I'm Going Home!

My coworkers have been really nice this week and have allowed me to sneak out of work at lunch to prepare for my trip. It is officially 2.25PM and I will be flying out of Seoul in about 7 hours. I wasn't sure how I would get to the airport, but as I got home, my landlady said her son would take me because he is also flying tonight. Perfect. I love when things like that work themselves out! So, I'm off! I wanted to post a quick note to say Merry Christmas! I may not post a lot around the holidays...I might be a little busy! :) Blessings to you and your families--have a great season!

On the Streets of Gangnam

Steak for Lunch!

Today, my co-workers and I were given the school credit card and were told to have a meeting over lunch...but not just any lunch, a 4-course steak lunch at New York Steakhouse! Tuesday, the girl in the bottom left-hand corner and I taught a lesson and invited the other English teachers and the principal and vice principal to observe our teaching method. The principal was inspired, I guess, because he has initiated a few meetings and other observations at our school. The existing English program is based on grammar, but students see me once a week for conversation practice. There are a lot of things that can be improved, so we met for lunch to discuss co-teaching practices. I think things are in place to begin the next term on the right foot. The women in this picture are my co-workers, by the way.

12 Days According to Korean Teenagers

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
twelve monsters dancing
eleven pretty girlfriends
ten sports cars
nine new houses
eight computer games
seven Christmas trees
six movie coupons
five french fries
four F16s
three BMW's
two loads of cash
and a great big chocolate cake!

Dinner with New Friends

My friend Kara and I were invited to her co-worker's house for dinner tonight. It has been marked on the calendar and anticipated for a couple of weeks. We were picked up at 4 and headed north out of the city. We were greeted with the aroma of some of my favorite Korean dishes--homemade and completely delicious! Dinner was followed by lattes all around (with caramel hearts drawn into the froth), pecan pie and fresh grapes! Coffee was followed with red wine and camembert cheese with nuts and dried meat! So much food and drink--lots of amazing hostessing, too! The evening was comfortable, relaxing and completely fun!

Roses on the Subway

Yesterday was a nice, relaxed day of laundry, cleaning up around my place and a little shopping. I slept in until 10 (which is a little unusual for me) and lazily headed to the mall for lunch and shopping with a friend. When we were finished with our greasy cheese pizza, we headed back to the subway for our commute home. As we reached the subway platform, we encountered a large group of women holding beautiful roses! They were just getting back from a wedding. My eyes got big and I smiled when I saw all these pretty flowers and one woman noticed this. She handed over her flowers to me and asked if I would like to have hers! She pushed them into my hands with a smile. It was so nice and unexpected, but it brightened my day! It is not the first time this kind of thing has happened. The first thing that was passed into my hands from a nice Korean lady was a bunch of deep purple grapes--not the sweet ones, but the ones that really taste grape! She got up off her seat and thrust them into my hands with a smile before leaving the subway car. This type of kindness blows me off my feet! Another encounter with this unexpected friendliness was when my friend and I were invited to sit down on the subway seat next to an elderly lady. She passed us dried anchovies and showed us how to peel them and eat them neatly. These kinds of people have a special gift for brightening my day! Whenever I start to get discouraged or frustrated with living in such a busy, crowded place, I meet someone like this--sent from heaven!

Packing has Commenced!

Today was the long awaited day for me to dig my empty, dusty luggage out from under my bed. I told myself months ago that I couldn't start this process until a week before departure. So, now my room is a complete, yet organized, mess and I only have 5 more days until I am flying home for vacation! I have stacks of stuff everywhere--from clothes to gifts to drying laundry! I am counting down the days and getting very excited! My vacation plans are pretty simple, but I will savor every moment! :) I am ready for some America after traveling for nearly 7 months! I will spend the first half of my trip in freezing, cold Minnesota with my family before driving out to California with my boyfriend for the second half of my time in the States.

Some things that I am especially looking forward to are:

1. Seeing my family after 7 months away and my boyfriend after 4 months away!
2. Eating and cooking familiar foods and treats! I am especially looking forward to Swiss fondue and raclette, Mexican quesidillas and homemade Chinese food!
3. Visiting close friends and spending time catching up with them!
4. Shopping for clothes and shoes and supplies for the next 9 months!
5. Speaking English quickly and fluently without having to rephrase key points!

Quote for the day.

"She took comfort in the pure randomness that surrounded her, accepting that no one escapes, knowing that it could happen to anyone at anytime...pain, happiness, confusion, even love."

I love this quote. My friend gave it to me a few years ago, and I found it again today amongst a stack of old lesson plans and copies of worksheets from my job in Minnesota. It took on new meaning for me today. Sometimes I feel like I am surrounded by pure randomness--I know it is not random to those who grew up here, but to me it seems that way most of the time--I struggle with the daily things and make huge efforts to do things that take natives only minutes to do! Sometimes I spend hours trying to make sense of something that should be quite simple only to be left completely confused! Even so, life is good--randomness is good. I embrace the randomness around me--eventually, it starts to seem not so random anymore. Anyway, I am not going to say a lot tonight, I will spare you my futile attempts to express my thoughts in a profound way and let the quote speak for itself.

Monday, Monday

Normally, Mondays are not my favorite days of the week, but today I can't complain! Since students were taking their final exams, I didn't have any classes. I decided to try and get ahead with lesson plans, so I worked hard all morning. At noon, a co-worker invited me out for a Korean BBQ lunch, which was delicious. Then, when I arrived back to school, my vice-principal was near my desk and he told my co-teacher that I can go home early (I am sure he would've told me himself if he were able to speak English)! Awesome! I love when that happens! I got to the gym early and then my friend and I bought tickets for our vacation in February! Very exciting! AND, she shared the Christmas cookies her mom sent--you know, the ritz/peanut butter sandwiches dipped in chocolate. Yum! I am really getting excited to come home in less than two weeks! I am looking forward to it so much--it has been nearly 7 months since I have been in the States! It is time! :)

Demonstrations and Weird Chopsticks Food

Demonstrations are a regular thing in Seoul. I see them so frequently and rarely have any idea what they are about. I think the demonstration in the picture was an anti-China demonstration. I thought I would include a picture because it is so common to see. Anyway, I also wanted to include pictures and a few thoughts about using chopsticks. Sometimes they make eating so much easier! I have found myself reaching for the chopsticks even if a fork is available. However, there are some things I think should not be eaten with chopsticks! French fries and party snacks for starters. Also, salad. Salad definitely requires a fork, as well as raw vegetables. Just a couple of random thoughts today...

Images of Winter

There was a little snow on the ground this morning when I started out for work. Just a little, but it was pretty slick! On my walk from the subway to school in the morning, I had to walk across a street that was a pretty steep hill. I did this as slowly as possible (we all know how conducive women's footwear is to icy slush)! I whipped out my camera and snapped a couple of shots before heading in. The students were really playful after their final exams were finished in the afternoon--the stress had been lifted and the atmosphere was much more cheerful! The soccer balls came out and the snowballs flew! :)

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

The Salvation Army bell ringers are here too. :) Today, since some of my students have already taken their final exams, I taught them the song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town. They have this song in Korean to the same tune, but it the lyrics are slightly different. The first thing I did in class was to group the students and pass out the lyrics in Korean. They had to translate the lyrics into English and here is a sample from my last class:

You Must Not Cry

you must not cry
you must not cry
Santa Grandpa don't give present to crying children
Santa Grandpa know that who is good or bad
he is coming to night
when you sleep or wakeup
when you are angry or playing
Santa Grandpa know everything
Santa Grandpa is coming to town to night

I'm Glad You to Meet!

As usual today, at 4:30, the art teacher and I started on or daily walk to the subway station. He is a sculptor and shared with me that he had a sculpture in an exhibit tonight. Using his very limited English, he asked if I had time this afternoon and if I wanted to join him. I told him I would very much like to go and see his sculpture. It turned into a whole evening and I have just gotten home (it is 9). When we got there, I realized that it was the previewing of the exhibition and the only guests were the sculptors themselves and the chairpeople of the Korean Sculptor's Association. I was the only non-artist! We looked at the art, then all went for a meal of Korean BBQ. It turned into a really fun evening, and at the end of the night, as we parted ways, after I thanked him for bringing me along, my coworker's shook my hand and said , "I'm glad you to meet." It brought a smile to my face and I thought, "I am glad you to meet too!"

Woo-hoo!!

My shower works! I have hot water for as long as I want it!! I have forgotten how much of a luxury that is to have! No more shower sprints and goosebumps on top of goosebumps! Maybe this is just my theory, but I think my cold is in direct relation to my cold shower. Do warm showers keep us healthy? I have never really believed the thought that being out in the rain makes you sick. Or, the belief that being out in the cold weather makes you sick. No way--I grew up in MN. It is cold all winter and I don't remember being sick all that much growing up. Likewise, I don't think the people who live in Seattle or London are sick all the time--it sure rains a lot in those places. Anyway, just a thought. But, a warm shower helps me start the day better (I'm not as grumpy), so maybe it is all in our heads. My room was toasty warm this evening as I got home. My landlord promised to fix the shower and turned on the heater for me. It was kind of nice and made me forget the fact that I live alone! Well, if this entry isn't random enough already, I am going to throw another thought out there. I don't think that a person could have a house pet in Korea. The floor is the source of heat and it is really hot right now (hot enough that I kind of scuttle across at a quick clip--kind of like walking barefoot across hot pavement in the summer). I don't think a cat would touch it.

A closing conversation between me and the guy at the front desk at the gym:

Him: It's cold out, huh?
Me: Yes. How cold is it going to get?
Him: Twice this cold.
Me: ? OK. ?

(Am I missing something? How cold is that going to be? Am I the only one who doesn't get it? How can it get twice as cold? Twice as cold as what?)

Sabrina, I've got a Puke and a Meow!

My friend Sabrina has a great way to rate good and bad things that happen on a daily basis: puke and meow. Good, happy, and exciting things get a meow, and bad and horrible things get a puke (there is a science to this). Now, while I haven't completely adopted this system for everything, it was the first thing I though of tonight as I walked back to my apartment! The puke thing that happened to me today was that I found out that I do indeed need to teach a three-week class during winter vacation. I had been told for about two weeks that I probably won't have to do this (and would get extra time off), but today, that dream was shattered. It isn't so bad because it will only be one 90 minute class per day for three weeks, but, when you think you will have the time completely off, and you don't, it is kind of a bummer to find that out. Another puke thing is that I am still sick. It has been way too long and I am tired of coughing, and my nose might fall off if I use one more kleenex. The meow thing that happened was when I got home, my landlady knocked on my door and invited me to dinner! She prepared mandu (Korean dumplings) and dokguk (traditional soup for Lunar New Year). Something more that came out of this dinner was that her husband promised to fix my boiler! That means, no more shower sprints after tomorrow! Each morning for the past few weeks, I have only had about two and a half minutes of hot water each morning. I get in the shower already shampooing my hair, and race through the conditioner as the hot water desists and the cold water streams out of the shower head. I am generally pretty cold at night and dread the thought of getting out of my bed and into that shower. In fact, I have been showering every night at the gym because it is consistent hot water, but I really like my morning wake-up routine. Another thing is that the button panel near my door (refer to my previous entry) has become a little clearer. My landlady told me not to touch two buttons I have been using daily. No wonder my room is usually cold in the mornings!! As you see, my day has been up and down and up and down. Thanks for letting me borrow your system Sabrina--it really fits my day today!

Mr. Pizza Made for Women

Friday nights, my friend and I have been making a habit of going out for dinner. This week, we decided on Mr. Pizza. We have visited Mr. Pizza several times since being here--the sign always cracks me up: Made for Women! What? Why?? Oh, and yesterday, we stopped at the new Tea Purple at the end of the street. For 4,050 won (roughly $4), you can get a cup of semi-hot chocolate about 2/3 full with a little whip cream on top, and if they run out of ceramic mugs (which they did), they will charge you 50 won (about a nickel) for a "to-go" cup. Lets just say, I wasn't that impressed with the new neighborhood coffee shop. And, it seemed that they were brewing coffee in a regular coffee maker like many people have at home. From now on, if I want hot chocolate, I will stick with the Swiss Miss packets my mom sent and add a few of the mini marshmallows on top! Oh, speaking of Swiss, I finished the book "The Swiss Family Robinson." I still think it is the cheesiest book I have read in a long time, but I am glad I read it--I always wanted to ride an ostrich and live in a tree house. Anyway, I still am not sure I would recommend it, but if you do read it, let me know what you think about it!

Carol of the Bells

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Happy Thurday

Every other Thursday, my school principal lets us all off an hour earlier to "explore our hobbies." These Thursdays have come to be known as happy Thursdays. Today, my hobbies included going to the bank (which closes too early for me to get there on regular days), and coming home to catch part of Oprah and eat some popcorn. I love happy Thursdays! Usually, on happy Thursday, I go to a coffee shop and read. I have been reading the strangest book lately. It is Swiss Family Robinson. Have you read it? I think it is such a cheesy book, yet, I have not abandoned it! If you have not read it, it is about this Swiss family who is shipwrecked on an island. The father in the book seems to know everything there is to living in the wild (like, how to make rubber boots from tree sap, and how to hollow out a huge tree for a spiral staircase up to a treehouse). The dad is extremely perfect--way too perfect to be real. The mom is submissive and is referred to as "the mother" by the dad--she does anything and everything for her boys (like, making clothes from flax leaves and a loom and cooking all the weird animals the guys bring home). Anyway, the story is ridiculous as the island they landed on seems to be some sort of mixture of everything. There are kangaroos, tigers, all kinds of fish and birds, and the trees are from the Americas. Lucky for those guys, everything they could need or want either was shipwrecked with them, or exists on their little utopia. This book is way strange, but an interesting and quick read for anyone with a little extra time. Sorry this turned into a book review...didn't mean to do that! :)

Before and After

One early morning about a month ago, I awoke to the sound of large machines and breaking glass. As I got ready for work, I wondered what in the world was happening--whatever it was, it sounded permanent. As I left my apartment, I saw the huge machines, that were causing all the noise, smashing in the windows of a building at the end of my block. In one month, this shop was gutted, painted, carpeted, and completely rebuilt. In one month! It takes me a month to get around to running certain errands or to decide if I want the brown sweater or the blue one. An entire building reconstructed in one month...amazing! Today, I walked past the newly Tea Purple coffee shop and couldn't resist taking a quick snapshot. A couple of weeks ago, the machines were out early again to repave the road in front of the building--within two days it was finished. Can you imagine if construction jobs in the States took that long? It would be revolutionary! Oh...I should mention...the one thing that seems to have taken forever are those subway exits. I finally figured out what they are doing--they are making new, clear plexi-glass roofs for them. They will be nice when they are finished!

"Tish"

I can't tell you how many times a day I see rolls of toilet paper--I am amazed at its versatility and various uses. Today, my co-worker offered me some of this to use as "tish" because I was feeling a little sick and was looking for a kleenex (she meant "tissue"). I don't always correct my co-workers and friends (it can be a big job in itself sometimes), but I did say something this time! Here are a few random places I have spotted this useful "tish":

1. hanging on the wall in the classroom like paper towels
2. sitting on my co-worker's desk
3. in my student's backpack
4. hanging near the sink in the teacher's room
5. passed around to be used as a napkin with office treats

Here is where it is not:
1. in the toilet stall

Go figure.

Tuesday

Another Tuesday. Today I woke up with a sore throat. My first thought was, "not again." I just got over a cold that wiped me out for more than three weeks! But, I believe in the power of positive thinking, so what I meant to say is, "I am healthy, I am healthy, I am healthy!" After waking up with a sore throat, I was slightly grumpy this morning. I got to work and had a pretty easy day, except for more paperwork shuffling by the company who hired me. I guess some documents have gotten misplaced....AGAIN! I went through this all summer and now it has started up again. Things did not go so smoothly with that, but I did hear a possibility of good news: the winter camp that I was signed up to teach over winter break might not happen! My coworkers have been waiting on some documents from the district about the camp and they are hands off about the whole deal. My coworkers don't want to plan everything and think the district should, so if the district doesn't, the camp is off. Which means, I may have three extra weeks of vacation! I am not going to count my chickens before they hatch, but it sure would be nice! So, I am going to put on some more tea and snuggle into my blankets for a few minutes of reading before I sleep tonight! Oh, I know the pictures above are a little random, but I included them anyway! They are from the mall a few weeks ago! There was a holiday concert on the fifth floor and Christmas trees out front. The Asian Statue of Liberty is my favorite, though! :)

Comfort and New Friends

It is the time of year where I start to hunker down and get comfy for the long winter. I'm from Minnesota, so I have done this my whole life. I love to surround myself with comfortable things like coffee drinks, gingerbread cookies, popcorn and soft blankets while a peaceful blanket of snow covers the ground. Well, I don't have a soft blanket yet, but I have the coffee drinks and gingerbread cookies. And, my mom sent me popcorn last week. I should be enjoying the season, but something isn't right. I know that Christmas is coming, but the hype here isn't as big as in the States. The Christmas decorations have been up since I got here (which makes me wonder if they ever come down), but it still isn't the same. I don't hear cheerful Christmas music on the streets, the stores aren't going into crazy sales mode, and I haven't seen even one Christmas cookie. It could be that it is still November, and Thanksgiving is barely over, but I know that in the States right now, people are gearing up for the big day. I guess I will give it a couple more weeks and see what happens. In the meantime, I will try to keep myself occupied what I can. I have made new friends at work--this is a small breakthrough! It is extremely difficult to meet people here, because it is customary to be introduced by a third person first. It is not common for individuals to approach a new person on their own. I have been walking with the art teacher to the subway everyday, and somehow that has been the "in" to the rest of the teachers on that side of the office room. Also, the math teacher has been secretly asking for my help in corresponding to her son's teacher in the States, so that is another person to talk to. I realized that many people were holding out on me in their English ability for these first few months! I think it is a general nervousness in speaking...I know this feeling well! :) One guy speaks a little German (no English), so he will greet me with "guten Morgen." Just the fact that he speaks to me at all is great! So, all in all, things are still going well (minus the slight lack in holiday spirit, but I am not giving up yet)!

Thanksgiving Dinner

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone back home! I really missed being near family this week as the day came and went uncelebrated. Instead of having Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, my friend and I decided to go out for a stomach-stuffing meal tonight. We decided to get some hearty food at the Swiss, all-you-can-eat restaurant down the street. It wasn't turkey and mashed potatoes, but it worked! I ate lots of seafood and Thai food--not a lot of German food, actually. You can see a little octopus on my fork in the picture above. I have really come to like octopus. I eat it at least three times a week and always look forward to it! This year, I am thankful for this chance to live here and try new things! I am also thankful for the people who support me back at home in my new adventures! It has been a good year for me so far! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Happy Day for Me! :)

Woo-hoo! Today I got back to my desk after my first class to find a package from home waiting for me! I was so excited--it totally made my day! In general, I am not homesick for America, but once in awhile I miss things--especially food things. My mom sent a bunch of goodies today including cheese, taco seasoning mix, maple syrup, hot chocolate, Reeces peanut butter cups, Doritos, my Real Simple magazine, and lots of other things that are not available here! I am going to savor these things for weeks! :) They should hold me over for quite awhile! Thanks Mom!

Why didn't anybody tell me??

For three months, I have been dutifully fulfilling my two-part daily commute to and from school. From home, I must walk to the subway station (about 5 minutes), ride the subway two stops (5 minutes), then transfer to the green bus for another 10-15 minute ride which takes me to school. Most mornings and afternoons I patiently wait anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes for the green bus to swing around the corner to pick me up. I have been told that the green buses are the ones that may or may not come. The blue buses are the reliable ones. Unfortunately, I don't need the blue bus--I need the green one. Well, last week, I got off the bus, on the way home from work, at the subway station only to run into a couple of my coworkers. One man, Mr. Kim, the funky art teacher, told me that he had walked from work. Well, my eyes flew open and I started firing too many questions too quickly for poor, very limited English speaking Mr. Kim to keep up! So, the next day, I asked him if I could walk with him after school to learn the way. He has been faithfully waiting for me each day since then to walk with me to the subway station. Each day, we time ourselves and it takes about 12 minutes. MUCH faster than the bus! And, I have a new friend! I know few things about this Mr. Kim, but he is very friendly and now greets me each morning with a cheerful, "good morning Bonnie teacher!" My question is: why didn't anyone explain this to me when it was still warm enough to walk outside without risking frostbite??

Sushi and a Hot Air Balloon Ride

Today was one of those lovely days off--like a snow day, but without the snow (well, actually, there was snow, but I will get to that later). The high schoolers have to take university entrance exams, so all the schools close down for the day. What did I do with my day off? Well, I ate way too much sushi and went to an amusement park! First of all, I love sushi! My friends and I went to a place where you pay 15 bucks for all you can eat in 40 minutes! The food floats around the table on boats and you just grab whatever pieces you want. I ate a lot of food and, though I eat rice almost daily, I still forget that it expands AFTER you eat it. So, about 20 minutes after I was finished eating, I was wishing I had passed on that last salmon roll! After lunch, we headed over to Lotte World--an amusement park. It was half indoors and half outdoors with about the same number of rides as the amusement park at the Mall of America. We went on a hot air balloon ride first and sailed up to the ceiling via thick metal cords and mechanically rode around the park. Next we took a ride on the carousel and finished off with the flume ride. The cool thing about Lotte World was the Christmas parade that started just as we got there. There were lots and lots of dancers all dressed in different costumes. It was pretty impressive, really. First, it started snowing in the building (instead of the cold stuff, I think they just used bubble foam--it looked cool though!). Then, a couple of girls dressed as snow fairies on rollerblades flew by with sparklers. Next, an all women band marched past with their tubas and drums. There were floats, dancers, animals--even Santa showed up! The Christmas decorations have been up for some time now (as I am sure they are at home, as well) and it was fun to get into the holiday spirit just a little today. I returned home tired after a long day on my feet. I have to work tomorrow, but it is nice to know that I have a whole weekend coming up! :)

Images from the Market

I visited the market last week and was reminded again how much I love it! The bins and tubs of fragrant roots and grains are strewn everywhere. There are many kinds of fish and sea animals to be found--even live squid and octopus for purchase. I didn't buy any of these herbs, roots, or ocean foods. Actually, I purchased two salad plates! I love the market atmosphere--everything is busy and everything has a smell and texture. I love to bring my camera and snap pictures as I go along!

Stuck!

About once a week, on my way up the hill to my apartment, I see yet another truck, car or van wedged between a telephone pole and the corner of a restaurant. This is a very tight turn to make for any vehicle because the streets are very narrow and there are hills everywhere. Before even turning the corner to my street, I can usually hear the tires spinning against the pavement, struggling to get free. It can get a little frustrating for other cars or people waiting to pass, but I bet it's even more frustrating for the person who is driving that vehicle! Luckily for the driver, the nearby restaurant owners have some supplies to help in these tight situations. The owners are very skilled at helping to free stuck vehicles. They get out some pieces of cardboard and sometimes some sand to give the tires some traction. Once the restaurant owners step in to help, the van is free in no time. This guy in the picture blocked everything--I had to wait a few minutes to get home, so I whipped out my camera and tried to discretely snap a few pictures!

On the Mend

This week I was pretty sick with a cold. I didn't take any medicine because I am a fighter and refuse to believe that I could be sick. I spent the past three weeks battling this annoying cold with no avail. Finally, a friend of mine was tired of hearing my raspy voice and my coughing. She bought me some root juice used in Eastern herbal medicine. The drink came in a silver packet and was warmed for optimal results. I carefully tore open the corner, inserted a straw and sipped a little. The first taste was so revolting that I almost threw up! So, I tried an old method that used to work when my mom made me drink milk as a child. I plugged my nose and thought of happy things as I guzzled that stuff down as quickly as possible. I couldn't believe how much there was in that small packet! The juice tasted like stomach acids and didn't go down so easily. It gurgled in my stomach for a few minutes once it was down, threatening to come back up again. My friend was right, though. I needed to take care of that cold and the vomit-flavored substance did the trick! I just hope I never have to drink it again!

The Bow

Each morning, as I walk up the hill to my school from the bus stop, I am greeted respectfully by several students standing in a staggared line. These boys and girls wear special badges and I assume that it is their duty to greet teachers. They bow deeply and offer a smile to each teacher who passes, either by car or on foot. Something must be said about the bow. I have come to really enjoy and appreciate this bow. It is a sign of respect given to each individual. The depth of the bow depends on whom a person is greeting. If he or she is older, the younger bows first and deeper. This morning, I especially appreciated this hello from the students and was reminded of my days of teaching in Minnesota. In Minnesota, I had one student who greeted me each morning with a hug. She would come up to my office to say good morning every day and we would briefly chat in Spanish (her native language) and English. This morning, I remembered this former student and felt that her hug was translated into Korean as I hiked up that hill. The day was a long one. I spent most of it testing part of the 1/3 of the 920 students who attend my school. I really needed all the "hug" this morning!

Scrabble Night!

Tonight was really fun--my friends and I met at a coffee shop and played Scrabble for hours! I love that game! I was matched up against three other American English teachers. I am sad to say I didn't win any of the games we played...but, I didn't lose either! It is really so fun to sit in on a Saturday night sometimes and play boardgames--it is a simple joy and isn't done enough! I am regretting that I didn't bring more than a few card games to Korea. Then again, I am glad I didn't have to lug them around with me the few months before I moved here! I had too much stuff already! Actually, I think it is important for me to play Scrabble frequently--I speak a different kind of English when I am around non-native speakers. It is a simplified version of our spectacular language. I would love to break out the big words, but they are met with blank stares and pained looks. I hate to make people feel bad about their English skills--many people apologize to me for not knowing English better! I say, "on the contrary--I am sorry for not speaking Korean!" I get so used to this simplified, and slowed down version of English that I start speaking like this with my American friends! We laugh about this, but I am afraid that it could become a problem for me! I am forgetting so many simple words and I think I will have to re-learn a large part of my English vocabulary! In the meantime, some good books and a few more games of Scrabble should help me preserve my English! By the way, has anyone read a good book lately? I am looking for some good literature for my bus rides to work! :) Thanks!

Punished!

I was coming back from the lunch room today and saw these guys hanging out in the hall! There is no doubt that they were in trouble for something, although I can't imagine what! Maybe they forgot their books, "made noises" in class or were sleeping. Actually, this is a pretty common sight. It looks like they are exercising. I don't think the students like when I take pictures of their punishments, but I find them very creative and often humorous! I am really happy to see Friday finished! I had a long week with school...I need the rest! I am planning to hang out with a few friends tomorrow to play scrabble and laying low the rest of the weekend. And, I am going to sleep as long as possible tomorrow morning! Oh, this is interesting, some friends at work have suggested that I put a wet towel on the bed next to me to help me get rid of this nagging cough. When they said that, I raised my eyebrows and asked exactly why would I want to do that? They told me that it is a good substitute for a humidifier (which I will definitely need to buy). Another friend suggested laying the wet towel on the floor near my bed so that the floor can heat it and release the moisture. That sounds better than laying a wet towel in my bed... I will give it a try and see what happens!

Which Button?

The weather has gotten considerably cooler these past few days here in Seoul. I am from Minnesota, so this in itself is not really anything I can't handle. Back home, we just turn on the heat and layer on the long johns. I have a problem here in Korea, though. I am not sure how the heat works in my apartment. I have a small white box next to my door that supposedly controls the floor and water heating. I know the red button is the power button, and the one above the red is to activate the warm water. Other than that, I really have no clue as to what the other buttons are there for. I started pushing buttons one day about a month ago and my floor got so hot I could hardly walk on it to turn it off...I tried to regulate it then, but I haven't needed heat until now, so I didn't spend much time with it before giving up. I am ready to go to sleep, but the past few mornings I have been waking up freezing and huddled under my two, small blankets not willing to get out of bed. I need to figure out a way to keep the heat regulated all night. I could build a fire in the open space of my floor, but that will cause the landlady lots of concern, which could lead to some unwanted mothering from her. That leaves only one option: figure out what the nobs and buttons are for. I tried a new combination just now and am crossing my fingers that it will work and I won't wake up in a dead sweat sometime around 3 AM! I am OK to try that for now. The other mysterious set of buttons in my apartment belongs to my washing machine. I have washed many loads of clothes since I have been here, but I don't think I have used the same settings more than once. Sometimes the load takes only 7 or 8 minutes, and sometimes an hour and a half. I don't know which button to push, so I push them all in varying sequence! If the water starts running, I know I did something right. I took a few pictures of both my washing machine and my heating unit so I can bring my camera to work and ask someone to translate them. Hopefully, I will have answers before the weekend! In the meantime, I sit here at my computer in a knit hat and a sweatshirt drinking hot tea...

Light White Raspberry Latte, Please.

Can you believe it?? There is a Caribou Coffee in Seoul, Korea! Back home, this is my favorite place to get my morning brew--it is a local coffee chain out of Minneapolis, and has opened many new shops nation-wide (and apparently, world-wide). I have had a policy these past years that I am allowed to reward myself each Friday with a coffee drink. I look forward to Fridays and usually have my drink planned way before Friday even hits! I did not have a good start today... I woke up way too late and made it to work fifteen minutes late! I had set my alarm as usual, but this morning I am not sure what happened! I woke up just after 8!! I usually leave at 7:45 or 7:50 in order to get to work on time, so since I already told you that I was only 15 minutes late for work, you have probably rightly concluded that I skipped a lot of my morning routine! No shower, no breakfast, and no peaceful cup of coffee. So, I am thinking that I may need to cash in on my reward coffee a day early. I am going to order a cup of light white raspberry latte (they cost 5,000 won--and you think YOUR coffee is expensive!).