Wednesday, January 30, 2013

School: Field Trip and Grad Photos

The seven year olds get to go to this English Village before Graduation and I am not really sure why because their English is way to advanced for this place but they had fun.  So Kelley and  got to go and pretty much just watch while these other foreign teachers did everything!  


First they got to go to a pretend shopping market and they each received a shopping list and had to find it.  



Next was a magic show and they kids loved that.  Here Jessica got to dress in the cape and hat!

Then Chris!


All our seven year olds!!

Last class was art and they sort of got to make candles and the kids mostly colored!  Luke an Ryan are handfuls but I love them!




Then we spent about 20 minutes doing photo ops and the kids were CRAZY!!  



The day after the field trip I got to go help the kids get their grad pictures taken.  Wow do Koreans know how to take some weird pictures.  First the kids did a grad picture in a gown like thing then they went downstairs and there are all these weird, different set ups to have some pictures done.  

Jessica and Sally are ready!

Being farly good waiting their turn!


The dress we rented for the girls and they all took turns wearing it and posing in different places.

Weird flower room!

The boys were dressed so appropriate for this and they look like they could be on safari!

Maria waiting with the coats!

Sam took this picture for Yejee and I!

I was supposed to get some pictures of Chris and this one I thought was pretty cute!

And then with his girlfriend!

Jennifer looking cute as always!

Again Chris and it turned out pretty cute I have to say!


Getting tired and ready to go!

I love my kids so much and I can't believe I have to leave them again!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Shelena's Visit


Welcome to Korea!

Sudden decision and my friend came to visit me.  Shelena had some time off and decided to come to Korea and stay with me and see Korea!  I was super excited because I have not had any friends come visit me; only family.  So she arrived on a  Monday and she went right out on her own and toured Seoul.  She went off on her own for a few days and then she came to school one day.  Once the weekend hit I was finally ab;e to join her.  Here is school!

She came by for a little bit to school to meet the kids and get some cute pics of what I do everyday!



Dinner at the lamb place!


We decided on a DMZ tour for Saturday which Justine joined us and it was a long, busy day.  We had to meet the tour bus at 7 am so as you can see from the first pic we were a bit tired.  We did the same tour I had done before and then added on the JSA which is where you got to go to the real border and stand in North Korea!

We were not the only tired ones.  The guy behind us was fast asleep and snoring quite loudly!


At Dorasan Station where the next stop is in North Korea so South Korea keeps hoping it can be opened one day!






Sunny day but absolutely freezing!


Looking into North Korea!




Justine always wanting to be tall!

Hello North Korea!

Imjingak river.  My illegal picture but it is so pretty!

Lunch time.





Next we went to the JSA (Joint Security Area) and this is where we were at the actual border and the soldiers you see are ROK soldiers.  They were only here this day to protect us from North Korea which is about 30 feet in front of them.  Two of the soldiers are half behind the building and that is so they can get out of the line of fire quickly. 
 

All these buildings are across the border so when in the building you can step into North Korea!

The curb is the border.

To distinguish the border they have all those white posts.  Back in the 70's the soldiers from both sides were allowed to walk freely in this whole area but then the South Korean's and a couple American soldiers were cutting down a tree to improve visibility and the North Korean's killed the two American soldiers with an ax so they made the border and no one is allowed to cross.

The North Korean building we were looking at and the one soldier is watching us all very carefully with his big binoculars.

We got to go in one of the buildings and here we got to stand kind of close to a ROK soldier.  I always think what they must think of us, "What ridiculous people for paying to come see this!!"  If you got to close to them they would nudge you away from them.

Actually in North Korea!


Here is the memorial for the two American's who were killed when cutting this tree down.  They call is the Ax Murder Incident of 1976.


The Bridge of No Return.  They put the POW's here after the cease fire and let them choose what side they want to go home too and once they picked they could not return to the other side.

Finally back in Seoul and here is the cool building in City Hall area.

Stopped for some coffee to warm up and recover a bit form the long, long day!

Lotte Hotel looking beautiful as always!!





Next day I had to of course take Shelena to the Pet Cafe!



I love love love this place!  This bulldog is always so much fun!










On the way to Insa-dong there were these random cats who were really cute so of course I had to take a picture!

Next onto Insa-dong for some shopping and shopping we did!


Crazy function of my camera I like to play with!




I had a great time with Shelena and I love showing Korea to people.  I just love living here so much and so many things are going on and so cheap.  I was very happy a friend finally came to visit me and now waiting for my next friend to come and Emily will be here on Feb. 8!!