Thursday, January 25, 2007

Did January just pass by?!?

Wow, winter intensive courses are... ummm... intense. Tomorrow's the last day. Good thing because I'm losing momentum fast. To top it off most of my breaks this week were sucked up by random things like makeup tests or students popping in for extra lessons. It's not bad, just tiring.

My classes were all really funny today, I won't repeat everything but one kid asked if cars in America could fly. Before I could respond another girl said, "Cindy, it would have been on the news" Hahahaha!

There's also this 16 year old boy I teach essay writing to who claims to never have fun. Today as usual, I ask him how his week was... Peter: "Same, boring" Me:"Are you sure? Not a single fun or interesting thing happened?" Peter: "Teacher, it just isn't going to happen, ok?" awww man, what am I supposed to do with that? Haha, he's just joking though, once he relaxes he usually has an interesting story to tell.

The ice fishing festival last week was a blast. We went through Adventure Korea which is the same company I went to Geongju with. Myself, Meghan (my coworker) and her friend Natalie went, there were two buses of Westerners, about 50-60 people alltogether. We went to Hwacheon in Geongi-do privince which was about 3 hours northeast of Seoul. The wnter festival is pretty big as you can see from my pics, masses of people are there and it goes on for weeks. Theres tons of fun activities going on. We did the ice fishing for a couple hours which was really fun. Holes are already cut and you just pick one out you like. You can see crystal clear to the bottom through the water, it couldn't have been more than five feet deep. You just sit and watch the trout ignore your lure for a few hours while the guy at the hole next to you catches a fish every 10 minutes....fun!!!! You have to move the line all the time to snag the fish, but it didn't happen for us. As the only group of Westerners at the festival we were very interesting and amusing to other people so some people tried to help us. Some other people in the group were offered fish by random Koreans who had caught a lot. Festival people had us pose with a trout for possible brochure pics (we'll see if we end up on it next year) and let us keep that fish.

However, I did catch my own fish in the barehands fishing competition which was possibly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever voluntarily participated in.

They fill a pool with water and stock it with fish. A team of about 20 people get in. On the mark they jump into the water (wearing shorts and a t-shirt, no shoes or other practical winter gear) and catch fish with their hands. Once the first person catches 3 fish everyone can get out. Oh, and you put the fish down your shirt while you're catching the other ones. This is really fun for the spectators who are hooting and hollering the whole time. Anyway, us crazy Western women formed a team, and I am pleased to announce the I am the only one who officially caught a fish! (Meghan caught one but let it go, and someone else had a net assist) In response to crowd encouragement, I did, indeed, put it down my shirt. I was going to try to catch another one when I realized I could no longer ignore the INTENSE PAIN of the ice water on my legs and feet. I jumped out (half the girls had already given up on catching any fish at all) and hobbled to the changing room. It was very exciting.

We grilled our trout and ate it with corn and soju.

Note: Soju is vile, do not drink this stuff.

It was a good day.

Other than that I've just been hanging out with my friends and boyfriend in Hongdae, which I just love. It's that artsy, college part of town, not far from where I live. Lots of neat little cafes and things like that.

I have a vacation this Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday but won't be going anywhere. Maybe I'll do one morning at the sauna, we'll see.

Love and miss you all!

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Hwacheon


Hwacheon
Originally uploaded by MacKensie!.

I caught this fish barehanded standing in a tub of ice cold water. I'm glad we got pictures because I am never, never going to do it again. Haha.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

My Kids


Mokdong
Originally uploaded by MacKensie!.

One of my phonics classes (the really young ones).

Friday, January 12, 2007

5 months in...

Next week, when I go ice fishing, I'll be hitting the five month mark of my time in Korea. I think ice fishing is a good way to do it. I have to think of something really good for the six month anniversary.

I can't believe I've been here that long; I'm still in "This can't really be my life" mode.

I'm on dinner break now before my last class. Personally, I'd rather go straight through and leave an hour earlier, but whatever. Since we're doing those intensive courses I had 10 40 minute classes today, with an hour and half lunch break and 40 minute dinner break. It's not bad except it sucks up your day-- no time for the bank or any other errands. I'll be glad when we're back to a normal schedule.

This was a busy week but good. I'll give you a rundown of my typical packed week these days.

Monday, wake up at 6 to make a 7am private lesson. It's a business guy that lives about a 20 minute walk from me. We sit in his living room and he talks for an hour, with me interjecting any corrections. He mostly describes his accounting job and what's big in the accounting world. It's interesting. His son is going to UCLA and his other son is studying Chinese so we talk about them a lot as well. At 8 I leave, read or study Korean at Starbucks, and then head to school. I have three classes from 10 to 12:10. For lunch I head downstairs. The choices are a cheap-o Korean place, a nice sit-down Korean place, a bakery, or the convenience store. I basically have a rotation. I do bring lunch but I figured out that what I spend on ham, bread, and cheese, for every sandwich is about the same as a meal downstairs $1.50 to $2. Classes start again at 1:30 until my break at 6. I usually just have a snack so I can have dinner at home or out with friends. One more class, and home! Since all three of us foreign teachers live next to eachother we usually walk home together and often stop someplace to eat. There's tons of places in our neighborhood. You can get the most amazing meals here for under $5. We go out once or twice a week and the rest of the time I cook at home. Sometimes after work I'll catch a movie with Meghan or go window shopping with Kay. I also teach extra lessons some evenings from 8-10.

This Tuesday I got out at 5 so Kay took me to Yeoungdupo, a neighborhood 2 subway stops from us that's known for being lively with shops and places to eat at night. It was fun walking around. We went to her favorite Chinese restraunt which was fantastic and found a cool cafe to be bums at. I'll definitely go there again.

Wednesday was a long day because I taught a 7am and an 8-10 pm before and after school. I don't usually do that. Thursday Meghan and I went to a new place that opened by our house for dinner. It serves shabu-shabu which is delicious! They get a pot of broth boiling in front of you and you stew in vegetables, beef, and noodles. You pick chunks out with your chopsticks, dip it in oue, and eat. Good stuff.

Tonight a bunch of us from work are checking out a jazz bar in Hongdae and then I'm meeting other friends after that. Otherwise, no plans but I'm sure when I see everyone tonight something will come up. The museum here has a special art exhibit on loan from the Louvre, so we might check that out.

Everything's great. I hope you are all doing well. E-mail me and say hi!!! Love and miss you all, --MacKensie

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Snow!


Mokdong
Originally uploaded by MacKensie!.

The snowstorm this morning on the way to meet Kay.

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Friends


Iteawon
Originally uploaded by MacKensie!.

Laura, Meghan, Me

I just wanted to add something really quick:

Some of you have expressed concern or alarm due to the Russian dance club story-- don't worry! If I had really felt threatened I wouldn't have been there! It was just a silly, over-the-top guy I encountered one time, it's not like this is happening a lot! Most nights I go out I meet normal, friendly people. Plus, don't forget, I've been living and traveling on my own for years now. When you put yourself out there, you're bound to meet a few weirdos. Everything's cool here --don't worry!
Happy New Year!

I had a fantastic New Year's Eve, in fact, the whole weekend was great. I got a chance to hang out with most of my friends in town and just have a good time. I'm glad I rang in 2007 here and I'm really looking forward to the year ahead. Hope you guys feel the same way!

The month of January we teach "winter intensive" courses. Since all of the kids have off of school their parents send them for extra lessons, poor guys! So instead of teaching 2-9, now I teach 10-7:30. I get overtime, which is cool; and we'll have a five day weekend when it's over. My new classes are fun. I have a few one-on-ones with some really advanced children (from 8-11 years old) who are great to work with. I also have an adorable phonics class (super beginners) who clap whenever I draw pictures on the board. They crack me up.

I start my day having to draw pictures and act out words with the little guys and end the day editing college level essays and explaining how to use the word "conducive" in a sentence. I'm glad for the big range in levels I get to teach.

Some friends of mine here got married recently and are having a big party soon so I'm looking forward to that. Everything's going great!

Miss you guys!

Love, MacKensie
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