Green Paju

I love the big tree in the school yard. You can just see how old it is by looking at it. This is also a nice view of the community garden across the street. 

The trail where I like to walk near the river. If you follow it far enough it leads to the foothills of nearby mountains. :) 

"Green Paju."  This is one of the community gardens in Paju. This garden is absolutely massive and many people go throughout the day to work on their own plot of land. It's such a great idea.  Every day it looks different. I love looking out the window and seeing the changes.  It will be exciting to see how it looks in the summer and then during harvesting time.  Apparently some of the male teachers at the school have a plot of land and they are planning on having a BBQ with the produce! They said they would provide the vegetables and the women will chip in and provide the meat! That would be fun if it happens.  The teachers in Korea are all about the sense of community--they say that the other teachers are like family. I believe this as we see more of each other at the school than they would their own family at times.

Ally, every time I look out the window I think of you! You and Eliot would absolutely love working in this garden. :)

*awkward*

I was walking down the street this evening towards the store on the corner, deep in my own thoughts as to what the owners of the store must think of me.  It's either a man or (presumably) his wife behind the counter whenever I go in.  I always buy water, a coffee favored milk, and sometimes a twix.  I started thinking about the strange people and combinations I used to wait on when I worked in the coffee shop in the states. I was almost upon the man before I even noticed him standing there by the side of the road. 


Oh hey, that man looks like he's...I thought, and before I could even finish the thought I realized that yes.  Indeed, that man was urinating by the side of the road, into the street.  


Awkwardly I passed by him, all thoughts of what the shop owners must think of my odd purchase completely gone.  My strange combination seemed relatively normal after that encounter. 

Kids Smell

Today, my after school 3rd grade class didn't leave when it was time to go home. I had to kick them out after 15 minutes because there was work that I needed to do.

I'll take it as a sign that today was a successful class. 

(It may have been because I caved and bought candy as a bribing tool.  "If you behave during class you will get candy."  It made it easier to have fun.)

Yum

My refrigerator smells like garlic and my apartment smells like coffee.

I love coming home at night.

:) 

Saturday was great.

Saturday alone more than made up for last weekend.  And yes. We are wearing bibs.  Yum. 

For my stalkers

I have made it decidedly harder for people to stalk me since moving to Korea.  I can't have that, now can I?  Here is my address for all of you lovely people.  I love getting mail.  Hey, even if you have just randomly found this blog through google, and feel like sending me something...by all means! Just...let me know who you are and how you have my address.  ;) One of these days I will make it to the post office, so you may even get something in return...eventually.  Maybe.  

Room No. 203, 949-6 Gwumchon-dong, 
Paju City, Gyeonggi-do 
SOUTH KOREA

I survived the week.

Ally mentioned that I needed to update my blog so that I had a more cheerful title than "Friday's are tiring." So, I thought I would update it to, "I survived the week."  Not only is it true, but I had my doubts that I would a few times this week. ;-)

Not only was I almost ran over by three different cars on my walk home today (oddly enough, all three were reversing in the middle of the road when I was trying to cross intersections) but I also survived a pretty gross cold that had me feeling horrendous for an entire week.  All of my plans last weekend were cancelled as I stayed at home in bed feeling more miserable by the moment.  Today, a full week later, I am only starting to feel semi-normal again.  As an added bonus? I have my voice back! All of the kids and staff at the school have gotten this cold and although I have felt so awful with no energy for a week, most of the staff have it much worse than I do/did.  Yay for my immune system? (I never thought I would ever be writing those words out...)

So yes. I survived the week.  Some highlights:

1) Two 2nd grade boys running up and hugging me before the after school class. They really can't communicate with me but the hugs said it all.
2) "Hello, Jessica-teacher!!"  I will never tire of hearing that, especially when I am walking down the street and I hear a tiny voice call that out to me.  I especially see the kindergarten/first grade students out of the school more often and that's pretty much the only English they know. It's beyond adorable.  Especially when they will run up to me, tug at my coat, say hi, and then run back to their parent(s).
3) Actually, all of my students are pretty great.  Even though I felt so sick this week, I still enjoyed teaching them and talking to them.  That is a great thing, indeed.