I switched over to blogger a while ago because I had lots of problems with my previous blog.com page, and then one day I just got the same error message again and again! Thankfully, my mom had emailed my grandma copies of my blogs so I will try to add them here so they aren't lost forever! Adding pictures back in might be a might task let's see how it goes.
Merry Christmas!
Posted by Nicole in December 23, 2011
Woooo! It’s finally here. As I printed all of my flight tickets earlier this week I had no idea that I had booked my tickets so long ago! I booked my ticket for Aus on Oct 23rd, and Bali and home about a month later! I thought the day would never come for my trip but here it is! I’ll go to Seoul right after school today at 630, should get in around 1130, unless my principal lets us leave school early. Then tomorrow morning I’ll catch a shuttle bus from Seoul, to the airport in Incheon and hop on my flight and cross my fingers that I can go explore in China with a layover visa. Then Christmas morning i’ll land in Sydney at 10am!
Last weekend I had a nice night in on Friday, was too cold and unmotivated to go out. Also trying to save up money for my trip! Saturday morning headed to Gyeongju. Met up with my eastern besties, Lucy & Marlene. We hung out, they were still waking up and getting ready, then went downtown, walked around, got coffee and had a lovely catch up session. Then went back to Marlene’s and cooked dinner, and got ready for our Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl. I dressed up as a Christmas tree kinda. haha a black and purple Christmas tree. I bought purple tinsel, and purple balls, and safety pinned them all over me, then tied some to a necklace, put some into my earrings, then had pink reindeer ear headbands. We had a great time getting ready together and hanging out. The pub crawl was a lot of fun too! Lucy lost her camera, but she just got news this morning that it has been found and will be returned.. Korea is amazing like that. I had another friend the other day who dropped ten bucks from her bag, a taxi driver honked to get her attention to tell her. Also had a friend who’s backpack got moved in Seoul with a new iphone and a lot of other expensive outdoor equipment and somehow some old Korean man tracked it down and they will have all of their stuff returned! Crazy, anyways Sunday we got some pizza then headed back on our ways.
Besides giving tests, this week at school has been pretty normal. Today though, the kids come to school for one hour, to say goodbye, then go home… I don’t understand why they don’t just say goodbye on Thursday then have today off? Korea can be silly like that. 3rd graders had tests this week that were made by my co teachers. They were soo easy and things we have practiced literally every single day, like how is the weather? And some of the kids could not answer the question.. Or spell words like big, small, long, short, or apple. The number of times they had written those words in their homework, and in class is ridiculous. Not to mention all the time we spend on phonics.. Not to mention, my Co teach told them the day before to memorize those words. One of my co teachers gave the answers right before the test.. Pathetic. This country is crazy about their English, thats why i’m here. Anyways there is also a lot of cheating and neither of my co teachers care about that either… I have a huge problem with it, they are in 3rd grade and shouldn’t be writing answers on desk or looking at each others papers. In 2 of my classes, my co teacher would look over the speaking tests I graded and any student who didn’t get 100% she called up, gave them the answers then re graded their test….. Aghhhh. Anyways thats my rant on testing/cheating etc!
I gave my after school kids a little party and bought them little presents. I got some nail polish, head bands, and sleeping socks. They got prizes for the best card, paper snowflake, and then played pass the parcel. Also bought them chips, candy, and cookies to eat while decorating their Christmas cards. The sleeping socks were the best prize and all the girls argued over them, but I told them not to be angry or I would take my presents back! They all left happy because I let them take all of the food. Only 4 girls showed up but they put away all of the food, I thought it waas absolutely crazy how much they could eat! I also wore my pink reindeer ears yesterday and everyone got a kick out of it. One my 4th grade students said that Rudolphs nose was red because he drank too much Soju.. I tried really hard not to bust out laughing in front of the class, but had to let out a little giggle.
My bike got stolen last weekend! It was
locked but just to itself, in the same place I usually put it next to my
apartment. I was veryy sad to walk out and find it missing! It was free and not
the best bike. Many people are leaving in February, so I’ve posted in the
buy/sell group in Pohang and have gotten a few responses of people moving and
selling their bikes so I”ll check it out when I get back. The only thing I’m
concerned about is getting it from downtown Pohang to my village.. There aren’t
bike racks on the buses like back home… soo I could have a long bike ride, or
figure out something else. Maybe my co teacher can help me.. Joanne and I are
teaching camp together and she said she will have me over for dinner during
winter break!
Last night met up with some friends at downtown to hang out and catch up before everyone leaves on their Holidays! The hot water bottles I got for my co teachers finally arrived, so I wrapped them up. I was running late this morning so didn’t get to put them on their desk before they got to school. Oops, but give them a little later today.
Today will be a nice little preview of all the desk warming to come! Literally will spend 8 hours a day on my computer doing whatever I want starting the week of Jan 21st. Which reminds me, my plans to travel during Lunar New Year have fallen. :/ Should have booked long ago. Flights are so expensive and the early ones are sold out.. I debated for a while going but maybe its not worth the price of the flight. Considering how much I paid for my tickets over winter break, it would be ridic to pay more then that just for a long weekend. I will go on a ski trip or something in Korea. Next long weekend we have I will plan ahead and book Japan or Taiwan as they are very 2 hour flights or less. I also have two friends in Asia working in the ESL profession. One in Hong Kong, the other in Taipei so would have accommodations and tour guides!
Anyways i think thats it! I won’t update on my trip but will have wireless in Sydney and bringing my phone to use the wi fi.. So be on the look out on facebook! :0 Have a wonderful Christmas! I am so blessed and have so much to be thankful for. It will be strange to be away from family for the first time in my life but i’m sure it will still be great. I’m soo blessed to have a wonderful job, an amazing family, my great health, friends back home, my and my new family/friends in Korea and soo much more! Hoping to skype with fam almost a day after I celebrate Christmas!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Years!
<3 N
Comments
Post a Comment