Happy Chuseok!

So Chuseok is upon us (Korean Thanksgiving), meaning I had 3 days off from work. Huzzah!!! I haven't been teaching long, but it's still nice to have a break to relax. 

My coteachers took me out for traditional Chuseok food after they helped me get a cell phone (HUZZAH COMMUNICATION!), which was SUPER sweet of them. They've been extra super helpful and I'm loving it. I really wanted to treat to say thanks, but my both of them jumped up to pay before I could even so much as reach for my wallet. But I promised after payday, our next Korean meal (they like to introduce me to traditional korean things) will be on me! I'm not too worried, food here is super cheap and everything we've tried so far has been delicious!

Anyway, it's still ridiculously hot here, I'm talking still like 85+ every day. Next week is supposed to finally cool down, and I'm grateful. Koreans apparently don't sweat, but I so much as walk in the sun for 2 minutes and I'm beet red and I look like I'm dying. Wednesday was RIDICULOUSLY HOT, and lots of stuff was closed, so I headed over to Sarah's for a marathon of The Maser's Sun which I made her watch, plus some shopping and general hanging out fun. 

Here are some pics of the week

this is a poster in my school. I love mexico.
Kiiiiinda stereotypical?

in case you have too much magic on you

learning important phrases

and banana milk happened

stopped at BK for a snack and had to take
a pic of the menu- they have a corn bowl
and chicken wings lol

convenience store haul for like $10

Ice cream tube, popular in kdramas
and also delicious

On Thursday, the actual day of Chuseok, Lotte World, the world's largest indoor theme park, had a discount for foreigners. It was super crowded so we didn't get to ride much, but it was still really fun!

at the Trevi fountain, which you all
know is of course in Korea. Obviously

THEY HAD MOZZARELLA STICKS

AND CHIPMUNKS

trapped with chipmunks!!

OM NOM NOM DIPPIN DOTS

they had a cool balloon ride that went around
the whole park

our balloon!

Lotte world even has an ice rink inside for
year round skating fun!

and then we won stuffed animals

claw machines. Claw machines everywhere

I named her 소라 (Sora)

this isn't copying Cinderella's castle at all

delicious churros! Food snacks in the
park actually weren't too overpriced. YAY

then they had fireworks inside

princesses? I dunno. They had pretty
clothes on!

Today I've just been hanging around. I don't sleep enough during the school week so it's been nice to have a day to just lay around and nap, plus I've been watching a new drama in my spare time at a cafe while I use the wifi (Dream High, FYI. Sarah has a huge list for me to watch. It's insane. But I love K dramas so whatever). I've also been trying to improve my Korean, which is still somewhat difficult without a class or real instructions.

I have learned simple phrases, and I know how to ask important questions like Where is the bathroom and how do I get here. It's just frustrating because it doesn't stick as easily as Italian or Spanish. I'm getting better at reading Hangul tho, so I'm happy about that. I'm going to keep trying my best to learn more. Hopefully by the end of my time here I will be able to converse a little bit with my coteachers!


I think the people at this coffee shop think I'm nuts, because i'm here every couple of days for a few hours. Hopefully this week I will be able to FINALLY get wifi in my apartment so I don't have to keep spending $5 on coffee (even though I'm becoming an addict. Uh oh) and so I can skype, blog and study regularly from the comfort of my own apartment. Lugging a laptop around the city is hard work, ya'll.  I'm so close to being completely set up and established here, with a bank account, health insurance, a phone and internet. Just a few more days, and I'll be all set (I hope!). Thank heavens Sarah lives close by and has wifi, so I've been able to keep my sanity (and not go broke buying $5 coffee every day) during the events of the week, like Cesca's surgery. The universe has been on our side during the placement process, definitely. Not being able to skype regularly has been really hard, but hopefully I can stop being a moocher soon! Thanks for all the help and wifi Sarah!!!

I still have 2 days off, it now being officially the weekend, so I am off to do more touristy things like see some palaces and maybe Namsan Tower at night, which I am SUPER excited about. Can't wait to have more adventures to post about. 

Also, this week marks my first payday. SO EXCITED. 

Happy Chuseok everyone!!