My mind is a bit disturbed now after receiving a phone call. A classmate and I were walking to the train station after our class a few weeks ago when there was a gentleman who was giving out fliers and and some sort of ticket. I am not a big fan of such specially if I don't see what kind of group it is coming from. It's usually a church, an NGO or some company. This one sounds like a church but I didn't notice any logo or something or sorts.
We were made to write down some stuff, phone number and all. I was really hesitant to stop and chat that long specially in the cold. And as much as I am tempted to lie about even just a digit, I can't. I was told that it's a free medical thing, where we will be picked up at some location and be given a ride to somewhere. When I asked what is the final destination, perhaps a hospital, they mentioned some place which, of course, I don't know. Anyway, he said someone who can speak better English will call me.
I got the phone today and it turned out not any better than the first guy. I was told that the pick up place was to be at a store near the station, (different from what the guy mentioned before) which was better this time. The thing is, I didn't get where they will be taking us after that.
I am not sure of that kind of set up. I need to know where the final location be so I can plot it on the map and figure out the place. I don't want to be whisked away again without knowing where I'll be heading and get sick on the ride. I don't know them, I don't know where they'll be taking us and I am inclined to join even if it's for a free something. I need to know where and how long.
I had signed up once last summer for an activity without knowing where it's going to be and I ended up in panic on the way to the final location. And worst, slightly feeling sick after catching a ride home with another car other than the one that took us there in the first place. As much as I was grateful for the ride, I had to say that she was a terrible driver. I don't know how long has she been driving that funky SUV of hers but no thank you. Id' rather have the option of knowing where I'll be going and be able to figure out how to get home on my own if I needed to do so.
As for that free medical check up or a chance to practice Korean, I think I'll pass on that. They might have a novel intention of helping out foreigners in town but language poses as a big problem in communication. Who knows? They might just actually herd us into some place and butcher us for our innards. Hah! There goes my overactive imagination.
Lesson learned: know where exactly I'm going so I can prepare my ginger!
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Moving in Korea (for the nth time for me) (Part 1)
We are moving again. Like, not really nth time but just the third time during my four years living here so far. I've lived here for three years back when I first got here and we only moved once at that time.
On our second one this time, we are moving for the second time. The good thing is that our moves here ROK had only been within the same city. I previous place is just within walking distance and I can still go back to pick up something I've forgotten to pack. Haha! Or maybe finish up the clean up in the old place.
How am I getting on with the move? Well, I've stocked on the boxes from the grocery whenever we do our shopping. I always choose the fruit boxes for mandarin, apples, and alike for packing our grocery. They're pretty sturdy. Soju bottle boxes, fabric conditioner or any boxes for liquid products that would be heavy will do. I also save boxes of any stuff we ordered for delivery like oats, laptops, etc. (Hubby has ordered three chromebooks during these past six months.)
Now, I'm starting to pack stuff bit by bit. I'll just have to remember to separately pack the beddings, kitchen, and clothings that we will be needing immediately. Off to my list for now.
On our second one this time, we are moving for the second time. The good thing is that our moves here ROK had only been within the same city. I previous place is just within walking distance and I can still go back to pick up something I've forgotten to pack. Haha! Or maybe finish up the clean up in the old place.
How am I getting on with the move? Well, I've stocked on the boxes from the grocery whenever we do our shopping. I always choose the fruit boxes for mandarin, apples, and alike for packing our grocery. They're pretty sturdy. Soju bottle boxes, fabric conditioner or any boxes for liquid products that would be heavy will do. I also save boxes of any stuff we ordered for delivery like oats, laptops, etc. (Hubby has ordered three chromebooks during these past six months.)
Now, I'm starting to pack stuff bit by bit. I'll just have to remember to separately pack the beddings, kitchen, and clothings that we will be needing immediately. Off to my list for now.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Clothing and Sizes
My son is growing fast...or should I say his feet are! The last shoes I bought for him back in Ph was a 36 and about 230 when we got here last year. Then came around springtime and he was a 235. I was quite ecstatic for a while that we can actually share sneakers for a couple of months. Came winter time and we had to get some winter footwear, he ended up with a 245 when we ordered 235. It was a bit big but it turned out perfect by the end of January and good for this year's winter it seems.
The same thing goes with the clothes. I got him 130 winter jacket before we moved around early 2014 and bought _ _ _ for his spring/summer clothes. I supposed that he can still wear these until this year. The underclothes I got for him for the winter were 150, the biggest available that I found in Uniqlo. Hopefully, this will last for at least two winters since it's stretchable and worn under anyway.
Now, I'm thinking of getting him some winter clothes and shoes for next year with the off-season sale just around the corner. The problem is the sizing thing.The most size that I can get under kids' is 160 and 260. Most sizes available are up to 150 and 240. I have yet to figure out what size should I get for him to fit for next year's winter. That is a very tricky thing to do with his growth rate that I cannot pretty much still predict.
So let me just run by it. Would it be safe to get a 260 for his shoes? How about the clothes, would a 160 fit him for next winter? Now, come to think of, it might just as I remember a 140 Prospecs which turned out to be bigger. So I think, 160 won't be bad for the clothes. Alright, now I got to keep an eye for these sizes when they go on sale somewhere or when I hit the thrift shop after classes one of these days. Now, if I can just figure out when to do any of these shopping coz I have yet to pack for another move soon. I just hope that move can get going soon.
So back to packing now!
The same thing goes with the clothes. I got him 130 winter jacket before we moved around early 2014 and bought _ _ _ for his spring/summer clothes. I supposed that he can still wear these until this year. The underclothes I got for him for the winter were 150, the biggest available that I found in Uniqlo. Hopefully, this will last for at least two winters since it's stretchable and worn under anyway.
Now, I'm thinking of getting him some winter clothes and shoes for next year with the off-season sale just around the corner. The problem is the sizing thing.The most size that I can get under kids' is 160 and 260. Most sizes available are up to 150 and 240. I have yet to figure out what size should I get for him to fit for next year's winter. That is a very tricky thing to do with his growth rate that I cannot pretty much still predict.
So let me just run by it. Would it be safe to get a 260 for his shoes? How about the clothes, would a 160 fit him for next winter? Now, come to think of, it might just as I remember a 140 Prospecs which turned out to be bigger. So I think, 160 won't be bad for the clothes. Alright, now I got to keep an eye for these sizes when they go on sale somewhere or when I hit the thrift shop after classes one of these days. Now, if I can just figure out when to do any of these shopping coz I have yet to pack for another move soon. I just hope that move can get going soon.
So back to packing now!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Language and Skills
Language and skills: these are very important things that an immigrant to Germany, or any other country, has to have in order to successfully integrate. This is what the successful immigrants had similarly remarked in the documentaries I've seen from dw.de.
From a young asylum seeker from Togo to an Arab medical student who both managed to survive living in a foreign land. The asylum seeker learned and earned his baking certificate while the Arab medical student managed to cross the language boundaries and became a medical doctor. These are just a couple of successful immigrant stories. I just had to make a note of this here.
Arab Students in Germany
Young Immigrants Part 1, Part 2
From a young asylum seeker from Togo to an Arab medical student who both managed to survive living in a foreign land. The asylum seeker learned and earned his baking certificate while the Arab medical student managed to cross the language boundaries and became a medical doctor. These are just a couple of successful immigrant stories. I just had to make a note of this here.
Arab Students in Germany
Young Immigrants Part 1, Part 2
Getting Too Familar with Arirang TV Channel
I've been watching dw.de documentaries lately and there are really a lot of interesting features that I find missing in the Arirang TV programming. Is it just I didn't search the site very well or just I have this impression that Korean still has this self-centered view of the world, that it's not really open to the global audience? They only show everything about Korean in the channel, and the website would usually be filled with Hallyu content or political issues about their backyard and next door neighbors, the seas around it, and lots of Korean culture. One can just get sick of all these at one point.
A few years back when I use to watch these two channels on cable, I have never really found much difference. I only remember watching a certain sitcom on Arirang at that time. Nothing much captivated me maybe because most will have to be subtitled? Things have change a bit since then. I just learned that the channel was in its early years at that time. It has grown in terms of technological part, the contents have been more on K-Pop which they have really capitalized on, and more programs are accessible without subtitles.
Nonetheless, I still find myself switching to dw.de more often to watch their documentaries. I know that the Korean local broadcasting companies have more varied programming for locals compared to what I see on Arirang which basically comes across as a propaganda channel of sorts. I just wonder why they can't put some more variety in their programming. Arirang Channel's subheading is the window of the world to Korea which translates as "this is how Korea want the world to see it" kind of thinking. Almost very reflective of the Korean culture of got to look good all the time.
That doesn't make it real. How would people believe if everything they see is good? There's got to be some sense of reality somewhere to build a good media reputation. Just my oho. (own humble opinion)
A few years back when I use to watch these two channels on cable, I have never really found much difference. I only remember watching a certain sitcom on Arirang at that time. Nothing much captivated me maybe because most will have to be subtitled? Things have change a bit since then. I just learned that the channel was in its early years at that time. It has grown in terms of technological part, the contents have been more on K-Pop which they have really capitalized on, and more programs are accessible without subtitles.
Nonetheless, I still find myself switching to dw.de more often to watch their documentaries. I know that the Korean local broadcasting companies have more varied programming for locals compared to what I see on Arirang which basically comes across as a propaganda channel of sorts. I just wonder why they can't put some more variety in their programming. Arirang Channel's subheading is the window of the world to Korea which translates as "this is how Korea want the world to see it" kind of thinking. Almost very reflective of the Korean culture of got to look good all the time.
That doesn't make it real. How would people believe if everything they see is good? There's got to be some sense of reality somewhere to build a good media reputation. Just my oho. (own humble opinion)
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Mandu-Making (Korean Dumplings) and Banking (take nth)
Today is the mandu-making with the multicultural center. We set out for the place around 9:45 then headed back around 1:30. We filled up lots of mandu wrappers among the 16 migrant women who showed up to help the other Korean women who did most of the work. The ingredients were all chopped up when we got there and they were still boiling the newly-made mandus when we left.
I would have stayed and helped til everything was finished if I had only known it would be that much. I've seen two big basins of mandu mixed and made today. Amazing. I hope to see the kimchi-making this coming fall.
We got back to downtown at almost two o'clock and I headed to the Dong office to get the document for me to open a Multicultural Acct. I had to pay two grand for 2 copies of that. I was surprised coz last time, it only cost about half of that for another kind of document. It was pretty funny how these things work. Another thing that I find surprising was I was able to pay with a debit card. A bit embarrassing not to have any paper bills in my wallet but the card works.
After I got the document, I stopped by the ATM to withdraw some cash before heading to the bank. When I got there, I had to withdraw again to put in the initial deposit for the special savings account. I managed to accomplish what I came for: opening the special savings account and a dollar account. It turns out that my previous dollar account can still be resurrected and I just have to get a replacement for the lost bank book. This were all done through Korean and typed in translation in the teller's mobile phone. I finally accomplished the banking thing so it's time to head back home.
I managed to pack two boxes of P' English books today. I am really trying to get ahead in this packing things to lessen the stress around the moving day. Hopefully, I'll manage to get some more packing and cleaning tomorrow.
I would have stayed and helped til everything was finished if I had only known it would be that much. I've seen two big basins of mandu mixed and made today. Amazing. I hope to see the kimchi-making this coming fall.
We got back to downtown at almost two o'clock and I headed to the Dong office to get the document for me to open a Multicultural Acct. I had to pay two grand for 2 copies of that. I was surprised coz last time, it only cost about half of that for another kind of document. It was pretty funny how these things work. Another thing that I find surprising was I was able to pay with a debit card. A bit embarrassing not to have any paper bills in my wallet but the card works.
After I got the document, I stopped by the ATM to withdraw some cash before heading to the bank. When I got there, I had to withdraw again to put in the initial deposit for the special savings account. I managed to accomplish what I came for: opening the special savings account and a dollar account. It turns out that my previous dollar account can still be resurrected and I just have to get a replacement for the lost bank book. This were all done through Korean and typed in translation in the teller's mobile phone. I finally accomplished the banking thing so it's time to head back home.
I managed to pack two boxes of P' English books today. I am really trying to get ahead in this packing things to lessen the stress around the moving day. Hopefully, I'll manage to get some more packing and cleaning tomorrow.
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