Free time

I have free time now. It's an odd concept, after eight years of "higher" education. Okay, so high school isn't really higher education, but my high school experience was at least as intense as my college one. If I think about it (which I have), I haven't had free time as a regular part of my life since middle school: there's always been a job (or jobs), or homework, or other obligations. And sure, now I'm still in the process of at least one application for next year, but by comparison, my days are suddenly free as a bird.

Take today, for instance. Granted, it's a Saturday, which is typically somewhat of a down-day anyway, but when I sit down to think about what I did, I come up with very little. I got up around noon (in my defense, I was up till 2:30), at which point I discovered that a former ETA had come over to collect her stuff and was hanging out and chatting. I got ready for the day, ate breakfast, made coffee and ran down to 7-11 for almond milk to put in it. I emailed someone at SPU about sponsoring my one application for next year. I read some articles online. I watched part of Lord of the Rings on TV. Karina came over and we got food, then made a run to Ikea and Carrefour. I reassembled my room using stuff bought on this trip. Karina and I sat for a while at the Cultural Center.

And that was my day! It's now midnight, and I've done maybe 3 productive things: sent that email, bought stuff at Ikea and Carrefour, put the stuff in my room. Not a lot to show for a good 12 hours, really.

But that's okay here! I don't HAVE that much to do! Even during the week, I teach 19 periods of 5th and 6th graders, plus 1 period of Morning English for all grades, and that might be it--I'm supposed to have 15 more hours at the schools, but so far the administrators and teachers at both schools haven't come up with things for me to do other than focus on my teaching. I'll be taking Chinese soon to help fill the hours, too. And after eight years of working steadily for the mass majority of my waking hours, it's nice to have a little break, especially while in a new city and learning a new language--I am so fortunate to be here and to actually have the time I will need to take full advantage of that. I can't wait to wander around the city and explore both the physical and cultural aspects of Kaohsiung while trying out my young Chinese skills.

In the mean time, I get nice little down days in which all I do all day is send an email and buy and make curtains. Here's the final result, by the way--just need wall decorations now and my room will be finished!

The curtains aren't perfect, but at least they're clean. And I bought purple ribbon to tie them back with when I want a little sun!