Long time no writing...

It's been ages since I posted to my blog, but today I gained some worthwhile perspective that is definitely worth sharing. But first, let me give a little recap of my life during, after, and presently, since Korea.

Korea was great! I can honestly say, looking back (even though things didn't turn out in the end as I had hoped) that I wouldn't change anything from my time there. It was an amazing, eye-opening experience that allowed me to explore a different culture, meet new people (some of whom changed my life) and really gain life experience and perspective. I discovered things about myself since Korea (even while I was there) that I didn't know about myself. Now, with all of that said, I'm not sure that I'd want to go back. I mean Korea is nice, but when you ask someone about traveling to Asia, Korea isn't the first country that comes to mind. My time there has given me the travel bug and if I could figure out how to get to another country, the same way I was able to get to Korea, I'd be signed up and headed out ASAP! Of all of the things I miss, from my time in Korea, I think, the lifestyle and schedule that I had are at the top of the list. I mean, I liked that I had to be at work by 9am every morning and then I worked until 5pm (or later, a lot) and then Amanda and I would make dinner or go out and run errands and see Seoul. I don't miss a lot of the Korean culture and I really don't miss the food (no rice for me!). I miss the easiness of my life and the less is more mentality that you take on when you're there. The things I thought I needed I really didn't need and the things I wanted weren't priorities either. I suppose the biggest thing I can say I took from Korea was contentment with the things that I have and a better understanding of what my needs vs. my wants really are, as well. Of everything that I was able to gain from Korea, the friendships that were forged will be forever cherished. Amanda was (is) a God-send to me and our boss Helen is a great friend who is missed daily. Amanda and I try to skype with her as often as possible but we miss her greatly. Hopefully she'll be able to make here, to the States, at the end of July...? Amanda and I are planning a great week of exploration, around the Southeast, to show Helen a bit of what America is like. Almost caught up... Upon leaving Korea I was able to take a brief vacation-first to Hawaii and then to Miami. Spending time with my Mother and Tracie and her family was amazing and perfect for where I was, at that time, in my life. Upon arriving back to Nashville, I found that I was very restless and really wasn't ready to return. It turns out that the anonymity that I disliked so greatly in Korea, was something I longed for, after I left. Having just been in Miami and Tracie in need of a good friend, as well, I packed everything up and moved down to Miami! From the moment I left I have been traveling a road of trust with God. I learned, the hard way, that planning your life out isn't very smart. When you're dead set on how you think your life should be and you don't even consider a contingency plan, God probably is going to find a way to humble you. He did and I'm humbled. But I think all of this, no I mean I know, all of this was for a reason. I don't think I could have come down to Miami with no plan and limited resources if I hadn't spent a year in Korea learning what I truly needed to survive and what was really important. As of right now, I'm living with Tracie (my oldest closest friend in the world) and my basic needs are being met. I am getting paid enough to pay my bills and cover my necessities and I can honestly say that I'm quite happy. I'm working for Tracie. She started her own company called Luvmeyoga (www.luvmeyoga.com) and while it's not what I thought I'd be doing (getting a teaching position is a lot harder that you'd think) it's a challenge for me and I'm happy. I'm trusting God. Believe me this did not come easily. Wanting to be the control freak that I am, He found a way to break me. It took the car not starting, 3 weeks after arriving (after just having some work done to it), sitting in a preschool parking lot, for met to finally have an out-loud conversation with God, that basically went something like this: "Ok God, fine you can have all of the control you want! I'm done!" Turns out once you relinquish that control and start praying for God to just do as He will with you and start asking for the blessings that He wants to give you He will indeed bless you. Along with those blessings He'll always make sure that you stay humble and aware of what's going on around you and always make sure that you receive a daily dose of perspective. I suppose that brings us current and my daily dose came today, when I volunteered at a homeless shelter, in downtown Miami.

Today I say a side of homelessness that I never anticipated. I mean, we see homeless people whenever we go downtown (whether it's Nashville, NYC, ATL or Miami). It's prevalent-especially in the last few years since the recession started taking its toll on this country. Today, though I didn't see the usual face of homelessness-the dirty individual on the corner, begging for food. I saw black people, white people, latinos, teenagers, middle-aged, elderly and handicapped all faced with a lack of shelter and a lack of nourishment. Homelessness is such a generalization. What I saw today weren't just people who lived on the streets. I saw people who work so hard to make ends meet that at the end of the day, after their rent and utilities have been paid they don't have enough to feed themselves or their family and they have to come down to the local shelter to eat. Talk about humility. Of course there's another side to homelessness too. There's the vulgarity of it all and the jadedness that comes from not catching any breaks and being on the streets and never having anything. It's understandable how these peoples' spirits can be so broken; with that said, it is interesting to me that they can be picky and ungrateful for the food that is being given to them. When you don't know where your next meal is coming from, it's probably not the best idea to complain about what is being served. The negativity that was heard certainly didn't outweigh the positive, grateful attitudes of those walking through kitchen line though. It was truly an eye-opening afternoon that brought me to tears as soon as I got into my car. I mean, even though, it is so easy to become bogged down by the troubles that each of our lives has, when you take a look around at the beautiful home and comfy bed that you have or the delicious meal that is put in front of you, by mom or wife, or the fact that we have so many other extravagances in our lives (i.e. iPhone, computer, car, vacations, etc.) how often do we just take time to thank Christ for the blessings he has bestowed upon us? A couple of years ago, one of my friends (Gail or Deb) bought me a copy of a devotional called "Jesus Calling" and it has little 5 minute readings, as though being spoken by Jesus, and they give you reminders to thank or give it to Christ no matter what the issue. The other day I read that I should thank God for even my troubles-"Thank Me in the Midst of the Crucible!"-how powerful to think that we should be thanking Him for our troubles? Regardless of why we're giving thanks or asking for strength, perseverance, humility or trust, there is comfort knowing that all of the obstacles and blessings that have been put in our lives were put there for a reason-a reason most assuredly that is to lead us back to God!

Upon my return from Korea I have become a different person. I practice yoga, I pray, a lot, and I meditate. I don't think many of my friends back home have ever heard me say these things before. Please do not think that I am free from anxieties, because I do have my moments, but I try to remain conscious of the fact that compared to many I have a very charmed and blessed life and so therefore I have no complaints.

P.S. I'll try to update more often...

Things that can only happen to me...

The last couple of weeks my friends and I have been having a good time-too good of a time-that's up for debate, but a good time nonetheless. We've been hanging out in Hongdae and enjoying the nite life. Unfortunately I was the victim of a credit card robbery and have had to deal with the inconvenient consequences of said robbery. All I'll say in regards to that is that we should all be thankful for the banks and their policies in the States-it isn't the same here. While this experience was completely unfortunate I have ventured back out since.

As many of my friends and family know, I tend to get into weird situations or meet very interesting people and this past weekend was not exception. Friday nite started out like any other Friday nite, out with the girls...we arrived in Hongdae and immediately started dancing and enjoying the beautiful nite. At some point during the evening I met the most interesting guy-Ryan- who had just arrived in Korea the day before. He's younger than I am but has lived a life that I would love to live. He's really quite inspirational. After having spent some time with him over the weekend I want to go travel the world and have my entire life down to a backpack. If I hadn't met him this last Friday I probably wouldn't have met this other guy. Actually this other guy I'd kind of met prior to our meeting on Sunday evening....I'm not going to mention his name but I was at dinner with him, my new friend Ryan, another teacher they work with and my friend Tammy joined us. Dinner was entertaining to say the least, especially after I determined and "guy with no name", confirmed that he was in fact the dude who had stripped down and showered at the outdoor shower at the Hamilton Hotel, a week or two before. The same guy who approached my table, in the bar area, and asked the people I was with for a cigarette. The moment I realized and he confirmed was priceless. His one friend was completely unaware of the incident and I think, "guy with no name", didn't want his friend to know but once the cat was out of the bag it was sooooo funny. He told me that he showered naked, on a dare. Throughout the evening we would all be talking and then all of the sudden one of us would say, "I can't believe you were at the Hamilton Hotel that day", or "I can't believe that was you, at the Hamilton Hotel that day". It was pretty bizarre and only something that could happen to me-I mean, while there are a good amount of foreigners in Seoul, Seoul is a large city and the odds of running into someone again are kind of slim-I guess it really is a small world. Regardless, the weekend was crazy fun and completely out of the blue.

Catching Up

The month of June is already half over and already the summer is off to a bang! I've experienced one of the mildest Junes ever (in my life) and really love having four distinct seasons. Life in Seoul is good...I've been enjoying the nite life and making new friends. The one thing I'm not enjoying is the fact that there are only a couple of pools open, in the Seoul area, and the others have yet to open (maybe in the next week or two..?). A couple of weeks ago I ventured back to Itaewon (even though I insist that I'm never going back there) to lay out at the pool at the Hamilton Hotel. I had been told by many foreigners that the public was allowed use of pool and so on the the first sunny Saturday, I had available, I made my way to the pool. I arrived at the pool, mid-afternoon, not quite sure what to expect, but when I arrived at the pool it was nothing I ever expected. It was packed with foreigners and Koreans alike, all in pursuit of the perfect tan and socialization with other foreigners and English speakers (and lets not forget the rum...no pool or beach experience would be complete without it). I arrived too late in the day to find a chair to lay out on, but was lucky enough to run into an acquaintance that I had met a few weeks previously. He was nice enough to offer me a seat with his group and I enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon with him and his friends. I had a great time but in true "Jenn's Life" fashion, the craziest thing occurred a few feet away from us... All throughout the day, as the Korean swimmers finished their day at the pool, they would come and shower off in the outdoor shower, located near us, in the bar area. It wasn't so weird that they were lathering up, in their bathing suits, after being at the pool, all day, what was weird was the last guy who showered that afternoon that decided he was going to shower completely naked, in public, in the bar area, with not a care in the world. At first, I was the only one of my group that noticed this man, just feet from us, showering naked, and then I looked at my friend and he looked at me and he and I just looked at each other with very perplexed looks on our faces. The dude showering was completely unaware of how inappropriate his actions were and if he was, he didn't care-very ballsy. As his shower ends and he's drying off (and not in a hurry at all) one of the bartenders approaches him and tells him that it's inappropriate for him to naked in public, in the bar, at the pool and both then ensue in a banter over whose "package" is bigger and better. This conversation between both men continued with the Korean bartender telling the man, who by the way was an American, that if he compared his package to the American's, the American would be upset and cry; meanwhile the American is calling out the Korean bartender and telling him he needs to just whip it out. It was hilarious! As if that wasn't enough, the American decided to come over and ask one of the members of the group I was with for a cigarette. He was denied on the sheer fact that he wasn't wearing any pants-it was the principle of the matter. Several minutes later, he approached us again and we finally obliged him with one, but only because he was wearing pants this time. This kind of stuff only happens around me. My life is entertaining to say the least. Since then I have not been back to the Hamilton Hotel pool; not because of the naked guy but unfortunately, the weather on the weekends hasn't been ideal pool weather.

My two close friends Amanda and Tammy and I have been spending a lot of time in Hongdae, enjoying the nite life and dancing-gotta love the summer time! School is going well, the children are speaking more and more English everyday and we're having a great time outside, enjoying the nice weather before it's too rainy to be outside.

Homesick

It's June! I can't believe it! Four months has flown by and it's finally the Summer time. I've made it through a quarter of the year so the rest should be easy....!? I'm not sure if it's the fact that I made the trip home, in early May, or if it's because it's the Summer time (and I love the Summer time-being with friends/family) but I'm severly homesick. I miss my family so much and I miss my nephew and hanging at the pool with Laura and Jaydon and Danielle and going to Mafiozzas, with Carrie, on Tuesdays and seeing my parents and all of the kids I babysit...oh and going to the lake-I have way too much fun at the lake with the Cornelius', Gags, Moores and Rossi families! I don't regret going home when I did-it was great seeing everyone, I was able to see, but I can't help but feeling like I'm missing out on my life, in Nashville. I told my mom, the other day, that I miss home so much, that I can't even listen to country music, right now. It's almost painful talking to my parents and sister and nephew. I want to tell them everything that's going on here and hear about what's going on there but it's hard. Seoul is great and I'm still enjoying it...the weather's been beautiful so it's allowed me and my friends here to get out more and enjoy the city. I'm hoping to take a few trips to SouthEast Asia, over the next several months (before I leave) and make the most of my time here. School is going well and the children are starting to show signs of improvement and growth-it's always encouraging to see that you're making a difference!
Monsoon season is approaching...I'm not quite sure what to expect, other than torrential down pours! I hope my wellies are on their way...(mother)? As I write this I'm hearing thunder-the first of which I've heard since I arrived here, in January. Spring and Summer in Seoul are proving to be wonderful time-It's been a while since I've experienced real seasons, as oppossed to the back and forth that Nashville experiences during the Winter/Spring time. In my neighborhood there are open markets everyday and everyone is out until late at nite; enjoying as much as they can of the beautiful weather, before it becomes so humid, it's unbearable. The humidity, here, is supposed to be much worse than what I'm even used to, having come from the South! Wherever there's an open market, there are mounds and mounds of garlic. I've never seen so many stalks/cloves of garlic before-it's crazy! And since the warm weather is here, I've been wearing my Summer clothes, which have prompted more stares, than I was receiving before. It's not that they don't approve of my apperal (although, they may not be used to the bright colors I wear) but rather they love my white skin. It's really weird. Koreans love white skin and all I can think about is how I'm going to lay out the first opportunity I get. My Korean friend has told me that I shouldn't lay out, because my white skin is so beautiful. Thanks, but I'd rather get my tan, during the Summer. Here in Korea, and I may have explained this before, white skin is associated with wealth; whereas tan skin is associated with the working (farming) class. They put whitening cream in everything here, so they can appear lighter skinned than they really are.
I can honestly say that I feel completely adjusted to Korea. I've found so many foreign markets that I can buy imported (western) foods. I've even discovered that one of the foreign bookstores here, will allow you to subscribe to American magazines, so they can be delivered to my address here! The other foreign teachers, and myself, disoverd an EMart (like Target) just down the road from us, that doesn't require us to take a bus and can be easily walked to and the cab ride there/back is super cheap! Life is good, but I miss everyone at home terribly! Anyone up for a trip to S. Korea?

Rants

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'm on the other side of the world or if it's the blatant fact that the American government is in ruins, but I've become enthralled in politics. I miss it, actually. I haven't actually missed politics since I came home from D.C. and the players decided to become partisan protagonists' with their own agendas, but nonetheless, the train wreck that has become our country captivates me. I know that seems harsh, but what happened to the country our Founding Father's fought so gallantly to establish? Obviously the world has changed quite a bit since the mid to late 18th century, but aren't the ideals, supposedly, supposed to be the same? Aren't we supposed to be "the Greatest Country" in the world? Did we not fight for the Bill of Rights? As I read the news, I cringe as I see that little by little each and everyone one of our rights is being threatened. It seems as though the livelihood of the American people is being threatened with an out of control budget and the "left" feeling threatened to the point that they're proposing and backing legislation that could threaten the free speech rights of those that don't agree with the current administration. I wonder too, does everyone think that allowing the government to have so much control, over everything, will actually solve anything? The government has a hard enough time over-sighting the government, let alone, making sure that it can be a health care provider too. The governments bailing out corporations, lending establishments, with money, they don't have, so they're in a sense do the exact same thing that the previously mentioned enterprises engaged in, and yet because they're the government, it's okay-there's irony for you. Why can't we as American citizens, understand that for the government to work efficiently it has to work at the local level and then the state level. The federal government exists only at the leisure of the states. Why is it too, that the American people refuse to get involved, whether it's voting or volunteering, and yet are so quick to blame the government for not solving their problems. This democracy was founded on the basic concept of community and everyone participating. I'm not a fan of Hilary, and this is maybe one of the most over-quoted phrases of the 1990s but "it (does) take a village". The concept of community participation is what democracy is all about, not just voting but for all aspects of life. If we can't effectively keep our communities together and teach our children how to participate, how do we expect our country to survive? I'm part of the small percentage of people that feels our country is heading in the wrong direction. I'm anxious to get back to the States. While I'm enjoying my time abroad I feel completely useless during this heightened political time-we have a new POTUS and a democratic majority in Congress. I want to get involved but am obviously at a loss, and yet, while I wish I were there to get involved and participate more, I'm glad I'm in another country, so that I can avoid our country's messy politics. I think I feel that way because I'm scared of where the U.S. is headed. One more thing... Why do we, American people, put up with the medias tactics of scaring us into believing the world is coming to an end (okay maybe not that extreme, but close enough) due to a flu bug? And while it may be a threatening virus, the CDC has stated that it's treatable via the same drugs that are used when treating a normal flu virus. Why do we stand for this outrageous melancholy to invade or headlines and TV’s? I realize that a lot of people are completely unaware of this nice little ability; we have, called common sense, but start using it! Wash your hands and stop buying into the hype!

Too much running?

Shortly after I moved here, I started really running. Running has become my outlet for getting rid of all of the pent up stuff that builds up throughout the day of working with children and having to listen to Korean and not being able to communicate with Koreans. I'm thoroughly enjoying my runs and I apparently was a little to aggressive and too ambitious, because, about a month ago, I ran around 7-10 miles, one evening, without properly building up to that mileage. That's not a good thing to do, as I am now suffering from hip tendonitis and haven't been able to run for the last week and still have another week to go before I can start running again. The orthopedist here (he happens to practice right across the street from my apt.-how convenient?), even told me no yoga, which I was really starting to get into, until next week as well. I'm so bummed and bored! I usually run 2-4 times a week and instead I've been watching tv-ughhhhhh-Korean tv sucks-obviously because it's in Korean! Besides my hip, all is well...Spring has arrived and it's beautiful here!

Easter Sunday

Easter was very different this year. Mainly because I was away from my family and in America, Easter is one of those big holidays, throughout the year, religious or not, that most people come together to have family time. Here they don't commercialize Easter, at all. So there wasn't any build up to it. It didn't feel like Easter because I wasn't constantly reminded that it was coming up. This is shallow, but I didn't have a new Easter dress this year, and when I arrived at church everyone was severely dressed down, including me. The service was good and that should be all that matters, but I'm so used to seeing everyone so dressed up on Easter Sunday and the little girls with their new white shoes and the women with their hats, it just wasn't the same. I didn't have a traditional Easter dinner. They don't really do that here. There was no brunch to attend or dinner to look forward to-I had mondoo, a Korean dish, for dinner that evening. It was different. I was told by a person, at church, that if I thought Easter was a let down, just wait for Christmas-it's even worse! When it comes down to it though, Easter isn't about all the above mentioned things, it's about the eternal life we've been given through Christ's death and resurrection and for that I am eternally thankful!

Korea Club Nite #3,4

I only have a few things to say about these two little adventures out... Korea Club Nite #3 was a mistake! It took place in Itaewon, which I loathe. It's so dirty there and this is my own personal opinion, it's the armpit of Seoul. Itaewon only has a couple of redeeming qualities (1. I can find shoes and clothes that fit me there and 2. there's a market not far from there that you can buy American food and stuff-Lays BBQ potato chips and People magazine-expensive but completely worth it!). The people that come out at nite are ughhhhhhhhh. I will never go back, after dark, again.
Korean Club Nite #4 was another trip to the booking club and this is significant, only for the fact that Amanda, one of the other foreign teachers I work with (and she's from TN), and I went to the booking club (same one we've been to previously) on our own, without a Korean chaperone. We're either incredibly stupid or we've adjusted well. It's probably more that we were incredibly stupid, but hey, we made it out alive and made some new Korean friends (girls, at that). It's probably not too often that girls leave the booking club having gotten other girls numbers...? They only wanted us for language exchange. Either way the nite was a success!

When all else fails, you just have to come to terms with the fact that "It's Korea".

During my, almost, 3 months of living here in Korea, I've been educated on the severely different culture that I've jumped into. I've mentioned previously that I received a promotion, at work. I was apprehensive and uncomfortable with receiving the promotion, but I wasn't exactly asked if I wanted the job, I was just told I was the "head teacher". I was completely unaware of what I was to be doing and what my new position entailed, but was finally given the opportunity, a couple of weeks ago, to observe at another school-one of our flagship schools and meet with a teacher, there as well, who was able to give me some insight as to what my new position entailed and who gave me some information regarding how the school should be run and what my role, in that, was. I was so excited! I finally had information and ideas of what I was supposed to be doing and I couldn't wait to tell my director, Helen, about the suggestions that were made and ideas that were given that could make our school run more efficiently and make me, as well, as the other teachers better educators and administrators. I met with Helen on a Friday and after, I felt great about our meeting. On Monday, I was at school, bright and early, ready to start making some changes (it's amazing, how even small changes make the biggest differences); only to be told that changes were not going to be made and that she appreciated my suggestions but that she wasn't going to implement them until next year. I was so disappointed. It's so hard having knowledge of something and not be able to sufficiently use it. I mean, I observed a close to perfectly run school, and granted the one that I teach at is new (only 2 months old), there were definite changes that could be made and make us that much better. On top of that, Helen told me that they no longer needed a "head teacher". I don't think I've ever received a demotion before, but I can tell you that it usually helps to not have wanted the job (promotion) in the first place, so the feeling of having something taken away from isn't as bad when you approach it from that angle. With that said, I still encountered the same emotions that someone, who did want their new job, would face. I was shocked and felt like I'd done something wrong-like I wasn't good at my job (which I know I am) or that I'd let her or someone else down. I felt embarrassed and then I thought, why am I feeling embarrassed, I didn't do anything wrong. Helen told me that she wanted all of the teachers to be considered equal and that since we were a new school she didn't think we needed a head teacher, at this time, but that if I stayed in Korea, for another year, that I would be "head teacher". Still, though, I felt a mix of emotions, that even the most secure and self-confident person can't avoid. My dad gave me some great advice though and it really helped me change see things differently. Also, I have a great friend, who actually just left Korea and completely gets what I'm going through. She talked me through some of my emotions and reassured me that I was doing my job well and also told me something that basically sums up any situation, experience or problem that may occur here-"It's Korea". There's no real rhyme or reason why they seem to do some of the things that they do here or why they handle situations like thay do- it's Korea! Honestly, I'm completely relieved about my demotion. I never wanted to be head teacher and I certainly didn't want the crazy work hours that came with it. So things are back to normal around here. I work from 9-5, and don't feel the least bit guilty when I leave at 5pm.

Korean Club Nite #2

It's been a few weeks since I last posted...a lot has been going on...and then again, not so much. A few weeks ago, my director, Helen and I took two of the other foreign teachers we work with, Tammy and Amanda, to the Korean Booking Club. I've mentioned my adventure there previously, so I won't go into complete detail as to why this is such an interesting experience, for those of us who have never entered a Korean Booking Club before. Needless to say, the other girls were intrigued and weirded out by the entire concept. I don't care who you are (Korean or American), no body really likes being grabbed and dragged from their table to be taken to a random male-stranger's table to be shown off; and auctioned off (that's kind of how it feels). The girls were not quite sure what to expect but at least they had me explaining to them what was going to happen and not a Korean, who wasn't exactly explaining the concept very well. We arrived at the same club Helen and Bonnie had taken me to several weeks ago and they were completely in awe. Like me they'd never seen anything quite like it and while they weren't too keen on the idea of being taken to table/room after table/room, they really enjoyed themselves. I was looking forward to the booking club because I hadn't really enjoyed the entertainment the previous time I had gone. This time, I knew what to expect but had seen a glimpse of the what the entertainment had been like during our previous trip, so I was there for the boy bands and other groups who were gracing the stage. The entertainment was worth the entire trip! I'd love to share more details but it may be a little risque (some of my kids read this blog, so if you want details, you'll have to email me). All in all Korean Club Nite #2 was a complete success and the girls loved it!

I've been lazy, and haven't been posting like I should. It's hard to keep everyone up to date, if I'm not writing... Well, where to begin...? Over the last few weeks, I've diligently been on the hunt for limes and tequila, found that the public restrooms, in Seoul, are at best, outdated, and basically, just been running around the city (literally running) and thoroughly enjoying my life here...oh, I almost forgot, and I received a promotion.
A few weeks ago, I started my hunt for limes and lime juice, all because of a bad margarita. My search for citrus was heightened when the guy I'm dating, Kirin, informed me that he'd never had tequila before. Naturally, I took it upon myself to find limes and tequila, as to fully educate him...I have thus far, only been successful in finding limes, and finding those was a feat in and of itself. On the other side of Seoul, near Itaewon, there is a small market, that ironically enough is named Hanam Market (ironic because I live in a city called Hanam City and I had to travel and hour plus to get to this market). The market is not easily distinguishable and is actually in the basement of a Volvo dealership. Upon arriving in Itaewon, where our (my friend Amanda, from TN and me) search began we had difficulty communicating with some of the locals. We ended up in a cab, with a cab driver who spoke zero English and was ready to boot us out of the car as soon as he realized we couldn't speak Korean. I tried to tell him Hanam Market, but he seemed confused and didn't know what we were talking about. I had been told that the market was near the Volvo dealership, so I wrote down Volvo and he immediatley knew what I was talking about. We arrived to find the Hanam Market in the basement of the Volvo dealership; it's only distinguishing feature being a weathered awning that resembled something like Hanam Market. As we decended to the the market I felt like we were about to enter some kind of black market, where goods and services were exchanged illegally and that maybe my pursuit of limes wasn't a good idea. At the bottom, though, it was completely normal (me and my imagination...lol). There was one corner of the market that has a huge amount of American items-everything from Crest toothpaste to Swanson broth. Another corner contained a deli counter, with fresh cheese (a luxery in this part of the world) and then a regular grocery, with the prize we had been seeking....LIMES!!! I found limes, in Seoul, and was so proud of myself! Of course, you really have to want the limes, because they aren't cheap...I purchased 4 limes total and it cost me almost 10,000 won (approximately $10, give or take a few bucks). So, now I've had limes for about 2 or 3 weeks and I can't locate any tequila. They have some tequila here, but to properly have a good tequila experience, you want to take good tequila. My new mission is to find Patron. I'm having a hard time...I've been given a few leads and come close, but everytime, I come home empty handed. I know it's here, I just can't seem to get my hands on a bottle...
New experiences in Seoul...well, here in Seoul, they apparently haven't joined the 21st century and upgraded all of their commodes to normal commodes. There are still (many) restrooms, here, that are basically just a porcelan pot in the floor (yes, that means squatting). Yours Truly had the unfortunate experience of having to use one, recently. Obviously, I was a woman in need, otherwise I would have waited...but that was not the case. While my personal needs were met and the experience was a success (you know what I mean) unfortunately, the subway card I had in my back pocket did not fair as well. After I'd stood up and flushed the pot in the floor, I noticed my subway card swirling to its fate. Under no circumstances was I reaching in and grabbing the card-ewwwww! I was not happy...I'd literally lost 15,000 won down the drain! Ughhhh!!! So after a few choice words I recovered and have vowed to never again utilize the public restrooms of Seoul.
Over the last few weeks, my life has settled down and I've become very comfortable here in Seoul. The school year, here is in full swing, and every day the children are learning more and more English. It's really amazing how quickly they learn and how great it is for them to finally understand the words that I am saying to them! And while I love my job, I find that running is a really great stress release and I can gather my thoughts and process my feelings of homesickness and (sometimes) lonliness and escape the busyness of this city. I have literally been running all of the place. From my house to the nearest subway station it's anywhere from 7-10 miles and Olympic Park is around 3.5 miles around. Both are great runs and not only do I feel better emotionally and mentally but also physically. It can be very taxing living in a different country with such a blatant language barrier between you and your next door neighbor or even the grocery store clerk.
This past Monday I was surprised with a promotion! I am now "head teacher"! I'm excited but unsure about the position. I'm not sure, really, what my responsibilities now entail, and so I have feelings of apprension and hoping that I can live up to the expectations that have placed upon me. I excited about the challenge and really feel like this is just the beginning of a really great year!

School Days

School has officially begun and the days have become crazy! Perhaps I should rename the title of this posting "School Daze" as the days seem to be flying by and I'm left here in a daze of exhaustion...!? Honestly, it's a much welcomed change. For about a month I was sitting around my school with nothing to do-ok, that's not entirely true, I was planning lessons, but for the most part, I was updating my facebook...a lot. So now, here I am, surrounded by children, who can't really speak English and attempting to teach a lesson, entirely in English, in hopes that they might grasp one tiny morsel of the concept being presented. I can only hope. It's only day two and already problems have come about. Not bad problems, just housekeeping problems. The school keeps a pretty tight schedule for the school day, but the children have not adjusted, so the school has decided to make the remainder of the week half days. This is better for the children as they are usually exhausted by 11:30 a.m. (School starts at 9:30 a.m.). The new teachers that have arrived are nice and seem to be adjusting well. (I can't remember if I've mentioned this previously...?) One of the teachers is actually from Tennessee-Clarksville. She and I get along pretty well. There is a teacher from Washington, a couple from Colorado, and another woman from Canada. They've been taking the last two days in stride...I'm the only one who has extensive experience with children and honestly I'm so thankful for it! It's nice to be with kids again, but it also makes me miss all of my kids desperately. All is well here in Seoul, though. Spring is just around the corner and I can't wait!

Greetings from South Korea! I am no longer the only American (more specifically, the only English speaker) in Hanam City! Five new teachers arrived over the weekend! Ever since Saturday evening I've been entertaining new teachers and taking them all over (well all over to the places I know about and am familiar with) Seoul. I'm exhausted. School is starting, officially, in a less than a week and on top of finalizing lesson plans and making sure that I have all of the materials that I might need, I'm trying to be as much of a help, as I can be, to the new teachers. This week, the students have been coming in for "demonstration week". It's basically orientation, but for a week. The children are really cute and very eager to learn. I have a class full of 7 year olds (really they're 5, but Korean age is completely different from American ages). This weeks classes have been fun, but I think my lessons for this week were a little ambitious. The children can speak some English and they can write their names, but for the most part they do not understand a word that I say. I've been going through lesson plans, making sure that I've created the lesson in such a way that the basic conceptual ideas are being discussed with the least amount of words. It's really hard to sum up, certain concepts, with a short 5 or 6 word sentence. Other than a few minor anxieties, which I've been able to keep under control by running, every evening, around Seoul, things are going well here. With that said, though, the novelty of being here has subsided and I am starting to miss my life in Nashville. I took some of the new teachers out with me last nite, to celebrate Mardi Gras, and while it was nice to be out, it wasn't the same as being out with Carrie or Danielle (they are after all irreplacable). And I miss the kids! I miss the chaos that comes with having kids with me all of the time. I realize that will change soon enough, as school starts next week, but still, It's not the same as being with my little dudes. Things are good though and I'm just settling into life here. Spring is on the way and I can't wait to see what the next week, month, few months have to offer!

Olympic Park and the Upcoming Week

Perhaps I'm the only one who really feels this way but, sometimes you just need to get outside and run. I have a love/hate relationship with running... I love how it makes my body feel but I hate pushing myself; and maybe I'd enjoy it more if I didn't set such unreasonably high expectations for myself...who knows, but earlier this week I had the urge, and uncontrollable urge to just run-run until I couldn't run anymore. After work on Wednesday I hopped on the bus and headed straight for Olympic Park. It really is a runner's dream...I'm not exactly sure about the mileage but it's flat and it's long and there are uphill trails. I arrived at the park around 6pm on Wednesday evening and just started running (I was channelling Sandy Cornelius) and then after I'd run the perimeter of the park I just kept running; to the next subway station and then on to my friends house, past that subway station, for Bible study. It was amazing and it allowed me to see a side of Seoul that I had yet to encounter. When you're traveling the city by bus or by car it is so easy to ignore your surroundings, but running through the city allowed me to embrace the city and stumble upon places and building I hadn't noticed. It's only been a couple of days but I'm looking forward to getting off of work to run and I'm also looking forward to checking out some of the other great areas, this city has to offer, for runners (or those of us attempting to be runners).
It's Friday, here in Seoul, and tonite the first of the remaining 5 teachers will be arriving. I'm excited to finally have some other English speakers around (in my building) but I'm not looking forward to playing tour guide. I'm settled, I have friends and plans and I hate running errands; especially in Seoul, where you can never find a seat on the bus or metro (because it's always so freakin' busy) and you have to stand in line for everything and then whatever you buy you have to carry back with you-I will never again complain about going to Kroger or Target and having to grocery shop and then have to unload from the car-there is perspective everywhere-I'm experiencing it on a daily basis. I mean, I've already run my errands for the week; I've already fought through the masses of Koreans, who would very easily push you in front of an oncoming bus just so they could be first in line to get on the bus (it's very much like being in 1st grade and fighting over who's going to be line leader to go to recess). It's exhausting. However, I am completely aware that I've been here for 3 weeks and that if the situation was reversed I'd be forever grateful to the person that showed me around and helped me get settled; so with that said, my attitude is that of a servant's heart and I am looking forward (kind of) to helping out the newbies and getting to know them...on Sunday (they arrive Saturday sometime)-Saturday nite I have date number 2 with the nice Korean boy I went out with last week....!

Lemon Margaritas...?

I've been here for ove 3 weeks and quickly approaching a month! I can't believe I've been in S. Korea for almost a month-time has really flown! Everyday life for me is improving daily and I'm really starting to find my way. This last week has proven very interesting and I can honestly say that I feel pretty comfortable here. This past week I was in desperate need for chips and salsa. Anyone who knows me knows that I love Mexican food and honestly if I could have chips and queso/salsa I'm a happy girl-it's not unusual for me to go to SATCO or even grab some togo from Las Palmas (Carrie-you and I have spent many a nite staying in with take out from both of those places-good times!). I started asking around and I found out that there is an On the Border, at Coex Mall, one of the larger malls, close to my side of town. At first I couldn't find it and thought that maybe Mexican food in S. Korea was really, just a myth, but as I turned the corner of the mall coridor and found the marque displaying a sombrero and the name, I knew all would be well... Obviously I don't consider On the Border to be true Mexican; I mean it's decent Tex-Mex at best, but beggars can't be choosers and they had chips and salsa and I had tacos and best of all they had Margaritas (again I say-Carrie, we have spent many a Sundays hosting "Margarita Sundays"-good times!). As I eagerly await my margarita, a pleasure I haven't partaken of in several weeks, imagine my surprise when upon taking my first glorious drink that it wasn't lime, but rather lemon...? I know this may not seem like a big deal to most, but margaritas are lime (sweet and sour-mainly lime, triple sec, and tequila). I've had fruity margaritas before but lemon was quite different and honestly not my favorite. So this week was pretty good, one of my cravings for food, from home, was satisfied. I've heard there are, in fact, a couple of other Mexican restaraunts around... I'll find them...

Valentine's Weekend

In America women are all too familiar with men that won't approach or even call when they say they will, hell, sometimes men don't even pay for dates anymore...In Korea, though, chivalry is alive and well! Laugh all you want, say what you will, but I went on a date with a (tall) Korean man on Saturday evening. I had completely forgotten that it was Valentine's Day, when I'd accepted the invitation the evening before, but hey, why not? He took me to a traditional Korean restaurant and I enjoyed Korean food, for the first time (it's pretty good!). He speaks English and we had dinner and talked for over 2 hours. We went for a drink afterward and then to what is called a "dvd bong". A dvd bong is a place where you can watch movies. Instead of renting movies and taking them home with you, you choose a movie and then watch it in a private screening room at the dvd bong. Apparently, going to the dvd bong, in Korea; on your first date, is very scandoulous. Honestly, it was the most innocent date I'd been on in ages. He was a perfect gentleman and I had a wonderful time! It was far different than any date I've been on in the States.
On Sunday, I was finally able to make it to the foreigner church. It's about an hour away, but there isn't one much closer, so it works. The church has a presbyterian background and it welcomes people from all nationalities and countries to worship. The same girls I had joined for Bible study last week also attend here. The church's name is Youngnak-IWE (International Worship in English). Pastor Bill Majors is the head pastor and I was finally able to meet him, after exchanging several emails. Interestingly enough, his daughter is at Vandy, studying elementary education. The service was very contemporary and I enjoyed it. There are only about 150 members of IWE, so it's a little bit smaller than what I'm used to but it was still very enjoyable. After, I joined the girls from my Bible study and few others for dinner. We went to traditional Korean restaurant and ate really spicy food-it was delicious! Overall, the weekend was great! I feel like I'm making friends and I'm starting to adjust and acclimate, to being, here well.

An American Girls Guide to Korean Club Nite:

Going to the Korean club can be exciting event...American women beware, though, if you're unfamiliar with men that actually take initiative or who won't go out of their way for you, this will be an experience you'll never forget!
When we arrived at the club, on Friday evening, I wasn't sure what to expect. My Korean friends kept trying to prep me for something but I couldn't understand what it was they were getting at. They kept referring to going to a guys table and needing to come back to our table when I was finished. They kept stressing this and I kept thinking and trying to tell them that I was all too familiar with how clubs work. But what they were trying to tell me didn't even come close to preparing me for the nite that was to come. After enjoying the new movie "He's Just Not That Into You", Helen, Bonnie and myself made our way to a Korean club. They had given me the option of going to the more American style club in Itaewon, but I thought, how bad could the Korean club be...? I was thinking techno type music and bad karaoke... It was that and so much more! When we arrived at this particular club, I was just trying to take it all in without gawking. We were seated on the upper level, of the club, where I had a birds-eye view of everthing. From where we sat I could see the stage in front of us, the dance floor immediately in front of the stage and then the rest of the floor was covered with tables. Above us was a beautiful domed ceiling, it looked like we were at a ballroom in a hotel and I felt like I was at prom! On the stage was the house band, singing and dancing in Korean and putting on the cutest show. People were dancing, we had great service at our table (fruit and Cass beer-the local stuff) and then all of the sudden I'm being pulled from my seat... Not to dance, but what Helen and Bonnie had been attempting to prepare me for. The servers or attendants at the club scout out potential interested girls for men at tables and in private rooms. The attendants grab you, drag you to a table or room and then deposit you there so that you can sit and talk to a man or men. Helen, thankfully, came with me, but it was a very weird experience. I was taken at least 3 different times to 3 differnt rooms before we settled in one room with 3 nice gentlemen. Before settling I found the entire act completely disturbing, archaic even. I mean to drag a woman to meet with men, who had sent after her, all because they wouldn't come and introduce themselves in person and to really not give the woman any explanation as to where she was going and who these men were; it was very weird and if that attendant had grabbed me one more time, he would have regretted it. But this is Korea and I was told, that this was Korean culutre and this was how it was done. Korean clubs are not only for meeting men. Had we been able to leave out table we would have been dancing and I doubt we would have been wisked away. I never felt unsafe, but maybe a little unsettled, I mean, to be grabbed and dragged to a room or a table with men I didn't know is a little peculiar. All in all, I had a wonderful time and met some very nice people.

It's been a few days since I've written; I'll try and catch everyone up on the goings on of my life in Seoul! Last weekend wasn't too bad. Saturday I had a lazy day and it wasn't until the late afternoon that I finally felt motivated to get out of my apartment and see some sites. I went to an area called Myeongdong Market, an area of Seoul known for its shopping and also because it's basically a huge open market with all kinds of stuff (i.e. bags, purses, hats, tights, bangles, hair clips, short-order cooks making Korean food, japanese food, french fries, or anything you can make with a potato). While I wanted to check it out I knew it would be a gamble, mainly because there are so many people here! I only stayed long enough to walk around the bulk of the market before I'd had enough and fought my way back through the hords of people to the subway station. While I was there though, I noticed some very interesting things...A protest was going on-I'm not sure what they were protesting; it was peaceful; a group of people walking around with signs were chanting something (it was definitely a protest), and they stayed together, but by the time I made it back to the bus/subway stop there were a lot of police officers standing around....? Also, they have hip-hop/pop concerts in the market as well. The people on stage aren't really singing, it's more like a talent show. Different groups get up on stage and have dance routines, in front of the masses, to different Korean and American pop music. It was kind of funny. They love Britney Spears over here (weird). I found the a couple of American stores over here, which initially had me excited, but when I finally made my way into the Gap and found out that they basically marked everything up ($40 shirt in America=$140,000 Won not = to $40; more like $140)! No shopping for me here-the Gap is my best bet at clothes since I'm so tall. So, Saturday I learned that going to Myeondong Market is not a good idea and not because it was Saturday-it's crazy busy there anytime of the week!
Sunday was another adventure out. I met up with my director, Helen, and another teacher I work with, Bonnie, to go to a different mall-Coex Mall (near the World Trade Center)-to find an Apple Store. I was in luck, they have an Apple store here, so I was able to find another converter for my Mac (that was exciting for me-it's the little things)! Then, Helen and Bonnie took me to the Korean Kingdom and museum, where I was able to get a crash course in Korean history, in about an hour. I have a ton of pictures, but am having trouble getting them on my compter (I'm not really sure how to work the camera-it's new-I've just been lazy). I will have them up as soon as I can... Later that evening, after having been all over Seoul (or so it seemed) we went to Hongik University area and walked for a bit. This area of town is full of college students (obviously) and very trendy and up and coming. It was fun and lively. We found a Japanese restaurant and had dinner and I was finally able to try Soju. Soju, for those of you who do not know, is a traditional Korean beverage (with a very high alchohol content) made from rice and other grains. We dined on soju and some other Japanese dishes and had a wonderful day!
This past week has been normal. I've been out most nites, going to one of the nearest subway stations, so that I can run errands or grab a bite. Work is going well too. I'm getting prepared for the upcoming school year...I have to plan the social studies curriculum for the entire school and that means that some of my lessons will have to be differentiated to fit the needs of each age group-there's a lot of preparation and research involved. On Wednesday I was finally able to hook up with some American girls, all here teaching as well. One of the girls, Sharon, holds a Bible study at her apartment. I met them through the pastor at one of the big English speaking churches, here, Youngnak Church (http://iwe.youngnak.net/) and hope to attend this Sunday. This weekend should be fun and eventful...I have a girls nite out tonite, with Helen and Bonnie. We're going to see "He's just not that into you" and then dinner and dancing at the Korean club-I'm excited! Saturday is up in the air but I'm sure I'll venture out...although I'm coming dangerously close to screaming at the masses of Koreans here-individually they're very nice, respectful and polite, but as a group, they have safety and strength in numbers and are rude and ugly and don't even get me started on the bus drivers! UGH!!! Sunday I'm hoping to attend the Youngnak Church and meet up with my new friends.
I was telling the girls I met, the other evening at Bible study, that I don't regret coming, and that I haven't felt that I've made a mistake, I miss everyone tremendously, but I feel like I've made the right decision and things are going to get better. I'm opitimistic about what the future hold and honestly I'm really excited! I can't wait to see what happens in the next few weeks or months, I kind of want to rush ahead and see what's going to happen, but I keep telling myself to slow down and enjoy the moment that I'm in because life flies by and if I don't stop to appreciate where I am and savor what's around me I'll regret it. Happy Valentine's Day!!!

As advanced as S. Korea is and all of the technology they have, they do not use dryers. Dryers, as in to dry your clothes. For the last 4 days I've been washing laundry and then hanging it on my nifty drying rack that takes up a lot of precious space in my already tiny apartment. For the rest of my time here I will be doing, at least, a load a day as to ensure that I'm not overwhelmed and eventually take over by the laundry hanging in my apartment. I'm trying to embrace my drying rack and accept it as a new piece of furniture or art even, but every time I walk into my apartment or open my eyes, in the morning, all I can think of is how ugly it is! Upon my return back to the states I will not complain about the laundry, ever again.

I am at work, but I don't have much to do yet... It's difficult being at work and not having much to do. I ask if I can help with anything but I am told that all is fine. I think that it's easier for them to just do whatever it is that they are doing instead of having to explain to me, in English, what I could help with. I do have a small project on my plate, but one that is easily managed within a few hours and a trip to a craft store. On February 23rd, we are having what is called a "demonstration class". This class is not a class in which we demonstrate or give a preview to what the class will be like, but in actuality is a class to get the children excited about coming to school! When children are young, it has been my experience, that children really enjoy going to school (I have only met a couple of kids who at the age of 7 didn't really enjoy going to school). For one of my demonstration classes I am going to read Where the Wild Things Are? and have the children create their own "wild thing" while I am reading. Of course I only have 30 minutes to read the story and wrap it up; so as to avoid confusion, my Korean partner Lindsay will be explaining to the children, at the beginning, that they are to decorate their paper bags and use their imaginations! Unfortunately I cannot use this same theme for my other class, even though it's a completely separate class, and have to come up with another 30 minute lesson. This isn't a hard assignment to complete, however, when you're in a foreign country, unaware of where to find certain materials and attempting to engage children in a language other than their own, even the easiest lessons concepts seem a little perplexing. I'm looking forward to the challenge and hoping I don't come across as redundant and boring. My first class is still, nearly, 3 weeks away and I'm the only English teacher here. Although I have been told that they will be hiring a 6th teacher and as I type, the director of the school, Helen, is interviewing another Korean teacher. That doesn't necessarily help me at all, as he is a Korean teacher. For the most part my worries and anxieties are those that won't subside until the day we start teaching.
On a completely different note, I didn't bring any electricity outlet converters (I thought that I could get them here) I found some here, but they don't quite work as well as I thought they would. Apparently instead of converting from 110 to 220? the converters I found convert from 110 to 240? so there's a small risk and maybe even a good chance that I could fry whatever I have plugged in and maybe even set a small fire; all because I needed to plug in my gameboy DS. If CNN is reporting a power outage and city burning outside of Seoul be rest assured that it was me desperate to charge and play brain games on my DS. I'm just kidding of course, so now I'm in search, once again, for electricity converter thingys so I can plug in the rest of my gadgets-that's this weekends adventure.