Merry Christmas!

Well its been a while since I was able to post...4 days off!

Wednesday night we got off at 11 and opened our secret santa gifts at the office. haha, i felt bad that i was all excited about gettin a lamp i wanted...but didnt and it showed :-x But then, i got gloves and slippers so its all good! can have comfy feet now!
afterward, we went to eat and enjoyed just getting to know some of the staff. it was not cool taht it was promised it would be paid for---just to have avalon not pay for it anymor e(not enough staff showed up??)

I had angela so i gave her something priceless! She wanted a trash can for the bathroom...so i got her one and put toilet paper in it that looked used, etc. she also wanted a clothing rack, so i wrote her a letter that said "nice rack....coming soon!" haha, she almost thought it was bad english...then was like, its YOU! :-p

So, that ended wed... Thurs christmas!!! We had the most fantastic turkey christmas dinner at R&B. They almost didnt cook enough...probably 30 of us, 20$ each...first time they did it. But so they had stuffin, and mashed potatoes, and salad, and peas and corn, and wine. ah, it was by far a special treat! I was delighted to get to show that to hyesung too. then we had a christmas exchange...frustrated that my gift was the best. we did dirty santa...i even stole my lamp back at one point! haha, then i ended up with a picture frame and stole a chess set because the girl knew she would never play it... (brownbear and i played that night in fact!) so that ended christmas day...gifts and sort.

Friday was low key, just boring old day---everyone sleeping the day off... then fri night Justin had a house warming party. fixed food, yum, steak and peppers, more potatoes, and a great salad... and Danny came! He gave me a gift...it was a swiss army knife! A nice one! It even was perfect because we needed a wine opener...i pulled it out and was like, ha! The night ended with playing darts well into the night...i learned how to get quite a good game!

Saturday...hmm, ah yes, we went to Itawon...where the army base is...had all the recruits that James has recruited there...was suppose to be a dinner and sort.. we (angela, alex, and i) got distracted because we're looking at buying a cheap small laptop in the electronic place (like 5 min from there) and basically arrived just in time to decide on dinner---we went to this great middle eastern place and had lamb bryani and then hooka! ahah, strawberry and apple mix, just for us! Ah, they laughed at us..the lamb was a rip off (13 for 4 pieces of lamb, and plate full of bryani rice) but hooka was only 8! So, we enjoyed that...then relaxed around the area...went to many different places. I got to see Valarie, cracks me up one conversation with that girl all the way in Fort Mill, SC at Amanda's stone party struck such interest that she's now here, teaching in Korea! haah. We laughed, went to many places...SALSA! we danced a lot, laughed at the attempts to dance, etc. and it ended around 4am with us eating some great beef soup and gettin a taxi home...

Sunday was just recovering from being out every night. Heather treated justin hyesung and i to kalbi (rib meat, my favorite) and we had a really quiet night. ....except taht i had to teach monday morning at 10-12:30 and then work 3-11... so it felt like a 12 hour day! but thats ok, little extra cash, only one day...and thats why i ahvnt updated until now! so, that's my story and i'm sticking with it!

now its new years and time to do it all over again! :)

kaja!!!

End semester 1

silver bells, its christmas time in the city...

so some of you may think christmas isnt here...ur wrong, the koreans might not celebrate the same reason for the season, but to couples its very big deal! all about buying gifts for eachother and oh to be alone---drink all night christmas eve so u'll wake up the 26th! hah, kind of sad but hey, they get the day off and dont know what to do with themselves so, why not? hmm, i myself am having a huge feast at R&B with all the americans...20bucks for TURKEY! and all the goods... yes, military base hook up! expensive but well worth it, no doubt.

this week's review...

finished the semester, what a pain! got my new schedule...strictly elementary because "i'm very entergetic, and can entertain the children" well i'm no monkey, and i'll b drained..but hey, i'm slighting the economy! interesting how i wonder how i'd get by in america...just so true that i "have to go to a distant land to find a job" feh. Ahhh, but what a great experience!! tonight hyesung justin heather and i enjoyed a nice dinner of kimchi and pork grilled...it just is a certain "masheee ta" = delicious. i'm so sad that danny and heather broke up/on break...lots of drama, and hoping they will get back together! He's the man!

hmm, thats about all so far... i got a drying rack finally, Oh did i mention Julian...hyesung's friend came and spent the night on my futon, so it suffices as a "couchsurfer.com" position. lol, greatest invention!


this wed is a christmas party for work. i am in charge of planning the games and such...any ideas?!?! just ice breakers since these koreans hardly hang out (and i mean at all...)

well, thats about it folks, time to call it an early night! lots to be done!

Christmas shopping??

i got a fan! lol, 20 bucks...on sale? but not cheaper than walmart :(

owell, only place i've seen a fan! sopoooong!! (means picnic...a huuuge building thats almost vacant...sad)

haha hilarious, got the guy to turn it on for me, its open box, wanted to "test the speeds" more see if it works...it did, had a really small one...but would do for just 11 but...decided go big or go home.

haha, best part? i gave money he gave me sheet and it was copy...totally thought he said that, so i was like yes...then he gave me coffee! ahh, funny... but it was warm and perfect for the walk back. so that's fun.

well, so much for buying christmas gifts...that took longer than i wanted but it was fun! i got a few ideas... but i am also mad that they dont show prices and then they just jack the price for me -.- i found a nitendo ds charger and the guy was like 15,000! i'm like...dude, its 5 on internet. go internet! >.< fine! i will!


so still trying to get christmas gifts for secret santa and friends. ideas welcome.

Jeju-do!!!

So this update will be shorter...

First off, I GOT INTERNET!!!!!! I now can update more regularly (but probably won't) and can talk to you now! so, well, be happy!

first things first, last week was boring holding period again soo....no change...had tutor fri...
and then got little sleep and taught and then packed until around 2am...and caught the flight around 9am....took an hour to get there by train and bus! phew!

got there safe...it is fantastic!!!
right off the palm trees cracked me up...was like. realy? florida? disney world?

had a great trip just not having real plans...but the mood was SOO obvious that everyone is in vacation mindset...

so we traveled around and saw lots...photos r uploading at the moment...i'll write down the names later i hope...
basically 12pm we started at the local history site after great seafood lunch of how the island was inhabited (3 gods landed and then 3 princesses were given to them as gifts by ship with cattle)
then we went to a beach, i got tar on my heel...
next went to lava tubes
then to huge crater with gorgeous view of island and coast line...
thats about 6pm...the rented taxi dropped us off and caught the bus to the southern part of the island (hour drive) and got some great sum gup sai black pig (specialty only in jeju) and then SLEPT

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2013899&l=d26b3&id=105600042

sunday...
western/korean breakfast of bread, sausage, rice, kimchi, potatoes, kiwi, tangarine juice, yum!

took our time going to the botanical garden!!! we were exhausted from a looong week of work, so we wanted to enjoy the garden. fantastic idea in exploring the world by plants!

then waterfall, very pretty, the blue blue water was sooo clear. and the 3rd only place that hexagonal pillars grow. (giants calsway ireland, devil's tower usa, jeju korea) sweet.

took all the day, went walking, ate some fish, ate dinner and watched Alvin and the chickmunks! haha, fun.

bought lots of great things! enjoying honey and crackers as we speak!!!

lots done and now i need to focus on this week! we have testing, semester ends, presentations, and preparing for next, and then christmas party, vacation, ahhh, just glad i have internet to actually function on gettin a start on some things!

be good, hopefully i'll take a breather after this week...

Holding Period?!!? (monday)

Oh Teaching at a private business...

from the 4th until the end of this week it is Holding period.

Holding period: Avalon cannot assign homework or give detention to any student due to their intense studying for exams at school....so wait, why do these students even come!? Oh wait, only a few come like...maybe....2 per class...

Ah, so its interesting, we can't teach new material if there are only 2 students! And then you ask them why they came or what what and its usually their parents said you better go! or i wanted to talk with you and not study at home (take a break, etc.) me oh my, i never studied that hard! Not saying i'm proud of it or that i'm some genius. just in awe of how hard they work!

its taught me to appreciate the hard work is paying off---a country that some 50 years ago rose out of its dust and has achieved so much! and how impressive.

friday i had the pleasure of relaxing at jusima...a local joint with good food and the greatest guy: young won. haha. and he also is a great man of loyalty to his family and running the business with his parents for the past 5 years (he's around 29 i believe) and works from 11pm until 7am roughly. yes, long hours, great laughs, many memories.

I got the pleasure to meet Hyesung's sister in Seoul. I was invited to help move a few things and it was fun meeting her sister. I did not know that Hyesung went to the best university in Korea...and her sister is there right now! Oh how honored her parents are (i can tell its quite the big deal) and her sis is studying art. As such, i became an instant subject for her next project haha. My long eyelashs and green eyes and gold hair, pictures pictures pictures! haha, i knew she wanted to (i can't blame her, with looks like these??? ha..) nah, but so i was like, go ahead and then it was just a hilarious evening of laughter and sharing of pictures and trading music and ideas (her sister knows english but doesn't speak it easily) but it was fun! Ok so that was fun, had great dinner too, saw a korean set up, felt like college life haha and then the real work..

Due to moving and such, her sister is also moving (they lived together) so its all chaos but fun. She let me borrow her rice cooker!!! I was greatly saddened by how expensive they are here....i bought my cheap one for 15 dollars at Target but here the cheapest is fancy and around 45 USD, so yes, a treasure!!! Carrying it around the subway was funny in my huge bag and fixing rice...glorious.

Now Sunday...I enjoyed the Seoul Metro Museum of Art exhibit from france.

www.pompidou2008.kr

Danny, heather, justin, hyesung and i all enjoyed a fantastic lunch (the best sirloin beef, ever.) and cold noodles, and dah (this chewy rice that i'm coming to loooove!) just ahh, and then on to the museum! The art was fun and audio guide was entertaining. we came outside and it was snowing! very pretty. Oh snow always makes me a kid! Then we drove back to bucheon...danny loves his sport car...haha.

Upon returning, hyesung and i decided to just enjoy a movie and order some chinese! woohoo! haha, and it was really good to rest instead of run around. so its now also time to plan trip to Japan and see risa! more to come... (might update after going in fact...since thats next weekend!)

Goal: Go to the old baths in Kyoto and visit Risa in Osaka. Lots to prepare!

Ah, semester ends dec. 19th! then its 2 days of work, then 4 days off for christmas, then 2 days of work, then 4 days for new year!... yes, lots to prepare!

mobile phone!

oh my travels...

week at a glance

Last sunday i left off with going to dinner with heather and danny for some great curry. it was an early night and all..

I am really glad i got to meet them and share great memories.

monday and wed classes (middleschool) sucked with not being able to give homework, only 50 minute classes, and "holding" meaning i can't teach a new lesson unless half the class is there...but even then only at a slow pace. Ah, horrible.

So Thursday was thanksgiving! we tested the elementary students and they did fine...regular grading etc...then that night we went to get chicken! (since its the only bird we could find...open after 11pm) It was delish, and ate until around 4am...haha. work on friday was all but a joke... :-x

Friday night i had some what of a get together with the foreign teachers. it turned into more going to a bar but they did come! and have good times and i enjoyed how the night turned out. It was Gia, Christine, and Hye Young. Gia sits next to me in our office, she has a bf and really is amused by me and my (failing) attempt to learn korean. Christine is shy but warms up to friends, and a great girl. hye young is my korean tutor. Then you had justin, angela, Alex, hyesung and I all the usual. So we just frankly broke the ice and i really hope they now take the initiative to make it happen again. All you can do is try.

Saturday...was not a good morning. haha. We spent 3 hours trying to get a phone...great deal and all but after it all he failed to mention he wouldn't have the phone until monday! So 10,000 won ($10) phone and 20,000 a month, and i even get to watch tv on it for free, and it has a 2.0 mpxl camera, and mp3 player, and korean/english dictionary. like whoah. so execellent..but i want it NOW! sooo, to make his customer happy, the guy gave me a poster of the My Sassy girl actress because i'm a kid and just had to ask for it, hahaha, oh me.

Sat night: wow, Jjimjilbang!!! this has got to be the greatest korean cultural glee ever. a hot bath, hot sauna, cold sauna, and salt sauna. like the room is HUGE and its just like 68C... and then a room that doesnt even TELL you how hot it is...just know that koreans seriously dont sweat...and this room made them sweat (a little) while i pretty much took a shower!!! wow, but my pores felt sooo good, and the cold room was -1 C so it was just...oddly felt really clear and crisp. then u top off with the salt rocks room. It has salt rocks on the ground that are way too hot...feels like daytona beach sand on a hot hot day...and i could barely lay down on it. but that air was the best and really healthy for you...not sure why though haha.
The hot bath, as you've heard probably, is not co-ed and so you get in the tub naked. huuuge room, 3 tubs (1 regular hot water, 1 greentea, 1 ginsing) and then a cold shallow pool and showers and ah, its a bath house but now luxery and comfort all rolled into one. SO yes, it was awkward for the first few minutes when 2 foreigners walk in...but once i got in that water---nothing matters! Alex (angela's bf) did well too of being comfortable, and just really a fantastic relaxing evening after such a horrible morning. Oh, it was Angela, hyesung, alex, and i...so we all were like little kids (among a wholelot of kids running arond the place...at about 1am!!!) and played uno and ate some great snack until around 2:30am and then called it quits. ah, how glorious. this is a place to be revisited.

sunday was moving day for hyesung, she is a korean girl that taught herself english as a hobby while she was in college. She's now teaching at a different hagwon and just moved to bucheon instead of commuting the 2 hours from her place near Seoul. Luckily it was not a bad task at all, just picked it all up in one load (the american champs we get it done!) and half scared her new housemate---she had never heard so much english spoken before! its a nice place and close by, so thats good. She's now moved in and now that she's closer she'll be able to hang out more. i got to admit i'm impressed.

That sums up my week. Some things to take away:

I so want an iTouch 32gig...That's my christmas gift to myself :-D

Asians see things in relationships, not in hard facts. they understand through context in language..not exact words. Such as: While i was eating, he called. This is very clear in english. In korean, time is not as important but implied through context. So it would be: you ate, he called. obviously u missed the call...u were busy eating. ah, fun lessons.

some other things is how much image means to these people...they would buy the same exact thing from the hyundai dept store because its all fancy stores and such...instead of buying it at emart because then they can say "i shop at hyundai" eh, can't blame 'em. In charlotte its like "i shop at nordstrom, southpark, etc... instead of walmart" ah, people are teh same everywehre!

Well, let the new week begin! I get my phone tomorrow and next step...internet!!!!

This weekend was great!
Hyesung and I went to meet her best friend and had some tasty tasty curry! you can see pics of it here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2013612&l=36a3f&id=105600042

So that was that...the bus ride was rather long, but owell, it was fun!
hmm, then sunday it was the awesome time always had with danny and heather... we ate and laughed and danny is learning english! So we had some more convo than before..i was also able to use korean words... crazy how little communication u really need! shows you what's really important.

well, now its just tests for the lil kiddies, oh how tired they are! If they get a really good score...they get to go to an english school---and then in hopes of going to USA or europe for highschool/college! And thats like the ultimate dream! (then they end up there and realize it sucks...and never study..and just become american, lol)

me ahnn (sorry)