I fail. Again.
I said that I would update this more often. Yeah, that was over ... three months ago? Fail. Fail, fail, fail.
Okay. What has happened since April?
Well, for starters, I hit my one year mark. That's right, I have officially been in Korea for one year and counting. Wahoo! Annnnd I signed on for another ... and couldn't be happier. I really, truly, honestly love it here. I have been blessed to meet some amazing people and experience some wonderful things, and the good times just keep on comin'. Here's to another year!
I got to see In-soo and Hyun for the first time in OVER A YEAR. It was GREAT! Hopefully another year won't pass before I see them again. I really miss my friends, so when I get to see them, I'm SUPER excited. Unfortunately, even with my friends in Korea, it's hard to meet up because of conflicting schedules. But, we'll make it work ... sometime. Fingers crossed!!! :)
[ Hyun, In-Soo, me, and Nick after dinner and pat-bing-su in Beomgye ]
Had a nice work retreat at Songnisan for a weekend. I had been there once before, and it was really cool to go back. That was the weekend that the former president died. We went and visited Cheongnamdae ... the Korean version of Camp David on our way back to Anyang. Pretty sweet.
[ Hannah, me, and Heidi at Cheongnamdae ]
Nick came and visited - it's really great seeing people from home. Went to Japan for three wonderful days and got to see Daisuke for the first time in over a year. That was awesome! Highlights from Japan (other than spending time with Daisuke and Nick, of course)??? Well, we went to the Kaiyukan Aquarium in Osaka which was my biggest goal because I LOVE AQUARIUMS!!! They have not one, but TWO whale sharks!!! Then, we spent a day in Kyoto, which was awesome and I can't wait to go back there. I want to go in the fall to see the trees change colors. And the spring. And winter. I think I just need to spend a lot of time in Japan, haha. Oh, and I ate a whole shrimp head. Daisuke did, too. Osaka Castle was really neat, too, and I can't wait to see the cherry blossoms blooming at some point. Overall, my Japan weekend was pretty-flipping-sweet, and I can't wait to return!!! :)
[ Daisuke, me, and Nick in Kobe ]
[ Whale shark at the Kaiyukan ]
[ In Kyoto ]
[ The shrimp head ]
Saw an AWESOME B-Boy show in Hongdae called "Ballerina loves a B-Boy Part II". For your information, Part I is currently showing on Broadway. In the states. It was an AMAZING show - and I actually wouldn't mind going again. The dancing was incredible, and there was no dialogue (so translation, really not an issue). Great, great show. Highly recommended if you are in Seoul. www.sjbboys.com if you wanna check out their site.
[ During the B-Boy show ... yes, pictures were encouraged! ]
I went to a soccer game with ... like, seven of my coworkers. Saw the Korean national team play Iran at World Cup Stadium in Seoul. PS, the Korean team is making it's SEVENTH consecutive World Cup appearance next year - all I gotta say is "DAEHAN MINGOOK" (for team cheers, check out http://www.reddevil.or.kr/song/song.asp#). Oh, and I saw Ji-Sung Park (of Manchester United) score Korea's only goal in the tied game. Pretty-freaking-sweet - soccer (ahem*football) games are prettttttty intense. Loved it!!! :)
[ Korean team #7 - Ji-Sung Park!!! ]
I figured out that yes, I can enjoy 노래방 even without BAHK - strange, huh? For those of you who know me pretty well, you know that I'm pretty self-conscious in front of people and I especially don't like to sing BY MYSELF in front of others. However, thanks to Heidi, I have discovered a love of karaeoke rooms - something that before, I would only do willingly with ... well ... Hannah, haha.
[ Maria norae-bangin' it up in Beomgye ]
This past weekend was Mudfest in Boryeong. Yes, I went - with ten other people or so (not including those we met up with THERE). It was pretty crazy. Good times were had, and I'm glad I went, because I got to spend time with some freaking awesome people, who I will miss greatly.
[ DN (Dave Nail) and DK (Dave Kelly) - two of Brian's friends - in one of our hotel rooms ]
Speaking of missing people - within the next two weeks, FIVE of my coworkers are completing their contracts. This Friday will be Heidi and Angela's farewell ... I believe sometime early next week will be Erica's last day, and then NEXT Friday will be Hannah and Brian's. I'm so sad - but I know that I was (and still am) blessed to have had them in my life for this past year. And it's not good-bye --- In Heidi's words, it's "smell ya later". :) I think at some point in the not-so-distant future, I will have to spend some quality time in Toronto. :)
[ Hannah and Heidi at the War Memorial Museum in Samgakji ]
[ Brian, the two main dancers from the B-Boy/Ballerina show, and Hannah ]
[ Angela, while hiking Songnisan ]
But, don't get me wrong - I'm totally excited to meet new people. However, I will never forget the lessons I've learned and the friendships I share with the "old" ... I will really miss you guys.
I now have nine preschool students - I used to have ten, but Laura left to go to a different school. Every day, I am amazed by how perceptive and freaking amazing my students are. They never cease to amaze me. I love them to pieces, and I don't know what I'll do when they gradate from preschool in February. Thank goodness my school also has kindergarten ...
[ After July birthday party - the only two birthday kids were Nathan and Robin - my students! ]
It's rainy season again - I freakin' love it. Really. I actually walked home tonight from the gym in the rain ... sans umbrella. Got some strange looks, too, probably because I had an umbrella in my hand that I was just swinging around. I know, I'll get sick and regret it. But the rain is SO nice. Especially that pouring down, Korean drama-esque rain (like in "The Classic") ... uh-MAY-zing. And it's not cold rain ...
... Cold rain. That reminds me. Not that you need to know this, or even care, but I just took the second coldest shower of my life - second only to the shower I took THIS MORNING in cold water because for some reason, my water heater decided it just didn't want to work today. At all. Perhaps it's seasonal, because I seem to recall taking a lot of cold showers last summer too, and not all by choice. Oh well. I'm sure that I will get it fixed or figure it out or whatever soon. No worries!
That's pretty much what's going on with me - oh, yeah! In two weeks will be my summer vacation and I will be spending a good five days of it sunning myself in Jeju (if it rains while I'm there, I'll kill something). I'm pretty stoked - I've wanted to go to Jeju Island for a while now, and will get to spend it with Hyun (former roomie) who is FINALLY back from the States for the summer. We're gonna go horseback riding, haha - I haven't done that since I was a kid. It's gonna be awesome.
And that's pretty much ... all I have. I know I haven't been keeping in touch. I kind of suck at it. I'm sorry. Buuuuut ... know that I love you all. And I think about you every single day.
I'll try not to let another three months go by before I update this again. :)
[ On top of the ferris wheel at the Kaiyukan aquarium in Osaka ]
::: End update :::
