Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
TGFSB- Thank God for Summer Break
It has been a great year so far. I cant say it hasn't come with some difficulties as well as a few surprises, but all have been worth it. With that being said however, I am so happy it is time for summer break. Starting Friday, our summer break begins at a pivotal time of rescue. With summer camp going full force plus the added classes we picked up when Peter and Leah depaarted, we welcome this little oasis in the summer. We are heading out Saturday morning super early. First I have a dentist appointment (I found a really great dentist in seoul who speaks English and practiced in the states for years and has a lot of awards.) I am quite picky about dentists as my last one butchered my teeth and also fused two of my teeth together when he did a filling. What a hack.
I am thrilled to get some time off. We not only have a break from the Hans, but we also were given this Sunday off. I am so happy. Mr. Han surprised us on Sunday and announced that there would be no service next week. I guess it may seem weird to be so pleased not to have to go to church, but everyone needs a little time off every now and then. Soon, once Tyler and Lyndsay arrive, we will get one Sunday off each month. It will be a nice change of pace. We have had only two Sundays off in six months.
Jack and I decided we are going to go hit up Seoul for the weekend. We are staying near Gangnam just outside of Samseong station in Seoul at the Hawaii Hotel. We stayed there once in the past when visiting friends and we really liked it. Plus, it will be nice not to have to stay at a love motel again. haha I really want to go to Coex next door (one of the biggest malls I have ever seen), so it works out great.
Hopefully lots of pictures will follow and we will have a load of fun.
I am thrilled to get some time off. We not only have a break from the Hans, but we also were given this Sunday off. I am so happy. Mr. Han surprised us on Sunday and announced that there would be no service next week. I guess it may seem weird to be so pleased not to have to go to church, but everyone needs a little time off every now and then. Soon, once Tyler and Lyndsay arrive, we will get one Sunday off each month. It will be a nice change of pace. We have had only two Sundays off in six months.
Jack and I decided we are going to go hit up Seoul for the weekend. We are staying near Gangnam just outside of Samseong station in Seoul at the Hawaii Hotel. We stayed there once in the past when visiting friends and we really liked it. Plus, it will be nice not to have to stay at a love motel again. haha I really want to go to Coex next door (one of the biggest malls I have ever seen), so it works out great.
Hopefully lots of pictures will follow and we will have a load of fun.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Sang Mu Sauna
I guess I should consider renaming this blog "Korean Sauna" at this point due to the surplus in relevant posts, but what can I say? I freaking love the sauna. We had a mishap this week and lost some money. We aren't sure where or how exactly. Our guess is it fell out of Jack's pocket or it may simply be lost in the abyss masquerading as my dirty laundry hamper. As such, we are saving money this week. I couldn't bring myself to pay the 6,000 won each way to go to the sauna I am aquainted with in Kumho Dong. Thus I went on a new search. After searching around a bit for a sauna closer to our neighborhood, I discovered their is actually one hidden behind the coffee shop across form our building.
The sauna I went to today is located behind Tom and Tom's in Sang Mu. It is attached as part of SM Fitness, a very overpriced gym in Sang Mu. The sauna itself is not huge my any means, but the layout is nice. As you enter you remove your shoes, grab a locker, and pay the desk clerk for your scrubber and day at the spa (roughly 5,000 won/ $4.85) You go to the second floor, find your locker and strip. I looked around the sauna and it had all the stops. Varying temperature dry saunas as well as a plethora of hot tubs to soak in after you are finished. The scrubbing stations mirror those of almost every sauna. Comfy little seat accompanied by a regular spicket and hand held shower head. I enjoyed the tubs at this sauna much more the location in Kumho Dong. There is a cold one for swimming and it has a spout that shoots down at phenomenal speeds for a great back massage effect. There are two other pools. They are 39 and 42 degrees Celsius respectively. The saunas also range in temperature. The two I saw were 70 and 76 degrees Celsius. For my American friends who don't know the conversion rate, just know that is boiling hot. You break a sweat almost as soon as you enter.
It was great. After about 15 minutes of sweating away the pounds and internal toxins, I jumped to the regular showers lining the right side of the sauna and then took the plunge into the various pools. After another 30 minutes or so of soaking I headed to the scrubbing station and wrapped up my day at the sauna. I definitely think this is going to be the thing I miss most about living in Korea. I have already mentally integrated a sauna-esque portion into the home I want to build someday. I love it!
For the foreigners who may be a bit standoff-ish, dont be a coward. This might be the best thing you do while you are in Korea for yourself. The cultural barriers will have to fall quickly, but when they do, you will be glad you took the risk. :)
The sauna I went to today is located behind Tom and Tom's in Sang Mu. It is attached as part of SM Fitness, a very overpriced gym in Sang Mu. The sauna itself is not huge my any means, but the layout is nice. As you enter you remove your shoes, grab a locker, and pay the desk clerk for your scrubber and day at the spa (roughly 5,000 won/ $4.85) You go to the second floor, find your locker and strip. I looked around the sauna and it had all the stops. Varying temperature dry saunas as well as a plethora of hot tubs to soak in after you are finished. The scrubbing stations mirror those of almost every sauna. Comfy little seat accompanied by a regular spicket and hand held shower head. I enjoyed the tubs at this sauna much more the location in Kumho Dong. There is a cold one for swimming and it has a spout that shoots down at phenomenal speeds for a great back massage effect. There are two other pools. They are 39 and 42 degrees Celsius respectively. The saunas also range in temperature. The two I saw were 70 and 76 degrees Celsius. For my American friends who don't know the conversion rate, just know that is boiling hot. You break a sweat almost as soon as you enter.
It was great. After about 15 minutes of sweating away the pounds and internal toxins, I jumped to the regular showers lining the right side of the sauna and then took the plunge into the various pools. After another 30 minutes or so of soaking I headed to the scrubbing station and wrapped up my day at the sauna. I definitely think this is going to be the thing I miss most about living in Korea. I have already mentally integrated a sauna-esque portion into the home I want to build someday. I love it!
For the foreigners who may be a bit standoff-ish, dont be a coward. This might be the best thing you do while you are in Korea for yourself. The cultural barriers will have to fall quickly, but when they do, you will be glad you took the risk. :)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
I am published...
My school has decided to publish the workbook that I created for our Summer ESL language program. It was centered around a Harry Potter theme. I included writing pages (O.W.L.s), puzzles, games, arts and crafts, grammar pages, and a weekly potions class.
I think I will like potions class the best since included in the line up are the awesome Coke + mentos experiment, making our own butter beer, a fun ice cream punch recipe, and something I called "Dragon Tears" which roughly turns out to be carbonated Kool-aide. Over all I think it will be a success. i am really proud. I love Korea because I was actually able to use pictures from the movie with disregard for Copyright issues. You gotta love foreign countries. It looks awesome. We even sprang and got the cover in color. It is really lovely. I am super proud of it.
I also included some super cheesy slogans throughout, but the stuff sells like hotcakes here. FOr example, somewhere on the cover it reads, "Where learning is a magical experience..." haha I thought that was pretty funny myself, but they loved it. Also in some of the worksheets the students are racing to save the magical and muggle world from improper verb tense and incorrect capitalization. How can you go wrong with that? My favorite however whast the section with Mad Eye Moody for the worksheet choosing I (eye) or me with a huge picture of his weird eyeball thing. I was amused while doing this to say the least I hope you enjoy.
To see the book in color you can view it on my post below. :)
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Everything is going to be Okay.
It is official. I now know I can make it in Korea for as long as I need to. This past week Justin found yellow label tea. It is a lipton brand. I am pretty excited. It has a little different taste to the lipton family style bags specifically for making sweet tea, but it is pretty freaking close. Closer than anything else we have found here.
We tried a couple of times to get the perfect amounts. So after a few trial runs we have now judged the appropriate amount of teabags as well as sugar content. I feel like I am back at home with Iced sweet tea. It is a nice comfort drink for homesick days and because it feels like it has been a million degrees outside the last two weeks. :) Regardless, it is a welcomed reminder of home.
We tried a couple of times to get the perfect amounts. So after a few trial runs we have now judged the appropriate amount of teabags as well as sugar content. I feel like I am back at home with Iced sweet tea. It is a nice comfort drink for homesick days and because it feels like it has been a million degrees outside the last two weeks. :) Regardless, it is a welcomed reminder of home.
Sauna part 2
Well, as I stated in the past, the sauna has become a pretty frequent tradition for me. On Saturday I take my shower bucket (consisting of shampoo, conditioner, face wash and mask, and anything else I might need) and head to Kumho Dong to go to the sauna. I choose to go outside of my neighborhood so as not to run into my students. (since people of all ages go to the sauna)
Last Saturday I had a pretty funny encounter while at the Sauna. I was going about my business in the hot rooms, pools, and scrub area when a worker walked in my area. You can usually tell who the workers are because they wear clothing of some sort. In her case just underwear. I was at the sauna alone this week. The worker came over and asked me something. I was unclear as to what it was, but I shook my head and smiled politely. It was at that point she took my scrubber out of my hand and proceeded to give me a rub down.
Aside from my mother and one other foreigner, Katherine who ventured to the sauna with me once, this was the only other lady to ever scrub my back. Koreans are very thorough. She scrubbed my back for a solid five minutes or so. Lets just say it was a cultural experience I am not soon to forget.
Last Saturday I had a pretty funny encounter while at the Sauna. I was going about my business in the hot rooms, pools, and scrub area when a worker walked in my area. You can usually tell who the workers are because they wear clothing of some sort. In her case just underwear. I was at the sauna alone this week. The worker came over and asked me something. I was unclear as to what it was, but I shook my head and smiled politely. It was at that point she took my scrubber out of my hand and proceeded to give me a rub down.
Aside from my mother and one other foreigner, Katherine who ventured to the sauna with me once, this was the only other lady to ever scrub my back. Koreans are very thorough. She scrubbed my back for a solid five minutes or so. Lets just say it was a cultural experience I am not soon to forget.
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