giggles and glasses

Ok so first off I just want to say that I love working with kids and honestly, i think its gotta be boring for people who talk on the phone all day at work....i'm not thinkin' I could do that for 50 hours of my life a week! I seriously think I would go insane!

Well, with that being said...lol...I am really noticing how kids can get hurt from parents. I guess b/c of being a social work major and finally being able to observe behaviors I have learned about in classes..I find it interesting but also sad. Its so different observing the behaviors rather than living them. I can't see it as a professional issue with me being on the outside looking in but rather it becomes a personal issue for me when I see one of my students struggling or hurting...its more of a passion I guess. I am finding that most of working with kids is being empathetic...for me its not a job, but I am realizing how much of a passion I have for kids. Lol something I didn't want to do when I was in high school: working with kids.

To be honest I got hurt today and mad at the same time...I wanted to cry and almost did...Today, 10.31.08, Chloe (one of my 1st grade students) turned 8 years old (Korean). It is common for the mom to bring a cake to school, maybe show up, and have a party at the school. Well, Chloe's parents didn't do anything...no cake...nothing. To be honest, its not that surprising b/c they normally don't attend school graduations or parent day's for her. However, it ripped my heart out when she told me several times today that her mom was not coming to school or bringing a cake.
Chloe is such a cute little girl! She is spunky and has the most amazing laugh ever. Its pretty awesome how God created children to be so resiliant that amidst the dumb things adults do which can really effect kids, for the most part, they will not be as hurt as if it was an adult/ adult situation but try to brush it off....like Chloe: throwing her head back and forth giggling while her glasses are coming off. : )

I was supposed to go to Seoul today for a teacher's meeting but ended up staying with Chloe b/c of her bday. I am REALLY glad I was able to not attend the meeting so I could stay with Chloe. WE had a great time! A few of the ladies at school decorated a room just for her bday. They gave her a princess sceptor with a real rose, bought her a cake, and we celebrated. There were only a few of us there for Chloe's small party (8-10), but we made a huge deal about it...then there was Chloe with her huge smile, red glasses, and laugh showing the adults in the room that life throws you curve balls....its not always what you planned it to be, but to hang on and share your laughter with somebody else no matter your circumstance.

Happy Birthday Chloe!!!!

Odds and Ends

Girl's night with Lauren!

The "grass" picture is a photo of the rice field being harvested.

Joy Teacher (Korean Kindergarten) invited us to her house so we went for dinner a few SUnday nights ago. It was a lot of fun. Anyways, there is a nice resort across from her house where we all walked too and went outside to take photos...this was one: at the castle : )

The picture with us by the cross is a photo that was taken for a well known newspaper in Seoul. ANCA was recognized as being the #1 ESL program in Korea. (I think I got that right...lol I don't remember this was a month and ahalf ago or so...)

THe wheel barrel has Esther and I in it. Joy teacher's husband is pulling us around. Lol that was fun too : )

The Retreat

The photo on the right is one side of our hotel. The photo on the left is of Ashley and Chloe on the scavenger hunt in the woods.

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Right: Leading the Scavengar hunt...well, kinda lol.

Typical Korean Fashion..the girl int eh green dress...it was flippin cold outside and she was dancing/singing/greeting people outside the resort...lol

The Resort

Below: Erin, Chloe and Ashley checking out the view from the boy's balcony.

We had a auction at the retreat....I had to drink something nasty...the ingredients: ketchup, grape jelly, bread, soy sauce...and other random things...

The photo below is of Chris getting his leg shaved a little bit...yes, this too was a part of the auction.

David B is getting his nails painted pink...yes, b/c of the auction.

Chloe, Ashley, Erin, and David just chillin' out.




The Boys

The Girls

They were all excited about the retreat. We were getting our mats out of the closet in this photo and setting up our beds.

When we first got to the resort...lol Just check out that excitement! lol Ashley looks kinda scary here...lol

uh ohhhh....

It is Tuesday morning right now....I was helping one of my students with cutting out their picture, when I looked to my left and saw one of my other students, Caleb, cutting his hair!!!.....so i'm thinking that Korean kids are pretty much like American kids...they all cut their hair at school or church one time or another...oi vey...now to tell his mom....lol

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas....but wait it's only September?!

As you can tell by the title it has started to get VERY cold here. Well, to me it is super cold. Today is the second day of fall and Florida Christmas weather. Sadly for me..it is only going to go downhill from here as far as the weather goes. There are many teachers here from up north so the weather is pretty normal for them, but I am confused..

ME: Hey Chris, what is the weather going to be like this weekend?

Chris (from MI): It will be nice: sunny and in the 60's probably.

Me: Oh man that is cold! Wait I am confused....how can it be sunny and still that cold??

Yes, it is sunny today and cold (57 degrees F)...ah, I just don't understand the concept. Thankfully, I have an awesome roomie from the Philippines, Esther, so we are probably going to start using the heat this week. lol.

When I woke up this morning we did not have any water....so I had to use the drinking water to brush my teeth (the pipes in our house probably FROZE over b/c it is so cold...i am definately not kidding: it seriously was cold.)..of course the water came from the fridge..it was sooo cold! They only time I had ever done that was during hurricanes and camping out. It's a totally different experience using cold water to brush my teeth...when I am cold. Yikes! How will I survive???? it is only the beginning......of a very cold, long winter.

Today's wardrobe:

two shirts & hoody
Jeans
Scarf
socks & pumas : )...(until i got to school..off with the outside shoes & on with the inside flip flops)

I thought you all should know about the weather....seeing as it is a VERY important part of my life these days...I have had several "surviving the winter" conversations with teachers who were here for winter last year...and I still am not completely convinced I will survive..So, if I suddenly am not blogging too often or you don't get emails it is probably because my fingers are no longerATTACHED to my body due to the REDICULOUSLY CRAZY FREEZINGNESS here...oi vey....

Adios and Peace out!

WOw....i guess its Korean culture...

Ok so...last night after dinner, Hannah, Katie, David A., David B. and I were walking ot our car from dinner when we saw a man peeing on the side of a building! Interestingly enough there were people around, lights, cars...like a regular street! lol He was just peeing on the side of the building like it was nothin'! haha ya gotta love Korean culture.

truKIDZ

Children's Church now has a name: truKIDZ
The Verse is John 8:32

"Then you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free".

I am currently working on the mission,vision statement, and purpose of truKIDZ. I will upload it on here when it is completed. Please pray for truKIDZ. At the end of worship today, there seemed to be a small breakthrough with the kids. It was cool to see. I am excited about next Sunday!!! There was a good turnout today at church: about 20-25.

2 girls vs 2 boys

The contest: finding candy in the flour with no hands...

Girls Won!!! woot woot!

Visiting the DMZ

We left Yangpyeong at 8 am Saturday. Transportation you ask?? Van ->Train (1hour) -> a different train (mmm...idk...a long time..hour maybe??) ->Tour Bus to the DMZ (2.5 hour tour)

MY shoes on the 1st train from Yangpyeong....Sar, I thought u might like this one : )
Only the beginning! David B is behind me...lol...the random fingers are his.Yoon and Esther : )
David seems a bit more excited than Lauren lol Esther and Yoon: Westside 1 & Westside 2....thanks Chris!
Train 2: w/ Esther

Train 2: w/Lauren
Me and Esther in front of the monument representing the two Koreas. This is where the bus stopped first. Apparently from the end of the 2nd world war until 1990 four tunnels have been found where North Korea has tried to attack South Korea. This photo was taken at the 3rd tunnel. We wore hard hats and went down into the tunnel on a cart type thing. Then we decided to walk up instead of taking the cart thing back. It was really neat. The North Korean army wanted South Korea to think it was an old cole mine so they had covered the tunnel with cole (don't know the technical term lol)...but of course it didn't throw off the south Korean army : )

Our next stop was the first train to go to Pyeongyang, North Korea. It is used VERY rarely and only for top government officials who have legal permission to enter North Korea. Yes, we planned to have the soldiers in the background.

The DMZ. Just beyond this building there is a lookout point with binoculars so you can see the fence and North KOrea. I also saw a guard shack on the North side.

Funny things happen when....

This afternoon for art, the kids were painting a picture on their backs under the table. They were learning about Michelangelo and how he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel on his back. I had just finished looking at the boys pictures when I turned to Chloe and Ashley, my students. The other students were from 2nd grade. Well, the boys did pretty good and as I looked the girls were giggling and had their heads turned away from me...I soon found out why. They had definately painted their faces and their hands...lol did i mention that it was acrylic paint? I couldn't help but laugh. They had it allll over them. Not to mention the dirty, paint water had spilled all over the floor. lol Ah, it was funny. I took them to the bathroom and, thank God, it washed off easily. The sad part of the story is that they are definately my students and proved it in art today. That is something I would expect from the boys, but nope, it came from my 1st grade girls. Ah, I love life! haha.

I wish I had my camera...today was the only day I did not bring it with me : (


Teaching ESL has definately opened my eyes and ears to theEnglish language at how much phrases sound like each other at times. After the art class I was teaching Leadership to students who barely know any English. After I said "all of you" one of the boys started giggling and talking in Korean to another student. I wasn't sure what was going on, but he looked at me and said, "Teacher, I love you?". I laughed and told him that was not what I said. I wrote both phrases on theboard and tried to explain what I said but I am unsure if they actually understood...ya gotta love it.

I just thought I would share those stories with y'all. Peace out and Happy Tuesday!

-krissy

Holiday weekend ='s relaxing and posting photos!

Here are some photos I found from English Summer Camp. Thought I should post them. Enjoy!!!




One of the preschoolers found a dragon fly and picked it up lol Erin and I on the swing ...it was quite sunny
Me and Gavin

Yerim
I don't know how this photo was taken...i found it on my camera

The umbrella is often used as shade from the sun. No one wants to get a tan here.
Me and Ella!

Angelina and Rachel
Woot! Woot! Go Ireland!!!
Diana
Jennifer a.k.a koo koo (lol)