Saturday, December 17, 2011

So...that photo post?

Sorry everyone!
I have been so lazy with this blog and it's going no where fast. I have been trying to come up with some great posts to write about and I just keep coming up blank! Work has been getting better and we started a new term at the beginning of December. I am now teaching the very youngest students to our oldest students. It is pretty cool seeing how in each level the students progress and master the English language so much better. Some students aren't the greatest but some get better with every passing week.
I have some of my favorite students again though, and I know I shouldn't have favorites but these kids are wonderful to have in class. I'll miss them when I don't have them anymore, but it's great knowing that I can look forward to a couple classes everyday.
I will get that photo post done today, seeing as this Sunday is going to be nice and lazy again.
Also, if people want to send me maps, postcards, or any thing for my class room I would be greatly obliged to accept them! I am in desperate need to decorate my apartment still as well as getting my classroom decked out. I have a bunch of postcards from New Hampshire, but if any one wants to send some from all over the states, I'd love that!
Look for the photo post later on today!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Halloween to Present



Wow, I really need to get on my game here! I need to post more often, and I will try and catch every one up to speed on how life is going!

The past couple weeks have gone by really fast and I think it is partially due to how hectic work has been. The week before Halloween we were doing Level Up tests, which really messed up our schedule and put a strain on all the teachers to make sure we were getting all the material covered. The kids hate level up tests, they get super frustrated and they tend to try and get away with little things as well. I have a few students who qualified through their test scores to level up as well as a bunch of students who have been in the same class for 6 months so they automatically will be leveling up. I found out recently that I’m getting a new class to teach so I’m not sure how many of the same classes I will be teaching, but I hope to find out soon.

We had Halloween parties the week after leveling up tests, and it was a lot of fun. My schedule for those two days was great! I only taught a total of 4 classes and then had parties for the rest of them. Most of my students didn’t dress up because Halloween isn’t as popular here as elsewhere. It was a nice break from the usual, but when every one came back Wednesday, the kids were NUTS. It was like they had never had candy and were still on a sugar high from that day. It was fair enough and all, but I wish they had behaved better. I had to yell a lot that week and when the weekend showed up all I wanted to do was go out, but since I had not been paid at that point and time, I really couldn’t afford to.

Last week  I finally got my first paycheck! Wa-Hoo! It was really nice getting a nice big paycheck in my bank account and I have spent a nice portion already on getting sweaters and a winter coat. I have yet to find a pair of shoes to buy here though and that is my next goal, to get at least two pairs of shoes, one for work and snow boats. Over the weekend I was home for a total of maybe….16 hours? And that was spent sleeping for 10 of them. I was in Seoul for most of Saturday and Sunday, finding a jacket, clothes and getting my hair done. I was exhausted and sick when I got home Sunday. Yesterday work was a nightmare, I felt feverish and just ached all over from the lack of sleep. I made myself a wonderful veggie only dish when I got home and I feel a lot better today after sleeping for over 10 hours. I still ache, but not nearly as bad as yesterday. I’m hoping work will go by fast because today I am hoping to join the gym tonight and get the first work out in here!

Tomorrow’s plan is going to a yarn store before work and buying some yarn. I’m hoping this weekend to go to the dentist by work and getting my cavities filled. I finally got my first two cavities! I wish I didn’t have any but I guess it was time I feel the pain every one else does from it, haha. It will probably be a lazy weekend, if the cavity filling is as bad as I think it will be, otherwise I’ll be going to Seoul to return some things I bought since I’m kinda eh about them now. I hope all of you are well!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

First Month Here

I now have been in South Korea for a month! It's rather hard to think it's only been a month and even though time has flown by and I'm getting the hang of everything it is hard to think I haven't seen my friends or my parents in a month.

Okay, so I started this post over a week ago and I just kinda forgot to finish it. I can now add at least my first couple of insights with having worked for a month now too at my school. It definitely not what I expected but I have been able to adjust fairly quickly to everything; from my apartment, to the new food(kinda), to new people, and learning a new language. As well as teaching, of course.

I am slowly becoming adjusted to my new surroundings and have been slowly getting my apartment how I would like it to be. It's definitely not perfect, with the occasionally weird smell and location being above a convenience store, it's becoming more and more like home. I'm anticipating my first paycheck because I need to buy decorations to help make this place better for me, as well as getting photos printed that I can put up around my apartment. It will be nice also to buy a broom and a mop so cleaning the whole place won't take all day.

My stomach has not been my best friend these past couple weeks. I am happy to have been able to find food that I really enjoy (kimchi is YUMMY and Korean Barbecue is definitely my favorite meal here) but some things I am having a hard time adjusting too, mainly fish. I try to avoid having it, since every time I have it my stomach reacts to it most unhappily.  I've had a couple stomach bugs but nothing that hasn't stopped me from going into work thankfully.

I've met a lot of great people here as well, some from training and some being my coworkers. It's great having such a diverse group of people to hang out with and do things with, it definitely makes adjusting here easier. I've seen bits of Seoul while going out and shopping (Oh, the fashion here is marvelous!) and it  feels like the right place for me to be right now.

I'm hopefully going to start getting to work on learning Korean now, since it's time to start learning. I really need to plan my days better, as well as posting more often. With November comes my first pay day as well as the beginning of National Novel Writing Month and this year I am really going to try to get something accomplished.

Well, I should get this post uploaded and then try and get most of my hat done tonight! I'm knitting as well and improving my skill. Let's see if I can get some of my own wardrobe pieces created!

With Love,
Allison

Monday, October 10, 2011

Claim my blog!

I'm getting my blog all squared away so I can post regularly and have people RSS to it.
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Saturday, September 24, 2011

Air Travel


For the past week I have been writing, but not posting any of my entries so that O could go over them one more time...Here is an update of my flight!


I have now been traveling officially for 12 hours, and I think I could sleep for a day straight. This past week has been one of constant goings and never ending tasks to complete.   Here is a quick rehash of what the day has been so far.
            5:00 Am wake up call and be ready for the shuttle to the airport. I was with my parents and my mom was a bit sad so saying good bye to them was a tad emotional. My flight to San Francisco wasn’t till 8:40, but I wanted to be early. That flight went by quick, but the food wasn’t the best. Flights sure have cut back, spent 7 bucks on a “meal”  that was satisfying, but still a bit much for what it was.  When I arrive in San Francisco I had to still get my tickets for the international flight and I discovered that to my dismay,  I was only allowed one carry-on  and it had to be under 14 lbs. Yeah, I had two and neither was under 14. I did have a bag within one that I chose to bring so I could use it for work. That saved me and the woman at the counter was extremely nice to me and I was really happy with how she treated me. She easily could have charged me for the two extra check in bags I had, but she didn’t and just let me know that next time they would charge me.
            I am now sitting in economy on my 12 hour flight to Seoul. I am exhausted, but in about 9 hours it will be done. I hope I can take a couple hour nap so I will sleep when I arrive, since it will be early evening. 
            One thing I am thankful for this international flight is that anytime I want a drink I can order some wine, which has helped me relax after some stress of getting onto this flight on time and getting my suitcases figured out.
            I am going to try to study before I am off the flight but I am in desperate need for a nap!
            Love to all.

            Allison

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Fear dragging feet

Fear. It is such a powerful and sometimes, overwhelming emotion that leaves me nauseous, unable to breathe, and dizzy. This can also describe my reaction, and I'm sure of others, feelings about love. Leaving us nauseous, unable to breathe, and dizzy at the mere sight, touch, or sound of the one or ones we love. People will go to no ends for the people they love, fearing that if they don't, they will lose them.
Why does fear captivate and hold so closely to our ability to love?
It has been an extraordinary past couple months. Work is slowly winding down and my next phase in life is slowly unfolding before me. South Korea will be my new home in just a few short months and I'm terrified. I try not to think about what is going to be coming up, but it's beginning to sink its fangs in me about how tremendous and slightly overpowering this decision is.
I try not to think about so I don't work myself up from the fear. I've had enough adrenaline kicks these past few weeks, I need a break! It only life would take a day trip and let me relax and catch up on my thoughts.