23. Updates

It's been a long while since I've posted anything here, so I thought I'd give a brief update. My time in Korea is winding down. I actually stayed longer than my contract dictated so that I could finish out the year with my class (the school year here runs from the beginning of March to the end of February). It has been quite a ride, I must say. I have a lot is issues with the way the school that I worked for is run. There have been a lot (read: a HUGE amount) of broken promises and outright lies on the part of the administration... it is really only the love of my class that has kept me working here, even past my due date. And I do love them! They are a precious group of kids. Take a look!

This first video is going to be part of their 'graduation'... actually, both videos are. Look how good they are! Listen to their English, and what they say... they actually wrote what it is they say here (well, I may have fixed a few grammar mistakes... although some of them, Christina especially, refuse to say my corrected version)... I'm so incredibly proud of them, I swear I feel like I'm going to explode sometimes!


This second video is the song we'll be doing. My choreography is not all that inspired, but I think it looks quite cute.


After I'm done here, I will be taking a "Round the World Ticket" back home. It's a bit of a misnomer, as I'm mainly going to be going through Europe (with a little stop in Singapore on my way there). I've not got my itinerary settled yet, but so far I think I'm going to spend some time in Vienna, Prague and Venice before heading to the UK to visit some dear friends for a while before hopping across the pond back home. Of course, because I've opted for the cheapest version of the Round the World Fare I could find, I won't actually be landing in Canada, I'll have to go to New York and bus my way home, but I'm okay with that. Maybe I'll take in a show while I'm there! That is, if I'm not musicaled out from my stint in London.

Oh, I took a few pictures today that I thought I'd share. The first one is of one of my students. Her name is Cindy, and I basically took this picture to showcase her outfit. I've decided that should I have children, I will dress them like this because you can't get away with this many contrasting stripes and colours as an adult (well, unless you are Cindi Lauper in 1983). I mean, look at this... isn't that an awesome outfit???

This next picture is of a boy in a new Kindergarten class they just started up (without hiring a new teacher... very frustrating!) whose name is Lion. Yes, that's right, Lion. We think what happened is that whoever picked his English name heard the name Ryan and because many Koreans have difficulty with the L/R distinction, they thought they heard Lion and thought that would be a cool name. The funny thing is that to me, I think he kind of has a feline look. I don't know if it's all that visible in the picture, but I think what makes me see the cat in him is that he has the beginnings of a unibrow... so cute.

And another boy from that class named Jimmy, who has to be the palest person I've ever met. His skin is almost translucent. Now... look closely at his picture... does he remind you of anything?

Do you see it? If you don't, I'll help you...

Maybe it's just me...