Refillable Markers??

I FINALLY have my own Internet set up in my apartment!! I was stealing my neighbor's connection up until now, and it was a little rocky at times. I shouldn't complain too much though because it was enough of a connection to check email and keep up with Facebook...and write my blog, of course :) But now I have my own connection, and it's a great signal. This weekend I was finally able to Skype with my family and friends back in Florida!! And one friend in the Bahamas!!

This weekend was pretty uneventful for me. I did a lot of relaxing and laying around my apartment, which is probably just what I needed. On Sunday, I mustered up the energy for a quick trip to Lotte Mart to buy some much-needed groceries. As I previously mentioned, Lotte Mart is the Korean version of Sam's Club or Costco. What I DIDN'T mention, is that it stands four stories high. Well, I found all my groceries in pretty decent timing, seeing as I have to walk every aisle to find what I need. I went through the check-out line with no issues, paid with the right amount of money, and thought I would be on my way. Well, as luck would have it, I had forgotten where the exit was. (Now, before my mom sighs heavily and buries her face in her hands, allow me to explain.) I was born with something called: no sense of direction whatsoever. Just when I think I've successfully overcome it, it has a way of sneaking up out of nowhere, and knocking me off my feet. Well, the two exits at Lotte Mart are only on one level. (Come to find out, it's on level 2.) There are emergency stairs, but those are obviously only accessed when needed. So, I took the escalator up a floor, walked the whole floor, went back down, thinking I may have missed the exit somewhere. Meanwhile, the little Lotte Mart man is chasing me down with his stickers, wanting to tag everything I've already purchased so I won't be caught trying to shoplift. I continued walking around and moving from floor to floor. I was just about to declare an emergency and use the stairs, when I came up with a brilliant idea. I said to myself, "Self. Go to the top floor, look around, and work your way down. You'll eventually find the exit." So, I did that. Floor after floor, until...SUCCESS!! I found my way out! It took me exactly 14 minutes from the time I left the check-out line until I found the exit. It's not one of my brighter moments, but you know what? The exit is on the second floor. I won't be forgetting that :)

I've discovered a few new things in Korea that I haven't seen in the States:

~The escalators they have here are so AWESOME!! There are no steps on them, so it's just a long slope. It's convenient if you have a cart or stroller, or are in a wheelchair and need to get to another floor.

~At the school we have refillable whiteboard markers. Yep. It's true. When the ink runs low, you simply unscrew the cap on the back, pour the ink inside, and replace the cap. After a little bit of shaking, the whiteboard marker is good as new!! It's very practical and doesn't waste as many markers :)

~The chairs at the school are extremely comfortable. They are wooden, like normal desk chairs, but the backs are divided into two separate pieces that look like kidneys. They adjust left and right so your spine fits perfectly between them, helping with posture, and preventing your spine from rubbing against a chair back all day long.

~The trash/recycle system is really good here. It's mandatory to recycle. At the store, you have to buy separate bags for recycle, compost, and other trash. You divide all your garbage between the three and leave them on the curb at nighttime. Every day, a truck will drive by and collect all the trash and sort it into its various bins.

Tomorrow morning, I'm going to Suwon Medical Center to get a mandatory check-up done for my E-2 Work Visa. After my check-up has been approved, I'll go to the Immigration Office and fill out a mountain of paperwork. After THAT, I'll be able to get my Alien Registration Card and open a bank account :) Beth told me about her experience at the Medical Center, so I know to anticipate playing a lot of charades while I'm there. From filling out the paperwork, to understanding their questions, I'm going to be doing a lot of smiling and saying, "huh?" :)