Hot Child in the Country: Air Show Field Trip

 Today we had a field trip at school! Myself and 11 other teachers were chaperones to the 120 kids, which was really, so much fun. (Actually... three field trips!!) It was the craziest field trip experience of my life, I really bonded with my kids today, and I loved it. I came to school, we had this itinerary printed out on our desks saying what time we would do everything. It said, "Leave at 8:44" (HA!) I read that at 8:47, so..... WE WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE. Haha, krazy kardashian koreanz.

Above: adorbz Korean babedog

My BFF at school, the wonderful kooky and colorful Yang Hae-Suk, She insisted we trade sunglasses, and kept my pair.  

So we leave at like.... 9:03 on this gigantic bus. And, all of the sudden, we get on the road, and one by one, like 20 kids came to me at my seat and handed me a snack. We were going on about a 45 minute bus ride.... and I had a lap full of snacks. Soon the entire bus was, in turns, screaming and singing the Korean national anthem (?!) and I was just laughing and taking pictures. Then we got to our first destination- the thrilling energy plant (not thrilling at all actually). We were "so late" that we couldn't even get out of the bus and go on the walking tour, so we just drove through the grounds and the kids watched a DVD about what they were seeing. It was LAAAME

At approximately 10:42 (on the itinerary), we left the energy place and drove to the Sancheon Army/Air Force Base where there was an air show and fall festival being held. There was something for everyone there: face painting (Ellen got an arm "tattoo" so she could be "cool like me"), posing in ridiculous pictures with wigs, making crafts, and a full exhibit dedicated to the Korean Space Program (which I really wasn't even aware existed).

Above: "Georgie," one of my very favorites. I wish you could hear his voice. It sounds exactly like you'd think it would.

Ellen getting her arm "tattooed".... "Just like Mandi"

"Katie" as "Spider-girl"

Some of my boys playing with some weird wheels

planes in the blistering sun

The kids went crazy, I got my face painted, played a bunch of games, drank fresh squeezed kiwis for the first time (delicious!) and mostly baked in the blazing sun.

Myself, "Wanda" and "Rhianna" with painted faces. It's also mandatory to give the peace sign in every photo here.

I was also approached SIX TIMES by strange men asking to take a picture with me. I kind of felt like a movie star! I was quickly dragged back to reality when I realized people were pointing and laughing at me for being the only adult in the entire place with a painted face, haha. Oh well. Everyone was allowed to kind of scatter and do their own thing, and the kids were encouraged to run off and be by themselves, which was cool, I didn't get stuck hanging out with a big group of kids all day. I hung out with a few here and there, it was fun. They completely took care of themselves, though, and each one made it back in one piece (not even a head count was done by any teacher- which I found very impressive! This kind of independence/not worrying about where every single student is would probably never happen in the USA, lawsuits and such) We ate lunch as a huge group and even though I couldn't really understand much of what they were saying, I felt included.

The gang and me sweating our faces off! Next to me is bff Yang Hae-Suk. 

Next we went to the Sancheon Aerospace Museum which is half dedicated to being a Korean war memorial/housing airplanes from the war and half dedicated to their space program.

"Nani" and "Monariza" (a shy and quiet bro+sis) posing in front of a helicopter

Nikoon (one of the smartest and most respected kids in school!) and Me in front of a tank from the UK used during the Korean war

"Jonsen" and "Timi" in outerspace

By the time we made it back to school, I had a package from Robin Clark!!! I opened an album she had made for me with pictures from this past summer with my friends at "the docks" in Lewiston. I immediately started crying, it was so thoughtful and there was a wonderful note included. It was such a lovely thing!!! Thank you Robin!!!!!

Next, the teachers went out for dinner to a restaurant in Jinju where they serve "Shabu Shabu," basically a giant boiling bowl of stock that you add meat, fish and veggies to and make a really delicious soup at the table. It was FREAKING delicious. Every teacher kind of got wasted.... I just sipped. I was too tired to really drink much, especially after eating. At the end of the meal, my vice principal was SCREAMING at me, literally, screaming, in very broken English, asking why Americans get so fat when they get older. (?!) He also asked me about ten times to point out who I thought the prettiest teacher was (there were nine female teachers present.... I did not choose).  It was also the first restaurant I've been to where I had to sit on the floor (totally uncomfortable!). So it was a little weird, mostly fun.....anyway.

Today was so, so great. Tomorrow is my trip to Daegu with my pals!!! We are going to the animal shelter to walk some doggies, cat cafe, Streetcar Named Desire, a hostel, and an amusement park! Can't wait!!! More so soon,

<3
M