I love...

It's official!! I made it through my 1st semester of teaching abroad and can not believe how quickly time has passed! I thought I'd take a second to jot down some of the things I love about my job in Korea:

I love....

...when I review actions with my kindergartners and say, "I love you" and they all put their hands over their heads in the shape of a heart... when the girls say, "Hi Alexis" when I'm going potty... how we have tea time with all the teachers between classes... how my Vice Principal always pulls out my chair for me at lunch time, and how he always says, "Ohhhh" when he sees that I didn't put kimchee on my plate... when Stella and I laugh uncontrollably together... how I can pick vegetables from our school garden... how my 6th grade special ed student comes to my classroom everyday before lunch and asks, "Teacher, lunchtime?"... how the mom's from my mom class are always early to class and practicing together... how the librarian always hits my butt when I walk by (Random huh?!) ... how innocent my kids are... the look on the kids eyes when I read them a book they really like... when Stella and I make the bad kids carry our heavy stuff around school for us... how the nurse gives me oriental medicine when I'm sick... when my kindergartners see me outside of school and shout "Hello yunga sungsengneim!"...when my 3rd graders come into my class after lunch to clean and try everything they can to get me to give them one of my cherry tomatoes... looking out my office window and seeing a mountainside of green foliage... when classes are cancelled at the last minute... when students ask me to be on their team when we play games during class... the sound of the girls when they win and yell, "wwwaaaaaa!"... when my 1st graders jump up and down when I walk in their classroom... when the teachers smile during the teacher class because I taught them a phrase they are excited to use... when I see my kids on the morning announcements... when I walk into the playground in the morning and the kids run up to me to talk about the weather, how they are feeling, or how old they are (all the common questions we review in class everyday!)... when my 6th graders crowd around my desk and tell me about their lives... when the teachers see me walking to my bus and pick me up to drive me home... when its lunch time and there's something good to eat... when the grandparents all turn around to greet me during their drum class... how the old lady crossing guards always smile (with their gold teeth) and touch my shoulder when I walk by in the morning... when Miyongee (my special ed 2nd grader) holds my hand and sings the ABC song with me from the bus to school... when my 3rd graders who clean my office ask me, "What's this?" and then respond to my answer by saying, "Yea, I know.".... etc...

Living and working here is an awesome experience that I am cherishing everyday. I know one day I will have to say goodbye - but for now, I will just love on them and have a great time!