Snow makes everything better

Dear snow,
You are welcome here in Gunsan anytime!

Well, last week we had our first legit snowfall. It was wonderful. I don't know what it is..maybe I just really love the first snow every year, maybe snow makes it look a little bit more like home, maybe it's that snow muffles the sound of screeching brakes and honking taxi drivers, OR maybe it's that the snow disguises the multiple pools of spit on the sidewalk that I seem to walk through every morning, but I LOVE that it snowed this week. Of course it's gone now, but it was so wonderful while it lasted. Here are a few pics. *SNOW!!!!!
* So it begins..this is one of the entrances to the market..I live in the depths
of this market *We still ride our scooters in snow storms in Korea * And this is what I woke up to!

Anyhow, I realize I am super late on this blog. BUT it's because I've been one busy bee these past few days. I've been cleaning, Christmas shopping, grocery shopping, and trying to get ahead because ERIKA will be in Gunsan in exactly 2 hours and 20 minutes! Also, last week was painfully uneventful, there were a few high points..of course the snow was the biggest highlight.

As for the other high points, here it goes. It turns out my students in my morning class have taken pity on my in this cold weather and have been giving me rides back to my apartment, so I don't have to walk through the snow. Speaking of that class, last week we said a temporary "goodbye" to Mrs. Ko. She is studying English in Tacoma, Washington for 6 weeks. I am so excited for her, and of course I begged her to take me with her, but she wasn't having it.

Also, early last week, my Chinese student came back and brought me some Chinese snacks. I tried the "gummy bear" type things but have yet to try the stuff that looks like a solid square of diarrhea. Also, the same Chinese student invited me over for lunch on Sunday. So, this Sunday, I went and had a Chinese lunch with 3 Chinese college students. I couldn't believe it..2 of them lived in a 1 room apartment that was probably a little smaller than my one-roomer. I don't know how they do it...I mean I'm stressin' a little with sharing this apartment with my sister for 6 days. Anyway, the food was delicious. We had beef with onions in some sort of sweet sauce and eggs with tomatoes (both apparently, Chinese dishes), a fruit salad, and this ham sandwich sort of thing. It was all really really good and I loved spending time with them...although it was difficult since their not really fluent in English. Our conversation was pretty much centered limited to topics such as Twilight, Harry Potter, Avatar, Britney Spears, and hamburgers.

Well, as you may know, South Korea has been a huge part of the news lately. And although some people say, this is how it's always been, I think they are mistaken. Last week the whole country held an Emergency drill. We were told to stay home or if walking, to get into the nearest building and stay there for the next 15 minutes. I was home, but I went and looked out the window of my complex and saw that their were still people walking around and school kids still walking in masses and taking up the WHOLE sidewalk. However, I heard later that many people did participate in the drill. It's really interesting being in a country that holds these kinds of drills.

So, last Thursday, I got an email from the U.S. Embassy saying that S. Korea would be holding these live-fire military drills on the island that was bombed last month. Pretty much the email said "Don't be scared little American, just keep yourself informed, and STOP emailing us to ask us if you should evacuate...we will let you know if the situation changes." The drills took place on Monday, and if you watch the news at all, it was one of the tensest moments I think this country has seen in a while. North Korea said they would deliver a "catastrophic" attack if the drills took place, Russia and China strongly encouraged South Korea to not hold the drills, and the U.N. decided they would get together and try to solve this thing once and for all (shockingly, that didn't work.)

Nonetheless, gutsy South Korea held those drills like nobodies business. Of course it would have been too predictable for North Korea to attack right then, but still people have been on their toes ever since the drills took place on Monday. All day on Monday, I carried my evacuation bag with me.

Yes, North Korea being a bully has been going on for awhile, but South Korea has never been so aggressive either...they are definitely at their tipping point. And it's almost like they are daring North Korea to try one more stunt so they could respond full force.

SO, please pray for this situation, for the safety of the people of South Korea, and for the freedom and release of oppression of the North Koreans. It's most definitely a very interesting time to be living in South Korea.

I'm sorry this blog wasn't as good as previous ones. I promise more laughs for this upcoming week's blog. Oh and MERRY CHRISTMAS!