i'm so sorry. i spelled "nodding" wrong right off the bat in my last blog, and it's bugging me like no other. but i can't for the life of me figure out how to edit it, because everything's in korean! haha. what a pickle. so please accept my apologies, i'll proofread next time. it just goes to show i really was nodding off...in fact my spelling skills were already asleep.

in other news, the mosquitoes that have been gorging themselves on my facial blood the past few nights are no more. at least we think they are. elizabeth killed two tonight, so hopefully that means the whole family is in a better place, bug heaven.

i was sitting on my floor (it's heated!!) working on lesson plans until about 10 minutes ago when i started knodding off to sleep. so i decided it was time for an internet break. =)

today was only my second day of teaching, but i'm already realizing how unrealistic my expecations for my kids are. in general, the school is happy if the kids are happy, which, more importantly, means that the moms are happy. i don't know how i feel about that. which is more important -that a child learns, or that she is happy? hopefully both can happen in my classroom.

elizabeth and i have decided that we want to learn korean, if only for the sole purpose of understanding the korean teachers when they are talking in the teacher's room. there have been a few choice moments when we've realized that they are talking about us -rather awkward and a bit disconserting.

on a lighter note, we went shopping for the first time today...if you can call buying overpriced bugles, m&m's, milk, wheat noodles, and eggs at a convenience store 1/4 the size of 7-11, "shopping." on our way home, we passed "save-mart," which is much bigger and surely more affordable, a block from my apartment. what can we say, we're foreigners. (and we don't have to say it, it shows). now we know!

on our way back from shopping, we passed a little fried chicken shop that was getting a lot of action, there was a line out the door blocking the neighboring shops. techno music blasted from large speakers and neon lights flashed into the street, drawing middle aged women in search of an easy dinner for their families. we don't quite fit that category, but we were looking for dinner, and if it was good enough for them, it was good enough for us. 45 minutes later, after two flashily, scantilly clad girls with microphones and fake eyelashes had joined the techno scene out on the street, making it feel like las vegas, we walked out with all-american fried chicken. we soon realized they had added a korean touch -spicey red sauce hid under the skin. i knew there had to be a catch.

the internet is fast losing it's ability to keep me awake, so i'll bid you goodnight.
peace.

apparently blogspot knows i'm in korea, because all of a sudden everything is in korean! just because i'm here doesn't mean i can speak korean -as the lady at the corner grocer would be quick to tell you.

so i'm here! the idea of writing about everything that has happened in the past 5 days is incredibly overwhelming -so i think i'll spare both you and me, and just give some highlights.

tuesday (oct. 23rd) -my brothers, sisters, aunt sherry, and gramma jeri wave goodbye from the deck at home, and my mom, dad, and rach wave goodbye from the other side of security at the airport. some tears were shamelessly involved.

wednesday (oct. 24th) -elizabeth and i awake to "breakfast" at 3:30am. we go for the safe(r) choice -omelett rather than rice noodles. now that we're awake, we play a few rounds of "airplane trivia" -i get into the "top ten" by choosing letter A before reading the question every time.

thursday (oct. 25th) -8:30am -we arrive in Taipay and spend 2 1/2 hours as the only "foreign girls" in a waiting room full of middle aged business men. i start george macdonald's, "the tutor's first love," while elizabeth plays sudoku.
-11:30am -we arrive in seoul, make it through immigration with flying colors, and meet "big tiger" (our korean boss) in person. while he is tall, i can't see the tiger-resemeblance. in the elevator, he smiles and comments on our luggage, asking if we are going to stay for 10 years. we can't tell if he's joking, so we laugh nervously.
-1:30pm -big tiger drops us off at the school, "TTT (Take it To the Top) Englich Academy," and leaves us to learn the ropes from his wife, cindy. we work to remember the korean teacher's names (hannah, debbie, linda, patric, eunice, and leora) and which curriculem we're to use for each of our 9 classes, while desperatly willing our eyes to stay open.
-7:30pm -we get our first taste of korean food -barbecued meat (i don't think it was dog) and rice wrapped in lettuce. not many things have ever tasted so good! whether that says more about the food or about how hungry i was, i'm not sure. =) as soon as we get to big tigers' house, (and even before in the cab), we fall asleep, utterly exhausted.

friday (oct. 26th) -i follow josie (the english teacher i am replacing) around all day from class to class, desperately trying to remember everything. all i manage to retain is "they love happy faces."

saturday (oct. 27th) -elizabeth and i are dropped off at our new homes -small 1 room/1 bath (without a bath) apartments about 3 blocks from eachother. that night we head downtown to meet our friends brittn and seth from the states. a night of friends, english music, and pasta comforts us and reminds us that we are not the only foreigners in korea.

sunday (oct. 28th) -with "the robbie seay band to accompany me," i unpack my 2 very large suitcases and make my room as homey as possible. silk scarves do the majority of the work. elizabeth and i find bread at a bakery and make frenchtoast -we feel quite proud. my one jar of peanut butter is opened.

monday (oct. 29th) -12:30am -i wake up in a panic and feel sure that it's morning. a look at the clock sends me to psalm 27 for comfort and to george macdonald for heavy eyes.
-7am -i wake up in a panic again, this time because of the insanely loud volume of my alarm. the rest of the morning feels a lot like that same panic as i teach my kindergarten classes and hope that they don't cry for their old teacher. so far so good. during lunch break, the internet starts working at my apartment and i catch mom, dad, kaleb, katie and carrie on skype -talking to them is absolutely wonderful!
-2:30pm -i go back to school with a big smile, ready to conquer anything now that i have internet at home. my elementary age kids aren't really the conquering-type, but they seem to like me and think it's hilarious that my name sounds a bit like "america" -they enjoy calling me "america-teacher," which is more fun that "amanda-teacher."
-6:45pm -i break a huge sigh of relief at the end of my first day of classes. elizabeth and i repeat lunch with leftover rice and dumpling soup from the school kitchen, and hurry home to ultra-quiet apartment (elizabeth pointed out that the walls are probably made of cement).
-8pm -elizabeth smashes one of the mosquitoes that has left my left arm, shoulder, and the side of my face a big blotchy red mess. i wash my sheets in case any of mr. bug's friends found a nice, warm home, and hang them out to dry. they are still drying.
-9:30pm -mr. bug's mother in law flies past my computer screen and i just barely miss smacking her into the eightneenth century. at the moment she is still at large, which explains the slippers, sweatpants, sweatshirt, and hat i am sporting. being as my sheets are still wet, it looks like they will be my pajamas.

as you can probably tell, i have stories galore and i've only been here 5 days! i would't mind a few boring, story-less days but i don't think it's meant to be. God is so good.

,

you found me!

it's nearly 1am and i have decided it's offically time to start a blog dedicated to my time in south korea. after all, as carrie keeps reminding me, i have less than 3 weeks left before i begin the adventure affectionately known as "korea." thanks for taking the time to look me up on here! bookmark the page and feel free to check back often if you have any desire to hear my stories and thoughts as my little world turns upside down and (hopefully) right side up again in a beautiful land far away. i'll try to make it worth your while, but i can't promise anything. do come again soon!