Comin' Around to the Full Year!

I taught my first set of classes of this last fall term yesterday. It was a good bunch of students for those two classes. Today, I teach another set of two new classes that I will have all term. This last term will be a full one including double classes on Saturdays, so it will be a good send off for me.

Speaking of send offs, I said good bye to my first friend in Daegu, Mikey. He was the first to introduce himself to me at my school when I first got here. He also took me out to brunch about 11 months ago to meet two friends downtown. One of  two people we met at brunch was Emma, the girl that I have been dating and travelling with for 10 months. The other was Chuck, who is Emma's best friend and a super great friend of mine out here. I'm going to miss Mikey. He was one of the best things about my school.

This summer has been rough on me, and I am not sure why. I had a great schedule (Saturdays off) and it was summertime. Maybe it was the heat and the humidity. I miss sunny days due to the fact that it rained pretty much everyday over the summer. Another thing that I miss is the stars.  Most of all, I think I just started to get tired of doing the same things every week. I am not used to a Mon-Fri job. I have been working a floating schedule for three years before this, and I miss that freedom. It made every week feel completely original. I hate getting in to a rhythm because it makes time fly too fast. Well I only have 12.75 weeks left until I head out to Europe with Brent (not that I am counting down).

I have a short list of things that I am going to do before I leave Korea:
- Jeju with Mom - She is coming for 2 weeks in November (excited!!)
- Seoraksan - A mountain park in the north that is too crowded in the summer time.
- Jeonju - They have a really nice traditional district and some very famous local food.
- Jirisan - A mountain park that I have been skiing in, but I hear that they have beautiful trails.
- Seoul on Sept. 17th - Saying goodbye to Joe from training.
- Fireworks Festival in Busan - I went last year. It was awesome!
- Write at least 6 good songs - I miss playing in a band (I used to be famous! [not really])
- Start training for a 1/2 marathon - I have been only running a 3.7 mile route 4 times a week because of the heat. I want to be all tuned up when I get back to elevation.

Well, looks like those 13 weeks will be busy (not including school). It's going to go by super fast. I will try to update every week. I will also start posting pictures again.

Still Here!

Hello hello.
I've been super busy with school lately. I will post some updates in a couple weeks. Everything is going sweet! Went ice skating with Emma today, yesterday Brent and I went to the pool and had to rent a speedo swim suit and a swimming cap. Silly Korea.

Heinsa Today

We went to a really beautiful temple today! I am super tired from this weekend. I have 2 day weekends this whole term!! Very exciting! Hopefully I don't spend a tone of money.

Anyway, Hawaii was incredible of course. I have been to lazy to tag or put comments on the pictures, but here is  a photo album showing our trip:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.648115040539.2161554.43804181&l=9bfdeb640d

Hawaii Next Week!

No posts lately... I am preparing stuff to go to Hawaii next week to meet Jeromy.

In the last couple weekends, I have been hiking on an awesome trail in Palgongsan, and we went to Seoul for tons of Mexican food and to see some mountain lions at the zoo.

More posts when I get back!

Fourth Time To Gyeongju

I think Gyeongju is becoming what Santa Fe was for me in the States. Whenever I have time and it's going to be nice weather, I just head over to Gyeongju. It's beautiful. This last weekend was my fourth time there. It's been different every time.

Anyway, I just got back from a run. It is really getting pretty in Daegu. A lot of flowers and trees. It's really getting green. Also, there was an awesome thunderstorm this week. Apparently there are no thunderstorms in Daegu (just like there is no snow in the winter [there is]) but there was a really bright and loud one going on outside the window while I was teaching. This weekend I think it's supposed to rain, so we might be staying in.

Here's a link to the latest photo album I put up on facebook:


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.636478954349.2158366.43804181&l=562dc6d31c

Cherry Blossoms!

Emma, Yeonjeong, Brent and I went to Gyeongju this weekend for the beautiful cherry blossoms. Also, to just get out of town again.

Here are the pictures:

Drinking some Pocari Sweat (good hangover cure)

Anajpi Pond with cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms

Ssambap: A local food in Gyeongju

Enjoying the awesome weather and nice day

Cherry blossoms

Practicing To Be a Tour Guide

Man, the viewer ship has gone down on this thing. I don't mind at all. I basically write this blog for three reasons: 1. Give my parents news updates (and anyone in the family), 2. To avoid telling the same story a million times (I point anyone who contacts me on facebook saying "how have you been?" over to this blog). 3. To keep a journal (outside of my real journal, which is full of happy or angry ramblings and streams of consciousness) that I can look back on and see all the places I have seen and the cool things I did. Either way, I'm glad to have this tool of contact with my family and I won't stop writing.

Last weekend Yeonjeong, a friend of ours, came down from Seoul to visit and hang out with Brent, Emma and I. It was her first time in Daegu and we tried to show her a good time. When she got here on Saturday night, we went out to dinner at a Canadian place. Then we got some coffee and went out on the town for drinks. It was a fun night and we definitely saw the sun come up. On Sunday morning, I made french toast and eggs for everyone. Then Brent, Yeonjeong and I went down to a historical house where a poet named Lee Sang-Hwa lived. It was kind of strange being at an anti-Japanese exhibit at this point in time (the earthquake destruction). Then we wandered around Yangyeongsi (Traditional Medicine Street) for a while before meeting up with Emma for Vietnamese food.  After that we went to a place that is famous for tea. It was awesome tea and I am excited to know that it's there. I am totally heading back again. Then we decided to go to a random park up in the northeast corner of Daegu. It ended up having a really pretty reservoir with dinky little motorized boats in the shape of ducks. So obviously, we went boating! We stayed until sunset there and then took Yeonjeong back to the train station. I think she had a good time.

Anyway, next weekend we are planning to see some cherry blossoms. Spring!