Winter stroll

Aaron and I went on a little winter stroll through Nampodong tonight to check out all the new Christmas decorations that have been set up throughtout the area!

There was free hot cider being given out to shoppers, couples walking hand in hand, little bundled up kiddos standing next to the lights while their parents snapped away on their cameras...

... and a huge stage set up right in the middle of the street where performers sang and danced their hearts out in front of thousands of passerbys!

As if that wasn't enough entertainment, at 7:00pm sharp, artificial snow fell onto the street for about 5 minutes!  It was so fun and felt a little like a real snowfall... a soap snowfall that is!  Regardless, for a California girl like me, the faux snow was just fine!

We ended the night with dinner at Thursday Party, a new foreign bar that just opened last night!  While I'm not a fan of the freezing cold temperatures that have suddenly swept over Busan, I DO LOVE all the Christmas cheer and the fact that I have a great guy to snuggle up to on winter strolls!

So proud!

Aaron recently submitted one of his photographs to San Francisco based 

WIRED MAGAZINE.

My older sister Amy, who works for the magazine, asked Aaron if he'd like to take some photographs for an article they're running on the newly finished Busan Cinema Center Building. He of course jumped at the opportunity and went 3 times, just to make sure he got the perfect picture.

This afternoon, Amy e-mailed to tell him that the editor loved his photo and chose it to run with the full page article in the February 2012 Issue!

I am so proud of you Aaron!  

Congratulations on your 1st magazine publication.... on your first try too!  Not to mention, it's the # 1 design and photography magazine in the world!!  Heeelllllooooo!!!

** and of course a special thanks to my sis for the heads up!

Katie's coming!

Before I moved to Korea back in February of 2009 I worked as a Principal's Secretary for 2 years at a big High School in Arizona. One of my good friends and co-workers there (Katie Olson) has been following my blog since I left 3 years ago and has been talking about wanting to come teach in Korea for a long time!  Well, she finally made the HUGE step and applied for EPIK!  Sure enough, she's been hired for the Spring semester and will be moving to Korea in February!  I can hardly believe it and am so excited to have her here in Korea!  I'm crossing my fingers that she gets placed in Busan so we can have dinner dates and shopping sprees during the week!  Eeekk!

Katie, I am so proud of you and can not wait for you to get here so I can show you around!

Can't believe it!

In the next day or so, I will have had  

50,000 

hits on this little blog of mine! 

Who woulda thunk, huh?!  Thanks for reading along and checking in with my life in Korea!  It's been fun to share my experience with you all and nice to know that I've been thought of 50,000 times in the last 3 years!

Spelling Bee!

This afternoon is the city wide 5th grade English Spelling Bee!  This is 대현 David and 규은 Michelle, also known as the 2012 English Spelling Bee champions!  Or at least they will be known as that later this afternoon!  I've been working with them for the past week and a half and they're incredible!

These may not look like difficult words to spell, but I didn't just say the word and have them spell it.  I read the definition of the word in English.  They then had to figure out what I was talking about AND write it correctly!  I'm telling you!  They're gonna win it! 

...and when they do, I'm going to treat us all to a little ice cream! :)


*** UPDATE: Michelle went further than David, but neither won.  SAD.  To rub more salt on the wound, Aaron's student won 2nd place!  Way to go A!