[no subject]

["Roberta Jenkins" <robertajenkins@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Merry almost Christmas!!  (this is not a Christmas Letter, it just
happens to nearly coincide with the happy event)

It's snowing in Seoul today, fat flakes dancing between the high rises
and settling on the busy streets below.  If I were staying here through
Christmas there is a relatively high likelihood that it would be my
first white holiday in quite a while.  However, we're still barely
getting frost in Changwon so that is extremely unlikely.  I'm all set
for my now-traditional Korean side-dishes and crisp afternoon walk.  And
this year, thanks to a half-finished stint as a pet-sitter for my
friend's large iguana, I have access to a full sized oven in which to
cook my own bird so no take-out -celebrating in style!

In other news, I just got word from the university in New Zealand that I
plan to begin attending this coming June (Otago).  I have not been
awarded any scholarships for my studies and will have to figure out how
to fund everything on my own.  Yikes!  How to satisfy NZ immigrations in
the next few months so they'll let me into their fine country???  The
authorities there want to see a significant chunk in the bank before I
begin my studies, something about not becoming a burden to the
state...if I asked every person I saw walking around Seoul today for a
dollar each would that be enough?  Almost...so tempting!

I've never bought lottery tickets, but that's another option of course. 
Though my friend Phillip tells me that his roommate recently resorted to
that particular back-up plan and learned the hard way that in order to
win, all the numbers have to be ON THE SAME ROW! not just on the same
ticket.  That sounds like a mistake I would make.  Suddenly the odds of
winning seem so much less dependable.

A bank loan seems unlikely, given that I am not a citizen in the country
where my bank account shows signs of life and am not a resident in the
country where my bank account hasn't made a blip on the books in over 5
years.  Besides, the chance of an anthropologist ever earning enough to
pay back a loan seems less dependable than that lottery win I'm in need
of.

Prostitution is too dangerous.

Writing a best-seller takes too much time.

Begging the university to reconsider hasn't worked yet.

Which brings me back to asking everyone in downtown Seoul for a dollar. 
It could work.  It should work!  It's good to dream big, right?? 
Although since the local currency is the won, not the dollar...perhaps I
should rethink my strategy.

Any ideas, oh wise and beloved people of my address book?  This is
definitely the time to take out your thinking caps and loose your
immaginations!!  I'm looking forward to your suggestions... and to that
home-roasted chicken a week from now.  Mmm, mmm, mmm, if only turkey
could be had in Korea.

Much love to you all!  Roberta