Monday, August 13, 2012
Goodbye Korea, What up? Cheese
This is my favorite song from this year. Please notice the make-up on these guys! Welcome to my Korean life.
This is a new quirky song that is all the rage, the video is hilarious and the song great to dance to. Some of the comments have said how funny Korean humor is... I kind of beg to differ, you rarely see things this strange!
This is my favorite song from my first year in Korea.
If this song doesn't get stuck in your head, I will judge you. It's horrible when that happens.
Korean music videos... can words describe??
The funny thing is that they're supposed to be saying 'RING Ding-a-Ding'.. however they say 'LING Ding-a-Ding', because it's hard for them to pronounce the 'R's :)
I want to be sure to remember these songs forever!
The goodbyes hath begun my friends!
So far on the list:
My hairdresser - Ji Yeon has been SUCH a lifesaver, and I told her that. I refused to get my haircut the first year I lived in Korea, possibly because I had shorter hair then and it is much easier to ruin. However, this awesome chick lived in Los Angeles for 4 years (has a tattoo.. big deal in Korea.. sold me) and is so sweet. I nearly cried when I hugged her goodbye. But alas, no tears yet.
My doctor - Nothing like a free doctor. Nothing like a free doctor who speaks fluent English. Nothing like a free doctor who speaks fluent English and always tells you about how your last name is the same name as a woman's dilation reflex when giving birth (the Ferguson dilation). He gave me a hug too today... it may not seem like a big deal, but Koreans just don't hug, so when I'm offered a hug, I jump right in there like a bear!
My student who I've taught a few times a week for the entire year - He planned the sweetest goodbye parting, and I got to meet his family for the first time, which meant a lot to me! HE also gave me a hug, geeze Korea, constantly surprising me with the embraces.
My expat friends on vacation - I've made some great friends here, the ones I love the most though are the ones I'm sure I'll see in a different country one day!
Past students - One by one as I see them, so long, farewell, COME VISIT!
Still to come: my best friends, coworkers, my favorite restaurants.
BRING ON THE CHEESE AMERICA, I HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Jin-Jews Always Get Me in Trouble
What is it with the Jin-Jews?? Seriously! A girl is trying to behave herself.. and then they come along and, BAM!
So on Friday night I kind of sort of.. mm.. went a wee crazy! I tried to wake-up early enough to get my butt on an 8AM bus.. but I sort of ended up on the 12:20 bus. I was supposed to be meeting Christina and other Jin-Jews at the Yeosu World Expo at 1PM. Yeosu is 3.5 hours away from Jeonju.. fail! I slept the entire way there.. by the time I arrived (around 4PM) Christina said that the Expo sucked, and it was rainy, and the lines were crazy, so we were just going to head to Namhae Island and meet everyone else there once I found them. The Expo is HUGE.. so it took me a little while to find them.. in the end there were 7 of us in a clown car headed to Namhae Island. Did I mention that the car is being driven by a Scottish guy who I used to loathe (and now love), however he sounds just like Shrek and how can you hate Shrek?! .. so I was just absolutely praying we'd get there alive!
We made it.. found Kevin and the gang.. ate.. played card games.. got sloshed.. and headed to the beach for some fireworks. Well.. the fireworks never happened because we got kicked off the beach. The guys had changed into their swim trunks.. but the two girls who wanted to go hadn't, they decided to just get buck naked and jump in.. haaa.... I think they'll double think that decision from now on, because all of a sudden a bright spotlight shines out into the ocean...shining... shining... and then a coast guard guy comes out and tells us in Korean that they need to get out of the water. The guys got out of the water, but the girls were like 'NO WAY!'.. stop shining your light.. stop looking at us and we'll get out. I'm pretty sure the guard had zero clue what was happening.. we ended up having to shield the girls with huge umbrellas while everyone found their clothes.. HAAA. I still think it's so funny, and I'm so happy that I was still recovering from being sick and didn't go! Point for me.
Later, I learned some new games. We headed to a food tent and vegged out... then headed to the NORAEBANG... most likely the last noraebang of my Korean career. Sad face! We had so much fun, jammed, laughed, chatted.. Kev and I got all emotional because all of his besties are leaving in Jinju (guys that have lived there for yeaars), I'm about to leave, life just isn't fair!
The next morning, the token Irishman bought fireworks at 9AM and started setting them off in our pension's courtyard.. waking up ALL of the Koreans in the surrounding pension rooms. Luckily I got to play with the sparklers that came in the package.. yeehaw.. so I wasn't angry for being woken up by them!
We left fairly early, going down to the beach to check it out in the RAIN.. since it's rain season it rained the entire time we were there!
We left fairly early.. around noon.. and what does the Irishman do?! He buys fireworks for our ride home. And I mean that literally. Once those were used up, he bought more at our pee-break! Never in my life. It was amazing. Yet kids I don't recommend you do this at home, which is why I am NOT posting the video.. even though it makes me laugh every time!
Geeze Jinju! Such bad influences :).
Never a good idea.. however, quite entertaining!
So on Friday night I kind of sort of.. mm.. went a wee crazy! I tried to wake-up early enough to get my butt on an 8AM bus.. but I sort of ended up on the 12:20 bus. I was supposed to be meeting Christina and other Jin-Jews at the Yeosu World Expo at 1PM. Yeosu is 3.5 hours away from Jeonju.. fail! I slept the entire way there.. by the time I arrived (around 4PM) Christina said that the Expo sucked, and it was rainy, and the lines were crazy, so we were just going to head to Namhae Island and meet everyone else there once I found them. The Expo is HUGE.. so it took me a little while to find them.. in the end there were 7 of us in a clown car headed to Namhae Island. Did I mention that the car is being driven by a Scottish guy who I used to loathe (and now love), however he sounds just like Shrek and how can you hate Shrek?! .. so I was just absolutely praying we'd get there alive!
We made it.. found Kevin and the gang.. ate.. played card games.. got sloshed.. and headed to the beach for some fireworks. Well.. the fireworks never happened because we got kicked off the beach. The guys had changed into their swim trunks.. but the two girls who wanted to go hadn't, they decided to just get buck naked and jump in.. haaa.... I think they'll double think that decision from now on, because all of a sudden a bright spotlight shines out into the ocean...shining... shining... and then a coast guard guy comes out and tells us in Korean that they need to get out of the water. The guys got out of the water, but the girls were like 'NO WAY!'.. stop shining your light.. stop looking at us and we'll get out. I'm pretty sure the guard had zero clue what was happening.. we ended up having to shield the girls with huge umbrellas while everyone found their clothes.. HAAA. I still think it's so funny, and I'm so happy that I was still recovering from being sick and didn't go! Point for me.
Later, I learned some new games. We headed to a food tent and vegged out... then headed to the NORAEBANG... most likely the last noraebang of my Korean career. Sad face! We had so much fun, jammed, laughed, chatted.. Kev and I got all emotional because all of his besties are leaving in Jinju (guys that have lived there for yeaars), I'm about to leave, life just isn't fair! The next morning, the token Irishman bought fireworks at 9AM and started setting them off in our pension's courtyard.. waking up ALL of the Koreans in the surrounding pension rooms. Luckily I got to play with the sparklers that came in the package.. yeehaw.. so I wasn't angry for being woken up by them!
We left fairly early, going down to the beach to check it out in the RAIN.. since it's rain season it rained the entire time we were there!
We left fairly early.. around noon.. and what does the Irishman do?! He buys fireworks for our ride home. And I mean that literally. Once those were used up, he bought more at our pee-break! Never in my life. It was amazing. Yet kids I don't recommend you do this at home, which is why I am NOT posting the video.. even though it makes me laugh every time!
Geeze Jinju! Such bad influences :).
Never a good idea.. however, quite entertaining!Teach Me How to Writ-ie
Teach me how to writ-ie
Teach me-Teach me how to writ-ie....
I'm a WRITING TEACHER! How on Earth did this happen?! For some odd reason I decided to make my life a little harder and requested to teach writing this semester. That equals heaps of extra work.. a.)I've never taught it before, so I have to make all new materials. b.)I am teaching 8 hours a day, so I'm stuck in the office lesson planning for 2.5 hours every day. c.)I have to edit papers every day now. d.)Was I crazy??
I teach 2 back-to-back 80 minute classes of basic writing. It's going SO well, at least I think so. I'm thankful for having the opportunity and being able to put it on my resume! I feel like I can see my students improving each day, which makes me thrilled. I have one class who look SO miserable every time I walk into the room, that sometimes I tell them they make me want to jump out a window. And YES, I DID say that, because I truly felt that way! Can you imagine bouncing into a classroom with 13 students.. "Hey guys!! How are we doing?"... and hardly anyone looking at you, zero expression on their faces, boring, miserable people...... it's painful. They have their good days and they have their bad days. Thankfully I share the class with another teacher who teaches them speaking for 80 minutes, and she has the same issues. Thankfully they don't REALLY need any people skills to learn writing, I think I pulled the lucky stick on that one.
Also, thankfully I'm nice most of the time.. overly nice & up-beat.. so I don't feel bad one bit yelling at them. WRIIIIIITE!!! :::snap the whip:::
Teach me-Teach me how to writ-ie....
I'm a WRITING TEACHER! How on Earth did this happen?! For some odd reason I decided to make my life a little harder and requested to teach writing this semester. That equals heaps of extra work.. a.)I've never taught it before, so I have to make all new materials. b.)I am teaching 8 hours a day, so I'm stuck in the office lesson planning for 2.5 hours every day. c.)I have to edit papers every day now. d.)Was I crazy??
I teach 2 back-to-back 80 minute classes of basic writing. It's going SO well, at least I think so. I'm thankful for having the opportunity and being able to put it on my resume! I feel like I can see my students improving each day, which makes me thrilled. I have one class who look SO miserable every time I walk into the room, that sometimes I tell them they make me want to jump out a window. And YES, I DID say that, because I truly felt that way! Can you imagine bouncing into a classroom with 13 students.. "Hey guys!! How are we doing?"... and hardly anyone looking at you, zero expression on their faces, boring, miserable people...... it's painful. They have their good days and they have their bad days. Thankfully I share the class with another teacher who teaches them speaking for 80 minutes, and she has the same issues. Thankfully they don't REALLY need any people skills to learn writing, I think I pulled the lucky stick on that one.
Also, thankfully I'm nice most of the time.. overly nice & up-beat.. so I don't feel bad one bit yelling at them. WRIIIIIITE!!! :::snap the whip:::
Taming Wild Beasts
KIDS CLASS!!! Oi! Only 9 more days left of teaching children, and I will be screaming hallelujah when it is over. You know what the crazy thing is? I only teach one kids class a day, and it is one too many. HOW did I manage last year? HOOOOWWWW? Of course the girls are absolute angels. Yes, including the ones who are going through puberty and are extremely moody and awkward. The boys drive me absolutely INSANE. INSANE. I must say 'Are you crazy?' to them often, because now one boy says it all of the time. When he says it though, it is in the MOST annoying voice on the planet Earth. Honestly, I seriously hope that the students in America behave much better than the students in Korea. I can't even fathom having 30 in my classroom. Right now I have TEN. Just TEN. And they drive me INSANE! Possibly it is because they go to public school for 8 hours, then have 1 hour learning English with a Korean teacher, immediately followed by me teaching them for 45 minutes. THEN, some of them go to other private academies for music, history, etc. Kids will be kids.. especially if they're being forced to have the patience of an adult....
I do not want children for a long time.
I do not want children for a long time.
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