Q: Have you ever eaten DOG?
A: Bol-shin-tang,
or dog stew, is a Korean delicacy enjoyed mostly by men for its
properties of "virility." I have a dog of my own and can't
imagine sitting down to a bowl of him, so I decided that the dog stew
was one cultural tradition I'd pass on trying. Many of my friends have, though. They say it tastes a little like stringy roast beef. It has an awful smell, but no distinct taste. "It's not the WORST meal I've ever had," added a friend.
Q: What exactly happened to your back, and why were you gone from school for so long?
A: I
borrowed this picture from the internet, to show you an example of
what was going on with me prior to Winter Holiday. Do you see the
spinal tissue between each piece of bone?
White--White---White---BLACKNESS--White....
Well that's what my back looked like when I went to see Dr. Lopez at Billings Clinic the day after Christmas, except my herniation, as this is called, was much larger. the blackness extended further out into the area to the right of the picture. it invaded all the space around my nerves, and made me los feeling in my left foot, and I lost the ability to sense a few of the nerves connected to my spine. It was very scary. I wish I had done this sooner, gotten the MRI, seen the doctor asap. It was terrible, having to wait so long, and going to surgery was a little scary, but after all of that, I have a cool scar and none of that awful back pain as before!
I am not allowed to "BLT," aka bend, lift, or twist, and that's why my doctor made me stay in bed and rest. Being a teacher means being on my feet for most of the day, and I have to bend over to pick things up, sign papers, and talk with my lovely students on a regular basis. Even now, I'm finding these things to be a challenge, but my students have been so helpful and understanding in the classroom!
Well that's what my back looked like when I went to see Dr. Lopez at Billings Clinic the day after Christmas, except my herniation, as this is called, was much larger. the blackness extended further out into the area to the right of the picture. it invaded all the space around my nerves, and made me los feeling in my left foot, and I lost the ability to sense a few of the nerves connected to my spine. It was very scary. I wish I had done this sooner, gotten the MRI, seen the doctor asap. It was terrible, having to wait so long, and going to surgery was a little scary, but after all of that, I have a cool scar and none of that awful back pain as before!
I am not allowed to "BLT," aka bend, lift, or twist, and that's why my doctor made me stay in bed and rest. Being a teacher means being on my feet for most of the day, and I have to bend over to pick things up, sign papers, and talk with my lovely students on a regular basis. Even now, I'm finding these things to be a challenge, but my students have been so helpful and understanding in the classroom!
Q: Are you a hippie? Everyone says you're a hippie.
A: That
depends on what you think a hippie is and if I fit the bill. It would
also depend on if you've come in contact with real, true-life
hippies.
A lot of people from the Pacific Northwest are "a little bit hippie," or have what might be called "hippie traits." I love the Farmer's Market. I garden barefoot. I enjoy a farm-fresh omelette, and I support locally owned businesses. I catch spiders and deposit them safely outside instead of killing them...if I can help it....
Identifying me as a hippie, however, is like asking a kid who is tall if he plays basketball, simply because he is tall and athletic. In contrast to hippies I've known, I'm not a good enough example of a hippie to represent. I am, however goofy, and I love to be weird.
A lot of people from the Pacific Northwest are "a little bit hippie," or have what might be called "hippie traits." I love the Farmer's Market. I garden barefoot. I enjoy a farm-fresh omelette, and I support locally owned businesses. I catch spiders and deposit them safely outside instead of killing them...if I can help it....
Identifying me as a hippie, however, is like asking a kid who is tall if he plays basketball, simply because he is tall and athletic. In contrast to hippies I've known, I'm not a good enough example of a hippie to represent. I am, however goofy, and I love to be weird.
Q: Can you actually speak Korean?
A: a
little bit. More than most American foreigners, less than
some.
People forget that I spent my whole day teaching and speaking in English. Furthermore, when I met people on the street, they were either eager to practice their English speaking, or too nervous to talk to me at all. I studied when I got the chance. I chatted with kids and taxi drivers. I got the basics, but I am in no way fluent!
People forget that I spent my whole day teaching and speaking in English. Furthermore, when I met people on the street, they were either eager to practice their English speaking, or too nervous to talk to me at all. I studied when I got the chance. I chatted with kids and taxi drivers. I got the basics, but I am in no way fluent!
Q: Is it very different here in Williston than where you were living in Korea?
A: Yes. Yes it is.