Catching up

This blog goes ignored for quite a while. Sorry for that! Sometimes I can't believe I can be so busy! I try to keep in contact with people at home but the best I can do is two quick skype calls to Mom and dad and then to Manda on Sunday mornings before church. My apologies to all those I have not been able to email lately. I am working on it I promise. Okay, now for an update on Korea life.

Since returning from Christmas lots has happened. We have had a ton of days off which has been a big difference from the stint before Christmas when I worked from Sept. to Dec. without any days off. We celebrated Korean New Year and we got to do a PD on teaching the IB PYP. Admissions season came and went. I was made "director of elementary admissions" although I'm not sure how much that title holds haha. I did kindergarten admissions. It was different from doing it in PV since I was working with ESL children. It made the experience very interesting. There were many similarities and many differences.

We had valentines day and the 100th day of school. I tried running the 100th day similar to the one run at Chadwick. It was hard to prepare without Marla, Katy and Lauren there to help. I did pull it off and the parents loved it (I think) but we had so many activities that the school had planned in the afternoon that we could only hold the 100th day centers in the morning...the kids didn't get to do much. Live and learn. Now I know for next year to extend it. I forgot the explanation to the parents (who are also ESL) would take longer. They were great though, and had fun joining in with their kids.

We have the first of March off for another Korean holiday and I finally got to go hiking with a friend. Unfortunately it snowed that morning so we had to do one of the smaller mountains so it was more of a snow walk than a hike, but at least it is a start!

Of course the most recent excitement was my cousin visiting. It was a piece of home in Korea. Unfortunately she began and ended her trip throwing up but the middle part was really great! We went all over Seoul, Incheon, and Songdo. I'm not sure who was more tired my jet-lagged cousin or me! It was great, we did sight seeing and of course tons of shopping. Even though she does not eat spicy food she got a good taste of a variety of Korean food including eating Poop. haha.

I just finished report cards, I leave for EARCOS in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday night. I will be there five days and even get to see Jeff Ravine who used to teach at Chadwick in PV. I return late Sunday night and wake up to Parent/teacher conferences on Monday and Tuesday. Then I have about two weeks of teaching before mom and dad arrive and we head off to Bali on spring break.

So basically I will continue to be busy haha!

Here is the update so far. Hope everyone is doing well!

(as a side note, no we did not feel the earthquake and at the moment the wind is head the other direction so we are not in danger of radiation stuff yet either. The news is watching it closely of course as is our school. Stay safe!)

MAIL!!!

A wonderful surprise arrived this week from
California. Miss Pufferfish was brought back by a beautiful necklace donning a purple fish. With it a witty letter stating "Thing of us when you wear your fish, Close your eyes and make a wish.

I have not taken it off since I got it and I have gotten many compliments on it. Thank you so much Levy family. You are too kind! I would have been happy with just the letter but the necklace was awesome!!

Grrr

Along with the coffee the winter accessories must be animal themed and cute.

Doesn't hurt that this kid is cute no matter what he does :)

cute coffee?

In Korea we don't just do coffee..we have to make it cute. We all know I would never drink coffee if it wasn't cute!

Another interesting thing to ingest ...

So my cousin Betsey made it to Korea for a week to visit. It was so much fun and I have so many hilarious memories from her being here. I am happy to finally share my life here in Korea with someone from home. I am so honored she wanted to come visit me! I am far away and expensive to see. Thanks Bets!

One of our many adventures was to Insadong. One thing they sell there for consumption is this bread with red beans inside. It is delicious but the really awesome part is it is made to look like poop.

From checking with a friend this stems from war time when children used to have diseases and these inspectors used to have to check their poop for...well I don't know! The picture on the bag shows you how to check the poop and in the bottom right corner is a place for the inspectors to initial. Gotta love Korean humor!

At least it was delicious :)

Visitors!

So the latest and greatest news is that my cousin Betsey arrives tomorrow. This will be my first visitor (not counting Jessica Smith who stopped by for about 4 hours on her way from Thailand!) I am so excited for her to visit. YAY!