My Life Measured in Weekends

Though it might have been plain to see before, I suppose I have only just now come to the realization that most of my posts revolve around the events of the weekends of my months as a point of reference and source of topic material. It would seem that I have little else going on aside from what happens on Saturdays and Sundays, save the additional fun I can cram into a Friday or Monday attached for a long weekend trip or the one third of my vacation time I have taken thus far. This realization made me stop and laugh a bit and then start churning on the idea of weekends in general. This is what I came up with.


There have been three times in my past that I have measured my life in weekends: when I was in school (as I am keen to think we all did), when I was a working stiff with the weekends off (which let's face it, with most of my jobs in the past, was NOT the case), and now.


When I was both a child in school and in advancing years thereafter, the weekend meant no classes (usually) and hopefully minimal amounts of homework. While I often was in school during my working-stiff days, it seemed I rarely had a weekend off anyway, but when I did, it was cherished and sacred. Then in a magical period between the phases of my life in school, my life of having a job, and my current life in Korea, I was blessed with the happy fortune of being my own boss and having my own schedule. This, however, did not mean that my weekends were free. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The weekend meant little more to me than the most probable day for appointments. The specialness of a day off and something big planned did not reside in a Saturday or a Sunday for me. I actually felt that everyday held the possible specialness of what many find (myself once included) only on the weekend. Then, once my travels began, every day really WAS a weekend for me. I lived my life on, essentially, a 12-month string of Saturdays and Sundays punctuated with a Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday here and there (because let's face it, when every day's a weekend, there is no such thing as a case of the Monday's or a hump to get over on Wednesday). What a truly blessed time in my life that every day could bring as much joy as the weekend.

It seems now, at this current stage of measurement in my life, that I am getting more out of my weekends than at any other time, as I am once again back to reserving the weekends as days set aside from an obligation to be somewhere doing something that is not entirely of my freedom of choice and desire for that very moment (aka going to work. This is in no way meant to be taken as me not enjoying what I am doing here, not really loving my "job" (if you can even call it a job or work), or having any other ill will toward what consumes the majority of my weekdays here on the other side of the world). Perhaps this new sense of taking full advantage of my weekends stems from the wisdom gain by passing years; perhaps it's simply because I have more at my ready access here in Korea to fill my weekends. Perhaps it is a combination of the two.

I find myself now, just one week shy of the seven month mark in my contract, with an eager anticipation of the weekend. But not because it means no classes (as it did in my school days) and not because it means not getting up in the mornings to go to a job (as it has for most of my working life), and not because these days are better or more special than the weekdays, which I cherish dearly the moments of (most specifically those moments directly following the completion of my workday).  I can only surmise that this eagerness is due to all the pieces coming together to make it all fit. There was a time not too long ago when a trip to Seoul would/should/needed to be done on a long weekend because otherwise it was just too taxing and I would not feel ready for my week to come. Now. Now I enjoy the once seemingly wasted time of buses, planes, trains, and transit in general. Interesting how a little perspective can change everything eh? So, per usual, here is my life, Korea style, in weekends:

Dr. Seuss writer/gardener (in Korea)

Upon returning home from Japan, a little poorer but a little wiser and with another stamp in my passport, (and on a Wednesday) it was just a hop skip and a jump to the weekend again! My friend from Busan and her friend whom I had met once made their way to Geoje for some island fun, foreigner style here in Okpo. We first took a lovely little boat ride out to the botanical garden paradise of Oedo (pronounced Way-dough) where Korean couples go to take tons of photos and be cheesy. It was the three musketeers plus two and that meant lots of cameras and lots of sideways looks from the Koreans! Our goal was to take as many odd and nonserious photos as possible to poke fun at the incredibly serious photos (in front of nonserious things like short, fat, naked statues captured mid run) the Koreans were taking. The theme of our photos shoots was yoga. 

So...you come here often?

Just two boats passing in the...day

The yogi master and his flexible harem 

Dominos gone horribly array...

After hauling ass through the last portion of the gardens, being phoned by a Korean guy working the ferry back to the main island to tell us (in Korean) to get our asses (I'm paraphrasing/assuming here) back on the damn ferry because it was the last one and time to GO dammit, being "chased by" and having to fend off a dog, facing the death stare of a ferry full of fussy Koreans for being three minutes late (oh come on, that's REALLY good for me!) and then combatting sea sickness (on my friend's part), we found ourselves back on the main island and ready for dinner and a night out in Okpo. The night resulted in my going home "early" (if you can call 3:30am early, comparatively) and then not seeing two of the members of the five-some until well after 12:30pm on Sunday and the other two until nearly 5:30pm. Well done. Well done indeed crew! Sunday for me (since I had such an early night!) was consumed by a deep clean of my apartment (must have been the six month/halfway mark itch that got me) and some rearranging of items for a new fung shui.

The following weekend was Thanksgiving themed weekend program (yes, I know, it's in the wrong month...). I worked one of the days and got the joy of telling the children about Thanksgiving at home, making pumpkin pies with them, and making thanksgiving themed/colored decorations/bookmarks. I had 21 children ranging from (Korean) four years of age to a twelve year old with a mental disability. I had three parents (who spoke little to no English) who were completely content to stay and further congest the classrooms, and one little boy who had a high functioning English level in addition to a decently unmedicated case of ADD. Having said all this, the pies turned out perfectly, the decorations were quite lovely, they got the comparison (for the most part) between our Thanksgiving and their Cheosuk (Chew-sock), and they all seemed to have enjoyed themselves. So all and all, I would have to say though exhausting and frustrating at the time, it was a success.

The next weekend was a long weekend (with Monday off) but started off first thing Saturday morning with an obligation on my part. For the month of September, I had been going to City Hall (who partially funds our school) and teaching a group of the employees there English (no pressure man...) on Wednesday and Thursday nights (this is also the reason that not much occurred in my life during the week as I had two nights a week that I was working until almost 9pm!). I was told by my boss two weeks  prior to this long weekend that there was a ceremony being held by City Hall and they wanted me to participate. The remainder of the details was sketchy at best and I was not keen to sign on but was rather quickly informed (by my boss) that I probably didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. I reluctantly sighed and accepted my fate, as it was only supposed to be from 11-11:30am on Saturday morning and then I was free to have the rest of my long weekend to myself! As the ceremony day approached I learned what I would be doing (reading a translated script of what was being said in Korean) for what (a citizens day awards ceremony) and why (to honor two foreigners who had greatly contributed to Geoje City in some way and were being given the title of Honorary Citizen). I also learned that this ceremony was a really special event and a pretty big deal. It required me to be dressed up (all the men in the audience were in suits and ties if that gives you any indication) and to be speaking in front of a rather large group of people pronouncing words in a language that apparently I speak so incorrectly that it really is funny. Also, as the days till event clock ticked down the obligated time frame for said event went in the opposite direction. What started as arriving at 11am changed to 10:30, then 10:10, 10 o'clock, then finally a pickup time of 9:30am on the Saturday of my long weekend. Sure. Why not! But, once it was all said and done (and recorded on my camera for my own personal keepsake) I am so grateful to have had the opportunity and experience. I got to meet the mayor and was personally thanked by him, the awardees, and countless other people for my participation that day. It was truly a humbling and interesting experience.  **(unfortunately the video of said ceremony will not load on here despite my multiple attempts, so if you would like to see it, you can find it on my FB page or I can email it to you)**
After a nice little nap and some food post ceremony, it was time for weekend events to begin unfolding. A bonfire was on the menu for Saturday night's festivities. After scouring for wood and dashing to town for some smore making materials, the night began! As there are no graham crackers in Korea, we made do with what we had and I feel made a really excellent Korean version of the smore. We also had some great company and I successfully threw down two bottles of wine by my lonesome, so all and all, another successful weekend event!

I woke up Sunday with what I can tell you was my first ever legitimate hangover. I never used to get hangovers when I was younger, then in the past two years or so had some mornings post drinking that I felt a bit rough but nothing debilitating by any means. But this morning...oh, this morning...This was the kind of hangover they portray in Hollywood. This was the "I need my sunglasses--even indoors, can't eat, can't stand, don't make me move too fast, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna puke but I know I'm definitely not drunk still, I don't think aspirin's gonna do it" kind of hangover. I. Was. Rough this morning. So rough that I stayed in bed until well into the afternoon. Missed the intended bus to Sunday's destination event and had to catch the second, much later, bus. Sunday's agenda consisted of heading about 2 hours inland to a town on a large river that was hosting a big lantern festival. As fate would have it, we also missed the second bus and had to continue to wait (still feeling pretty rough mind you) for what would turn out to be a three hour bus ride.

Upon arrival I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The lanterns did not disappoint. In fact, they were beyond my expectations! The river was filled with giant lanterns bigger than a person, lit up like neon signs, in themed sections, with more lanterns adorning the shores on both sides. It was pretty tacky yet incredible at the same time!

What had started as an intention to camp turned quickly into the realization that we would in fact be the only idiots there in a tent, so the intention was abandoned and proper shelter was sought after. This brought about a certain type of situation that can only be stirred up when x and y are combined with some other variable to equal drama. It would not mean much to anyone outside the four of us involved (and I highly doubt that little old ajuma will ever read this blog entry) so suffice it to say that despite giant gaps in language and age differences, Korean ajuma 2, xy+(te)z 1 and we will not be forgetting that night anytime soon.

And finally, my last weekend before this post. What was to be a chill road trip to a temple somewhere a few hours inland dramatically changed at the last minute (due to poor schedule keeping skills on my part, i.e. forgetting to put an event on my calendar that I really wanted to attend and thereby double booking myself for that weekend!) to a four hour bus ride to Seoul to go to a dance/electronica music festival. Only once plans had changed, fate had a different idea. Buses to Seoul were sold out Friday, important/necessary items were carelessly left at home on the dash our the door Saturday morning, so I took the sign and threw in the towel for the concert weekend and ended up taking a very calm and relaxing weekend at home, mostly in bed, to just be still and rest. It was much needed and enjoyed. I caught up on phone calls back home and my sleep and refrained from the consumption of substances that landed me in the rough rough state of the previous weekend and felt well rested and ready to begin a full week of teaching middle school students at work on Monday. So while this weekend was the least exciting of the four weekends, it might also have been the most needed after the other three.

And now, on Wednesday evening, halfway between my weekend lives, I can say that the in-betweens, though less exciting for you to read about, are just as enjoyable for me to live in. I am in a place that I am not dragging from my last nor rushing toward my next weekend, and that is a beautiful thing.

Sunset from my "dinning room" window. One of the nonregaled  happiness' of my nonweekend life.