Snow in March and Other Unexpected Things

I have pictures to post, but I apparently have to do it at work since I can not figure out how to put it on this computer. AND I need to write this stuff down today so that I don't forget...Alie said that her favorite blogs are Emily Saxey Neaman and Lumina's, with no mention of mine...so I have to get cracking if I want to have the BESTEST blog ever. ARG...want to link to the girls' pages but forget how www.luminainfinite.blogspot.com and www.emilysfire.blogspot.com.

PS. I found this cool song called, "I started a Blog That Nobody Read". Someday when I am tech savvy I will post it here.

Ok, so today was the first day of school. kids kids everywhere and ohhhh I loved it. It was exactly what I needed and wanted. They are just so fun even though it was cacophony and chaos. Did you know that in Korea, they count the 9 months in the womb as your first year, so they are born 1 year old? Additionally, depending on your birthday and the start of the new year, you could get another year tacked on. Here in Korea, I am already 30. And that means that my kindergarteners who are 5 Korean age are really 4 and maybe even 3!!!! But I'm learning that this is what Korea is all about...nothing is really what it seems. Kind of like a very cool surprise around every corner.

I have one class in the afternoon school that is 3 boys who speak moderately good english. Today we made family trees...the boys had to put both sets of grandparents then mom and dad and then themselves and siblings and draw a picture of everyone. Joshua drew something that looked a little like E.T. where his maternal grandma should have been and then said to me, " my grandma looks...." struggling to find the english word for what he was trying to say. I assumed he was going to say "old" since he was drawing wrinkle after wrinkle on grandma's face. After quietly conferring with the other two boys, one of the other boys began describing the word to me (We have a strict "english only" rule in school) by saying, "it comes down from the sky, from the stars to earth" at which point I realized that Joshua was trying to tell me that his dear, sweet ajuman (grandma) looked like an ALIEN. I don't think I have laughed that hard in months...ahhhhh...I love korea!!!!

I'm intrigued by the emphasis placed on looks here. I wore my hair down today so it was super blond and when lumina told a few parents that I was a good teacher, they responded by telling her that I was pretty. I guess I should be grateful, but it's interesting that I've been requested by parents to teach their children simply because they "saw me" and I look good. I suppose this happens all over, but it seems much less cloaked here...I'm not quite sure what to think of it.

OH OH>..almost forgot, I am finally in my very own officetel! it's an office that has a bed, washer (no dryers in korea) a hot plate, microwave, mini fridge and bathroom. The bathroom is one of those all in one dealies...a shower head on the wall that you just turn on in the whole bathroom...so luxurious. Now I can pee on the toilet instead of in the shower if I must go! But I've been warned to make sure that the shower is turned off or I might get a nasty surprise when I go to wash my hands later.

Off to bed. Will try to post pictures tomorrow if I stay late at school. So much to show and tell!!!!