Voluntary or Self-Employed?

In my more than 3 decades of existence, I had never been employed enough to be registered in my country's social insurance. I just realized this today. I have to double check this but it seems that I first registered for it was because of my husband's business. I had a few months of employment before that but those were like a couple of summer job, and short term contracts. 

Why I ended up like this, I really don't know. I value my freedom to work too much that I ended up as a freelancer for life without social insurance? That I, instead, chose the more permanent ties with getting married early? Why? ? How can I make this work? Are there other people who took the same path like me? Yes. I know one. Definitely. Ogeez. I don't have enough kids to say that I've been busy as a married woman so what now? Ugh. Harsh reality. 

Almost too late for becoming employed. It's not really very appealing for me. My only way through this is invest, invest, invest. One day I might have enough courage to start my own business but for now, I will have to straighten up my social insurance and the likes. I am not familiar with how the Korean social insurance works so that is something that I have to look into. One thing for sure, their population is decreasing while that in my home country is still a healthy number. 

So going back to voluntary or self-employed. 

"Usually, this member was not yet employed or was never employed when he first registered with SSS. He first registered with SSS using the RS1 form, together with proof of his source of income as Self-Employed. His RS1 form was approved and stamped by SSS.

...professionals who are not employed by companies or other people. They earn their own income."

- (SSS blogsite )

I definitely fall under self-employed. (If my memory serves me right.) Now, if only that government website will work soon so I can check it myself without having to ask my mom there. It takes a looong time to get things done there. 

One of the downside of having my own time to work is not having an employer pay their share in my social insurance. I pay for all my own. Oh, well. Choices. 

Well, that's all right. I'll do my duties as a member without expecting a lot in return since their services suck. It's a good place to park a bit of dough anyway. I'll also look into another entity. 

Come to think of it, I am still blessed. My parents were wiser enough to have something going for me in spite of/while I have consistently refused to find a job in the government. 

Side note. I dreamed a creepy one last night about the lawn in my childhood house littered with poisonous-looking green snakes and of their old skin.  

Hormonal kids, why do you even exist?

Three more sessions and I'm done with them. They had totally almost pushed my limits last night. I just can't seem to move on. I almost cried with anger and frustration at that time. I really felt I needed to. A day after, I still feel I just have to.

There are good days but it' mostly bad. I try to understand these hormonal kids as I've been there myself not so long ago. I've had my antics when I was in high school. I remember a couple as freshman when I had my earphones glued on ear, hidden with my long hair during class. Another one when I kept on reading a rented book during a Social Studies class. The teacher confiscated the book and it took me weeks to get it back through her nephew who luckily was also my classmate. I had to pay a little bit more overdue penalty on that one. Learned my lesson though.

There was also another teacher at that time who was our first period teacher who really took a bit from us. We were such the rebels and I don't know exactly what we did but that teacher walked out on us a couple of times. He was actually a nice teacher, adorable looking, and a softie like me as I realized lately. I felt bad that he had to suffer that from us.

I've had a few brushes here and there but nothing worse than that book. Yes, I've been scolded for not paying attention in English, Social Studies, and Science classes. Those I remember vaguely...my attention span can be pretty short sometimes and some teacher can just be quite annoying. They just drone on and it's just so easy to tune out that I forget that I sometimes end up doing something else to keep myself occupied.

I have to get back into that feeling to better understand these teens. The language problem is another one but hey, that's why I'm there. It's time to move on to prepare for the next three remaining sessions. But I will have at least one Korean assistant teacher in the room next time.

This is a job I signed up for until this month. If I continue coming home with a heavy heart and a bag of frustration that I need to be alone in the car to chill before heading home, I don't see the point of extending it. It can be detrimental to my health and quality of life to be feeling like this every week. I know it's not always be a great class all the time but at least it should not feel like a wreck every week.
This will be the last adolescent class I'll sign up for unless I'm am assured that they will be decent kids. And it should be at a good price to say the least. It just adds to injury that you get the worst kids and not paid on your own figure. I'll be happy to a job that doesn't pay well as long as I like it. If it's going south, no thank you.

Three more sessions to go! Counting!

Jeju Chocolate and Dessert List Lately

Missing the peach mango pie from my homeland makes me want to splurge on this small packets currently available in Mc Donald's this month. 

They have the blueberry and apple pocket pies sold sold separately for 1K. It's not exactly the peach-mango one but hey, a pie is a pie for a pie-lover like me. I tasted the blueberry one but missed out the apple so I just had to come back there yesterday and buy 5. My initial idea was ten...I scaled it down a bit. I'll have the boys taste it and I'm coming back for more next time. I, myself, can finish 2 at least. There 3 frozen ones now but I am still thinking about them. *sigh I may have to satisfy my cravings for these soon and resolve to try to make ones myself. A lot of it! :D (That is --- if I can.)

On the note of desserts, here is another one on my list if ever I hear Jeju. One of my students went there last summer and brought home some for me. It was just sweet of her. Most of them actually brought home something which was sweetly funny. Bamboo towel from China, some special/fancy dark chocolate from Japan (which I forgot the name) and this one from Jeju. 

My Food Conquest's Done --- Oops!

This is my second attempt to make the Maangchi's Bulgogi Stew in Ceramic Pot and I'm almost done with it --- EXCEPT that I forgot to put the enoki mushroom!!! 

I guess I may have to have another go at it this week then. I still have all ingredients in my fridge after all. I can use them up before they go bad. 

My first try was so wrong from the start because I used a non-stick pot and accidentally put the marinaded mushroom to boil. This time, I was able to get my new ceramic pot and had almost thought it all a go until we finished eating. I just realized that I forgot THAT other mushroom. Sigh. 

So I have to rethink my next game plan. ^^ Anyway, hubs and I enjoyed it along with the almost-like-poached egg in it for each of us. Thanks for the inspiration and recipe from Maangchi. 

For my own notes on the recipe. I really have a hard time following the ones in her site since she made the beef and vegetarian simultaneously. Plus, it's all mixed up usually. Sorry :( 

Marinade:

2 pcs of king oyster mushroom, sliced 2-3 mm thinly

1 T soy sauce

2 pcs. garlic cloves

2 t sugar

2 t honey

1/4 t black pepper

Boil. 

2 C of water or any stock (vegie or anchovy)

1/2 t salt + 1/2 t fish sauce

OR 1 t salt

Once boiling, add the following by set:

A. 

2 leeks, diagonally sliced

1/4 C onion, sliced

1/4 C carrots, julienned

Boil open lid for 10 minutes. 

B. 

Then add the softened 28g noodles for 1 minute before adding marinated mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and the spinach leaves. (I omitted the raddish sprouts, red pepper slices and flakes.) Then pop in the egg last minute to cook.

Awesome. I feel like finishing the leftover one now in the pot BUT I am full. ^^