Last of the festival pics and videos

Group song for 5th graders

Girls in 5th grade doing sign language

Tae Kwon Do

5th graders doing same nun chuck routine as 2nd grader

Teachers and School

Close up of fountain # 2

Close up of fountain # 1

Entrance to the school from the students pov

My little friend she is so adorable. She brought me a Gatorade yesterday

Kyong-Ja the music teacher

Sun-Ah 4Th grade teacher

Mrs. Ha 6-1

festival 4th graders

Did a poem I believe

Clarinet player

Singing a group song

Jump ropes and Tae Kwon Do

Decorations in 4-3

Wednesday videos

The 6th grade girls dancing, I think they could have been a little bit more enthusiastic but the choreography was fly. 2 boys doing a demo with swords the kids in the front row kept jumping it was funny

Wednesday

Playing the flute

Swords

Dancers

6-1 Teacher Mrs. Ha

Diane's son nice parent who offered to help me

Wednesday I went to 4, 5, and 6th grades festival. They were all very good and interesting to watch the older kids. The little ones were fun to watch also because they get so excited and they have costumes for everything. I went to the 6-1 first because I believe their festival started sooner and I promised the girls I would come and see them. When I got there a 6-1 mother was very kind and we ended up having a conversation. She takes English classes at an academy. So her English was not too bad. She asked me all the normal questions where did you come from?, where did you go to school?, yadda yadda. She told me her teacher at the academy was a woman named Samantha and she was going to try dog meat soon. I told her that I was not brave enough to try it. Turns out she was going into 6-1 also. Her son was to play the piano (I didn't know his name and still don't there are so many kids and I don't have a rooster with the names so I have no clue). While there she offered to help me if I needed anything here. It was nice she said " Do you have a helper here ? If not I can be your helper?" At first I didn't know what she meant but then I understood. She was a very nice lady and I told her if she ever wanted to talk she could stop by my office. I watched all the grades and it as so cute because they were so happy that I came to see them. They would tap the person next to them point and wave. They came up to me and hugged me, said hello to me, and one even gave me a kiss on the cheek. The parents were also happy that I came to watch the children perform. P.S. I didn't have classes due to the festival and that's how I was able to go around and see them. Also yesterday I met the flyest mother ever. She looked like a model. Her haircut was awesome, her clothes were fabulous, her make up was fabulous and she was nice. I wish I had taken a picture but I think that would be borderline stalkerish so I didn't ask. She was helping some girls with their dance costumes and she saw me and offered me something to drink (there were beverages outside the classrooms). Then when I went into the classroom and the kids were doing announcements in Korea she was like next year they should do it in English so you can understand. Then after the shows were over she was standing with other mothers and she called me over and was telling them I was the English teacher and she asked the usual questions. Her English was good as well. I want to be her when I grow up (lol). After lunch it seemed as if the whole school left and I was by myself. It was strange and quiet. Then my little friend came with mother and brother of course (picture to come). After that it was quiet again. The principal came in briefly and he was with someone else no idea what they were talking about. All they said to me was paint. So maybe they will paint my office, I have no idea.

Last video's from tuesdays festival

I feel bad for their parents when they grow up. All that hip swayin lord have mercy Quick battle demo

Update

I still have more pictures and video's from the festivals I went to Tuesday and yesterday. I didn't have my computer and yesterday was a busy day. I will update later today which will be the middle of the night for yall.

Teachers

Teachers are excited about the teachers training class. I might just have a full house. After lunch today the third grade teachers invited me for some tea and donuts. We chatted for awhile. They spoke Korean and some English. I did my best to respond. Once again the third grade teacher Young-Ok invited me to Costco Thursday. She also invited me to church when she learned I was Catholic. So I am going to church Sunday at 11 am my mom would be so proud. They found out I make jewelry and one teacher said "Please teach me." I think another teacher invited me to dinner on Friday but I'm not sure. I have to double check with Ji-Hye. But all 3 were excited about the teacher training class. They said they are excited to discuss various topics with me. I asked what they wanted to learn and they said they were cool with whatever. I offered to make a lesson tailored for people who don't speak much English using my learn to speak Korean book, but Ji-Hye said that might be too easy for some people and to just have discussions where the good speakers help the novice speakers. There is a book that I like but there is another one the teachers think will be easier. We will try my book first and if its 2 hard then we will change. I'm excited. I'm glad that the teachers want to come. I thought it would be Ji-Hye , Sun-Ah, and the Music teacher. But it will be about 20 people. All women of course. Like the U.S. women are majority teachers. While speaking to the teachers they asked me who I voted for in the election. Everyone is pro Obama here. It's funny. They also complimented my complexion, and asked if all African Americans had clear skin like mine. I just said it was in my genes. My family is a good looking set o' people what can I say. =)

Festival 4

Cutest thing ever. Poor things hurt their hands. I would not like to meet this kid in an alley with those nun chucks Too cute ballerinas. The one closest to the camera I think has a real future in dance the other ones are cute.

Festiavl 3

Kid in the bottom with the spiky hair used to look at me like I was an alien

My invitation from 1-2

The judgement of The Hare (play)

Boys doing a martial arts demo

Festival 2

Belly dancers

Fight demonstration

Ballerinas

Demo with jump rope and nun chucks (video in next post)

She is so adorable in the pigtails. She is miss popular among the students and she is always waving at me.

Festival 1

1-2 class and teacher

Pretty balloon flowers

Piano in the 3-1 class room

Balloon art

Boys practicing with nun chucks (no idea how to spell that)

This morning while in a meeting with Ji-Hye The 1st grade teacher came in with 2 students to invite me to their festival this morning. Of course I said yes I love watching little ones perform. Since my classes were being assigned seats and one class had a snack party, I was able to go watch for awhile. It was sooooo cute. Parents came and the kids sang, danced, and did martial arts. When the bell rang I left and came back to my class. But since there was arranging of the seats again I got to watch the 3rd graders do their festival. Now, I have to comment about some of the parents here. Not to be disrespectful. Most were very nice and smiled and said hello, they made space for me to sit and they even gave me a hamburger and some Pepsi (will get to that later). But as nice as they were it was also very interesting when they asked" Oh you are English teacha." Now of course I said yes. But I was thinking of course who else would I be? But I digress. Now about the hamburger it was interesting. It was beef I think with lettuce and mayo but there was this like teriyaki sauce on it that ruined the whole burger. Now it's picture time.

My school is cool

So far everyone has been kind to me at my school. Yesterday at lunch one of the teachers gave me a newspaper her husband bought for me. It was the global edition of the New York Times, in English, if you didn't already guess. I normally am not one for newspapers but seeing something written in English was kind of cool. I have not learned to read or write Korean yet but I'm surrounded by it so it's bound to happen. Also yesterday at the weekly teachers meeting the principal made an announcement asking the teachers to not be afraid and speak to me. He is concerned about me being here by myself and wants me to feel welcome and at home. I thought this was very kind of him to say this. Teachers have been nice to me so far. But I guess he wanted it to be known. After that one teacher who lived near me told me she was going to Costco and if I wanted to go with her. This week the students are holding festivals in their classroom. It is where they perform for the class and parents I think. But everything is decorated so nicely. Pictures to come.

Wondergirls

Soo i finally found out the song my little friend was singing and doing the dance to it was Nobody by the Wonder girls. Which is a tv made girl group similar to Danity Kane or Edens Crush. Since apparently some people think my blog is stale ( though my advice is don't read it or skim it) I'm putting up a video of the song in case anyone is interested. I'm sure the boys will be happy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF-AtIugofs

Applying for my arc card and almost losing out on money

Friday I was feeling kind of crappy from my cold. Apparently I wasn't looking right cause everyone keep saying "Oh, you look terrible." I didn't think I looked all that bad but whatever. I had to go to work so deal with me looking terrible people. Soo while in class Ji-Hey gets a phone call from the chief administrator stating that I had to pay 200,000 (200 dollars) won to my apartment building for a deposit on the appliances. I was thrown for a loop because I don't have 200 dollars to put down a deposit. Also I thought the school put down a deposit on the officetel for me. I was all sorts of confused. Ji-Hye said the chief administration lady told her if I didn't have the money for Ji-Hye to pay it and I would give her the money back when I got paid. All well and good but it didn't make sense to me. In my contract it stated that I would have to give 300 dollars from my paycheck for 3 paychecks to make up for the deposit the school put down on the apartment. I immediately told Ji-Hye about this. I showed her in my contract the wording. She looked it over and said that she would bring it up to the chief of administration. I knew I was right. How could a deposit not be for the appliances and I would have to pay an additional 200 dollars ? Well during lunch CA came to talk to Ji-Hye she made her upset because apparently they didn't see eye to eye on the matter. I don't know what was said. I told Ji-Hye I have no problem talking to her and explaining to her what it says in my contract and trying to make her see what I was talking about. Ji-Hye said no she would show her the contract. After some arguing back and forth once the contract was produced and shown CA said she believed it was the same thing as well and I don't have to pay the 200,000 won. Yay for me standing up for myself! Friday was also the day I went to Suwon to apply for my Alien Card. Ji-Hye and I took the subway to Suwon and then her husband drove us to the office. He was so sweet he took the rest of the day off so he could accompany us. At the office we waited a little bit. It reminded me of the DMV. There were windows and you could have taken a number or made an appointment online. Ji-Hye made an appointment so we just had to wait to be called. When it was our turn we handed in the paperwork paid for them to deliver the card and that was it. So now I am waiting to get my card so I can get a cell phone and a bank account. I can't wait for my paycheck cause I just found out that I will be getting paid for the month plus the 2 weeks that I was here in October Yayz !!! After the immigration office Ji-Hye's husband said he was taking us out to dinner. Then he got a phone call about his family and ended driving us to Ji-Hye's house instead of to dinner. Ji-Hye's house is nice it's bigger than mine and they have an area to dry their clothes in which is nice. But they have no bed. They sleep on the floor. Which I think sucks cause I hate to sleep on the floor but how different is it from my hard ass bed. Not much I'm sure. While I was there I saw her amazing wedding albums. They were so beautiful. They were these hard bound pictures on this card board type paper. They were amazing I officially want to get married in Korea just so I can take those kinds of wedding pictures. They have a pre-wedding album and then the actually wedding photos. I learned in Korea since wedding dresses are so expensive that most women rent dresses for the day not buy them. But still in awe about the albums let me tell you. They must have weighed 5 lbs each. By then her honey had come inside and said it was time to eat. He was taking us to Outback steak house. I was all ready for some steak. But when we got there I had to open my mouth and ask about the pictures on the elevator of food and they decided we should go to a salad bar. It wasn't bad but there was little variety and the ice cream tasted strange. After I got dropped off I decided to just have some tea and stay on the computer all night lol because I was soooo not tired. Side note I would like you to keep Ji-Hye and her family in your prayers. Her father just got fired because his jerk of a boss told him that he needn't come back to work cause they don't need him anymore, her mother as well as Ji-Hye need surgery, and her husbands father has some issues. Also her and her husband are trying to have children because apparently if your not having a kid by the time your like 27 you'll never have one.They are really nice people and I pray that everything works out for them.

My first party in Korea

Oma, Mina, and Ji-Hye

Ji-Hye's husband, Mina, Ji-Hye, and I

Cake and table

Mina and Oma(mommy)

Mina and aunties

Me at the party

Yesterday I went to my first party in Korea. I went to Mina's first birthday. Mina is the daughter of Ji-Hye's husbands best friend. She is so adorable. In Korea the first birthday is a big thing for the family. Now it is becoming more a party to show off the family wealth then the celebration of the babies birthday, at least that is what Ji-Hye told me. At the first birthday party they have a ceremony where the baby is placed in front of a variety of objects ( stethoscope, pencil, microphone, money, thread, sweater or sweatband, and needle) whatever the baby chooses is what they will be when they get older. Stethoscope= Doctor or in the health field, Pencil= Smart/good student, Microphone= Announcer or singer, Money=Rich, Thread= They will have a long life, Sweater/ sweatband= Athlete, Needle= Seamstress or fashion industry. I thought it was a very cool tradition. Little Ms. Mina ended up choosing the microphone. It was funny because apparently her dad talks alot so everyone thinks she's gonna be a talker. She was cute but she is not the cutest little girl I've seen here. That honor goes to my best friend who is 4. Her mom is one of the teachers at my school. She is a born entertainer. She was singing and dancing the first time I met her. We played jump-rope and tossed things into buckets and we sang. Her little brother is adorable 2 but she's my favorite. The second day I saw her she came right into my office and ran over and gave me a hug. Her mom was like " As soon as she got into the elevator she pressed the button for the 5th floor and said "I want to see Ricki." She actually can sing better than little ones her age I think ) and her English is good. But it was all about Mina on Saturday. It makes me think of my little chunky butt nephew Zack. His first birthday is today and I won't be there. I miss my family and wish I could have gone to his birthday party I know my family will take a ton of pictures but it won't be the same.

I miss you and Love you Zack Happy Birthday.

So Thursday night I went out to dinner with Sun-Ah and another teacher from my school who is on maternity leave. She was soo adorable. She is extremely tiny even if she is 9 months pregnant. We went to downtown Anyang. I am still very amazed at the fact that there are so many lights and business upon business here. We went to this very cute little restaurant for bibimpap ( rice bowl with meat and veggies). This place was so adorable. Everything was so clean and the decor was great. I now understand why there is no tipping in Korea. You don't really get service. You shout out your order to the person behind the counter. Sometimes they bring it to you sometimes you have to pick it up. Also they don't bring drinks to you unless you order a specific drink. There are water coolers and little cups that are accessible to the customer and you get your water from there if you want any. It was interesting to me when I first got here. After dinner we went to this super flowery I guess smoothie place. They had smoothies and hot drinks. The decor here was interesting. It looked like a patio there was a big fake tree in the middle with I'm assuming cherry blossoms. The seats are rocking benches and chairs. But it's all so flowery it was way to overwhelming but that place could make a great pineapple strawberry smoothie. After smoothies we went to find Sun-Ah some maternity clothes in this huge department store. This place put Bloomies and Neimans to shame in my opinion. The clothes were awesome and awesomely expensive. We finally found the maternity clothes but it was this one little area. Maybe like 5 racks of clothes. None of which I thought were that pretty and the clothes looked like the biggest size they had was a medium maybe. Everything was so tiny. Sun-Ah decided not to buy anything there because the clothes were not her taste either. We went downstairs to Kim's Club it's a 24 hour grocery store here. I like the way it is arranged better than the LotteMart which is by my house. Things seem much easier to find there. I bought Japans take on Doritos and a package of Korean hot pockets. They turned out to be really good but the shelf life is only 3-4 days.