From December to Ringin' in 2009!
January 20, 2009
Hello!!!
Whew! That past few months went by in a blur.. I am sure the holidays are busy for everyone, so I won't elaborate! Over the past few days, I have been mulling over this chronicles in my head.. I'm still not sure which way to go with my Chronicles right now.. so this may be all over the place.. but I'm sure you know.. that is how my brain usually works! Let me catch you up to speed on what has been happening in the past few months..
First updates from my last Chronicles.. I have had to stop running.. I'm biking right now because I was having issues with my knees amongst other things - nothing serious, just annoying.. I guess this crazy cat is getting older huh? :) Although.. the experience at the hospital was a story in itself... It brought me back to the wonderful memories of my first week in Korea, since I had to go to the hospital to get a physical in order to obtain my residency card. There doesn't seem to be any privacy rules at the hospital here.. for example: when I first got here.. I was given a cup for a sample (we all know what kind, I don't need to write it). When I returned with said sample.. the nurse beckoned for me to place my cup on a tray in the hallway that was full of other people's full cups!
My school hasn't been offering the Korean classes for the past 2 months.. at this point, I'm not sure I will bother.. If I decide to come back, that is when I will start some classes, if I don't come back, I will probably never use Korean ever again.. Instead, I am working on my Spanish.. yeah, learning Spanish in Korea.. only me! I met some Brazilian friends who have told me they could help out in exchange for - get this - SALSA lessons!! hahaha - no joke.. but it is difficult to manage my time during the week since I am using my feet and public transport to get around. So, I am doing it on my own at the moment. You might be able to tell that I am still a little up in the air as to where I might be next year.. but I have some plans slowly forming in my mind... to be shared when they are solid!
We did go to DMZ. It was pretty cool to see the history laid out like that.. although it was a little anti-climatic looking over a balcony to the horizon of North Korea.. BUT, it was pretty dang cool when I remembered that I am in a place that Papa (my grandpa) had been several years before. Unfortunately, North Korea closed the border to South Korea on December 1st, so sadly, I wasn't able to hike into North Korea.
For the Christmas celebrations... we saw a little makeshift, odd little play called the Reindeer Monologues.. a little off the wall, but it was cool to see some basement theater and go somewhere new. I had a lot of job responsibilities in Dec. with Christmas and the vacation time.. I had to squeeze the same amount of work into a smaller amount of time. Other than that I spent a lot of December soakin' up some time with my pal Rachel. She left Korea about 2 weeks ago. (miss ya Rach) Then, there was Boracay... an amazing place!! I could never do my experience there justice, so I won't even try.. but lets just say that it was a much needed break that I took full advantage of. It rained a bit, but it didn't even matter.. the people there are so kind and friendly, the water is transparently turquoise and the sand is a light ivory color. I read an article about how people in the Philippines are considered the happiest people on earth.. and I believe it, after 1 day there I was already absorbing the rays of sunshine radiating off of the people of Boracay.
Boarding the boat to Boracay Lauren enjoying the sea breeze on our boat tour Evenings enjoying music on the beach
ok, now that you are updated on my last e-mail.. whew.. this is long.. here is your intermission.. go on.. get a drink, something to eat.. make a phone call.. I'll wait..
So! New years went by in a flash!!! I don't even really recall where all my time went.. and it wasn't because I partied too hard.. I guess I was just catching up with my friends that stayed behind and brushing up on some of my suppressed right brain activities. I have started working on my artistic self in Jan. we will see if it sticks.. We rang in the new year at the 'times square' of Korea.. they had this massive percussion performance, but there were so many people there, we couldn't hear any of it.. they started the countdown and I realized that I never learned Korean numbers.. so I had no idea what number we were on.. but we got the idea when everyone started cheering. It was strange to think that I was celebrating new years when most of you were still sleeping back in 2008!! You were sooooo last year!
Sparklers... dangerous in a crowd of people! HELLO 2009!!!!
Now in 2009!! Not sure if I am into making resolutions.. besides, I am working on just about everything under the sun right now.. but.. if you have a resolution.. would love to hear it.. clearly you know by now, I am soooo into these touchy feely re-inventing yourself things these days! :)
This month at school has been especially busy. My school is called a 'hagwon'.. it is a kindergarten with after school classes for kids that go to 'non-English' schools in the daytime.. In January, the 'non-English' speaking schools get a month long vacation.. but rather than have fun on their winter break, these kids go to 'winter intensives'.. which also bulks up my class schedule. These kids work so hard.. I can't remember if I told you before that many of my kids favorite hobbies are proclaimed to be studying and doing homework! I am surprised sometimes that some of the girls still want to be princesses when they grow up.. seems so impractical for the 6 year old Korean girl these days.. :)
Judy showing me how to make a princess hat..
I am still trying to fit in as much as possible.. last week I went hiking with some of my friends to Mt. Daedun.. most of the adventure was getting there.. we took all forms of transportation.. subway to KTX rapid transit train to taxi to bus to cable car... once at the top... we climbed many icy stairs to a suspension bridge then some more to this long slender metal stairway connecting two peaks.. talk about getting over fear of heights!! then.. we had to put our shoe straps on for the rest of the hike because there was some snow, yeah, shoe straps!! I feel like a real hiker now.. [(Sorry Kath..) I am too embarrassed to use my hiking sticks cuz it is a pretty big joke here how so very INTO hiking the Koreans are with their matching brighly colored hiking outfits, massive visors, and extensive collection of hiking paraphernalia.]
Kristina and Lauren sporting the hiking spikes!
Kathy (my sis) is coming to Korea in 2 days!!! She is bringing MY NEPHEW Marty.. YAY!! Still feels a little crazy to think I have a nephew.. this will be the first time I have seen him since he was born just one month after I left! I can't even tell you how elated I am! I haven't planned much because with baby, I have heard it is best to play it by ear.. :) After Hawaii and Florida, I think Kathy is in for a reminder of how 'wonderful' the freezin cold weather is!! I may purchase her a pair of the ever so hip Korean fashion statement: The Legwarmer!! Yeah.. that's right.. I own my very own pair.. rockin' it Bayside style (for those of you that are not savvy to Beldings Bayside style.. that is a "Saved by the Bell" reference..
Again.. I think I am going to have to stop.. I want to keep your attention.. back in the day.. I would never read through an e-mail this long... now look at me now.. I'm the one typing them!!!
Pictures on the way!!
Hello!!!
Whew! That past few months went by in a blur.. I am sure the holidays are busy for everyone, so I won't elaborate! Over the past few days, I have been mulling over this chronicles in my head.. I'm still not sure which way to go with my Chronicles right now.. so this may be all over the place.. but I'm sure you know.. that is how my brain usually works! Let me catch you up to speed on what has been happening in the past few months..
First updates from my last Chronicles.. I have had to stop running.. I'm biking right now because I was having issues with my knees amongst other things - nothing serious, just annoying.. I guess this crazy cat is getting older huh? :) Although.. the experience at the hospital was a story in itself... It brought me back to the wonderful memories of my first week in Korea, since I had to go to the hospital to get a physical in order to obtain my residency card. There doesn't seem to be any privacy rules at the hospital here.. for example: when I first got here.. I was given a cup for a sample (we all know what kind, I don't need to write it). When I returned with said sample.. the nurse beckoned for me to place my cup on a tray in the hallway that was full of other people's full cups!
My school hasn't been offering the Korean classes for the past 2 months.. at this point, I'm not sure I will bother.. If I decide to come back, that is when I will start some classes, if I don't come back, I will probably never use Korean ever again.. Instead, I am working on my Spanish.. yeah, learning Spanish in Korea.. only me! I met some Brazilian friends who have told me they could help out in exchange for - get this - SALSA lessons!! hahaha - no joke.. but it is difficult to manage my time during the week since I am using my feet and public transport to get around. So, I am doing it on my own at the moment. You might be able to tell that I am still a little up in the air as to where I might be next year.. but I have some plans slowly forming in my mind... to be shared when they are solid!
We did go to DMZ. It was pretty cool to see the history laid out like that.. although it was a little anti-climatic looking over a balcony to the horizon of North Korea.. BUT, it was pretty dang cool when I remembered that I am in a place that Papa (my grandpa) had been several years before. Unfortunately, North Korea closed the border to South Korea on December 1st, so sadly, I wasn't able to hike into North Korea.
For the Christmas celebrations... we saw a little makeshift, odd little play called the Reindeer Monologues.. a little off the wall, but it was cool to see some basement theater and go somewhere new. I had a lot of job responsibilities in Dec. with Christmas and the vacation time.. I had to squeeze the same amount of work into a smaller amount of time. Other than that I spent a lot of December soakin' up some time with my pal Rachel. She left Korea about 2 weeks ago. (miss ya Rach) Then, there was Boracay... an amazing place!! I could never do my experience there justice, so I won't even try.. but lets just say that it was a much needed break that I took full advantage of. It rained a bit, but it didn't even matter.. the people there are so kind and friendly, the water is transparently turquoise and the sand is a light ivory color. I read an article about how people in the Philippines are considered the happiest people on earth.. and I believe it, after 1 day there I was already absorbing the rays of sunshine radiating off of the people of Boracay.
Boarding the boat to Boracay Lauren enjoying the sea breeze on our boat tour Evenings enjoying music on the beach
ok, now that you are updated on my last e-mail.. whew.. this is long.. here is your intermission.. go on.. get a drink, something to eat.. make a phone call.. I'll wait..
So! New years went by in a flash!!! I don't even really recall where all my time went.. and it wasn't because I partied too hard.. I guess I was just catching up with my friends that stayed behind and brushing up on some of my suppressed right brain activities. I have started working on my artistic self in Jan. we will see if it sticks.. We rang in the new year at the 'times square' of Korea.. they had this massive percussion performance, but there were so many people there, we couldn't hear any of it.. they started the countdown and I realized that I never learned Korean numbers.. so I had no idea what number we were on.. but we got the idea when everyone started cheering. It was strange to think that I was celebrating new years when most of you were still sleeping back in 2008!! You were sooooo last year!
Sparklers... dangerous in a crowd of people! HELLO 2009!!!!
Now in 2009!! Not sure if I am into making resolutions.. besides, I am working on just about everything under the sun right now.. but.. if you have a resolution.. would love to hear it.. clearly you know by now, I am soooo into these touchy feely re-inventing yourself things these days! :)
This month at school has been especially busy. My school is called a 'hagwon'.. it is a kindergarten with after school classes for kids that go to 'non-English' schools in the daytime.. In January, the 'non-English' speaking schools get a month long vacation.. but rather than have fun on their winter break, these kids go to 'winter intensives'.. which also bulks up my class schedule. These kids work so hard.. I can't remember if I told you before that many of my kids favorite hobbies are proclaimed to be studying and doing homework! I am surprised sometimes that some of the girls still want to be princesses when they grow up.. seems so impractical for the 6 year old Korean girl these days.. :)
Judy showing me how to make a princess hat..
I am still trying to fit in as much as possible.. last week I went hiking with some of my friends to Mt. Daedun.. most of the adventure was getting there.. we took all forms of transportation.. subway to KTX rapid transit train to taxi to bus to cable car... once at the top... we climbed many icy stairs to a suspension bridge then some more to this long slender metal stairway connecting two peaks.. talk about getting over fear of heights!! then.. we had to put our shoe straps on for the rest of the hike because there was some snow, yeah, shoe straps!! I feel like a real hiker now.. [(Sorry Kath..) I am too embarrassed to use my hiking sticks cuz it is a pretty big joke here how so very INTO hiking the Koreans are with their matching brighly colored hiking outfits, massive visors, and extensive collection of hiking paraphernalia.]
Kristina and Lauren sporting the hiking spikes!
Kathy (my sis) is coming to Korea in 2 days!!! She is bringing MY NEPHEW Marty.. YAY!! Still feels a little crazy to think I have a nephew.. this will be the first time I have seen him since he was born just one month after I left! I can't even tell you how elated I am! I haven't planned much because with baby, I have heard it is best to play it by ear.. :) After Hawaii and Florida, I think Kathy is in for a reminder of how 'wonderful' the freezin cold weather is!! I may purchase her a pair of the ever so hip Korean fashion statement: The Legwarmer!! Yeah.. that's right.. I own my very own pair.. rockin' it Bayside style (for those of you that are not savvy to Beldings Bayside style.. that is a "Saved by the Bell" reference..
Again.. I think I am going to have to stop.. I want to keep your attention.. back in the day.. I would never read through an e-mail this long... now look at me now.. I'm the one typing them!!!
Pictures on the way!!