Janelle and Lexi

Yay!!

I think Janelle and Lexi brought the snow from the States with them to South Korea! It snowed more than I've ever seen it (not that I've been here for that long!).

These kids really liked Janelle!

Subway Carts

So many little things happen here that I find simply hilarious. A couple of days ago I was jammed into a subway cart that was so packed full of people, no one could move an inch. I was spooning with the person behind me and the person in front of me as well! We were really packed in tight!

After about 2 minutes, I feel the lady standing behind me's cell phone start to vibrate....

We come to a stop, and people have to get off and new people want to get on, right? Well, the people who have to get off are in the middle of the cart and so start pushing and shoving to get out and the people who don't want to get off are shoving right back, trying to stay on. It's a mess, always is.

Well, as every one's pushing and shoving, this guy who is a good head and shoulders shorter than me stops right in front of me, faces me and just stands there looking at my chest... "trying not to get shoved off." He's awfully red in the face (meaning he's drunk) and he's about to grab me so he doesn't get shoved off the cart. So, I pushed him away. Put my hand on his face and shoved him back. It worked.

Then, more people come on the cart, and we're packed in again. Now I'm spooning with a extraordinarily tall Korean man. He has a nice arm. I know this cause my face was stuffed into it for the next 3 stops.

At least there were no more cell phones vibrating on my butt!

3 more weeks....

Victory!

I would just like to let everyone know that I ordered food to be delivered to my house again and....

they found me on the first try and I remembered my card so that I could get back into the building! YES!!!

(I also wore my coat outside to fetch my food this time too, just in case!)

So, ha ha! I'm awesome!

Auntie Carol

My greatest apologies to my dearest Auntie Carol and family for not remembering to thank you as well for your Christmas card.

Better late than never; Thank you so much!

But, I want to say more than just thanks. Throughout my entire time in Korea, you have corresponded with me on an almost weekly basis. I can't tell you how much this has meant to me. It has helped me to remember that I am loved, thought of and prayed for while here so far away from everything that is normal and comfortable for me. And, while I haven't always responded, I want you to know that I've looked forward to and enjoyed every single email. Especially the ones where you almost light yourself on fire!!

You're pretty great! Thanks for taking time out of your weeks to make mine that much more blessed!

With love,


Hil

Not Hilary's Best Moment...

First of all, a big thank you to my parents, grandparents, Aunt Holly, Aunt Elaine, Meghan and Aunt Ev/Uncle Dave for sending me Christmas cards! You guys really helped to make me feel blessed and loved during the holiday season!! Thank you so much!

And now for one of Hilary's stupidest moments in Korea...

So, I took a nap today. Now, some of you know that when I take a nap, it's no silly little short nap... when I nap, it's at least 3 hours long and today was no exception. I fell asleep from about 4 until 7:30 or so. When I woke up, I wasn't hungry, so I just messed around a little, went grocery shopping, had a little snack and that was it.

Pretty soon, it's 3a.m. and I had a mad craving for Bo Sam which is this sort of Korean pork dish here that I was only just recently introduced to. I wanted it SO BAD! So, I looked on this take out order thing that I have here and saw that there's a place that will deliver Bo Sam and I thought I'd just give it a try... what's there to lose, right?

I worked up the nerve to call this delivery place and, to my great surprise, I actually succeeded in making an order and telling the guy where I lived so that it could be delivered...

Or so I thought.

I guess my directions weren't all that clear and this delivery guy kept calling me trying to figure out where I live and I have no idea what he's saying. After all, I am in Korea. I keep thinking that he's at the sliding glass door that you have to have a card to get past... so I keep going down to check... and he's not there.

Finally, he calls again and by this time, I had been down so often to check only to find that he wasn't there, I decided not to put my coat on... and, I forgot to bring my card that lets me into the building.

So, I'm talking to this guy on the phone and I walk outside to check the address on the front of the building and the glass door closes...

The glass door closes....

HOLY CRAP THE GLASS DOOR JUST CLOSED AND I DON'T HAVE MY CARD!!!

Shoot.

It's 4a.m. and I have on sneakers with no socks, sweatpants and a t-shirt outside in the middle of January. I have my cell phone on me, and I have money... so it's not the worst situation in the world... but this is not good, people... not good at all!

I walked down to the Buy The Way and bought a little cup of coffee... I was going to need it. I went back to my apartment building and decide... I'm going to climb up the side of my building and get in through my window...

You all know that's a terrible idea, but it seemed possible at the time. I'm perched up on this little ledge about 8 feet up when my Bo Sam guy finally comes. So, I hop down and pretend like I'm not really trapped outside... every thing's fine. I pay him, he gives me my food, and off we go.

But, I'm still stuck outside and it's about 4:15a.m.

So, I see that someone has a light on in their window and I start throwing rocks up at it and asking for help in Korean.... later I see that they called the police on me and refused to even inquire about who was calling for help. *Sigh* I don't really blame them.

Then, as I'm throwing rocks up at the window, I notice that each floor has these little balconies with windows and I think... if I can just make it up to the first window... I can climb in through the window and I'll be in!!!

So, I can climb on this ledge thing... but I'm still too far away to reach the window. Then, I notice there's this tiny little Evergreen tree right next to where I need to go... if I can climb the Evergreen, then I can make it up to the window!

But, the Evergreen is barely bigger than me, and when I put my weight on it's limbs, they starts to break. So, I'm clinging to the top of the Evergreen trying not to fall down and instead of getting closer to the window, the Evergreen just bends over and sets me back on the ground.

*Sigh*

After this a police car goes cruising by with it's lights flashing.

By now, it's about 4:30a.m. and I finally decide to call my Land Lady. I know... you're thinking that this is the first thing I should have tried.... but once before I tried calling her late at night when I forgot my card somewhere and she didn't have her phone on. And, she doesn't speak English. And, it was 4:30 in the morning!!! I have a real problem being an inconvenience to people... especially when I don't speak the same language.

So, I called her and... after about 80 rings, she answered. I explain to her my problem in my best Konglish and after listening for a minute she says... "Send me phone message. Sorry." and hangs up!

CRAP!

So, I send her this phone message; "I don't have my card. I can't get inside!" .... nothing.

Great! I'm just about to call her again, when suddenly, the door just opens.

So, by 5a.m. my Bo Sam and I made it inside and I discovered a few scratches and bumps on my arms, but for the most part, I made it back inside unscathed!!

Not one of my best moments, but you can't say that I'm not resourceful or creative.


The Bo Sam was delicious!

My Song

Before presenting this, I'll give credit where credit is due... I stole the "Have you ever" theme from a song by Brandi Carlile, but the lyrics are my own. I've just arranged them in the same fashion as her "Have you ever" song.

Have you ever woken up the morning sun?
Everything in your heart has come undone.
You wait with your tears and you wait before you run.
Have you ever woken up the morning sun?

Have you ever felt the wind move through your soul?
Swirling up dead leaves that were your goals.
You catch a glimpse of your hopes before the holes.
Have you ever felt the wind move through your soul?

Have you ever found your heart inside a friend?
You're not sure where you start and where they end.
Your heart is safe there, it's loved and it can mend.
Have you ever found your heart within a friend?


For my friends.

H

Ajushi's and Teachers

Walking to the post office with two heavy boxes...
An old ajushi (yet again, there's no escaping these old men!!) in a van asks me where I'm going.
I indicate the post office with my chin... my hands are full.
He wants to give me a ride.

"I'm ok, thank you!!"

Walking into school this morning, I met a co-worker. She grabbed my arm as we walked in together so we could stay warm.

"Couplingya." In Konglish, this means that we're acting like a couple by walking arm in arm... whatever, it was just cold.

I played Memory with my students today in class. They just learned a bunch of Christmas vocabulary so we played with Christmas pictures. They had so much fun and I did too. For some reason I've always like playing this game. Each class I would sit down with one table and play a few games. In my class with Changok, she and I made the terrible, can't do anything students sit together and had a focused lesson with them. They learned the vocabulary and then we flashed the cards at them and the student who guessed the vocabulary term the fastest got to keep the card. Those boys were getting so into it that we had to keep scooting back from the table. They were shouting the vocabulary words! We were so happy!

Changok was really enjoying herself too. I like seeing her play. She's so serious all the time, I like it when she's more relaxed!

So that's my day.


Someone get me out of here quick before I completely lose my senses and hop into a van with some random, old, Korean man!