Sleepy Saturdays

So when it rains here, it pours! But when it's sunny, it's BEAUTIFUL. I think it's beautiful already but people have been telling me to wait for fall. I'm so excited to live in a place that actually has a long autumn season! So not only is it going to be hard keeping kids inside the classroom on those tangy, crisp days, you'll have trouble keeping ME inside!!
I can tell I'm going to be jealous of my Saturdays. Today everyone went to an American military base shopping area but for the whole day. I didn't go cuz boy, did I ever need to sleep in!! I'm STILL yawning! I'm just going to do some laundry and work on school stuff.
Sometimes I wonder if there is a job that I would actually enjoy and that would be fulfilling, that wouldn't require taking it home with me. My LIFE is this school!! I like it for the most part but the fact that I'm always worried about planning wears on me. Sometimes I just wonder if that's part of life, or if someday I could just come home at 5 and read whatever I wanted to read. *Sigh* Oh well.
Week 3 starts on Monday. Seems like I've been here forever and known these kids a lot longer. But I guess that's good, huh?
Not feeling very eloquent today. I need some coffee. Peace out.

Missing

I'm missing home right now. Maybe it's cuz I'm sick but I want to play Tuesday night soccer. I want to ride my bike on Airport Road. I want to drive past the million banks and the bazillion gas stations in Toccoa. I want to hear our front-loading washer and dryer humming. I want my deck to sit on in the cool evenings and watch the stars come out one by one. And I REALLY want to hug my dad, kiss my mama, and hit my brother in the kidney (softly, of course - lovingly!). It's a poignant feeling, this homesickness. Not gut-wrenching like 6 months ago. My brain, my heart really do believe and know that this is my home now. We start Korean classes in a few weeks and that will be one more step toward feeling even more comfortable. Sometimes I'm a little overwhelmed by everything Korean but all this bowing and respect and customer service is definitely amazing.
So, 5 of us single girls went to Seoul yesterday. On the express train, it's 55 minutes (by car it would be 3 hours). We spent the day exploring Gyeongbokgung palace, riding the subway, eating bibimbab, and shopping on Insadong street. It was all so cool and I would have enjoyed it so much more, but I started getting a cold on Thursday and it hit me full-force yesterday. I bought a huge pack of Kleenex at a pharmacy and by the time I got home, my purse had 60-odd tissues wadded up in it. I got woozy and achy but I made it! Needless to say, I hit the sack and slept a good 10 hours. Laying low today.
I'm coaching elementary soccer!!! I'm really excited about that. I have no idea what I'm doing but hey, blowing a whistle and watching 20 8-10 year olds all rush for the ball sounds like a good way to spend an hour after school. :) One more thing to add to my ever-growing plate.
What other food items should I have stocked in my apartment? I don't know why I can't think of what to buy but it seems so empty. One thing I know - I need to find out where they sell creamy Jiff peanut butter. THAT, I cannot go without. :)
Has anybody seen my Contemporary Choruses piano book? It's missing and that makes me really sad.
Peace.

Rain, Bread, and other things

So right now it is 5pm on Saturday and I have banana bread in the oven for an apartment potluck in half an hour. Not so sure how it's going to turn it out - didn't have measuring spoons for the baking soda, my bowl wasn't big enough to stir the flour in, and my oven is gas. Oh and I forgot to spray the pan so we might never get the bread out! Oh well.
A storm rolled in while I was baking. Hot, humid, still air, then thunder - VERY close, and now a downpour. I like it here!!!
So watching the Olympics on this Korean channel is actually really cool. I find myself listening to the commentary, even though I don't understand it. And the Korean commercials, especially advertising the Olympics are HILARIOUS!!! Almost better than American commercials, for real. I also just saw one advocating a "Say No to Smoking" message. I love how much soccer they show here too.
Oh, random fact for the day: Instead of set prices for food and haggling for taxis, it's the opposite. The taxis have meters but you can haggle for food in markets. Very different from Bolivia.
Ok, time to go see how that banana bread turned out.
Peace.

Olympics in Real Time

Guess what I'm doing right now? Yup, watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics! While everyone back home is starting their days, I am listening to a Korean commentator as the nations parade past. Well, without ruining the surprise for you, it's an amazing show!!!!! China really did it up. Earlier, I was in a whole apartment of people oohing and ahhing at some pretty amazing spectacles. Whoa, the Russian Federation flagbearer is really tall!!! And those Chinese Rockettes are tiring out for sure. You'll know what I'm talking about. (they have water bottles attached to those belts)

So I am really loving all that I'm learning. I feel like I've learned more this week than I've ever learned in such a short time. I have to attack things in small chunks because there is so much here in regards to the responsibilities of a teacher but everyone here is still in the process of learning too so that's good. The International Baccalaureate program has been implemented in the high school and primary school and now slowly into the middle school. That means lots of paperwork!! But structure too.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I kinda just wanted to brag that I got to see the Olympics before anybody. :) Food stocking trip tomorrow!!

Peace to all and to all a good night.

Day 5 of 300 something....

Thank you to those who commented on the last post! Those are so encouraging to me!! Now I feel bad because I don't have pictures to put up yet....I've only taken like, 5. Silly me. I will put forth more effort. :)

Well, the real work is beginning now. Division and department meetings all today and tomorrow, and then classroom work. I still don't really know what I'm teaching, except that I have 6th Reading, two 7th Readings, 8th Reading, 8th Bible, and 7th Sheltered Humanities. Yikes!! And first day is next Monday. Lord, please lengthen the days...and enlargen (sic?) my brain!!!

Random facts: My AC is fixed, I get into my classroom (a portable container stacked on another) by pushing a button, scanning a card and turning a key, I watched a pirated movie tonight, I don't know any more Korean than when I started :P and I had kimchi soup for lunch.

Thanks for stopping by. More to come!!

Jet Lag and Eyes Opened

(Walking through downtown Daejeon)

Sunday morning, nothing scheduled until 10:30am church service. 5:45am, eyes pop wide open. 6:30am, can't lay in this bed any longer! Boy, do I love jet lag. ;P Well, at least now I have 4 hours to do....whatever I want. :) Actually, I wish this would keep up all school year. Would make mornings easier. :)

Already, my mind has been so opened. This is truly an international school. These last few days of orientation have been a lot of information, facts, and procedures to remember but I would go through this at any school. The difference is that in everything I hear and see, I feel the heart throb of TCIS - ministering to students and creating global thinkers with a solid, Christian foundation and integrity. Many schools are advocating tolerance of cultural differences and in fact, many are doing a good job. But this school was BUILT on respect and the embracing of any and all cultures. 3 days is not a long time but I know that I am already seeing people in a completely different light. I am proud and honored to be part of this school and to be taught by the faculty and students. I have so much to learn.

I feel so close to the new single girl teachers here, even in just a few days. Just in personality differences and realizing how closely I'll be living and working with them for at least the next two years, I am seeing how debilitating selfishness, pride, and bias would be. This puts love and humility into sharp focus for me. I am not the only one called by God to be here. Everyone here has also been led, whatever the circumstances and they are here for a purpose. A divine purpose. Each one has the potential for tremendous impact on students and I realized yesterday how much it is my duty to advocate that and advance that as much as it is in my power to do. Lord, give me Kingdom eyes.

I must mop my apartment today. My feet turn black if I walk around without flips.