RAVING/HAPPY SH!T MEGATHREAD

Just curious from anyone with personal experience. When did you let your school know that your wife was having a baby, and how do you plan out any time off? I was going to ask Donovan, but he hasn't been around.

Just curious from anyone with personal experience. When did you let your school know that your wife was having a baby, and how do you plan out any time off? I was going to ask Donovan, but he hasn't been around.

I would prep your coworkers several months in advance. Just mention every once in a while how excited you are, ask for baby advice, etc etc.
Ramp this up as your wife approaches term, then about a month in advance start planning which days you most likely will need to take off.

I feel that a gradual progression will make it easier for your coteachers to understand your need for a brief leave -- and it's a lot harder to say no when for the last couple of months you've been more or less telling them how important it will be.

My 20 won. 

Oh, and congratulations!!

So today was second school BEST lunch life.

Donkatsu, of course DELICIOUS and the salad was a nice change of pace but what's this?? JAPAN STYLE MISO RAMEN?

GTFO! What did we do to deserve such bounty? 

That's it. My life has peaked. It's all downhill from here. Not to mention school lunch is of course ruined for the rest of my time.

I need a cigarette.

So today was second school BEST lunch life.

Donkatsu, of course DELICIOUS and the salad was a nice change of pace but what's this?? JAPAN STYLE MISO RAMEN?

GTFO! What did we do to deserve such bounty? 

That's it. My life has peaked. It's all downhill from here. Not to mention school lunch is of course ruined for the rest of my time.

I need a cigarette.

Wow, that does look nice. I always try to avoid the poison sugar sauce they put on the donkatsu, but I won't deny it's tasty. That soup looks awesome.

So today was second school BEST lunch life.

Donkatsu, of course DELICIOUS and the salad was a nice change of pace but what's this?? JAPAN STYLE MISO RAMEN?

GTFO! What did we do to deserve such bounty? 

That's it. My life has peaked. It's all downhill from here. Not to mention school lunch is of course ruined for the rest of my time.

I need a cigarette.

Wow, that does look nice. I always try to avoid the poison sugar sauce they put on the donkatsu, but I won't deny it's tasty. That soup looks awesome.

Gahh really missing Hakata tonkotsu ramen right now. 

But I might go to Osaka for a brief weekend this month.  One way there so I can get my sweet, sweet pension money  and then one way back.  Never been before

Just booked tickets to Indonesia for winter vacation. I have a free tour guide, too.

All I have to do is pay the hotels.

Just booked tickets to Indonesia for winter vacation. I have a free tour guide, too.

All I have to do is pay the hotels.

Indonesia is one of only two countries (three if you count Brunei, but uh, nobody counts Brunei) in this corner of the world I've never visited. Always wanted to go, though. Bali looks miserable, though.

Just booked tickets to Indonesia for winter vacation. I have a free tour guide, too.

All I have to do is pay the hotels.

I know Indo is a pretty big spread out area, and you are probably going to a different area than I did, but I loved it there! So fun and very pretty.

Just booked tickets to Indonesia for winter vacation. I have a free tour guide, too.

All I have to do is pay the hotels.

Indonesia is one of only two countries (three if you count Brunei, but uh, nobody counts Brunei) in this corner of the world I've never visited. Always wanted to go, though. Bali looks miserable, though.

What is the second?

Just booked tickets to Indonesia for winter vacation. I have a free tour guide, too.

All I have to do is pay the hotels.

Indonesia is one of only two countries (three if you count Brunei, but uh, nobody counts Brunei) in this corner of the world I've never visited. Always wanted to go, though. Bali looks miserable, though.

What is the second?

Myanmar. Oh actually, I haven't been to Laos, either. So. That makes three (and Brunei).

I'm going to Cilacap for 4 days and Yogyakarta for 3. I have people in both so I'll get the deluxe tour, all the genuine shit.

Wouldn't have to stay in a hotel though if Indo Girl's house was done being built. It'll be done in March. Now I risk being arrested by the morality police in a hotel. FML

Wow, that does look nice. I always try to avoid the poison sugar sauce they put on the donkatsu, but I won't deny it's tasty. That soup looks awesome.

My pic doesn't even really do it justice. Rich, deep broth. Springy, perfectly cooked noodles. Couldn't believe I was sitting in the school cafeteria eating something that good TBH

But I might go to Osaka for a brief weekend this month.  One way there so I can get my sweet, sweet pension money  and then one way back.  Never been before

DO IT! Get your money but instead of coming back to Korea, you know, just stay in Japan forever. That's what I would do. I'm thinking of doing Hokkaido this winter vaca.

Seriously though, yirj17, why are you coming back if you don't need to? I love Korea but if I was done working here I probably wouldn't stick around too long.

I have mixed feelings about which thread to put this on...but I figured it's more good than bad.
My boss told me I can start my vacation as of January 5th and I don't have to return (if I renew, that's still up in the air) until March 1st so I can visit my family that I haven't seen in years...however, I don't have enough money to go  Back in may 1 way tickets to LA were only $350 taxes included but I didn't know what whether I could go then, so I didn't buy (kicking myself now) and now they are double the price. I am going to keep checking tickets though, hoping for a miracle.
but even I can't go...I have almost two months off! Woot! Woot!

Just booked tickets to Indonesia for winter vacation. I have a free tour guide, too.

All I have to do is pay the hotels.

Indonesia is one of only two countries (three if you count Brunei, but uh, nobody counts Brunei) in this corner of the world I've never visited. Always wanted to go, though. Bali looks miserable, though.

What is the second?

Myanmar. Oh actually, I haven't been to Laos, either. So. That makes three (and Brunei).

I would still like to go to Myanmar as well.

@CO2: Yogyakarta is cool, but I don't know Cilacap. I went to Lombok for the majority of my time. I had wanted to go see the Komodo dragons since I was 7, so it was really awesome to get down there!

@CO2: Yogyakarta is cool, but I don't know Cilacap. I went to Lombok for the majority of my time. I had wanted to go see the Komodo dragons since I was 7, so it was really awesome to get down there!

Yeah, it's not huge on my list but it'll be interesting to meet her friends and see where she lives. I'm going to see a new country, but mostly it's to see her. haha

But I might go to Osaka for a brief weekend this month.  One way there so I can get my sweet, sweet pension money  and then one way back.  Never been before

DO IT! Get your money but instead of coming back to Korea, you know, just stay in Japan forever. That's what I would do. I'm thinking of doing Hokkaido this winter vaca.

Seriously though, yirj17, why are you coming back if you don't need to? I love Korea but if I was done working here I probably wouldn't stick around too long.

Nah, I got ya.  I loooove me some Japan (and if I had an indefinite stay there, I certainly wouldn't be opposed).  But I'm gonna study Korean for a while at a uni (hopefully whilst working part time as well) and kind of have my "gap year" that I never had.  And I never studied abroad before which I regret, so why not now while I'm not beholden to a career or anything?  Also, curious to see where things might go with this person I'm kinda seeing at the moment so...

Plus, Japan is a mere stone's throw away for anytime I wish to hop over 

But I might go to Osaka for a brief weekend this month.  One way there so I can get my sweet, sweet pension money  and then one way back.  Never been before

DO IT! Get your money but instead of coming back to Korea, you know, just stay in Japan forever. That's what I would do. I'm thinking of doing Hokkaido this winter vaca.

Seriously though, yirj17, why are you coming back if you don't need to? I love Korea but if I was done working here I probably wouldn't stick around too long.

Nah, I got ya.  I loooove me some Japan (and if I had an indefinite stay there, I certainly wouldn't be opposed).  But I'm gonna study Korean for a while at a uni (hopefully whilst working part time as well) and kind of have my "gap year" that I never had.  And I never studied abroad before which I regret, so why not now while I'm not beholden to a career or anything?  Also, curious to see where things might go with this person I'm kinda seeing at the moment so...

Plus, Japan is a mere stone's throw away for anytime I wish to hop over 

Ah you've got a special someone here in Korea, that makes sense. Hope it all works out the way you want it to!

My (Korean) girlfriend and I have been together for a while now and it's starting to feel like I need to either make a real commitment or get out of the way, so to speak. So, yeah, big decisions for me too haha

Anyway, I took evening Korean classes at my local uni for a while (would have continued too, but there weren't enough students for the higher levels this semester ) and IMO it's super helpful. Definitely worth the time and money. If your SO is Korean and/or you have a solid group of Korean friends to practice with, a year of uni classes + solid practice IRL will get you almost, if not completely, fluent. Either way you will be kicking ass and blowing minds, trust me.

...and of course, japan4lyfe 

My travel school will not have English camp this winter.

Dude...I wish this had happened to me when I had camps, so I can feel your joy...lol

My travel school will not have English camp this winter.

Ah you've got a special someone here in Korea, that makes sense. Hope it all works out the way you want it to!

My (Korean) girlfriend and I have been together for a while now and it's starting to feel like I need to either make a real commitment or get out of the way, so to speak. So, yeah, big decisions for me too haha

Anyway, I took evening Korean classes at my local uni for a while (would have continued too, but there weren't enough students for the higher levels this semester ) and IMO it's super helpful. Definitely worth the time and money. If your SO is Korean and/or you have a solid group of Korean friends to practice with, a year of uni classes + solid practice IRL will get you almost, if not completely, fluent. Either way you will be kicking ass and blowing minds, trust me.

...and of course, japan4lyfe 

We'll see how things go-- pretty casual thus far-- but it's fair to say I'm pretty smitten ^^

Actually another expat, so probably not much Korean practice there, hahah.  Nice to hear about your experience with studying the language though!  I'm casually studying on my own now and hopefully the classes will go well once I'm enrolled :D