CanMore lady

Sometimes during my break or after work I go to this place called CanMore for some coffee or a smoothie. It's a nice little place because I can sit down and read in their big comfy chairs (they also have swingin chairs) and get away from SLP. The lady who works there (she probably owns it) knows who I am because I've been there a couple times and plus her son went to SLP. She's so, so kind and she always gives me a confidence boost. Today I actually had a good conversation with her. She said "May I question your name?" After I told her my name, she said "Oh very hard.. (Her name is Jung-il Kwan I believe...at least I hope I got that right)...when I hear Andrea I think of novel or movie...I think of beautiful woman running and beautiful man running.."
She also said she'd miss me when I went back to America...she's amazing.

Happy Easter!

Life in Korea has been good....its definitely been getting better! Plus this week the weather got warmer...I've said sayonara to my winter coat. I can't wait to get all of my winter clothes out of my apartment! My kids are starting to speak English..slowly! March has been a bit rough because I'm teaching kids who don't know any English....and as I said before teaching them drama when they don't speak or read English and have the attention spans of a nat is difficult! I'm coming to love them though...well one class more than the other. One girl Jenny is adorable! She looks like a Korean version of Cindy from the Brady Bunch, except even cuter. Come August, I think it will be amazing to see how much English they have learned and can speak. I'm getting a new Korean teacher next week as Elie's last day is March 28. It's such a shame she's leaving (but she's getting married and moving to the other side of Seoul)..Also, I don't really like the supervisor because I don't think she's doing a very good job...

On another note, I bought a cd for Jesus Christ Superstar at a Kyobo bookstore this week and I literally can't stop listening to it. I forgot how much I loved this show. I saw it first freshman year with CSmith. She loved the movie and I hadn't seen it yet so we watched it together. At first I thought....interesting...they made a musical about Jesus...I guess we didn't really click at that time. Then sophomore year, CUA did the musical and I was apprehensive about how it would be. I remember everyone thought Judas was cute and he was, but seeing it then really made me love the show. It gave me a new perspective also. Most of the show is from Judas' point of view so it doesn't always paint JC in the best light. I never really thought before seeing this show about the betrayal and the denial of Peter and Judas. I enjoy seeing the musical more so than the movie. Of course JCS came to Seoul last year...naturally I missed seeing it. I would totally see it in Korean.
If you are in the US, you can listen to some of the music here:
http://www.rhapsody.com/album/jesuschristsuperstar

Also Happy Easter!

contemplation

Sometimes, I feel that I am constantly defending myself because I am the opposite of what people think I should be.

The biggest one- I'm am an American, which recently I have felt somewhat attacked about. Native Koreans actually like America. Everyone seems generally interested/ curious when I say where I am from. However, its the foreigners in Korea that are the problem. Yeah okay all Americans are dumb, fat, and rich. Sure that doesn't sound judgmental at all...Maybe before you believe a ridiculous stereotype like that...how about you take a look at the sheer size of America and maybe think to yourself...hey maybe all Americans aren't the same? How about that? Also I really don't like talking about the U.S. Presidential election with people who aren't from America...

I am a Southerner yet I don't have an accent. The way people say "But you don't have an accent" really bugs me.. I was still born and raised there and just because I don't have an accent doesn't make me any less of a Southern girl.

I am Catholic...no I am not extreme or crazy religious. It's also something private for me and I don't pretend to think that everyone should have the same beliefs as me and I don't want to impose on anyone else.

I love theater....its another great passion for me. Theater has always been an outlet and has allowed me to just being the quiet, nice girl that is ignored but loved to something else. You don't have to loud and arrogant to be in theater...it takes patience, confidence, and skill...Its just amazing and something that I miss.


Okay I need to stop because this is making me sound angrier that I am.

Another school year begins...

My co-workers at the goodbye dinner for th e teachers who left

In Korea, the school year starts in March, weirdly enough, so I now have all new students and classes. Its very strange because from August until February I taught seven year olds who had been at our school for two years. Naturally, they spoke English quite well. The drawback was they had an attitude and behavioral problems. Now I'm teaching six year olds who have just started speaking English last Monday...lets just say its interesting. They are still speaking Korean in class and they'll say things to me in Korean or ask me questions and I just look at them and say "I don't know what you're saying..." They are soo, sooo cute though and they look at me like I'm their god which is quite a difference from the seven year olds I used to teach. So March is gonna be difficult to get through. Oh and I also have to teach them drama....they can't read and oh yeah they can't speak English! How are they supposed to perform "City Mouse and Country Mouse?" I don't get it..


My Korean co-teacher Elie is getting married and moving to the other side of Seoul so she's not gonna be my partner teacher anymore...sad story....