Thursday, June 23, 2011

And the award for worst blogger goes to...

Me....I'm awful at these things!! I was doing good up until March, and then BANG!! Spring comes, fun comes, and now it's summer already. I'll make it brief...just the highlights!

March came and went...I've since lost two students in my class, and we're down to five. An amazing five. Three that started with me in Jan of 09, one that came in March of 09, and another that just started this March. And they're all. Just. DOLLS!! I am so proud of how far they have come!! We are having full on conversations now. They told me to call my parents and tell them to bring cake when they come and visit. They told me to call my mom and ask her to send me some "indoor shoes". The kids all change their shoes when they arrive in the morning, and they noticed that I don't do the same. They're amazing, and I have another 8months to go with them. I was just telling a new teacher today, that this is the first job, the ONLY job where not one morning have I ever woken up and been upset to go to work. Sure I'm tired, cranky, sometimes I was out too late the night before, but I'm always willing to go in. I think I've finally found my calling....

April came and went. The SLP teachers took a field trip to a different city, where we got to see some movie sets, hang out, drink, have BBQ, and the next day we road rail bikes. Bikes along an old railroad. It was a blast!!! I also took a trip with several other girls to a mountain ridge down south, where we hiked for over 6 hours, hit 4 peaks, and nearly cried from frusturation. There were times when we had to go down a 90 degree angle ladder. We had to use ropes at points to pull us up. But we made it, and the views were amazing.

April also brought the cherry blossoms!!! These beautiful trees were everywhere, and I made sure to really appreciate them this year, because I know I won't be here next year to see them. Last year I was already hoping to stay until the next spring to see them, but this time....I'll be leaving. And they were gorgeous.

May came, and went. Work during the week, fun on the weekends....We had one day off for Children's Day, and another for Buddah's birthday, where I went into Seoul again and saw the same lantern parade as last year.

June came, and we headed down to Busan to relax on the beach for a few days over the Korean Memorial Day. The weather was perfect, and we all got a little sunkissed. We were at the tbeach during the day, at the bars at night, eating amazing food and enjoying our first three days off in a row in a very, very long time!!!

Last weekend I went bungee jumping!! I've honestly never wanted to do it, but there's a super cheap (and honestly, semi short) place to go around here. A big group of girls and I went, it cost 25 bucks and we were harnessed by our waists, which made me feel way safer. I've gone skydiving twice before, and I really think I enjoyed this way more. The feeling of freefall was way more intense. I didnt let myself look down, the guy counted to five, and I ran and jumped!! I like to say that I did a "Pocahontas dive" like she did in the movies. Just went for it. And it. was. amazing. I loved it and hope to go again soon, maybe by my feet, but I don't know, it kinda sounds a bit more painful.

I was supposed to go on another hiking trip this weekend, like 10 hours!! But it's raining all over Korea, and there's supposedly a typhoon coming, so I'm saving it for another day. In a few weeks we will go down to Boryeong, where the Mud Festival is that I went to last year. It was a blast last time and I'm hoping for the same this year. Then two weeks later my parents and cousin Chuck come!!! We're gonna expolore China for a year. I'm so excited!!!

I've been going through a rough phase recently, they come and go. Just general feelings of lonelyness...(sp??? ENGLISH TEACHER!!!). It's honestly kinda hard to come home every night and not have someone to talk to or say good night too. Looking forward to the day when I have someone there all the time... :)

But they come and go, like I said. So I know this one will pass too!! We've gotten a few new teachers in the past weeks, and they're all super fun and friendly. It's such a huge difference from when I first came a year and a half ago, not for better or worse, just different. I really like everyone I work with!! I've got another 8 months to go here, and I'm gonna enjoy them while I can, cause I'm sure once the time comes for me to leave I'll be sad.

So I'm off. Another Friday is coming!! They are my short days. I get off at 4. Looking forward to the weekend, but always excited about seeing my kids again and hearing what there weekends were like. Hope you're all safe and happy, and happy weekend to you!!