Foreigner Funnys!

Live, Love and Learn

I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. The same goes for true love.

I've learned that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them!!

I've learned that you can keep going long after you can't.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many years you have lived.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.

I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I've learned that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned that the people you care about most in life are sometimes taken from you too soon

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you.

All you can do is be someone who can be loved.

The rest is up to them.

ROKin out in July!

Poster in the subway...'Red Devil' pride everywhere!! :) Go ROK!!!!!!!!


“Dae han min guk”!!! (WHOO HOO REPUBLIC OF KOREA!!) We're cheering on Korea in Seoul during the FIFA World Cup!




This brought me back to theme nights in college (UNIVERSITY for you people from Canada!) We all got animal costumes and rocked them out and about! Amy and I got stopped on the streets to take photos! I swear I'm famous in Korea!! ;-)




ONLY IN KOREA! haha, We had an 'animal night!' so much fun! I was a panda a) because of AOII and b) I am in Asia!




I love Mickael! He's my little rockstar! Peach has the biggest crush on him, she always comes up to me and whispers "Katie Teacher I love Mickael" then she'll laugh and run away! Mickael has grown so much since March, I adore him! :)



Peach was chosen to be 'keeper' (shes the youngest and was the BEST so proud!!) but as soon the other team made a goal she got really sad and started crying.. she tried to hard!! She saw me and just glued herself to me, shes my little baby..I swear I felt like a soccer mom in full force!!!



Peach was chosen to be the goalie out of all 4 classes! I was one proud soccer mom!



My morning class getting ready for the big soccer match!










LCI Summer Camp 2010




The girls on the boat cruise! 2010




Me with Mel and Tia during our JAM ROK boat cruise!




Kato found sparklers...the extent of our firework show!



Mudfest! Bri and I had a lot of great talks sitting on the beach! ... Standing in the ocean I had to pinch myself, this is my life, and I'm in ASIA!


Mudfest 2010!



MUD EVERYWHERE!!





JULY:

How is it already that my calendar reads August 15 2010? Is this some joke? July flew by and multiple experiences are now crossed off my ‘bucket list’. A reoccurring conversation lately reminds me of the quote, “this too shall pass”…I’ve been here for 6 months already and even though having 7 more months seems like a long time it will come and it will go. It’s crazy to think that when I get home Korea will only be left embedded as a memory—“ yeah I lived there once”…But I do believe I’m becoming a changed person for being able to see the sun and moon rise on the opposite side of the world. Korea will forever leave a paint swipe on me. I have met some really interesting people being abroad, and every person you meet cant help but leave some sort of imprint on how you go about making particular everyday choices.



July has been the most jam-packed month I’ve had in quite some time! I only hope I can reiterate the incredible experiences I have been fortunate to stumble on. I’ll begin with SOCCER! South Korea is considered one of the most successful international football teams in Asia. At every game you heard raging fans yell from the depths of their soul, “Dae han min guk”!!! Which is the Republic of Korea! Soccer is a huge deal abroad (and is a sport I highly enjoy/understand watching!) Every 4 years FIFA holds the World Cup soccer (football) event, combining the WORLDS most talented players and the most enthusiastic fans! We went to Seoul to watch one of the games which was projected on a huge screen on the side of a building. I noticed that Koreans would crowd wherever a tv was, even if it was outside of a convenience store! Korea’s national color is red and their unofficial team name is the “Red Devils.” Red shirts and red horns were displayed on almost everyone (I definitely bought myself a pair of horns!) Check out this video to get a full understanding of what we saw!!!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iKI5abWkEI It was wild being in the middle of such positive chaos! It was pouring down rain, we wore these silly ponchos, (complementary of Andy Mac!) and were chanting, hugging Koreans after a good play, and just being totally emerged into this soccer bliss! Though we didn't win/make it into the final rounds, I fully enjoyed being in a different country watching the FIFA World Cup and rooting for a country I never thought I’d be rooting for!





LCI held a ‘Kid’s Camp’ at the beginning of July. It was a lot of fun! The kids came dressed in “Red Devil” attire (adorable!) and they had different events during the day (sure beats math and science! Haha) When my morning class (who I adore like my own children haha) came to class all spirited out in their red devil gear I couldn’t help but melt! “Katie Teacher Katie Teacher, stickers for you, put on!!!” Their mom’s had given them those rub on tattoos (Red Devil themed, of course!) to put on their cheeks and arms, they also brought some for me! This instantly brought me back to my childhood where my sister and I would put fairy rub on tattoos all over ourselves and would always want/save the bellybutton tattoos because obviously they were the coolest! Haha. So I put a “I heart Korea” tattoo on my cheek and helped the kids tat themselves out to pure FANtasic perfection! Maybe I’m bias (tee hee) but my kids have to be the absolute cutest of the bunch!!!!! I have the youngest class, 6BG when most of them are really only 4 or 5 yrs old and are sooo smart (I mean English is their 2nd language and I’m already teaching them vowels and consonants!) After tatting them up we went to have a soccer match! The day before, Josh (one of the foreign teachers who helps w/ P.E.) took the kids to play some soccer, I found out later that they were somewhat ranking them to see who would play on Team #1 (“the good team”) and guess what?? TWO of my little loves got placed on team #1!! Mickael and Peach, go figure! (ps: Am I becoming a soccer mom!? Haha) I got so excited because out of all 4 classes, and mine being the youngest, 2 of mine were chosen! Mickael and Peach are feisty though! Mickael is just fearless he came to school rocking his little cleats and jersey like nobody was going to stop him (his red streak through his hair also helps with his BA’ness! (badass) ) Peach was chosen for goalie! When I was told this I was proud but also like, really? My 5 yr old little girl is the best goalie out of all the older classes? But then the big “duh Katie” set in, if you meet Peach you’ll understand, she’s one sassy cookie that knows how to hold her own! However, even as strong willed as she is, there was a waterworks session during the last game. The other team made a point and she instantly looked at me and started to cry. My heart reacted like any mom (haha even though I’m not her mom) I ran over to her, scooped her up and told her how amazing she was for being out there and blocking goals! She clung so tight to me and I could tell she felt embarrassed. If only she knew what I was like during my soccer days! My proudest moment was coming up with the team name “Pink Sharks” I gave Peach a whole lot of credit for being the only girl goalie, and the youngest at that…If I were that age I would have been eyeing the flowers rather than the ball! Some of the other events where ice cream making (which was my section..and these were the ingredients: ice, sugar, milk, candy, red beans…GROSS!) the kids loved it! They also did some gymnast exercises on a trampoline (wish I had that job, I seriously think that whenever I hear trampoline I get overly excited)…A banner making event (uh okay?) And then the WATER GUN FIGHTS! Getting my kids ready for the water fight was simply hilarious, their swimsuits were too cute, not to mention they had matching head caps! The camp ended with a sleep over, however I left at 8pm because my kids were too little to spend the night. Before I went home I got the pleasure to greet each of my kids parents when they came for pick up! I adored being able to meet their parents (even though most of them cant speak English) it made me visualize their background.

Speaking of backgrounds, one of my favorite students, Mickael, keeps telling me ( has been for weeks now) my “grandmother is very sick”, (its not unusual for the grandparents to live with their children) and it makes me wish I knew more Korean to be able to have a deeper conversation with my kids. This is my students first year in English so everything is very basic, however, I find our bond getting stronger and me understanding them more as the weeks pass by. When Mickael tells me this I usually ask him, “Are you sad?” , “Yes” he says. Then I say, “Your grandfather took her to doctor the, yes?” “Yes, Katie Teacher” “She loves you Mickael and you love her, yes?” “Yes, I love her, grandmother is sick. I take care of her” and I just squeeze the little guy. Mickael started off being all over the place and such a typical little boy, always moving. I remember when I first went upstairs to grab him from orientation, he was so scared to leave his mom and he cried and cried. All the other students adjusted well, and followed along with the lectures, not Mickael, he was a handful! I remember one of the teachers coming in to teach a class for me and asked me if I thought Mickaels behavior was too young for LCI…and I did think that. NOW I have made so much progress with him and cant imagine not having him in my class! He tries so hard and is beginning to learn so fast! I can tell that he is excited to come to class to see me and talk to me and I’m just so thrilled that I could make someone like school so much. I remember my favorite teachers, it takes someone to believe in you and I truly believe in my students, I think they are wonderful!



4th of July:



Wait what? Korea doesn’t celebrate the 4th of July? Haha, I’m only kidding…but it was definitely weird not being on the home front during the great Independence Day! Luckily we had some fun events planned for the the 3rd and 4th in honor of the day! We have a couple of friends who have created a promotional events company while being here called, JAM ROK (ROK Republic of Korea) They organized a boat cruise on the 3rd and a couple hundred foreigners showed up! I even ran into some familiar faces from WSU…which doesn't surprise me, a lot of WSU grads have come to teach in Korea. However, it always makes the world seem so much smaller with these familiar run ins! The boat cruise was on the Han River..and by cruise I mean we floated slowly to one end of the river and back for about 3 hours! The water was pretty disgusting, I swear I spotted a handful of dead fish in the murky water. Overall we had a great time, I highly enjoyed the social scene and it was a great excuse to get together with various groups of friends! The actual 4th didn't’seem right, you’re telling me no firework stands or neighborhood bbq’s??? Isss thisss a joke? Where am I, Korea or something?! Haha oh wait, YES I AM! Minus the lack of TNT, I made my morning start off right by blasting Miley Cyris ‘Party in the USA’ while getting ready for a ‘bbq’ at Katelans! My favorite part of the night was when we all stood up and belted ‘I’m proud to be an American’…we even got Andy and Amy singing (kind of, they’re Canadian, and as much as they dog on the US they loved it..haha)





Mudfest!!!!! A weekend full of crazy that’s for sure! Check out the website http://www.mudfestival.or.kr/english/festival/festival1.php it will sum it up! Let’s just say my phone and camera didn’t survive this event…luckily I was able to get replacements before BALI!!!!


Love and miss everyone back at home!


I cant wait to share stories about Bali!!! To be continued…

-Katie Teacher xoxo

DONGTAN: My city in South Korea

“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”




(*click to enlarge!)
Have you tried looking for Dongtan on a map? Couldn’t find it right? It’s because its considered a new city. Right now it has the largest area of farmland of any city in Gyeonggi province. In 2007 Dongtan was chosen to be the destination for the future ‘Universal Studios South Korea Theme Park’ (maybe I’ll have to stay a few years to watch the city grow! Universal Theme Park, SIGN ME UP!) It’s so interesting being here in a developing city, before I know it our dirt roads will be more botiques and restaurants! The following photos I took of Dongtan! Enjoy my city:



Dongtan, South Korea: My home for a year



Our pathway to work every morning...about a 20min bike ride IF we catch the lights on time! ;-)


Welcome to our bike garage located in building ‘C’! WE GOT BIKES!!! So happy! Now we can have an extra 40min of sleep!



My bike! She’s a beauty, equipped with a basket, bell AND a mud flap, jealous!?



Theres always elderly men and women working the fields, rain or shine (uphill both ways ha that’s for my dad) They work so hard to maintain their crops and make a living! They end up having terrible posture we’ve seen so many elders with extreme huntch backs from bending over all day long year after year.



This is the school I work for, LCI (Language Club International) Academy. It’s a franchise specializing in teaching children the English language.


LCI: The Academy I work for

Chang Deok Gung TEMPLE

Changdeokgung Palace was built in 1405 and was mostly destroyed by the Japanese in 1592, but was later restored in 1610.




"When King Gojongre built Gyeongbokgung in the late 1800s, he had this pond and island built. On the island is a hexagonal pavilion called Hyangwonjeong (“Pavilion of Far-Reaching Fragrance”). The bridge is called Chwihyanggyo (“Intoxicated with Fragrance”). Behind the Pavilion is Mt. Bugaksan."








Our tour guide! She spoke very good English! The doorway was carved from a single piece of stone (symbolizing never aging, or being broken), and the inscribed message is a wish for the king to live a long life.










Juhamnu Pavilion (INSIDE THE SECRET GARDEN!!) - Royal study sessions, poem writings and readings stood in this area. State exams were conducted in front of the pavilion on special occasions in presence of the king. It was so beautiful!!







Gangnyeongjeon is the King’s living area. It was also used for his daily activities and office duties. Behind it is Gyotaejeon, the queen’s residence.





Huijeongdang Hall - Originally the king's bed chamber, it became his workplace because the king found it too small for conducting state affairs.



Painted ceiling in the kings living area. Stunning!







Daejojeon Hall - Official residence of the queen
On a plaque it read :
"Behind the queen’s residence is a terraced garden along whose length stand four hexagonal chimneys. The chimneys are made of light-orange bricks and topped with raftered tiled roofs. The various decorations on the chimney are imbued with symbolic meanings. The phoenix symbolizes the queen, the bat symbolizes fortune, the plum and chrysanthemum symbolize a man of virtue, and the ten longevity symbols such as the crane, deer, herb of eternal youth, pine tree, bamboo, and stone symbolize longevity. On the bottom terrace are two stone tubs named Hamwolji and Nakhadan, which mean “a pond containing the moon” and “a pond that reflects the sunset.” The terraced garden symbolizes a mountain; the stone tub and pot symbolize a lake; and the motif decorations on the chimneys symbolize the world of plants and animals. Thus, the garden of Amisan was a natural world for immortals."







Changdeokgung Palace, is one of the five ‘Grand’ palaces built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty set within a large park in Seoul, South Korea. This palace is referred to as the East Palace, and with the literal meaning of "Palace of Prospering Virtue". This palace was favored by many princes of the Joseon Dynasty. This palace was heavily destroyed during the the Japanese occupation of Korea. Today there are 13 buildings remaining on the palace grounds and 28 pavilions in the gardens, occupying 110 acres.

Buddha's Birthday in Seoul, South Korea!

Happy Birthday Buddha! (SO lucky to have this experience in ASIA! The lanterns are absolutely outstanding, dazzling, alluring…I could keep going!



Lantern Lighting for Buddha's Birthday: MAY 21ST 2010
















As we walked into the temple I insantly noticed this little boy (maybe 4 yrs old) bowing down and praying to Buddha!


Happy Birthday Buddha!

Being in South Korea I have learned that there’s no shortages when it comes to cultural festivities to partake in while being here! South Korea is largely Buddhist and the majority of Korea celebrates the Lantern Festival which runs from May 14-23rd. In Korea Buddha’s birthday is celebrated on May 21st. It is a huge deal and a national holiday. I kind of related it to the way we look at Christmas in the states. This holiday is celebrated annually with many ceremonies, lantern festivals and other fabulous events! It falls on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month.


“Every year, beginning weeks before the actual birthday, some 100,000 colorful paper lanterns bearing caricatures of Buddha adorn the streets of Seoul. Traditional lanterns come in all shapes and colors: lotus lanterns, fruit lanterns, turtle lanterns, fish lanterns, drum lanterns, phoenix lanterns and even dragon lanterns designed to breathe real fire from their throats. The variety of lanterns continues to increase every year.”

I was so thrilled to be able to experience the ‘lighting of the lanterns’ on the 21st, Buddha’s birthday. I arrived at the Lotus Festival around 7pm. There were hundreds of Koreans and foreigners overlooking the main stage under thousands of lanterns. The sight was surreal! It began with Monks hitting gongs with an intense rhythm, Koreans stood watching and praying. After one of the main monks was done with the gong a group of them single filed down to the main stage. On stage there were multiple women bowing in authentic Korean dress as well as multiple monks bowing as well. I also noticed 4 little boys about 7years old dressed in monk attire. One of the monks went up to the microphone and began chanting prayers. Even though it was in Korean I didn’t need to understand the words, the feeling of spirituality came over my body. I was in a totally different world, emerged into such an interesting culture, I instantly felt so fortunate to be able to witness such a neat event! After about an hour of prayers, violinists, and chants there was a countdown, (like new years!) and then the lanterns lit up! It was spectacular! The colors were so enchanting!