Canceled Plans (Lunar New Year 2018)

Happy Lunar New Year 2018!

This year's lunar new year holidays are 15. - 17. February. I also got all of next week off! Maybe it surprises you that I'm doing something I usually wouldn't--spend the entire time at home.

What? I have about 10 days off, and I'm not traveling? Why? What could possibly be wrong?

A sprained ankle.

I sprained my right ankle as I was walking to school on the morning of Tuesday, February 6th. I was just walking when my ankle kind of gave out from under me: my right foot went sideways, and I landed hard on my left knee. I was about 1 block from the school, so I continued until I made it to my classroom (on the 2nd floor).

My co-teacher sent me to the nurse, who in turn sent me to the hospital. Fortunately, it was nearby.

I went, had my ankle checked, had "physical therapy," and had my right leg on a splint and wrapped in a bandage. To walk around, the nurses gave me a kind of blue "sandal" the splint could fit in. The doctor said I was to stay in that for 2 weeks.

What? Two weeks? I was supposed to be in Brunei, about to move on to Singapore by then!

For a while week, I went to and from school by taxi.

Sheesh, if I could barely walk, there's no way I can travel. So reluctantly, but decidedly, I canceled everything. I could've visited all the small countries of Asia I wanted to visit before this contract year was up. Welp, it was not meant to be this time.

At least I can get my Korea blog up to date.

Earthquake in Korea--Again

This past Sunday (11. Feb. '18), I experienced my 2nd earthquake in my life--and 2nd in Korea.

The first earthquake was back on November 15th, 2017.

I was sleeping in my apartment on my bed, with my sprained ankle on an extra pillow. Then I felt it.

It wasn't much, but it was too strong for any vehicle that usually passes that way.

I grabbed my phone to see what time it was: 5:04.

As I set it down, I started to wonder if I should go outside. I have a sprained ankle (that was getting better, but was still weak). Could I escape quickly enough?

I looked at my phone again and saw an "extreme alert" message-- entirely in Korean.

I could read it and understand maybe half of it. I definitely understood there was indeed an earthquake. The epicenter was near Pohang (just like last time), and it registered as 4.6 on the Moment Magnitude Scale. It occurred at 5:03 in Pohang.

This is becoming interesting.

I'll leave the definition of "interesting" up to you.