Three Weeks

I have three weeks. I have already sent one box of clothing home. I have another that is sitting, full, in my apartment. The rainy season has started. It's getting very hard to roll out of bed in the morning. I am counting down the days, but dreding my plane all at the same time. I realized that I have 14 teaching days left with my morning kids, 8 with my afternoon kindergarten, and 6 with my afternoon elementary kids. 

I have a list a mile long of stuff I need to get done, but it hasn't gotten any shorter lately. This week has been a really good one though.

Last weekend I didn't do a whole lot, but I got another box packed. I cleaned my apartement a bit and went out last Friday night. It was a good night of food, friends, and drinking. The new teachers (who took over for Francesca and Kaylee) are really cool. 

Last Friday during school the 6 year old classes finished our Sports theme, and had a mini-Olympics. It was a lot of fun. Great way for our kids to play together and get some of that energy out. 

Thursday was the 4th of July. Now normally I am at the parade in my mom's hometown, and we Polka in the street, hang out with the whole family, and have a great time. This year was a bit different. We worked. I did however Polka with Victoria in Kelly's classroom. We decided that worked out well, and we were awesome at it, knew the whole song. After school Kelly, Laura, Victoria, and I went downtown for a burger and a beer. Then we hit a couple bars and we celebrated like it was the 4th. Kelly and I had a great time, and TP even played country music, it was like the perfect night.

Friday we had Market Day at school. This is an event I took part in the first week I was in Korea last year. This year Laura and I were in charge of the Sports Center. Our kids got to play two games, one of  which involved trying to eat a dangling chip without using their hands. And of course I took pictures. The other game involved them being in two teams and they had to flip them to their team color. Lots of fun, and I think the kids enjoyed it.

The best part was coming back from lunch and Cathy, amazing woman that she is, told us we should watch a video and have library time in the afternooon. Love.
 

Well it's pouring rain outside, and there is a chance of rain for several days this week. I can't believe I am coming home so soon! 

Oh Clare

Pulled Pork Poutine, it's a Canadian thing with a twist.
Fries, cheese curds, gravy, and pulled pork. AMAZING!

Gotta love Disney

This is how Victoria and I
celebrate the 4th. 

Happy Birthday America!

Made It

Well I made my choice. I am coming back to the states. I withdrew my application from the recruiting company. I feel good about it. Now I need to schedule my license tests.

Saying Good-Bye

We will miss you!

So Kaylee has made it back to MI. We celebrated her last night in Daegu with lots of darts, tears, and laughs. It was a very successful night out, on a Thursday. We also said good-bye to Francesca, who arrived in March. See some people do act on the error of their ways right away. She was headed back to the states to finish up her master's. It's pretty awesome back-up plan.

I'm at 40 days until I am done at CIS, and 42 days until I am on a jet plane back to MN!

My kids are starting to really impress me. As much stress as my job causes me, my kids are doing great things. At one point I said my hair was driving me bananas. So now if I have to fix my hair they say "Teacher, banana hair!" It's cute. I routinely get "Sam Teacher is (pretty, cute, silly)" I also get "Sam Teacher I love you" or "Sam Teacher I no love you" in which case I tell them they need to say Sam Teacher I don't love you. At least it's a complete sentence. Lol

I think my last weeks will fly, or at least I am hoping they do. I have so much packing to do!!!

Kaylee's last time card

This is James, he is one of my afternoon kidergarteners. He has the same mannerisms as my next door neighbor from back home. It is scary. This kid is adorable.

Waffling

I am waffling. No, I am not eating copious amounts of waffles, which sounds awesome, but I am seriously trying to figure out the next step with life. I love Korea, I have had some amazing adventures, met some of the greatest charactors possible and experienced so many things. Then I think about home. I want to sit on the deck, watch tv, hang out at the fence with the neighbors, lay in the grass, and complain about the crappy traffic because of the snow.

Korea has changed me. I always had a sense of adventure, safe adventure, but I wanted to go out and do things. I have done that. I have made new friends, lived in a foriegn country, and had some wild nights. One of my best friends is leaving on Friday and I don't know how anything could be okay after that. One of the reasons I love Korea is because who I have shared it with. These other girls have become my family. I don't know if I want to leave this city and start fresh.

On the other hand Korea is a huge draw. I have security here. Health insurance, paid apartment, electric bills that would make any person happy. Again, my friends make it even better. Kelly and I keep telling Kaylee she has to come back, and she thinks she might, but I don't think she will. And today, while trying to grasp that, I don't know if I will ether. I guess the next two or three weeks will be very telling.

I got my possible flight reservation, and right now I am on the long haul flight to Toronto with my friend Victoria. If we can get seats together I might be the happiest person in the world. I go back to the states on July 27th. I am terrified and exilierated all at the same time. I love home, but it will be so foreign to me. It's going to be a major shock to my system.

My countdown is 46 days. I only have 46 days to hug my friends, clean out my apartment, get rid of so much stuff that I won't bring back with me, and enjoy Korea. On the other had I only have 47 days until I see my family, eat a pizza, hug my dog (who will inevitably wiggle away), swing on a swing, and walk in the grass with my bare feet. Hopefully mom waters the lawn so it isn't too dry.

See guys, I am a waffle. Kind of like Mr. Potato Head when he put all his body parts on a tortilla and toppled over. Toy Story 3, of course.

What does life hold next? Anyone have any opinions? 

What in the world am I going to do without them?

My co-teacher Cathy. This woman is a godsend. No matter how
crappy my day is, Cathy can make it better.

Did you know? Apparently I drink beer now. Watch out Leinenkugel's
I will finally be able to enjoy the brewery tour!

This is Tony. He is me in tiny human form. We both enjoy driving the Koreans crazy, and wearing "inappropriate" footwear on field trips.