3 Weeks already

So I have been in Korea for 3 weeks now and all is going pretty well.  School is crazy busy but I have enjoyed seeing the kids again.  It only took them 3 days to warm up to me again and it is fun being back.  Once I got back it felt like I never left.  Feels so weird to be back but was much easier to get into the swing of things this time.  I finally took some pictures today of my class during our science lesson and we made tongs that moved with air pressure.  Yeah, try explaining that to the kids.  They did pretty well.    

I also have been having a lot of fun seeing my friend Lauren again and she now has a dog named, Avi!  So we take this wonderful animal on walks and we hang out.  Here is a picture from when I got to spend some of the day with Avi.

Happy I have made it three weeks and looking forward to warmer weather and being able to go outside more.  I can't wait to see more of Korea!

Back in Korea

I have now arrived in Korea for my second year and it has been an interesting time, and only a day.  It was much different arriving this time because I knew exactly where to go and what to do once at the airport.  I was greeted in Guri by Rachel and Yuri and directly taken to a delicious dinner.  Finally I made it to my new apartment and here are a few lovely pictures if it.  As you can see I have I have quite a bit of  organizing and buying of more furniture to do.  Sadly and luckily a fellow teacher, Rae, is leaving and I will be getting a lot of her stuff.  Mostly kitchen things because her furniture will not fit in my place.  I like that my apartment has all new appliances and is clean but it is smaller than my last place and no windows look outside.  

Coming back here it doesn't feel like I have been gone for 5.5 months but more like a week.  

I did get to see the kids for the first time today and the older ones were happy to see me and for some reason the little ones were a bit nervous.  I think they will warm up pretty quickly and we will soon be having fun again!  

So here's to another year and hoping for all the best and more exciting adventures.

Plans update

So I have decided to go back to Korea for another year.  I have finally received all my documents necessary and will be headed back February 21st!  I am excited and can't wait to see all my friends and kids again.  I will continue this blog and hopefully keep it interesting!  I will miss being home and seeing my family and dogs, but I know I will also love being back in Guri!

Home Again

So I left Korea September 3 and it was not easy to say goodbye.  I had the best year ever in Korea and loved everything about it.   I am really considering returning as soon as I can.  In the beginning it was a huge cultural shock and being so far away was hard but then you find friends, get into the swing of things at work and have your Korea family it is an awesome place.  Here are some pictures of having to say goodbye to my favorite class, all the kids at school and the teachers.

I took my fave class to the park our last class together.  It was so very hot so we didn't last long and went to ice cream after.  Here is Yejee.

Christina being as cute as always!

Andy, my smallest and youngest kid.

Saying goodbye at school and they had me on the stage and each class came up one by one for a group hug and kisses on the cheek.  Harvard was first!

Saying goodbye to Julia.

Oxford class who I only taught about 2 times but they were an awesome class.

Yale class.  Again only taught then a couple times but loved them all.

Columbia class.  So cute.

Princeton

They had my homeroom, and favorite class, come up last and this is when the tears came.  I loved these kids so much and being thier homeroom teacher I spent most time with them and put most of my energy and time into making our classroom the best and them being the best.  MiT class spoke the best English and were all around awesome kids.  I did not want to say goodbye.

My last night in Korea we did my three favorite things.  Beef place for dinner, Sojuritias, and Norebong.  It was a great night and again hard saying goodbye to everyone.  Everyone at school got so close to each other.  It was like a big family and we loved hanging out with each other.  This picture is of me Jenny, and Dana.  They didn't speak any English and all they could say to me at the end was "Don't Go!"  I will miss them both.  They were always so helpful at school.

Here is Dana, Tracy, Swany and Ruth.  

Finally made it to San Fran and my awesome family was waiting for me and taking pictures of me after my 11 hour flight!

I even got a sign!!

I could not have asked for a better time in Korea and I loved everything about it.  The people, the food, the scenery and just everything.  If there is a job available for me I will be going back and can't wait for another great time in Korea.  

Last South Korea weekend: Muuido

So my adventure in Korea is coming to an end.  My last weekend here I went to Muuido island again with all the teachers from work.  We had about 12 people and it was so much fun.  I was worried earlier in the week because it said rain all weekend but we had 90 degrees and sunny the whole time.  It was amazing.  Last time I went to Muuido in July it was a cloudy and foggy weekend and you couldn't see anything in the distance.  This time was way different and you could see every everything.  

Waiting for the ferry to go to Muuido.  The ferry ride is about 5 min.  Last time in Muuido you couldn't see the other side.

We had 2 cars this time and here is Rachel's just waiting to get on the ferry.  

Finally on the ferry and watching all the seagulls.  Very popular to feed them and I have done it a few times.  But the birds are very good and don't bite you.

Our other car; Swany's.  After a few mix ups with directions we both finally made it to the right place.

We wanted to stay the night so we rented a pension and it was a 2 room place Korean style meaning no furniture except for two low tables to eat.  We brought so much food too.  I have to say all the Korean teachers were so efficient and got everything unpacked right away and then Tracy and Rachel said we should leave and have fun while the make lunch!

  

The 2 rooms and the table folded up.

Nice place.

Of course we had to go clamming and I got one this time but we only had about 30 min. to do it because the tide came in so very fast.  

 

Our first clams and so excited.  Here is Rae!

Kelley

Loving it!!

Almost all teachers are out and looking.  

Yury looks so cute here.

Swany loving it

Swany and Kelley still having a good time and staying pretty clean!

My awesome group from school!  From the left is Kelly, Ruth, Swany, Rae, Jenny, Yury and me!  I love everyone at work and we always have so much fun together!

Ruth wanted a picture with me right as Julian was calling to see where we were so the photo was taken anyways!!

Awesome lunch made by Rachel and Tracy.

And dinner was a BBQ outside and delicious as always!!  Rae and I.

Rachel had a small fire mishap but the food was still okay!

All the Koreans cooking for us!!

And time to eat!

Time for some games after dinner and man did we play some games.  They taught me this slapping game and I was pretty bad and my hands were so red and a bit swollen by the end.  Jenny is a fierce player.  here we are playing a stick game where you don't want the monkeys to fall.  The winner gets to slap the losers on their wrists.  Slightly violent games here, but still fun.

Our audience.

Can't go to Muuido and not have fireworks.  Kelley and I bought some and did a show for everyone.  I love this picture of me watching the fireworks!

And the always awesome sparkler pictures!!  We got sparklers for everyone.

Setting up for bed and it was quiet a set up with blankets and people everywhere.  Yes we slept on the floor with a blanket as our pad, and it was no pad at all.  Not such a good sleep but still great weekend.

Melissa ready!

Since the sleeping was so bad an horribly uncomfertable I woke up really early with most everyone else and went for a walk on the other island there.  You can only get to the island during low tide because at high tide the pathway is gone.  Turns out a movie was filmed here because a long time ago assassins were trained here.  Beautiful island and great day again!  

I met up with Kelley and we walked pretty far but at one point some old ladies started yelling at us and we have no idea why but we headed home!

Ferry home. We weren't ready for the weekend to be over yet so we made one more stop before going home.  We had some shrimp chips left over so went up to feed the seagulls.  I was very successful and less scared each time.

 

First time I have seen more boys bathrooms than girls!!

So we went to this Lake park in Ilsan and it is this beautiful park and a pretty good sized lake to walk around.  Man was it hot today though.  It was about 93 degrees.  If you walk around the whole lake I heard it can take an hour.

The artificial waterfall at one end.

The group!!

Another jump picture and I am getting better.  Now to get my hand not in front of my face!

Trying to find shade because it was so very hot!

They had this massive swing they called a "Folk Swing" and it was a lot harder to do than it looks.  I did it for  little mostly for a photo op!

Trying to cool off and rest a little.

Beautiful place

I love lotus flowers!!

Cool display.  I have no idea what it was for though!  Looked cool.

Great last weekend and the weather was perfect which made it all the better.  I have had the best year and it is in large part because I worked with the best people and am so happy I got to spend my last weekend with them all.  I head home in 6 days now and it still hasn't really hit me but small things are happening that are making it real!