Chicken Stick Guy

The lunch they serve at school typically sucks (IMHO).  So, I choose to go to this little hole in the wall resturant nearly everyday which is operated single handedly by a man I endearingly refer to as "Chicken stick guy".  So I see this dude almost everyday and I'm usually the only customer in his establishment as he prepares my food.  Typically I walk in, make eye contact and say, "chicken hana, potato hana" (one chicken stick and one order of french fries).  Chicken stick guy speaks a tiny bit of english and he tries to engage me in conversation frequently. He is by far my favorite Korean.  He's precious.  He's like probably early thirties, tall and skinny.  Today I walked in by myself and he wasn't out front so I was like "hello?".  Dude was in the back room playing guitar! I was so pumped!  He told me he had been playing for a year and I asked him if he was good and together we came to the understanding that he was okay with it.  I asked what he knew how to play and he did the "Dunh duhn duhn..." to smoke on the water, and THEN he was like "Very old american pop song, 'country roads take me home...".  Of course I got pumped and immediately started to sing with him.  He is easily the most interesting and entertaining person I have met here.  He's teaching me one Korean word a day...it's kind of a little deal we've worked out.  Yesterday I learned 'mo' means neck (how ironic is it that the first word he teaches me in Korean in "MO"? lol love it.  Today he tought me mool, which is water.  He had asked me the words I knew in Korean and I was like "uhm, well, mickjoo (beer), ne(yes), anyo(no), and hana(one)".  lol  He makes my day bearable and I love him for that.  (it's getting to the point that I go there for him, not for my chicken stick).  Just thought I'd share.

Soulja Boy

yes, soulja boy.  There is a new store that opened between school and the apartment, and today was their grand opening.  Well they had those flying inflatable arm guys and as I began to walk by they started blaring Soulja boy.  I got as giddy as a school girl just to be in Korea and here any sort of familiarity in the music, even if it was a shit song.  Matt proceeded to inform me that they are actually pretty into Jason Mraz also, but i have yet to hear any played.

When i went outside for a breath of fresh air during my break today an old lady walked past me with a rock pick.  Apparently the middle of Geom mam (city i live in) is prime for geography.  You just never know what you're going to see.  I never cease to be amazed by Koreans.

Yesterday my kindergarten class went on a FIELD trip and caught dragonflies.  Best field trip ever.  You can check out pics on facebook if you'd like.  I actually managed to catch 2 of them.  It turns out that my director is a effing professional dragon fly catcher.  Perhaps he should have stuck to that calling.  My kids had fun, I had fun, it was great.

Mountain Pics

Click Here for the Promised pics from the hiking adventure
Click Here for the Video courtesy of Matt

Today was Elisha's best day ever.....

because - Matt and Jimmy and I went on a hike in the mountains behind our house.  It was hands down the most intense hike I've ever been on.  We were out there for like over 4 hours and it was steep as shit - there were four mountains.  (Pictures and video to follow - I'm too lazy right now)  So here's where I get to the best day ever part - we get back and decide to go to the bath house.  This is amazing, I love this place more than almost anywhere else in the world.  First of all, it's less than $6 US to get in.  Then you go strip naked and go into the bath room.  You wash down and then there are three tubs at varying temperatures, all with jet streams in the middle.  There are also two saunas in this room - one hot, one just warm.  Then there's like a shallow swimming pool that you can definitely use to do laps in or just have the jets massage your back. Then there's a massage area, but that's a little extra, and they have these exfoliating scrub things to make your skin all smooth and smelling pretty - this place is heaven.  When you get done with the bath room, you put on these jammies they give you and you can go into the common area where they have a bar, little places to nap on the floor and smoke houses.  There's another massage area as well as a mini gym with treadmills and the like.  I'm in love.  <3<3  well i'm out it's pizza time.  Love everyone!  -2-

Internet and Phone are a Go!!

I finally have the internet and phone in my apartment! YAY!  I called my Aunt Penny tonight when I got home from school.  That was so nice.  It feels like such a privilege just to hear the familiar voice of someone who loves you on the other end of the line.

I feel like I'm getting into more of an established routine with my teaching.  I'm settling into my regular classes now and starting to feel more comfortable with what I'm doing. 

I plan to start taking hapkido classes next week with another foreign teacher, Lea.  It's been hard to stay active here, so I'm looking forward to this.  Check out this video:


Well that's about it for now.  Love Everyone.  -2-