What are you doing during these strange virus times?

For all waygooks past, present, and future stuck indoors--there's The Waygook Book: A Foreigner's Guide to South Korea now available on Kindle! https://www.amazon.com/Waygook-Book-Foreigners-Guide-South/dp/0692185445

Oh nice! Congrats on finishing and getting it published!
Definitely a constructive use of lock-down time!

Well, it's May 1st, my birthday. I'll teach 3-8 pm, then, since it's my first payday since February, I'll blow a few bucks on indulgences (swiss chocolate, gin, that jalepeno pizza place a few blocks away).

Then 4 days off, so...

My first trip outside this town of 50,000 since my January shopping trip to Daegu.

I was gonna go south coast to Sangju beach on Namhae island but 21 c isn't as appealing as the 28 c forecast for Pohang on the east coast. Either is a 2-hour drive away. I'll be keeping social distance as i'll transport in my own vehicle with my two 6-year-old Angora cats. It'll be their first trip to the beach. (Their first few years we were on Jeju but I never had taken them to the beach.)

I have no intention of visiting a big city this year and am not taking any buses. I cannot fathom the subway during these viral times. Ugh.

Thought I'd post this here as it seems the most apt, as during these virus times I've been enjoying walking sooooo much when the air is good.  There is the mountain behind my apartment which I walk a lot and it's been great, both health wise and for my mental health.  So it got me musing as I see a lot of nature stuff every day there about what animals and insects I've seen here In Korea that I've never seen before in other countries.

Chipmunks - Suppose that's a weird one.  But never seen a chipmunk before I came to Korea.  Saw a couple of baby ones yesterday, running around.  Well cute.
Murder hornet - As it's called in Japan.  But it's the largest hornet in the world and can grow up to 4.5cms.  That one I saw was a monster. 
Fireflies - These were very cool.  About 5 years ago, just at the foot of a mountain near my old apartment, if I had a very keen eye I would see fireflies in September/October.  Really cool. 
Mountain boar - After the typhoon last November, I think it was, I went for a walk in the evening and saw a boar and her baby about 100 meters away.
Cicadas - A mainstay insect in the summer.  Their life-cycle is very interesting.

There are a lot of butterflies obviously, but the one that always catches my eye is the big black one. I want to say it's this one 'Red Helen' - Papilio Helenus, but not sure.



Just for the size of it. 

Talking of chipmunks.  I went for a walk today after the sudden typhoon-type wind and rain cleared the air, and as usual, I didn't take my camera.  And that's always when things happen up the 'mountain'.  First, I had a game of 'I'm not moving, so you can't see me' with a deer.  Because the deer near my apartment absolutely leg it at the first sight of a person.  So I stood there about 50 metres away, while it checked me out for a couple of minutes.  Then, further along, I saw a baby chipmunk, who legged it up a tree.  I saw it about ten or so metres up and then it just jumped out of the tree onto the path and landed with a squeak and then ran off.   That was a hefty jump.  Then further down, there is this one small bird that hangs around this area, and when it sings it wags its tail.  When I talked with my mum she thought wagtails do that to mark out their territory.  I'd always thought it was a mating thing.  But if I'd had my camera I could have snapped it for identification.

All the fun of having nature 5 minutes from your door.  Next time, bring the camera dipshit. 

-resting
-catching up with family
-on the public doll, receiving twice my salary in Korea (I did not think I would qualify for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.  I certainly don't qualify for normal state unemployment I am, in fact, considered a gig worker and was forced to return home.  I am definitely grateful but I don't wish to be on the public doll for long)
-working out
-eating good food, BBQ's four times a week
-enjoying nice weather
-drinking good beer
-once in a while taking advantage of what is otherwise, highly illegal in Korea
-saving my money
-trying to get enrolled in an online M.S./M.A.
-considering doing the online CELTA (yes, that is real)


Now that I am seeing more and more salary offerings in Korea starting at 2.0 a month (before deductions), I think I have had my fill with with it.  I very well may just pack my bags, collect the $$$ I saved, pick my spot and head to Thailand (once the government allows incoming passengers again).  I may as well...the wage gap between Korea and Thailand seems to be closing.  Besides, in Thailand, I only have to worry about 20 classes a week, can work another job if I want, will be able to have a very nice apartment, etc. 

It just seems to be a better choice.

-considering doing the online CELTA (yes, that is real)

I am interested in this too but this is the cost currently! 

"Currently W 2,350,000 - including an initial (non-returnable) deposit of W500,000 to secure your place once you have been accepted."

I am interested in this too but this is the cost currently! 

"Currently W 2,350,000 - including an initial (non-returnable) deposit of W500,000 to secure your place once you have been accepted."

Well, it is good to have US dollars in this case.

I imagine public teachers are still getting paid ?

what about hagwon teachers ?

sorry, haven't logged in for a while.

how would an online CELTA work? surely you've still got to do the teaching parts in-person?

I imagine public teachers are still getting paid ?

what about hagwon teachers ?

sorry, haven't logged in for a while.

Yes, as we are still working. No idea about hagwons.

Dancing on my fridge with Saddam Hussein!

These are strange times.

Yes, as we are still working. No idea about hagwons.

in-clas instruction or has it gone online?

in-clas instruction or has it gone online?

Online.

how would an online CELTA work? surely you've still got to do the teaching parts in-person?

Email International House in Thailand and ask them.

no u

Downloading serious selections of new music and listening as often as I can.

Watching tons of films - some new, some old///just finished Escape From New York 20 minutes ago...!

Catching up on my reading...

Getting back into hiking...

getting back into running (after taking a long sojourn of being a fat lazy piece of shit). been running 10k or so kilometres a day recently. it's lovely weather for it too

no u

I already did.  Besides, you must be Korean...that sounds like a Korean comeback. 

getting back into running (after taking a long sojourn of being a fat lazy piece of shit). been running 10k or so kilometres a day recently. it's lovely weather for it too

I'm imagining Oglop wearing these:

I already did.  Besides, you must be Korean...that sounds like a Korean comeback. 

i know you are you said you are but what am i