YES!!!

I just found out that I have a 3 day weekend and next week I do not have to teach a class!! It is Midterm week so I will be doing some lovely desk warming!! I am going to bring my computer so I can make some power points and games for the following weeks!! Today is my busy day....I only get one break and I have mostly 2nd grade boys classes!! They make me so tired! Good news I brought some chocolate covered almonds to help me through!! HA! I went for a 4 mile run this morning....well I think it was 4 miles....close enough! I found a track about 1.5 m from my house! It is all uphill until I get to the track so it is a good workout!! there is also a long set of stairs so I run those as part of my workout! The weather is so wonderful! I love it in the mornings because it is kind of cool....perfect running weather. Yesterday I went for a bike ride and run in the morning and then another bike ride in the afternoon. Last night I purchased a new computer. It was very inexpensive and I get to pay monthly for it. Which is awesome! It is not a mac but I had to sacrifice for the price I was willing to pay! I am just happy that my ipad now works and I could download all my itunes last night!! :-) I finally got to watch Leverage!! :-) I also rented 2 movies I plan on watching tonight! I am going to go for a bike ride when I get home and try to buy a new sweatshirt and then go home and have some dinner and watch a movie!! Maybe even a little wine....even though I don't usually drink during the week...it seems like a wine night! I tried to get my wireless router to work last night but it wouldn't read on my computer because it is in English and the software is in Korean....I am going to try to get it to work tonight!! If not I may have to order another one. Oh well! Well now it's teaching time!! :-)

Start of another week!

Man, I feel like I haven't written my blog in awhile but I seem to have gotten so busy!! It is a good kind of busy because most of the activities I am busy with are for pleasure! :-) This weekend I was invited to cheer on the Changwon volleyball team in their tournament in Masan.  Saturday we went to the tournament around 8 am and they had games at 10 and 1. It was a lot of fun. They had an opening ceremony...which was really cool to experience! I could not understand a word but I still thought it was awesome!! I loved cheering them on...I was one of 3 foreigners and we were all supporting the same club!! These two foreign exchange students from Russia play as well! They are very young and shy but it was fun for them too! Changwon won both matches and so they advanced on to the next days play! After the matches we went to watch the team they would be playing the following morning. The other team was very good and had a lot of young strong players on it. :-) The guys were tired from playing and it was time to eat! We drove back from Masan to Changwon and ate samgyupsal! It was very delicious!! Drank a little soju and beer and went home! I was so exhausted!!! I got to talk to mom and dad when I got home since I would be going to the volleyball in the morning I wanted to talk to them once this week!! That was very nice! After that it was time for me to go to sleep! I was so tired. I went to sleep really early!! I woke up to a COOL morning!! The weather has been absolutely beautiful! It is starting to turn to the fall! :-) Joon Han picked me up at 8 and we were off to another day of Volleyball!! Their first match was at 9 am. They did not play well the first match and were very frustrated with the setter. He kept sending the ball over the net or they were super tight. The second game they played much better but still couldn't pull out the win! After the match we went back to Changwon to eat Sashimi and drink Soju. I love eating sashimi here in Korea. It is so delicious!! I posted a picture of all of us at lunch! :-) It was a great time!! After lunch we went walking around the market and Joon Han bought me some rice cakes! They are so good!! :-) I now really look forward to my thursday nights because this group of people are so kind and welcoming to me! I really feel a part of their group! It is a lot of fun!!


As for school....I am finished with half of my classes today. :-) Thank goodness! I only have 2 more to go! I have finished my lesson planning for the rest of the week so I am basically going to be sitting for the next three days! :-) When I go to my other school I will have to do a bit more work because not all of my classes are on the same lesson like here at Bonglim middle school but that is ok. I feel like I need to work more than I do but there just isnt anything for me to do! haha! Really wonderful problem I think! My students have their midterms coming up and for that entire week I will not have classes!! :-) SWEET!! I am very excited about that!! It will maybe give me some time to catch up on my korean lessons!! :-) I made it a goal to learn korean so I can communicate with my new friends!! Oh yeah....I am going to buy a new computer today....They are very cheap here and since my computer is not working the way I want it too......I have to buy a new one! I am going shopping after lunch to look at the shop with my coteacher. I just need something that will run itunes and will run my wireless router so I can use my I pad! :-) Ok it's lunch time now....Hopefully we are eating something good!! :-)

Short week!

I love having only 2 days of classes this week!! It has been very nice!! I posted some pictures of the volleyball club I am helping with on my facebook for everyone to check out!! I didn't get a chance to take pictures at the adult club last night but i should get a chance soon! We are going to be starting twice a week practices: Wed. and Thurs. nights! I am very excited about it because last night I met some really nice girls there too! They are teachers at a different middle school but they are very nice! Our communication is not that good but it is ok!! :-) I always have a lot of fun when I go to the practices so I am glad I will get to do that twice a week. I am trying to think of what else has happened....Not sure if I worte this before...but I fell off of my stairs in the middle of the night. It was very funny...well not at 3 am but now! My stairs are very slippery and I had on socks. I was hanging from the rails and I have a GIANT welp on my thigh! Looks really good when I wear shorts to volleyball! Oh well....I guess that is really all that has happened! Gotta go teach a class!

Holiday break!

What a weekend it has been! My weekend is just coming to an end because of the wonderful holiday! Let me start by saying I learned how to get to Busan friday and I went back 3 times! :-) Friday night: I went with a few friends to Busan to hear Gold Panda at Fabric and danced until 2 am! It was pretty crazy but fun! Then went to Siana's to stay the night...she lives in Busan. The next morning we all went back to Changwon and Siana came and we went shopping in Changwon....I bought volleyball shoes and a awesome new backpack! Also, I got these awesome addidas slip ons and I was wondering why I was wearing a 7 shoe and realized that I was having to buy men's shoes here because they dont make women's sizes big enough! hahaha! Siana and I found Kraze Burger and had a great time! After that we met up with some of the other foreigners who were going to eat Samgyeopsal...it was wonderful! The next day I woke up early and decided to go to starbucks to use the free wifi....when I got there I ran into one of my friends and his old co teacher.....enjoyed starbucks for a few hours and then went exploring changwon! While we were out we discovered this machine where you can arm wrestling game...of course I had to try it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPlArw2kt8k&feature=youtube_gdata_player here is the video for your enjoyment.....Also, I wanted to take pictures in the photo booth because that is really popular around here! hahaha It was so funny! After you get the pictures taken you can decorate them! What a blast! After that we decided to get some donuts and Patbingsu from Mister Donut....which I was amazed by the animations that were on the tvs in the place! hahaha! after that we went walking around and found the sportsplex and then went back to Lotte to the movie....We saw Planet of the Apes....pretty corny but good! After the movie we went to Emart...which was a mad house because of Chuseok and the store would be closed on monday! So I bought some stuff for monday! When I got home my landlord's daughter was outside with her little girl and she asked me if I would join them for lunch the next day! Of course I said yes and had a great time the next morning....I am not exactly sure what all I ate but it was very good and it was nice to be around a family! My other neighbor named Matthew came! It was very nice! After that I went home and started learning the Korean alphabet....It didnt take as long for me to learn it as I thought it was....so one hurdle down! Yesterday I was out and about when I got an email to go to the beach with Siana....so of course I wanted to go! So we went to the beach yesterday...by the time we got there it was only about an hour or 2 left of the sun so I decided to go back today! I got up really early and got on the bus! was at the beach by 830 am and was finished with my run by 915....then I enjoyed the sun until 12.....rode the bus back! It was awesome! I have never lived so close to the beach before! :-) I am a bit sunburned today...but it is ok! I am trying to figure out what I am going to do for dinner tonight....I ate a sandwich for lunch and I am already hungry! hahaha! Maybe I will venture to one of the restaurants in my area and get some food! :-) The PC room is so crowded! hahaha! I am hopefully going to get my cell phone and my internet this next week! I am looking forward to only having a 2 day work week! Tomorrow is volleyball club night and friday all the teachers are staying to play after school....even the vice principal and principal.....I am missing not being able to call my fam and friends but that will all be different as soon as I get internet!! :-)

3rd day of teaching!

Yesterday was a bit crazy....I had to teach 6 classes...mostly boys...YIKES! haha! I didn't have a chance to sit and write a blog since I was so busy and I was completely exhausted by the time I finished my day! Today is a much easier day....3 classes....I have already taught one and I will have 2 more this afternoon after lunch! I finally got a table to eat on today and it will be delivered to my apartment after I get back from my medical exam that I couldn't get on Monday.  You will be glad to know my Korean is getting a little better....well that is the words that I do know...haha! My desk mates have me practice when I get here in the mornings. They practice their english and I practice my Korean...pretty good trade off! Today is my last day at this middle school and I will be going to the other one tomorrow.

The coolest thing happened when I went to Lotte mart after school yesterday. I was looking at the hair dryers, the one I brought with me is about as strong as me blowing on someone's hair, and a girl came up to me and said excuse me. I turned and she said I couldn't help but notice you are looking to buy a blow dryer. I actually have an extra one if you would like one for free! I was like WHAT?! really! Yes of course! So I gave her my email and she said she will email me today and we can meet up so she can give me her extra blow dryer! How awesome is that! So thank you Tina for giving me your extra blow dryer! :-)
Ok well I am going to get a head start on planning my lesson for the next couple of weeks so in the future I can use this time to write my blog! :-) Miss everyone at home!

First day in the classroom!

So I just finished my first class and I am very encouraged. The 45 minutes went by very quickly....I made an activity to get to know the students and for them to get to know me. I had 1st grade boys first. They are very similar to 7th grade boys back home...silly and awkward...:-)   I gave a power point of myself and included pictures of stuff from back home. That they loved! :-) Then, I gave them all a paper with a t-shirt on it and some questions about themselves. After they finished writing the sentences they got with a partner and practiced asking and answering the questions. After they finished asking we did it as a class. I handed out stickers to the students who answered the questions. After I had given out a whole sheet of stickers, I gave them time to ask me questions....now at Central I would have NEVER allowed the students to ask me any questions they wanted in fear of what they would ask....but here I felt it would be ok....if they were brave enough to speak in class they could ask me a question! :-) The first question that one of the boys asked was "Do you have a boyfriend?" haha! It was very funny because that was when I realized....boys are the same everywhere! So over all the experience of my 1st class was a positive one! I think they greatest thing about teaching here is the time in between classes. I am only teaching 4 classes today....So I am at school from 8:30 to 4:30 and all the time in between my 4- 45 minute classes is my time to sit here at my computer! :-) I still can't get over that I don't have to take things home to do in the evenings. This is crazy! Also, I just asked my co teacher about getting a table because as of now I am eating on my lap and I am not very good at balancing! hahaha! We are also going today to teh immigration office and the hospital to get my medical completed! That will make me feel better because as soon as I get my immigration card I can get my bank account, $$$, internet and cell phone! This will help me feel very connected and settled! ok off to my next class! :-)

Weekend Fun!

So I thought I would let everyone know I don't actually live in Busan....I live in Changwon, but the title of my blog is an inside joke with my "lunch bunch" from Central! Miss you guys!

That was just a side note because I have had a few people questioning.... :-)

This weekend was a lot of fun! It started by me getting up and going for a run in perfect weather.....On my run I stubbled on City 7(it is like an outdoor mall area).  I needed to go to Lotte Mart so I was glad that I had found it. I also am glad that it is cooler here so I didn't look that bad when I went in to shop. ;-) I bought a bunch of things I needed and found an ATM to get some more currency until I get paid.  I bought a lot of stuff and then remembered I had to walk back with it...hahaha.... So luckily I brought my handy dandy paper that one of the teachers so kindly wrote my address down on in Korean and English so I can just show the cab driver and he takes me there! I almost forgot to have her do that and that could have been very bad! So I got a ride home...cab rides are very inexpensive here....I can't believe it!
I then unpacked all of my stuff and cooked some breakfast! After breakfast I decided I needed to get on the internet so instead of coming to the PC room (which is where I am now) I went to the middle of my street where I can pick up wifi....hahaha....I read a few emails, updated facebook, and downloaded another episode of Leverage so I could watch it when I got back! I know it sounds ghetto....but it works until I can get my own internet! I then found out where the scavenger hunt would be starting from (since I forgot my map in one of the teachers cars!) and went to the center of town to meet some of the other Foreigners. The scavenger hunt was scheduled from 2-8.  I didn't have a team and so when I got there I met some new people and we formed a team! It was really funny because there was only 1 person in our group who had lived in Changwon for 3 years and the rest were from somewhere else or like me had only been there for a short time! It was a lot of fun though. I learned where a lot of places were and even where all the foreigner bars were! I bought a new top and a new book! As well as, gave a Korean a piggy back ride, climbed a tree and directed traffic outside Lotte Department store. Like I said I had a lot of fun! After it was finished we met all the other teams at "For Foreigners" bar! After we turned in all of our stuff and had a beer I went out for my first Korean dinner. I ate Bibimbop. It was very delicious! I was so hungry from my 4 hour sprint around the city I couldn't wait to eat!! After we ate I was so exhausted I walked back to EMart and got a cab to take me to bed! :-) I actually stayed up passed 8 which was good for me!

When I woke up this morning I was surprised to see it was after 8 am....YES I finally slept later then 5! Sweet! When I woke up I decided not to go for a run. My feet were a little sore from running around the city in my Toms...not the best decision on my part. So instead I decided I would go to the lake and read for a little while. I can not tell you how wonderful it is to have so much free time. I read for about an hour....I haven't had time to read for longer than 20 mins in the last 3 years.  After I read I walked over to E Mart to buy a pillow and a few other household items that I needed. After that I came back home and had some noodles that were outstanding. I went to the market to walk off my lunch and picked up the stuff to make Spaghetti! I also got some wine! I am very excited that I found it for 9,000 won! I walked that back to my apartment and then decided it was time to come to the PC room. I have to say I pleasantly surprised with how much I am already enjoying Korea! I can't wait to start to teach tomorrow! I have missed being in the classroom! I can't wait to meet my students and see what it is all like! I will keep everyone updated on what is going on here in Changwon!

got an invite to go on a scavanger hunt in Changwon with a group of foreigners! I was very excited to do this since I really had not had a conversation in English since I left the group at the Education office!