Keysha's Christmas Party

Saturday, was Keysha's Christmas party and of course it snowed again, I think the snow likes her because anytime she asks me to hangout it snows! Ugh! Lol. Well, we had a good time most of us were teachers, but there were 2 military guys as well. We all had some good discussions about why men and women act the way they do. For example, why men cheat because they have too much testosterone. Hey and a man didn't come up with this excuse, a woman did lol and NO it was NOT me!

We also discussed weird things about Korea....well they are weird to us. Also, we talked about different experiences we have encountered that are similar and what each individual does to handle these situations in the best way possible. It was all fun and a good time to chill, lay back and laugh!! Enjoy the pictures!

It snows in Korea....

Look at my chop stick skills (lol)

Last week, Keysha and Jay (fellow teachers in South Korea) called me up and asked me to go with them to a Japanese restaurant.  I was very eager, because I like Asian food, well except Korean food. :(  (I will explain more about that later.)  So, after we ate a good meal Keysha and Jay had to show out (misbehave) lol!  I was the only one that was on my good behavior ;) Enjoy the pictures!! Miss you all and have a Merry Christmas and of course a bright and HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010~YAY!!!

Boys Will be Boys!

I forgot to tell you about this incident a few weeks ago lol, but I just thought about it so it is good as ever.

I was walking up to the school one day, and I heard one student calling my name. At first, I wasn't even going to say too much, not that I was being rude, but the kids are always calling my name, some of them just like to say it because it is different to them. However, I did look up just in time to hear them say "Jessica...fire, fire, fire!" I was puzzled for a minute because I saw no fire, so again I was thinking these kids do not see any fire, they just want to scream any English they learn lol. I get closer to the building and finally this little boy says it again "Jessica...fire, fire, ooolah!" Then he starts running away from the door.  Next, thing I know I see a match or lighter in his hand.  Whoa!! Wait a minute I see a burnt piece of paper too.  What in the world are these 1st and 2nd graders doing outside, and by the door. It was about 5 boys.  Who need to be in class.  I go upstairs and thank God a teacher is coming down the hallway I grab her because she doesn't know English. I lead her to the boys and said fire! LOL! She was telling them to stop or something, but strangely enough it didn't seem like a big deal to her. So, I wonder if they do this all the time because another English teacher at another school about 4 hours away from me said a few boys were trying to light something on fire at her school too. Ha! I say people are the same in SOME ways no matter where you are or what planet you live on. 

The kids make my day, what would our world be like without kids and old people "senior citizens." I love them both. I think this is the age when we are the most gentle, tender, and caring human-beings. :D (smile)

Blurts & Blurps VI... "Starring Mr. Bangladesh"

Blurts: Yesterday, I was on the subway on my way to visit my homegirl because she is leaving. Mind you we are all use to people staring at us over here, but there was one stare I was trying to shake. It was a familiar stare I had seen many times back home from a group that will remain nameless.  I was doing really good ignoring HIM. Then the stare got closer, then closer, hmm...then the stare STOOD UP!! What!?! Omg he is coming closer...good thang my stop was up next....I thought...GULP!!! I was about to get off only to realize that was the wrong stop my stop was the one after Jije station. Oh my however will I get off the subway avoiding this pecuilar stare? Well, I was counting every minute until I thought the subway would stop, but oh I guess I couldn't count fast enough because the stare got closer and closer until he asked me where I was from, what I was doing in Korea, and wanted my phone number. Oh my!  Well, I couldn't shake "Mr. Bangladesh" until I met up with my friend Briana, so I gave him a fake number and we ran! : ) I should have given him Bri's number since she is leaving in a few days! Haha! : )


Blurps: Today, I am at home in bed chillin! It is the schools anniversary every December 15th. I asked how many years it has been established and the teacher told me "many-many!" I am just glad to be off! YAY!! :)

GEPIK Teacher's Orientation 2009

GEPIK (Gyeonggi-do English Program in Korea)

(Gyeonggi-do is a province made up of many cities)

WOW! This week was definitely eventful, it was full of life, fun, meeting people. This is the week I will remember most about Korea.  This is the week I met my fellow foreign teachers and oh did we have a blast. I just wish I would have taken pictures, but I think I was so bored with the classes and so over joyed about meeting foreigners/expats that I was just to excited to snap the pictures. 


Let's see I met Keysha who is a young African American lady who has lived in Asia for 9 years and has lived in Korea for 2 years.  I have just met Keysha, but just hearing that little information about Keysha makes me want to know her more, so we hung out a lot and we were both so happy because we living walking distance from each other lol! So, you know we plan to cut up in a "good" way soon! YAY! I am probably going to designate her as my mentor for the rest of the year since we only have about 24 days left haha! In all seriousness I plan to have a lot of fun and learn a lot from her.  A former classmate of mines told me when every she is seeking something she always thinks it is good to have a mentor and a mentoree. I have been sharing a lot of new things with another friend of mines who will be joining us all soon in Korea her name is "Asia" lol go figure!


Okay, lets see who is up next, hmm oh Linda I met Linda she is a very sweet lady who lives north of Korea.  Yes, I said North of South Korea. I can't remember how close she is to the border, but I had a chance to make fun of her. 

I also met some South African chicas!! I love them they are soo down to earth. Liesl and Sade they are some pretty cool chicks.  I also need to mention Judy from SA, but I cannot find her on facebook. :(  She lives an hour and a half from North Korea...that is too close for me lol. They also said there was a guy there that lived 30 mins from North Korea and he often hears activity. WOW!

Okay, I have to mention this lol because it reminds me of high school.  I was kind of the popular girl at "camp" by mistake haha! I was the first to volunteer to comment about a video GEPIK showed us.  The lady made me run all the way to the front mind you I was all the way in the back of an auditorium.  So, I asked the GEPIK coordinator about the video, and why some of the Korean teachers do NOT allow us (expats) to teach in class. In SOME of our classes we feel like vegetables instead of feeling like we are co-teaching, we are just sitting there collecting dust. I was asking her how we could overcome this, and everyone was applauding the question, it sounds like most teachers here feel the same way.  Sometimes, you just have to be assertive NOT aggressive in these situations and press your way through. When it all boils down to it we are there for the kids to learn! I press my way through and when I am allowed to open my mouth you better believe I am giving as much insight as possible. I even see some of my 6th graders taking extra notes, and some of my 4th & 5th graders asking me what is the English translation for certain items, for example, one of my students asked me what the word for a piece of yarn was and I told her the action is knitting. She was knitting a scarf.

I must also add that I did ask her about the issue in a tasteful manner.  Sometimes it is okay to be proud of yourself, this is what I was taught, so I was glad I was respectful to the coordinator.   The conference empowered me so much, it was awesome to see so many young people my age and profile, such as Africans, Black UK's and African Americans doing their thang just like me :)

Well, this is just a taste of why I haven't updated my blog....actually the orientation was the first week of Dec, so I am behind by 2 weeks, but I will do my best to keep you informed on my whereabouts...

Special shout out: to Quida from FLNA (Frito), she was worried about me and checking on me because I had not updated my blog recently.  Gotta love the frito ladies! :)