very encouraging at all because of his "numbers" (aka grades) at school. I had to directly go to the High School admission office to get first hand information. That, itself, was another emotional experience that might be in another post.
My husband finally got around to really looking into the details and chances of admission as the date came nearer. The month is finally here. We are still behind the essay part since it's really harder to get my son writing as he grew older. The only good thing is he has chosen to do try for admission at least. We just need to work more for the whole process to end in a total admission into the school.
I happen to chat a bit with a few non-Korean moms a few days ago who had older kids and asked how did their kids transitioned from MS to HS, starting from choosing and getting into HS. My worry level this month is pretty high so I wondered about how other parents went through it. This is not exactly Sky Castle level (if you know the K Drama that I mean) but my question was met like, they didn't had to worry much. Their kids told them, "don't worry, I got this." Or their kids' simply followed where their friends were heading, which is usually to the most basic high school around. Either that these parents are clueless, or just so laid-off on their kids' academic life. One thing that a Korean mom - friend that I know is neither though. She's the one who suggested ideas for me to attend such and such where I am usually the only southeast Asian mom who shows up.
Looking further into these specialized school, we've learned a bit to encourage us enough to really try. We believe that there is a place for our son in that school. It might need a little more effort that just signing up with a name but it can make a big life difference. There are opportunities that one just have to recognize and act on it. Getting into it might also mean extra monthly expenses for the next three years but we will be able to do it even if that would mean more work hours. But that is putting the cart before the horse.
Our goal until the end of next month is to get admission. I have no idea what other people did before or how they think but we will press on. I will try to document the process in case someone in the future might find this information helpful.
~~~
Year 1 MS: Get those stellar grades, specially on the subjects that matter, depending on the school of choice. Rake up the volunteer hours doing meaningful works. Start attending (solmyeonghae) to get direct information on such.
Sept - Nov: Attend the latest Solmyeonghae or get the final info on the specific dates for the process for the current year (application period, interview, docs needed like report cards, etc.)
Dec.: Finish the self-intro essay.
Week 2 : Submission of documents. First level results based on docs.
Week 3 : Submission of essay. Interview.
Jan. Week 1. Right after new year, Level 2 results.
This is the main deal. Pass this! The following weeks will be completing the final documents and such before the end of the month for the announcement of who will be the official freshmen for the next school year.
When all of these are completed, you got the month of February to chill and prep for the March school year to start. Sometime between these weeks will be getting the freshies supply ready for the dorm life in high school: uniform, clothes, beddings, personal effects (whatever that may be) and of course, mental and inner strength to face the unknown for the next few weeks at least.
11AM. One hour. I sure cannot stop writing once I get started. Signing off now.
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