City of Angels

The all female Amazing Race teams dominated this season. I was rooting for Brook and Claire, but they definitely made their mark in the Amazing Race history books (I wonder what their final kiss count was ha). Hopefully we'll see them in The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business (Feb. 20th)! Anyways, I just wanted to point out the last three pitstops on The Amazing Race.

Hong Kong: check

Seoul: check

Los Angeles: incomplete

I think it's a sign that Los Angeles is my next calling.

Happy One Year!

Saturday marked my one year anniversary of being in Korea. I've said it before and I'll say it again... I can't believe it has been a year. I literally remember every detail of the night before I left: Glee season 1/part 1 finale, BW's Most Fascinating People of 2009, my mom repacking my suitcases for me (good call and thanks), a huge snowstorm headed towards the midwest and a sushi tray from Meijer (not so glamorous last meal). I've had one of the best, most fun-filled years and it's not even over yet!

Soj Countdown: FOUR DAYS!

Shanghai Countdown: 10 days!

USA Countdown: 15 days!

PC Reunion: 17 days!

The ladies before my last night out in Time World!

Everland: The (second) Happiest Place on Earth

Everland is Korea's version of Disneyland. I've never been to a park around the holidays so it was fun to see it decorated for Christmas. Even though it was a bit chilly, we still managed to go on some rides, pose with characters and I even had sauerkraut!

Posing with some elves.

Christmas Fantasy parade float.

Love the decorations!

Thanksgiving in December

I didn't really have Thanksgiving in December, but I'm just now getting around to writing about it. Erin and Lucas were gracious enough to have a bunch of people at their place in Seoul for the weekend. Even though I wasn't surrounded by family, it was comforting being in an amazing (understatement) apartment, filled with delicious food, friends, and Taboo. It was a great kick off to the holiday season!

Nom, nom, nom.

Welcome Christmas

A few weeks ago we decorated a mini tree at Gretchen's apartment and it definitely got me into the Christmas spirit! Since then I've had my Christmas playlist on repeat. Love it.

He's Ba-ack!

Music Bank is back in Michelle Teacher's class!

Even though I only have these students for t-minus two weeks (ah!), I was thrilled to find out that I had him again. His name this term is Gold.

Silver and Thunder Dragon are also in his class.

Little Kiddies

Here are some pictures of my students from Fall Term.

Sprout 2: One of my favorite classes!

Sapling 1: This picture pretty much sums up the class. The girls were perfect, the boys liked to goof around and then there's Tae Gu off to the side doing his own thing.

Seedbed 2: My babies!

Seed 2 boys: Silver, the boy on the far right drew that lovely picture of me.

Seed 2 girls.

Sapling 1 boys. The girls didn't want their picture taken.

Sapling 1: Sally, the girl in the middle, went to Michigan this past summer.

Sprout 2: Such a fun class. Julie, in the yellow jacket is one of my favs.

NBD

Happy 200th post!

P.S. Next week's episode of The Amazing Race is in Korea!

Countdown to SS and MC do Korea/Shanghai: 17 days!

Almost Famous

Monday during one of Gretchen's classes:

Question: "What is something valuable that you want to display in a museum?"

Answer: "Michelle Teacher!" -Zach

Zach was one of my students last term and he thought I was special enough to be put into a museum. Maybe I'll be displayed at Madame Tussaud's one day.

Quote of the Day

"Teacher, do you like your face?" -Anna

Happy Thanksgiving!

I kept forgetting today was Thanksgiving.

The last Thursday in November without family, food, my fat pants on, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, an afternoon nap, and games just didn't feel right. I'm heading to Seoul this weekend to celebrate with friends so hopefully that will make up for the lack of turkey I had today.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

P.S. Happy (belated) Birthday to Scott and Happy (early) Birthday to Soj!

USA is A-OK*

My flight home is officially booked.

I'll be back in Michigan (GRR) on December 28th at approx. 9:52 p.m. I expect signs, balloons, familiar faces, and Mexican food waiting for me at the airport. See you then!

*Name that movie!

Wah, Wah, Wahhh

Its been awhile, but I'm back in action... making kids cry that is.

It seems like all of my students are extra sensitive these days.

• One boy was playing around with his pencil case and distracting the rest of the class. After asking him to stop and put it away (a few times) I took it away from him. He got so upset he burst into tears.
• Lining up is obviously a huge deal. On this particular day a boy lost at rock, paper, scissors (it was supposed to be fun) and was last in line. Boohoo.
• Perhaps it's only child syndrome, but this one girl didn't get the part she wanted during acting, pouted, and started to cry. I did not let her change parts... I'm so tough (ha).
• Today, all I heard was "TEACHER! John laughed at me! (put her head down) and waaah."

Turn that frown upside down and smile :)

Enchanted

I used to compare living in Korea to living inside a video game, but now I feel like it's more of an amusement park and far away land: bright, flashing lights, k-pop music, random carnival games on the streets (punching bags, claw machines), characters aplenty, balloon animals, and to top it off a corn dog stand just opened outside my apartment building. The Galleria department store is also decorated like a carousel (see my birthday post) with tons of pretty Christmas lights surrounding it. All that is missing is a little disco dust (TCJD anyone?!), rainbows and unicorns. La-la-la-la-laaa.

Balloon silliness.

The pink one was tired.

Kung Fu Panda.

Meerkat Manor

My students keep telling me I look like a meerkat. One girl even handed me an orange last week and told me it was meerkat food.

What do you think?

We Meet Again

If you remember back in February I mentioned that I was randomly spotted on the busy streets of Seoul by an old friend I used to go to church with. Well, two weeks ago I ran into him again! It's still hard to believe we met the first time let alone a second time in Daejeon of all places, but like before it was so nice to see him after all of these years.

Picture of us in Seoul back in February.

Hellow? Gorgeous

My student, Silver (seed 2, miniature stature, says "huh" after everything), made this portrait for me. I made it extra big for you to see all of the details on it. Kids always ask me "Teacher, do you have a boyfriend/husband?" or "Teacher, are you married?" and the answer is always no.

How am I ever going to find a significant other when I look like this?!

Never Gets Old

This week my Sprout 2 lesson was about a lion who lived at the zoo. He had to pass a variety of hunting games so he could go to Africa to see his parents. Obviously, the story reminded me of "Christian the Lion" so I showed all of my classes a YouTube clip of it. This one's for you Ehoel. XO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5vRPKIS5UM

Pretty in Pink

The other day I joked that I should do PR for the Daejeon Aquarium because after telling everyone about their grand opening and pink dolphin, everyone was planning to visit this weekend. Seriously, though. My students asked what day and time I was going because they wanted to go at the same time. How cute.

Anyways, the topic of this week's thinking project was good and bad luck charms. Because of all of the pink dolphin excitement, many students made pink dolphins their lucky charm. The pictures were actually really good.

It's hard to see, but she drew a red bow on it. P.S. This is the student who loves Hello Kitty and asked if stars had babies.

Such a good little artist, but camera shy.

Left: Alex. His sister lives in Chicago; Right: Peter. He's going to California next summer.

Jinx

I really think I keep jinxing myself.

As many of you know, over the past few months I've been bragging about seeing a pink dolphin. I was first supposed to see them in Hong Kong and now at the Daejeon Aquarium. After a student told me a detailed story about his pink dolphin adventure at the Daejeon Aquarium, he had me convinced that it was open. Then finding their web site online, really had me convinced it was open and pee-my-pants excited. I got a big group of people together to go to the aquarium and marvel at the pink dolphin with me. We were supposed to meet in the lobby at noon today...

It's 12:05 p.m. and I'm sitting here writing this, not in the lobby, not on my way to the aquarium. Last night a Korean co-worker told me that on the Korean web site it says it's not open until next month. I really didn't believe her so I made her call the aquarium this morning just to make sure and...

IT'S NOT OPEN!

I still can't believe it.

I don't want to talk it.

I guess I shouldn't keep getting my hopes up because my pink dolphin sized heart can't handle all of the ups and downs of Operation: Pink Dolphin.

Until further notice, I'll be pouting the rest of the day.