Hello, Nice to See You Again

I recently made the decision to update my blog at least once a week...aaaand then I go and miss last week. Oops. Consequently, I have a lot to talk about in this week's blog post!

First of all, I just want to mention that it has been one year since I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado and I received my Interdisciplinary Studies with an Emphasis in Earth Science degree. Thank you to everyone who supported and encouraged me throughout my 4 1/2 years as a university student. Having the opportunity to attend a university and study things that are important to me has been such a great blessing.

Thanks to my degree, I am experiencing another incredible opportunity--teaching abroad. Here are some things that have happened over the past few weeks:

• I got a haircut! I've never been nervous about haircuts before...until I moved to a foreign country where natives have hair that is quite different from mine. Luckily, there is a hair stylist in my city who cuts a lot of foreigner hair. I took this picture right after it was cut and it hasn't been styled this beautifully since then haha. 

• My lovely coworker and I went out to eat together a couple times, where she introduced me to more delicious Korean food.

쭈꾸미 (jjukkumi), small octopus

Close up!

The menu is handwritten on cardboard--which I thought was cool. Also, instructions for how to eat the 쭈꾸미 are underneath

Not my best picture... but this is how you eat it! You wrap it up in the sesame leaf and stuff your face! 

볶음밥 (bokkumbap), fried rice

Looking for a place to keep your coat and bag? Just open the lid of your chair.

Boom.

• We also had 해정국 (haejangguk), "hangover soup" 

Of course I am not hungover haha. I loved this soup!

That's a chunk of a pig's back in there.

• My students are often fairly camera-shy but my second graders let me take a video of them enjoying a math game. This math concept of this game is "less than" and "greater than." Listen closely, they use those two expressions many times in the video.

These two girls preferred a quieter version of the game

•  I found this "Colorado State" hoodie at a clothing shop but I didn't buy it.

The best state!

•  Christmas lights downtown!

• Speaking of Christmas decorations, I set up my little tree back in November.

•  I sent a Christmas package home! Hopefully my family gets it before Christmas.

•  My third grade students write journal entries once a week and I correct them. This one, man. "HW" is a girl in this boy's class.

Apparently the writer is not wishing HW to "go to hell" but equating his pain with going to hell. I was confused at first haha

•  I made Christmas treats for friends! I'm so happy I bought a convection oven recently. I am putting it to good use.

Peppermint chocolate chip cookies!

I tried to make peanut brittle but totally failed...so instead I made these cute star-shaped peanut butter cookies!

Fudge!

•  Church is still awesome. I've made a lot of friends and everyone is so kind and welcoming. 

Sanghyeok (Spencer), Elder Woods, Elder Ha, and I

Today we met together to teach each other English and Korean

• I've been making progress with the Korean language! I've been attending a weekly class at the Gwangju International Center and studying with a new Korean friend. 

At a cafe, getting ready to study Korean!

Mmm hot chocolate

•  I found these old pictures from a holiday in October (Hangul day, I think). We had a ward picnic. Ahh these picture make me miss warm weather!

My Frisbee got played with! Sadly, Koreans are not familiar with Ultimate Frisbee 

Sister 이예지 (Yea Ji Lee)! She goes home tomorrow. I met her one of my first few weeks here in Korea. I'm sad to see her go!

Just me derping

Mushroom home!

On our way to the picnic! On the far right is 박유진 (Yu Jin Park). She recently left for a mission on Temple Square in Utah

• No pictures to prove it, but I booked the tickets for my Thailand trip in February! I am absolutely ecstatic. I cannot wait!

Whew. Okay that's about it for today. Work is good, church is good, life overall is splendid. Christmas is such a special time of the year. I love, love summer but I also love, love Christmas. I can't help but feel happy when I think about Christmas--the meaning behind it as well as all the beloved traditions. Enjoy the holiday season, wherever you are!

Music I listened to while writing this post: the Pentatonix Christmas album. Click here to listen to the most powerful version of "Mary Did you Know" that I have ever heard.