When I wake up in the morning...

The first thing I hear when I wake up in the morning, is the ear-piercing shrill of my beautiful new alarm clock. It most definitely is earning its keep, but also causing me undue stress first thing in the morning. I roll over and fumble for the off button to make it cease then lay there on my rock hard bed, listening to the sounds of Korea waking up outside my window. Cars rushing by somewhere in the distance. A recording of a Korean man repeating a Korean phrase over and over loudly, bike bells, people yelling to each other and horns honking. This city is happily devoid of dogs barking, or sirens going by daily. As the sun makes it over the top of the surrounding buildings my room suddenly gets very warm and I am almost forced to get up and get moving. I then trot off to the bathroom to take a shower to help me wake up. My shower is in my bathroom, and my bathroom is my shower. The toilet, sink and shower head are all on the same wall. The tap for the sink turns on the shower. The shower shoots out over the sink into the middle of the bathroom. I shower standing over the sink, with the toilet right next to me. It is very weird. After I shower I have to clean up all the water that got on the toilet, and all over the sink and then i head back to the biggest problem I have been having since coming to Korea. What do I wear today? I am already bored of the small selection of clothing I brought and daily berate myself for bringing so few shirts. What was I thinking? After dressing myself I usually turn on my computer to see who is up back in the states. I usually get lucky and find my favorite people on. This however is a huge distraction to my getting ready process. After eating a delicious breakfast of flakes and soy drink I gather my belongings and head out to school. I ride the elevator down the six floors to the ground level, exit the elevator quickly, because if you don't get moving the door will close ON you, and then exit my building and turn right. Its only about a block to the main road where I take another right. On my left is a small group of ladies sitting on the sidewalk under the shade of a bus stop, sorting vegetables. On my right is a parking lot which usually has someone trying to get either in or out, all the time. Koreans are crazy parkers. They can fit into the smallest spaces you have ever seen, turn the sharpest corners and back up the closest to any building. Very efficient parkers. You will never see them taking up two spaces, you are more likely to see two cars in one space. I arrive at my institute in about 4 minutes, or so, in total, from the time I left till the time I get there. Then I climb a bunch of stairs to the Kinderest floor and then my day really begins.

I will spare you that run down.

After everything is finally done I can go home and take a break. I try to climb the stairs all the way to 6th floor at least once a day. I think it will improve my overall endurance. I come into my room, drop my books on my bed and sit down to plan out the next day in my computer chair from hell. Not only will it not stay at the level you put it, but it also has a big melted spot on the fabric which makes a sharp pointy thing that digs into my leg. I am getting a new one ASAP.

The end

Michelle