RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

Almonds are on sale at HomePlus across the land, these days.

Also, boiled eggs are literally the best yum-yum of breakfast. Boil them, they keep in the fridge forever. Crack one of those suckers open and dump salt on it, make a giant cup of coffee, and baby, you've got a breakfast goin'.

Call me spoiled, but I don't like boiled eggs more than a day old because they take on a rubbery texture that everyone says I'm imagining but I swear does exist. I also prefer eggs poached in broth and placed on toast. Doesn't take long to make, but I literally leave myself with zero time to cook anything most mornings these days.

I hate boiled eggs in general, but if I really have to eat them, I will only eat them within a half-hour of being boiled. After that, no. Also, I know what you're talking about with the rubbery texture thing the next day. I hate that, too, haha.

But in terms of making yourself something to eat, I do find that boiled eggs are the easiest to fit into the mornings. I occasionally have them for breakfast and I boil them while I get dressed / dry my hair / do my make-up. I eat it on my commute to work LOL and then I have coffee when I get to school.

I am super fussy about eggs, I am vegetarian so am especially picky about something like that.  Especially boiled eggs, the rubbery bit is really off putting.  I won't eat boiled eggs given to me by anyone else.  I never buy the cheap eggs in the supermarket, only the free range ones.  Those black-coloured eggs? not on your life.  My own poached eggs with fried mushrooms?  Oh yeh!

Hey Dave,

Have you ever seen those stalls that sell boiled eggs that specifically cater to old Korean men?

They will eat several eggs in a sitting.

Is there something magical/medicinal about them?

Thanks for that.

It's been a good day, as I have learned something new.

something that has been bothering me -- more than ever, as of late.

why do kids in korea, instead of putting their hand up (and waiting), find it acceptable to shout "TEACHERRRRRRR" across the room? it's something that i try to nip in the bud as fast as i can, but it's always uphill struggle.

do kids do this in regular korean classes?

i try not to lose my temper in class, but when theirs multiple kids shouting - repeatedly - "TEACHERRRRRRR"... it makes me so angry

it's the first thing i teach them not to do, but 4 months later and they STILL do this. then they cry or get all moody when i shout at them. why? they know exactly what they are doing wrong

something that has been bothering me -- more than ever, as of late.

why do kids in korea, instead of putting their hand up (and waiting), find it acceptable to shout "TEACHERRRRRRR" across the room? it's something that i try to nip in the bud as fast as i can, but it's always uphill struggle.

do kids do this in regular korean classes?

i try not to lose my temper in class, but when theirs multiple kids shouting - repeatedly - "TEACHERRRRRRR"... it makes me so angry

it's the first thing i teach them not to do, but 4 months later and they STILL do this. then they cry or get all moody when i shout at them. why? they know exactly what they are doing wrong

No they don't know what they are doing wrong.

As irritating as it is to you, it is accepted here.

How does a Korean adult get a waiter's attention if there is no button on the table?  Same damned process.

Too funny.

Thanks for that.

I loathe Koreans who shout at service staff in restaurants, etc.

Actually, it all depends on the teacher, as we drill it from the beginning of the school year, and as time passes, if some forget, we drill it some more.

The problem some foreigners might have in public school is due to what some hagwons allow, so kids get confused by the l mixed message that is being sent.

We can shout in mokmok teacher's class, but have to raise our hand in Mr. Pecan's class.

I work in an after school program, in a public school. I wonder if the Korean teacher in the next classroom (we alternate classes each day)  allows shouting, actually. She's one of the " they are just kids. Please understand them" people

The squatters make sense for pooing, but if you're a lady and you need to urinate, it can be difficult to use the squatter and not get urine on your clothes.

I don't know, I don't have any problems with this.

I think the trick is to pull your pants/short down low enough, and then to squat low enough. Like, your butt should be down pretty close to your ankles.

As a woman I can confirm that it's pretty easy to pee squatting over a squatty, regular toilet, bush, cooler, stream or sewer grate. Believe in yourself and anything is possible.

Doesn't your stream sometimes go off in different directions?  Especially when wearing a tampon

... this might be a little too detailed for some, but I think when you squat low enough and with your legs far enough apart, things down there tend to get arranged in a way so that the stream is more predictably in a downward fashion.

+1

How do you spread your legs far enough with pants around your ankles?
And if I squatted any lower, I'm sure the stream would probably start aiming upwards (joke)! I've peed on my clothes twice already, I don't have enough faith in your tips to try this again.

How would one urinate on themselves from this position?

I don't get it.

On the pants! The red pants in the picture. This is the perfect angle to get pee all over those pants.
Unless you shift the balance way forward, in which case this is an issue of balance and flexibility, and I will never be able to do it drunk anyway.

peanut butter on toast (well, sandwiches here, as I don't have a toaster / place for a toaster)

Use a pan on the stove top, though it requires more diligent attention.

I'm never awake enough in the mornings to give the diligent attention it would require.

How do you spread your legs far enough with pants around your ankles?
And if I squatted any lower, I'm sure the stream would probably start aiming upwards (joke)! I've peed on my clothes twice already, I don't have enough faith in your tips to try this again.

You only pull your pants down to your knees

Then squat, and since your but should be below your knees, you're golden. I used to think you'd have to pull them down to your ankles, too, and couldn't fathom how it was possible to use a squat toilet without soiling yourself. But to your knees it's really easy.

I totally thought I was going to pee all over my pants,  but I never have. I promise Ajahya

How do you spread your legs far enough with pants around your ankles?
And if I squatted any lower, I'm sure the stream would probably start aiming upwards (joke)! I've peed on my clothes twice already, I don't have enough faith in your tips to try this again.

Basically what moonbrie says. xD

A lot of ladies I've met had a problem with not pulling their shorts or pants down to at least knee or slightly below knee level. It seems to be the opposite in your case where you're pulling them down way too low.

The other thing is you have to be squatted back enough that you're resting on the flats of your feet. If you find yourself sitting on your toes, you may be hunched too forward (which would then put you in a prime angle for soiling your clothes). If you lack the balance and flexibility to do this, you can hold onto the walls or whatever for support.

The squatters make sense for pooing, but if you're a lady and you need to urinate, it can be difficult to use the squatter and not get urine on your clothes.

I don't know, I don't have any problems with this.

I think the trick is to pull your pants/short down low enough, and then to squat low enough. Like, your butt should be down pretty close to your ankles.

As a woman I can confirm that it's pretty easy to pee squatting over a squatty, regular toilet, bush, cooler, stream or sewer grate. Believe in yourself and anything is possible.

Doesn't your stream sometimes go off in different directions?  Especially when wearing a tampon

... this might be a little too detailed for some, but I think when you squat low enough and with your legs far enough apart, things down there tend to get arranged in a way so that the stream is more predictably in a downward fashion.

+1

How do you spread your legs far enough with pants around your ankles?
And if I squatted any lower, I'm sure the stream would probably start aiming upwards (joke)! I've peed on my clothes twice already, I don't have enough faith in your tips to try this again.

How would one urinate on themselves from this position?

I don't get it.

On the pants! The red pants in the picture. This is the perfect angle to get pee all over those pants.
Unless you shift the balance way forward, in which case this is an issue of balance and flexibility, and I will never be able to do it drunk anyway.

If your urine is shooting forward from that position, you need to visit a urologist ASAP.

Here's my annual EPIK contract renewal signing rant:

Maybe I'm old fashioned (or just old) but is it too much to expect NETS to wear smart clothes when they're meeting their employer?  It seems so.  Don't wear a suit (not appropriate) but looking around, most people were in jeans/sweatpants, a tshirt and trainers. 

So many people had opened their medical check results (after they had received them in a sealed envelope obviously).  So that led to the RIDICULOUS situation of the coordinator asking them things like "Did your CT see you open the envelope?"  In the end, so many people had opened them I think she just couldn't be bothered to deal with it and let it go.  So I guess that makes a complete mockery of the tests.  I'll just fake mine next time and save a load of cash.

People just waltzing in an hour late and not apologising.  "Where's my contract?" was the first thing out of one guy's mouth.  You're an hour late, are you taking the piss?

Of the process as a whole:  signing the contract before finding out where you'll be teaching is infuriating.  I don't know about anyone else but I renew my contract because I like my school/apartment/area and I've been confident about my chances of staying here.  If I knew I was moving it would probably have a big affect on my decision to renew (ie. I probably wouldn't bother).

Same here.

What some think as acceptable is quite shocking.

I mean, they may well be fine teachers, but seriously...bathe, shave, put on some clean "smart casual" attire and exercise some polite manners for f'sake.

I don't get it.

Is it a millennial thing? A poverty thing?

Whoa wait a minute, NETs in your province go to some sort of meeting with the POE to get their contracts? Weird.

Also: Whoa wait a minute, your POE already has their contracts ready? Weird.

I'm still fully in the dark. Hooray!

Here's my annual EPIK contract renewal signing rant:

Maybe I'm old fashioned (or just old) but is it too much to expect NETS to wear smart clothes when they're meeting their employer?  It seems so.  Don't wear a suit (not appropriate) but looking around, most people were in jeans/sweatpants, a tshirt and trainers. 

So many people had opened their medical check results (after they had received them in a sealed envelope obviously).  So that led to the RIDICULOUS situation of the coordinator asking them things like "Did your CT see you open the envelope?"  In the end, so many people had opened them I think she just couldn't be bothered to deal with it and let it go.  So I guess that makes a complete mockery of the tests.  I'll just fake mine next time and save a load of cash.

People just waltzing in an hour late and not apologising.  "Where's my contract?" was the first thing out of one guy's mouth.  You're an hour late, are you taking the piss?

Of the process as a whole:  signing the contract before finding out where you'll be teaching is infuriating.  I don't know about anyone else but I renew my contract because I like my school/apartment/area and I've been confident about my chances of staying here. If I knew I was moving it would probably have a big affect on my decision to renew (ie. I probably wouldn't bother).

Agreed, the most infuriating things about these contracts is the uncertainty of the location, especially after being here a few years, we still have no way to ensure that we can stay in a school and neighborhood that we've built a relationship with? Ugh, extremely frustrating.

Though your last sentence is probably why they do it, if they informed us beforehand many people would probably nope on out of here if they were transferred to an undesirable location/school. I know I would... Signing first more or less guarantees that all schools who want a NET, get a NET, I guess.

Also it sounds like you have a big renewal meetup? Do all the NETS where you are sign their contracts and get their medical results together? 

In my case my school just hands me the contract one random morning and I sign and it's business as usual...

Subconscious effort to reduce the focus of society from appearance to content. Maybe.

I didn't know we had so many fashionistas here.

Same here.

What some think as acceptable is quite shocking.

I mean, they may well be fine teachers, but seriously...bathe, shave, put on some clean "smart casual" attire and exercise some polite manners for f'sake.

I don't get it.

Is it a millennial thing? A poverty thing?

I see the same folks at my renewal and it gets progressively worse. One lady arrived looking like a complete hobo, she attempted to compensate for her appearance by sucking up to every Korean in sight. The worst was one chap who came to his renewal wearing Jordans, a puffy jacket, a baseball cap and beats headphones around his neck.

The lady in question was pushing 40 and the guy looked in his mid twenties, so I wouldn't say a millennial thing.

I didn't bring my knitting glasses to school so I have to attempt to knit with my eyes closed so I don't feel sick. Fun. Plus, I'm definitely not going to finish this scarf today.

Subconscious effort to reduce the focus of society from appearance to content. Maybe.

I didn't know we had so many fashionistas here.

Although that sentiment is admirable, it's still a professional setting and I don't think it's too oppressive to expect smart clothes.  They can "stick it to the man" as much as they like outside of work 

Also it sounds like you have a big renewal meetup? Do all the NETS where you are sign their contracts and get their medical results together? 

Yeah it's kind of like a mini orientation where we all sign our contracts and submit our health checks.  We also get given any relevant information for the coming year like changes in the contract, optional programs we can sign up for etc.

The teacher who never wears headphones is now watching a bowling...game? match?... video and it's so loud.