3 weeks in

I've been here for almost a month, and time has flown by, mostly because of the fact that I've been working hard.

I've taken on extra responsibilities to make extra money. I've got a gig as a part-time substitute teacher, which pays about $20 an hour. I average 5 or 6 classes a week doing that.

Also, some people that I work with have taken kindly to me and have given me the opportunity to get into the after school tutoring business, which pays about $40 an hour. Definitely the most I've ever made in my life. As of now, I only do that 2 hours a week, but considering that I just picked up one yesterday and then one today, who knows how many I'll end up with eventually.

Song and I just got back from a school staff dinner at a Lebanese restaurant. It was one of the most ridiculous dining experiences of my life: 20 different appetizers and deserts brought out over the course of an hour. About halfway through I started realizing that the servers just weren't gonna stop bringing out new foods to try. Some of it was local, and I have no clue what the names were, but some of it was food that we would eat in America too.

I've got lots of grading to do this week, not to mention a film studies class to prepare for, as well as a final project due for my Technology in Education class, amongst other things. Also, my work visa has not been cleared yet because some of my documents have not come back from the proper authorities, so it seems I'll have to do a border run to Oman. Can't wait.

Still trying to find a place to live, which is the big topic Song and I end up talking about the most. I have a couple options, but no great ones at the moment. We've been looking at apartments in her area, but so far it seems that a 1 bedroom apartment costs about $1000 a month, unfurnished with no utilities. I've been told that a mile away from where she lives are some very cheap apartments. From what it seems, they probably go for like $800 a month, no utilities included, unfurnished. Ouch.

I got my first paycheck, and along with some of the substitute hours I've managed to work, it's keeping me alive and financed. So far, so good. I got a phone too. Now, all I need is a bank account, a TV, a place to live, and eventually a car.

For Halloween I took in a huge stuffed sheep that I'd bought for Song, and I lugged it around all day to each of my classes and told everyone that I was a shepherd. I just did it so I could get away with wearing shorts and a t-shirt all day.
One of my Korean students saw me and tried to pet the sheep, and I told her in Korean "Don't touch my sheep." It made her happy.

However, I couldn't think of the word for "marry" tonight, which really bugged me. I'm sure my kids in Korea asked me at least a couple hundred times if I was married, and in less than a month I've already forgotten that. It made me sad.