For my late uncle...

Even though we buy into the commercialization that is Christmas, this time of the year is always festive and filled with gatherings of family and friends.

But this year is a bit different for my family. Celebrations will be toned down a notch as we are reminded of my uncle who died tragically in the Philippines last year this time.

We're all reminded of him constantly because he really was a special man. And when I think of how we lost him so early in life, I'm deeply saddened as I am at this moment writing this post.

This is my first Christmas away from my family and I sincerely hope my aunt (Aurora) and cousin (Trusha) will find the strength to continue moving forward as they have done over the past few months.

This blog post is dedicated to my late uncle Dalpat (Dully) who is sorely missed.

Sexy & smooth at Once in a Blue Moon

I love getting dressed up for a night out, and last night I did just that. A few of us went to Once in a Blue Moon - a really classy jazz venue in Apgujeong. There is a pretty strict dresscode - they won't allow you in with your torn jeans and runners. From the moment you enter the door, you leave the hustle and bustle of traffic and Apgujeong brand name shoppers outside.


Once in a Blue Moon is dark and lit by blue neon lights. (camera flashes are not permitted) The walls are black and display photos of jazz musicians and other art pieces. The tables are covered with white linen tablecloths with blue candles as the centerpiece.


If you're looking for beer and soju, you'd better go elsewhere, because Once in a Blue Moon is exclusively a wine, cocktail and champagne kind of place. They also serve gourmet European-style dinners, but be warned - while the portions are dainty, the price tags are quite enormous! (expect to pay 14,000 Won for a sip of Baileys on the rocks) Cocktails are named after famous jazz musicians - the Louis Armstrong is particularly good!

I'm told that this venue is a popular celeb hangout and is often used as a location for films and Korean soapies...usually the choice of venue for romantic dates.

Once in a Blue Moon features live jazz sets every night from two different bands. Music starts around 7pm till 10 or 11pm.

Kindergarten, Special Needs & Hope Start

Yesterday I taught my last classes of the year to Kindergarten, Special Needs and Hope Start. I gave them all candy for being so special for the short time that I got to teach them.

This is my kindergarten class saying "I love you!"

These are my special students from the Special Needs class

These are only a few of my students from the Hope Start class

I will not open a can of rotten, green slimy worms...

Images courtesy of google images

Because this is my blog, I have the freedom to say whatever I want and everything expressed on these pages are entirely my own opinion. I don’t claim it to be correct, but they are merely my thoughts.

Time heals all wounds

When we are hurt by people we love, trust and respect, it takes time to get over the betrayal. We may even part ways with them, and as time goes on we gain perspective on why the situation happened in the first place.

We may even realize that we are better off without them in our lives. If they bring no substance to your being, why keep them in your space?

As we trudge through the journey they call “life”, we are continuously meeting people. Some make such an impact on us and they hang around longer than others. I’m reminded of one of my favourite sayings, “Some people enter your life for a season, a reason or a lifetime.” I count my blessings all the time for the special people in my life.

You can choose your friends, but not your family

It’s quite normal to change the company we keep as we grow and mature. I, for example have various “sets” of friends – people I have met at different phases of my life.

But what happens when these “people” we want to drop are people in your family? Just because they are family, do we have an obligation to just be nice to them?

If you want to cut ties with people who have hurt you, then you have every damn right to do so. And yes – even if they are family.

Life is too short so forgive and forget

Life has no guarantee. We have no ‘sell by’ date stamped on us. We never know when our time is up, which is why we should live every day as if it were our last.

God forbid, if one day I fall ill and have a few days left to live, I don’t want to think – “if only…” or “I wish I did…” I don’t want to live my life with regrets. I want to be surrounded by people I love. And more importantly, people who love me.

I value my life, and the lives of my parents, brother and loved ones around me hence, I don’t want to waste my time and energy on people who are mean and add no joy whatsoever to my existence.

Even if they are family.

Bury the hatchet

I have cried a river.
I have built the bridge (with help from loved ones)
And I have gotten over it.

Years have passed and if I look back over my shoulder now, the bridge is no longer there…because I have moved so far forward and I’m in a good place in my life at the moment. I look around me, and I am overwhelmed by the support system I have.

Opening the can of worms

Now, I am faced with a can of worms – rotten green, slimy worms with bad breath! And I am expected to open this can? Hell no. I had to cross that bridge – which I built - to get here, and I did so with great perseverance.

I have forgiven, which is more than most people would do. But that’s where I draw the line. If God himself appeared before me today and asked me who I’d sacrifice my life for, without hesitation I will say my father, my mother and brother. And of course – a certain fairy Godmother who never fails to be at my side during the good times and bad. I’m surrounded by goodness and love. I am blessed.

Hidden fears

I am not ashamed to tell people that I am terrified of ghosts and aliens. Sometimes I'm even afraid of clowns and the dark. And my family will vouch for me when I say I get the creeps even thinking of gecko's! I'm scared of death - and what really is on the "other side". We all have fears, but we somehow find the need to hide behind a tough exterior.

I can't stomach horror movies, and even though I'm a student of the TV medium (and I learned some of the special effects), I refuse to watch any scene that involves disfigured faces or listen to scary voices.

I can't even bare to look at pictures of ET (yes, the friendly alien). I have no need to look at photos of ET or even watch the movie. So, you will never find me "Google-ing" this creature.

...and please, don't tell me that we should overcome our fears. There are fears that we can and should overcome. And I have... but there are certain things I will not face, because I have no reason to have them in my life.

I've used all this as a metaphor. What I'm trying to say is that I have already lived my own horror movie, but it's over - and I don't want to go back and buy the DVD. It's over...

So don’t make me open that can of rotten slimy worms. Because I won’t.

I want to emphasize that this is my space where I can express any feeling I desire.

SA girl goes missing in SK

I received this in an e-mail today. Usually, I'd ignore it, but since it is about a South African girl in South Korea, it is worth being posted...

A young South African woman went to Seoul, South Korea early December to take up a teaching post. She decided that she wanted to return to South Africa.

Somewhere between resigning from her job and reaching the airport to catch her flight — she disappeared. Please see the information as supplied to me from the woman's mother:

I hereby would like to report that my daughter Michelle Ortlepp ID no 8001220059083 and passport no 467929289 went missing on 10th December 2007.

Michelle went to work at the School of Learning, Berlitz, she arrived is Seoul on the 21st November she started working on the 22nd November.

She called me and said she was not coping with the teaching, I then had a email 07th December stating that she had resigned.

I then organised her a flight back to SA on Saturday the 8th - she never boarded the Airplane she was booked on Sinapore Airlines.

She was staying with a friend Miss Natasha Schultz also a South African. Natasha called and Michelle and said she was at the airport Michelle never returned to Natasha house we then located her at the Airport and she was there for over 20 hours.

Natasha boyfriend went to fetch and took her the Natasha home she stayed there for the Sunday and on awaking this morning Michelle has gone missing.

Michelle has left all her belongs including her Cell phone at Natasha home. She seems to have her passport on her.

Speaking to Michelle many time is in a total panic as when she resigned from the school she owed them +- R7000.00 all she wanted was to pay the school back.

We made arrangements with someone in Foreign exchange to deposit the money either into the school account or Natasha Schultz account, but as it was Sunday it could only be done this
morning.

Myself and husband feel that Michelle has had a total brake down as she has not been sleeping or eating for the past week.

We feel she need medical care until I can make arrangement to fly over to Seoul to fetch. (If she is found)

People who were in contact with Michelle are:- Jennifer Greene Hiring Manager Berlitz.
jennifer.greene@berlitz.co.kr

Sally Hodges Cell no 01048793755
Natasha Schultz Cell no 01026606403
Mary Ortlepp SA code 011 609 8528 (Mother)
cell no 083 326 0404
O11 444 7971 (work)
Frank Ortlepp SA code 011 609 9517 (Father)
cell no 082 903 9418
Cheryl Ortlepp SA code cell no 083 680 0589
(sister)
Adrian Ortlepp SA code cell083 327 8813
(Brother)
Tamara Ortlepp SA cod cell no 084 509 1982
(sister-in-law)

So I am pleading with you to find or help Natash Schultz to find my child.

I will be in contact with Rene Van Heerden at the SA Consular department of Foreign as soon as they open at 8.30 am this morning.

I will also get myself on a plane to come to Seoul and try to get a visa.

Thanking you in advance.

Regards
Mary Ortlepp.

As far as I am aware police have opened a missing persons case and are looking for her. I will be following up the story from South Africa and would be happy to assist in any way I can. I know the girl in question personally and really would appreciate any attention you give to this story, even if it is a short nib with a photograph.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could respond to this email.

Regards
Melody Brandon
Reporter SAPA
melody@sapa.org.za" to me

South Korea's new president is...

image courtesy of google images

While foreign teachers like myself enjoyed a day off from work, Korean's casted their votes in the presidential elections which were held today.

Lee Myung-bak won the election by receiving 50.3% of the votes and is the country's 17th president. Lee, a former Hyundai CEO and former Seoul mayor, was recently in the spotlight because of fraud allegations. Voter's apparently believe that the conservative Grand National Party will be able to revive South Korea's economy in the coming years.

Campaign posters were all over...

Campaign vans like these (this one was outside a subway station) were all over. They usually have loud speakers and have ladies doing choreographed dances - I'm not kidding!

I facebooked your MUM!

image courtesy of Google images

You know social phenomena have reached new heights when it starts making headlines on reputable news websites. I’m talking about facebook. These days, people don’t seem to swap phone numbers. They merely say, “I’ll find you on facebook.” Not having a facebook account is almost as bad as not having a cellphone number – everyone is on it. And I mean everyone!

I have been in company where embarrassing photo’s have been taken of friends. Despite their present ‘euphoric’ state after generous amounts of alcohol, people still manage to say – “don’t you dare tag me!”

I find it really amusing when my friends bring up facebook during a night out. I mean, a few years ago we may have been classified as computer geeks, but these days if you're not online, you're considered to be a possible social misfit.

Let’s face it, if you’re on facebook, there is at least one photo that you either hate or are embarrassed by. And it was most likely uploaded by friends! But – it’s ok, because the whole point of being part of a social networking site like facebook is that YOU control who sees your personal details and those embarrassing photo’s!

Everyone has at one point or another received a “friend request” from someone you either
a) don’t know
b) don’t like

... And it’s perfectly fine to hit the “ignore” button. They’ll never know you’ve rejected them. And you have every right in doing so.

But what happens when the friend request is from your mum or dad?!

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the folks having their own facebook account, but do they really want to see what their precious baby was doing on Friday or Saturday night while hitting the town with the boys / girls?!

I highly doubt it…

So - is it cool to have mum and dad on facebook?