In an e-mail about my upcoming trip...

"You have a tremendous adventure ahead of you.  Use your eyes and take it in, use your heart and feel the spirit of the places and use your voice and celebrate your good fortune of being a global traveller."

A wise woman!

In about 3 days, 14 hours, 30 minutes and maybe 24 seconds? we will be on our long awaited plane heading to Malaysia, then Singapore, then finishing off the trip in Bali....to say I was excited would be an extreme understatement.
Usually nothing ever hits me or sinks in until I'm either on the plane or actually at my destination. Like when I went to China last year I kinda just treated it like any other day and wasn't even that excited on the 14 hour plane ride over but then when I landed it's like a tick goes off in my body and finally allows it all to sink in.
I'm not sure if it's because this upcoming trip has been planned for a few months, or the fact I'm going with 4 of my best friends in Korea, or the fact I am finally going to my dream place Bali, but It's still a few days before we leave and it has already sunk in, I AM SO EXCITED!
Even when I had to pack up my entire life in two suitcases to move to Korea for the year last August I waited until about midnight the night before leaving to start packing. Same thing would happen every summer before going back to college; at about 5 a.m. the morning we were leaving I would still be packing up last minute things in the car. I think I wait until last minute because I know it will all get done so what's the rush?
Well either I've grown up a bit or maybe my excitement has taken over, but its 3 days before the trip and not only am I packed, but have all my documents printed, have researched adventures to do in each country, hotels and hostels booked, laundry done, apartment clean , vaccination shots received and my outfit for the airport laid out! I hardly even recognize myself. It's actually caused me anxiety because I am NEVER this organized before traveling, so now it's given me too much time to think if I've forgotten something or need something else which has made me buy unneccessary items to stuff in my already full backpack. Maybe I should stick with my old ways??
Anyways, we are off to explore, discover and possibly take over these 3 countries on a trip of a lifetime. I think even before reading the book "Eat, Pray, Love" I have always dreamed of going to Bali. I can't think of a better way to end the vacation. I hope it's everything I'm expecting and more...! 
    The days leading up to vacation are spent "desk warming" as they call it, which is pointless hours spent sitting at my desk at school just browsing the internet and getting paid to do it because no students are at school since it's winter vacation. By law us foreigner teachers still have to come to school in order to get paid because it's in our contract. Maybe that's why I'm so organized? All this extra time? Gotta make use of it somehow.
Anyways, stay tuned! I'm hoping we make it back to Korea and don't stay on the beaches of Bali forever...but then again that wouldn't be so bad.
I literally think my fear of wild animals or animals in general can be classified as a phobia these days because that is my biggest fear going into this trip. My friends think it's funny that I literally die when I see a stray cat or dog here in Korea because I instantly think it can sense my fear and is gonig to launch at me any minute and attack me. Yeah, weird, I know, must have been attacked by an animal as a kid? When I tell people I'm afraid of animals they look at me like I just told them I hate Christmas or rainbows or chocolate. I get it, everyone loves animals, but not me.
Anyways, one of my friends who is going on the trip with us use to be a zookeeper so needless to say she and I are opposites when it comes to animals and she loves them so this should be an interesting mix! One day on the trip they want to hike through the jungles of Malaysia...either I man up and where a bubble suit to protect me or lay on the beach and wait for them to return!
One of the last things I just read about this temple we want to go see in Bali says, "Uluwatu Temple is one of the key shrines on the island of Bali. The holy sanctuary, like Padangtegal, has a feisty monkey population, so hold on to your hat and digital camera."
Yeah, enough said. If a monkey comes after me, I'll die of fear. I told them if I see one snake I'll swim back to UHhhhmerricaa. Dramatic? I realize, but we'll see how it all turns out!
I hope these countries are ready for us....here we come!

When my sisters and I were born my mom kept a diary about each one of us growing up; through our toddler years, through childhood, and up until middle school. She would tell us all about our little selves. What we looked like, funny things we did, our favorite foods at the time, how we interacted with others, our first words, first time going to preschool, kindergarten...every little thing about us. At Christmas 3 years ago, my mom gave me this diary; to this day it's one of the best gifts I've ever been given in my life. It's being given the gift of the past, getting a sneak preview of myself back when I hardly even knew myself. It's like a little time machine. 

The same older woman teacher who arm wrestled me just picked me up and threw me over her back without any kind of warning while maintaining a smile across her face. She then put me down and offered me corn on the cob at 10 a.m.

1-3 boys.

Post to come....

When I arrived in Korea and went to orientation we were warned that Koreans tend to do everything very last minute, including telling you about something. I was fully prepared for this and a week into teaching realized this was extremely true. They don't mean to do it intentionally, it's just part of their culture. Just very last minute people. My friends and I have been told we have to teach an extra class 5 minutes before it starts, or told a class is cancelled as we're walking into the room. I just kind of take it with a grain of salt and roll with it. Well this also goes for when they tell you about "teacher outings."
It was about 4:15 on a Monday. ( Mondays in general are hard to get through with 4 classes and recovering from the weekend.) Anyways, I had planned to head home, take a quick nap and meet my friend for dinner. Well school ends at 4:20 so I begin packing up and my Korean friend who sits next to me says "Maybe all the teachers go to Sushi dinner."
Of course, 5 minutes before I am informed of this. Ha, standard. Anyways, it's also rude to decline an invite in their culture and it was the entire teaching staff going so I knew I had to go. I packed up my stuff and off we went.
I went with my two best Korean friends at school who are 26 and 24, closest in age to me. We arrive at the sushi place and there are long tables set up. It's Korean style so we take off our shoes and sit on floor. All the other teachers, about 45 total including the principal arrive and begin eating.  I should have known this wasn't just "sushi." We are given a 10 course meal. Plate after plate of all differnt types of food and fish keep on coming. And by sushi, I mean actual raw fish and some with the head and tail still on. HA! when in Korea...
Well I am sitting at the long table with my Korean friends and many of the older male head teachers sit down. Being the only Americn among all these Koreans I am used to them asking many questions about me and being very curious. I always just laugh and smile even when I can't understand their broken English. Well next thing ya know the older male teachers are pouring soju shots (korean vodka) and pouring me many as well. I have to laugh a bit to think how different this is from American culture back home. "Ripping shots" with the boss isn't exactly seen as professional, but here they see it as a way to "bond" and get to know one another. Of course there was no way I was going to offend them so I'm toasting with the head teachers and attempting to eat the raw fish and gulp down the drinks in front of me. I had to capture this on camera so of course I start snapping away. I'm not sure if it's something that happens since birth but as soon as Koreans see a camera it's like a natural instinct that the peace sign flys up. No matter what age they are, every single time they see a camera they automatically do the peace sign. So, of course I join in.
 
A few hours later the Korean teachers who I thought spoke not a word of English are asking me questions about New York and my family in the best attempted English they know. Soju really brings out the best in people...haha.
 
I thought the night ended there but the next thing ya know I am asked "Do you have special schedule after?" A.K.A. Koreans way of asking "do you have plans?" I knew what was coming, and went with it anyway. I told them no, and next thing ya know they said, "Great! we go to Norebong."
Oh God, here it was, the moment everyone had warned me about. KOREANS LOVE KAROAKE! Especially after drinking Soju. I was actually pretty excited about this. Me and a bunch of Koreans heading into a private Norebong room to sing and dance the night away? On a Monday nonetheless.
We get there and the principal immediately puts a song on and begins singing. I am handed bells and some props so I just roll with it and start creating noise to attempt to go along with the song the best I can! I really wish a video camera captrued this sight..
 
Of course, as expected, they wanted me to pick and sing an English pop song. They turn to the English section and one teacher says "Britney spears! Maybe you sing Lucky, by Britney Spears." HA! out of all songs, I never in a million years thought I'd be singing Britney Spears at a Norebong with Koreans ever in my life.
Wellp, they turn on the song and it's my time to shine. And by shine, I mean trying to catch my breath between dying laughing in between singing "she's so lucky! she's a star!" in my best Britney voice I can manage. Unreal to say the least. By that point I think I'm actually gettinig into it.
After I finish, the P.E. teacher tells me he is going to sing me a song. He then begins singing "You're just too good to be true." HAHA! Hilarious. Gotta love it.
My Korean friend comes over to tell me one of the head teachers wants to lift me up. It was one of those moments where I couldn't decide if it was the Soju making me confuse things, or the loud music making me hear things so I asked, "lift me up?" she nodded as if it was the most normal thing ever said, and said "Yes, lift you in air!"
I instantly pictured those people at Bamitzfah's being lifted on a chair over their heads and then with my luck tumbling to the ground.
I roll with alot of weird stuff here but this was one thing I was a little unsure of. I think she could tell by the look on my face because she goes "It's okay, see look!" and jumps on the head teacher's back as he carries her around the room singing.
NO WAY! I could not do this. Haha, I just couldn't. But he persisted so next thing ya know I am lifted in the air and being carried around the room singing away. Yet another image to be captured forever.
The night didn't end there. We went to two other bars and one more Norebong. I tell you, these Koreans can eat and drink more than anyone I have ever met in my entire life and they will neither gain a pound nor be hungover the next day.
Around 12:45 a.m. I am dropped off at my house. The next morning came before I knew it and it was time to head to school. For a moment when I woke up I thought I had dreamt that entire night, but as soon as I got to school I got a lot of nods, smirks, smiles and a "good job," from the teachers. I then realized, nope, it wasn't a dream, it was just a casual night out with Koreans for some "sushi."

There are those certain days in life you will just always remember, and the day I went to the Orphanage here in Korea is one of those days. My friend Alexandra took the initiative and finally looked into some orphanages we could volunteer at here in Korea. It had been on our "bucket list" of things to do this year and with the start of the new year, it was time we actually acted on this.
After asking some of our friends if they were interested in coming as well there ended up being a total of 8 of us girls who went to the orphanage here in Daegu to play with the kids for about two hours one saturday. I really didn't know what to expect. In fact I remember thinking that it really hadn't even sank in or registered with me that we were going to an orphanage until about 10 miinutes before we actually went. But, this shouldn't surprise me because that is usually the case with things for me. I just do things without thinking and then it hits me later when I stop and actually reflect on it.
So around 1:45 pm. Saturday afternoon all 8 of us meet outside Costco, grab a slice of pizza and walk over to the orphanage which was about 5 minutes away from there. On the walk over I began picturing in my head what it would be like. I think it was similar to the corrupted orphanage or child labor place in the movie Slumdog Millionare. I knew deep down Korea was far too kind for something like that, but I truly had no idea.
We walked down a side street and passed this broken down shed-like building, but my friend directed us past it, so I took a deep breath and thought "Thank God." I just would be too heart broken if that was actually where children were living.
Well much to my surprise, we walk up this driveway with pictures, colors and many child like images drawn on the walls leading up to two big buildings with a playground outside. Wow, so I guess I actually shouldn't believe everything in the movies afterall? HA.
I instantly got excited. This looked like a great place! My friend made sure the coordinator of the place could speak enough English before we arrived or it would have been a bit of a disaster communicating with them.
As we walk up to the door we see about 15  eager, anxious, curious and absolutely adorable small faces staring at us through the window. The ages ranged from 3 years old to about 14 years old. We walk inside and they all stare at us and analyze our every move. The inside was an old church turned into a small kind of classroom. There were still all the pews lined up and pictures of Jesus on the wall, and a long table where all the children were sitting. There were 3 Korean women coordinators who had broken English and then one main woman who could speak pretty good English. They had all 8 of us girls sit in a pew facing all the students and then there was a few minutes of silence and we all looked at each other like uhhhh? What now?
We suggested maybe the children introduce themselves to us and then we can as well. Each child stood up and said their name and age. It was so cute. Age is extremely confusing in Korea because they consider you 1 year old in the womb, so you're always a year older here. So I'm 23 in America, but here they consider me 24. Also, middle school; 7th, 8th and 9th grade is considered 1st, 2nd and 3rd, so it's a bit confusing. So, when some of the children stood up they would say their name then say "2" and we would all look at each other confused, like "there is no way this boy who looks at least 10 years old is 2 years old." We all started smirking and holding back laughter as some of the older kids would say like "1" or "3". We then realized they were actually saying what grade they were in and not their age. Ha lack of communication in Korea makes for some questionable but hilarious moments.
After the introductions we divided into groups with the children and played, colored, and drew with them a bit. The moment I walked into the place I immediately fell in love with this cute little special education boy and then this tiny 3 year old girl with giant glasses sliding off her face resting on the tip of her nose. I just kept watching them and cracking up. So they were put in the first group and me and my friend Gemme immediately jumped up and went over to play with them. We began drawing pictures and trying to teach them how to say heart, tree, rainbow, or whatever picture we would draw in English. They loved the colors and freedom of drawing. The adorable special education boy began drawing all sorts of things. He would smile and laugh and say something in Korean so it was hard to understand, but we would just nod and smile like we understood. Well he drew this one picture and I asked "who is that?" and he smiled and said "Opa" meaning his "daddy." My heart nearly broke. After talking with the coordinators we found out that he came from a single parent home with only a father and it was too much for the father to handle along with his special education so that is why he is there. Also many other of the kids came from abusive families or single parent or divorced homes so we concluded that maybe this was more of a foster home than an orphanage. The name of this place was "House of Hope." It seemed like the most fitting name for this place to me.
After we finished coloring the groups joined up and we taught them how to make paper airplanes which they just thought was the best thing in the world. There were planes flying everywhere and it was chaos but they were loving it so it was perfect. Next thing ya know everyone is running outside to play some soccer on a small dirt field near the playground with two rusty nets. Of course I get really into the game and end up covered in mud and sweat by the end of it all. It was worth it! Some kids were really good and others just ran around and watched and cheered the others on. By that point it was already 4 o'clock. Time had flown by and it was time to leave.
The expressions on the children's faces looked like someone had just told them they could never eat chocolate again. It broke my heart to see had they looked when we were leavng, but we promised them we would be back, and that is a promise I intend to keep. We gathered our things and headed back down the hill. The eager and anxious faces that once greeted us stared and watched us through the window as we headed home. I couldn't look back or  I would have lost it! For the rest of the time I am here I intend to go back at least for a few hours every saturday. They may think that we bring them a little bit of joy to their lives when we come and play with them, but they will never understand the joy they bring to ours.