Trick or Treat!
Halloween in Seoul has been more… uh… celebrated this year than last, which makes me super happy. I say that because Halloween things are more available this year and there are more costume shops and Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts have been doing Halloween foods! I found the most amazing ice cream that taste like a pumpkin pie. I think Halloween is my favorite holiday, it’s all about dressing up and getting candy, two of my favorite things.
Here’s my costume this year, Chad was a Pokémon Trainer and I was a pikachu.
At my school, we took the kids trick or treating to a couple of the kids homes and then YBM Head Quarters. 
Then we played around at the school trading candy. 
The afternoon was the same and it was pretty fun. 
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
How to Sell An Education: Open Class
At my school and many other hagwons like it, we have this ‘neat little’ event called “OPEN CLASS.” From it’s name, I thought back to the days at my elementary school when Dads would come and have lunch or we’d have an evening of “Open House” and we could show our parents around the school. However, I am quickly shaken back to reality and discover that open class is no more than a little show we put on for the parents. Last year, I made the big mistake of not knowing what I was getting into, but I’m a year wiser now and knew what to do.
My co-teachers and I prepped the kids in song and dance. I worked on the best and flashiest flashcards that would WOW any kinder right off their feet! I made everything coordinate and match to satisfy my crazy need for… well… coordination! It was a sight to behold and would make any kindergarten teacher said, “OOooo” and even “Aaahh!”
One class was perfect and it was so fun, the other was… let’s just say, “too silly” and made it more difficult to finish the lesson in time.
Now maybe I can finish this cold and be well enough to enjoy Halloween!!
A Day in the Life: October 22
A day in the life of a currently over-worked English teacher. We had a “seminar day” which my school used as a field trip day with the kinder students and their families!
7am Getting on the subway, the station is dead on a Saturday morning…
After eating some breakfast and waiting for the bus, the teachers arrived at the park that is nearby the mountain. All the fall colors came out to greet us.
Now we play the waiting game. I wandered around in the woods and found this pretty tree blanketing the trail.
The kids finally show up and they play a game with their families. They had to stack a pile of rocks as high as they can without it falling. You see little rock piles along trails in Korea when you’re hiking. They say if you add a rock to the pile and make a wish it will come true if the pile doesn’t fall; however, if the pile falls your wish and the other wishes won’t come true.
I was impressed by this rock stacking.
Mommy helps daughter count her stickers that she has won over the course of the day.
Alright teacher it’s time to go, she leads the way with her balloon.
After lunch and a long bus and subway ride, my friend Jamie and I head to the crowded streets of the toy market to find Halloween costumes.
It’s only 5pm but I’m sick and exhausted so this is the end of my day…
My wonderful boyfriend brought home some sandwiches for dinner and after a cup of Theraflu, I try to reclaim the sleep that was taken from me. Goodnight. 
Hangang Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival
Under the Cherry Blossoms
We went to the cherry blossom festival here in Seoul and it was pretty fun. There are several festivals around Korea and even Seoul itself, but the Yeouido Festival is the biggest in Seoul. The weather was a let down because all week long it was sunny and warm and of course the first time in a couple of months we get an extra day off, overcast and windy. But we went with our co-teacher friends and the streets were filled with beautiful pink/white blossoms. The streets were also filled with performers and vendors. The big excitement was Saturday but we wanted to go on our day off and beat the big crowd so we went on Friday. The street behind the National Assembly was filled with people a couple of stages for Saturday’s events and several flower displays. There were also a row of artist that would draw your portrait. Probably not as much festivities but enough to be enjoyable. One of my co-teacher friends Moriah got pulled into a clowning act and Chad made a friend with a musical comedian. We got to see the National Assembly too. So over all it was a fun-flower-filled day!
Oh PS I got my hair cut. I hope you like it. 🙂
Bukchon Area
Taking Pictures in Bukchon
Happy ONE Year in Korea Moriah teacher! My co-teacher friends and I went walking around this very cool area of Seoul that is full of the old house style of Korean architecture. Korean houses or Hanok are all around and been preserved or restored. There are even some house you can go in but most are actual private residence. We walked all over this area and it’s full of great little shops and cafes and restaurants.
Tears of Heaven
me by one of the giant displays
One of my kinder students gave his main teachers some tickets to a musical. Luckily for me, my co-teacher Makala couldn’t go so she gave the tickets to me. And free tickets to theatre, you think Charlet Ringwald is gonna pass that up?!?! However, to be honest, I was a little unsure about it, the tickets were all in Korean and the details I got were shaky. But it was at The National Theater of Korea so it sounded cool. The National Theater of Korea is nestled on the slope of Namsan Mountain and I’ve been dying to go. I found out that the musical stars a Kpop idol, Kim Junsu (or Xiah as he’s more widely known) and Brad Little a Broadway actor and a theatre super stars here in Asia. Once I found that out and realized what a big deal the show really was I was super excited!! And I’m so glad a little uncertainty didn’t prevent me from going because it was amazing! It was a great show: bittersweet love story, with fantastic singing and spectacular tech. You know a shows good when it has some tech tricks I can’t figure out. Even though most of it was in Korean they have giant screens with subtitles and along with what Korean I have learned and the acting, it was super easy to follow. Overall it was an amazing experience (that was free thanks again Makala!) and I hope when it goes to Broadway they keep it in Korean!!
A Christmas Feast
The Table
We had a great Christmas party at Sara’s apartment. Moriah and I ordered a giant turkey and ham dinner from a catering place on the US Army Base. We all hosted it and it was a great success. Lots of our co-teachers and friends and their friends came. Everyone brought some food or drinks and it was a great feast! We ate and drank and had a wonderful time!
Merry Christmas!
Orange-ya glad you’re a teacher!!
A Giant Bowl of Tangerines
So one of my co-teachers Makala had a blog about Teaching Perk: Food and this blog is no understatement on food we get. It’s true we get random food most of the time, especially holidays!
Today one of my afternoon students brought two crates of tiny tangerines. Apparently his grandma owns a tangerine farm on Jeju Island and SURPRISE! Here are some tangerines. These are organic too, not chemicals or pesticides! So one crate for each teacher, me and my partner teacher Elle. We gave as much away as we could, not because we didn’t want them, but how is ONE person going to eat a CRATE of tangerines. We gave them away to students, teachers, passer-bys on the street (well not really, but I was planning on giving some to the homeless guy I sometimes see on the subway stairs, sadly he wasn’t there today, it was too cold) I still left with a big heavy bag full even after giving lots away.
So, no way I’m getting scurvy! Now hopefully these will clear up the cold I have (the cold, another present from the kids….)
A Photo A Day When You're Far Away 