Writer's Block

I have writer's block.

Now, seeing as how I haven't been a student for over two years, many of you might not find this to be a problem. After all, I'm a teacher now - why would I find a need to write anything of substance? I mean, obviously, aside from scribbling comments in practice books or on report cards, I have had very few reasons to write anything since my commencement. Why is this causing me so much anxiety now?

Two weeks ago, I enrolled in an online TEFL certification course. Now, I am well aware of the fact that I probably could have just paid my money, taken the test, and been done with it all. However, since I am not a trained teacher, I decided that this would be the opportune time actually sit down and learn some of the basics, the fundamentals, the theories ... you know. Well ...

... said TEFL course requires me to write essays after finishing each module. There's like ... fourteen modules. Maybe more. Maybe less. And I'm required to write two essays after each module. Each essay must be around 700 words. The last thing I wrote for a class was my senior research paper, in April of 2008. The closest I've come to academic writing since then has been my blog posts, which lately have been few and far between. Not to mention that I find the first paper always the most difficult one, based on the fact that you have no idea what the instructor is looking for. Granted, this is simply an online certification course, but a course is a course, and hence ... the writer's block.

Couple that with the fact that I've never been exceptionally confident of my writing abilities, and I'm sure you can see my dilemma. Which is why I am currently seated in the corner of Indigo Blue, sipping a mango soda and chatting with Hyun, while resolutely ignoring the Word document that is open with my half finished essay typed up - most of which will probably be deleted and rewritten within the next two days. Oh, and I'm going to see a movie later on tonight with Steve, Mi-Hee, and Amanda ... and that means I will continue ignoring said Word doc.

It's a good thing I have six months to finish this course at my own pace, or else I'd be screwed. And I kind of feel that this "at your own pace" is going to be my downfall anyways, as I have always been a procrastinator. Time to set myself some deadlines.

***

Okay, well moving on from the TEFL course - what else can I update you wonderful people on? You know, it just dawned on me that the only people who really read what I write here are reading it via Facebook ... and if you're on Facebook and reading this, then chances are you are someone who I keep in semi-regular contact with, which means you probably already know everything that is going on in my life in the first place.

Oh well. Read and be bored then. :)

I have less than a month before my contract is finished, and I will be moving. I would already have a job lined up if I wasn't so damn picky, but hey - c'est la vie. I'm not worried. There's some promising offers out there, and I know that the perfect one is going to turn up - knowing how the system works here, probably not until the week before my contract is up, but hey it's all good because at least I'm already in the country, right? :)

This past week has been my vacation, and it's been lovely. Well, okay, I've been a little bored, but that's my own fault because I've never really understood how to enjoy an entirely free day before. Let's see - I can't remember what I did on Monday. That's probably not a good sign. On Tuesday, I went to Suwon and met Eun-Young and her conversation students and we had class together. That was a lot of fun - she teaches older students so I met with two women in their mid-30's. Then I had dinner with the infamous Nicholas Kucharik at Suwon Station. On Wednesday, a group of us made the trek down on the 900 bus and explored Hwaseong Fortress for a few hours ... oh, that was AFTER lunch at Bo-Young Man-doo. :) On Thursday, Wan-Soo came up and helped me buy a new cell phone - yay for new toys! Oh, and I met with Matt (who I hadn't seen in over a year), before going to study group with Evan and In-Chae. Yesterday, Friday, I went to dinner with Evan and Kyoung-Hwa.

That's pretty much been my vacation. Oh, you know, I've cleaned a little, packed some boxes, and gone to the gym ... it's a lot nicer going in the middle of the day than it is going hella early in the morning or late at night. I've also drank copious amounts of coffee and completely skewed my sleeping schedule. Tomorrow morning will be interesting, to say the least.

Now, I am finishing up at Indigo, and getting ready to head home to post this. Yes, I will be posting it. Yes, I will be writing more soon. No, it probably won't be THAT soon. :)

Much love to you all ... especially those of you who are getting married, have recently gotten married, are engaged, or have recently gotten engaged (and by this, of course, I'm taking about Andy and Jess) ...

<3

:)

Why am I smiling?

Well, it could be because I just spent the evening with my friend studying Korean and English. Or, maybe it's because the week is over halfway over. Or perhaps it's because in the past three days, I've eaten Bo-Young Man-doo TWICE. Or maybe it's ALL of those reasons ... AND the fact that ...

NICHOLAS DONG-JIN KUCHARIK HAS ARRIVED IN KOREA!!!

Yeah, maybe that's it. :) :) :)

It's late. I'll write later. Instead, click-y on this link-y and enjoy TOP's music video for "Turn It Up." I like TOP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdPnMoxKOWY&feature=player_embedded