Not to make you jealous, but...

Spring is here! I know you Minnesotans still have snow, but Korean winter is OVER! I saw these pretty purple flowers every day last week as I walked to school and finally snapped a few shots yesterday so I could share them with you. The leaves are starting to bud all over, too. It will be a beautiful season here, I am told. Lots of things will be blooming for a long time! These are my last semi-cold days in Korea! Woo-hoo!

New Cut

New haircut--what do you think? It isn't much shorter, actually (1.5cm came off). I walked into the place armed and prepared. I have learned from the past that it is not exactly a great idea to just go there and sit in the chair without proper communication prior to scissoring. My hairstylist doesn't speak English, so I had a friend translate a note into Korean for me about my hair and what I wanted. When I handed it to him tonight, he thanked me three times, got to work, and finished the cut in 20 minutes! Last time it took 3 hours! I went back to the same place because they were so friendly, and it was the first time I ever had a guy cut my hair! He is so careful and cautious with my hair and he treats it like art--I love it!

Student Election Day

Today was the day the students chose their student body president. This was such a serious event--I couldn't believe how much the students got into it! When I was in middle school, the candidates made their campaign posters at home with paper, glue and glitter. Here, they were professionally made and laminated--very authentic.


This pic is of the student mass assembly. This kind of assembly happens at least once a month. The students stand in perfectly straight lines as the assembly master shouts out orders (attention, turn right, turn left, at ease) and holds what looks like a horse whip (I haven't seen him use it, though. I think it is just used as a prop so he looks official).


I added this last picture to show you my new favorite student--he is the one who is standing in the front of the line, posing and leaning to the right. This guy could be the littlest one at the school. He likes to pop his head around the corner near my desk and say hi. He visits me every day and usually stays for a short chat (and a piece of candy).

Oh, the outcome of the election was somewhat predictable. The elected leader is basically the kind of student who is good at everything. He has near perfect marks, is athletic and has lots of friends. Congrats to him!

Bad Mojo

For the third Monday in a row, I have had day altering (possibly week altering) problems! As I posted last week, my computer has been giving me problems at work, and today was no different. Here is a conversation I had with the Korean computer man at my school:

Korean computer man: Bonnie teacher's USB...virused. All computers Bonnie teacher use...virused. 3...2...1...grade...whichee computers you use? All?

Me: Yes all. I use all classroom computers in the school.

Korean computer man: All school?...virused. (with a flat tone to his voice he turned and walked away).

How is this possible? I always considered myself pretty saavy when it comes to computers, but I can't wrap my head around this one. How is this all my fault? I understand the concept of me spreading the virus via USB, but how did it get on my USB in the first place? Why does it have to be my fault?? Why did he have to proclaim his computer prognosis so loudly that 5 teachers stopped their work to stare at me!?? Needless to say, I had another rough start...(please, somebody make it stop!!).

Easter Sunday

Happy Easter everyone!

Today I got up and got ready to go to church at a place I have been to a few times (not since before winter break, though). I knew the service started at 11, so I made sure I was there 15 minutes early to find a friend to sit with. Well, as I got there, the usher said church started at 10 and I missed all the pre-sermon stuff. Well, church is usually 2 hours long, so I caught the last half anyway. After church, my friend Alycia (from college) and I decided to grab lunch together at Pho Mein--the best Vietnamese place in Gangnam! After lunch, we got coffee and talked, while watching the rain flurries quietly attack the city.


Here is a just-for-fun shot of me at the coffee shop enjoying my passion fruit tea latte...yum!


After coffee, we decided to go to Kyobo bookstore, which is down the street from the subway station. Take a look at the picture below--do you see anything askew? If you notice the random van driving down the sidewalk, you guessed right! How crazy is this! Now you all can see why walking around Korea can sometimes be a hair-raising experience for me! As a pedestrian, I have to always be ready to dodge motorcycles, vans, or vendor carts ON THE SIDEWALK! Sheesh! The other thing, on days like today, is that I have to walk with one hand guarding my eyeballs! The height of the average umbrella is eye-level for me, so I am often concerned I will get something poked out by the ends of the wires if I am not careful!

No Meat Protest

As I walked home tonight, I saw yet another protest on the corner near my apartment. Koreans seem to love protesting about one thing or another, and today the victim was meat. I tried to take a few shots of these creatures--one was a penguin, believe it or not! I saw two pigs, a cow, a frog and the penguin. I wonder if can buy some penguin anywhere...maybe on a stick on the street? I wonder what it tastes like...


The one next to the cow is the penguin...


I caught one wandering off around the corner!


Also seen in my neighborhood: Christmas decorations! Enough already! Do they not come down?!! Ever??


Update from yesterday's blog: my bruise is minimal and my head is OK--it didn't blow up and turn as blue as I anticipated. I iced it pretty well yesterday, and tried to lay low--actually, I slept for 3 hours in the afternoon! I believe it was a minor concussion...

Today was parent day at school--the moms and dads came into class and watched me teach during sixth period. I got applause at the end of my lesson, to which I bowed like the best of them (very Korean of me, don't you think so?)! :)

Ouch!

Today, as I was walking to work, I completely wiped out on the hill! I have never done this before and have feared doing this since I got here (and started wearing heals on a regular basis)! I fell forward, uphill, and bonked my face on the ground pretty hard! You can see my bruise starting to form on my cheek...ouch! I was wearing stupid shoes--I should know better to take the bus on the mornings I wear stupid shoes. These shoes in particular are hereby banned from my closet--they will not be worn again in Korea! I had an early morning class, so there weren't many teachers around when I got there--in fact, there were two others, so I asked one for some help with finding an ice pack. After my 45 minute class, my head was throbbing as I entered the teacher's room and walked toward my desk. I was immediately surrounded by concerned individuals insisting that I go to the hospital! I refused to go--I mean, really, what else will they tell me to do other than ice my face? I have often marveled at how quickly my Korean collegues are willing to go to the hospital or clinic. At first I thought I was just a tough American girl who can handle pain better, but actually, I realized that public health care is so much easier to access here than back in the States. Why not use it if it is cheap and easy? Here is a picture of my battle wound--it doesn't look so bad in the picture:


Here are the forementioned, banished shoes:


After refusing to be seen by a doctor, I finally agreed that going home early would be OK, although, I will not be visiting the hospital. As I was on the bus home, I started to think of ways to turn my day around. I looked through my stack of stamp cards and saw that I had a full Coldstone card! My free treat was a LoveIt sized, waffle bowl full of banana ice cream, mixed with pecans, bananas and pieces of Crunky bar! What could be better than a huge bowl full of banana ice cream at 11.30 AM after a bumpy morning? :)

Just Another Tuesday

Today was a warm spring day! I didn't have any classes after 2PM so I went outside for an hour and just watched some of the students play basketball and soccer. The students were really enjoying the day outside after classes, and many of them came up to me (shock!) and talked to me (double shock!). Most of the time, they watch from a distance or shout "hello" to me, but don't often sit next to me and attempt holding a conversation with me. I think it was the weather that had everyone transfixed and acting abnormally! :)


Many of the students and homeroom teachers (not me) have been staying after school until 9PM lately. They are required, by the new vice principal, to decorate the back walls of the classroom and are awaiting judgment from a select group of staff members (also not me). The teachers have been complaining about this for at least a week as it is still the beginning of the school year and many of them are still getting their lessons set up for the year. There is a heck of a lot of paper work these poor teachers have to complete, and it doesn't help anything that all the parents are invited into the schools on Thursday to observe and ask questions. If I have never mentioned anything before about how serious parents take their child's schooling, let me take a moment to do so! It is nothing short of an obsession here! By kindergarten, most Korean children can read and do many basic math skills (even recite multiplication tables). Students attend school during the day, then race off to their academies in the evening. Many of the students don't finish with classes until 9PM most nights, then go home to begin their homework (no wonder they sleep in my class sometimes!). So, the idea of these parents (who can be very critical) in the back of the classroom is not a welcomed one!

Anyway, here are a couple of the decorated classrooms:



And, I took this last picture to point out two things. The first thing is the haze in the background. I have no hard evidence, but I am pretty sure that it is yellow sand. This stuff is pretty fierce! It is sand from Siberia that blows through China each year, and picks up pollution before blowing over Korea. It is pretty hazardous to one's health--it makes many people sick each year. I am a little nervous about it because I was sick for so long last fall. I guess I have to cave and buy one of those schnazzy face masks! Honestly, I always think of SARS when I see them! I have to get over that! I will post pics of me wearing one when the day comes that I put one on! (cringe!) The second thing I want to mention is the buildings in the background. They weren't there when I got there last August. Those soon-to-be apartment buildings arose this winter, BLOCKING MY VIEW OF THE MOUNTAINS!!

White Day

Friday was a special holiday here in Korea: White Day. Ever heard of it? No? Me either. Well, it is a holiday recipricating Valentine's Day. On Valentine's Day, men sit back as the women shower gifts and chocolates on them. White Day is when the men take over the gift giver role. It is the day where men can express their feelings to the women they love or appreciate. My friend, the art teacher (the one I walk to the subway station with each day), snuck out of work right away and came back 20 minutes later with an apple strudel-type cake for me! :) It was so sweet of him to do that. I also received some tissue paper flowers with candies and notes from a student of mine. After the week I had (which I will mention in brief, later), the cake was a welcomed sight!

In short, last week was horrible! I managed to infect ALL the computers at the school with a virus via my USB (I was told it had to be my fault because I opened an English website), and I upset 20 kids' parents and made them doubt my professionalism and seriousness (due to receiving partial information about the after school program). I didn't sleep well all week and was awakened with bad dreams many nights. I had a couple misunderstandings with co-workers because of the language barrier. All in all, it was not a good week. I went to sleep on Saturday deciding that the bad week would be over! I started over yesterday with a clean week and a new start. So far, not bad. Today, after work, I went out for dinner with two of the new, young, co-teachers. These two girls have become instant friends! They are both near my age and share many things in common with me! Plus, their English is nearly fluent! They have been a lot of fun to get to know in these few, short weeks.

When a teacher moves from one school to the next, it is customary for the old school to send the new school some treats. Specifically, rice cakes. Each day I return to my desk to yet another pile of these doughy delights (or not!). This pile is one day's collection. It was unusually large, so I took a couple of pictures!

Van Gogh at Seoul Museum of Art

Last week, I scored a pair of tickets to see the Van Gogh exhibit at the art museum. A student's parent gave me the tickets. So, Saturday afternoon, my friend and I made our way to City Hall and the museum. We were a little surprised at the long lines, but figured there would be a reason for all the madness.


We didn't have to wait longer than 30-45 minutes to get inside the museum. Inside, we were extremely overwhelmed at the hoards of people that were moving quickly, en mass around the paintings. It was a little too much for my viewing taste, but, keeping it positive, it was a cool experience to see these art pieces! The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam sent over a collection of paintings and sketches--now, I want to see them again in their home!




After the museum, we tried to get to our Korean language class. For the second week in a row, we missed it! This time, we couldn't find the correct building at the university. I think our directions were a little inaccurate. We will have to try again next time!

Thailand News

Well, I've been back from Thailand for a week. I have no reason for not having updated my blog except for pure laziness and lack of motivation! Sorry!

So, Thailand was awesome! We left Sunday night and spent about 7 hours in the Bankok airport. This picture was taken after not having slept for way too many hours! After trying to sleep on the floor, we found a coffee place and sat for a very long time!


Once we got to Phuket, we spent many, many hours laying on the beach and eating Pad Thai. We really didn't do much more than eat and laze around (which could account for my present lethargy)! The picture below is of our Pad Thai and Mai Thai's. I really enjoyed the food! Today in town, I bought three packets of different Thai foods to make at my apartment! I am really excited to move into an apartment with a kitchen next year so I can cook some of these foods that I am becoming addicted to! :) Oh, we also took got an awesome foot/reflexology massage for an hour one night with the nice price tag of 6 bucks! Those women worked magic on my feet! I will need to start incorporating those into my budget back home!


On our last day in Thailand, my friend and I decided to take a little adventure to some of the islands around Phuket. The first stop was "The Beach" in which where we were told "Orlando DiCaprio" starred (the guide had an accent, but I distinctly heard Orlando DiCaprio). We sped over rough and choppy waters for an hour before reaching the first island. The weather didn't look promising (and a couple of times I thought the boat was going to break in half from all the waves we jumped), but when we arrived at the island, the sky had cleared up. We went to Malay, Phi Phi Lay, Phi Phi Don, and Kai Islands. Of all of them, the last was my favorite. It was a tiny island (I could walk around the whole thing in about 15 minutes). We also got to do some snorkeling where we saw lots of tropical fish and some giant gold brains under the water. It was a fun day--I am glad we did something on our trip other than just lay around (although, who can complain about that)!


When we needed breaks from the sun, we walked over to some of the shopping areas in search for bargains. We passed food stands like this one with strange, exotic fruits for sale. I tried a longan from this stand--it was something new for me, but very good! :) (http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/images/fruit/longan.jpg)


We returned to Korea on Sunday tan and refreshed! Classes started last Monday, and the week quickly fell back into a familiar routine. I have lots of new co-workers, but I really like them so far! This semester should be a lot easier for me than the last one! :)

Last word on Phuket and Thailand: I loved it and can't wait to go back!