Rock, Scissor, Paper

Just about every decision made in Korea is done with a quick game of rock, scissor, paper, or as the Koreans call it 가위 (kawi=scissors) 바위 (bawi=paper) 보 (bo=rock).  But, if we say it fast, it sounds more like kai-bai-bo.  

All that to say, this morning I came to work and asked my co-teacher, Loola, what the plan was for our classes today.  Her response was, "Just a Movie!"  YYYEEESSS!!!  We have 3 classes together on Fridays and since only 1 of us needs to be in the classroom to supervise the kiddos during the movie, we decided to play kai-bai-bo. The winner would babysit 1 class and the loser would babysit 2!  I was taught, by some of my students to never throw paper 1st, because you'll probably lose.  So, I took their advice and threw scissors and WON!  So, not only is it Friday, but I only have to babysit 1 class today!  The rest of the day will be spent putting together our 1st ever Osteen Christmas cards and addressing them!  Woot woot!

Thanks Math!

I've always been a big lover of math!  In high school, I used to beg my algebra teacher to let me teach our class, just once! He never obliged, sadly, but I got my chance after graduating from college (with a degree in digital media production by the way), when my friend Tiffany called and asked if I would take over a high school algebra class at the school where she was working. The lady who was teaching the class had left on a Friday and had never come back to work! MY DREAM COME TRUE!  Or, so I thought!  There was a reason she left, and I found out the very next day, when there I was, a 23 year old untrained teacher, standing in front of my new class of high school students who were CRAZY and completely undisciplined!  Not only were they like small wild animals, it felt like every kid in my class felt like this....

 It took me all semester to re-train them to act like normal human beings and to actually do their homework!  By the end of the semester, I was exhausted, but was so thankful for the job and the experience and actually began to love and build relationships with a lot of those kids!

All that to say, today's 6th grade classes at my school are going on a math field trip, so I don't have ANY classes today! Hence the whole THANKS MATH thing!! I just finished checking my e-mails, painting my nails, and am about to address some Christmas cards, all while getting my regular pay for the day!  Sure beats that math job I had in America! :)

Please vote!

In about 3 months and counting, Aaron and I will no longer have a paycheck to rely on and will quite possibly end up starving photographers! (Cross your fingers and PRAY that doesn't happen!)  But, just in case, I've entered 6 of our travel photos into a little photo contest on the Smarter Travel Website called "Your Best Travel Photo of 2012"!

We actually have a decent chance of winning because we won an honorable mention for 2 of our photos in last years contest!  So, please help us win the big prize this year - roundtrip airfare for two with a value of up to $2,500 from Vayama!  Honorable mentions will win between $25 and $250! Hey, every dollar counts when you're trying to start a business! 

I entered the following 6 photos into the contest. Vote by clicking on any/all of these photos (which will take you to the Smarter Travel website) and click on the "5 stars" underneath the pic!  Vote once a day and I'll love you forever!

Nampodong's Christmas Extravaganza!

Last night, Jeff, Aaron, Ashley, Adam, Grace and I all met up in Nampodong for dinner at our favorite cheese bi bim bap restaurant, a quick stop at Starbucks, and a nice stroll down Gwangbok-ro to see the Christmas lights!  

I always love Christmas time in Nampodong!  It seems like the only place in Busan that comes close to mimicking the outlandish Christmas decorating that happens in America!  It definitely has it's own little Korean flare, but I love it none the less!

Ashley's been collecting Starbucks stickers on her Starbucks sticker card all winter and finally collected her 17th and final sticker to get her yearly Starbucks planner!  Aaron and I gave her our 2 stickers tonight, so we technically own 2/17th's of it!  Congratulations Ash!

After we all had our warm coffee's in hand, we made our way over to the main street where all of the festivities were going on!  Tonight's entertainment was a darling little kids choir!  We made it just in time to hear their very last song.  

Out of 8 pictures, this was the only one where these two weren't goofing off and looking ridiculous!

I knew if I kept snapping I'd get a decent one! :)

Koreans must love having their pictures drawn, because the whole street was lined with artists, 

sketching away!

Jeff and Grace!

There are Christmas trees lining the main street with these hand written Christmas wishes hung from the branches. I liked this one because it said, "I love father and mother" in English! 

Me and my love...

And for your entertainment, a more realistic photo of what we're really like!  :)

And this is what our kids would be like if we had some!  They'd always be goofing around like their dad and always appear overly excited and friendly like their mom!  Awesome, right?!   

How beautiful is my friend Grace!?

And how adorable are they?! 

We don't see this often in Korea, so when we do, we get extra excited and always throw some cash in the case to support their love of music!

 And I'll leave you with this amazing picture!  I snapped a couple photos of this little guy holding his cotton candy, when out of nowhere, this old Korean womanlkiterally stuck her face next to it and started licking the side of it!  It was quite possibly one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time!

 I couldn't have asked for a better way to end our weekend than with good friends, yummy coffee, and beautiful lights!  

"Merry Christmas".... from Nampodong!

Sneak Peak of Meagan and Dave

Aaron and I had a photo shoot with Meagan (originally from Texas) and Dave (originally from Perth) this afternoon at Beomeosa Temple, and there was actually a little bit of SNOW! The 4 of us romped through the snow, slid on the ice, and froze our little tushies off in the freezing temperatures, but it was all worth it, and all for the sake of beautiful photos like this one!

The full post will be up soon at Aaron Nicholas Photography, so be on the lookout!