Mountains, Elections, and Cherry Blossoms.

Spring is most definitely in the air! :) And I am in love with Korean Springtime. Although there is still a chill at night, the mornings are glorious. The trees that line the streets are starting to bud and blossom with some magnificent cherry blossom flowers. It is absolutely beautiful. 


Along with the spring has come some amazing opportunities to hike the mountains that surround Daegu. There are some amazing sights of the city from atop these mountains. It is such a wonderful chance to explore nature and clear your head...(not to mention get away from the students!)  

The mountain near our apartments.

 

View from Apsan Mountain

                     


Also...we have now entered election time. Voting day is April 11 (which, might I add is a holiday! So, I get it off!) and therefore the campaigning is getting crazy. Now, a campaign in Korea is nowhere near like a campaign in America....it is a SHOW! And an entertaining one at that. The candidates hire people to stand on corners and hold pictures of them, they dance and scream their names. It's madness. But, my personal favorite, is the trucks. They have these trucks that people stand on in the back with the pictures of the candidates and they blast music and yell into microphones. It's always fun to see which candidate's truck will drive by during the day. Usually, at school, we can hear the trucks coming from miles away and so I'll open the window and have my students translate what they're screaming. The translations are almost as funny as the situation itself. "Hello. My name is.....vote. Pick me. I'm....how do you say Teach-uh? uh,....awesome?" I'm entertained...but I'll admit it...I'm really only excited for the day off! :)

Hard to see...but here's some of the election hype!

I cannot believe it is already April. Amazing. I've almost been here for half my contract. Wow. These next few months will fly...because they are PACKED! Tomorrow, I head up to Seoul with my friend Bonnie to see the band LMFAO perform. Then, next weekend , I'm participating in a charity walk. Following that I'm going back to Seoul for a girls getaway and then it's going to be May and my friend Katy comes, then June when Mom and Dad come...AND THEN!!!! (here's my exciting news) I'M GOING TO KATY & KYLE'S WEDDING! And I couldn't be happier. I cannot wait to see them and everyone! It will be a VERY fast trip...but I am ecstatic! 


Other than that...nothing new has really happened to me. I had to go do ANOTHER medical test today because apparently they lost my last one? Made me a little upset, but I'll get over it. 


I have now acquired a sort of "phantom" pet. :) There is a cat that lurks around my window at night. S/he meows all the time...and so, I'll walk outside to see s/he and can never seem to see him/her. But, I've been leaving some milk every night...and in the morning, it's gone. So, I've decided to call the cat 나비... or Nabi, (pronounced Nah-bee) which means "Butterfly" in Korean. Maybe one day s/he will maker his/her appearance? 


Teaching is still having it's ups and downs. I've finally picked up on the Korean swear words! So, when I react to my students saying them, they actually start to do their work. But, like any job I guess, I still have days where I want to run to the bathroom and cry...but then I have some where I think, wow, I feel like a real teacher...I love this. Ce la vie. 

Playing a game that my parents sent me. 

I'm really looking forward for the spring to settle in. Apparently, this will be the only time where I will really want to be outside, for the summers here in Daegu are sweltering. So, I can't wait to stroll through the parks and streets on the spring days. 






Finally, here's an update on the Things I've Learned So Far....


46. Kimchi is a food you can really grow into...it took 5 months, but I kinda love the stuff now.


47. Vegetable/Fruit markets are AMAZING. I absolutely love going to the little Monday market and buying fresh vegetables and fruits. I have my favorite vendors now, and they know me as well. They always smile and get all excited when they see me..."waygook, waygook!" (foreigner, foreigner!) I kinda love it. :)


48. COSTCO! I've finally made it to the Costco in town and it was wonderful. But, if you thought COSTCO on the weekends in America was crazy...come see me in Korea. MY.GOD. After shopping on a Saturday afternoon, all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and take a nap. So, although I loved getting familiar food and seeing the wonderful Kirkland brand...I'll stick to shopping on the weekdays there.


49. With the spring comes tons of street food vendors. This is wonderful...until you actually look at it. Bleh. These people eat larva...let me repeat...COOKED.LARVA. grossest thing ever. Another one that freaks me out is this little truck that parks on the curb and opens all these doors and windows and becomes a little shop. BUT! This one has this HUGE aquarium FULL, FULLLLLLLL, of these tiny fish that I can only equate with sardines. And they are packed into this aquarium, and then right next to it, in front of the haggered old lady, is this huge pot of fried sardines. So, these little fellas watch as their friends die. Bleh. (picture included)

My best shot of the creepy fish thing. 

50. Being tan here is kind of looked down upon. They see people who have some color from the sun to be "field workers" and therefore, not that great. So, most lotions and make up have "whitening" effects in them. Therefore, when the California blonde with sensitive skin comes to work after a weekend of a bit too much sun...EVERYONE has to mention how my face is red. Awesome.


51. I just want to take a second and mention the wonderful little old lady who works at the corner market. She is absolutely wonderful...and always has a smile on her face when I walk in to grab a water or treats (bribes) for the students. She always touches my hair and when I tell her (mime) that I'm thinking of cutting it...she gasps loudly and says "Aniiiiiii" (Nooooooooo!) She will always put a smile on my face. 


I'll update soon and post pictures of the concert and some cherry blossoms! :)


Until then....hope all is well!


Love. 

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.

A Funny Story

I have a funny story I wanted to share with everyone.

 I have this one class of middle schoolers...they can be a hassle, but usually I have a lot of fun with them.
The other day was no exception.

In this class, I am supposed to just come prepared with a topic and we should have a discussion in English for the entire period. (Usually, this lasts for about 10 minutes and I spend the next 30 trying to reel them back in)...

On this particular day, I decided that we would talk about aliens. That topic has set forth my new favorite quote from my students.

Here is the discussion:

Me: So, if aliens came down to Earth, what would you do? Would you run and hide...try to talk to them...try to fight them?

...(silence)...

Me: Well, see, teacher (for I always refer to myself in 3rd person around them...who knows why?) Teacher would run and hide, call her mom, cry and pray that she doesn't get killed. (went for the laughs...didn't get any).

....(silence)....

I then noticed a few of my students whispering in the back.

Me: Jason, Amy...what would you do?

Students: Teacher...send the Jew.

Me: Uh.....what?

Students: Send the JEW!

Me: Send the Jew? What?!

Students: Ya, you know...J-O-O. Send the Joo.

I was in complete confusion. What is J-O-O?

Students: You know teacher, like many many animals....

Teacher: (After it took me a minute) ...oh...zoo? Send the zoo? Z-O-O

Students: YA! Send the Joo!

:) After having a discussion about the difference between Z's and J's...I still have yet to understand their thinking of how sending animals to go meet the aliens would help us...but it did give me a good laugh.

On another note...I'm starting to actually be able to read Korean. The alphabet is not super difficult to understand, and so I'm trying to memorize it and learn. It's kind of exciting when I can walk the streets and see many things that I can read. It's also nice because a lot of English words sound the same here, so I just read them in this "Korean" accent.

Tomorrow, March 1st, is known as 삼 일 절....or Korean Indepence Day. (when they separated from Japan) and so we have a day off! :) I'm looking forward to it! A new art exhibit is in town and its called Trick Art...so a few of us are off to check that out. I'll update with pictures soon!

Hope all is well with you!

Miss and love you all.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto....and an apology. :)

I am SO sorry it has been a month since my last post! Time has literally flown by...which is good and bad! So, here's a recap of the last month or so....Thanks again to the devoted friends and family that have checked everyday, I'll get back on track, promise! :) No more slacking!



The Japan Post! :) here's a recap...

champagne! 

On Saturday January 21st, I woke up real early and met Aine and Bonnie. We took a taxi downtown and then caught the airport bus to Busan. When we got to the airport, we checked in and (best news ever) we were in Business Class! So, we got to do priority check in and then we got to go to the first class lounge. It was just a quiet room with some snacks and drinks, but it was still nice.  And then, we got to board the plane...and I have now seen how the other half lives. I don't think I can ever go back to economy! Business class was so wonderful. As soon as we boarded, someone took our coats and handed us champagne. Helllooooo wonderful.  The flight was a short one, but we soaked up that wonderful first class service! And then...we were in JAPAN!

After we got off the plane, we took the train into central Tokyo. We stayed in Asakusa, the older part of Tokyo, and we really enjoyed the hostel. We met some really cool travelers as well.

That first night, we decided to grab some dinner near our hostel and call it an early night, because we heard that Sunday the 22nd was the last day (and championship) of the Sumo Wrestling tournament, and if we got to the arena early, we might get tickets. So, we went to bed in hopes of seeing some sumo!

empty sumo arena

Sunday we woke up early again and found our way to the sumo arena and got tickets! We were so excited that we went in right away...at 8am, even though it didn't start until 10am. But, the matches lasted all day, so we took a peek at the place empty and then went in search of 1. coffee, and then 2. some Harajuku girls!

We had been told that if you go to the area Harajuku in Tokyo on Sundays, you can see some wonderfully entertaining outfits...and that we did! We also went shopping!    










After a mini shopping spree, we went back to the Sumo championships and enjoyed in the revelry of this wonderful sport. I have a new favorite! :)
We rented some radios, there was an english announcer broadcasting, and sat way up in the nosebleed seats, but still had a blast!  I rooted for my new favorite athlete, Barto, from Astonia...who won the whole shebang! Go BARTO!


After the championships were over, we headed to a sushi restaurant and basked in all that is raw fish...which, isn't really my style, so, we ended up stopping along the way home again! :)

We went back to the hostel, and made a plan to get up super early (about 3am) and make our way to the Tsukiji Fish Market. This is one of the most famous tuna auction sites, and a must see in Tokyo.

Bidders checking out all the goods. 

So, we woke up, once again, early...and made our way to the fish market.  Only the first 120 visitors are allowed to view the auction, so we got there super early. It is a spectacle. Also, who knew tuna were so HUGE?
Unfortunately, I don't think our tour was as exciting as others, but it was still an amazing sight to see!

Fun in the rain! 

After the fish market, we decided to go back to the hostel and take a long nap! Which was glorious!

Once we were refreshed from our little cat naps, we decided to go see the palace gardens, but due to the weather, they were closed.

The Royal Family still lives in the palace, so much of it is closed to the public and heavily guarded. So, we decided to walk in the rain around the castle and take fun pictures.

The Palace surrounded by a mote. 

We then went to Roppongi, where the Tokyo tower is located. This is a copy cat structure that looks like a smaller version of the Eiffel Tower, but it is still an amazing sight. We decided to go to the top and check out the view...and escape the cold air!

When we were over looking Tokyo, I finally got the sense of how BIG this city actually is! It is HUGE! It was a very phenomenal sight to see all the lights and how far out the city went. Very beautiful.

While overlooking the city, we noticed that it had started to hail and snow outside, so we decided to make our way back back to our hostel.



But first....we found a Mexican restaurant! I don't think I have ever been so happy to eat Mexican food. It reminded me SO much of home and we were all ok with splurging a bit on this meal!

You can tell by my face how happy I was!

We ordered all the basics...chips and guacamole, margaritas, burritos, enchiladas, etc. etc. It was one of the most expensive meals in my life...and one of the best! :)

While we enjoyed our meal, and the wonderful ambiance that made us feel right at home...we looked outside and the snow had begun to really fall. HUGE flakes. It was so pretty.

But...we knew we had a trek back to the subway and then to our hostel...so we, very reluctantly, put our coats and scarves back on and made our way out into the cold, but beautiful, snow covered streets of Tokyo.






The next day, we woke up early (again) and this time, slipped and slid all the way to the subway on the ice covered streets. :) But, still beautiful.

The beautiful view of the lake.

Snow EVERYWHERE!

We had to run to catch our bus that would take us to Mt. Fuji!  Due to the weather from the night before, the usually 2 hour drive ended up being almost 4 hours, but we did get a spectacular view of the  peak of Mt. Fuji from afar.  However, when we arrived there, the clouds had rolled in and we could only see the base. But, it was still a very awesome experience. The whole town was covered in snow and looked gorgeous. There was a boat/cable car tour that we bought...and we had the whole boat to ourselves! :) very cool.

After our boat ride, we decided to walk along the lake. It was a nice walk, and really was kind of poetic when it started snowing! :)

We then took the cable car to the top of the mountain, but really had NO view because by then, it was foggy and snowing hard. But, still...fun.

We then headed back to the city in search of the LIGHTS! We had all talked about how much we wanted to see the lights of Tokyo. Whenever you see a movie, pictures, or a show about Tokyo...I feel like you always see lights! And boy did we find them! It was a such a fun last night in Tokyo. We had dinner at a "vending machine" restaurant. A place where there is a vending machine type machine with pictures of food, you pick your number and put the money in the slot. A ticket pops out and then you hand it to the man at the counter. And, walah! Your meal comes soon after. Pretty cool.

We then found dessert and enjoyed the sounds and lights of Tokyo!

The next morning, we woke up and went souvenir shopping and then headed to the airport!









And then, we were on our way "home". Which was funny to think about. Usually when I go to another country, going home is going back to America...but it really did feel nice to think about getting home to my apartment and my bed.
Unfortunately, our seats on the flight back were only economy...but still...it was an AMAZING trip!

It all worked out really well, because we came back late on Wednesday January 25th, and then the next day was my 23rd birthday! :) And honestly, it was an amazing one.  I was kind of worried about how my birthday would be away from home and from close friends and family...but I learned that I have some truly amazing friends here.

I woke up and got to talk to my parents and then headed to school...which was weird to work on my birthday, but still alright. All of my kids were SUPER good that day...so thank goodness to whoever told them! :) And I even got a few little gifts from them! Awesome.  The co-teachers gave me a cake and sang and said how happy they were that I was there...which was so good to hear.

After work, I met a few friends at this delicious soup restaurant and they pulled out all the stops. They are AMAZING! They serenaded me with songs and showered me in gifts. And we all talked about how glad we all were that we were all here together. It was simply an amazing birthday.
After dinner, as I walked home -(I live down the hill, while they all live up the hill)- I could hear singing, and I turned around, and they were all standing there...in the middle of the street, singing "Happy Birthday" to me one last time. Pure. Magic. :)

After the birthday....time has literally FLOWN by. I cannot believe that I have already been here for almost 4 months. Wow. And now, I can honestly say, I love it here. It took me a lot longer to settle than I thought it would, and it was one of the hardest transitions I've ever had to do, but I am so glad I did it. I honestly believe that I have grown immensely from this experience. I'm really glad it was hard actually.  It gave me an obstacle that I had to overcome on my own. And even though I still have some weak moments where I miss home and family and friends, I have had some amazing experiences here and I am so lucky to have had them.

I promise to write more! :) The weather has been super chilly the past few days, but then there are signs of spring in the air...and I cannot wait to see this wonderful place in the spring. I found a website that listed the 50 Top things to do in Korea, and a lot of them are flower fields...how exciting!

The other night, I stumbled upon a night farmer's market on the streets near my apartment. My work schedule in February has been really relaxed, which has been nice. It has allowed me to explore parts of town that are open, rather than closed when I normally got off work. I decided to walk home the long way the other night, and came across this market. I walked along for about a mile looking at all the fruits, vegetables, and fish, and everything else....and it hit me...."I am happy to be here." It took 4 months, but I can leave you all with that... I am very happy to be here, and I look forward to the next 8 months that lie ahead.

Thanks again for being devoted to this blog! I love and miss you all!

Things I've Learned in Korea...

43. Due to the cold weather, everyone wears jackets. Indoors and outdoors. But, my students wear them even when we have turned the heat on in the classrooms. Then, all through class, they complain. "Teacher, HOT!" And so, I try to explain the concept of taking their jackets off and then they wouldn't be so hot...but they NEVER take their jackets off. It's become a bit of a pet peeve of mine..."Teacher, HOT!"...I wish I could just say, "Take your damn jacket off kid." But instead I say, "Roll up your sleeves....and turn to page 15."

44. Tunnels here are super long. It's weird. I usually play this hold your breath through a tunnel and make a wish at the end of it game in America....I can't do it here. Lame. :)

45. I have started making my kids do creative writing assignments. On Wednesdays I usually teach writing, and the assignments have become quite boring. So, I added some English major jazz and flare to them....but some of these kids have NO imagination. It's kind of sad actually. The other day, I asked one class to write about what they would wish for is a genie granted them 3 wishes. The top wish? An iPhone. BORING! And then in another class, I asked the kids who they would want to have dinner with if they could choose any 3 people in the world, dead or alive. Top two choices? Mom and Dad....WHAAAAT?!?!?!

Off To Japan!

For the Chinese New Year, our academies get a "mini" vacation. So, starting today: I am on BREAK! :) We get Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are no school holidays! And...I'm off to Japan!

Two of my friends, Bonnie and Aine, and I are headed to Tokyo for new year. We leave in a little less than 10 hours, and I just finished packing! This is my life...

But, I am SO EXCITED!

I talked to the lovely Uncle Casey and Aunt Kumiko Davis (my Japanese experts) and can't wait to cross the stuff off of their amazing "Things to Do in Tokyo" list!

I'll write all about it when I return on Wednesday Jan. 25th! And then...it's my BIRTHDAY!

Here's to the Chinese New Year! :)

Love.

Winter Exploring and Enjoying

Hello dear ones!

 So much has taken place in the last two weeks. I'm amazed at how time can fly, and yet so much can be fit into that time! 

Christmas night: wearing my Santa shirt sent from  the parents.

First off, Christmas! It did not feel like the holiday very much, but it was still a nice time. The whole weekend I was with friends and we lounged around and watched Christmas movies. On Christmas night, (taking from Teter Christmas Eve tradition) a few of us did a gift exchange, and it was a good time. Although being away from my family was really hard, it was nice to have good friends surrounding me. 

The highlight of the weekend though, was skyping with the whole family at the Christmas Eve party. I got passed around to everyone, and got to say hello! It was exactly what I needed, so thank you all for including me into the party for a little while! You're the best family a girl could have! :)

After Christmas, I only had to go to school for three days, and then we had a vacation! It was such a wonderful feeling being done with the week on Wednesday. After classes on Wednesday night, all of the teachers and our boss, Mr. Do, went out to dinner.  This is always such an interesting time, because I sit there while everyone speaks Korean and laughs. They will tend to translate some things for me, but usually, I just sit and smile. The teachers are starting to warm up to me though, so I threw in a few jokes of my own and got some laughs, so point for me! 

A beautiful view of Yonggungsa temple.

Nikki and I conquering the temple!

On Thursday morning, two new friends, Nikki and Liam (both from the UK), and I went on a mini vacation to the beach city of Busan. It was absolutely wonderful! We had to wake up a bit early to catch our train, but as soon as we got there, it was amazing. The weather was warmer and we were on the ocean. We walked along the beach, drank coffee, and soaked up some sunshine. We even put our feet into the freezing cold water! :) We stayed in a hostel, which was like deja vu from my England days. But, the best thing we did on Thursday was go to the Yonggungsa temple by the sea. 

Unlike other temples that are situated in the mountains, this temple sits beautifully among the cliffs overlooking the ocean. 

Unfortunately the original temple was destroyed by fire when the Japanese invaded Korea in 1592, but it was rebuilt in the early 1930s. But, it is still a breathtaking view.  We hiked around the temple and enjoyed the view for close to three hours. 

Buddha overlooking the temple.

Sunset at Haeundae Beach, Busan.

We then found an Irish pub situated among all the Korean food stores and enjoyed some "home" cuisine and mulled wine to warm us up.

On Friday morning, we departed from the hostel early and went to the Busan Aquarium. I've been to a few aquariums in my day, but this one was gorgeous - and HUGE! It is all underground, and has some amazing animals and sea life. The best part is the seabed tunnel.  The tunnel experience resembles a walk along the floor with various sea creatures (fish, turtles, and sharks!) swimming above. It was incredible. 

There were a lot of these mini figurines all along the temple. 

Gold Buddha!

After the museum, we decided to take the fast train back to Daegu, and got here in a third of the time it took us on the slow train...I will now be only taking the fast train to places! 

Jelly fish at Busan Aquarium

All of a sudden, it was New Years Eve! 

Hello 2012!

 It was a wonderful night here in Daegu. It's kind of like time traveling, being 14-17 hours ahead of all my loved ones at home puts me in this weird limbo where I feel like I celebrate holidays for a really long time. I'm looking forward to the extra long birthday! :) 

Megan, John & I

Anyways, on New Years, a few friends and I stayed together for the midnight countdown and we just hugged and said we were thankful for having each other. And I truly am. The people here have truly made this experience worth while for me. They are amazing friends and I am so lucky to call them friends! And then, we just celebrated the new year well into the next day. :) That's the thing about foreigners here in Korea. On the weekends, we tend to live it up. So...I'm usually coming home about the time the sun is rising...I'm just now getting used to it! 

Happy New Year! 

This past week, my academy has started it's January schedule. They change the times during the month while the students are on vacation from their public schools. So, now I am working from 1pm to 8-9pm. I tend to like finishing earlier, but it has put a big damper on seeing everyone, for they still start and finish at the same time. So, I'm kind of ready for January to over so I can get my social schedule back on track! :)

And now, for the wonderful continuation of "Thing's I've Learned..."

37.  The "foreigner" nod. I am now making a public decree to make a new rule. When foreigners see each other in the streets, downtown, or while shopping, I believe there should be a "foreigner" nod. Just to acknowledge one another. Luckily, many do show some sort of acknowledgement, with a wave, smile or a hello, but some do not. I just like to think of it as a, "We're all in this together" sort of thing...so, I will be waving and saying hello to every foreigner I see. :)

38.  I (finally!) received my "alien card". Which is just an identification card to prove that I can be in the country...it's something small, but it makes me feel official!

39.  My parents are the best in the world. :) Granted, this is something I already knew, but I had to share it! Only they would go into Old Navy and skype with me to show me all the options of clothing they will send me for my birthday! Also, I am SO looking forward to the summer when my parents come to Korea and spend more than a MONTH here traveling and visiting! I cannot wait to introduce them to this world and my friends. Mom and Dad, you two are the best!

40. I got a few new students the other day and I came so close to having my own naming ceremony. The Korean teachers wanted me to pick the students names...but I ended up telling the kids to think about it and to come to class this week with a name. Too much pressure for me! :) But! I did have one kid choose a name that is my new favorite...Meteor!

41.  My "little ones". This is not a huge thing, but I wanted to share it as well. Due to the schedule change for January, I have gotten a new class. They are my little ones. They are only 6-7 years old, and their English is not that great yet, but I look forward more to them to anyone else right now. When I walk in the classroom, their faces light up and I feel like I can do no wrong! They all want to hold my hand and touch my hair, and, surprisingly, I'm totally fine with this! :) They all just squeal with delight when I dance around and sing to them! "Ohhhh Cambria Teacher!" Best boost to the ego if I ever had one. Am I making your heart melt yet? Because they are the sweetest kids in the world. A picture will surely be coming soon!

42. It SNOWED the other day! Actually SNOWED! I forgot how much I loved the snow and watching it fall. It brought back wonderful memories of Manchester and having winter fun! Unfortunately, it didn't last long, however it was still beautiful. But! True to myself, I learned, once again, that you can take the girl out of California, but you cannot take the California out of the girl. The snow had not been on the ground for more than half an hour when I was walking home and slipped and fell. I couldn't help but laugh...as I iced my knee and checked out all of my new bruises. :) 

I hope you are all well and had a wonderful holiday season! I miss you all and love you even more. Thanks for always checking in and reading about my life! And thank you to all who have sent beautiful cards and notes! You're the best! It makes me smile so much when I walk into work and there is a card waiting on my desk from the states! :)

Love you!

-Cam

Happy 2012!