Well it's CHRISTMAS EVE but it doesn't feel like it yet because I'm STILL AT WORK at 8pm!! Aaah!! Oh well, it's been a fun day, the students are so excited about Christmas and I wore a Santa hat to all my classes which they thought was hilarious. Also it's test day so it isn't a very demanding day of work. Still I would much rather be in NJ, heading off to my uncle's house or heading to church with my family! Having had Christmas a bit early while I was home in NJ I thought I'd try to keep my head down once 12/25 came around. I figured if I didn't really focus on the holiday I wouldn't be as homesick. Turns out it's next to impossible to let Christmas go by unnoticed, even in Korea. So about 30 minutes into today I decided to abandon that plan and get totally excited about Christmas even though I'm not spending it the way I'd like to be. So in an hour I finish work, put on the most Christmas-y outfit I can find and head out with my friends to a Korean private singing room to sing Christmas songs all night! Not too late though because for our Christmas dinner tomorrow I'm in charge of the turkey, the (from scratch) stuffing and the dip for veggies. We already had a cookie making/decorating night so those are all done and ready to be consumed with gusto!
Then on Friday it's Get-ready-to-go-to-Cambodia-and-Vietnam-because-I-have-not-put-any-thought-into-this-trip-at-all-since-booking-it-and-I-haven't-even-started-to-think-about-packing Day!! Wooohoo and I leave on Saturday!!!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Where I live and eat!
Here is a view of my apartment from across the street (it's the taller building in the back).
This is a picture of the gimbap nara (김밥 나라 ) by my house. Gimbap naras are small, cafe-style Korea eateries where you can get gimbap, bibimbap, kimchi jjigae and other everyday Korean dishes. They're small and have fast service so they're especially good if you're eating alone. This one is a minute from my house and I eat there several times a week as it's extremely cheap and food is so delicious!
Here's a picture of the menu and, yes, I can read it :)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Twas the Week before Christmas...
The week before Christmas has been good, albeit not very Christmas-y. I did teach several of my classes some Christmas songs though! They mostly just hummed along through Jingle Bells except for when it came time to shout "Hey!". I'm hoping to get some video footage of them singing on Monday so I can post a clip on here - it's pretty darn cute!
In other news, I recently added a slow cooker to my modestly-equipped kitchen and I've had such a great time concocting things in it! Since I don't get home from work until after 9, it's great to come home to a ready-to-eat meal instead of having to come home and start cooking. Yay for crockpots!
So, let's see what else is going on... Most of my friends are traveling or have gone home for the holidays but the few of us who are still around have been trying to plan a Christmas celebration that will ease the bleakness of a holiday without family. We are having a girl's Christmas cookie making and decorating party on Monday night. On Christmas Eve we all work until 9 or later but we're planning to get together after work to sing Christmas songs! Then on Christmas Day three of us are cooking a traditional turkey dinner for the group. I'm feeling quite sad because I know it won't feel much like Christmas this year but at least it will be something. And then two days later I'll be on a plane with Tabi headed for sub-tropical Southeast Asia!! As I type this it's 82 degress in Cambodia...
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
My Christmas Party and New Phone!
On December 14th I hosted a Christmas party for 5 of my friends. I had it at one of their apartments since it's a bit bigger than mine and has more seating...
I decorated and made appetizers (mini pizzas, stuffed mushrooms, cocktail meatballs, deviled eggs, veggies and dips, cheese and crackers) and served wine and hot cocoa with Baileys. After we ate we all painted wooden and ceramic ornaments and decorated gingerbread men with icing and candy! We used supplies I brought back with me from the States. Afterwards, we played card and board games until the wee hours of the morning! It was a lot of fun, and everyone said they had a great time! Here are some pictures:
Painting and decorating...
Some sample Gingerbread Men!
The 3 Cranium Teams....
In other news, I got a new cell phone! It's a pink Cyon slide phone and it's sooooo amazing and wonderful!!! Here it is:
I decorated and made appetizers (mini pizzas, stuffed mushrooms, cocktail meatballs, deviled eggs, veggies and dips, cheese and crackers) and served wine and hot cocoa with Baileys. After we ate we all painted wooden and ceramic ornaments and decorated gingerbread men with icing and candy! We used supplies I brought back with me from the States. Afterwards, we played card and board games until the wee hours of the morning! It was a lot of fun, and everyone said they had a great time! Here are some pictures:
The food buffet!
Painting and decorating...
Some sample Gingerbread Men!
The 3 Cranium Teams....
In other news, I got a new cell phone! It's a pink Cyon slide phone and it's sooooo amazing and wonderful!!! Here it is:
Friday, December 12, 2008
Have you eaten rice?
Yesterday I ordered Korean food and when the delivery guy came in and gave me my food he smiled and said simply, "Big Sock". At first I thought he was speaking Korean but then he said it again clearly. "Big Sock." Having absolutely no idea what he was talking about I giggled nervously, smiled, and said, "Oh! OK!".
Later that day as I left my apartment it became clear what he had been trying to say. I have a big red Christmas stocking on the outside of my front door. A big sock!
Speaking of Korean food, yesterday my kids and I were studying the food pyramid and nutrition and we had to make a list of all the food we ate this week. If there were any doubts about whether I've adjusted to the food here, stepping back and looking at what I've been eating lately put them to entirely to rest. Here are two days from my list.
Wednesday
breakfast - rice, vegetables, egg, seaweed
lunch - rice, vegetables, egg, hot pepper paste, kimchi
dinner - rice, chicken, vegetables
Thursday
breakfast - rice, vegetables, egg, seaweed
lunch - spicy pork, rice, vegetables and kimchi
dinner - kimchi & rice dumplings, kimchi
Can you tell I live in a country where the question is not IF you will eat rice, but rather what you will eat WITH your rice? In fact in Korea when one person asks another person whether they've eaten yet, the question is literally translated, "Have you eaten rice?"
Later that day as I left my apartment it became clear what he had been trying to say. I have a big red Christmas stocking on the outside of my front door. A big sock!
Speaking of Korean food, yesterday my kids and I were studying the food pyramid and nutrition and we had to make a list of all the food we ate this week. If there were any doubts about whether I've adjusted to the food here, stepping back and looking at what I've been eating lately put them to entirely to rest. Here are two days from my list.
Wednesday
breakfast - rice, vegetables, egg, seaweed
lunch - rice, vegetables, egg, hot pepper paste, kimchi
dinner - rice, chicken, vegetables
Thursday
breakfast - rice, vegetables, egg, seaweed
lunch - spicy pork, rice, vegetables and kimchi
dinner - kimchi & rice dumplings, kimchi
Can you tell I live in a country where the question is not IF you will eat rice, but rather what you will eat WITH your rice? In fact in Korea when one person asks another person whether they've eaten yet, the question is literally translated, "Have you eaten rice?"
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Cute
Yesterday my student was writing about some spicy food. He wrote, "It was so spicy that my mouse was on fire." Hmm I think he meant "mouth"...
Today I had 2 students write the sweetest diaries:
"Today is wonderful because today I saw Kayla! In one month I did not see Kayla teacher but today I did saw her. Kayla teacher is very wonderful, cute, beautiful, and fun. I want to study with Kayla and my friends!"
and as if one wasn't sweet enough...
"Oh today is my very happy day because today Kayla teacher is come back from the USA! I am so very happy! I love Kayla! When Kayla teacher goes to the USA I have Michael teacher. Michael teacher is kind but he is very tired. I think he is not very funny. Michael teacher is one month we played no games. But Kayla teacher is many games and many candy and many funny times. I was sad because Kayla teacher is go to the USA but today I saw Kayla teacher again so I'm very happy. I want to see Kayla teacher every day!"
Aww it's so nice to be missed! :)
Today I had 2 students write the sweetest diaries:
"Today is wonderful because today I saw Kayla! In one month I did not see Kayla teacher but today I did saw her. Kayla teacher is very wonderful, cute, beautiful, and fun. I want to study with Kayla and my friends!"
and as if one wasn't sweet enough...
"Oh today is my very happy day because today Kayla teacher is come back from the USA! I am so very happy! I love Kayla! When Kayla teacher goes to the USA I have Michael teacher. Michael teacher is kind but he is very tired. I think he is not very funny. Michael teacher is one month we played no games. But Kayla teacher is many games and many candy and many funny times. I was sad because Kayla teacher is go to the USA but today I saw Kayla teacher again so I'm very happy. I want to see Kayla teacher every day!"
Aww it's so nice to be missed! :)
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Good To Be Back
After a wonderful and fun-filled month in the States I am finally back in the Land of Morning Calm (Korea). If feels wonderful to be home. The trip here was very long but it went smoothly. I still feel very jet lagged unfortunately. I wake up full of energy very early in the morning and then feel like crashing mid afternoon, shortly after I get to work. I come home from work and go right to sleep. I really need to force myself to stay up longer after work so I don't wake up so early.
Speaking of adjusting, my body is certainly glad to be back to Korean food! I didn't even realize how accustomed I had become to the rice, meat/fish and veggies diet. It really makes a difference when your diet includes little to no cheese or greasy food. Although I enjoyed going out to eat and having many delicious meals prepared for me while back home, my tummy was quite displeased with my food intake during the entire trip.
Going back to work on Monday was a lot of fun. My students were all glad to have me back and were anxious to report that the teacher who subbed for me played absolutely no games with them the entire month. They were so indignant over this blatant injustice that I indulged them with some games my first day back which not only appeased them but helped me ease back into the classroom routine as well. The "welcome back" gifts were many and numerous, consisting of stickers, knickknacks, and drawings (one involving a girl with a sad face listening to the substitute teacher with an imagination bubble in which I'm teaching and everyone is smiling). One student even gave me a rose! Aww...
Still working on unpacking as I'm trying to give the apartment a thorough cleaning before settling in. The jet-lagged energy levels are making this a slow process so far. Right now it seems that going to work is about all I have energy for... So it's off to the gym now to try and jump start my energy before work! Tonight is Euchre night with friends and this weekend I'm working on getting my visas for the Vietnam/Cambodia trip and then Saturday night is a birthday/going away party for a friend. Sunday is church (visiting a new one!) and then in the evening I'm hosting a small Christmas party for my closest friends. So much to do before then!
Speaking of adjusting, my body is certainly glad to be back to Korean food! I didn't even realize how accustomed I had become to the rice, meat/fish and veggies diet. It really makes a difference when your diet includes little to no cheese or greasy food. Although I enjoyed going out to eat and having many delicious meals prepared for me while back home, my tummy was quite displeased with my food intake during the entire trip.
Going back to work on Monday was a lot of fun. My students were all glad to have me back and were anxious to report that the teacher who subbed for me played absolutely no games with them the entire month. They were so indignant over this blatant injustice that I indulged them with some games my first day back which not only appeased them but helped me ease back into the classroom routine as well. The "welcome back" gifts were many and numerous, consisting of stickers, knickknacks, and drawings (one involving a girl with a sad face listening to the substitute teacher with an imagination bubble in which I'm teaching and everyone is smiling). One student even gave me a rose! Aww...
Still working on unpacking as I'm trying to give the apartment a thorough cleaning before settling in. The jet-lagged energy levels are making this a slow process so far. Right now it seems that going to work is about all I have energy for... So it's off to the gym now to try and jump start my energy before work! Tonight is Euchre night with friends and this weekend I'm working on getting my visas for the Vietnam/Cambodia trip and then Saturday night is a birthday/going away party for a friend. Sunday is church (visiting a new one!) and then in the evening I'm hosting a small Christmas party for my closest friends. So much to do before then!
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