Influences

This is how I know I've been living in Korea for 10 months:

I have to fight the urge to say "chogio" in a restaurant or look for a button on the table
When I go to the bathroom in a public restroom I look for the trash can to throw my toilet paper away
When something happens that I like I say "assa" or "nice-uh" in my head (or sometimes out loud...embarassing...)
I look for a place to put my shoes when I walk into a building
I knew for a fact that the family in front of me in the check-out line was Chinese. Not Japanese, or Korean, or Vietnamese
I haven't had rice in a week and my body can tell
The internet seems soooooooooo slow

Welcome home

After 28 hours of travel time, I'm home. The flight was just awful. I like flying, but not for 11 hours straight. However I got to eat sandwiches and diet coke on the plane, and I met some nice people and made small talk in English. I haven't been able to do that for a long time and it was very refreshing. When we touched down in Chicago the pilot said "Welcome to America" and it was the greatest thing I've ever heard. I was only expecting my parents at the airport, but these friends were there too.

They brought me an American flag balloon, signs in Korean and English, and a diet coke. Then we all came back to my house and ate chicken wings, goldfish crackers, veggies and dip, and cookies. What a nice welcome to America.

The jet lag wasn't too bad. I was verrrrry tired and I slept like 12 hours the first night, but I think I'm pretty much over it. 

I saw more friends the next day at church. I've had a few moments where I think "What am I doing...why don't I just live here?!" But, when I'm with everyone it feels like I never left. I've had tons of really good food, watched the Vikings, drank Caribou, gone shopping, and gone driving. And its only been 3 days :)

Twister!

What do you do when you're expecting a class of 18 and only 4 kids show up? You make them do your Christmas worksheet, then you let them play Twister and listen to Jingle Bell Rock on repeat (both of these were their idea)

And of course you record some of it

T-swift

I love getting my hair cut in Korea. I go to this awesome salon called Juno Hair, and I always go to the one stylist who can speak English, Ban Seok. Luckily she's also very nice and very good at her job. And since we discovered we both go to church, we're best friends too. I get my hair cut, washed, styled, plus a scalp massage and a cup of coffee for $20. Greatest salon ever.

Ban Seok was cutting my hair tonight and some other girl came and stood by us. She didn't speak a lot of English, but she talked a little bit. When Ban Seok was done, other girl asked if she could style my hair. I said sure. She said "Can I wave dry it?" I wasn't really sure what that meant, but I said yes. Then she started taking tiny little chunks of hair and wrapping them around the curling iron. I thought "oh my gosh, I'm going to be here for 3 hours" but she somehow did it pretty quickly. I think she just wanted to play with white girl hair. She brushed, dried, curled, then brushed some more. I left looking like Taylor Swift. Too bad it was 7:30 on a Monday night and I didn't really have anywhere to go.

Dear Santa

Here's some more of my students' writing for you. This week they either had to write a letter to Santa or to their English teacher.

Hi santa!!  

My mame is LeeJung Soo. 

I want to a chrismas present is goalkeeper's gloves.

I like soccer.and I like goalkeeper.      

I Will play soocer this winter vacation.

From _ Ray

Hi  Santa. This is Ray.

This Christmas  I want to a UFO.

Beacause I take the UFO.

UFO is really fast .

So I want to  a UFO.

Bye, Santa.

To_ Santa

Breann teacher.

 Hi Breann teacher I'm scott^^.

Teacher happy Christmas day .

And everyday smily ^^

Thankyou teacher .

Hello santa!

My name is Rose.

Nice to meet you.

I want many notebooks.

Because,

I need when study history,Korean,science.

and

I don't have many notebooks.

I need Engilsh notebook.

I need notebooks.

Please.Give me.

Hi~ Breann teacher my name is charly.

2/25 is christmas  I like christmas.

How about you Berann?

Christmas, my sister give me computer..

And my family my friend give me  present.

How about your family , friend  what  present?

Give me study, thanks teacher.

Merry  christmas ^^~

Hi santa I want to be a smart phone

because my phone is fritz

If I have a smart phone

I want to play another game, and I boast

please give me that

I will good student

To.Breann teacher

Marry christmas teacher.

My name is 'Alex'

Thankyou for study English.

Teacher live a long and don't forget we

                                                 From.Alex

Santa please give me my happy

And, health give please

I like family and freand

Them happy and health

That my greatest gift

TO.Breann

Hello~ Breann , I'm Min kyung.

How are you?? (I think:I'm happy)

thank,teach English..

I want you don't go America

you are pretty.

so I like you.

good bye~~

To. Breann teacher.

Hi, Breann teacher.

I thank you for the lesson you gave me.

English many teach.

I want many game.

I am happy When game in English class.

To.Santa.
Santa hi! I`m Mia.
Santa  give me dollar and computer and bike and bed and house.
many? ^^
Thank you if you give me.
I love you  Santa.
Good bye.              
                                              From. mia

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for...

my family
my friends back home who will always be there
new friends who have gotten me through this year
all the people who haven't forgotten about me
my job - I know I'm lucky to be employed, and I get to do what I love
Yuri, Jenny, and Sam
my students. we don't always understand each other, and sometimes we make each other mad, but they're pretty great
the opportunity to live in a foreign country
learning what it's like to be an immigrant
that I can pay my bills
my frig full of food and my closet full of clothes
laughter
Pastor Steven Furtick and Elevation Church. I watch their sermon online every week
Bible study
all the vacations I've been able to take and the things I've seen
the internet and skype - keeping me in touch with the rest of the world
that I get to be home for Christmas in 16 days
the kindness of strangers
meeting people from all over the world
music, movies, tv shows...English entertainment
being an American and a native English speaker
weekends
boxes full of American snacks and candy
learning how to take care of myself and be independent

I know there are a million more things. God has blessed my life, especially this year in Korea. I'm thankful to be here each day. Even though some days are hard, I know this is where I'm supposed to be.

Thanksgiving dinner with the foreigners

Put your hands up

I don't really have any fantastic pictures or stories to share with you this week, except for this. One day 2 of my 5th grade boys were pretend arguing with each other during their break time. They're best friends and they were kind of laughing, so I knew it was no big deal. All the sudden friend #1 (who has a black belt in taekwando) kicked friend #2 in the chest and friend #2 fell down and slid across the floor, just like in a cartoon. They both looked at me and kind of laughed (friend #2 was not hurt), and my first thought was "I'm really impressed that you can get your leg up that high and that fast" but I decided not to say that out loud. Instead I said "No taekwando in English class" then I thought "I can't believe I had to say that."

One story is not that exciting, so I'll leave you with some of my students' favorite kpop :) Enjoy

The girls loooooooooooove this band

There was a period of time when every time I said "raise your hand" at least one kid would start singing the chorus to this song

I cannot leave my apartment without hearing this song