Little High Little Low

Dear gym owners,
You only have yourself to blame.

Well, this past week was a week of highs and lows. I should have written this on Friday when I was thinking about what I'd write for this week's blog because now all I can remember is that I wanted to say "this past week was a week of highs and lows." So let me try and jog this ole memory.

High: Mrs. Nam made Korean pancakes and potatoes and we had a rainy day party.
Low: It was very dreary and humid

Apparently, when it rains in Korea, it is tradition to stay home, drink rice wine (makoli), and eat Korean pancakes (pajeon). Pajeon is one of my favorite Korean food. It's not really at all similar to a western style pancake, but I guess you could imagine a non-fluffy, slightly undercooked pancake filled with vegetables, squid, shrimp, oysters, and sometimes Kimchi...I bet you think that sounds delicious right? It seriously is.

Anyhow, on Tuesday Mrs. Nam made some (we ixnayed on the alcohol :) ) for the whole class, and ironically, it was the one sunny day of the week. Also, half the class was missing, which really wasn't too bad since Mrs. Nam gave me the leftovers :)

My three favorite ajummas in all of Korea:

We love Pajeon!

High: My middle schoolers had testing all week so I got off an hour early everyday
Low: My elementary students drove me a little bonkers!

Two or three times a year, the public schools in Korea have these massive tests. They mean the WORLD to these kids, and the results mean getting into a good high school which will later means doing better on the college entrance exam and getting into a good university which will later mean getting a good job which will FINALLY mean you can actually afford to buy watermelon priced at 18,000 won ( 16 dollars)! You catch my drift right? #1 these tests are very important and #2 someone please send me some watermelon.

So, because these students were vigorously studying the whole week, I was able to get off at 8 pm instead of 9 pm. I had forgotten the joyous feeling of finishing at that time. I spent that free hour going shopping, visiting lizer (what Mr. Oh calls Elizabeth), working out a little on the roof, talking to friends, etc. It was wonderful.

On the other hand, my elementary students just seemed abnormally squirly. I think it's because their summer vacation is coming up, but they were just not focusing at all, whatsoever.

Don't they look so sweet playing Upwords and smiling so innocently?


Don't let that fool you..this is how you feel inside if you spend more than a week with them:

High: I got a package on Friday from Grandma!
Med: We played hide and seek tag on Friday in my 7 oclock class.
Low: I was told I should stop sweating in the gym.

Let's start with the Medium. So, for the past 3 weeks, my middle school 7oclock class has been pestering me to play hide and seek tag with them on a Friday. The first week, they were not well behaved at all so they didn't deserve to do what they wanted to do. The second and third week, it was pouring rain. But, this past Friday rolled around and the weather was probably the most humid it had been, but it wasn't raining. I couldn't avoid it any longer. I asked our director in hopes that she'd say, "no, you can't leave this academy." Instead she said, "sure." So, we spent 40 minutes running around outside playing "cops and robbers." When we were walking back to class, Lina says to me, "Teacha, you very good." That's right, I knew these past 6 months at the gym would pay off somehow.

Speaking of the gym, that brings me to my low. I know I sweat alot and definitely significantly more than the ladies who never go above a 3 mph pace on the treadmill. I've been trying to figure out why it seems I've been sweating more than usual. I mean I'm in much better shape than I was 6 months ago, so why have I been sweating so much? I guess it COULD be that this gym refuses to turn on their a/c and it's close to 100% humidity and in the 80's. So, not only does my white skin, absurdly curly hair, and blue eyes make me stand out like a sore thumb, but now my fellow exercise partners are beginning to understand how we differ in amounts of perspiration. Well, on Friday during my run, the owner came up to me and motioned to me that I needed to stop sweating. I was only slightly embarrassed. I didn't know how to respond to that with gestures and I was half way through so I just tried to wipe off with a towel. But SERIOUSLY, if you aren't going to turn on the a/c because of your stinginess, then really, you only have yourself to blame for my excessive sweating. It's a little frustrating. I wish I could understand why they care so much.

Speaking of people who care, my wonderful and beautiful grandmother sent me a box and I just got it on Friday! It was perfect timing. At the end of the week if the students do their homework and were obedient in class, they get to choose from the prize bag. My grandma included some goodies and those students who were not obedient and did not do their homework regretted it very much after seeing all the awesome things in the prize bag! So, thank you Grandma, here are a few of my classes that also say "thank you!"... or in Korean: Kamsamnida.


Say Grandma on 3..1,2,3 "GRANDMA!"


We love these toys and we WILL do our homework next week so we can choose one!

So much personality, thanks again Grandma!


High: I spent Saturday eating pizza, solving riddles, walking around Eunpa Park, listening to an acapela concert, eating chicken and hanging out with other Americans to celebrate the 4th of July.
Low: I missed the Petunia Festival in all it's glory.

Basically, that "high" is my weekend in a nutshell. It was fun and there was great company. I didn't think I'd really miss the 4th of July too much, but as the weekend came to a close, there was a huge void since I wasn't able to see any fireworks or cookout or eat dip n dots or see a parade or walk through a carnival observing those Dixonites that seem to be hiding all other weeks of the year...so let us not take the Petunia Festival for granted :)

Hope you had a fun-filled weekend! God Bless America :)