My computer's fixed!

After a long week or so of having a broken computer I have finally got it working again. So, I guess it is time for another blog entry. :) So far nothing too exciting has been going on in my life. Just the normal: work, coaching, more work, hanging out with friends. Time is still flying by though. We started 4th quarter this week. I can't believe we only have 8 more weeks left of school! I have survived the final parent-teacher conferences of the year. They are always so interesting since not all the parents speak English. I always wonder how much is lost in translation. haha. I did get to talk to a good number of parents, though. After the conferences were over all of the middle school teachers went out for sam-gae-tang, which is a small whole chicken in a bowl. It was tasty...and something I hadn't tried yet.

What I am most looking forward to now is spring break. We leave next Saturday (just one week! ahh!) for our LASA trip to the Phillipines! We are staying on the island of Boracay...home to one of the best beaches to visit I'm told. And we will only be 5 min. away! I am going with a great group of kids and adults. The high school Spanish teacher, one of my RA friends, and two other middle school teachers make up the leaders. As for the students, I don't know many high schoolers, but I actually know some of the team members from swim team. There is only 1 girl going so that will be a little strange, but I don't think it will be a problem. Pray that we have safe travels (it will take us 6 hours--2 flights and a ferry ride) and a safe trip as we will be doing some pretty intense construction I am told. I guess they had students up on scaffolding on the last trip, which makes me worried because I'm the trip nurse! I'm sure I will have plenty of stories upon returning so stay tuned. :)

A busy week...whew

Hi all, so much has happened this week that I thought I would write a quick entry so I don't get too far behind. I am writing this post from school because my computer crashed this week! Sadly, there will not be any pictures for now, but I will add some later!

Ok, so this is my week:
Monday: After a full day of teaching we had the World Hunger Banquet to raise money for Zibabwean refugees in Mozambique. It was a great event in which all attendees were split into low, middle, and high income sections. I was in the middle so I got a slice of pizza and a can of coke for dinner. Most people got a bowl of rice and a select few got an amazing pasta and grilled chicken dinner with chocolate cake for dessert. The students did a good job presenting information and providing entertainment...and promoting the event. There were over 250 people there and with a 25,000 won ticket they raised over 9 million won!

Tuesday: Tuesday was my b-day and I had a great day. After school I had swimming practice. As soon as I got back to the school I was met by a group of friends. We went out to eat at a local restuarant and then headed to the middle school band concert (so much fun!) which was followed with some cake in Jaesoon.

Wednesday: After school I once again had swimming practice. After eating dinner with a couple of teachers and the new student teacher, we went to a performance of "The Knights of the RAD Table" by one of the middle school drama classes. It was a great performance. I mean, I was laughing out loud! After that some of my hogwan friends came over to celebrate my b-day and chat until way later than I wanted to be up!

Thursday: School, practice, and then a meeting for our upcoming LASA trip to the Phillipines. I am so excited for the trip! We are going to Boracay. There are a few swimmers going on the trip with me so I already know some of the students. We will be doing work, distributing food to 50 little kids, and spending a good deal of time after work at the beach that's 5 minutes away. Yay! Anyway, after the meeting my friend Lyndsey and I hit up Jin and Kino's--a great little American restuarant by the school that had been closed for quite awhile since Jin and Kino were in the US--before heading to the high school band/choir concert. I wanted to go since lots of my swimmers were performing, but I was definitely tired after and went right to bed!

Friday: Today hasn't been any less exciting than the rest of the week. This morning we celebrated Pi Day by having a contest to see who had memorized the most digits of pi. One of my 8th grade students was the winner...88 digits!!! After 2 classes and lunch we began the middle school Creative Arts Show, a quaterly event in which the students present what they have been doing in their art classes. It was great. When it finished there was only about 1/2 an hour of class left. After school I went to my Korean class which left me mentally drained, but I feel like I'm learning something. Now, I am at school working on calculating final Q3 grades which are due on Monday. Eek!

Well, I gotta get back to work. Hopefully my computer will be fixed soon and I can get some pictures up from all these great events (and our second swim meet tomorrow), but until then you will just have to imagine the fun...and chaos...that I have been experiencing this week. :)

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!

Snow, Snow, Snow

Yep, snow is falling as I speak. It has snowed here almost everyday for the past 2 weeks. I guess it is really uncommon to get that much of the white stuff here. It's been pretty cold, too, with wind chills in the single digits (farenheit). Maybe I just bring winter with me wherever I go. hehe. Those of you that know me well know that I don't mind snow when it doesn't last long, when I don't have to drive in it, and when I get to go sledding. Luckily, the snow never last very long here. It is usually melted by the time school gets out with the exception of yesterday where there were a couple inches all day! I do not have to drive in it which is so nice. I do not miss scraping the car, that's for sure. The only bad thing about this snow is that I can't go sledding in it. I am still recovering from my broken leg. I got the cast off on Thursday (YAY!), but my muscle is so weak that I can't really walk properly. I am trying to do stretches and build up the muscle as quickly as I can so that I can get back to being active.

Other than the weather, things are going well here. Right now we are in the middle of a five-day weekend because of Lunar New Year, the biggest holiday in Korea after Chusok in September. I am just hanging around Daejeon resting, watching movies, and being with friends. It has been great so far to get some much-needed relaxation since I have been on the go a lot lately.

I am posting links to some pictures. Just click on the underlined words to see them. You will have to go to the end of all the albums to see the new ones. Some are from Alicia's visit to Daejeon the first week in January. Others are from our time in Seoul together. We had another swim meet on Saturday so I have added more to the swim meet album. I also have some of my co-workers and I on twin day at school. Last week was Spirit week so we had dress-up days. Monday was black and gold day, Tuesday was crazy day, Wednesday was twin day, Thursday was opposite gender day, and Friday--my favorite day--was "bring a cuddly stuffed animal to school" day. The kids were so funny, and almost everyone brought a stuffed animal. It was great fun. I wish I had more pics from the week, but be sure to check them out.

Cabbage decorating the side of the road. Why use flowers when you can use cabbage? :-D

Back in the Groove

I have almost survived the second week 1. Today was the last heavy day of the week so the way I see it is already done. :) I have gotten back into the groove of getting up early, working all day, and doing the same the next day. It's weird though because we all think that time seems to be moving so slowly. Maybe it is just because we are being so productive. ;) I worked a basketball game last night and had swim practice today and Tuesday.

I can still tell, however, that this week is different. It seemed like week 1 again because the break from school was so long. I could tell the students were feeling the same way because by 2:00 everyday they were wiped out. It was really fun to go back and see all the students again, and even more fun when they shouted hello from down the hall or across the field. They were excited to be back, too. And rested, which has resulted in them being more motivated and well-behaved. All of the teachers are hoping it lasts! One of the highlights of the week is that I have new students! I have 3 new Spanish students (now all my classes have an even number :-D) and 3 new Bible students. 2 of my Bible students moved to mainstream classes so it was a nice surprise to see I had picked up so many more. They all seem like really nice kids, but I definitely have challenges ahead of me. Especially trying to get the Spanish students caught up to the rest of the class. It has made my other students realize how much they have learned, though.

It was a good week, but I am so ready for the weekend. We have another MS swim meet on Saturday and this one looks to be an even longer day. We are leaving at 6:00 a.m. and probably won't be back until 6:00 pm! I will let you know if I survive that one!

A School Night

It has arrived...another school night which means that our three-week break for Christmas is over. Although I admit I'm not ready to go back, I had a fantastic break. Three teacher friends and I went to Thailand for the first two weeks. We took off right away on December 20th and returned on January 4th. The trip began in Phuket where we stayed at a resort not far from two popular beaches. Besides sitting on the beach we took a couple speedboat tours to nearby islands, saw a show, had a few massages (they are so cheap there!), and shopped...a lot. Even though I couldn't get in the ocean because of my cast, I was still able to do most things. My favorite part of the trip was the sea kayaking. I have posted some pics; to see them click here.

The second leg of our trip took us to Chiang Mai in the north. We left Phuket on Christmas day and a taxi ride, flight, another taxi ride, and a 15 hour train ride later, we finally arrived to our destination. In Chiang Mai we stayed at a place called the Juniper Tree and it was amazing. Not only was it beautiful and we had a large space, but they also provided meals and did our laundry. I think Chiang Mai was my favorite place because of all there is to do there. We shopped at the large night market; visited silk, jewelry, and umbrella factories; rode elephants; went whitewater rafting; and ATVed through the jungle/mountains. It was so fun! Everyone thought I was crazy when I first showed up and doubted that I would be able to with a broken leg, but I didn't let it slow me down too much. It did prevent me from doing the zip line adventure which I have been wanting to do for a long time, but I know I will do it someday. Chiang Mai pictures

After our time in Chiang Mai we took the train back to Bangkok. Some of Sarah's friends picked us up and took us to another friend's house where we stayed for the next few days. Our time in Bangkok was really relaxing. We visited the Grand Palace one day and took a tour to a floating market and cultural show another, but besides that we spent time resting and going wherever we felt, which usually took us to a mall (even though we were extremely shopped out by the time we arrived). My favorite part of our time there was the last day when we just hung out with our new Thai friends all day. Some of the girls came over to make us lunch and then in the evening everyone came over to "our house" and played cards, slept for a few hours, and then saw us off at 3:00 AM. Follow the link for more pictures.

Upon returning to Korea I headed straight to Seoul to meet Alicia. She and a friend spent the week here and it was wonderful to have them. We did some sightseeing in Seoul before coming back to Daejeon to shop (what else! :-P) and experience some of the local culture. We also took a daytrip to Daedunsan, a nearby mountain. It was really nice and I plan to go back there when my leg heals as well. On Friday night we caught a bus back to Incheon since their flight left early Saturday morning. The visit was too short, but really good. Pictures will be coming from that, too.

And that brings me to today. Winter is here and it is COLD...so I'm trying to get acclimated to the temperature (Thailand had perfect weather). I also went in to school and worked for a couple hours to prepare myself for tomorrow. Hopefully the week isn't too busy, but I have a feeling it will be with a swim meet coming up this weekend. Not to mention the 4-hour season premier of American Idol. :)

Another one bites the dust.. Me!

Most of you have probably heard already, but I am now the 4th new staff person to be on crutches this semester. We've decided we are cursed and those who haven't been struck yet are getting a little worried. :-P Thanks to a little accident at staff volleyball Wednesday night I am now struggling with a fractured fibula and the idea of being on crutches and in a cast for 6 weeks. This presents more of a problem than it seems, not only because I walk everywhere, but also because I leave for Thailand on Saturday! I will be getting a new cast on Friday, I got new crutches today, and I am getting help from good friends to clean my house and pack my bags tomorrow. Then, despite my injury, I will be all ready for a little rest and relaxation. It's been difficult to change my expectations for the trip, but now that I have, I am looking forward to it again. I will still be able to enjoy the warm weather, lay on the beach, ride an elephant, and see the snake charmers. I just hope we don't have too much walking! I am going to call the airport though and get wheelchair service for the air travel parts of the trip, which will allow us to avoid standing in any lines and board the plane first. hehe.

I am surrounded by such amazing people that my spirits haven't dampened too much. I have been getting lots of help doing everything which is cool. My friends even brought the party to my house last night so that I didn't have to walk anywhere. Also, although the timing might seem completely awful for an injury like this, in some respects it is just as good a time as any...many better. This week at school has been a breeze. We have been celebrating Christmas, meaning that I don't have to stress out about planning, being on time, or even moving out of the workroom much. Today I led the board games track (just like SEW). I was supposed to go caroling at the children's ward in the hospital, but I had a good time playing Scrabble...even more entertaining with ESL students. (Is fod a word? What about nome? knof? phuk? hahaha). In the afternoon about 100 students and faculty went ice skating. Luckily that didn't produce any injuries, however some kids claim they fell over 15 times! I stayed behind and watched a movie with the 30+ kids who didn't want to go. We watched Millions. I had never heard of it, but it was a pretty good movie. Now, we just have two more days left. I am going to be making horchata and tortilla chips with my Spanish classes. Mmmmmm!

Winter is here!

Well, winter has officially set in here. Not only have the highs been below 0 (celcius, that is), but Friday morning I awoke to see snow falling outside my window! This weekend is definitely the coolest is has been so far, but that didn't spoil it. On Friday night I ran the scoreboard for the basketball games...4 in a row! Then, on Saturday morning I got up early to go to the MS swim meet at KIS (click link for pictures). The ride there was early and freezing. I think there was a problem with the heat on the bus because the windows had ice forming on the inside. It was nice and toasty in the pool area though. Everyone had a good time at the meet. Although most of our swimmers are beginners, they were excited about their swims all the same. Some of them did really well and it was good to see them succeed; especially those who don't exactly succeed in school. Saturday night it was so cold I didn't want to leave my house, but luckily a friend called and I enjoyed a night of hot tea and card games. It was a lot of fun. Then, today after church I went to a local orphanage. We had pizza with the kids and then had a Christmas party. Santa was there and delivered the gifts we had brought. It was great, but it was the first time I was really frustrated not knowing Korean. It definitely motivates me to keep studying. Now I just have to find the time!

Thankfulness

Since Thanksgiving was this past week, I have been trying to take time to think about all the things I am thankful for. I have realized that they are numerous. Of course, I am thankful for the normal things...a loving family (who is coming to visit me soon!) and great friends. But I am thankful for much more than that. My life has been truly blessed. I am so thankful for the opportunities I've had to live all over the world and experience new and different things. I'm thankful I have a job that I love and to which I enjoy going most days. I'm thankful to have colleagues that are incredibly supportive and caring and willingly teach me how I can improve. I'm thankful that I am financially stable and am able to spend money on myself and my travels often. :) I'm thankful to have a job and lifestyle that allow me to travel. I'm thankful that my life has purpose. I'm thankful for friends who challenge me. I'm thankful for strangers who encourage me. I'm thankful for my safety; something that is usually taken forgranted, but has been on my mind since people from my school left Mumbai (even the same part of town!) just 1 day before the terrorist attacks. I'm thankful that I always have people to lean on...near and far. Life is so good, and there is so much to be grateful for. When I stop and think about it, it amazes me.

This week was a good one. On Tuesday I received a package from people at Central. Inside were about 100 notes of encouragement. Some were from friends and others from complete strangers, but all of them brought a smile to my face. Not to mention a few tears at the incredibly kind words and rush of memories from school. It was great. Then, on Friday, Bethany came to Daejeon to visit me. It was a blast...we ate a lot at Thanksgiving dinner on Friday night then went to a DVD bang. On Saturday we spent the day shopping for xmas gifts, decorating my apartment, eating French toast, and hanging out at a coffee shop playing uno and dutch blitz. :) Sunday was church and shopping at Costco before she caught the train home. It was awesome to have her here; it's so fun to have such a good friend in Korea, too. Someone to share my experiences here.

Alegria

Alegria means happiness, but I didn't name this post just because I am happy. Alegria is the cause of my happiness! Yesterday was a very productive day. In the morning I did my dishes, cleaned my house, and did grocery shopping all before meeting Sarah, Janey, and Lyndsey. We hopped on a noon train to Seoul and after a quick bite to eat at Coex Mall we were on our way to the Big Top to see Cirque du Soleil: Alegria. I was so excited because ever since I was in Jr. High and saw Cirque du Soleil on TV I have wanted to see a live show. I was not disappointed. It was absolutely AMAZING! Unfortunately, I couldn't take any pictures, but if you want to see some of the unbelievable acts I saw you can search "Alegria, Cirque du Soleil" on Youtube and almost all of them come up. Some of my favorite acts were the hula hoop girl, the contortionists, the trampoline gymnasts, the high flying trapeze artists, and the Russian bars. It was so incredible to see the strength and athleticism of the performers. They were seriously better than Olympic gymnasts (0f course, they are getting paid), and many of them were really young. The music was great, too; I have been singing it all day! So...I am happy. Another one of my life goals accomplished. However, I wouldn't hesistate to accomplish that one again. :-D

Updated photo album