A Long Time Coming...

Firstly, sorry to my devoted readers for taking so long with my post, it's been a wonderful and crazy week! I am starting to settle in quite nicely and am forgetting things that seem "foreign" to me, it is all just so typical now.  We visited Suwon last weekend, which is a walled fortress that goes for miles and has small things to look at on the way. It was a beautifully sunny day and we even did archery at the end of it! I of course put my hair in a braid so that I could shoot my bow and arrow "Katniss-style".  (Hunger Games reference if you've been living under a rock.) In other news, Adam passed mountain phase of Ranger school and is now onto the Florida swamps! I'm super proud of him and am excited that he could be finished with this business forever in about two more weeks! Prayers for him please! It is now Saturday, March 23 where I am, meaning today is the one month marker of my time in Korea... yay! It's been an exciting first month, I am making great friends, and happy to be here.  The kids and I are becoming much closer, they are understanding English in ways that I thought would take six months, and that makes me smile because I know that I'm making progress as  a teacher :) I have also started learning the Korean language. I said I wasn't going to, but I figure I have the time, so why not? The alphabet is so strange! Learning to read it is going to be a challenge, but if I make the symbols into pictures in my head, I can kind of remember the sounds they make.  I have learned the key phrases like "thank you" which is "casamneeda" and "hello" which is "anyahasayo"  and my new favorite, "I love you" which is "saronghay".  Last weekend was also St. Patrick's Day and we enjoyed that Sunday by going into Itaewon and drinking Guinness at some Irish Pubs.  I had to spin the St. Patrick's Day Wheel to either get a shot, or buy a shot or something like that. My unluckyness caused me to have to buy two shots. That's ok though b/c I gave one to a peculiar looking man reading a book in the corner, and in turn, made a new friend! He is in his 40's and has been in Korea for 10 years teaching government officials English. He also has a hiking group that he invited me and my friends to go on next weekend! Yay for new friends and fun adventures. My mom would be so proud that I'm going hiking :) The school week was typical, we had a cooking class on Thursday, and I also had to meet the parents of my kindergarteners that day. Most of them don't speak English so someone translated for me while I smiled and waved. I told them "thank you" in Korean when I finished and did a long bow, which they of course clapped wildly for.  I think it's going to be a good year with them. Winning them over is half the duty of being a teacher.  The cooking class was quite an event. It was "Eggboat Day" meaning that it was my job to teach the kids how to make a sort of deviled egg into a boat with a sail as a healthy snack. Whoever thought it was ok to give 4 year olds plastic knives needs to seriously be checked out. It was scary and insane.  On cooking day, it is also customary for the kids to come decked out in full aprons with chef hats and monograms.  You'd think they were working on Cake Boss rather than mixing egg yolk and mayonaise in a bowl.  But anyways, it's good to get a little messy sometimes. After all, they are kids! Yesterday we did decopage Easter eggs to hang on the wall! They don't really celebrate Easter, but their teacher does, so therefore, Easter crafts! Hooray! I think I am quite a hit as a teacher, still getting my tearful "Don't go, Marissa Teacher!" at the end of every class.  One can't help but feel the love! I also received a super sweet care package this week from Adam's mom! I was so surprised by the array of goodies, including whale cookies and even leggings! She knows me so well :) Last night there was a party in my apartment building that was the sure sign of a very long work week for everyone! We had lots of food and even played American games from when we were kids like the cup game and after the beer was flowing, the sing a longs got a little out of control hah.  It's like being back in college, only no homework and way less pressure to make a good grade. IT IS AWESOME.  Plus, I'm making money, which is never a bad thing! So today is the day of the epic wedding we've all been waiting for... I will post again later tonight with details of that and also put up some pictures from St. Patty's Day and the rest of the week! Love and miss you Tennessee! Saronghay! (I love you :)