Extraction or Distraction

Is that mortal or moral decay you say?

Well it's been a bit of a nasty week with the much avoided trip to the dentist followed by a harrowing molar extraction. A totally new cultural experience. It would seem Korean dentists are not big on 'gentleness'. I felt my mouth had been invaded by some tantrum throwing two year old. Then we he started banging about my mouth with 'demolition equipment' I remembered all the reasons why I hate the dentist. I was pounded and ground to submission - all with a much used green face cloth on to hide my grimaces from the staff. Ten minutes later when I dared to look around I found the offending tooth in four pieces lying totally exhausted on the utensils table. I knew exactly how it felt and almost apologised to it until I remembered the months of pain it had caused me which had eventually brought us both to this bloody conclusion. It's pain was over. Mine however was only just beginning.

The dreaded 'dry socket' was the inevitable outcome... only because they don't seem to know how to treat it here and I can't buy any dry socket dressings at the chemist... tylenol is not really doing anything, neither is soju... I will be glad when the two weeks is over and my mouth will have healed... hopefully. Saline solutions etc are all I have to keep the area as clean as possible.

These only occur if you don't bleed like a stuck pig and thus have a nice thick blood clot to keep the air and whatever else wants to get into the gaping hole in your mouth and grind against the bone and nerve endings! Suffice it to say that it might be a while before I venture back though there are about four fillings needed... some how I think I'll opt for total knock out next time with a first class dental surgeon - if there is such a beast.

Aaaaaagh Nearly Half of 2008 Consumed

I can't believe it's nearly mid 2008 already. It took a comment from an old mentor to make me realise I hadn't even posted anything since Easter!

My teaching schedule is still heavy but bearable now that I have Sundays to myself.

Can't say I've done anything spectacular in my free time though as I managed to trip over on a raised drain hole in the middle of my street 3 Saturday nights ago and cut my right hand in 6 places - the one on my middle finger being over half an inch long and almost to the bone. In true Australian style I opted for self-doctoring and quietly bled my way to the bathroom sink, finally staunching the flow after a half an hour... very disappointing too as the blood was red not blue!

There was one small problem though. I had no first aid gear. Fortunately I was able to cut up a sterile white handkerchief and glued it all together with bright green ducting tape. Not the best look but effective nonetheless. Since then I have managed to find some fresh Aloe Vera leaf which I am using to reduce the scarring. Admittedly the middle finger will never look the same but I was never going to win a 'hand beauty' contest anyway.

Back to why I am really here... I am thoroughly enjoying teaching English in Jeju again. I like the hogwan situation best because of the variety of students I am able to teach from the very young beginners to adults who want to enter a Western university. It's very challenging and stimulating. I have to confess I haven't started my formal research as yet... just observing a lot and making copious mental notes. Because I was so dreadfully ill with chronic bronchial infections for the first four months here, I determined I would start piecing things together when I return from my R & R at the end of July.

I still think the project is worth the effort; just don't intend to kill myself in the process.

Easter for Vou Workster for Moi

Hmmm...

I was so glad to find that the Easter Bunny finally got what was coming to the little sh.. especially as I have had to work Good Friday, Easter Sat... and will be working Sun and Mon... Okay, so it's just a mindset, but you'd be surprised how much you feel that the four-day break is a 'right of passage'. I shall very much enjoy posting when it's Chuseok though that is quite a hop away.

To all of my family and friends who are drinking, funning, sunning or just plain lounging around on this most holy occasion... GET TO CHURCH!

That's what the holiday is for!

Okay so enjoy your holiday anyway! (Moi am truly truly green!)

Travel I've Done but Blogging None

I can't believe it's been almost 5 months since I've updated this blog.
SO THIS IS A QUICK UPDATE!!!!

I was frantically busy before heading overseas on Jan 18th sorting, amongst other things my garden... why you ask did you do your garden when you intend to be away 2 to 3 years... call it my "I still love you" farewell to my garden.

These are my grandchildren at my goodbye bonfire.

My week in Thailand was great though as I was able to see my brand new niece up close and personal.

This is Marissa and my brother Mark a couple of weeks ago. She was born on Jan 22 this year just 2 days after my 57th birthday!

I came down with the much dreaded bronchitis almost upon arrival in Korea and spent the first 3 weeks teaching to a 'killer' schedule that thankfully has subsided to the rather normal, yet still insane 'split shift' which is almost tolerable save that the split keeps shifting... yes you guessed it from day to day my teaching schedule changes... something I have endured before but not quite like this... talk about the 'shifting sands of time'!

Here it is the day before Easter when I'd be breathing a sigh of relief in Australia and looking forward to longest weekend we get over there. I hope everyone enjoys and gives me a passing thought as I will be working on each and every day. Easter is not officially recognised in Korea.

So while my family in Australia is having fun in the sun and my brother in Thailand is enjoying the weekend... moi will be plodding on teacher as per... but it's okay as I actually love teaching and it's not as if the way things are in South Korea is a 'first time' shock as this is my third stint here.

Well now that I have the Internet in my apartment and have once again 'plogged' back in
I will use this site for generic info rather than those all encompassing emails which seem to offend the sensibilities of those who want something a leetle more poisonal... point taken and noted family... roger wilko etc etc