Okay, so I know it's been a very long time since I've last written anything on here! So much has happened, yet I can't seem to remember what exactly, so I apologize in advance if this journal entry is all over the place!
My classes are still going really well. A couple of my classes got merged into other classes because they were too small and the students were too smart. I definitely miss those students! Especially Harry, who I hear isn't talking much in his new class because it's him and a bunch of wild girls. Poor Harry! I did get new students in my beginner's class. Three boys and they didn't have English names...so lucky me I got to name them! Their names are Tyson, Tiger, and Tyrone. Haha, and it's so funny because their names totally fit them! They are so cute and two of them come to class in their taekwondo uniforms every day. I love it.
On the 30th, we are having a Halloween party/birthday party for the kindergarteners. They are dressing up in Halloween costumes and I'm really excited to see that. They are going to be soooo cute! The teachers are supposed to dress up in costumes too...but I guess costumes are pretty hard to find here. Soo, if anyone has any suggestions, let me know!
I started taking Korean lessons. I might retake the beginner's class again next month because it went really fast and I got a bit lost. I'm also thinking about doing a language exchange with university students or business people. It's free and definitely more flexible to my schedule. So, we'll see what happens. I got the Korean alphabet down and can kind of read Korean...I just don't know what I'm reading/saying! But I have been practicing in the classroom (shhhh, don't tell my boss! haha). When our students do a great job in class or memorize their lines properly, we give them Student of the Day tickets for a prize drawing at the end of the month. Their English and Korean names are needed and I try to write their Korean names. They get a real kick out of it because I make so many mistakes. But when I get it right, they LOVE it! Oh, the entertainment I provide my kiddies!
I finally got my hair cut here. My co-worker came with me and Priscilla to the salon and thank goodness she did! Priscilla was getting her highlights touched up and I was just getting a trim but the stylists didn't understand what we wanted and Joe finally stepped in and translated for us. Whew! So, I got a pretty typical Korean haircut...don't worry, no bangs though! My haircut cost me a whopping $12...and that includes wash, cut, and style. Priscilla's highlights cost her a whopping $47...and that included wash, cut, color, and style. Two stylists did Priscilla's hair and they kept checking on her hair every five minutes to make sure it was okay. Joe told me it was because they're not used to dying foreigner's hair and they want to make sure they don't burn it off! haha, just kidding.
I went clothes shopping the other weekend and bought some pretty stylish stuff. Mom, don't worry...this is my FIRST shopping spree! I showed my co-workers what I got later that night and Luc told me that I had turned true Korean... That made me laugh. Yeah, I'm getting into the Korean fashion trends and loving it!
Priscilla, Mark and I went to a DVD room the other weekend and that was an experience! We watched Oldboy, a famous Korean film (this was actually my second time watching it...and it was even better the second time!). We gave the DVD to the desk lady and she gave us a room number. It was awesome. In your own private room, there's a huge couch that you can totally just lounge out on, a huge screen and monster sound system. Someone told me that DVD rooms are really popular with high school students; especially couples. And I don't doubt it! haha
We have another long break in February for the Chinese New Year. Apparently this is the holiday that EVERYONE and their mother leaves the country to exotic locales. So, we figure, "when in Rome (or Seoul)" and we gotta go somewhere too! Priscilla, Mark, Lim, and I are planning on going to Thailand for the holiday. Although flights are already booked up to Thailand, we are getting a package deal with a travel agency. The same one that we used for Hainan. The price isn't bad...and it's THAILAND! Yeah, I'm pretty pumped. And Mom, don't worry...it won't end up like Brokedown Palace...I promise! hahaha
A couple weeks ago, I was looking at my friend's website on Facebook and realized that our mutual friends, Dustin and Dan, were also in Korea! I worked with these two guys at Camp Shane and went to Scotland for New Year's with them. I haven't seen or heard from them in three years and they're here in KOREA of all places!!! Soooo random! I got in touch with them and they were really excited that I was here. Apparently, they're in their 15th month in Korea and they live about an hour and a half south of me by bus. So they came up to visit me and we had a blast and a half! It was like time hadn't passed! I love all the randomness and surprises that Korea has for me!
Well, that's my update for now! I still can't believe that I've been here for five months already!!! I'm almost half way finished with my contract...but that doesn't mean that I'm coming home for good quite yet!
