So Ian came up with this language exchange idea where a foreign teacher would be partnered with a Korean teacher and we would meet once a week to hangout and learn each other's language. Well, I was supposed to meet 2 Thursdays ago with my partner, but as you know, I was sick, and so this past Thursday we met for the first time. I say this like I have never met the girl and I don't work with her, but honestly, I never have really talked to her because 1. She is the receptionist so besides the friendly hello in the morning, I never really have time to chat it up with her 2. She isn't a teacher, so she isn't in my office where I have most of my conversations with the people I work with and 3. Well, I got nothing. But basically we haven't ever had a conversation so I thought if nothing else, this first meet would be interesting. Anyways, so her name is Boram, aka Rebecca. She is the cutest Korean girl ever and I LOVE the way she says her American name and the fact that she LOVES to say it. Ok, so I make her out to be like 4... she is 23 Korean, 22 American which makes her the youngest at ECC too. I am the youngest foreigner and she is the youngest Korean. We are less than 2 months apart and we get along great. She speaks very very little English, but she is such a good student that she came to our first meeting with a paper front and back of questions to ask me to get to know me written in English (with Korean below so she remembers what she is asking). Not to mention she brought an English/Korean translated phrases book, a personal electronic dictionary, and she invited one of the kinder teachers who is her friend who speak English rather well. We had dinner at Shebu Shebu which is a common place the foreigners go to eat because it is delicious! Dinner was fun and after it the three of us went for coffee. Three and a half hours after meeting, we all went home with new friends. We arranged to meet this Sunday downtown to hangout and maybe go shopping and/or see a movie. I'll get to that in a minute. So... I think this exchange thing will be lots of fun and very useful for all of us. I learned how to say the money bills names and count using them, that something was "too expensive", "I want a discount", "please", and some other random but useful stuff. I'm pretty excited for our next official exchange. Oh, not to mention the Kinder teacher that came along to help the two of us communicate is a Korean teacher that teaches the kids only Korean and has her office upstairs instead of downstairs with all of the foreigners and Koreans who teach English, so it was fun to talk to her for the first time really too. I look forward to getting to know her and spend time with her too since I see her everyday but also isn't someone I say more than 2 words to usually because most of the Kinder Korean teachers don't know much English and I didn't realize how good she was.
So, that was Thursday night. Friday at school the Kinders had English Market day. Basically instead of teaching 3 classes after lunch on Friday, all of the Kinder teachers got to have lots of fun. We set up different items in several classrooms and the children came through the classes and acted as if they were at a market. The market consisted of the stationary store, fruit market, vegetable market, flea market, and the snack store. Caroline and I were put in the fruit market which had boring items to sell but it still ended up being fun. Each student had specific lines they were supposed to say and we would respond accordingly. We had been practicing lines in a couple classes the previous 2 weeks but I don't think the kids really understand why they were memorizing these lines until they actually got to the "market." Then, I think it clicked for some kids. Some kids were still clueless about the whole thing and acted surprised that we expected them to ask us certain questions and respond with a specific answer. haha. Oh, and the smartest and oldest Kinder class was videotaped so when we have "open day" and all of the parents come to see what their kids do at ECC, this video will be played and they will have an idea. I got to be in a couple of these videos, so I made my second debut in Korean tv/movies.. haha. the first being when I lived here 15 years ago and was on "Hello English" :) hahah. OMG and I almost forgot to tell you the best part of the whole thing.... everyone working HAD to wear a yellow Miss America Sash that Read "ECC English Market" and headscarfs!!! :) We looked so... Korean. It was AMAZING! And the kids all had the cutest matching purses that held their fake American dollar bills. It was such a fantastic day. Good thing Caroline remembered her camera cause we got some great pictures! I was soooo mad I left mine at home, but its ok cause the two of us always share pictures anyways. As soon as she posts them to facebook you will see them on my facebook page as well so no worries.
My afternoon class on Friday, I spent giving oral, written, and writing tests as well as doing book reports. I then spent my free time grading and even managed to still take a ton of book reports, evaluations, and tests home to grade. :( Oh the life of a teacher....
Friday night we went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant that was really good and then called it an early night because we were so tired.
Saturday was lots of fun! We woke up and I got to do some skyping and then Caroline and I went hiking. We hiked for a good 2 hours. We went a different direction which was again really pretty and had even more fun exercise machines along the way! :) The weather was absolutely perfect. It was in the low 80's and sunny! After hiking we met Aaron and went to a place called Kimbop Nara. I think Aaron said it best when he described it as "the Waffle House of Korea." It is open 24 hours and sells really good and extremely cheap Korean food. We had Mandu (Korean dumplings) and Kimbop (seaweed around rice and several vegetables. We got tuna in ours) Yes, Anne, I actually like and eat Kimbop now. Its "Mashitta" (that's delicious in Korean) After that, Caroline and I headed to the bus station in search for a specific Korean learning book, which we did not find. boo :(. Then we came home for a bit before heading out again to meet some co-workers for a couple rounds of bowling. It ended up being a last minute thing and people backed out so it was just me, Caroline, Devon, and Jake but we had an absolute blast. We bowled a couple rounds. I bowled a 96 and a 110. For those of you who really know me, you know this is an absolute record for me! hehe. Caroline kicked all of our butts though and won both games. It looks like I need to take lessons from her. After bowling we ate some amazing Galbi and then went to a local bar for some drinks. We had some Soju cocktails which is Soju (Korean liquor) mixed with real fruit. We tried Kiwi, Mountain Strawberry, Blueberry banana, and Orange/ Grapefruit red. They all were delicious but I think the kiwi one is my favorite. That night ended around 2am.
Sunday we slept in and stayed in our PJ's most of the day. At 4 we met Boram (Rebecca) and Gina (the Korean Kinder teacher) downtown. It had been raining all morning and still was raining so instead of shopping we went to see a movie. We saw "Fame". It was in English with Korean subtitles. It was REALLY good and a must see if you like singing and dancing movies. Anne, Taylor, Tams, its the newest "Center Stage". hehe. We also had some coffee (Caroline and I had Smoothies) and then we went home. Gina and Rebecca are becoming my new best Korean friends! :)
Monday was a good day at work. It was activity day in my afternoon classes which means I got to watch movies and eat all afternoon with my classes. Today was good. Nothing too special but another good day at work so I'll take it. Tomorrow is my last day of school this week. Then it is the start of the Chusok, Korean Thanksgiving, holiday! And guess where Me, Caroline, Aaron, Prairie, and Katelyn are headed?! CHINA!!!
That's right. I leave for CHINA on Thursday morning for 5 days. I am BEYOND EXCITED!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to hike the Great Wall and do sooooo much sightseeing!!!! :) I will update everyone about my trip when I get home! :)
Miss you all and love you more!!!!!!!!!
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