Nov & Dec 2010

Another month has gone by! Please find some random updates below. I have a feeling that things will be busy over my last two months here in Seoul but I hope to post more frequently. As usually happens with me when I prepare to move away from a place I've called home for awhile, I start to reflect on my time and the people I've met, etc. So I'm sure I'll have some sappy, weepy, cheesy emails for y'all to enjoy in the coming weeks. ;)

I hope all you Minnesotans are keeping warm and safe! Can't believe I'm missing the record snowfall this year. Wish I could be at home and snowed in with the rest of you.

- KAAS

This is about all the snow we've had so far. I think it has only snowed twice and it melts before the morning. It sure is pretty!

Some of the girls on our preschool field trip to the Seodaemun Museum of Natural History. :)

I joined my friend Serina and her friends from her Saturday English group - they get together to study English and watch an episode of Friends together! :) We went bowling in Chungmuro. Grandma and Grandpa Sweeney, I've had a chance to practice. Maybe I'll win a game next spring! ;)

My coworkers (Erica on the left and Audrey, second from the right) and I went out in Gangnam for my friend Priscilla's birthday. Priscilla works at the English cafe where we have our language exchange/Korean lessons so it was a big party with all of the wonderful Koreans and foreigners from the cafe. We had dinner at On The Border in Itaewon - delicious Mexican food. YUM.

This was at a church in the Sinsa neighborhood where my coworker Mark put on an 'Eat So They Can' fundraiser. His friend Hannah is a member at this church and helped with everything. They had an amazing turnout and raised a lot of money to help people all over the world. And this member of the congregation was willing to entertain us with some Spanish songs he'd learned when he lived in Spain for 11 years. This was an amazing day.

With my coworkers at our holiday party. We had a 'Best Dressed' contest as well as a talent show. As you can see, my Seoulmate Becca wore her hot dog suit. I am still confused and angry and can't believe I have to report this but she didn't win either contest. SHE WAS A FREAKING HOT DOG, people! And her talent was, of course, her Oscar Mayer Weiner song (I've included a link for those that don't have the memory of her first performance burned on their brain). I accompanied Becca for moral support and also because we found a pair of lederhosen in the preschool shelves.

I still don't understand how she lost...

To drown our sorrows and also to fulfill a dream of Becca's since Halloween, we headed out in Seoul to mix with the commoners. Here's Becca on the subway. Apparently, walking around as a hot dog is not a big deal in Seoul.

At our favorite 7-Eleven with our favorite 7-Eleven employees/friends.

Pricing.

Thaaaaank you.

!!!!!

Our friend Tim stopped back in Seoul for a couple of days on his way home to Arizona after a five week journey through SE Asia (hence the nice tan). We're all chilling in the back of the good ol' 143, the city bus that takes us from our apartment to the subway and school. I feel like this picture marks the end of an era. We miss you, Tim!