Middle School

When you're living abroad facebook starts to become more important than checking out random friends pictures of food and drunken nights out.  Here it's used as a resource for teaching, living and working.  A few weeks ago I came across a post asking for native english teachers to help out with a middle school overnight field trip.  I emailed the guy, got some more information and figured why not? So last Saturday I found myself on the way to Daegu with Sara (who I dragged into this) for an overnight field trip with 30 middle school students.  We were sent the itinerary in advance (even in English this time!) but still weren't quite sure what we were in for. The up side - they decided they'd pay us even though it was originally supposed to be a volunteer position.

Play Time

To cap off the end of the semester and beginning of summer break (well that's a lie because i'm the only one getting a break, the rest of the staff and students will be at school for the next month) we had a teachers "workshop" which seems to have been poorly translated cuz really it's was a field trip.  Thursday morning we had a half day at school, packed up the bus with loads of food, beer and of course soju and made our way to...? Yeah, I had no idea where we were going or what we would be doing.  I tried to get some more information but this is all I came away with: 

Me: "So what are we doing to do on this trip?"
Math Teacher: "Oh probably drink, and eat, but mostly just drink"
Me: "Well what else, like activities"
Math Teacher: "Maybe cards or some games, but we will drink" 

Me: "Is there anything special I should bring for the trip?"
Co-T: "The school uniform for a picture, and extra clothes the boys will probably throw you in the water"   

Well okay then, bring clothes and my liver...got it.  I did get a copy of the itinerary but it was in Korean and google translate was no help at all.  I should also note my main co-teacher would not be making the trip do to being ready to burst (8 1/2 months pregnant) so some of the other teachers told me they were worried for me, who would I talk to?  Umm did they forget we have like 8 English teachers at our school and the principal LOVES practicing his English with me.  

Let's Get Dirty

Almost two years ago I was sitting on facebook looking though pictures and stumbled across my friend Kyle's pictures from Mudfest.  Curious as to what and where this event was I clicked on the album and looked through - umm that looks awesome. Maybe it was then that I decided I should come to Korea to teach, in all honestly i'm not sure what first made me want to come here, but this may have been a contributing factor.

Bruise City

Two weekends ago Sara and I decided to make the trek to Herbz Hills an Eco theme park just south of Daegu.  I'd heard about it a few times from both friends and blogs but the major draw/reason for going was the high ropes and zip-line course.  I immediately had flash backs to my 7th grade outdoor ed experience where I was basically too chicken to do anything. However, I felt that i'd changed a bit since then and was up for the adventure.

I met Sara in Waegwon where we caught the train to Dongdaegu and then were greeted with the news that it'd be another hour bus to the park - I was under the impression this would be 30 minutes. Oh well, what are you going to do.  Generally I don't mind the transportation in Korea but by the end of this bus ride I was ready to run off the bus - we were greeted with an hour of bickering ajumas, seriously the were stressing us out.  Anyway, we arrived at the park, managed to explain what tickets we wanted "zip-a line-a" w/ hand motions of course, and we were on our way.

Fighting!

A few weeks ago I got a facebook invite from an old La Crosse friend Mitch, who is currently teaching in Seoul.  He's been here since August and since then has spent a few weekends exploring and hiking throughout Korea, this time he was trying to get a group together to takel Jirisan home to the second highest peak in Korea (the first being on Jinju island).  Now i'm a pretty active person but since being in Korea I haven't had many major athletic challenges or ways to test my endurance, none the less this invite spiked my curiosity.  Two weeks later and I roped my friends Sara and Amanda into coming along for the ride, Friday night hit and Sara and I were on our way to Jinju to meet up with Mitch and Amanda, before starting our early Saturday morning adventure.

Samsungwon

About two months ago I started volunteering at Samsungwon the orphanage in Gumi, conveniently located right across the street from the foreigner bar. My friend Tami who was in Gumi two years ago volunteered there and since reading about her experience I've had the desire to do so in the back of my mind. Before I show you the adorable children here's some information about Samsungwon that I got from the Aimee the KKOOM representative that helps arrange volunteers at orphanages throughout Korea: