Spring Picnic

Today we loaded up in the buses and drove to Achason Mountain. We've been studying spring in Kindergarten so the trip was an excuse to look at all the cherry blossoms and magnolias blooming right now but, as usual, the trip was basically a photo op for GKI to show the parents where their $650 a month goes. The school actually hires photographers and videographers to accompany us on field trips and for other events and then sells the photos back to the parents.

The scenery was really beautiful, but the kids just wanted to run around. Some of the trees were so covered in blossoms it looked liked snow. I wish Canada had a real spring. All they get is melting dog poo and dirty, slushy roads.

We had a picnic lunch of kimbap, ketchup sandwiches, grapes, tomatoes and various snack foods. I really don't like Kimbap but the kids think they're being so thoughful sharing their lunch, so I generally spend lunch sneaking it back into their lunchboxes or pawning it off on the other teachers. On the bus on the way back the kids were being silly making funny faces. Here's Paris, he's usually pretty cute :)

Cirque Du Soleil

Last night I went to Cirque du Soleil and it was amazing! (even though there were no monkeys) My friend, Leslie, and I bought tickets in February, so the anticipation had been building up for quite some time. The advantage to buying tickets early though is getting really good seats. We were only 6 rows back from the stage and just off to the side a little. It was fantastic!

The big top was set up outside the Olympic Stadium, it wasn't as big as I expected inside, but still cool. The show was called Quidam and the program says its about a nameless passerby, a solitary figure lingering on a street corner, a person rushing past, a person who lives lost amidst the crowd in an all-too-anonymous society. The plot is supposed to be abstract, so really it was more about the performances. There were young Chinese girls who did amazing tricks with wooden spools and rope. There was an acrobat who did all her tricks hanging from the ceiling, holding on to only a long silk cloth. There was a guy in a metal wheel who did really cool tricks. Then everyone came on and jumped rope, extreme jump rope. At one point there was a guy skipping with one rope, inside 3 other ropes turning at different times. There were even human statues. They moved really slow but did things that should have been impossible. The costumes, the make-up, everything, was surreal.

Outside the Big Top

Inside the Big Top

Just Not Enough Monkeys In Theater These Days

When a production starts with a monkey wearing a rabbit suit running on the stage you just know its gonna be good! And then, as if you thought it couldn't get any better... it does! Another monkey dressed as a tiger pushes over a monkey dressed as a turtle and drags him off stage! Theater at its finest!

The reason for the outing was a GKI field trip, first of the new year, to the Children's Grand Park. I thought it would be a nightmare watching and controlling 10 kids, but they behaved pretty well. And on the way to the animal show we walked through the zoo and saw monkeys and tigers and lions and bears...oh my!

My New Class

Back Row: Paris, John, Eric, Toby, Chris, Liam

Front Row: Elina, Ashley, Lauren, Alice

Well, Monday morning I met my new group of kindergarten kids. I'm teaching 6 year olds who have studied English for a year already. The crazy part is the size of the class. Brace yourself.... I have 10! There are so many! If they all ganged up on me I'd be toast. The other thing is that I have to deal with feeding them as well. I'm responsible for dishing out their lunches and making them eat it all... every last bite. A kid was gagging today and threw up in his tray and the Korean teacher yelled at him. I'm too soft, I felt really bad for him. At least she let him stop eating :)

'Girls' Night Out

March 1st is a national holiday in Korea so we decided to take the opportunity and drink on a Wednesday. Kimberly told us about a ladies night where the girls drank free on Wednesdays, unfortunately she hadn't been there for a while and not only is there no more ladies night, there's no more bar! Instead we took a cab to Itaewon and went to The Wolfhound. We proceeded to have fun, drink lots and become models.

Aaah...the dreaded Jager bomb!

Kimberly played photographer while we all continued to get quite drunk and posed for the camera.

At a certain point we were ready to dance. The point came after a considerable number of shooters at 2 big pitchers of beer. We headed to a local gay bar. Fun Fun Fun. We even saw a drag show!