Min & Mun

I never imagined that when I met my biological brother for the first time 12 years ago that we’d get from the “ass out-awkward hug” to the full blown “I love you man hug” but that is what has happened.

As I think I’ve said before, we have this unusual unspoken chemistry and it amazes me how much we get each other and how much I grow to love him each day we spend together.

He called me as I was finishing work to tell me he was at my apartment and asked if I had dinner… which was perfect because I was starving! He said “delivery pizza” to be polite because I think he feels bad we always eat Korean food. I put an “x” on that and went for 치즈똔까스 aka “pork cutlet filled with cheese” instead! Haha... anyway, I asked how he was these days... tired? busy? happy? And he said “a little bit of everything.”

Long story short – him and my birth father seem to butt heads. My birth father likes to drink and isn’t very good with money. So Mun Hyuk seems to have a lot of pressure to take care of him and it’s hard since they don’t see eye-to-eye. He seems like such a care taker to him and my sister and it makes me sad he’s not living a normal 26 year old life.

To prove my point - I asked “Do you still want to come to America” and he said “to America very much I want… BUT... father’s monthly paycheck is very little” - basically he said he needs to stay home and work to pay the bills but wants to come in 3-4 years.

Now, he and I are both prideful and stubborn but now I’m on a mission to see how much money he’ll lose if he comes to the US for a week and try to see if he’d accept money from me to cover the difference while he’s gone…I love a good challenge :)

So, after he fricken paid for my meal (again!), we left “Kimbap Heaven” and he put his arm around me as a brother would (almost headlock-like) and it almost made me tearful because it made me realize how special he is to me and how I am 99% sure it's reciprocal"

(Geez... I hope one day I can re-create this relationship with a man who speaks English AND who I’m not related to!)

T - T - Th -Thee ... oh ... THE!

Before coming to Korea, I took pride in spending thousands of dollars on two college educations. Now that I’ve been here almost 8 months, I am embarrassed to say I have a Master’s Degree!

WHY????

* I teach children everee day ez words and frases n don’t use big, smart like words.

* I listen too bad “Englishee” out of the mouths of my students I’m trying to edumicate everi day and … monkey see, monkey do!

* When I speak to korean people in english, I try to speek very slowly and with simpel words so they can understand and we can talk more better.

*When I try to speak Korean, I revert to a 3 year old speech impared Korean sputtering out words.

THUS … lately when I talk with my Western friends and family using my native tongue, easy words and phrases do not easily transfer to my brain and many times I have had to think way too hard for a 2 syllable word!

SO … it is sad to say that being a teacher has ironically made me dumber!

THE BRIGHT SIDE … It’s not just me because my other friends have confirmed this epidemic. Let’s just hope we can re-gain our wisdom when we return home!

Besides becoming dumb ... there hasn’t been much too exciting to report.

My friend Betsy and I are taking up golf and hit the driving range one weekend. As soon as I stop swinging the club like a softball bat, golf and I will get along much better. I bought my first bottle of liquid eye liner to go the Korean way and try to make my squinty asian eyes look bigger through make up illusions. My valentine’s day was spent cooking my famous chicken and rice dinner for Betsy (sinc we're the only single girls we know or like) and having as intellectual conversations as we could with our neurological dysfunctions. Then I ended up at a house party with girls in tight pink dresses (some of who shouldn’t be wearing them) and guys in aviator glasses. Needless to say, I was home by 2am and had more fun talking to my Mom on Skype while eating a delicious Hershey’s chocolate bar :)

My Dad and Aunt come next week so that’s the next big excitement. My dad and I will complete the “TRIFECTA” of disgusting Korean food with – Sannakji = aka = live octopus! Let’s hope the little suckers don’t suction themselves to our throats before we swallow them!

---Random Picture of the Day---

My apartment building SECURITY Guard. He stands about 4'9", wears aviator sunglasses day and night, and has to be 60+ years old... Let's hope nothing happens during his nap time (8:30pm on a FRIDAY night) otherwise I'm in big trouble!

A Few More Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09

Only in a Land Far Far Away...

*Do I hold a box of Velveeta Shells and Cheese sacred and look forward to eating it all week
*Do I giggle and gossip with the ladies and feel like I’m losing my “tomboy-ish” touch
*Do I ask another woman to give me a makeover at a bar while drinking wine
*Do I eat burger king at 5:30am waiting to take the subway home after a night at the bars
*Do I feel awkward going to the bathroom in my own apartment because my guests are sitting on the floor right next to the door

*Do I carry a toy dog around to bars and try not to get bit
*Do I think about what to name my kids and what my wedding dress should look like

*Do I have a nightmare that when I went to Chipotle, everything changed!
*Do I answer to 5 different callings: Meghan, Meghan Teacher, Min Jin, Nuna (what a younger brother calls his older sister instead of her name) and Eoni (what a younger sister calls her older sister instead of her name)
*Do I fall in love with people with out even being able to speak to them (my birth fam)
*Do I not give 100% in my job and not even care
*Do I accept living in a 140sqft room
*Do I put food in my mouth despite having no idea what it is
*Do I have to give up my independence/stubbornness and let others do things for me
*Do I spend so much time thinking about who I am
*Do I feel the urge to write about living in another form of reality that has its perks and also feels like sometimes I’m living in a world of colorful unicorns eating kimchi with chopsticks while waiting in line for a ricecake filled with bean paste.

Five more months and it’s … back to Life… back to REALITY!

(My toy dog- white elephant christmas present - push it's teeth down & try not to get bit. It's amazing how it can entertain it can be for all ages!)

Pictures Website:

http://community.webshots.com/user/megshep09