Al in Korea: March 2011!

I'm writing this from my new school, the Naesan Elementary School, which brought with it a new apartment in a new area of Busan as well as new teaching responsibilites. Or rather, the lack there of. Life in a Korean Elementary School I've come to discover, is far simpler and FAR mellower than life in a middle school. In a nut shell, I'm teaching from a book accompanied by a DVD leaving me with no prep work what so ever. With a song and a dance (literally) I am a bona-fied 3rd-6th grade elementary school teacher.

Much has happened since the last blog post. Mainly my parents came to visit for a week in Busan followed by 10 days of us traveling through Beijing and X'ian together before I spent a day on my own in Shanghai where flew home to Busan.

Returning to Busan I completed the school year at the Jungang Middle School for boys which ended with a three week winter camp. Because I resigned for an additional year, I was able to get a month paid vacation time which I used to visit Jeremy in Africa. It was, an incredible trip.

In the months between my summer and winter vacations I've continued to climb and go on various trips around Korea. To keep this blog short, I've merely included pictures that capture the essence of the last 8 months or so. Incredibly 8 months is all I have before my time in Korea comes to a close (for real this time). I say "only" because the first 16 months went so fast. In no time I'll be in the US thinking back to "that time I tought English in Korea." Before that happens however, I have every intention of continuing to max out on Korea.

As usual, thanks for reading!

My Summer Camp... My parents had the opportunity to visit my class after which, many of my students said it was the high light of camp for them.

My parents on a boat cruise around the Taejongdae Cliffs during their visit in July 2010.

Despite popular belief, this pictures was in fact taken this last summer... not when I was 12.

A Chinese snack that made me VERY ill for 24 hours.

Just some Chinese family that wanted a picure with me in Tienanman Square in Beijing.

My good friend Brenna and I at wine club... I know, I know, I'm so SO sohpisticated!

Posing with some kids at the Andong Mask Festival in May.

Christmas 2010 at a cabin in the Jiri Mountains.

It was a small miracle to have snow for our Christmas celebrations!

Visiting the Boys Town Orphanage in January this year.

Donating school supplies to the Mkwhichi Secondary School in Lilongwe, Malawi that I'd gathered from students and friends during the month of December.