never break your computer in a foreign country

have i mentioned before that technology hates me... because i really think it does. 

last wednesday i was finishing up my first grad school paper. my computer had been giving me trouble for some time. it's been really slow and freezing when i had too many programs open. but i couldn't find anything else wrong with it. everything was up to date, it was just slow. well while i was emailing my paper to my mom to check for me (and yes i do have my mom check my papers, don't judge), i was uploading pictures to facebook from the asia song festival, getting ready to skype with jennie and i was listening to my itunes. well apparently my computer was not happy with all this and froze. so i turned it off to give it a few minutes to rest and then.... nothing. it wouldn't turn back on. i just got to the grey screen with the apple logo and then nothing. 

*gigantic freak-out/panic mode kicks in*

over the next few hours i call clara to get apple's phone number. my mom to tell her what happen/have her help be decide what to do. applecare to see what i should do. (they were less than helpful because i am no longer under warranty with this computer. my mom again to again freak out and have her make my decision for me (that didn't go over so well). finally apple customer service to order a new computer. i really didn't think i had any other choice. so my new computer was ordered and should be to my parents by wednesday (oregon time). 

i go to school the next day, after only sleeping a few hours and tell my co-teacher what happened. hoping the school might have a laptop i can borrow. no such luck. but my other co-teacher graciously took it upon herself to find a repair shop that might be able to fix my computer. my co-teacher calls them, explains what is wrong and they tell me they will be able to fix it, i just need to bring it in. wonderful. next important question... "does anyone speak english there, since i'm going alone?" nope... but it won't be a problem i'm told.

it ended up being a small "mom & pop" shop in the basement of a papa john's building all the way in gangnam, a good hour or so from me. when i got there, no tech was there, just the receptionist, who didn't speak any english. after calling my co-teacher to translate it was established i had to leave my laptop as the tech wouldn't be back till later. 

my co-teacher go a phone call the next day. they could fix my computer. the OS needed to be reinstalled and my hard drive needed to be replaced. i was desperate to have some sort of computer, as the new one i ordered wouldn't even be to my parents for a good week or so. so i said go ahead and fix it. 

i was able to pick it up last night. and after 40 mins of waiting, we were able to get all of my documents and such off of my time machine back-up from before my computer died. so basically i have a brand new computer in the old casing. i ALSO have a brand new macbook pro in the mail to my parents house and then they are supposed to send it to me.

so now i am a little stuck as to what i should do. i have my fixed computer, which is basically brand new, and an actual brand new computer on the way... do i have my parents leave the computer at the house and wait till i get home? or do i have them send it and i can try and sell the old one while i am here? somebody decide for me...