Wow, the weather sure has chilled since my last post. In fact, Gwangyang experienced its first snowfall of the season yesterday - on the first day of December. None of it stuck, but it was fascinating to see all of my boys react and stare longingly out the windows of their classrooms.
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| My walk to school |
With the weather cooling down, leaves falling on the ground, and the holiday season rolling around, I admit that I am feeling a bit homesick. Last week I taught my boys about Thanksgiving, which they were all eyes and ears (probably because of all the food pictures). Here in Korea they don't celebrate Thanksgiving (obviously), but it was nice being able to Skype with my parents and family before heading off to school on Thanksgiving day. Luckily, I was able to get a taste from home when we had our foreigner Thanksgiving dinner in Gwangyang this past Friday evening. We even had a turkey!! I was so happy to eat some dark meat, alongside some pastas, casseroles, and homemade desserts. The dinner rolls were clutch (always my favorite part of Thanksgiving meal).
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| Enjoying some new Korean cuisine |
Many of my friends will be traveling back home for two weeks, and a part of me is envious. However, I know that I will enjoy my first Christmas holiday away from home because other foreigners, some coworkers, and I will be celebrating together (without all the gift-giving). Plus, my parents are coming to visit me in February, so I count that as my Christmas gift! I am very excited to show them around Korea and what my life is like here.
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| Pig skin and pig intestines |
Aside from Thanksgiving celebrations and the first snowfall, I have been staying busy with my teaching and new responsibilities as the web editor for Fulbright's Infusion Magazine, as well as getting the ball rolling on creating an Alumni Newsletter for Fulbright Korea. My host family is great, and last week we celebrated our 100 days of being together! Last night they took me to eat 곱창, which is cow or pork intestines, along with 돼지 껍데기, otherwise known as pig skin! I know, I know, it sounds absolutely disgusting as first, and I thought so too. But, I gave it a go and it is so tender and so delicious! It is considered a delicacy to eat this in Korea, and it is quite expensive. My host family said that we should celebrate the first snowfall by going out to eat, and I am certainly glad they introduced me to one of my new favorite foods of Korea.
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| Pretty fall colors on the walk to school |
My boys and I have been having a lot of fun in class. A couple weeks ago, we took a couple class periods to learn how to play rugby, and then attempted to start our own game (no tackling, of course). I tried to do two-hand touch, but it ended up getting pretty physical anyway. Luckily, no one was hurt. But the boys loved it! I also did a trial run-through of making the chicken pot pie. I will be making a massive amount of that stuff during finals, so I wanted to make sure I had the proper ingredients here in Korea to do so. All went well, and the boys are ready! It makes for a hearty winter meal, too.
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| Rowdy boys playing rugby |
My winter break begins on Christmas Eve, so I am plugging away until then. I am feeling a bit worn out, but my boys have final exams next week, and I get to cook chicken pot pie for them, and that makes me happy! They have worked so hard this semester, and I am very proud of them. It is hard to believe I have already been teaching them for four months, so I consider this a nice celebration and end of the year party for us.
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| Chicken pot pie! |
I will be gearing up for some winter break traveling, too! I am planning to visit Hong Kong, Thailand, and Cambodia with one of my Fulbright friends during January. Then, my parents will be here shortly afterward in February! I will go back to teach a new semester come March. Until then, enjoy the winter months everybody - Gwangyang is much warmer than what I am used to (although today it dropped into the low 20s).
Happy December!
