the strangest prize i have ever won.

mushrooms.

i won a large box of mushrooms.

um, why, you ask.

upon finishing an upper level writing class last week, i walked into the office feeling like i had really helped my students.  they had written personal statements and we were beginning to discuss essays.  these students are quite keen on learning and i stayed after for a bit to help out a student who had missed class.  i pranced into the office, only to be greeted with, 'kendra, what's with the mushrooms?'

'um, what the fuck are you talking about?' was my (polite) response.

sitting at my desk was a large package that did not have a return address.  in korean, it said that the contents were dried shiitake mushrooms.  i thought that it must have been a joke.  i opened up the box, and sure enough, there were three smaller boxes of dried mushrooms.  no card, nothing.  just a helluva lot of dried shrooms.  i had to go to my next class and therefore, was unable to continue my mushrooms investigation.  in the middle of my next class, i thought, 'maybe it was dakpokki girl!  she was on vacation!'

dakpokki girl is my biggest fan on my street.  she loves me and goes crazy whenever i walk by.  we are friends and i adore her and her family.  they went on vacation around korea last week and before leaving, she asked me for my address.  i thought that it must have been her.

i arrived in the office again and told the ladies my idea.  a fellow teacher replied with, 'does their dakpokki stand actually do that good of business to be sending you dried mushrooms?'  apparently said mushrooms are quite expensive.  there was a phone number on the label and a fellow korean-speaking teacher called.

then she told me the lovely news.  i saw the winner of a post office sweepstakes.

what?

yes, i am the korean post office's best foreign customer.  i sent boxes of shit home all the time.  i send gifts to all parts of the world.  and the last time i sent something, i was entered into a drawing and i won.  mushrooms. 

YAY I WON SOMETHING IN KOREA!!!  i can add this to the 5,000 won i won in the lotto!!!