Week 3 - DONE

Time is simply flying by....before I left I kept telling myself that it was only a year, and that a year would go by quicker than I realized. I didn't realize just how right I was. It is Sunday evening and my third week of school and third weekend are done.

The week flew by, partly because due to changes in schedule Thursday I only taught 4 classes and Friday was a field trip class for the little ones, so my week felt shorter.

Monday and Tuesday were pretty un eventful. Wednesday night I went out with Tessa for St. Paddy's Day. It was a nice night out. Thursday was my first day of cooking class....imagine this, 6 and 7 year olds making pork/tofu meat balls. They were disgusting, but the kids liked them and had fun, so that's what counts. :)

Friday we took the little ones on our first field trip, and they had a great time. We met with the Wonderland from Jinhae here in Changwon at a park for a play day. The kids had fun running around, playing soccer and learning American games. I have to tell you it was pretty funny to watch two Korean teachers try to explain what a three legged race and a sack race were, because they were trying to combined the two, tying the kids legs together and then trying to put the kids in sacks. No wonder people think American's are nuts. lol. But finally explained it and the kids started doing three legged races, which were quite funny. I got a chance to meet the three foreign teachers from the Jinhae Wonderland, Lorey, Todd and Shawn. They were all really nice people. It was great to talk to someone with similar education and background. I love meeting and getting to know people that are different from me, but it was nice to feel like I made a freind. Friday was an early night because we had to be up at 4:30 am on Sat to be on a train by 6 am to head to Seoul for a day long training. The training was good, but it was a lot of stuff that I did in my Masters, so it felt like a lot of repeat, but it was nice to at least see Seoul...which is really all that I was able to do, because we got off the train, went to the Hilton in Seoul and sat in a training for 7 hours and then got back on a train. :) I was pretty tired by the time we got home (almost 11pm) so I chose to not go out, and just spent a mellow night at home.

This morning I was able to talk with Mom, Dad, Savannah, Mark, Jen, and Ben on Skype. I love the fact that I can actually talk and see them, especially Ben and Alex, because I don't feel like I am missing watching them grow up, even though every week I swear they are getting bigger. When I woke up I saw that it was an absolute perfect day outside and it couldn't be wasted....so I put on my tennies, pulled on a hoodie and my backpack and went and caught the bus. Today was my first time on the bus by myself, and I will be honest I was a little bit nervous but I made it where I wanted to go. I went to City 7, which is like a big mall with movie theatre and shops, resturants, etc. I sat in a little cafe and had a smoothie and a bagel while I read my book. Then I decided to head off to another store that had been recommended, but I wasn't quite sure where it was so I just started walking. One thing that I have quickly gotten use to is the fact that most of the children and some of the adults here will just randomly walk up to you and say hello...so as I was walking I wasn't all that suprised to hear someone behind me say hello. I turned and smiled and said hello and was suprised to have the man say, "how are you? Are you lost?" I smiled and said that I was good and a little turned around, that I was looking for Home Plus and he offered to walk me to it, in the opposite direction I might add. *On a side note I have had many people, Korean and foreign offer to go out of their way to take me where I needed to go since I have gotten here and I have to say it is amazing to realize that there are still people out there that will put their day on hold to help out a total stranger.* He spent about 2 hours walking with me, showing me different places, I found out he had been here for 3 years from Pakistan and is here for work with a manufacturing company of medical something....he ended up taking me out to lunch and buying me an ice cream cone....then putting me on the right bus to head me back in my direction.

So all in all I spent my day today, wandering, shopping, making a new friend, and conquering the 103 bus. Next week....the world...or maybe the bus to Jinhae. :)

Pictures are downloaded every few days to this online album if anyone wants to see:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ewilder22/NotAllWhoWanderAreLost?authkey=Gv1sRgCIfoqOmMtZLUmgE&feat=directlink

MUCH LOVE!!