All in a days work:

So far this morning I've been to the bank, post office and store. I've learnt some Korean, and spoken it, and then spoken English with a lovely Korean lady. I've chatted to my best friend, helped remove a hate profile from facebook and written up some notes...and it's only 2pm...there's so much more to do...I love today :D

What I Saw This Morning...

So, I have a Skype Language Exchange this morning, but I needed to do a couple of bits before - like go to the post office and eat and wake up. Just after 10am I left my little apartment and walked down to the Post Office. It's not a long walk, but it takes me to almost the end of the actual town. As I got to the main road, do you know what I saw? I bet you'll never guess...

SUNSHINE!!!

It's still a little cold and a teensy bit windy today, but the sun was out in full force and it made the town look amazing. People were beaming, cleaning and generally happy. Hello's were exchanged and no grumpy huffs were heard!

I think I'm going to enjoy spring in Korea :)

50 Things to be Thankful For: No. 7...

Mothers!

OK, so this post is a few days later than the actual Mother's Day Celebration, but is important non the less.

I have a really wonderful mother (don't we all!) she is amazing beyond anything I have ever come to imagine.

She is that person who thinks of herself last, and always comes off second best, but does it so graciously you would never know she came second.

She's that person who gets her point across without you feeling as if you're being lectured.

She's the mother who sits and listens to you for hours, about guys, friends, work, your mind, everything, and just listens.

She's the lady who would drive hours to pick you up in the pouring rain, because you asked her.

She's the person who you call when you're too ill to move, just to hear her voice, and the same one who holds your hair back when you are sick (almost understanding that because it's your birthday and leaving party you got a little carried away),

She's the person who makes your favourite dish every time you come home to visit, for your birthday and sometimes - just because.

She's the person who asks for nothing in return.

She's mum.

And I honestly think mine is amazing! So, here's to a belated Mothers Day Wish!

This year I decided mum should have something for fun, she's always asking for useful things, once we pester her enough about what she wants! I got mum a whole host of Jam making apparatus and a recipe book, so now she has a chance to make some awesome jam. She's been talking about it for over a year now...fingers crossed she can get started now!!

And Then It Hit Me...

It was a normal Monday. After a normal weekend. And I was pondering life, and what I should do with mine.

A lot of my friends are getting engaged and married and starting to have children. Settling down into the wonderful world of familidom (Please understand that I am in no way saying this is a bad thing, it is a wonderful and exciting thing to do). I was wondering what I should do at the end of my year in Korea. I've been thinking about the next step ever since I got here, just so I know I'm sure when I'm done of what I'm going to do.

A lot of people, friends and family included, "What are you planning to do at the end of your contract?" and "When will you come home?" I know it's because they care for me, and are interested in my life, and I am very thankful for them!

It all came to a head in Monday when I just it felt like a giant thing just whacked me on the forehead and said 'WHY ARE YOU ASKING WHERE YOU'RE GOING NEXT, YOU KNOW IT DOESN'T MATTER!'

I mean that in the way of, if I choose the wrong path I can change it. If I don't like a job, I can change it. If I don't like a country, I can move. If I don't have any friends, I can make some! Etc...

That's right folks. I think I'm happy not being where I'm meant to be. I mean who's to say what where we're supposed to be anyway. So, our parents married young and had babies straight away. Our friends are getting married and working hard to make a stable future for themselves.

But for me, the think that sticks in my mind over the years isn't settling down. It isn't even finding that right person who I might settle down with in the future. It's...

wait for it...

It's seeing the world. And not just seeing it, experiencing it. The culture, the vibe, the language, the people. That's what I love.

So, for the moment, I'm not going to worry about what I'm going to do in October. I have a few goals in my life that require me to work, but that's ok! I kind of love teaching English. And lets face it, if you can teach I can teach a bunch of Korean hogwans kids, I'm surely on my way to teaching kids who actually care somewhere else in the world!

So, maybe this doesn't make sense to anyone but me, and that's ok. But I just felt like I needed to get it down on paper (or in cyberspace - does anyone even say that any more?), so that when I get flustered and feel like a bit of comfort, I can remember why I'm doing all of this - because love is hard sometimes, but it's always worth it in the end!!

Independence Movement Day in Korea...

So, I've finally got around to writing and telling you about something that happened three weekends ago! I know, how bad am I at keeping in touch. It's just all been a bit crazy here in sleepy little Yeonghae!

On Saturday 27th February Ann, my bosses daughter and friend, took me out for dinner. Over the last couple of months we've been spending a bit of time together. It's been really nice hanging out with a really down to earth Korean, and it's meant I've experienced a side of Korea I never thought I would! We went to this little place at the back of the market where they serve a barley rice with all the trimmings, including fish and steaming kimchi-chigae. I love it! But it's so filling - unlike most of Korea's food. I usually try and grab some food before I eat dinner out, so I'm actually full by the end of the meal, but this time I shouldn't have bothered! The problem is you're expected to at least finish your rice here. The farmers work so hard cultivating and harvesting it that by leaving any is often seen as spitting on their hard work. After this we run a quick errand to the photography shop, where Ann gets passport pictures taken. In the west we have small booths that take only a couple of minutes. In Korea you get to sit in a real photographers chair and you're almost guaranteed a good picture! I must remember to get some pictures done before I leave :)

We head to a symphony. It's the KBS (Korean Broadcasting Station) who are preforming, and it's wonderful. I recognise a couple of the pieces and love listening to the Italian. I see a couple of people I know, including one of my shy students who ends up presenting a couple of bouquets of flowers to the performers. I'm really proud of her as she tells me what she's about to do. I also see one of the old teacher's co-teachers, so we have a quick chat. I like knowing a couple of people here in Korea :)

As I'm writing this the town siren is going off. I've only heard it in Yeongdeok (the next town over) as a drill, but never here. I hope it is just a drill, so I don't have to move. There has just been an earthquake in Japan, so maybe we'll be affected...

Anyway, Jay and I have been texting each other for a while. We're waiting for the two new EPIK teachers to arrive in Yeonghae. The girl is supposed to be staying with me, while they find her a new place, but we haven't heard anything yet. We've just decided that we should go and knock on Denice and Ryan's old apartment door and see if anyone opens up. So, once I'm done with Ann and her friend we head over to the apartment. By the way, I wouldn't normally do something like this, but Korea's a very special place.

That's how we met John, the surfer dude from Santa Barbara. We go out drinking for a while and make plans for the next day. Yeonghae has a massive annual celebration to do with beating the Japanese. It's so big that people come from far and near to join in and talk about it for years. Looking forward to the festivities we all go our separate ways to sleep.

There's also a new guy in Yeongdeok, so John and I head over to pick him up for the day. Bertie is a tall sporty South African. After waiting for almost an hour for a bus we give up and take a taxi back to Yeaghae and meet Jay for some food. The sun is shining and the wind's just right. I know we're in for a treat with weather like that! Straight after lunch we walk down the dusty road towards the music and merriment we can hear. And there it is. Huge by Yeonghae standards, there are lots and lots of food stalls, galbi stations and drinking tents. And in the middle of the area that is normally used as the gym car park there is a stage with chairs being set out for the talent contest and shows later that night.

As soon as we step into this crazy Korean moment we are quite literally dragged towards the galbi station, where the new teachers are made to try this wonderful grilled pork. Oh, and of course mekju. They are loving it. Every galbi station we pass, the proprietors shout for us to join them. Most of the time we do. This stuff is amazing! It's definitely in my top 5 of Korean foods! We wonder round, saying hi to everyone. They love having more foreigners to look at. Some of my students are out and about enjoying the sunshine, and accost me to find out who these new people are. Are they your friends? Do they stay in your house? Who are they? Teachers? Boyfriend? The questions went on and on. It was amusing!

After a good amount of time perusing the area we decide to head to the beach, just because the weather is so nice, it's almost law to walk to the beach on such a nice day :p so off we head on the 40 minute wonder down the road to the beach. It's worth it, just to sit and watch the waves crash on to the beach. For most of the walk we're silent, apart from the odd conversation springing up about the differences between each of our countries or where we can drink tonight, what 's good to eat, how to use things. It's actually nice not to be talking non stop (and I love talking!).

I make my excuses to chat to my parents, our weekly official date to talk together. Mum and I email almost daily, so normally we just get to gossip and natter on our Sunday nights, which is nice. But we are all pretty excited about their impending trip to the east, so we get to chat about where they'll be going and what they plan on doing. It's nice to see them a little less stressed, but I know that over the next few weeks it'll get worse until they leave work. And then their mini adventure starts!

I've planned to meet the lads, somewhere and at some point. None of us thought that in a small place like Yeonghae it'd prove almost impossible to find each other. But as I make my way towards the start of the procession for Korean Independence Movement Day I can't find them. As an aside, March 1st, 1919, marked the beginning of the KIM, when the independence fighters announced Korea's declaration of independence from Japanese colonialism. It didn't go as smoothly as planned, as Japan's response was for their military and police forces to kill and injure thousands of unarmed protesters. But, in the long run, Korea got what they wanted!

I get caught up in the procession and a fire stick is thrust into my hands, while a kind Korean man asks me where my friends went. I say I don't know, but maybe they'll be here. He's kind and we talk for a short while. I always wish I could speak more Korean so that I can talk to him in his own language, but alas learning Korean in Korea has proved to be harder than a solid oak tree. In the process of looking for the lads, I meet another foreigner and her family visiting Yeonghae. How awesome is that? People know about YH!!!

So, the evening continues, I catch up with the lads, and we watch as the evening festivities begin. Belly dancers, drummers, singers, most of whom have been practising all year I imagine. We find a beer tent, and are invited to sit with some old men. As I'm the one who speaks any Korea out of the three of us, I do the talking and explaining. We do shots of beer and soju. I am so going to regret this in the morning!! But for tonight, I'm going to have fun! I discover that the more I drink, the more Korea I can speak and understand. I reconsidering learning Korean at the bar! Eventually, after being dragged onto the dance floor in front of the whole of YH but a crazy drunk man and eating larvae, oh and the famous pop idol sings us sweet melodies, the festival is drawn to a close and we make our way out. We find the 1st bar, and duck in. It's so relaxed and open we stay a while, before meeting up with Jay again and heading to Noraebang, or Karaoke to everyone else :p where we have a couple hours of singing badly and laughing at each other!

And that's almost the end, but nothing else exciting happened, so I'll spare you all the details. I know this has been a long post, but hopefully you get the excitement and how great the day was. I'm glad the new guys came on that weekend, it's such a good start to the rest of the year :)

This is what I do with my time before class...

xxx