Archive for January, 2010
Packing: not done
Places to sleep: not finalized
Japanese speaking ability: limited
Excitement: through the roof!
Winter Camp is almost over, and then I’ll be on my way to Japan for about two weeks. Seoul has been incredibbbbbly cold recently, so I’ve turned up the heat and stayed inside, catching up on some new ‘n old tv shows (Big Bang Theory and Dollhouse, yum!). Though I was worried at first, teaching camp has been great. Think about it like this: normally, I see every class 1 time a week, meaning that the students have only had me for 15 or 18 classes since I started working. In camp, the students see me for 15 days straight; I’ve been able to build relationships with them, understand their individual skill sets, see them mature and embrace leadership roles, and let them play with English a lot more than we could do in a 35 min class. With 2 days left of camp, I feel like they’ve been moderately prepped for the next school year while having a decently good time – all of this accomplished without a co-teacher to translate everything I say into Korean. Good job, self.
The video above was made by my magnificent camp students.
Life has been kind of on the quiet side the last few weeks. I go to the gym, cook my own dinners, and try to stay warm. It feels good to take it easy for now, and I know the trip to Japan will pop my eyes and get me on my feet. I haven’t worked on any art since camp started, and I know I need to get back on that horse. Seoul is so easy, so relaxing – I can’t let myself get lazy.
In a fit of madness, two days ago I joined a gym.
A wise man always said “Naomi, when you feel that urge to exercise, you just sit down and wait for it to go away.”
So, for less than 80 dollars, I can use the gym for three months. Let’s see how it goes. . .
good things in twenty ten
On New Years Eve, Shakema and I got lost trying to find the party we were invited to, and hurriedly entered a Korean bar on the corner to take in the new year over Long Island Iced Teas and Bailey’s. About a minute after the new year started, the whole club (except us two foreigners) lit up about 10 birthday cakes and started singing happy birthday! Turns out, in Korea, everyone get s a year older on New Years – SO in Korean years, I’m 25 years old now!!
Also, the snow:
I’ve spent my time in Seoul (up to today) mocking the lack of serious snow. HA SEOUL! You call 1cm “winter”? After Michigan, I can’t call it winter unless I’m burried up to my knees in snow.
And then today, Seoul let me know that it get’s down with its bad self, as a blizzard was unleased upon my south florida butt. Oh yeah, let it fall. We’re loking at mor ethan 6inches and I still gotta be at school.
On that note, I’m off to go and buy boots. Touche Seoul, touche.
loud loud loud 