It's a sad day today...

I came to school this morning and Ella told me she had sad news... Kristen (one of my closest 6th grade students),'s mom died this morning of liver disease. What's even more devastating is that her dad passed away a year and a half ago, and she and her sister (junior high age) are now all alone. My heart is absolutely breaking for her today, as I'm sure she's heartbroken and scared... Kristen, who's Korean name is 유라 (pronounced Yura), is such a sweet and happy girl! I hate to see this happen to any of my students, but especially her.

She is always with me, but hates to have her picture taken... so this is an old picture that I took last year. Tomorrow, Ella, Lee (Kristen's current teacher) and I are going to attend the funeral after school. If you are a person who believes in prayer, please pray for this sweet girl and her sister!

Who's that?!

Yesterday, I was looking at old pictures of Indonesia on my work computer, and one of my students was standing over my shoulder, looking with me! She saw this picture and immediately asked, "Alexis, Is this your mom?!" hahahahha!

Is your neighborhood this safe?!

My neighborhood is REALLY safe in Pusan, but I would still never, ever, ever, let my 5 year old daughter walk home from school alone, in the dark, on a busy street!

Seriously, Where are her parents?!

Music Monday

Group Name: AFTER SCHOOL
Song Name: BECAUSE OF YOU

Give it about 45 seconds... It'll pick up and gets really catchy!

Carlos is in the hospital!

Aaron and I stood on a crowded bus for almost an hour to go see Carlos in the hospital yesterday... and for whatever it's worth we would have stood all day on a crowded smelly bus with ajumas pushing us out of the way, any day, just to see him! (wink, wink)

When we got there, he looked great! He and Jess had just finished a yummy hospital dinner! (Insert sarcasm here!)

Remember his last hospital room?? Well, talk about an upgrade! This place was sooo nice and included a fridge, TV, computer, fold out couch, and a beautiful view!

We brought him and Jess apples and some Ghana chocolate (a Korean brand that is TO DIE FOR!!) to cheer Carlos up and to compliment Jess for being such a stellar and supportive wife!

In order to completely document our visit, I needed a picture of Aaron and I! Unfortunately, everyone laughed when Jess took the picture because Aaron said I always tilt my head over his face, which is soooo true, and soooo not on purpose!

So, this was our 2nd take! :)

As a side note, we all got onto the subject of where we'll be next year, and Aaron and I are both interested in possibly teaching in Vietnam! It's in the very, very, very early stage of talk... but it's something we're both considering! It would be so fun to experience another country, and to be able to do it with my best friend! I wonder if I could bring Apple and Togi?!