Thailand on Foot

Here's my address here at the temple.

Troy Santos
Jeju City
Hwa Buk 1 dong, 4684
KOREA 690-061

Pretty easy huh?

I thought it would be easy to get a voice mail service with my Gizmo Project phone service. Now I'm not so sure. I get tired of all this computer stuff. And I'm not on my own laptop now. I'll look into it again when I get more time. Might have some time on Saturday. Had lots of time last Saturday. But then again it rained all morning and was overcast the rest of the day so I just sat in the office using my laptop to do some personal things.

I have decided I'd rather go to the US at the end of the month.

If I can get anything specific for anyone, please let me know. I'll do my best.

I haven't heard today from either Sunim or Sunmi and have decided to not go before the end of the month. It's 11:15 am here now. Thursday morning.

I expect to spend no more than two weeks in the US when I go. Mostly everything is up in the air right now. Except that I expect to go sometime after the 24th which is the last day of the festival.

I don't expect to change my mind about when I'll go. Even if Sunim were to ask me to go now, I suppose I'd say no. He might have some really compelling reason but I feel it's better to go after the 24th. I don't like rush visits, or rush anything for that matter.

I've checked the ticket prices for other airports. San Jose and Oakland airports. Also had Sunmi check the Korean website she looked at. They were more expensive.

Anyway, leaving later this month means I get more time to see about the cheapest possible ticket. Unless all prices go up!

I am thinking to stop using this blog and see about a different one. I think Google has something. If so, and if I can use their Skype-like service (if I'm even right that they do indeed have one), and if they have a blog thing and if I use it, then I'll have all these communication things with Google. All in one bag. Might be a better idea.

That's enough for now. There are other things I want to put onto the blog but I will do them another time.

Just to say that things are going well here. Really enjoying the little kids. Just adorable. Cute as hell. Lots of fun.

I get into the garden often. Almost every day to water the plants. And almost every day for vegetables. Had some this morning. There's a wild plant that I love to death. I can eat so much of it. I would like to have a name and some nutritional information. I have met only one other person who also knows that it's edible. And good tasting. I ate a bunch of it about 9 or 10 am this morning. Been getting more vegetables lately than I have had in a long time.

Also recently found out that this garden here is hardly organic. I don't know how extensively the synthetic fertilizers are used, but I've seen it more than a few times. I have also seen organic fertilizers used, so that's good. I've seen bottles of herbicide too.

Sunim wants organic but a lady has determined that we'll use the synthetic fertilizers. She doesn't do much in the garden though so I feel that she's got no business saying we shouldn't do organic farming. And that's what Sunim wants. He's the boss here, isn't he? And she doesn't even eat the food here every day. Why in hell should she be able to make the decision to have synthetic fertilizers applied? I'll see what changes I can make. But I know that trying to change certain things can really make for turbulence. I don't want to cause turbulence but I'm not afraid of a little bit either. The lady who does most of the work in the garden, Kong Yang-ju, apparently "doesn't know". Sunmi told me this. I don't know just what this means, but, well, I want to see what I can do to make a few changes. I've got some ideas up my sleeve that I feel could very well make for smooth changes. Or at least, make the changes happen without so much turbulence.

Enough,
Time for lunch.
Troy.

Just got off the phone with Sunmi, who had just gotten off the phone with Sunim. She says that he says that not only are the documents not yet ready, but at least one other thing also is not ready. So, I'm not ready to go just yet. Don't know when. I asked Sunmi if Sunim (do you like the little jiggle with the spelling?) had any idea when I could fly. She said she didn't know.

She said that he said that if it takes too long then I can go to the US after the big ceremony on the 24th. That means that I'd fly sometime after the 24th.

So, nothing is sure just now.

I've been wanting to fly since yesterday. I had a physical exam Monday. I wanted to have that before going to the US. Didn't think to have it done before the US trip for any special reason. I just wanted to have it out of the way. Done. Everything turned out normal. Had a blood check, urine check, a chest x-ray, blood pressure check, and the doctor tapped me on the abdomen in a few places! I'm still a Hepatitis B carrier which is no surprise as I was told years ago when it was first noticed that I'd be a carrier forever.

I do want to have a colon cancer check because I would like to know if the way I've been eating and otherwise living for a few decades now has taken a biting toll on my colon. I don't have any symptoms that I know of though. Just want to be sure one way or the other.

I am about ready to go really. I've got just about everything packed that I want to bring.

I don't want to travel too close to the 22nd because that is the first day of the ceremony. Three days of this ceremony, finishing on the 24th. I'd hate to miss the biggest ceremony of the year by just a few days. And I don't want to have a rush visit in the US. 10 days already is a short time. So, it's better to put it off until later if I can have a more relaxing time.

I think this is low season for plane tickets so I don't want to put this off much longer.

I have a feeling that I won't fly until after the ceremony. I'll write more on this blog as things progress.

Troy.

A couple of Saturdays ago, I guess it was, Sunim (Korean for "monk") asked if I wanted to become a novice here. I was stunned by the question. He offered this as a way for me to work and make money here in Korea, and, as a way to get into and to practice Seon.

At first, he said I'd need to commit for 3 or 5 years. I told him no straight away. I told him why. In the end, we agreed that I'd do the novice practice for a year. I can stay longer if I want. So we have an agreement.

The following Sunday he cut my hair. The next day I went into town to get a picture taken for my passport application. It expires in November of this year and I'll need to have a passport that will be valid longer than the one year religious visa that we'll start the application process for tomorrow.

I'm actually really pleased to do this. I don't know how the practice will differ from lay practice where I'd just live and work here at the temple. It may not differ much at all. I suppose it would if I were Korean. You know, language and all. But anyway, I'm looking forward to it.

I'll need to get some clothing which will be similar to monk's clothing. That'll cost a bit.

I'll just stop here. Want to get on to a couple of other things before I get ready for bed.

Oh, I'll be home in early May. I'll visit as many people as I can. But I suppose I'll only be home for about 10 days. Sunim wants me to get back as soon as possible. I'll start teaching after I get back.

I'll write about the kids in another entry. And about the gardening work.

Troy.

Hmm… seems I’ve written all this before. Have I?!

There’s one other lady who lives here most days. She sometimes goes to stay with her daughter. She’s fairly old. Maybe in her 70’s. Still quite strong. I saw her easily pick up and hold something really heavy not long ago. She’s super quiet. I used to greet her in the mornings but she never returned my greetings so I stopped. I’m not pushed out of shape or anything. I just suppose she doesn’t care for “good mornings” and I’m not so interested myself, so why bother? Actually, it’s nice so maybe I’ll start up again.

Anyway, this morning I was sweeping the leaves on the lawn when she came up to me holding a crate. I looked at her with curiosity, hoping to convey that I wondered what she was going to do with the crate, she put it down on the ground and gestured that she’d put the leaves in the crate. Expressionless communication. I understood immediately. So I swept the leaves in her direction. She gathered them by hand and scooped them up and put them into the crate. Cool.

Then a bit later she came up close to me and uttered a few things. I don’t know what language she speaks to me. (She doesn’t often say anything to me. A few days ago I understood one word out of one sentence. “Eat” in Korean. But I don’t know what she wanted to say with that sentence.) Anyhow, this morning when she came up close to me, she said something that I understood much more. I heard the Korean for “sweep” and “don’t”. But nothing else. A little while later Sunmi and her mother arrived. I told her that the old lady had said something to me, I didn’t understand, and asked if she’d go ask the old lady what she’d said. Sunmi came back a bit later and said that the old lady had told me that if I wanted to stop I could stop and rest! That’s all. Well, no, I wasn’t tired or anything. I kept on. But it was a heartwarming little encounter with this lady. There’s something about old country folk, those really laid back sort of people …. This lady’s got a quality that appeals to me.

Enough for now. Better short than long, I feel.

Troy.