Dancing and the Olympics!

I had a fantastic weekend this last weekend! I went salsa dancing Ruda! We had a blast! We're not very good at dancing, but we sure had fun trying!

After about 45 minutes of lessons, we were let loose on the dance floor to try out our new dance moves. I think, of all of the people there, Ruda and I were definitely the worst dancers... but it was ok. Everyone was really friendly and encouraging. Around 9, a bunch of people started coming and everyone was dancing with everyone! Ruda and I both danced with some other people who made us look good!

There was one man in particular who really knew what he was doing and when I danced with him.... ooohhhh.... I think I fell in love! He was so intense!

It was marvelous.

I also had a bunch of church activities to do on Sunday.... I'm not a total heathen!

Teaching Sunday school here has been so fulfilling for me. I have about 6 high school kids who come pretty regularly and I really enjoy them! They're so insightful and challenging! They remind me so much of how it was to be in high school again... teaching them reminds me of my calling.

Then, after church, some friends and I went to the center of Seoul to see the Olympic torch come into the city. I guess there weren't too many protesters in Korea and there are so many Chinese people here studying or living abroad that there was a lot of positive support.

It was pretty neat to see. I saw some of the biggest guns in my life while there! And, yeah, the torch was there too! Neat stuff!

Here are some pictures of the torch and the celebration...

The torch runner coming into the arena.

A shot of the stage with all of the Chinese flags in front of it.

Nate, Jess, Ruda and a I pretending to be Chinese... Ok, not really. We were just there and had flags! If you notice, I'm trying to promote peace and China at the same time.... hmm...

In other news... MOM and HALEY are coming to visit in... 3 DAYS!!!! YAYAYAYAYAAYAYAAYAAYAYYAYAYAYAAAYYYY!!!!!!

Love,

Hil

Oh Dinners. Koreans are too polite!

I went out to dinner with my "department" today. I'm not sure what I do in my department, but they invited me along, so I went. We had a nice dinner (shabu shabu) and then went home.

BUT... I really think the dinner was a disguise for "getting to know Hilary teacher" time. It wasn't too bad. Actually, I really enjoyed getting to know some of the other teachers in my department. Particularly one teacher who I always look at and grin at but never talk to. She sat right across from me and we were able to "talk" quite a bit over dinner. There was also the young male teacher who sits right in front of me.

At the beginning of dinner, he asked the waitress for a fork for me, but then all of the other teachers said that I use chopsticks better than they do. So, when the fork came, he told the waitress it was for him... it was really funny... maybe you had to be there.

Also the Principal and the Vice-principal came, which made everyone terribly uncomfortable. I guess the Principal lives with his daughter and she's so busy she doesn't have time to cook for him. Sooooo..... he was looking for dinner plans and just decided to join us! I thought that was.... nice. Actually, no. No one was comfortable with him there.

Then, after dinner, my head teacher wanted to drive me home. Now, I don't live very far away from where we ate. All of these teachers were standing around discussing how I would make it home... I was like "Bus...." But, my head teacher REALLY wanted to drive me home. But, when he offered, everyone was like "OHHHH!!!" I guess because he wanted to drive me home it implied that he likes me.... ew! He's old enough to be my father!

But, he insisted. In fact, he grabbed my wrist and started to run with me to his car.....

Yeah!

But, some of the women in my department saved me and they came along too. I got to sit in the front, which was awkward... but after learning that this man's nickname is "the Hunter," meaning he likes to hunt females.... (yeah freaky, I know, but this guy is a good guy!) I made it home!

Oh goodness. Also, I wanted to kill Myeongsook because she kept telling everyone EVERYTHING she knew about me and everything I've ever said about anyone. She even told my head teacher that I thought he was cute when he smiled and that he looked like a little boy! (Again, this man is old enough to be my father, so his cuteness is like an old-man cuteness... you know...) She told EVERYONE that.... even when the principal and the vice-principal were sitting there!!!! After a while I told her to stop otherwise I was going to kill her!

Chalk another one up to Korean hospitality... Koreans 848; Hilary 4

There is a truth in silence

There is a truth in silence.

It whispers in your heart and
it comes in your stillness -- in your tiredness.

You can feel the life vibrating through your body,
but there is no spark behind your eye...

There is no love in your life.

Only holes.
Only vacuums.
Only times to be filled.

So, what do you do with this life that stubbornly pounds through your veins?

Plunge it into things that have nothing to do with you...
Lose yourself in others --

Lose yourself.

Maybe then you'll survive --

maybe.


H

Self-Preservation or Self-Sacrifice....

I had a very sober day today. I had this dumb mood going on today... one of those days were I could see past my own nose or feelings.

I think one of the things that makes being here hard sometimes is the fleeting nature of so many of my relationships. And, because I'm especially stupid; I tend to give my heart to these people... I can't help myself.

I love deeply... so thick.

"It's so difficult to be tethered to people that have no idea they mean so much to you. Living here comes down to either self-preservation or self-sacrifice."

Sometimes, I want to preserve....

Days like today.

Pictures

hehehe..

hehehe... so cute!

*sigh* it was a fun night!

Bondagee Bondagee Bon Bon Bondagee!!

Ok, I was just teasing you in my last "post." This is the real video!!

So, a few of my friends and I have decided upon a list of things to do while here in Korea... the list is quite extensive and there are some RANDOM things that we've decided to do... but then, Korea is so random at a normal state anyway, so we're not too far off here!

One thing we've decided to do is eat Bondagee. Below is a picture of Bondagee.

Although it looks (and smells) like a bucket full of crap, it's actually silk worm larvae...

Imagine what a dirty locker room and sour feet SMELL like and you'll come close to the smell of bondagee. This is VERY common street food and apparently is very popular with pregnant women and young children.... and foreigners who want to torture themselves!


Just to summarize; Ruda and Jess took it like pros, Eric described how disgusting it was as he calmly ate his bondagee, Alicia and I flipped out and Eddy... well, Eddy just spit his out!

I'm going to show you the clip of Jess and Alicia eating there's.... I think Alicia's reaction can speak for me.... as well as most normal human beings!!!

LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH THAT!!!! HA!!!

Hil

Random Videos and Pictures...