Goodbye, Korean Fall

Fall has almost already come and gone. The leaves are barely hanging on to the trees. So before my final fall in Korea says goodbye, I'd like to give a little shout out to Korean Fall. Hollah!!!! I took these shots in the big square near my house on Sunday evening. I love Fall in Korea and I'm sad that I may not ever see it again. So, Korean Fall, I just want you to know how much you've meant to me and how much I've loved seeing you after the long, oppressive Korean Summers. Just between you and me, you are my favorite of all seasons in Korea. But don't tell the others. (I don't want Korean Winter finding out and lashing out at me like last year...)

























































































And a Happy BOOOOlated Halloween to everyone! I went as a Geisha Girl (very appropriate given my surroundings) an Ali and company went as zombies.

Third Time's a Charm

This Sunday, I'll be running my 3rd half marathon. This one feels different for a few reasons. First, I'm running it with someone, that someone being Ali. After 2 1/2 years of being together, I think we've finally nailed down the very fragile art of running together. There were some tears along the way, some furious stomping (that would be me), some full out yelling battles that consisted of sentences like "EITHER RUN WITH ME, OR DON'T RUN WITH ME!" (also me, but in my defense Ali was doing this thing where he runs at my same pace, but about 2 meters ahead of me...INFURIATING). So the system we worked out is that we run in the same time frame, I leave about 15 minutes before him, we usually go different directions around the lake, give each other a high five here and there if we pass each other, and wallah--the perfect running buddy system.

Secondly, this is my first half that I'll be running and not sweating my face off. Oh, the joy of running 13.1 miles in November! The forecast say 57 degrees and partly sunny. PERFECTO! And finally, the race I'm doing is called the Seoul Sports Marathon and it's HUGE! There's thousands of people participating, which is a big change from my previous two races that were all small and intimate. (This will also mean more foreigners--anyone remember the "Where's Waldo?" picture from my last half?) Thousands of people running along the Han River through Seoul is a bit intense!

Wish us luck!

Feinschule Field Day

Last Saturday, our school rented out the sporting grounds of a nearby public school and had a full-on field day. We spent the morning playing games, and I'm happy to report that I have not, in any way, lost my competitive edge. I literally terrified my team, along with their parents, into making sure we took gold. There wasn't gold to take, unfortunately, but we had our (my) pride to keep intact! Other than a fierce game of tug-of-war in which half of the kids were injured/sobbing and one teacher was left with a sprained ankle, we had a blast! After lunch, I taught them all a completely professional line dancing routine, as well as the good ole macarena. We finished off the day with a Halloween costume contest.








My favorite Korean family! All with matching homemade costumes that say, "Roy! I love Feinschule!"
















All the fun and games makes for some sleepy children...














Best costume ever! I think he's a joker of some sort...

















ROY!!!
















Getting ready for some 3-legged racing...















Mother and daughter!















"When I grow up, I want to be a Princess!"

Rabbit Class

Most days of the week, before I have to bury my head in writing, editing, and re-editing drama curriculum, I get to teach my favorite class in the whole world. They're 4 yrs old (American age 3), they're adorable, and even though one of them hasn't stopped crying the entire month that she's been here (you'll see what I mean), I love them to death. I introduce to you: Rabbit Class.

V-V-V...

You know how in the Harry Potter Books everyone is afraid to say the word “Voldemort” and they’re all like, “V…V…V…he who should not be named” because they’re so terrified of him they don’t even want to say his name? I, too, have a “v” word that gives me such a feeling.

V-V-Visa. (I just gave a terrifying shutter.) I don’t want to say it, I don’t want to think it, I don’t want to hear any one else say it, I don’t want to see it written down…I want to take the word, rip it into a million pieces, stomp on it, throw it against a cactus a few times, let the sick kid in school vomit all over it, then tie a massive anchor to it and throw it into that spot on the ocean that covers the deepest hole on earth and let it sink, sink, sink into oblivion until it gets eaten, digested, and excreted into nothingness by a giant squid.

Get my drift?

Yet again, this malicious little word has made my life full of stress and complications as Korea changes all of their rules concerning v-v-v-oh, you know what I mean. I need an FBI Criminal background check! Me! Accused of being a criminal! (I realize that I shouldn’t take it personally, but it’s so intrusive!) And it can take 3 months to get it! So I have consequently spent my week frantically getting my application for a federal background check in (which included a lovely trip to the police station to get my fingerprints taken), and then making calls, searching websites, and desperately finding a loophole in the new rules so that I can get back into the country after Christmas. And I may have cracked the case! I'll keep you posted.

I think it’s to the sauna for me tonight…

Baby, I've Got a Plan

Anyone catch the Kanye West reference in my subject? Last night, my entire bike ride to and from Ali's place (yes, I got a bike!) I was shouting out his new song "Runaway" like the good ole days of shouting out Alanis Morissette on the lawn mower back on the farm. What is it about Kanye that always makes me want to where a bright orange suit, where a crown, and dance with a bunch of ballerinas? (SNL last week anyone?)

But, reference or not...I do have a plan! I had a nice long meeting with my boss this week about my future in Korea. And I'm coming home for Christmas, people! It'll have been about a year and nine months since being home. I've just paid for my tickets and there is nothing stopping me now! Step away Korean children, Carolyn Teacher is going home! I'll be landing in Omaha on Thursday, December 23rd and coming back to Seoul on January 8. A little over 2 weeks to eat as much oatmeal, cheese, licorice, and guacamole as possible. Ah, it will be grand.

And as for further life plans, my last day of work in Korea will be June 3rd. Then the plan is to do some traveling this summer and gear myself up for grad school at Columbia College next fall. It's so strange to have an end date to living in Korea. I'm always wondering what I'm going to do next, when I'm going to leave, and now that I know, I have this overwhelmingly sad feeling inside just thinking about it. Last night on my bike ride through the back streets of Ilsan, I was just taking everything in -- the same blue trucks everyone seems to have here, the GS marts on every corner, the Korean kids out playing WAY past a normal bedtime, the friendly building guard who always give me a huge smile and "ANYONG HASEYO" every time I come home -- I'll have lived here 3 years by the time I leave and I feel like this is just what I know now. This is my life. It's comfortable and it's mine. Despite the fact that I've spent so much time wondering what's next, I'm just not ready to go yet. Hopefully I will be in 8 months.

Chuseok O'Clock!

People, Sweater Weather has come! (*Note: I capitalize because, to me, Sweater Weather is something in the vicinity of sacred.) I was told today, as I proudly wore a brand new sweater to school, that I looked "coozy." I think they meant cozy.

So, Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving has come and gone. So what better way to explain my holiday than in pictures. Here goes:

We spent a couple of days out east in Seoraksan -- Korea's biggest mountain.







Where we stayed, Osaek, there are famous springs there that were discovered by a Buddhist Monk many a year ago. This water tasted so much like iron, I felt like a vampire. (Cuz, you know, iron tastes like blood? Not funny? Shoot.)








We took a long stroll (the front desk Korean guy at the resort said it was a "hike," and despite the fact that all of the Koreans on the trail with us were in full-on hiking gear, complete with boots and sticks, this most definitely, just a stroll) through the mountains for a few hours one morning. Lots of pretty water falls.










Don't worry, mom. If I had fallen into the water fall, the life ring would have saved me.












Then, we went to the beach! We gazed at the ocean and tried to see Japan. We didn't.













Sokcho, the city on the eastern coast of Korea, is famous for dried squid and sting ray. Both equally disgusting and smelly.











After we returned from the east, we spent a day at Everland, Korea's best amusement park. We battled Korean crowds all day, but the T-Express 70 degree drop roller coaster made it all worth while.







So scared to ride the roller coaster...














Ali in the map, where he spends most of his life.

















We made friends with a polar bear! For being the most ferocious of all bears, they sure look cute and cuddly.












If you can't read the first point on this sign, it says: "The drunken, pregnant, old are not permitted in this ride." Gotta watch out for those pregnant drunk old people. They're a serious problem here.











Ali tried to win me a stuffed animal, in true "date at an amusement park" style, but he didn't. I love him anyway.








And we even got to spend a day in Hongdae at a little hand-made arts market, enjoying the fall weather and gazing at all of the beautiful pieces of art that we would never be able to fit home in our suitcase. Someday, someday.

So, to sum it up, a fantabulous Korean Thanksgiving. So much to be thankful for, and so grateful I could spend another (and VERY likely my last) Chuseok in this country.