Tissues and Tacos

Well, as I deliriously explained last blog post, I got rather ill at the end of Chuseok, so thankfully the work week was blissfully short and I didn't have to suffer through a full week before I could sleep for 12 hours. 

I headed back to school on Thursday, which happened to be a pretty important day for me and my fellow expats, but a pretty typical one for everyone else. 

As I mentioned on FB, it did again feel weird to live in a place where September 11th had no meaning. It was just a day to get back to school, to see friends again, to moan about homework and lessons. No pauses, no worries. It's strange to be teaching kids who are the same age I was when it happened. I hope they never see anything like it in their lives... Just know that many of us expats over here were thinking about it and were keeping the thoughts alive and well, even as the rest of our world moved around us without a passing thought concerning the incident... A very strange feeling indeed...

I also couldn't concentrate much energy on most things, lessons, Korean class, the anniversary, etc, because I was just not feeling good...

I thought I was feeling better on Thursday night, since my sore throat was lessening a bit. My co teacher had made the lesson for 5th grade, so I didn't have to talk a lot, which helped. I had already prepped for 4th grade last week, so I was all set for Friday. I went to Korean class after school and headed straight home with the intention of going straight to bed and sleeping off the rest of the illness. 

The illness had other plans. I slept fitfully throughout the night, waking up multiple times to blow my nose. I was not aware how often I did this until I woke up at 5:55 a.m. to see this:

ugh

With my nose both stuffed and running like a fountain, I headed to work. I stopped on the way to pick up some supplies.

Everything I need for a cold. 

Thankfully, it wasn't a hard day, again. I said approximately 2 words to Young Ah before she side glanced at me and said, "Uh, do you have a cold or something??" It was that obvious from my voice, which, if not used often when ill, sounds like I smoke six packs a day or something.

Thankfully, my 4th graders are pretty good most of the time, and Young Ah helped me with the instructions for the lesson, so that I didn't completely lose my voice or get completely exhausted during the day. 

My co workers also didn't bug me for much, except to pressure me to eat more grapes at our Friday 'meeting' which is really just snack time. Sometimes they try and get me to talk, but they could tell I was kind of out of it, so they just kept offering me grapes. I can't wait till grape season is done. I like grapes, but I have never eaten so many seeded grapes... seriously we have them like every other day. And I hate the seeds, and they don't eat the skins here... honestly, I just make such a mess that it's super annoying. Wamp. 

Anyway.

My colds tend to be fierce but few and far between, and I knew I just had to rest up this weekend, so I headed straight home after work. Well, not straight home.

This is the cute restaurant I get my
Korean take out from.

YUM GIANT OMURICE. It lasts for 2 plus
meals and is like $5. yesss. 

I went to bed super early Friday and slept for at least 12 hours, so I was feeling much better on Saturday when Sarah asked me if I felt up for a dog cafe excursion. I'm always up for animal cafes!

he was really into my phone

This one loves Sarah. It slept at her feet for
like 90% of the time we were there

Sleeping on our bill...

Sarah and I also had a mission; we both needed things in Edae, the cheap shopping area near Hongdae. I needed a new backpack, as you will see later, and she needed new sunglasses, since she has to wear them a lot now because she got LASEK surgery and brightness is not good for that whole recovery business. We were successful, so we decided to treat ourselves to one of our most frequented restaurants, Dos Tacos. I mentioned tacos to Cesca, and she hightailed it over to Sinchon to meet up with us for a fun, low key dinner. 

Cesca was super excited to be able to say "I
ate dos tacos at Dos Tacos."

Then I headed home to relax. 

Trying my green tea nose strips because
I can't get enough of Korean skincare

I contained myself and only bought 2 bags in Edae.

cute new purse! I just like black purses.
They're so functional.

New backpack!!!

Cause my old one is dying

That's not gonna last long...

I CAN'T RESIST CUTE THINGS LIKE
SEAL SHAPED LOTION

I swear I don't know how I have any money left ever. Korea is too cute.

I hadn't planned on much on Sunday, but Lauren invited me out to lunch with her BF and his friend. We ended up at a restaurant in Itaewon called Vatos, which serves 'urban tacos.' They're effing delicious, so we just got a variety of types and split them. Sooooo good. I guess it was just meant to be a taco filled weekend!

Their tortilla chips are huge and delicious!

we got 5 different types of tacos. Each one is scrumptious

I spent the evening reviewing some Korean, because I have a test Tuesday. Blerg. I still have that A plus student drive in me. But I'm surely making progress in the language, so that's something to be happy about!

So yes, a slower weekend more filled with food than anything else. The rest of the month will be very busy, as next weekend includes some friend time and the Super Junior concert!!! Aaaah so exciting!!!

The weekend after that is special, because I applied and was selected for a special SMOE trip to see Dokdo, which is a famous and contested territory just off the coast of Korea. I'm very excited to go and learn more about it, but I'm especially happy cause I get to skip 2 days of school. Not that I don't love school, but going on a field trip is so much fun!

Plus, with lots of plans getting made for October, it looks like I won't have as much down time as I have been having, mostly because it's finally cooling of to habitable temperatures nowadays, so going outside on the weekends isn't torture anymore haha. 

Besides the cold, which has mostly gone away now, things are going well again. School is much easier this time around (sorry Ces, it'll get easier!), I'm used to the routine and I'm better at managing my lessons and time.  I am wondering if this second year will go even faster than the first. I guess time will tell! I can't believe we're halfway through September!!!

In preparation for the Suju concert next week, besides listening to Mamacita, I'm also digging the rest of their album, especially this popular number that they're sure to do on Saturday. Enjoy "Shirt"

It's from a music show performance, so forgive the shrieking fangirling.