Na Mi Nye

First off. Here is Korea's Kia Motors monthly magazine. I'll let you figure out why I have a copy and took a picture of it to post here. Don't be fooled by the title. It may be in English, but the rest is in Korean.

Next, check out this link. It is to the photo album that has been taken every day of camps so far. I wasn't there the first two weeks, but if you want to see me teaching, check those out. Especially check out the section titled Tara's Wall...something-or-other else. If your computer automatically translates the Korean then the grammar will be majorly wrong and you won't understand most of what's written because it translates it directly and doesn't change the sentences around. If your computer doesn't translate it then sucks to be you. Ok, not really. Just click make sure the check the album that had a winter picture on the front. I stole the school camera and took them because I love taking pictures and they put them up on the website. The last picture in the album is my name in Korean.

http://jnjse.go.kr/jshome/photo/view.html?code=album1&number=249&page=1&mode=5&keyfield=&key=&pc=&ctg=

I was going to give a crash course in Korean here before this next picture, but I haven't had time to write this while I'm at school and I can't do the Korean characters on my computer so... that'll be another time. For now, here's the story behind this picture.

This here is a letter Kris and I wrote a couple nights ago for the waiter at Seatle Expresso. I wrote the first line, Kris the second, me the third, Kris the fourth. It says something along the lines of, can I have your phone number, we should go out, do you know anywhere cheap to go etc. At the end though it says love Mi nye and Ji yo. Which is mine and Kristen's Korean names.

So last Friday English Camp had a field trip to Mokpo's English Town which Jangseong's English Town is based on. The only difference is Mokpo's is massive and ours is tiny. Gab is the only foreigner who works full time at ours and Mokpo has six full time foreign English teachers. Anyway, after an hour and fifteen minute drive we arrived and dropped off the kids. So what do seven teachers do while other teachers are teaching our kids? Hop into the coach bus and get driven around Mokpo of course. All the teachers at English Town. Left to right it's: Sukhi, Insook, Suk Kyung, Somi, Kris, Gab.

We first went to the movies. I really didn't want to go as it would be much more fun to see the city, but they all wanted to go so we did. At 11am. We watched "Nine" which was supposed to be like "Chicago" but was the dumbest movie I ever paid to see. Oh wait, I didn't pay. I got paid $40 to go to Mokpo so technically they paid for it for me. Still, I fell asleep in it. It was so stupid. Never go see it. That's two hours of my life I'll never get back. I could've done so much with it. Sigh. But then we went to the Mokpo harbour. It was a beautiful day for walking around and this made everything much better.

Some of the rock formations we saw walking around the walk way.

kya bya bo. Ok, I actually have no idea how to translate that one into English, but it's rock, paper scissors. It solves EVERYTHING in Korea. I've seen cops doing it for cigarettes. Anyway, point is, um, actually, I don't know what the point is. I have no idea why we were doing this. Maybe because it was a rock? I think Somi wanted us to do it for some reason. Oh, and scissors here looks like a gun.

All our camp students. We were told they had the best English they've heard all week. I say it's all because of me. Kristen and Gabrielle don't agree though. I don't know why...

Yesterday after church I went with Hyun Gin and her parents hiking. Or so I thought. I actually got a crash course in Korean cultural history and food. I'm pretty sure none of them have ever done anything for a foreigner before. They treat me so well. It's awesome. They paid for everything, bought me food to take home, and took me to dinner at the Opera House which was so nice and looked like a mini version of the real Opera House.

Outside the cultural museum, our first stop of many.

Hyun Jin at a temple we went to. She is bringing me more Kim chi soon. I finished the first stuff she gave me already. Mmmmm Kim chi. I had amazing Kim chi at work today. So spicy and so delicious.

The bottom (well, half way up the mountain, but that's where we started walking from) and the view over the side when we finally got to hiking! It was so beautiful!

After this we also went to a bamboo museum in Damyung, and to one of the areas that we went with Sam when we took photo's last weekend. I didn't want to tell them I had already been there because they were being so nice about everything I felt bad. I just have to make sure Hyun Jin doesn't see the pictures I took there last time.

I actually wrote this post a couple days ago, but didn't post it. Oops. Nothing big has happened in between though. I'm going to Seoul with Cindy this weekend. I finally get to meet her boyfriend. The one who I've talked to on the phone numerous times, edited his applications for studying abroad (you try editing a science students application... all those scientific terms... good thing I'm only looking for the grammar!), and made banana bread for (Cindy delivered). He's also tried to get a song sent from the internet to my phone (doesn't work with pay as you go. Boo) and tried to fix my computer while talking with me on the phone. Also didn't work. And now I FINALLY get to meet him! I can't wait. Kris is also coming and it's going to be awesome.

Next friday I leave for Vietnam!!! I can't wait!

I bought perscription sunglasses yesterday. They should be in just before I leave. I hope!

I also need to see a doctor. I think I broke my heel. If that's even possible.