Open Class is coming....

Loola's open class is coming... duh-duh-duh!

She's been staying super late at work preparing for it; making sure her lesson plan is perfect, the invites were sent out (Yes, other schools teachers and Admin are invited to come and watch!), the students are ready and understand the key expressions, the classroom is deep cleaned, and all of the videos are made. That's where I came in.

I don't know why, but whenever a photo or video needs to be taken, I seem to always be the go to girl to get the job done.  Luckily, I love Loola, so I didn't mind helping out!  Besides teaching 4 classes today, I recorded and edited these 8 videos for her open class!  They're pretty funny if you ask me!  ENJOY 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjQ7by6Saxs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHIRZecOPwA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntn-pLrpR4c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ouZNwh_fvE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmSAuEgjMfk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-gvAuoVKsk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H63pPPf-eNQ

They're not the greatest quality, but it's the best I could do with my iphone! :)

Craft night!

Aaron has taken on a new English club class at his school.  The theme of the class is "green," as in, "being green", and he's been teaching them about the earth and how to preserve it, etc.  He was browsing pinterest (yes, I know!), and found someone who had fused plastic grocery bags together by ironing them between wax paper, and then sewing them into small bags.  

Aaron thought it would be the perfect project for his club class - a recyclable pencil case bag!  Genius!  He decided to make an "example pencil case" to show his students and asked me to help by sewing the zipper on.  Not too shabby for our first go, eh?!  It looks kinda flimsy in this picture, but it's actually really thick and sturdy!  *** The bag is from one of my favorite stores in Nampodong, called Style Lab!

I've been busy, busy, busy making the wedding invitations, crafting the envelopes, and writing the addresses this week, and last, and finally completed them tonight!  I'm not sure exactly how I made it through without accidentally cutting myself, giving up half way through, sticking my fingers together with glue, or going crazy!    These envelopes were a TRUE labor of love, and what's inside was even more of a labor of love!  

Good news is, I think they turned out really cool, and Aaron loves them, so I'm proud! 

The inside will remain a surprise until after everyone has received them.   

I bought myself some red roses to celebrate the completion of the invitation crafting, and to make my kitchen smell really yummy for this weekend when the lovely KATIE OLSON (an old co-worker from the High School I worked at in Arizona) comes to stay with me!  Can't wait to see her! 

Tomorrow is FRIDAY, my easiest day at work, and the beginning of the weekend!  Hallelujah! 

This girl is ready for some relax time!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Okay, so I didn't win anything, but I did have a yummy chicken dinner with my two co-teachers after work tonight at a new chicken restaurant that opened last week right next to the school!

No outing is complete without a photo, right?!  I set my camera on a table outside the restaurant and hit the timer.  For whatever reason, it took 5 pictures in a row and I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the progression of poses and facial expressions that were captured!

 Picture # 1: 

totally normal

Picture # 2: 

I'm starting to get a little fiesty because I know it's going to keep snapping away. 

The girls aren't sure what's happening...

Picture # 3: 

Okk's feeling fiesty now and I'm getting more silly because it's STILL snapping away!

Picture # 4: 

I'm still fiesty, Loola has finally loosened up, but now Okk thinks the timer continuing to go off is weird and is getting embarrassed because people are watching us. 

Picture # 5: 

Me yelling, "Loosen up Okk!  This is fun!"  

Gotta love the self timer... and funny co-workers!

6th Grade Field Trip!

Yesterday was the first field trip of the school year, and I was asked to go along with the 6th graders to take pictures for the 6th grade yearbook!  Unfortunately, Okk was asked to go along with the 1st graders to a library (BORING!)... but Loola and I got to stick together all day, which was really nice for us!

We actually took the local buses to get to the place we were going, and each of the kids had to pay their own way!  Gotta love Korean field trips!

We took the bus about 10 minutes and then walked down a street hill towards the ocean! 

It was another gorgeous day... perfect for some walking!

After about 15 minutes of walking, we made it to our destination, the brand new Maritime Environment Research & Training Institute!  Not exactly the most exciting field trip destination, but whatever!  It beat being out of the classroom! 

We helped the students get settled into the auditorium where they listened to a guy talk about marine life and how to preserve the ocean...

Then Loola, Hanna and I sat down and relaxed in the back row...

...while the kids played games with the presenter! 

Then we realized we didn't really need to be in there with them, so we (the 6th grade teachers, myself, and Loola) went into the staff room and drank coffee together!  haha!  It was turning out to be quite the relaxing field trip!

After about 45 minutes, we were back on duty!  

We walked the kids through the museum...

...snapped pictures of them, and with them!

...watched them play high tech, motion censored, games...

... snapped more pictures...

... and painted and named our very own marine life...

Then, we walked the kids into the research center, where the researchers taught the kids how to clean the ocean and showed them machines they have built to rid it of fuel (remember, we live in a port city, so the water is loaded with oil - yuck!)

The researchers chose 6 students to go back into the dressing room...

... and get decked out in the research garb!

Then, they walked onto the research bridge and poured bowls of oil into the water below...

... so the researchers could lower their new oil cleaning machine to show them how they clean the oil out of the ocean!  Exciting, right?!  uggghhhh

Then, the kids were handed hot rocks that had been processed through a heat and cleaning machine.  They had to walk them to the other side of the building and drop them in a pile.  Completely pointless in my opinion, but hey, whatever!

finally, it was lunchtime!  This is my favorite time during the field trips because everyone is in a good mood and there's lots of food to go around! 

This is a typical student lunch!  Kimbap!

Parents always prepare the teachers lunches!  How sweet is that?  This time, we had 3 different types of kimbap, tons of fruit, cookies, kimchi, soup, and yummy drinks!

After lunch, we walked the kids down to the water and let them run wild!  But, not before taking the infamous class pictures!  In Korea, we don't say, "This is Mrs. Hanna's class"  We say, this is "Class 6-2."  (6th grade - class 2)  

This is 6-1

This is class 6-3.  How awesome is it that there are only 18-20 students in each 6th grade class at my school!  I'll answer that for you, "It's REALLY awesome!"

Me with two of my favorites, Min-Ju and Cho-Ah

Can you spot the blondie?

"I'm the king of the world!!"

There was a little Korean style pavilion that we hung out under for about an hour...

The kids were sooo well behaved all day!  I only had to reprimand 1, and it's because he was being loud!  I swear I have the best students at my school.

For whatever reason, the kids have been really into trying to shuffle lately!  They're absolutely terrible!  haha

My initial reaction was to say, "No, no!  Get down right now!"  But, after looking around and seeing that the other teachers didn't care, I just went with it!  I thought about how it's good training for when I'm a mom.  I have to relax!!! 

We ended the field trip with an informal talent show, for anyone who wanted to show off!  These two girls did a dance they've been practicing in dance class!  (Check out the scream mask!)  I'm telling you... anything goes in Korea! 

We jumped on a bus and returned back to the school's bus stop where the students gathered around, bowed to us, and waved good-bye!  It was a great day with my kiddos! 

Random Update!

I was looking at my phone and realized I've been posting a lot of photos to INSTAGRAM, which is a picture sharing app for iphones... and neglecting the blog!  Sorry about that!  With that said, here's a little update from my week/weekend in iphone pictures!

I've been using my free time in the afternoons at work to make my wedding invitations this week and last!  Luckily, as long as my work is done I can do whatever I want... so while I'd maybe rather be watching TV online, or browsing Pinterest, I've been crafting invites instead!  I'm really happy with how they're turning out! They're fun, flirty, casual, have lots of texture and color, and best of all, they're a

"one of a kind Jillers creation!"

I was off of work last Wednesday for Election Day, so I met Meagan for some Bi Bim Bap at Cham, our favorite neighborhood restaurant and then did a little shopping!  I tried calling Aaron while we were out, but he wasn't answering his phone. This is VERY not like him, so I started to get really worried!  Turns out, he wasn't able to answer his phone because it had been run over by a car!  UUGGGHHH.  He was riding the scooter and took a pic while he was stopped at red light. Then, he set his iphone under his leg until the next stop light.  Unfortunately, it was during those few seconds that he hit a bump in the road and his iphone jumped into the street and was abruptly run over TWICE!   Funny thing is, it still technically worked. The screen was just damaged!  Good ole' apple technology!  So, Thursday, we rode scoot over to the apple refurbish center after work and he bought a refurbished iphone4 for $200, which is a STEAL of a deal compared to buying it new. (In Korea it's upwards of $800 for a new iphone!)

On Friday, after work, Aaron and I met up and walked over to one of our favorite restaurants on the island for a little Friday night dinner date together.  It was delicious as always!  After dinner we walked a couple blocks over to the SCREEN GOLF place and played a round of 8 together!  I double parred EVERY HOLE except the last!  Sad, but true.  Aaron wouldn't let me take a picture of the score... and not just because mine was lousy!  lol  

Saturday turned out to be a great day!  About a month ago, I was asked to judge an audition for Korean kids who were hoping to be "young ambassadors" for the upcoming Pusan International Performing Arts Festival.  If chosen, they would be the ones to Welcome the audience and introduce the shows!  Out of over 50 kiddos, we chose these 12  for the 12 different shows!  I met with them Saturday afternoon for 2 hours to work with them on their English pronunciation and hand gestures.  For a total of only 3 hours, I was paid $110 and was given 4 FREE tickets to the opening and closing ceremony performances, which are $25 each!  YES, please!  I'm so proud of these 12 and can't wait to see them up there on the stage!  The tall boy will be the one to speak at the Closing Ceremony, where there will be over 5,000 people!  Eeekkkk!

After class with the kids, I took the subway two stops to Sam's new apartment in Suyeon.  Gill, Sam and I have been getting together every weekend for a girls night in!  We usually cook dinner together, watch a movie, catch up on life, etc.  This time, 'A' was invited in for girls night!  It was super fun to have him there!  I always love to see him interacting with my friends!

Sam's apartment is on the 5th floor and has a big balcony that looks out onto the city.  Having a balcony is quite the comodity in Korea!  Not many apartment buildings have them, so Sam seriously lucked out!  

The weather was GORGEOUS on Saturday, so we spent most of the night out there taking in the fresh air and ocean breeze!  As if that wasn't great enough, Sam cooked a REALLY amazing steak dinner for all of us, too!  It was the first proper steak I'd eaten in years and I couldn't stop talking about how good it was!  

Sunday was another gorgeous day, so Aaron and I took the scooter over to Gukje 

and walked the market for a while...

... before stopping in for coffee at Starbucks and lunch at a really great cheese bi bim bap restaurant in Nampodong!  I love, love, love this place!  It was actually the first restaurant I ever ate at in Busan.  My first co-teacher, Stella, took me here one of my first nights in the city, and I've been hooked ever since!

After lunch, we walked through Nampodong and played a round of air hockey and basketball in one of the local arcades.  I kid you not, people were gathered around us while we were playing the basketball game.  I don't know if it's because we're decent at shooting, or because we're playing together to try to get more points (usually only 1 person at a time plays that game), or because we're laughing so hard and they're not used to seeing couples so happy together!  Regardless, we welcomed the crowds!

After the arcade, we rode scoot back to my place, watched WAR HORSE (not sure how I feel about it!), played with Kitty, cooked dinner, and channeled my inner Martha Stewart in order to bake some more banana bread!  This loaf was even better than last weeks!  I added some vanilla, a 4th banana, and twice the amount of chocolate!  It made enough for a mini-loaf AND an entire cake pan full.  Aaron and I ate the mini-loaf and I took this entire cake pan of it to work today to share at tea time with my 5 co-workers. I was thinking it would last a couple days, but it was gone before the end of the day!
Can't complain... I love that they loved it!

Tomorrow is the school field trip day where each grade goes on a separate field trip.  I've been asked to go along with the 6th graders to take photo's for the 6th grade yearbook.  Camera's charged, tennis shoes are ready, and my backpack's packed!  Excited for a day out of the classroom!