Camp Rocks

Happy New Year!!!!
I've been so busy planning camp that I've barely had time to do much else. I am right smack in the middle of teaching my kids the basics of movie making- and I am completely loving it.

I am teaching totally alone for the first time: my co-teacher is on vacation on a beach in Guam, probably loving every second of it. It has been intensely difficult without her- there are virtually no other teachers here (no one who speaks English anyway), and I'm dealing with a broken computer and frozen pipes (no running water at school for eleven days!). I arrive to an office that is kept around forty five degrees: I can see my breath, and the water in the toilet tanks is frozen. Every day is a total zoo- I teach eleven high level thirteen year olds and one super low level fifteen year old (I discovered yesterday that he can't read!). The kids are mostly out of control and wild, but they are actually enjoying the material I'm teaching: and I have to say, as corny as it sounds, it makes everything else a cakewalk. I don't really mind that I can't really feel my toes, that there's no lunch, no working toilets. My students make me laugh so much, and for the most part, are really understanding what I'm saying to them. It has been amazing to finally communicate with them, without the crutch of my co-teacher translating everything for them. The days are flying, and though I'm beyond excited to begin writing scripts and filmng next week, I'm kind of sad for camp to end.

My New Year's celebration was nothing short of fantastic, just as I knew it would be. (Coming Soon: Pictures) I went to Busan with my friends and had a blast. This weekend is going to be much more low-key (I hope) with a "temple food" (vegan) dinner on friday and a boardgame night on saturday.

With the beginning of a new year, I've been forced to finally think about what my future holds, in terms of returning home to Buffalo, staying in Korea another year, or going somewhere else. I feel so uncertain about everything, and extremely conflicted. I know that September is still a long ways away, but with the way the last four months flew by, it will be here before I know it. I'm determined to enjoy every minute of my time here, and so far it has been beyond amazing- am I willing to give this up?

More soon: pictures too!
<3M

Plans!

I woke up feeling Monday morning feeling happy and generally stoked about the future. It's not a feeling I often get; excitement is mostly smothered by anxiety. But it's Wednesday morning and the feeling still hasn't gone away. There are so many things happening- very soon- to look forward to!

For starters, this weekend is Christmas :) It's my first Christmas away from home, and though it makes me sad to not be with my family, I'm happy to be with my friends here in Jinju. I feel more and more lucky to know them as the days go on :) Friday at school, I'm throwing my students a proper school Christmas party, and I'm going to surprise them by dressing up as Santa, haha. Saturday night, my friends and I are all going to a performance of the Nutcracker at the Jinju Art Center, and then to a big steak dinner at Outback. Then we're having a group sleepover at CR's house, followed by a big breakfast and potluck lunch! The weekend can't come quickly enough.

The next week, I have two days of vacation to use however, and then of course it's New Year's Eve! Plans are still solidifying for that week/end, but I know whatever I do, I will be with my people, and it's going to be 100% great.

The Monday after New Year's, January 2nd, starts two weeks of "winter camp" for me, which is basically a continuation of school, but with less students (I'll be working with only about ten students, instead of my usual 110). I really wasn't looking forward to this initially, but I made a plan today to make it a "Hollywood Camp," and for two weeks, I'm going to teach my students how to write scripts, act, direct, and make movies in English. I've scoured the internet for tons of materials, and I feel prepared and excited about it. I'm predicting it will yield hilarious results.

After camp, I will have my first visitor in Korea- Ian is coming! I can't wait to be a tour guide.
After Ian comes, we will fly out of Busan together, and I'm going to Thailand for a week!!! Even better, I get to see my sister in Bangkok the night I get there!! It will be my first solo vacation, and I could not be happier about it. I can't wait eat heaps of delicious street food. The good things just keep coming.

I know the next two months are going to just fly by with so many amazing things happening. After I get back from Thailand, six months will have passed since I've been here! Winter will be almost gone and the events and destination weekends will start piling back on (March is the beginning of festival season, which lasts until late November). Then comes the time to start evaluating things....

More soon!