Where does the health go?

Ok, so we are rather lax at the whole up-to-date blogging thing, but i like to think the way we do it is more natural. It speaks to the lazy, easily distracted person inside of us all. So without further ado, here is what i did today.

Huke and I have been very good and have joined a gym close to our apartments. And in the spirit of new things and pushing the boundaries, we have started going to gym at 6am. Yes, hard to believe but there we are Mon-Fri running on that treadmill.Well perhaps some weeks its Tues-Thurs, but i feel like I have achieved great things in my life regardless.So this morning like (almost) every morning i went and did my little 4km run, sweat pouring from my brow whilst the Korean next to me looks fresh and drip free.Unfair I say!

Then to continue the spirit of absolute health, i go home to whip up a lovely fruit sald, nuts, seeds and yoghurt breakfast followed by a glass of carrot, apple and ginger juice that i make super fresh each morning. Huke even stops by on his way to work to taste of the fresh carrot delights my newly acquired juicer has to offer.

So you can see that i have made efforts to bring some element of health into my life, to improve myself both inside and out.But then i go to school...

Now don't take this the wrong way, i love my job and i think it is possible one of the best working deals anyone could wish for, but in terms of continuing that healthy lifestyle - teaching english in South Korea is not ideal. For example, this morning i taught my 3 classes for the day from 1st-3rd period. By the third class my stress levels have definitely been elevated and the effort involved in speaking loudly and slowly has caused a fair amount of tension in my neck.

Then having completed all my lessons i go to my small office and sit.I surf the internet for a bit and chat to Huke, which is always enjoyable.Then i get given some biscuits which i feel obligated to eat as i don't want to offend anyone by not accepting their very kind sweet offerings. Besides i really do like biscuits. After this i am escorted to lunch by a lovely bunch of young teachers who all speak a very small amount of korean but who have kindly taken me on as their lunch charge.

Lunchtime is always interesting. You grab your silver compartmentalized tray and look at the huge silver dishes containing - well for the most part you're not sure. But there is always at least the ever present kimchi.Not a personal favourite, not awful, just not what i look forward to at lunch time. Having cautiously dished up small amounts of rice and whatever other delights are on offer i proceed to the table where inevitably i get told "Too little food, more rice". I then painstakingly try to explain that i am on a diet and that sticky white rice with every meal does not help one shed the kilos. This is generally met with silence.

Lunch being over and having no lessons to left for the day i sit in my chair from 1-4:30 pm.Leaving my comfy seat only for bathroom breaks and to pour more coffee into my cup.

By the time i head home for the day i am sure that whatever good may have been done by my morning effort is now long over and in fact the incredibly sedentary state of my day has actually worsened my already bad state. Sigh. But on the plus side i do get paid to pretty much nap in my chair, listen to music and stare at a computer for large parts of my day.