Christmas Countdown!

I have officially started my countdown for when I go home for Christmas. 25 Days!!!! The Christmas trees are starting to go up around here (In the mall, and at the church). We even got some hail/slush that kind of looks like a trace of snow on the ground. I am working my students pretty hard to get them ready for their Christmas show, and they even know most of their lines already. I even just saw a Coca-cola Christmas commersial on tv (litterally, I saw it as I was writing this). Everything just feels cheery. I am ignoring the fact that I still have to do Christmas shopping for now. I have zero ideas, and already got the "Korea" stuff for people last year.



Last Sunday when I woke up, my kitchen floor was covered in water. It was coming out of my hot water heater, which is mounted on the wall behind my washing machine. I talked to the guy at my school who takes care of that kind of stuff on Monday morning (he was very crabby when I approached him, so I fealt bad bothering him with it). He took my key to go check it out. He came into my classroom later that afternoon, and said that there must be something wrong with the washing machine. I said: "I haven't used my washing machine for a few days. I think that the water is coming from the pipes behind it." He said: "Okay, the washing machine repair man will come at 11:00 tomorrow morning." (What? Thanks for listening, you'll feel silly when the repair man comes and says that there is nothing wrong with it......but of course I just smiled and thank him.) The next day I got a note saying: "The repair man came and said that the washing machine is not out of order. However, he did find a problem with the water heater behind it. The landlady will have a repair man come tomorrow." (Once again, smile! Thank you so much!) He had left my key with the landlady so he gave me the spare one that the school has. As it turns out, the key didn't work, so when I got home I had to turn around and got back to school to try to deal with it. They called the landlady and got my key back. As it turns out, the landlady just gives the keys to the restaurant on the first floor, and when repair men come they just get the keys form there. (Is that normal?) After many days of sopping up water, my floor is finally dry and the water heater isn't dripping any more.



I spent yesterday working at a booth for Mountain Child at an international confrence. When I got there, I discovered that all of the exibitioners were outside in a tent! It was probably about 30 degrees outiside, so we spent much of the time huddled around the kerosine heater. It was a really productive weekend overall.



I missed being with the family on Thanksgiving. I hope everyone had a great time.

My favorite student quote of the week: (We were reading a new story that had the word "parent" as one of the vocabulary words. This is a very basic word for my students, and I know that they have a complete understanding of it)
Me: "Who can tell me what parents are?"
Jason: "Parents are a type of bird"

Oh yeah, just so you all know, the North Korean attacks were pretty far away from me. Nothing to worry about, I'm in no danger.

Love you all, see some of you in 25 days!

Oh November....

November is the craziest month of the whole year at my school. We have four busy months each year, but November has even more stuff going on than other months. We have big tests and report cards like our busy months, but we also have parent meetings, administrative observations of our classes, and Christmas programs to prepare for. I thought that I had been prepared for my Christmas show. Since our program was canceled last December, I was going to use the same script, music decorations and props that I prepared for last year (for "The Grinch who Stole Christmas"). I guess another teacher decided she was going to do the Grinch, but didn't tell anyone. As a result, she thought about it for a few days before she found out that I had my Grinch show prepared. She claimed that she had the show first (even though I had been planning it before she was even in Korea). There were a couple of hours of really uncomfortable hours before I decided that it wasn't worth fighting for and I gave her all of my stuff. I ended up writing a new play, that I hope will be really fun. As a result of all the stuff that has to get done this month, I don't think that I have left work before 7:30 in last few weeks, and Have worked two Saturdays to do open houses for the school. (Yes, I know that all of you works long hours too.)

One interesting thing that happened last week was "Pepero Day." A pepero is basically a long cookie stick that is dipped in chocolate. Pepero Day is on November 11, (11/11) because the date looks like four pepero sticks. Really, the company that makes peperos was able to create a holiday when everyone has to buy thier product. All the kids bring in peperos for all the other kids, and the teachers are loaded with peperos of all kinds. It is an absolutely rediculous holiday. This picture is just some of the peperos that I recieved.

The leaves don't get as beautiful here as they do in Minnesota. We don't get whole hill sides ablaze with color. Most trees turn a dull brownish yellow color. There are a few trees that get bright colors, but they are very sparse.

I have been working more and more with Mountain Child, which is the organization that I went to Nepal with. I did a workshop with them today, and will be staffing a booth at some coming conferences. The more I am involved with them the more I see the importance of their work. I am excited to be working with them now, as the organization is new and growing in so many ways. They are starting to get short team missions teams from all over the world. I think that they have 16 teams booked in the next six months from the U.S., Australia, South Africa and South Korea. We have found major sporting brands to sponsor Mountain Child, universities to partner with, and even a celebrity spokesperson. Check out what my passion is growing for at http://www.mountainchild.org/

Thank you everyone at home for throwing my mom an amazing surprise birthday party! She really didn't think that is was going to be just for her.

Congratulations Brett and Cassie! Oliver is beautiful. I hope you are enjoying your first weeks of parenthood.