End in sight??

We got a message from our boss the other day.  It looks like Korea is hoping to go back to normal as far as schools are concerned by April 27th.  So here's hoping - crossing my fingers!!  It will be nice to get 100% pay again.  It'll also be nice having the kids in class - some of them are so darn cute!!  Otherwise not much has changed.  I still like teaching online, and we seem to have figured out how to use the program in the right way.  Some of the kids are more cheeky than the others (playing with backgrounds, trying to use the chat feature to talk to each other, etc).  It's kind of funny how they think I can't see them sometimes.

So no real plans for this weekend.  I'm thinking of going to Costco to see about replenishing my nut supply and check out what other kinds of treats they have.  Bagels and cream cheese will be in my future.  I also need to go to Emart for some things to make COOKIES!  Hehehe.  I'm planning  a trip into Seoul to see about getting a philly cheesesteak sammich and a beer.  If that place is closed, we're gonna get mexican food and margaritas.

I did learn the other day that when you are talking to someone who kind of served as the catalyst for your spiral into the mental abyss and you tell them 'thank you' for forcing me to deal with some stuff... the look on their face can be PRICELESS.  I have officially reached thankfulness.  I'm thankful that I had to go through all that, I'm thankful that I've come out the other side, and I'm thankful that some demons no longer hold such sway over me.  It's a crappy thing to realize about myself, but when I stopped dating it wasn't just so that I could heal, it was also so that I would no longer be hurt.  2009 really, really messed with my head.  I didn't think that 2019 would be much the same, but toward the end it sure was.  I've addressed some of my desires that I was busy denying for most of the decade (for example, I do actually want to get married), and I learned that you can't truly heal from something if you actively avoid it.  In my case, I couldn't change my habits when it comes to dating if I never dated.  I needed to date in order to observe my own toxic habits and therefore (hopefully) change them.  Something else I need to mention - I LOVE MY GIRLFRIENDS.  When I'm having issues with guys, when I doubt my own attractiveness/personality/etc, there is nothing like a fellow awesome woman reminding me just how awesome I am.  I remain a great catch, just with a few flaws.  ;)

I plan to continue working through some issues, getting back into praying more often - especially for the intentions in my prayer jar - and becoming a better version of me in Korea to take back to the States.  I've also been looking at jobs, and July seems like a good time to start applying as many of the postings look like they open and then stay open for almost a year.  I am coming home after my contract is up.  Korea has raked me over the coals, but I'm tough and it didn't/will not break me.

Today J and I went to Seoul for lunch.  We had a lot of fun - it was quite nice to be able to spend a day in Seoul with my friend again.  It had been a LONG time since we had done something like this. 

On our way on the bus.  I kind of love this picture... he hehe.

J loved my sassy pants pose, so she had to take a picture of it.

We made it to our destination with minimal fuss.

I decided to have a nice Hobgoblin for my first beer since the beginning of Lent.

 J got the chicken parmigana sandwich.  She said it was extremely Aussie and delicious.

 The lady brought me a glass for my beer... it was SO GOOD!

 J wanted a pic of her eating her sammich - it was incredibly messy.

 Our sammiches - I got the philly cheese steak.

Look at it - LOOK AT IT!!!   SO GOOOOD!  I had to laugh at J's dad - he apparently asked her how Americans celebrate Easter "What do they EAT?"

 My empty beer bottle.  It was everything I expected and so something I would have enjoyed at Scarborough.

On the way to Lush we walked past Itaewon Foreign Bookstore.  J got excited and asked if we could go in.  I had to laugh and ask her if she knew who she was asking!  OF COURSE I want to go into a used book shop.  I ended up getting a new book - Dr. Death by Johnathan Kellerman.  I think it'll be the one I take to the beach when I don't want to get my kindle all sandy. 

We then went to Lush where I went in for shampoo and came out with... shampoo.  That's right, I successfully walked in, got what I wanted, lingered (cuz you almost have to) and left with JUST what I wanted.  Now I did find out that they still make the perfume that I love (it's called Death & Decay, but smells quite nice), but they only had 1 bottle left and at 220,000 won, I determined that it was slightly out of my price range at the present time.  However, it's nice to know that it still exists and hopefully once the factories start making it again, I'll be able to get a more reasonably priced size (I still have some, I don't exactly wear it often). 

On the way home, J got a nice nap on the bus and I read my kindle (re-reading Mort by Terry Pratchett).  Then we both went home.  On the walk I found some beautiful lilacs and had to snap a shot for my Gma.  They aren't exactly the ones in KS, but it's nice to know that we can both enjoy the same scent on opposite sides of the world.

Lilacs will always make me think of home.  We also saw a couple with a friendly corgi puppy in the park and they let me say hi to their pup.  He was so cute and sweet and excited!!!  I love puppies!!!

So that was our Easter.  A nice day of wearing our masks on public trans and in the shops.  There were not many people out and about on a Sunday afternoon, which was nice.  I did not go to Costco this weekend... perhaps that will be a next Sunday outing as by then I'm almost sure to be out of my mixed nuts.  Happy Easter to all on the other side of the world, I hope you are all able to enjoy the time with your families and (if you are Christian) reflect on the resurrection.  As for me, I'm going to enjoy a quiet evening of reading or Sherlock, showering, and getting ready for tomorrow.