Oh My Gourd, It's November!

I figured now was as good a time as any for a small life update. No big travel days like in August or September, unfortunately, but there were some nice moments with work and friends.

First up with the update is that I voted for the presidential election (technically at the end of October). It was certainly a unique experience watching election night while it was mid-day in Korea. I was constantly checking for updates between classes and while lesson planning. I also had the luxury of explaining the extremely convoluted voting process to my co-teachers, and all three were left very confused by the end of the conversation. I then spent the entire night in tears, and poor Tom had to comfort me while we watched The Hangover to distract ourselves.

In happier news, the Center Gang was able to get back together for a nice hike. Tom and I met up with Maddie and Nicole for a much needed catch up. The hike itself was a short 3.5 hours from start to finish, so not long at all! It was nice getting to talk with everyone, especially since it had been June since all four of us were together. Tom and Nicole charged forward while Maddie and myself brought up the rear. So many times we passed fellow Korean hikers who would smile at us and wave hello; lots of camaraderie in the hiking community here. My legs were quite sore by the end of the day, but it was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends.

Furthermore, this past week I attended another work hike/ dinner. We started with a short hike in the Ahopsan Forest. The area was beautiful with several types of scenery. The bamboo forest was certainly my favorite, and I was even informed that if I were to ever go drinking in a bamboo forest that I would never experience a hangover. I truly learn the most random facts from the teachers at school. The hike was more of a slow walk through the area, especially since we got stuck behind a group of older hikers. Is there anything worse than people who take over the entire path and then get huffy when you try and pass?

Dinner was a fun affair. Unlike last time where we had seafood, this time around we had beef barbeque. I have only ever had pork K-BBQ here, and the beef was 100 times better. There was not fat on the meat, unlike the pork belly, and it tasted delicious. I sat with one of my co-teachers, the school nutritionist, and a special education teacher. There was also a group of 1st grade teachers directly next to me that I got to know throughout the night. The food was hot and fresh, the drinks were constantly flowing, and the atmosphere was jovial. My co and the nutritionist even encouraged me to try yukhoe, which is seasoned raw beef. I aim to try everything at least one time, so I had a small bite. The flavor and texture were not terrible; I really only had to get over the fact it was raw meat I was eating. It is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but don't knock it 'til you try it.

I also had a lovely conversation with my vice principal where she informed me she had a lot to drink, but she was proud of me and enjoyed seeing me teach. For context, earlier that day we had open class where parents were invited to watch their kids in the classroom setting. I had about 15 or so parents watching English class from the back of the classroom while my co and I taught the students. No pressure like having a bunch of parents (and the principal and vice principal) observing my craft. It was nice to hear high praise though.

The final update, for now, is that I have officially decorated for Christmas. Tom bought me a Christmas tree including tree lights. Even though Thanksgiving has not even passed yet, I did put up the tree. I even bought a few ornaments to hang along with some keychains I had laying around the apartment. This holiday season is already a little cheerier compared to last year!