Hola again

Hello all. Sorry it has been so long since I have written. I hope you are still reading! Over a month since the last post...wow. Time is flying here in Korea. I will try to update you on the happenings of my life in as few sentences as possible.

Last time I wrote we were just finishing up Lunar Break. Since then, we have had another break. We had all last week off and while most people traveled, I stayed in cold Korea. It was wonderful because Mom and Dad came to visit me! It was so fun to have them here and for them to experience my life here. Besides the food and the crowds everywhere, I think they enjoyed their trip. We spent the first few days in and around Daejeon before heading to Suwon to the folk village and on to Seoul, where we did all the touristy stuff: Insadong traditional markets, Seoul Tower, palaces, museums, the DMZ tour, and my favorite--Nanta, a modern-day dance/percussion show with tidbits of Korean cultural dance.

Besides my parents visit, I have been keeping busy around Daejeon. Many of my friends have celebrated birthdays recently, so I have been getting my fill of cake! Mmm. Recently I have met lots of people from church who don't work at the school and have been spending time with them. They have introduced me to a Korean class. It is pretty intensive. 1-on-1 instruction for 1.5 hours. My head hurts so bad by the time it is done, but I really really want to learn so it's worth it.

I have also been staying involved in school activities. On February 13-14 Seoul Foreign School hosted a 30 Hour Famine. We had about 50 students from TCIS attend and I chaperoned. Along with the 130 from SFS the students raised $25,000! It was an awesome event. A bit challenging to get 60 middle school girls all sleeping in the same room to shut up and go to sleep, but besides that it was a lot of fun.

On Friday, February 20, all of the middle school World Language teachers collaborated to plan an event in which all the students--Korean, Spanish, and Mandarin--came together and had a joint class. We called it the World Language Festival. The students gave presentations about what they have learned in their respective classes and we all learned a little bit of all the languages. Then, the students formed groups with all the classes mixed up and went to various stations and played games from Mexico, Korea, and China. There was also a station where they made mandu, or dumplings. At the end of class we broke a pinata. The kids loved it and it was a lot of fun...and educational of course. :)

Now I am coaching the high school Swim Team. I am still getting to know the girls, but so far I am enjoying it. We have our first meet on Saturday so hopefully it goes well. I'm sure it will be a good time no matter what because it is at OSAN, the U.S. Military base. And that means we get to eat lunch at Chile's! I'm pretty excited.

Well, I hope this is a sufficient update. Things are still going well. My leg is finally healing and I can pretty much walk normally now. I still have a little pain sometimes, but I am going to the doctor again on Friday for hopefully the last time.

I am looking forward to the rest of the year here. In April, I am going on a mission trip to the Phillipines. Then, just a short 6 weeks later, my friend Lyndsey and I will be embarking on our around-the-world adventure. Beijing, Cairo, Spain, Toronto, and then home for the summer. It won't be long now!