Turning the Page

I just finished our old semester on Wednesday and on Friday began a new semester with brand new students, new books, new names to remember (and new kids to name!). But, before I finished with the old students, I most definitely took some pictures, that I will post very shortly. Then, you will really see why I'm totally in love with Korean kids!

Anyway, the new semester is providing its fair share of challenges. I have a few students from the previous semester and since I only taught three different classes last semester (a whole bunch of times in a row), all of this new stuff is a lot different for me. My students are a lot older this semester, and some even a bit younger, but I don't really have any that are the same age as before and I'm only teaching one class that I've taught before. I think that I'm going to enjoy these students once I get the hang of things.

On another note...

Last weekend I hung out with my Korean friend Sophia. She used to work with me at Plus Academy, but she's since moved on to bigger and better things. Anyway, she gave me a call and we spent the day together, which included shopping at Lotte Department store, visiting her cousin (and her CUTE kids), and going for dinner at a traditional Korean restaurant.

The restaurant was super cool. It was an old traditional Korean home, basically composed of wood and clay. You can eat dinner sitting on the floor in a couple of different rooms, and the food is incredible. We got this plate of fried fish (whole) and a zillion side dishes (common in Korea) and some tol sot rice (rice in a hot bowl). I ate a ton and then didn't have to pay a dime. They treated me, which was awesome.

I had a super good time with Sophia and we both enjoyed playing with the two little kids. I played Korean games with them and they both expected that I would be able to speak Korean. So, when we played the Korean version of "Go-Go-Go-Stop" I had to say it in Korean, but I wasn't even sure what to say or how to say it. I gave it my best and we still had fun. That was followed by the Korean version of London Bridge is falling down. That one I didn't try to sing (something about Dongdaemun and Namdaemun...), but I just tried to catch them when they ran past. I had a great time.