First, I need to apologize for not blogging...hang in there with me. It's not that I'm not experiencing amazing things - I haven't really had very much down time - but, that I am taking my experiences and cherishing them to myself a bit more. Second, I'm going to try and get everyone up-to-date, therefore, this post might be insanely long. I'm not offended if you do not make it to the end...
After the absolutely amazing Christmas, I felt rested and rejuvenated. I had a short week at work where I only had to teach 4 classes. AMAZING! It was sad due to Amanda packing her things, tidying her desk and saying one last goodbye to her students. Sometime that week it snowed. Amanda and I had ventured out one morning - I cut my hair. For the first time in my life I had NO anxiety about entrusting someone else with my hair, especially someone who doesn't speak the same language! I felt so pampered! I had not one, but TWO stylists cutting, drying and styling my hair. I will return. Amanda and I made our way to Le Epi France - our favorite coffee place - to visit with Chung Hey. She gave us yet another free cake - a little slice of heaven. (If she continues to give me cake each time I come in...?) We saw the Heath Ledger movie - it was good. Walking out of the movie we caught our first glimpse of SNOW!!! I smiled, Amanda frowned. It was furious snow, coming at you in every direction, pelting your face so you have to squint. Made my day! I was so excited I stopped outside of the apartment near a crosswalk, fell to the ground and made a snow angel. Again, Amanda kept walking.
Visiting Derek's School: Derek works at a public middle school. Since I have been considering staying another year teaching in Korea, Derek invited me to visit his classroom to see if public school would be something I would prefer...the answer to that I already knew - YES! Thanks to the snow and ice covering the sidewalks I busted it on the way to his school! The worst part was that I fell on my guitar. It survived and so did I. I took a taxi to the school. My cab driver spoke pretty good English...he said at one point we were ice-skating in the cab - translation: we were sliding on ice?!? I make it to Derek's school and sit down in his classroom. A student opens the door, walks in, sees me and stares...stares...stares...then, he turns around and runs out. Comes back, asks me if I am Derek's girlfriend, runs out, gets some of his friends, comes back to stare some more. Derek comes to retrieve me. The day of "girlfriend? married? pretty, ohhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhh, boyfriend?" begins. If you ever feel down about yourself, teach in a foreign place, walk into a middle school and you will have an ego for the rest of your life. Students would walk into the teachers room to get a look at me, ask Derek questions, stampede us in the hall, comment on my wardrobe and stare. It was really cute, but also really overwhelming. Moral of the story: Derek is a really great teacher, middle schools have Korean co-teachers to help maintain classroom control and explain difficult concepts and I want to teach in a public school!
New Years Eve in Korea: the day was spent buying Amanda books so that she would have something to read on her way back stateside. After watching Julia & Julie, I was inspired to cook, so I made these great pepper/tomato/cheese baguettes that really were amazing. Derek came over and we watched The Gods Must Be Angry. Paused just in time to countdown the last few seconds of 2009...we might have missed the actual time due to trying to count backwards in Korean...ship...coup...chill...pal..you...oh...sa...sam...e...el..
Happy New Years!!! Toasted with the cheapest champagne "sparkling wine" you have ever tasted! (Even more so than Andre!)
New Years Day: Amanda and I "slept in". Mary and Cam came over for a "girls hang out." We went to Le Epi...guess what - FREE NEW YEARS CAKE! The ladies came back to the apartment and started NERTZ. Derek joined the game - his playing style was pretty much domination. Everyone nertzed at least once. We made one last meal for Amanda, enjoyed a movie on our kitchen floor and gave Amanda hugs and well wishes.
Amanda's last day: Amanda and I wake up pretty early. She's packed and ready to go. We look outside...SNOW SNOW SNOW! Nancy, Lucy and Troy drive us to the airport. Amanda and I reminisce about our first meeting. We ride over the second longest bridge in the world, we have one last coffee, check Amanda's bags, walk her to security and give one last big hug...she's only gone a few minutes and I miss her. I realize once I get back to the apartment that she is an amazing friend that I came to love so quickly. I look into her room and realize that I didn't say goodbye to a friend, I just said see you later...
Derek and I spent the rest of the day hanging out. He was great support throughout the day and just amazing in general. Thai food in Itaewon, a side trip to What the Book, dessert at a bakery and seats home on the train. First night in the apartment alone - not quite alone...the mouse has taken over Amanda's room.
Sunday: had dinner with Derek, Young and a couple of his friends at Los Amigos, a legit Mexican-Korean restaurant. There was real guacamole (ummmm) and REAL enchiladas! There was even a real Hispanic person who served us. Live music, Tyler Perry on Larry King, chips and salsa...am I really in Korea??
Monday -- IT SNOWS ALL NIGHT. IT SNOWS ALL MORNING. IT SNOWS ALL DAY! Most of my kids cannot make it school. The bus is buried under a foot of snow. I am given a reprieve. No teaching for me today. I spend most of the day playing in the snow as natives look on wondering how anyone can enjoy snow this much. The trains are delayed. Some stop running. Cars are stuck and buried, but the taxis are still going. People bump into each other as narrow trails are blazed by determined workaholics. I make a video for you guys to enjoy.
Happy New Years Snow Day from Anlee Rickerson on Vimeo.
It takes me 45 minutes to catch a train, but I take one into Seoul to meet Young for one last dinner before he heads back to the States. We eat fish and chips at an Irish Pub, talk about how Korea has changed us, grab a donut for dessert, wait on the trains to take us home, say goodbye (I'm getting good at these) cram into the train like a sardine. My hand gets stuck in my pocket for the next 45 minutes due to so many people on the train. There is no fear of falling over...it's impossible. Home...alone...wait...the mouse is still here. He starts running laps throughout the night...I'm up early so I spend some time with God. I feel good and ready for the day. Nine classes proves to be exhausting. I'm yawning by 2 o'clock. Am I going to get through this next month of intense work? Yes. I will.
Tonight is my first night just hanging out with me. It's a good night. I fix the kitchen cabinet, clean the apartment, realize there are more sweets in the apt than "real" food. It's flipping cold, the temperature is around zero degrees Fahrenheit outside. But...I am happy. Welcome 2010...
No comments:
Post a Comment