Friday Update!

So, I realize I just wrote a blog about how Aaron and I had swapped our plan A (working at a University) with our Plan B (working at our same schools) for next year... BUT, we went ahead and gave the University job a try!  We decided to only apply at 1, which happens to be where our dear friends Jessica and Carlos work, up in Seoul!  We've decided that if we don't both get hired, we'll stay in Busan at our current schools. For the sake of including a picture, I'll leave you with this: a picture looking out from the back of my classroom, at the harbor, with a new iphone app called "PHOTO SYNTH!"

Secondly, the last couple weeks have been an absolute breeze for me at work!  Monica and Okk have been scrapping the regular English lessons for the past 2 weeks in order to prepare the students for the Nation Wide English Test, which was yesterday!  With that said, I think about 10 of my classes, in total, were canceled!  That left me with lots of time to look around on http://www.pinterest.com/, http://www.facebook.com/, http://www.blogger.com/, and http://www.sidereel.com/, where I watch TV shows.  I know, I'm living the life over here.  I'm proud to report that the scores are in, and NONE of my classes scored under an average of 86% percent!  Again, for the sake of including a picture: This was taken on Wednesday, when one of my three 5th grade classes was doing a practice test. (Photo taken with my iphone app: INSTAGRAM)

Aaron's been busy with his photography, taking gorgeous pictures around the island, and posting some to his flickr account.  He's modest though, and his own worst critic, so many of my favorite pictures never even make it onto the site.  He's also been working, one on one, with one of the teachers at his school who will be moving to Atlanta for a year with her husband.  Today was their last day of studying together, so along with a nice envelope full of cash, she brough him a homemade carrot cake from her church's bake sale!  I may or may not have eaten 1/2 of it for dinner tonight!

Winter weather has definitely set in, and I've been bundling up in my scarves and winter coats for my 1/2 mile walk in the 45 degree weather, to work every morning!  Brrrr.  Last weekend, I switched out my summer clothes for winter clothes, and put 2 huge bags full of unwanted clothes and shoes out on my street for any takers!  Both bags were gone within 5 minutes!  Aaron said he can't wait for the moment when we see an old Korean woman sporting one of my old dresses!

For the last couple weeks, I've been working with one of my 3rd graders to prepare her for the countywide Storytelling Contest.  She would come to my office for 10 minutes everyday after lunch, and I would help her with her intonation, and hand motions!  Last Friday, she went up against over 50 3rd and 4th graders, and placed 3rd!  I was so proud of her!  This is her and her mom after she performed!

We found out on Monday that she placed 3rd!  The next day, she came to class with a gift for me from her mom: A giftbag of special Kiehl's face creams to thank me for helping! 

(Worth over $60)  How nice is that?!  I've used it every night and morning since.

Tomorrow is the yearly fireworks show on the beach in Gwangali!  I've been looking forward to it all year, but when I checked the weather forecast, it said it's suppossed to rain all day tomorrow!  Uggghhh...   Such a bummer.  On a bright note, I may end up staying in and getting creative!  

Aaron just said to me, "Love, I know you don't like to talk to me when you're writing a blog. But, it kinda makes me sad."   My sweet sweet boy!  Time for this girl to sign off and give him some love! :) 

Happy Friday.