Christmas Eve

After the birthday celebration, we were all tired to say the least.  We slept in and eventually made our way down for breakfast.  Just as I was about to take a bite of yogurt, I looked up and who did I see?!?  None other than the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders walking into the buffet.  What the heck were they doing in Korea?  Apparently they were here on official Santa business - bringing Christmas cheer to all the troops who are stationed here.

After breakfast we had a little bit of downtime to just hang before we made our way back into Seoul.  We had lunch with the Stewart Family at the most amazing Nepalese restaurant called Everest.  The sweet potato curry is my new obsession . . . to die for!!  These are the remnants of our meal.

This restaurant is reason enough to come visit Korea (hint hint).

Even cute little Lia (Kim and Todd's adopted daughter from China) enjoyed her naan - she was thinking quite hard about where her next bite would be.

It was also Kim's birthday so it was great to be able to celebrate with her.

The subway ride home from lunch was interesting . . . I love it when Korean grandmas fall asleep on my shoulder.  People fall asleep all the time on the subways and buses.  It's amazing to me that they don't miss their stops.  Or maybe they do.  Who knows?  But as you can tell, "personal space" is a foreign concept here.

Mrs. Hogan gave us all light up Christmas necklaces to wear on our way to Christmas Eve dinner.  I bet you can guess which one is the America . . . 

Christmas Eve was spent amongst great friends.  It was such a comfort to me to be around
1. friends from Korea AND Colorado (Charissa on the right, Shannon in the middle),

2. about 20 people, which made me feel a little more at home since I'm used to spending Christmas Eve with about 40-50 people!  This picture doesn't do it justice, but we had quite the crowd gathered at the Husted's.

I was feeling a little homesick, but the food was delicious and the company even better.

It was hard saying goodbye to the Hogan's and I was extremely envious that they were going to escape the bitter cold of Korea for the warm sandy beaches and sunshine of Boracay.  But atleast I have Thailand to look forward to - just about a month away!

Birthday Celebrations Korean Style

The Hogan's came to Korea for a couple days to visit Kelly before they escaped the frigid country to spend the rest of the holiday season on the tropical island of Boracay in the Philippines.  I was able to get my birthday off of work so I spent the day showing them around Seoul.  It was great to have some friends in town from Colorado.  It made it seem a little more like home.  Here are some highlights from December 23.









Sean made me a birthday flower with a hidden birthday card inside.

Then I was showered with gifts from my mom and the Hogans - natural peanut butter, magazines, spices, gingerbread mix, Kashi cereal, and granola just to name a few.  Thank you thank you!!














The hotel gave me a birthday chocolate muffin, candle and all.











The Marriott hotel was beautifully decorated with lights, Christmas trees, and giant gingerbread houses.  It satisfied my Christmas spirit, but leaving the festive atmosphere, the giant marble bathroom, and the spacious room for my little apartment was depressing to say the least.  But atleast I got a little mini vacation for a couple days!







On the subway ride back from dinner with Kelly's Korean co-teachers, I was a little nervous that this is what my birthday celebration would look like.

       

But after the bartender brought us 4 free tequila shots taken without salt and chased with a lemon instead of a lime, our spirits and energy had improved and only shenanigans could follow...

...including a unique version of "White Christmas" sung by the one and only Kelly Hogan, which was hilariously interrupted by a brief Irish jig she felt inspired to do.

Needless to say, my birthday was one I'll never forget.  Thank you to the Hogan's for spending the day with me.  Also a big thank you to my friends and family who sent me cards and birthday packages.  I was deeply touched by your thoughtfulness and generosity.  It meant so much to me to know that I haven't been forgotten about!

"Last Christmas" Student Performance

On Christmas Eve, ERC put on a song contest that I unfortunately didn't see because I took the 23rd and 24th off of work.  Each class had to prepare a song or bring in an item for Show and Tell.  Two of my classes sang songs and the other two opted for the show and tell option.  It was funny because the two songs that both classes wanted to sing were "Last Christmas" and "All I Want for Christmas is You."  So I decided to record my beginner class so you could see a few of my students.  I love this class and we have a lot of fun together.  Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1649079181685&comments&ref=mf

Chicken Soup

I had mentioned in my previous blog that I had been sick with the flu and a cold.  The week I was sick my kind boss brought me chicken soup because it's what all Koreans eat when they're feeling a little under the weather.  This was unlike any other soup I have ever eaten.







She's not kidding when she calls it chicken soup because when I opened the large bowl, what to my wondering eyes did appear but an entire chicken!!  Bones, skin, and meat were all there, plus it was stuffed with rice (of course) and ginger.  There was an enormous amount so I put some of the broth into my bowl and grabbed out some of the breast meat.  This was a challenging feat because I was trying to remove the skin and bones without burning my fingers on the pan and avoiding the dark meat.  It was pretty good after I added in some salt and pepper.  I put the rest in the fridge to save for the next day.


So, when I opened up the container the next day, something didn't look quite right.  The broth seemed different somehow but I wasn't quite sure what had happened.  I began to tilt the bowl and realized that the broth wasn't tipping like it normally does.  I continued to tilt the bowl even more and finally figured out why the soup looked different - the broth and hardened to a gel-like consistency similar to jello or the canned cranberry sauce.

I wanted to vomit.  It was absolutely repulsive!  The jiggly mass of broth combined with the left over chicken and the chicken wings, skin, and bones still sitting there made me feel sick to my stomach.  Then I started to think about the fact that I had eaten some of it the previous day, so all that nastiness was actually in my body!!!!  Let's just say Korean chicken soup will now be avoided like the plague if I can help it.  I will stick to making my own soups - atleast I know what ingredients are in my own concoctions.



Now go and enjoy your Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup for me, and appreciate the fact that they leave out the fat that causes the broth to coagulate in the bowl and in your body.  Oh America, how I miss your normalcy.

Benesian Christmas Party

Sunday, December 19, 2010 

Tonight was our Christmas party hosted by Jinny at her coffee shop, Benesian Cafe.  There were about 30 of us gathered around her Christmas tree sharing wine, food, and gifts.

We started off the evening with delicious appetizers that included apples with Sarah Jane's homemade caramel sauce, Ashley's famous deviled eggs, Dionne's amazing persimmon bread, and a variety of other yummy treats.

Then JJ (Ashley's husband) led us in prayer and called us to remember the true meaning of Christmas.  Then Scott led us in a candle-lit reading of the nativity story.  After that we sang a bunch of Christmas carols led by Reuben, Kelly, and James.  After that we did a white elephant exchange which included such wonderful gifts like dried squid, an ash tray with a saying that encouraged us not to smoke too much, a bath mat with a pig on it, some eggnog bread, a large supply of mac n cheese, some binoculars, and an old cell phone that won't work until it goes back to the U.S.

It was a fun evening and a great way to kick off a fun-filled holiday week.

Job #2

I started my new P/T job two weeks ago and it's going really well.  The school is only 3 minutes past ERC, so it's a quick walk from my apartment.  I teach 4-7 year olds and they are adorable.  Korean kids are so cute!  I love my 7-year old class.  There are four girls and three boys and I'm in love with all of them.  Their English is pretty good and I want to adopt one of the girls - NagKyuen.  She has the cutest dimples and wears these big bows in her hair.  My six-year olds are great but their English isn't quite where it should be.  There are only three girls and one boy, my smallest class at the school.  They are pretty well behaved and think it's hilarious when I say things in Korean.  I see my five-year olds twice a week and my four-year olds once a week.  The fours are definitely a challenge.  They don't understand most of what I say and I feel like I'm babysitting most of the time.  Luckily, the classes are only 30 minutes so I can generally get them to focus for about 20 minutes of that time.  But since they don't know a lot, I struggle trying to get them to repeat things that I'm saying.  I do have some CDs that we sing songs to.  Last Monday and today we sang "head, shoulders, knees, and toes."  About 33% know the words, another 33% attempt to say a few things and point to the correct body part, and the last 33% runs around the classroom as I try to sing and get them to listen.  It's definitely a challenge and my third class is the worst.  They hate listening and have a 10 second attention span.  Luckily no one is there to check up on me because I feel like there's not a whole lot I can do to get them to listen because of the language barrier.  Hopefully it'll get better but I'm not counting on it.  Thankfully I only see them on Mondays, so I get it out of the way at the beginning of the week.

I also just got sick and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I felt fine up until yesterday afternoon, but last night I got home from house church and could tell I was starting to get the flu - achy muscles, the shivers, and a cough.  I have been trying to stay healthy, despite the cold and the fact that all my friends are sick, but I think it finally caught up to me.  I haven't been sleeping well and running outside has been brutal.  I didn't know it was possible to run against the wind in both directions, but apparently it is in Korea, so it makes running miserable and freezing.  I'm supposed to run one more half marathon on Sunday, so I'm hoping I'll be able to do it.  If not, I might just run the 10k.

On Wednesday night a bunch of my friends are going caroling on the subway.  I hope I'll be able to make it after work if I'm feeling better.  I can't wait to see the reactions we get!  It should be pretty funny.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  My schedule has been a little crazy this last week.  I'll try to be better!  Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!

Dear Mr. Cab Driver,

Thank you so much for getting lost as you attempted to take me to the much anticipated all-girls sleep over on Friday night.  Because of your lack of knowledge of your own country, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the city lights pass by as you shouted into your cell phone trying to get directions from a friend.  I was so happy when you were able to utter three English words "Call Korean friend" to me, forcing me to call Peter, my much-too-devoted Korean teacher because my boss didn't answer her phone, leading to more calls from him and a few text messages, most of which I ignored.

I think the best part of the night was when you dropped me off at the "right" apartment complex, which it most definitely was not, and then charged me 30K won (10K of which was charged as you were stopped on the street calling your national headquarters for directions).  Being stranded in the middle of nowhere was definitely my idea of a fun weekend night.  I wish I had gotten your card so you can be my personal driver for all my taxi needs.

Dear Cab Driver #2,
Thank you for not killing me on our drive back to my apartment.  Although I was a tid-bit upset with the first driver, it seemed that you sensed my anger, tripled it, and then applied it to the gas pedal.  Yes, I was ready to be home - it was almost midnight and I wanted to be in my bed more than in your cab.  However, I generally prefer to survive my cab rides.  Fortunately your lead foot was able to deliver me to the correct apartment complex, much to my terror and fear as you flew down the highway weaving in and out of cars and around sharp corners.  Another 15K won later and I was home . . . back where I had started 2.5 hours ago.

2.5 hours in a taxi + 45K won bill (about $45) - not seeing my friends/watching Christmas movies with them = by far the best night I've had in Korea.

Thank you cab drivers, I can't wait to call you in the future.

Thanksgiving Weekend Recap

It definitely feels like the holidays here in SK!  On Friday I spent a couple hours at what has become one of my favorite cafes (thanks to the wonderful co-owner Jinny who speaks English really well and is so nice), Cafe Benisian.  I got there around 1 p.m. and talked with Jinny for a bit.  Then I sat down, sipping one of the best hazelnut lattes I've ever had and started to work on a bunch of Christmas cards.  About an hour later, Jinny made me, again, one of the best chai lattes ever!  Discounted hazelnut latte + free chai latte + Christmas carols at a cozy cafe + sitting next to a huge Christmas tree = a wonderful, Christmas-y afternoon.

Saturday I woke up for my run and wasn't to thrilled about the 29 degree weather and the slight drizzle I could see from my window.  But, I dragged myself out the door because I knew I would be eating a delicious, large Thanksgiving meal that night.  It snowed in some parts of SK Saturday morning and the trail had a lot of ice on it.  It was a slow going for a good portion.  Then, halfway through my run it started to hail!  I booked it home to escape the freezing, wet, and pelting weather that had emerged.  After a long hot shower I made my salad (which I got tons of compliments on, Mom) and headed out for our Thanksgiving celebration, and what a celebration it was.  Friends, food, and fun were abundant - the only thing missing was football.  By the way, what's going on with the Broncos?!?!  Can we PLEASE fire McDaniels yet?  Anyways, we played tons of games, ate, then ate some more, and ended the night by singing Christmas carols.  

On Sunday I took my first ever scooter ride with the lovely Ms. Kelly Hogan.  It was absolutely freezing and my body hurt as I de-thawed in a friend's apartment, but it was so fun!  I'm contemplating whether or not to get one.  Downside: cost and potentially getting killed by the crazy Korean drivers.  Upside: potentially saving money spent on public transportation and saving a heck of a lot of time getting to Bundang or Yatap where all my friends live (a 20 minute scooter ride, a 45-75 minute public transportation ride).  I have time to think about it though because I don't really want to be driving in the winter.  You all know how cold I get in a heated house!  I spent the rest of the afternoon with friends playing games and learning how to crochet correctly!!  

This week I start my new part time job.  My first day is tomorrow and I'm excited to make some more money.  I just sent a ton of money home to pay off loans, so it'll be nice to make some extra cash to save for traveling.  Up first - Thailand at the beginning of February!!!  On another exciting note, I just received 70k won gift card to Kolping (similar to REI) for placing 5th at my half!  Hello new running shoes!  I also just signed up to run another 1/2 on Dec. 19.  I'm a little nervous for this because I think it might be freezing.  I might opt for the 10k, but I'll have to see what the weather's like the day-of.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays back home.  Sing lots of Christmas carols for me!  BTW, check out this car - I've never seen anything like it before.  Oh Korea . . . 

  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope you all have a relaxing day filled with family, friends, and lots of yummy food.  We all have so much to be thankful for and I hope this next year is filled with many more blessings.

How did I spend my Thanksgiving?  I slept in a little and then watched the Today Show online.  My run was a little chilly, but the sun was shining and I felt great.  Then I cam home and made biscottis.  They turned out pretty well, except for that fact that I'm still trying to figure out my toaster oven so a few had a couple burnt edges.  Overall, though, they're pretty tasty!  I used almonds instead of hazelnuts and tried to "toast" the first batch except they came out charred, so I just crushed them up the second time with out toasting them.  Here's the recipe:

Cappuccino Biscotti Recipe:

3/4 cup (100 grams) hazelnuts
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
1/2 teaspoonbaking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup (60 ml) espresso or strong coffee, cooled
1 tablespoon milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extra
1/2 cup (85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until their skins start to blister and peel. Remove from oven and wrap the hazelnuts in a clean towel and let them 'steam' for about five minutes. Then briskly rub the towel back and forth to remove the skins of the hazelnuts. Let cool and then coarsely chop.

In a small bowl whisk together the espresso (coffee), milk, egg and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) beat the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices until combined. Gradually add the espresso mixture and beat until a dough forms, adding the chopped nuts and chocolate chips about halfway through. With floured hands divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface roll each half of dough into a log about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Transfer the logs to a parchment paper lined baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart. Bake for about 35 minutes or until firm to the touch (logs will spread during baking). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F (149 degrees C). On a cutting board cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal into 3/4 inch (2 cm) slices. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes on each side, or until they are pale golden.Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 24 biscotti.

Then I went on a walk around town (found out that the school I'll be working at part-time starting next week is only one block past my regular night time job!).  When I got home, I taught myself how to knit thanks to the wonderful old lady who made a beginner tutorial via YouTube, and watched The Santa Clause online.  Better yet, I just found out that I can stream the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade online (1 hour away and counting), so I won't miss a beat.  On Saturday I'll be celebrating Thanksgiving with a large crew (about 20+) and a traditional meal.  The hosts ordered a couple turkeys from Costco (yes, there's one out here) and everyone else is bringing side dishes: mashed and sweet potatoes, stuffing, pies, rolls, and I'm making my mom's delicious pomegranate salad.  It should be a fun day and I'm glad that I get to celebrate it.  I didn't feel too sad being away from home and I think it's because no one here celebrates the holiday.  When everyone else is going about their daily lives, I almost forgot what was happening back home (and the fact that no one has school - so jealous).  But, I watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving movie in all my classes which made me feel a little more at home.

Since it is Thanksgiving I should probably write down some of the many blessings I have in my life.  I know there are many more, but here's a short list:
A wonderful, loving, and supportive family (immediate and extended)
The best friends in the world
My health
The opportunity to live in a different country
All the wonderful people I've met in Korea
A job
A wonderful boss and great students
A roof over my head (and heated floors - a wonderful Korean tradition)
Technology - so I can Skype, watch the Today Show, the parade, and movies online :)
God's unending love and forgiveness

May you, too, realize the many blessings in your life and thank our Creator for all that we have.  Happy Thanksgiving and lots of love!

I'm Safe

I have received a lot of e-mails and Facebook messages concerned about my safety.  I just received this e-mail from Reuben (one of the co-founders of Adventure Teaching who I know personally and who lives in the same building as many of my friends) and I also registered with the U.S. Embassy out here.  Pray that nothing more happens!

Greetings,

By now you are likely aware of the incident that happened off the West Coast of South Korea yesterday (http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/23/nkorea.skorea.military.fire/index.html?hpt=T1). ; We wanted to send out an update because your safety is always our #1 priority, and remember much of the AT team is living in Korea as well.

Many you have experienced several of North Korea's instigation acts over the past few months which are always unsettling while living abroad.  This last act is no exception.  At the current time, no official travel warnings or citizen alerts have been issued by the US or Canadian embassies.  We monitor the US and Canadian embassy simply because they have the most infrastructure in Korea. The embassies are the best barometer out there for assessing the severity of the act and the proposed danger of the current environment.  Here are links to the most recent US statements issued:  

http://seoul.usembassy.gov/p_nk_112310.html and http://seoul.usembassy.gov/p_emb_112310.html

The United Kingdom's Statement was the most specific:

On 23 November, the South Korean Ministry of National Defence reported that North Korea had fired a number of artillery shells across the western inter-Korean maritime border, with some landing on the island of Yeonpyeong, apparently causing casualties. We advise against travel to Yeonpyeong which can only be accessed by civilian ferry from Incheon. There is no substantially increased risk or danger to those living in or travelling to other areas of South Korea as a result of this incident. However, you are advised to continue monitoring news reports.

Currently, there doesn't appear to be a need for action, other than not visiting Yeonpyeong, but it is always wise to register with your embassy as they issue warnings to registered citizens and also make arrangements for evacuation if ever necessary.  We recommend familiarizing yourself with your embassy's system.

Here are some useful links:

American Embassy Watch: http://seoul.usembassy.gov/acs_american_citizen_services.html
Canadian Embassy Watch: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/korea-coree/EmergMsg%20KIMMR.aspx?lang=en

United Kingdom Embassy: http://ukinrok.fco.gov.uk/en/ 

We will of course be monitoring this situation very closely.  Like you, we hope that this event passes much like the last few, without any more escalation. 

Again, we highly recommend registering with your embassy if you haven't already done so.

Regards,

Reuben

Namdaemun Market

Yesterday I ventured out into Seoul to go to one of the famous Namdaemun Market to do some Christmas shopping.  Let's just call that trip a total disaster.  3 hours and 4 buses later I eventually made it there, thanks to the nice driver on bus #3 who consoled the frustrated, crying American and then walked me off his bus and showed me the next bus to take.  I eventually made it there, but only had an hour to shop before I had to turn back around in major traffic to get to work.  Luckily I made it to school on time, only after sprinting through the crowds of people on the streets and through the subway back to my apartment.

After yesterday's craziness I was determined to get it right today.  I made there easily so hopefully there will be no more confusion in the future.  Namdaemun has become one of my favorite places in Seoul.  It reminds me of shopping in NYC.  Vendors everywhere, bartering, thousands of people bumping into you, and tons and tons of . . . stuff.  They sell everything here: food, clothes, jewelry, stationery, pots and pans, shoes, etc.  Unfortunately, I don't like to barter so I'm sure I probably paid more than most people, but the prices were still pretty cheap so I didn't feel that bad.  There's this one indoor area where men and women make all different kinds of jewelry and hairpieces right in front of you.  I could have spent a fortune, but I had enough will power to stick to my Christmas list.  The quality of the work is unbelievable and the things they make are beautiful.  There were a few Christmas stores set up, and man do they put American holiday decorations to shame.

I have never seen more intense, over the top, shiny, sparkly, blinking things in my entire life.  I wanted to take everything back to my apartment so I could decorate and bask in the holiday goodness!

I bought a couple gifts for my brothers and the man who was helping me asked the infamous questions, "Do you have a boyfriend?"  He happily gave me his card in case I ever wanted to call him - thanks but no thanks.

I then walked to Myongdong where the Catholic Church is and all the American shops that I went to soon after I arrived here.  I needed a little break so I went to the 4-story Starbucks and treated myself to a peppermint mocha (I was so excited to see they were selling them here!  Sadly there are no gingerbread or eggnog lattes).  After savoring my drink I was on my way to the bus and happened to walk by Forever 21.  I wanted to buy everything in the store, but only bought a cute crocheted beret for 8800 won (about $8).  Hats crocheted/knitted goods are a huge thing out here so I figured I should participate in the trend.

The downside to going to Myongdong - couples galore!!  It seemed like every couple in Korea decided to go shopping today, leaving me with a slight case of the holiday blues.  I generally don't like shopping with guys but today I could have used a partner in crime.  Note to self - don't tell Peter.  He cancelled our Korean lesson today because he had to work but re-scheduled for tomorrow because he "wants to see me."  I need to find him a girlfriend ASAP.

Hope everyone back home is enjoying the holiday season!!

Lost in Translation

Oh Korea . . .

Huh??

What??

Delicious Combination

8th Sports Seoul Marathon

I PRed at my race today!  I ran the half mile course in 1:38.54 and got 5th out of all the women!  I was 14 seconds behind 4th place - darn!  If only I'd know - but she finished behind me so I didn't know (her clock time beat mine).  The morning was freezing and my teeth were chattering I was so cold, but once we got onto the course and started running it was a lot better.  The sun was shining and I felt great.  Unfortunately it got really windy on the way back.  But, I finished really strong and was able to keep my 5 min/km pace the entire race.

I got to stand on the podium, got a sweet (really cheap plastic) trophy, and won 70K won!!!

Before we started, there were these four girls on stage leading warm-up exercises and a choreographed warm-up dance that EVERYONE knew!  It's absolutely hilarious.  Here's the link to the video that my friend Kim took:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=459789392255&comments&ref=mf

When we were waiting at the start line everyone started giving each other massages, including me.  Everyone formed perfect lines and it was one big massage-fest.  And then the announcer said something and we all turned around and massaged the person who had just been massaging us.  So weird!  Plus, Koreans are really intense about helping each other get ready for races:

It was a fun, fast race and I was so happy to have Kim there to cheer me on!  I'm thinking about doing the Seoul Marathon in March/April....

NO, I DO NOT have a boyfriend!!

I think I get asked this question daily, even by random strangers.  I don't think there has ever been a point in my life where so many people are interested in my dating agenda.  It's so strange.  I think I should put a sticker on my forehead or something just so that the other 1/2 of Korea that hasn't personally asked me will know that, yes, I am single.

On another note, I have another job!!  I'm going to work at a kindergarten/pre-school from 10:10 a.m.-12:40 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.  It's on the same street as my night job so I can just bike or walk there, and I'll be making an extra 300k won/week!  Thank you, I-GEAM for funding all of my travels while I'm out here.  This happened really fast.  A friend of mine had seen the post for this job and I e-mailed the recruiting company on Tuesday.  I went in for the interview with the recruiting company today (Thursday) and ten minutes later we were driving back down to Suji (where I live) so that I could interview at the school, I-GEAM.  Koreans definitely do business differently than Americans.  I was not expecting to go to the school and be thrown into the middle of everything (I had to teach a class for about 15 minutes) and then get the job immediately after.  Oh Korea . . .

Because of the contract I signed with my school, I'm not technically supposed to work anywhere else, not even tutoring, so it's a little hush-hush.  The owner of the recruiting company, Mr. Kim (wow, who would have guessed his last name was Kim?), drove me to the school and mentioned multiple times that I'm not supposed to say anything to Mrs. Kim (my boss at ERC).  Mr. Kim was really nice and so funny.  When we were driving to the school, about 35 minutes, we was showing me the music he had in his car and it was quite the assortment - Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, Backstreet Boys, Phantom of the Opera, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel.  We were both singing along having a grand ol' time.  He was also telling me about how Korea has the best plastic surgeons in the world and how inexpensive it is.  Even he had just had some laser treatment the day before for his complexion!  So if anyone needs anything done, you're free to stay with me in my itty-bitty apartment.  But anyways, I'm so excited to make some more money and to be a little busier, especially with winter coming because I know that I will have nothing else to do when it's 20 degrees outside.  I start on November 30.

Today, 11/11, is Pepero Day in Korea.  It's kind of like Valentine's Day, except all the kids bring in Pepero (chocolate covered pretzel sticks) instead of candy hearts.  Last night when I was walking around near the subway station all the stores and vendors had these intense Pepero displays.  I could hardly move!  There were so many people zig-zagging around and Pepero boxes being thrown in every possible direction I didn't really know what to do with myself.  Of course there were the beauty shop owners standing outside in there skimpy outfits despite the freezing cold shouting on their microphones saying God-knows-what about I can only imagine.  I practically ran from the subway to my friends apartment.  I'm expecting to get tons of chocolate covered pretzels tonight and I can't wait.  Some of my students promised me yesterday that they'd bring me some :)

On another VERY exciting note....I GOT MY TOASTER OVEN!!!  Tomorrow marks the official beginning of holiday baking at the H.McCoy residence.  Pumpkin muffins are first on the agenda.  Getting the oven to my place was quite the accomplishment.  I bought it in Yatap, which is where Kelly lives and where I had left my bag.  I bought the oven, then had to walk to Kelly's to get my overnight bag.  I got locked out of the apartment and had to wait for about 20 minutes to get the code to their room.  Then, I had to lug my overnight bag over my shoulder and attempt to carry the large boxed-up oven from her apartment to the subway.  I'm sure anyone that saw me was laughing because graceful is not exactly the word I'd describe this venture.  I probably knocked into about five people, including a very old woman.  I had to balance the box on the knee opposite of the shoulder I was carrying my bag on and as I swiped my subway card.  Then I had to put the card in my jacket, hoist the box above my head, wiggle my way through the gate (making sure I didn't get my bag caught on anything), find a place on the crowded subway to put everything, go through the whole process a second time as I got off the subway, basically dropped it when I got onto the bus because my arms were so tired, and managed to get it back to my apartment with everything, including myself, all in one piece.  These are the days when I miss having a car.

I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving!  Man, time is seriously flying by.  Tomorrow will mark my 7th week.  I have my race on Sunday and I just checked the weather and the high is 42 degrees.  Pray that I don't get frostbite.  We're running along the Han river so I'm sure the wind will be whipping around.  I have a couple friends that are coming to watch so it'll be great having people there to cheer me on at the finish.  I can't believe it's snowing in CO!  I'm a little jealous because here it's just plain cold with nothing to show for it.

Have a great weekend everyone!  I'll let you know how my race goes.  Hopefully I don't get mowed down by any Koreans.

Geongbok Palace

I had a great week!  Shopping with Baz was not quite what I expected.  We ended up just going to a mall instead of the market in Seoul, but I did get some running pants, pull-over, and gloves that will hopefully keep me warm for my winter training.  But I totally look like a Korean in my matching track suit.  Oh well...

My Korean is getting better!  I can officially read, albeit slow, but hey, it's more than most can say.  At my lesson on Friday we started working on basic conversation pieces like, "What's your name, where are you from, and what do you do?"  I'm hoping to be pretty good by the time I leave here.

I ran a lot this week and my race is a week from today.  I'm so excited to run a half in another country.  Check that off the bucket list!  Hopefully I've trained enough.  I'm really interested to see what this race is like.  I have no clue what the course looks like, how many people are doing it, etc.  Should be interesting to see how a Korean race works.

Yesterday my boss and her "friend" as she calls him (aka her low-key boyfriend), Mr. Yu, took me to the Gyeongbok Palace and Insadong.  Mr. Yu was so nice.  He only spoke a little English so it was hard to talk to him.  Mrs. Kim acted as our translator, but I wish I could have spoken to him more - my biggest reason for wanting to learn the language.  But he was very kind and bought us tea and dinner.  The palace was so cool!  Except for the chilly, foggy weather, we had a great time.  This palace was built 700 years ago for one of the king's concubines.  Each building had a different purpose including the king's sleeping quarters, an entertainment "house" on its on little pond, and a beautiful library.  When it was built, there was a lot of Chinese influence, so all the architecture, statues, and paintings were modeled after traditional Chinese buildings and traditions.  After walking around, we headed into the museum to learn more about Korean history.  I got to see traditional clothes, manuscripts, jewelry, etc.  It was all so interesting.  After that, we went to Insadong, a really cool market that sells a lot of traditional Korean artifacts like pottery, teas, tea sets, clothing, and other touristy trinkets.  We jostled our way through the crowd and were able to go into some interesting stores.  Mrs. Kim is way too nice to me.  She bought me some tea that cost $23!  And, when we were walking down the street I saw a cart that was selling what I later found out was figs.  I had never seen one before so I asked her what they were.  On our way out, she bought me six of them.  Earlier in the week, she had given me six bunches of grapes and a bag full of clementines from her parents' farm.  I had to give some of the food away because there was so much of it!  She totally spoils me and I feel bad, but I think likes being able to take care of me and enjoys the role of my Korean mother.  We went to a traditional Korean restaurant for dinner and this was definitely not one of my favorite meals I've ever had.  We were served a ton of kimchi which I politely passed on, some fried fish (also not a favorite of mine), and these NASTY sea something or other that I had to force myself to swallow.  It tasted like some sort of slimy oyster or something that had been drenched in sea water.  It was so salty and rubbery I wanted to spit it back up.  I chewed it for about 2 seconds and then swallowed it because I didn't want it in my mouth anymore.  It was disgusting, but the salt was the worst part.  They did have some good vegetables and soup that I liked, though.

I feel like I'm learning a lot about Korean culture which has been really interesting.  Peter has taught me a lot and I'm constantly asking him and Mrs. Kim questions.  Korea has advanced so quickly, but socially I think they are still way behind.  Women's rights are pretty close to non-existent and abuse is common in many households.  Suicide is common, especially among students who have so much pressure put upon them to succeed and do well in school.  Kids here go to school M-F, every other Saturday, plus their parents stick them in hagwons (after school programs) for English, math, and whatever else they think necessary.  A majority of high schoolers are in school from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.  They have no time to be kids and it's really sad.  Koreans aren't allowed to be "friends" with people who aren't their same age, which is why the first thing they ask is "How old are you?"  They rarely call people by their first names, unless they are the same age, because it's disrespectful.  This is one of the main reasons why students aren't allowed to be held back in school (even if they have a disability of any kind).  All students are expected to move through the education system at the same pace as everyone else.  Failure is not an option.  If a student were to be held back, it would extremely uncomfortable for the students because the older child would not be allowed to be friends and socialize with his/her new classmates and vice-versa.

Definitely makes you think and appreciate the flexibility of the American school system and the many options there are for all types of students.  

Here are some pictures from the week:

King's Sleeping Quarters

Entertainment House

Library

Mrs. Kim (not sure where she's looking but it's the only picture I have of her)

Palace Guards

Weekend in Taebaek - Happy Halloween!

I'm not quite sure if I've updated you on my cooking endeavors yet, but I'll do a little recap just in case.  This past Thursday I boiled a pumpkin, pureed it, and made some delicious pumpkin pancakes that I stuck in the freezer.  I also made some apple cider syrup.  This was drop-dead delicious!  I have a bottle of it that's sitting in my fridge, just calling out to me to be used this winter.  I also toasted the pumpkin seeds in a skillet since I haven't gotten my toaster oven yet.  Today, I used the rest of the pureed pumpkin to make a pumpkin spice latte syrup that is to die for and I'm making pumpkin butter on the stove right now.  I have one more pumpkin so I think I'll probably cube it up and stick it in a soup.  I'll probably end up buying a few more before they go out of season and freeze it so I can have it during the winter.  Making all of these things from scratch has been a little hard (trying to find the ingredients, lack of kitchen ware and kitchen space) but it makes the final product that much better because I put so much work into it.  I can't wait for more holiday baking!

On Friday I had a little Halloween celebration with my students.  We watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," I brought in a ton of candy, and printed out some little packets with word searches and crossword puzzles in it.  We had a fun time!  I can't wait to do it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, too.

My Korean is really coming along!  I'm honestly really impressed with how quickly I'm picking it up.  I ran to the store today and could understand some of what I was reading because there are quite a few cognates to English.  I was so excited.  I was telling Peter how I want to go to a traditional Korean tea house some time and he said we could have a lesson at a tea house, hopefully this week, so I'm really excited about that.  The only problem with these lessons - I think Peter might have a crush on me.  I'm not 100% positive because some of what he's saying gets lost in translation, but he's been texting me a lot lately and has put a couple hearts at the end of some of the texts.  I, of course, just want to be friends and love having a Korean who's so willing to help me out with the language and show me around the town a little bit, so I'm hoping that maybe it'll fade so we can continue to just be friends and it won't be awkward.

One of the teachers at my school, Baz, was telling me about this little town in Seoul that has a great flea market and tons of inexpensive shops that I should go to (because I will be in desperate need of warmer clothes this winter and some outdoor running gear).  Then she offered to take me!  So we're going shopping on Wednesday before work.  I'm so excited to hang out with her and I feel really lucky that some of the teachers are going out of their way to show me around and make me feel at home.  On Saturday, my boss Mrs. Kim and her boyfriend are going to take me to Seoul to see some sights and spend the day together.  I can't wait.  And, I'm even more excited to see what Mrs. Kim is like around a man.  Should be interesting!

This past weekend I went to the mountain town of Taebaek with a bunch of friends and stayed in a cabin at O2 Resort, a popular ski resort about 3 hours east of Seoul.  We had a blast!  We got up to Taebaek mid-day on Saturday and walked around town for a little bit.  Then we had coffee at the most adorable coffee shop I've ever been to!  It looked like a tree house with all the wood walls and cool decor all over.  When you walked in their homemade pastries, homemade ice cream, and brew station were on the right.  There were two small tables and a few chairs around them, but one of the best parts was that they had an old-school log burning fireplace in the back corner.  It reminded me of being at the Roath's cabin in South Park, CO (some good family friends who built two cabins themselves).  When you walked upstairs there were a bunch of small little rooms each with its own set of cozy chairs, cute little pictures, and small shelving units and old dressers/desks with tattered books and recipes on them.  They were playing some American music, too, like John Mayer and Jason Mraz.  I wanted to camp out there the whole weekend!  Outside, there was an area used for chopping and storing their own wood, plus an old porch swing.  It was the perfect place to warm up since it was freezing outside.

After drinking our lattes we went on a short hike past some family farms that were growing different kinds of lettuce, cabbage, and I'm sure there were other things but I'm not quite sure what they were.  We played on some of the funny Korean exercise equipment, and then walked back down as we were serenaded by Simon with his lovely voice and excellent guitar playing.  We had lunch at this great galbi restaurant.  Galbi is chicken or beef cooked in front of you with a ton of vegetables, broth, and some spices.  It's all raw when you put it in the pots on the table.  They the waitress covers it and lets it cook until the chicken is done.  The broth eventually thickens and it becomes the delicious stew-like mix that is hard to explain unless you've had it.  So yummy!  Then we taxied up to O2 Resorts and just hung out for a bit.  We walked around the "ski" area, which, to CO standards, looks like the size of the bunny hills at Vail.  I can only imagine the chaos of Korean skiing here - clueless, decked out men and women of all ages, crossing back and forth across the mountain, cutting off or skiing over anyone that gets in their way.  I'll probably stay away from skiing while I'm here.  With my luck I'll probably end up breaking my leg and won't be able to walk for two months.  We had a little Halloween party in the boys' cabin.  Simon and Nate had brewed their own beer and brought up a ton of it.  I don't like beer, but it was fun to try a homemade brew that friends had made.  They did a good job, too.  I was really impressed.

Sunday was spent hiking, eating the best homemade chicken noodle soup you'll ever have in your entire life (homemade noodles and all), and going to town so I could get some yarn, crochet, and knitting needles so I can learn how to do both and make some scarves and hats.  I might as well pick up a new hobby while I'm out here since I have a lot of time in the mornings.  One of the funniest parts of the trip was meeting this Russian guy who was friends with Simon and Nate.  He came to the party and the slept in his car that night.  The battery died, so he had to jump his car from a police car.  He was still drunk at 10 a.m. when we hiked around and brought a beer with him on the hike.  He could only speak Korean and Russian, with a few English phrases here and there, so trying to communicate with him was hilarious.  He was seriously crazy!  Whenever he wanted to talk to us he would say, "Attention please!"  He seriously talked the entire time even though know one could communicate with him.  It was unreal.  I've never met someone who talked as much as he did.  He was 24 and apparently married with a kid!  The woman who married him must be a saint.  I was only with him for a few hours and he drove me nuts . . . I couldn't even understand what he was saying!  Apparently, as we were on our way to lunch, the Russian (I'm not sure what his name was), was in his car saying goodbye to some of our friends.  He waved, then put his car in reverse and totally smashed a parked car behind him and moved it an entire parking space!  What's almost crazier is that the parking lot was essentially empty, so the fact that he was able to back into one of the only cars there was unbelievable.  After he realized what happened, he froze for a second with a look of sheer panic on his face, then zoomed off without leaving a note or anything.  Like I said, this guy was crazy!  

It was a fun weekend and the town was really cute.  It was great to get out of the city and up to the mountains.  It was really chilly though.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to freeze this winter.  I don't know what I'm going to do.

Here's my schedule for this upcoming week (in addition to my running - 1/2 marathon is less than 2 weeks away!).  Should be a fun and busy week:
Tuesday - Korean lesson with Peter
Wednesday - Shopping with Baz at the popular flea market in Seoul.  After work I'll head up to Seoyhan for girl's night at Whitney's apartment.
Thursday - Coffee with Kim down on Cafe Street, this adorable little area I just discovered near my apartment that has tons of independently owned cafes that are really eclectic and unique.  There are also a ton of little restaurants that I can't wait to check out as well, most of which are not Korean.
Friday - Korean lesson with Peter.
Saturday - Sightseeing in Seoul with Mrs. Kim and her boyfriend in Seoul.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!  I'll post pictures from the trip soon.  I would do it now, but I have to get ready for work.  Lots of love, hugs, and kisses!

Foxy Lady - Korean Lesson #2

I successfully made it to Suwon today in just an hour...not an hour and a half!  Plus, I was 15 minutes early so I was very happy about that.  I met with Peter and we finished learning the alphabet.  Reading it is pretty easy, but I still don't understand what 99% of the words mean.  During our lesson, Peter and I got side-tracked a lot just talking about different things.  He's a really interesting guy and so nice - he bought my coffee for me and at the end of our lesson took me to a different bus stop so that I could get home quicker (only 30 minutes).  He won't tell me how old he is, which a totally unfair because on the form I had to fill out I had to put down my birthday so he already knows my age.  I'm guessing he's in his mid to late 20s, but people here look really young so I could be totally off.

During our lesson I learned a couple really interesting things.  The word for "fox" and "lady" are the same, which I thought was totally hilarious.  Foxy Lady!  The word for "man" is the same as "wolf," too.  Then Peter told me that there are a couple expressions that singles use here in the winter when they want a boy/girlfriend.  The guys say, "I want a foxy scarf," and the women say, "I want a wolf jacket."  Men say foxy scarf, or lady scarf, because when a woman hugs a man around the neck, it's like a scarf, and scarves/women keep you warm in the winter - thus, foxy scarf.  And women say wolf jacket because men are bigger than women and can wrap their arms around them like a jacket - therefore a wolf jacket.  Anyways, I thought it was really funny.

During our first lesson, Peter also told me that the word that's pronounced bah-bo means "stupid."  But, when a woman says this to a man she's basically saying, "I really like you but you are so stupid because you don't know what I really want/you don't know what's in my heart."  Basically, the woman will say this to the man when he did or didn't do something to upset her.  It's basically a term of endearment and a slap in the face all in one word.

I'll continue to update you on other interesting phrases I learn.  Can't wait to learn more!

My Cheering Squad

I'm not sure if I should be offended, but almost every time I go out on a run there is some older gentleman who ends up clapping for me as I run past him.  I have come up with six reasons for why this might happen:
1. They genuinely think it's great that I'm running and just want to encourage me.  They must do this to all other runners, including Koreans.
2. They genuinely think it's great that I'm running and just want to encourage me, but only clap for foreign women (I highly doubt they clap when Korean men run past them).
3. They are impressed that someone is actually running, as opposed to 99% of the Koreans who are walking on the trail.
4. They think it's great that an American is exercising, especially running, since so many Americans are overweight.
5. They think I am trying to lose weight so I can be as frail as the other Korean women.
6. They just want to be supportive and enjoy cheering me on (even though it's excruciatingly awkward and embarrassing for me).

I'm guessing it's probably a combination of many of these reasons.  I found it very rude at first.  C'mon, who actually cheers for you when you are exercising??  Could you imagine if someone came over while you were on the treadmill or elliptical and started clapping for you....creepy!  However, because I'm not living in the States anymore, I've decided to adopt an attitude about this that I've had to do with so many other things - "Only in Korea."  Yep, that's been my answer to many questions I've had about this strange country.  Only in Korea does a pack of Starbucks decaf coffee cost $18; only in Korea does it an hour and a half to travel 10 miles on the bus; only in Korea does the description on a packaged Hostess-like cake say, "You know that sweet things make smile.  We love to see you smile with your people.  So just taste this cake."  Things make smile...I'm assuming they mean me smile.  What exactly do they mean when they say "We love to see you smile with your people."  Who are my people??  My friends?  Other Americans?  I just don't know.  So as I said before, only in Korea...

Another interesting thing happened to me on the running trails last week.  I had only been running for about five minutes and I can see out of the corner of my eye that there's someone on a bike who is going the exact same speed as me.  Most Koreans tend to put their bikes on really low gears and then peddle as fast as they can - I'm not quite sure what the logic is but it looks hilarious because all their bikes are too small, they're pedaling like madmen, but you look up and realize they are barely moving - so I thought maybe this person was dealing with the same issue - working very hard with very small results.  I figured he'd pass by me eventually, right?  Wrong!  He, I came to find out that yes, of course, this was a man, stayed with me for about 30 seconds before I eventually turned to look at him.  He smiled and said hi so I said hello back.  Then he said something else, but I had my headphones in and I'm pretty sure it was in Korean so I had no idea what he was trying to tell me.  I took out my left headphone and smiled.  He didn't say anything, so I just waved and said, "Have a nice day."  He looked at me, smiled, and said, "Ok."  Then very slowly, so slowly that it was actually painful for me to watch, he eventually inched himself away from me.  I mean, what was I supposed to do in that situation.  I didn't want him to ride next to me my entire run!  I hope he didn't think I was rude, but it's not like we would have been able to carry on a conversation considering the extent of my Korean up to that point was only "hello" and "thank you."  Oh Korea....

Anyways, to fix my lack of Korean knowledge, I decided to venture into the neighboring town of Suwon for some free Korean lessons on Saturday.  I had been to Suwon a couple times with my boss, but of course she always drove so I was feeling a little nervous about how I was going to get there.  I called the Korean Help Line for foreigners and they told me the two buses that I needed to take.  I was going to have to change buses at some town that I attempted to write down the name of, but obviously it was the English version of what the town sounded like, not the actual Korean spelling.  Reason #1 why I need to learn Korean.  So I make it onto the bus at 9 a.m.  Perfect, I have an hour and a half to get there. Well anyways, I decided to get off at some random stop because I thought I had seen a sign for the university I needed to get to.  But, of course, the spelling of the University I had on my info sheet and the spelling of the University on the street sign were different.  To my defense, though, they were both spelled so similarly that the pronunciations, I thought, were identical.  But, after walking around this one small street section, a Korean lady working at a gas station came over and asked if I needed help.  Thank God!  Because yes I did.  Anyways, she told me that the original bus I had been on, the 7, would take me all the way to the stop I needed to get to.  Thanks a lot Korea Help Line, you failed at your one job - to help foreigners.  No I did not need to transfer buses, I could have stayed on my nice little bus the whole time.  So, I got back on the bus and ended up getting to where I needed to be at exactly 10:30 a.m.

When I got to the cafe where the lessons were being held (just one block from the University where I needed to get off at), the guy who was in charge, Peter, asked me how much Korean I knew.  I told him I could say "hello" and "thank you." Well, this was a problem.  I didn't know the Korean alphabet, and all the people in these classes had been going for atleast a month or more and were way ahead of me.  So, he sat down with me and taught me the alphabet (the vowels are really hard because a lot of them sound very similar).  After he had worked with me, he passed me onto a gentleman in his 40s to help me some more.  But, I don't think he understood just how much of a beginner I was because he kept saying all these phrases to me and I was so embarrassed because I had to keep asking him what it meant.  I know he was trying to be helpful but it was way too much information.  Peter came back over and told the guy to just practice say the letters and combining some of the vowels and consonants together.  Since I am so far behind, Peter asked me if I could come during the week at 9 p.m. to catch up.  I told him I could because of my work schedule, so he offered to meet with me during the weekdays to help out.  So, we're meeting on Tuesday and Friday.  He was so nice and doing this all for free!  The only pitfall to this  whole situation is that it takes me 3 hours roundtrip, which is a heck of a lot longer than I'm actually at the lesson for.  I guess it'll give me good time to practice, but still, quite a drag.  I'm going to start looking for a program that's a little closer to me.  But I feel bad ditching Peter because he was so willing to help me.

On Saturday night, I spent the night at Kelly's place.  She made a yummy veggie stir-fry with barley and then we watched Sister Act. I hadn't seen that movie in forever and I forgot how funny it is.  Then, our friend Anna came over and brought this oatmeal bread and maple butter she made from scratch.  I basically died and went to Heaven!  It was such a nice little treat.  On Sunday I went to church in the morning.  On my way out, Mike, the head of volunteers, asked if I could help out more at Mass because, "The people like hearing a native English speaker."  So I told him I would.  After that, I went back to Yatap where Kelly lives to have the yummy breakfast that her roommate Charissa was making - Pumpkin Pancakes and Apple Cinnamon syrup round 2!!  So yummy.  After that we did the Myers-Briggs personality test.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone.  It was so interesting and 100% accurate about me.  I'm an ISFJ (Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) and the title of that personality is "A High Sense of Duty."  Everyone did it and we were all different, so it was really cool to see/hear about others and then talk about how accurate they were - which was almost spot on for everyone.  After that, I went home, cleaned, and attempted to re-arrange my apartment.  The only problem, though, is that I have to space to rearrange with, so everything basically stayed right where it was.  Sunday night was House Church.  All the people I've met here are Christians and they haven't found a church they like going to so they have their own worship service at someone's apartment.  It was really nice to be around so many people who have similar beliefs and values as myself.

Today, I woke up and went on a run - 1 hour and 45 min.  Hopefully that 1/2 marathon won't be too bad!  I definitely should have worn a long sleeved shirt because it was chilly this morning and pretty windy.  The temperature definitely dropped from yesterday.  I'm also in the Martha Stewart, holiday obsession mode that I get into at this time of year.  It's killing me that I can't bake anything (first thing on my to-do list once I get paid is to buy a toaster oven for some serious holiday baking), so I've been looking up hundreds of recipes online that I wish I could bake.  Also, for those of you who know me really well and who know my obsession with Christmas, don't worry, the Christmas music has been the only sound coming from my apartment for at least a week now!  To make myself feel a little better about my inability to bake, I decided to make soup.  I couldn't find canned tomatoes so I bought a can of tomato sauce, the stuff you usually put on top of pasta, some corn, peas, boiled a couple sweet potatoes, chopped up some onions, added in water to reduce the thickness and threw in some pepper and VOILA!!  It's actually really yummy.  I'm definitely getting a little sad that I won't be home for Christmas, but I'm probably going to go to Vietnam and then possible Cambodia or the Philippines for my 10-day break.  If you have any suggestion, let me know!  Have a great week everyone!

My Students...

Are great - most of the time.  Today I had two students in different classes tell me that I looked like Alice from Alice in Wonderland.  I was wearing a white and gold pencil skirt, a blue shirt, and a navy blue headband, so I guess I can see the connection, but looking like Alice was not exactly on my mind as I got dressed for work.  The two girls in my highest level, Jeanna and Christine, have now decided to call me Barbie, instead of Haley, or Pepi, which means "Barbie" in Korean.  They've also called me Fashionista Barbie, too.  I'm just waiting to hear what they come up with next.  I want to ask them if they think all blondes look like Barbie.  I also want to ask them if they think Americans are good looking because we are so different from Koreans.  I think most of the Korean women are beautiful, so I'm curious if the reverse is true.

My first class of students is really testing my patience.  They are wonderful kids and I love them individually, but some of the boys can be a serious pain in the butt.  They don't pay attention, they talk all the time, they constantly interrupt each other and myself, and I don't think they've ever heard of the concept of using "inside voices" when they're inside!  They literally scream at each other, and my room is like a concert hall, so it only makes it louder.  I find myself yelling just so they can hear me.  My third class, my beginners, are wonderful, too, but they NEVER do their homework.  Korean children go to school so much here.  They are in class during the day, then they go to atleast one or two different hagwons (after school programs) for math, English, music, etc.  So whenever I assign homework, they never do it because they have so many other things going on.  I feel like I'm in a catch 22 - I know that I have to give them homework if they want to improve their English, but I feel bad because they have so much else to do.  It should be an interesting year.

I am really excited though for Halloween!  I was telling my boss (Mrs. Kim) about the Charlie Brown movies and she went out and ordered a bunch: Halloween, Thanksgiving, St. Patrick's Day, and Easter!  So on Friday, Oct. 29 I'm going to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" with my students.  I found a bunch of Halloween crossword puzzles and word searches for them to do, and I'm also going to give them a worksheet that talks about the history of Halloween on it.  I'm going to bring in candy and let the kids bring in their own snacks so we can have a "Halloween party."  I'm planning on doing similar things for Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.  I think the kids will have fun learning about the holidays we celebrate in the U.S. and it'll make me feel a little more at home.

I don't have any big plans for this weekend.  Just running, Church, etc.  I ran for an hour and a half on Monday and I felt pretty good.  I just got all the information for the half marathon that's on Nov. 14, so I'm trying to get my mileage up so I don't die.  I'm excited to run through a new part of the city.

Give someone a hug today because I wish I could hug all of you!!