Ow, My Eyeball!

Jan 24-30, 2011


Due to the flight time, and the time difference between Canada and Korea, I didn't land in Seoul until 530pm Monday. I quickly grabbed my bag from the luggage claim section and headed for the subway. Having missed another day of work, I text my coworkers to let them know I was home, then enjoyed the long ride back to Bongcheon. I got into my apartment by 730, to see my bedding all piled on the floor, and Goah hiding under the bed. She was quite reluctant to come out and see me, but I can't really blame her. I set my bag down and laid on my blankets on the floor until she stopped being such a sissy and came to see me. I pet her for a while, all the time with her whining at me like I had left her for dead. Eventually she crept back under the bed, and I fell asleep on the floor for a couple hours. Around 10 she came back out and started driving me crazy with her incessant meowing but unwillingness to come near me, until I finally yelled at her and scared her back under the bed. After that I picked the blankets up off the floor, remade my bed, set the alarm, and called it a night.
Suffering from jet lag for the the second time in a week, I was up at 6am to start my day. I spent a bit of time waking up and getting some laundry done, before leaving early so I could make it to the travel agent to restart the process to get my Chinese Visa. I was able to get that done and make it to work by 10am, where everyone was very excited to see me. It always feels good to be missed, and knowing that the teachers and students were happy to have me back put a bright spin on the day. Work went by with relative ease, though trying to figure out who had covered which classes, and what they had done took some time. The day went by quickly, and when the day ended at 730, I headed straight home where I sat with Goah and watched one of the many back logged football games I didn't watch the week before. Before too long however, the heavy call of sleep hit me, and I had to call it a night before it was even midnight.
Having gone to bed so early, I woke up again at 6am, and having not much else to do with the time, I threw on another football game while I cooked myself some food to take to work. I was able to get to work a little bit early in order to get some more paperwork in order, and see what the damage was on the online essay situation. John had really stepped it up in my absence, and marked all the kids online essays himself, despite my insistence on him sending me the login codes I had left on my desk. He didn't want me to worry about anything while I was home, but I really could have used something to occupy some of my time while I was there. Seeing that there were quite a few, I worked during the day to check as many as I could, and put a considerable dent in the list. When the day was over, once again I went home and put on another game while I struggled to keep my eyelids open. In the end, I lost the battle, and sleep took over before it was even 11pm.
Thursday was much the same as Wednesday. I got up again at 6am and cooked my lunch for the day, and then get ready for work, While at work John and I worked on more of the online essays, trying to get them all marked and back to the kids before the end of the week. Thursday being one of the day of the week we get to leave early, I left work and was home by 730, where I enjoyed another half of football before I passed out at 9 o'clock.
Having slept more than my fair share over the past few days, I woke up at 530 Friday morning rearing to go. I put on the football game that I had started watching the night before while I ate some cereal, then cooked my meals for work, and eventually headed to school for our last day of winter intensives. After my first class, I left the school to go pick up mine and Chrissy's passports from the travel agency I had left them with in order to get our Chinese Visas. It was a quick trip to Myeongdong and back, and it wrapped up the last detail for our trip to Shanghai. Once back at work I got a text from both Alex and Louise about meeting in Sincheon for some dinner at Aladdin's Lamb, before going over to Gold Bar for a few drinks. I agreed to meet them, and when I got of at 9 I quickly took my bag home, and got on the subway to go meet them. The dinner was good, and then Rocchi and Garrett showed up for the trip to Gold Bar. Things were going fine, until all of a sudden, in the middle of a conversation.......I had to use the washroom. And when I I say had to, I mean HAD TO. In mid conversation, though to be honest I don't remember much of, my stomach began to turn and I decided I needed to get through to the washroom. Now, instead of trying to get by nicely, in my haste I pushed a guy out of my way , who in turn punched me in the jaw. Having little concern about the punch to the face I continued to the bathroom, avoiding pooping my pants. On my way out the bathroom things in the bar were still pretty heated, I walked right into the crowd and a few more fists. Things were all happening in a blur, but I know I threw a few good punches before I was being swarmed, and having my arms pulled in two different directions. That's when I was suckered from behind. I can't blame the guy who hit me, but he was not involved, only drunk and angry like the rest of us, and decided he wanted to get in some punches. He swung at me from behind and connected pretty good just above my right eye. Being as high on adrenaline as I was, it barely fazed me, but I took a second to turn around and see Rocchi choke slam him on the floor, and then ChaeChul drag him out of the bar. Since I am a regular at the bar, and a good friend to the bar staff, after things calmed down a little, they asked me to stay inside and not go out looking for trouble. I agreed to that, and we all got back to drinking, while I took some time to apologize all the staff for creating a problem. I don't remember much after that, but in the end we stayed until 630 in the morning, and then I took the subway home. According to John, I phoned him when I got off the subway at 8am, but I don't remember that.
Having drank myself stupid the night before, I woke up just after noon feeling far more dehydrated than sore. I quickly started putting together the nights events as my face started to remember the punches it had taken some hours before. I quickly put on some clothes, and then went to the store beside my apartment to get some water and Gatorade so that I could get some liquids in me to try and get rid of my hangover. After that I came back to my apartment, crawled back into bed, and started making some phone calls to my friends who were there to help me to make sure they were all OK. Alex was in worse shape than I was, and was being sick, but everyone else was doing alright, and I was the only one with a sore face, which was good news. The rest of the day I spent in bed, rehydrating, and watching movies. When it is all said and done, I take blame for what happened Friday night. There are always two parties involved, though it is not in my nature to start trouble, to get excessively angry and not walk away is, so the blame is on me. This was a first I started a fight, but I'm sure it won't be the last time I get involved in one.
Sunday was much of the same story. I got up still feeling the effects of the hangover, and sore in the facial region. My jaw on both sides was sore, and above my right eye in the crease of my eyelid was showing signs of bruising. I kept watching movies, and then made my weekly call home before trying to get to sleep before the start of the week.


One week after my family's loss, the process of going through Nan's things has begun, and the women of the family are working hard to sort it all out. I hope everyone is staying strong, and finding the joy in the life Nan lived, instead of dwelling on the sorrow her passing.