a-run-run-runnin'!

From January 31, 2010:

I ran 18 miles today, and while I was running, in addition to the smiles, "hello!"s and cheers I got on the mountain (steep hills?) trails there was one older lady - a grandmother, I suppose - with a young girl - her granddaughter, I imagine - who stopped me with a smile and questioned me about the trail ahead... in Korean. I had no idea what she was saying. She repeated herself, smiled bigger, and threw in hand gestures for good measure. I smiled in agreement, said "Hello. Thank you. Goodbye." I had no idea. Semi-satisfied, we each continued on our way.

      "You ran that whole long way? Incredible! Congratulations!"

      "I just saw a snake this big! That's why my granddaughter ran down the hill."

      "When I was your age, I swam from Korea to Japan and back. That's pretty far, huh?"

      "Today, my grandson caught a fish this big. This big!"

Who knows, she could have said any of those things. Luckily, I saw no snakes on my exit.

My last 20 mile training run this weekend, then tapering time, and the big marathon on March 21st!! #4 in the race to finish five before 25!!

"Have a Funny Time!"

I went skiing at Phoenix Park in the western province of Gangwon over the Lunar New Year holiday (February 13-15) with some friends through a travel group, Adventure Korea, and it was FANTASTICALLY fun!! I was a little anxious about what the skiing conditions would be like as the weather was starting to warm and rain the week prior to our departure, and one of my friends kept recounting the story when she was hit on a Canadian slope by a Korean man, stating that most-to-all Koreans ski above their level. Well, if that isn't a sweeping generalization, then I don't know what is. Then again, all Americans are loud and arrogant, right? Oy. Regardless, the weather turned out to be splendid - it snowed Saturday, and was pret-ty, pret-ty, pretty chilly on Sunday (perfect!); the skiiers, and 'boarders, too(!) were excellent on the slopes.

(actually a photo from Sunday, but I like it because the mountains look like they're draped in velvet.)

The mountain wasn't really that, but more of a cluster of small, steep-ish hills, which after not skiing once since February '07, I was completely okay with. Oh, but first, getting to the mountain was fun in itself. I met half of my friends outside our apartments at 5:50a - we barely made the 7:30a departure, but had time to spare because there were other people who were caught in the traffic we barely missed. Phew! We got to the mountain - again, I use this term loosely - around 11ish, rented our gear (I'm 5'8" = 173cm = 162cm skis...?) and I'm happy to say that they supplied snowsuits, too, as they made for amazing photos!

I felt like my friends' coach here! Racing team, go! Then, we hit the slopes 'round noon:thirty for some snowy good times. Like I said, Saturday was delightfully snow-filled, and I have to say that despite not skiing for two years, I think I did pretty well. There were a couple moments on ice patches on the steeper parts of the "Blues" that I started singing The Beatles to myself (I used to do that as a child when I went down slopes that I was under qualified for/terrified on - it was calming.) but my singing was drowned out by the K-pop and American rap music they had blasting out of the speakers. I wised up on Sunday and popped in the right ear of my iPod. Both days were great all around. Saturday with the snow and soaking up the atmosphere, and Sunday was even better because I hit up all the slopes - Double Blacks included!! (But don't be fooled, the slopes went like this: Green = bunny hill. Blue = Green. Black = Green/Blue. Double Black = Blue-ish. Me = Pro.) 

After skiing times on Sunday we headed over to Blue Canyon Water Park, which was just a short walk from our hostel (we stayed right at the bottom of the slopes; it was so convenient) in the resort area. Sunday night was probably my favorite part of the trip: a1) because of the water park with its outdoor hot tubs(!) and b2) the night skiing!!

Also, the 'boarders at the park were awesomely geared up, but I didn't expect anything less, as all the Koreans I've known are also some of the most fashionable people I know! They make me happy. And(!) not only did they ride the slopes in style, they actually rode the slopes!! There wasn't any sitting around and lollygagging for them, they just rode, rode, rode! That was probably the most amazing thing to me, but that's another thing, Koreans don't seem to take their hobbies lightly, when they pick something up, they quickly become the best at it - so I've seen, and I admire their dedication and determination.

The night skiing was prime because the slopes were pretty bare (the place kept running until 2 or 3a!! we were out from 10-11:30p after the water park), it was calm with the slope music off, and the fresh night mountain air was just pure refreshing! 

All in all it was a great trip! We headed back to Seoul a little before 1pm on Monday, making for a most excellent three-day weekend adventure with friends (old and new)!!


PS - the title of this post comes from when one of the lift operators told me and my friends to yes, "have a funny time!" and we did; there was a lot of laughing this weekend.

Oy vey.

Sorry I haven't written in a while; January's been a little crazy thus far. I'm now teaching straight through M, W, F - a two-hour speaking class was added into my schedule - which isn't really so bad A1.) because it will be over in February and B2.) sort of helps the day go by faster, though it is frustrating not having any sort of curriculum outside of "just speak and have them present." Ok... so there's been speaking about family, sports, the Olympics, the world (this last week will hold.... global warming, things to do on vacation, and professions), but I can usually only keep the two boys' (M, W just them - they're 8 Western age; F's we're joined by Esther, 6 Western age - she's good, but shy) attention for about 15-20 before we have to bust out the crayons and draw a picture about what we just talked about, then there's a lot of playroom time followed by round after round, after round of 'hangman' - money well-spent; I'm a glorified babysitter. The boys are best friends; David is the ideal student: polite, funny, smart and he pays attention, whereas Jake is loud and easily distracted. It's actually a good balance for the classroom time. "Jake, sit down." "Jake, don't touch that." "Jake." all the while having a conversation with David. I did find something that Jake liked to do, though. We made-up a story together with these mammal cards I had, it was about a bear living in a zoo and he ate a bomb for breakfast. Jake must've liked it because he retold the story for another class later in the week. Oh, Jake. That's not what I signed in to talk about though...

I thought I had it all figured out... in that I was figuring myself out. I've been here almost five months now, and I'm really enjoying myself; my job is decent, my kids are incredible, I couldn't ask for better co-worker/friends, and while there are little things the directors pull that really irk me, things could be a lot worse. I love that I'm finally overseas, and I'm not just traveling, but I'm working/living here!! China was dirty, yeah, but I was able to experience it for myself rather than taking someone's word for it. And for the tentative future travel plans: Russia for summer vacation, then Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and India after my contract is finished (I know, I know, but I'm crossing my fingers that I'll find some way to work it out without leaving me in deeper debt than when I left on that first jet plane overseas), and throw Japan in there somewhere, too - I've read far too much Murakami and dreamt of that far Eastern Asian island far too many times to not go there while I'm here. And yeah, then there's the Philippines and Malaysia, and Singapore, and everywhere else... maybe all of those places would be possible to visit if I did two years, but I'm not sure I want to do another year  - in fact, I [think] I'm positive I don't. Life is good over here, although sometimes I worry that it's too easy, but then again, that's another reason I came - in addition to the travel - to save money and pay off loans above the monthly minimum. At the same time, it's not easy at all; it's not easy that I can't speak the language as well as I want to (my own fault); that no matter how long I decide to stay here I'll always be viewed as a foreigner; that I can't breathe without feeling like I'm sucking on a bus's exhaust pipe. I'm not writing as much as I should be, especially creatively, and I miss volunteering, and having time to do my own thing during the week... and I feel like I'm complaining now, but I'm not... I just miss things, but mostly I miss people. Outside of missing people (and I do get to see/talk to most people with the help of Skype) I am really happy here, every day. I'm happy that I took advantage of this opportunity to challenge myself and see the world and have a job that means something to me, something that I'm able to see actual results in - my kids are soooo great, I cannot express in words, and it's really exciting to see them trying out their phonics and actually reading(!), and starting to speak in words that are closer to sentence form. And! I just found out that I get to move up with my kids come the semester change in March!! Also, I'm apparently getting another girl student this coming Monday, and maybe Arthur will come back (Christmas Eve was his last day because his mother wasn't happy with the curriculum, and I don't blame her because it is crap!), and there might be two more girls joining in March... I'm skeptical about all of these things because Mrs. C (the "co-director") said them to me, and I'm pretty sure she's told me about new kids before and I haven't received any, and I feel like a big part of Arthur leaving was Mrs. C's bad attitude, but he's a great kid, and I'd love to have him back in class, so I'm going to try to remain as optimistic as possible. Where did I go...?

Basically, I hope this experience will equally afford me with an opportunity to get a job (with full benefits) closer to what I'd like to do (writing in any capacity) when I get back home, as much as it has afforded me the chance to see a part of the world, and myself, that I never thought I would. That's the jist of my ramblings right there.

And pretty much unrelated, but in the category of "oy vey!" I was trying to free up space on my hard drive and I deleted my pretty Fall-time Kyung Hee University pictures that I hadn't shared yet, I thought they'd be saved on my external hard drive, but no go... and I'm bummed that I can't have pictures through the seasons (they were really! really good, too *sad face*)... man!

Ending on a good note: we're having "graduation" in the end of February and we have to have the kids sing and perform for the parents. Luckily, my kids only have to sing three songs: one with the whole school (Beatles' "Yellow Submarine"), one with the other 5 and 6 y.o. classes (Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye") and one for our class (KC & the Sunshine's "Boogie Shoes"); whereas the older kids have to sing three songs and perform plays and/or memorize speeches. Oh, and we (the teachers) have to wear ball gowns and perform with the kids, too, so that will be fun, and awkward, and ridiculous.

Speaking of song/dancey time, here's a video of my kids practicing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" it was one of the first practices of many, so don't judge too harshly, though they seemed to only get louder and not so much better as the practicing went on. (I like this one because Roy - the tall one - keeps trying to put his hands in his pockets, Olivia keeps lifting up her dress, and Arthur - in stripes - is picking his nose. Also, I was talking to my brother, Alex, about their weird move for "town" and he was saying how maybe they're confused that "town" is "chimney" and how it's going to open up a can of worms when they're older - the school taped the performance for parents.) It's a facebook video, so all you have to do is be signed in to have the clip below work for you.