8 MONTHS IN...

Wowee. Seems like every post begins with something like 'Holy crap it's already (insert month here)?! How did that happen?! And this post is no exception...

It's already the middle of OCTOBER?! Holy crap! Where has the time gone?!

I'll tell you where it's gone....it went bye bye and it went fast. I don't have much time to write but I wanted to at least upload some photos so I don't fall behind by another week. Please enjoy pictures from the last month. I hope all is well back in the states/wherever this finds you.

- KAAS

L Class students in traditional Korean garb on Chuseok.

Tony A. with the Sallys (Blue and Yellow) :)

Kevin and Danny

Blue Sally, Daniel and Tony A. Daniel makes faces like this daily. 

Just about any time I look at him. :)


Yellow Sally and I in our hanboks. Carol, the director of our school, brought her extra hanboks for us lady teachers to wear. She told me she wore this on her daughter's first birthday many years ago. I think it's beautiful.

Tim and I at the DMZ. Just kidding! Oh, man. I fooled you all. It's this amazing photo technology. I'll bet everyone thought we were really there! Gotcha! ;) Tim and I met up with Su-Jung, one of my friends from the English cafe where I take Korean lessons. She works at the Korean War Museum and gave us a free tour which included this AMAZING photo of us in the DMZ. Then we headed for the spiciest dinner I've had in Seoul. I think Tim liked it but his eyes were watering (and so were mine!). 

The spicy meal is called jjim dalk and it's my favorite Korean meal. Usually I head to a local restaurant near my school and I think when they see my group of mostly foreign friends, they automatically downplay the spice. But when we went to another place with Su-Jung, they loaded on the spice and YOWSAS was it hot. But so delicious and so we couldn't stop eating even though our sinuses were clear within the first ten minutes. :) 

But wait, there's more! I was just in Andong the other weekend and, wouldn'tchaknow?! Andong is famous for jjim dalk! I had jjim dalk for lunch, dinner and lunch the following day. Oh my goodness. Here's a link to a gorgeous picture of jjim dalk if you're curious. Yummmm. :)

Rockin' out to Piano Man. :) Of course we had to hit up the noraebong while Tim was here. He didn't get to experience this on his first trip. He sure can hit the high notes...

This was a late night trip to Seoul Tower. We rode up and back on the cable car and enjoyed a nice view of the city. Tim was here for just under three weeks but it felt like three days. It went by too, too fast. We had a great time. Tim, thank you for coming to visit...twice!! :) :)

One of the fun wood carvings in Andong, after jjim dalk lunch #1. :)

A mask dance in Hwahoe, a traditional Korean village near Andong. Site of jjim dalk meal #2.

More mask dances in Andong. Site of jjim dalk meal #3. :)

A quick video of one of the mask dances. 


There was a food exhibition so of course we went to check it out. :) 

We were told this is a set up for a traditional Korean wedding. 

Delicious! This mask is called The Aristocrat. There are wooden masks for The Scholar, The Wife, The Flirt, and I can't remember the rest. Here's the info. :)

With my friends at the Hwahoe village under some sweet fireworks. 

Erica, Becca, Nikki, Tim and Mark.

I visited my friend Sun and her husband Jun at her art exhibit. She had about six pieces in a show last weekend. I couldn't decide on my favorite but it's between this and a painting. Such a talented lady. :)