Friday, May 14, 2010

Happy Teacher's Day!!

Tomorrow is Teacher's Day here in Korea...and the SLP teachers are going on a field trip of our own! We are going to go explore some caves...not exactly sure what that all entails, but apparently there is a ferry involved. I'll know more tomorrow! It was a hard decision to make, to decide between that and my swing dancing lessons, because I won't be able to go for three weeks! Next weekend I will be going to Busan for the weekend (we have Fri the 21 off for Buddah's bday) then the weekend after that our school director is taking all of us on a weekend hiking trip to a big mountain, and we don't have to pay for any of it!!! Nice-uh....(it's how they say nice here in Korea...add an extra -uh sound to the end of most words!!) And actually the weekend after that my swing dancing class will be taking an overnight trip somewhere near water...don't know many details about that either but there will be lots of dancing and beer involved. Count me in!

So, our supervisor sent a letter home to the parents saying that we wouldn't be accepting gifts for Teacher's Day. Sometimes the gifts are so extravagant that it seems almost like a bribe...for the Lunar New year I got several bath sets, gift certificates, wine and a silk scarf from Paris from various students. However, many parents went ahead and bought things for the teachers anyway. I got five (FIVE) flower arrangements (tiny, cute little things) several single flowers, lots of candy, a bottle of wine, and some cute hankerchiefs. Also, a large chocolate cake that I shared with one of my afternoon classes today. It's nice to be showered with gifts!! And a few kids wrote little notes or drew pictures that are now taped to my wall.

Can't believe it is the middle of May already! Tomorrow marks my five months here in Korea. Sometimes it feels like it's gone sooo quickly, other times I feel like I've been here forever. I'm continuing to love every minute of it though. If I extend my contract I am about a third of the way through...wow.

Gotta get going to bed early tonight...we leave at 7 am tomorrow, ouch!! Then Sunday I'll be heading into Seoul...there is a big lantern festival going on, and it's supposed to absolutely amazing! I'm sure I'll get some good pictures. Happy Teacher's Day to all my fellow teachers, and happy weekend to everyone else!!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Happy Mother's Day!!

To all you moms and moms to be out there...enjoy your day!! I'll be talking to my parents in a little bit to wish my own mommy a happy Mother's Day!!

Last night swing dancing was even more fun than last week. I felt much more comfortable since I had met some people the week before...and after class last night we had open dancing for about an hour or so...I was out there on the dance floor for quite some time!! I lovvvve dancing...it is so much fun, and dancing with men who know how to lead is the best!! I have a bad tendency to want to lead when I am dancing, ut when I have a partner who knows what he is doing it is so easy to follow along. My friend Alex told me that one of the guys I danced with said I am a natural born dancer...haha. It was so much fun and a great way to meet people!! Korean people are so beautiful, and for some reason I have a special attraction to Korean men in thick, dark rimmed glasses. And let me tell you...a swing dancing class is not lacking in that area!! Unfortunately I dont think I'll be able to go for the next two weeks at least...but I hope I can catch right up when I go back!

This morning I went to church for a special Parent's Day sermon..several people from the congregation stood up and talked about their parents. It was such an emotional service! There is one Filipina woman who has lived here for 12 years....TWELVE years!! and she hasn't seen her kids in all that time. Well her daughter emailed a letter to our pastor, writing about her mother and sent a slideshow of pictures. I was bawling by the end of it, as were a few others I think!! After the sermon I went up and gave that lady a big hug. Through my tears I was able to choke out, I can't believe you haven't seen your children in 12 years, I've been gone five months and miss my parents to much!! Especially now with a new baby on the way I am really missing my family a lot...you all know how awesome our family is...and as I get older it gets harder and harder to be away from them for long periods of time!

After church we went to Little Manila...basically an area where lots of Filipinos gather on Sundays to sell food and goods from the Philippines. We went and enjoyed some chicken, rice and fried bananas...and San Miguel of course!! There were also some eggs that had been boiled...with a baby chick inside. I snapped a few pics before my friends slurped them down...but no way was I about to eat a full baby chicken!!

After I got back this afternoon I took a walk around the Lake Park with my friend Molly...during the summer they have a daily fountain/light show, so we stopped to watch that. Her parents were visiting here and just left today. Another quick weekend and it's back to school tomorrow again. Whew...the time is passing so quickly here!!! Makes me think about how someday I'll have to actually decide what it is I want to do with my life...

Arite I'm off again. Have a happy week everyone!! Stay classy!!!

Friday, May 7, 2010

When in Seoul....go swing dancing??

Haha it blew my mind to discover that Seoul has such a huge population of swing dancers, but it's true!! And now I'm one of them!!

Last weekend I joined a co-worker of mine, Alex, in lessons. She has been dancing for two years, and is absoulutely amazing!! Her class is before mine, so she stayed with me through my class to help me get acquainted and just in case I needed translation. I've dance a lot before, so it's not too hard for me to pick up on new moves, and as this is a beginners class its super easy. I'm going again today in a few hours. After class we went out for some drinks and food with my new class. i was a little hesitant to go, cause I didn't know how many people I'd actually be able to talk to, but Alex went with me for a bit and after a while I was chatting it up with lots of different people. Can't wait to go back tonight!

This week was super crazy. We had two days of school (really only one day of kindergarten!). On Tuesday we had a "flea market" at school, where the kids brought in old toys and books they didnt need, then they were able to buy new things. It was fun. Then Wednesday was children's day, so no school!! On Tuesday we went out for some Mexican food, and ended up staying out until the wee hours of the morning! We met some fun korean people around our age and danced quite a bit.

Wednesday we had a party at a couple's house here, they have a huge balcony, so we all brought some food and drank beer in the sun all day. It was great! One of the girls made some awesome fajitas...chicken, veggies, and beans and even tortillas!! It was a great way to spend the day off of work!

Thursday morning I called mom's cell cause they were going out to eat to hear the results of Gail's untrasound!! For those of you who don't know, it's a GIRL!! Can't wait to go home and meet my first niece! I was super excited. A boy would have been great too!!

Then we were back to school for two more days, and now its the weekend again!! I wish every week were like this! Cleaned my ENTIRE apartment today. Man it needed it!! I've been so busy that I haven't cleaned much in a long time. I don't know what it is here, but dust accumulates so easily!! Since we have fake hardwood floors it's so obvious, and I spent a long time trying to vacuum up all the dust bunnies! Oh well, now it looks great.

Tomorrow I'm going to church...we're going into a part of Seoul where lots of Filipinos gather on Sundays to buy Filipino food. We were spose to go last week but SOMEONE was out too late the night before and didn't make it. Luckily they postponed it for me...er, I mean her! Haha.

I think my friends and I have decided to take our summer trip to Thailand afterall. The weather during the summer there seems to be better than in the Philippines, from some of the research I've done, and we just can't pass up cheap Thai food!! Hopefully it will work out.

Arite well I hope everyone has a great weekend! The weather has been amazing on the weekends here...it rains one or two days during the week, but the weekends are sunny and 70's!! It's great. Love you all!