There is no Title

02.01.07
12.42 pm

I just had a phone call.

Everyday for the last three days, I have received at least one phone call. Usually the person on the other end does not speak any English. I say "uh no Korean," and that's that. I have thought that it might be the cable company calling to set up an appointment. One time the woman on the other end found a man who could speak a little English. He asked me what my location was. I said, "wait who is this?" That sentence was unfortunately too complex and so he apologized in Korean and hung up.

Well I just got off the phone with a woman. She could speak English quite fluently. She asked "is this ECC? I said, "no, but I work at ECC."

She said, "oh, I dialed 114 and they gave me this number for ECC."

I laughed (that explains it), "interesting." She asked if I taught at ECC. Yes, I replied. She asked if I offer any personal tutoring. Now is as good a time to start as any.

Being broke, and never one to turn down a good opportunity I replied, "Yes I do."

I have two elementary students she said, how much do you charge?

Of course I have no idea what to say. I don't want to ask too much and drive her off. But neither do I want to ask to little and be stuck scraping pennies with two little kids for however long. "Well it depends on the student," I reply, "their age and their English level."

One is six and the other is twelve, she tells me, two years ago they spent a year studying in America. Well this is great I think. David once told me that foreign teachers can make as much as $40 an hour teaching on the side.

"I charge $40 an hour."

"OH. Thank you. Goodbye."

Apparently I asked too much. Oh well. Live and learn as they say.

She also told me that my number is in the phone book under ECC.

Oh yeah and personal tutoring is illegal. Commonly practiced, but illegal. This is the third time I've been approached.


02.04.07
12:04 am

I get my first paycheck Wednesday. I've been living on borrowed dimes and a scanty moving compensation. Which isn't to say I haven't been living well. But it is to say that I have run out (almost entirely) of money. Forced to eat ramen and rice everyday and entertain myself at night. In retrospect my money seems to have leaked out pocket holes . And I have no way of retracing my tracks since it's all cash. So I've created a spreadsheet and a determination to be more careful this month. Because when I'm finished paying back my various loans, I will again find myself in a pinch.

* * *

Spent the day on buses and subways. Getting lost and found again. For no reason other than the action. I've seen one end of Daegu and the other.

* * *
Sometimes I think I'm only happy
in the morning. When I'm alone.
Mornings are always lonely
I think, even when you're not alone.

* * *

Wish I spent more money on ice cream. At the place with the pretty ice cream girl, who's cute in just the right way. Indefinably alluring who speaks English in complete sentences.