Spring is Coming! :)

Fun at TRICK ART

What a beautiful few weeks it has been! :) I'm having a wonderful time.

Here's a recap....

On March 1st, it was Korean independence day, so I had the day off! It was wonderful. My friends Michaela, Walker, and I all decided to go see the Trick Art museum. It's this huge gallery full of paintings (famous and others) that have some sort of trick to them! It was a lot of fun to walk around and look and interact with them. The pictures really show all of the fun!

Walker and his gal.

Super Cool

Haeinsa Temple

That weekend, a bunch of us went to a near by temple in Haiensa. It was beautiful. This temple is nestled up in the mountains surrounded by a beautiful and gurgling stream. It was so much fun to spend time with my friends outside of Daegu and be immersed in the temple and wonder that it brought. I need those moments where I can stop and be like,

 "Oh ya...THIS is why I'm here. To experience....not to just teach!"


We had so much fun climbing and wandering. It was a little chilly, but I can tell spring is on it's way. Little signs of the wonderful season are starting to pop up! :) I cannot wait!

Then, I pretty much had an uneventful week....BUT! That next weekend I went up to Seoul with my friend Nikki to see Sam and our mutual friend Kristi who had come to visit! It was SO wonderful to see a familiar face. We got to explore Seoul together and have some walks down memory lane and some good laughs at a Norae Bong (singing/karaoke room). It was a lot of fun to be with them. Then Nikki and I did some shopping and returned back to Daegu.

Sam and Kristi

Seoul with Nikki

Singing in the Norae Bong

Nikki and I found a chocolate cafe in Seoul!

Followed by another uneventful week.... I LIVE FOR THE WEEKENDS!!!!!!!!!!!










This past weekend I went back to Pohang and visited my friend Kate. (So many Manchester faces in such a short time!) This was wonderful - for it always calms me to be with Kate - and very interesting as well. Kate is part of the Fulbright program and therefore, she has a home stay. She lives in an apartment with a Korean family. And, in her case, the kids are her students. WEIRD. So, it was actually really interesting to stay with her. The family doesn't speak English very well, so it's definitely helped Kate's Korean....I was amazed at how she could carry on a conversation with her host mother in both Korean and English. I was kind of jealous. I need to brush up on my Korean. I'm starting to be able to read it...which gets me only as far as the few words I know. :) I CAN write my name in Korean (캠브리아) ...which impresses my students so much! Anyways, it was interesting to see how Kate has been living and meeting her host family.  Her host mother is so nice and fun. She took us to a nearby temple where we went on a walk (Koreans love going walking/hiking on Sundays)....and then we all just sat and talked. It was a wonderful chance to experience something else than just Daegu life.

And now....it's back to the week. Living for the Friday night! But, it is amazing how time is flying. It has almost been 5 months since I landed here in Korea. I cannot believe it. Almost halfway done! Crazy. Next week, my friend Walker leaves for America. His contract is ending. Which is so weird. He's the first person, that I have really known, to be going. I'm reminded at how fascinating this lifestyle is....people come and go all the time. Intake and Outtake. I'll miss him, but his replacement will be here the next day and then there's a new friend....interesting.

The past few weeks have been full of dilemmas and decisions as well. Due to the fact that I am almost half way through my contract (and I've been told the last six months fly by) I've been debating about what to do next. I have come to despise this word: NEXT. next next next. What are you going to do NEXT? Oh, how I long for the days of school where NEXT was just a distant problem, for the answer was always...school, duh. But now, I wonder...what am I going to do next? I've been thinking about grad school, traveling, BVS, finding a job, or maybe even staying another year here in Korea (...I know, I was surprised too!) I think back on those first few days here and I'm amazed at how far I have come. I'm comfortable and I'm having fun...although the kids can be difficult, it is an easy way to make money and travel. So...maybe another year would not be so bad?
decisions.decisions.decisions.

Another decision I've made is an early trip back to the states. One of my best friends, Katy McFadden, is getting married in July. I want to be there...I NEED to be there. After much deliberation, and soul searching in a way, I decided it would break my heart not seeing my best friend walk down the aisle and say "I do." So...I'm now in the works trying to beg for time off and buying a plane ticket...but it will all be worth it. This is still tentative, for I still haven't received the 100% go ahead, but I'm crossing my fingers.  I know that it will be a weird sensation to fly back to America and not see any of my family... stay for a few days and then return to Korea for another three months, but it will be wonderful seeing my girls! :) I'm looking forward to it.

And that's what I keep reminding myself. I have SO much to look forward to in these next few months...I'm going to a LMFAO concert (random) in Seoul in April, my friend Katy is coming to visit in May, and then the parents come in June! Meanwhile, the weather is starting to become amazing and beautiful. I love spring! With spring comes so many new adventures and sights to see! I cannot wait.

So...yes, even though "next" is looming over me, I've decided to enjoy these next few months and live them to the fullest. I CANNOT WAIT! :)

love to you all.