Blog Spring Cleaning: Dansk Progress, Monkey is Two, Fashion Fails, Irondad Prevails

TV/Midt-Vest visit

In January, my classmates and I passed the test to move to Module 3. Now in addition to our regular classes, we have a group project element in which we make presentations on a central theme. This is a combined effort with Module 4, and we have just begun our second project--Media in Holstebro. My team chose TV, so I arranged for us to visit TV/Midt-Vest, the regional TV station, last week. We were all pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable and interesting it was. We got a personal tour by the redaktionschef through the news rooms and studios, and she graciously sat with us for a short interview. We will give our presentations in a couple of weeks. 

In February, I took the first Dansk Prøve, a test which is required for those on 'Family Reunification' visas. There is only one testing location for the entire country, so it was a very convenient 3 1/2 hour drive for us. I'm still waiting for the results, but the test was easy. 

Monkey Baby turned two in March, so she's not really a baby anymore. But she's definitely still a monkey. She's funny and frustrating and totally charming. Her English and Danish are both developing quickly which is completely fascinating to me as one raised mono-lingually. Currently trending is 'ikke' (not) with everything: 

'Daddy henne?' (Where's Daddy?)

'Daddy's in the living room opening the curtains.'

'Nej, mama, ikke curtains.'

'Well, he is opening the curtains.'

'Ikke curtains!'

'Take it up with Daddy.'

'Time to get ready for bed, Monkey.' 

'Nej, ikke bed.' 

'Yes, and then we'll read some books.' 

'Nej, mama, ikke read books!' 

'But you love books!' 

(pause) 'Yaaaay books!'

So that's fun.

Påske is everywhere right now. Easter. There are familiar themes of eggs and chocolate bunnies, and the ad magazines are full of offers on legs of lamb and pickled herring. 

Easter dresses, c. 1987

This morning my choir sang for the Palm Sunday service out at Mejrup Kirke. Even though I've been to church here before--and to this church in particular--I still decided to wear high heels, dress slacks, and a dry-clean-only top. It must be something ingrained. Growing up, we always dressed up for church. But today, I felt a little out of place in a sea of sensible shoes and no-nonsense attire. 

This is not the first time I've felt inappropriately dressed at an event in Denmark, so I'm considering generating a chart which details occasions and clothing options that can be cross-referenced with times of day.

• Evening birthday in a garden tent: casual with sweater
• Afternoon birthday: nice casual, take along practical shoes for a forest/beach walk
• Confirmation with a nursing infant: squeeze into that one black dress and hope for the best
• Confirmation at a golf resort: GO SHOPPING
• Church: freely choose any of the frumpy clothes in your closet

It's a work in progress.

To finish my spring cleaning, I need to mention my dad. He pops up in my writing now and then, often in conjunction with athletic achievements, and his latest accomplishment is the Melbourne Ironman. 

As with his first Coeur d'Alene Ironman, there was a bit of drama. There was a trip to the ER to deal with recurring gut blockage caused by the radiation several years ago. There was morphine and an IV drip. There was a mad dash to the airport directly from the VA hospital. There was a recurrence of bronchitis. There was dehydration. Ultimately, there was an Ironman, and his name is Dwight Schuh. 

He finished sixth out of seven in the 70-74 age group, sticking it out to the end with fellow American Richard Weinbrandt who came in seventh with 1 1/2 lungs following a lung infection and surgery in December 2014. To quote my sister, 'Sounds like the old guy division isn't for wimps.' You can say that again.

Sorry you didn't get your Kona qualifier, dad. We still think you're alright.

Recent Pictures Spring 2010

Click on the links below to see some recent pictures!

-JP Morgan Corporate Challenge Album Link

-Singapore Spring Random Album Link

-One North Residences Album Link

Back on Blogger

Out of China, back on the blog.

We are at the start of a couple of years in Singapore and looking forward to it, or rather already enjoying it! It's warm, green, surrounded by water and full of culture. Currently on the search for our perfect apartment.

I'm working on updating my photos. Since we're not too far into 2010, I'm going back to January. The end of 2009 will just have to be a loss at this point.

I gave the instant powdered milk tea a chance. It's not a full regret. It's also not a decision I'll repeat anytime soon.

Hello from Denmark

This blog has been involuntarily retired thanks to China's restrictions, however I am still blogging at margniator.expat-blog.net. Right now we are enjoying a typical Danish summer, meaning my shorts and tanktops are still sitting untouched in my suitcase. I suppose, though, that it's been nice, especially for Morten, to have a respite from the oppressive Beijing heat. Hope everyone is having a great summer. Look for pictures soon on my expat blog.

Earthquake and Wedding

Firstly, for those of you with concerns, Morten and I are both fine. We did not experience the earthquake in China as we have been traveling in Thailand and Denmark for the last couple weeks.

Secondly, though it has been leaking slowly to my friends and family, I can now officially announce that Morten and I were married on May 5th in Denmark. We were both very happy to have my mom in attendance along with Morten's parents and sister. Pictures will come soon!

Jeju-do, Korea, February 28 - March 3

My last day of school--graduation day--was February 28. I showed up to discover that all of my kids had decided not to attend. Very disappointed and slightly bitter, I went to the graduation anyway. After school I went to my sewing class, and when I got home from that, Morten called from Jeju Island to say the weather was really nice, so why not book a flight ticket for the 29th to join him for the weekend? I checked into it, but the only tickets before the weekend was over left in an hour and a half on the night of the 28th. Being that Gimpo Airport itself was nearly an hour away, this seemed nearly impossible, not to mention the fact that I had begun to feel quite feverish. However, also feeling that this would be my last chance to see Jeju before leaving Korea, I literally threw a pile of laundry and toiletries into a suitcase, ran out the door, and crept through rush-hour traffic in a taxi to Gimpo. In a panic, I bought a ticket and started running for the gate only to realize I had nearly fifteen minutes to spare (!) which meant time to buy some much needed juice. Morten picked me up in Jeju, and we ended up having a great weekend touring beautiful Jeju-do in spite of my fever and lack of appetite.

Royal Invitation

For the last four or five months, the Danish Embassy here in Seoul has been very busy planning the visit of the Danish Queen. I spent a couple days down there helping them edit schedules and information for the royal party, and I discovered just how many details go into a visit like this. And, as I am connected with the Danish community, I will be able to attend an exhibition of Danish art opening at Seoul National University with the Queen in attendance as well as a royal banquet. It should be pretty cool--it's not everyday that one gets to meet royalty!

My new keyboard

Well, it's not completely new. I think I got it in May. But it's been WONDERFUL in light of the fact that for the previous year and a half I had nothing. I've dusted off the Mozart and am slowly working the rust out of my joints. Of course I would prefer an actual acoustic piano, but it has weighted keys and a nice real-piano sound, and it takes up less space and cost less money than a piano. I don't have much to play for right now, but just playing for myself has been great and is something I needed back in my life.

Random Pictures from Feb to June 2007

As I sit here and blog, I'm enjoying 90 degrees and moderate yellow dust. The haze I see out the window brings visual confirmation to the dryness in my throat I thought I might be imagining. And rumor has it that rainy season is just around the corner--next week even?! Now if you'll excuse me--I have to go cut off all my pants to high-water length. Happy summer everyone!

Pending pictures

I have alot of pictures to post from our morning kinder graduation festival, and they will be coming soon! Maybe it's just that I'm their teacher, but I think they're pretty darn cute. But until I get around to doing that, here's a picture from the drive Morten and I took around Odaesan National Park on Sunday afternoon.

Not much

I don't really have much to say, but I'm tired of seeing that stupid picture of me eating every time I open my blog. You might wonder why I look at my own blog in the first place, but that's beside the point.

So I guess I haven't mentioned that we now have a fourth foreign teacher at LCI. Her name is Amy, and she started right after our vacation week. She seems pretty cool, and I think she'll be a good addition to the school.

I went to Seoul last weekend for several reasons. The second reason I went was a dress-fitting. I need a nice dress for several occasions coming up, so I found a dressmaker and commissioned a dress. I was so nervous about it in the days prior to the fitting that I had bad dreams about an ill-fitting sack-style dress of orange and brown brocade. To my great relief, I found the long flowing dress of lovely blue silkiness that I had imagined. After a few adjustments, it should be ready for me to pick up this next weekend. I also went to Seoul to meet Amy and Liz for a Park English party on Saturday night. Amy and I are both Park English recruits, and Liz has tagged along with me before to Park events. It was fun to see Niki Lee and Cessilia Park again as well as meet some new teachers.

I didn't take any pictures over the weekend, so I'm posting some that Morten sent me from a business trip to sunny Italia.

Laughing

I think my sister and I both possess the exact same rare 'ridiculous Schuh sister sense of humor' gene. For those of you who have ever been around the two of us for any length of time, you know that we have the ability to crack each other up over the stupidest things. True, it's not very hard to make me laugh, but nothing gets me going quite like the ridiculous Schuh sister sense of humor.

I'm sure some of you smile and even chuckle at my blog, but I wonder if anyone else sits at his or her computer and nearly busts a gut laughing like I know Em does.

I bring this up because Emily recently wrote her own blog that had ME rolling. No one else will probably understand why I think it's so funny, but I just have to link it anyway. Warning: it's not for the weak of stomach.

This and That

I haven't posted anything since Thanksgiving because, well, I haven't really done anything post-worthy. Emily constantly bugs me to post (myspace comment from 12.01: MORE BLOGS, MORE BLOGS...!), and I think to myself, 'But I haven't done anything!'

Then I started pondering what defines a post-worthy subject. There are obviously no guidelines, no rules or regulations about what one can or can't post (though I could sure make some suggestions regarding what one's blog shouldn't contain). So why do I feel the need to keep my posts action-based? Why haven't I joined the realm of rambling bloggers who thinks that someone somewhere will care for one second about their muddled thoughts and verbose profundities?

May this blog be the answer.

I wanted to buy a dress for our school Christmas party. I don't know why. Julian's making us wear Santa dresses for part of it anyway. But I thought it would be nice to have a dress, and Morten said he'd take me out for a nice dinner if I got one, so I went to Itaewon in Seoul where they cater a little more to foreigners given the proximity of the military base. I wanted something classic and quality but only found weird, cheap, feathered and sequined. I went home with a sweater and some slacks. Oh, and an electronic toothbrush! More about that later. Then I decided to try my luck here in Gangneung but only found an acute case of post fall dressless disorder, aka Gang-sters don't wear, buy or sell dresses in the winter! *clench fists and teeth, exhale sharply, regroup* So I scrapped the dress idea altogether and went for the nice-white-button-down-with-the-new-slacks idea, meaning that I needed to purchase a nice white button-down. First I found alot of nothing; then I found colored and designed shirts, then I found a white shirt with the brand embroidered on the front in green; then I found some shirts with ruffles, lace, ties and drawstrings, big gold buttons, puffy sleeves, and high collars reminiscent of the turn of the century; then I wanted to scream. I finally found a relatively inoffensive plain white button-down shirt with no frills. I tried on two sizes and purchased the one that fit my arm length but was too big through the ribs. Good news though, I'm having it altered at the dry cleaner.

But listen to me, I'm still writing about my actions!

Ah yes, the toothbrush, nay mouthbrush. The Oral B TRIUMPH Professional Care 9000. First, though, let me tell you something about me and my teeth. I like my teeth. I like to think that I have nice teeth. I am very protective of my teeth. Some people have bad dreams about being chased or killed. My dad has the recurring 'missing the plane' or 'forgetting the plane ticket' dreams. I have the 'my teeth are falling out' dream. I can't stop them, they just come loose and crunch around in my mouth in a big garbled mess (fortunately I haven't had it in awhile--it really is quite troubling). This is where the TRIUMPH comes into play. I've wanted an electronic toothbrush for awhile now, and with the advent of the disappointing visit to the dentist here in November, I thought it was time to take matters into my own hands before I started having the dream again. Well, with the Oral B TRIUMPH Professional Care 9000, the matter has been firmly placed in my hands. I can floss, brush and polish my teeth, massage my gums, scrape my tongue and do detail work around my permanent wire retainer. It even tells me how long to brush each 'quadrant' of my mouth so I can achieve the doctor recommended 2 minutes of brushing. And on top of it all, it has a built-in voltage converter, enabling me to use it anywhere in the world! It's the perfect thing for the oral hygiene conscious world traveler and a worthwhile purchase for anyone.

Gyeongpo Beach, July 23rd

With six days left in the rainy season, six days until vacation, and three days until I had to turn in evaluations, I went to the beach with hopes of finding a little sun (or at least no rain) and getting a few evaluations written. I accomplished alot of vacant staring into the sea and very little writing. 'Who invited the librarian?' Bryce asked and insisted on taking my picture to document how lame I was being.

Construction

I am good sleeper. I like sleeping, and I can sleep through alot of things. The jack-hammering going on in front of this building one morning was not one of those things. I was so angered by it, in fact, that I rose PRE-ALARM to shake my fist out the window and shoot it with my camera. Fortunately, for me AND the workers, the building is nearly finished.

Once again...

Sorry everyone, I just can't seem to fit everything that I want to into one night! But here's another pic from the archives. It might not be as good as the frog, but I think Rachel putting sand in Cathy's shoes is still pretty good.

My sadly neglected blog

I know it's been awhile since I've posted a really good blog, but I'm sorry to say that you'll have to wait at least one more day for a good post as I need to go to bed right now. I have several good stories which I promise to post in the next day or two. Here are pictures of a crazy psychedelic frog and Marcus in Miffy earmuffs to tide you over until then. Cheers.

Here's what's going through my mind tonight:

• My dinner would have been so much better with CHEESE:

Dear Korea,

‘Kraft Singles’ does not qualify as cheese. Please write to Europe for
some suggestions.

Love, Margie

• I can finally sleep with sheets on my bed
• My niece/nephew kicking my sister—Yeah, get her good!
• I need to visit England again just so I can go the the supermarket and ask for a shopping trolley (and sing the Hokey Tokey)
• My voltage coverter makes a good foot-warmer (hmmm...I wonder if it should really be that warm...)
• I am so going to sleep until I wake up naturally tomorrow

Funny Things

I like collecting funny English--I did this in Japan too, but here I've started photo-archiving the strange things I find. I got 'Vitakato' off my shopping bag and 'Omnibus' from a department store bag. I think the toilet one is self-explanatory. The bag with the happy young men (members of a famous pop group) is from the Korean version of KFC, so it essentially says 'Better-being with greasy, greasy chicken.'

By the way...

I forgot to mention that I went back to Dr. Neurosurgeon Thursday morning for another round of torture. Julian or his wife must have have told him that I had called my previous treatment 'acupuncture' because as he stabbed me with the needles (twice as many as before), he asserted deprecatingly, 'This is not oriental acupuncture. This is intra-muscular-stimulation.' Riiiight.

My floor creaks eerily at night. I am only aware of it if I am up late enough (as I am right now), because that's when it finally starts heating up. It goes off at 8:30-ish every morning, runs on auto all day, and comes back on at 10:42 every night. The daytime 'auto' setting is somehow directly related to where I set it at night, but I have been completely nonplussed by the whole setup and have taken to leaving it on '45', whatever that means. Forty-five Celsius would be hot enough to induce heat stroke, yet forty-five Farenheit is cold enough (for me) to get hypothermia. I just don't get it. I've been sitting here in my coat all night (see pics from previous post), but when I wake up, I'll be sweating and I'll have a stuffy nose from the heat. And then it'll cool down slowly all day until I want to put my coat on again.

I should sleep.