Field Trip from HELL

For the past few weeks I've been working in the morning for a kindergarten class to help a friend out. I was only planning on staying for a month until the principal asked me to stay until Feb. Seeing as I leave my apartment at 8:40am to get there, then go right to my afternoon job, I don't get home until 10pm at the earliest! (usually midnight if I do anything after work.) For those of you who know me well, know I hold a high regard for sleep. It's only been 3 weeks and I've never been so tired in all my life! So I decided I cant possibly stay for another 7 months or I might clearly be dead! (Plus I lost my voice over a month ago, and it seems to have still not found it's way back...)

The good think about the kindergarten is that they have field trips about once every week or two. Last Friday we took the kids out to this pool for the day, but it took about an hour to get there so I had to leave early to come back for my other job. Here is how our day went...

Fortunately I have no picture of this, but just as I'm dozing off on the bus 1/2 way to the pool, it suddenly stops and one of the teachers quickly escorts a little boy off the bus. Many know my biggest phobia is by far puke....so naturally I tense up just waiting for the kid to blow, but the stench as he was walking by told me otherwise. The poor little 5 yr. old kid decided he couldn't wait to get to the pool, and shat himself on the bus! I know I shouldn't laugh, but I was relieved he didn't throw up!

Finally we get there and all the kids are changing. THIS I couldn't help but laugh. I guess the "rule" at the pool is to wear swimming caps. Here are my kids sitting down waiting to go into the pool. Still excited and ready to go.

Finally we walk over to the pool area, but some genius thought it would be a great idea to take a bunch of pictures of the classes before they let the kids go in. This did not go over well with 10

7-yr. olds standing in the scorching sun being teased by the giant pool in front of them that they aren't allowed to go into yet. So they are quickly getting anxious, and I glance over at my favorite little sweet boy in class and he is just STARING at the ground, covered with.......oh yes.....barf.... fantastic! Of course I freak out and start screaming at this other teacher to take him away before I get sick myself. It wasn't too bad until all the bare-footed kids kept walking through it completely oblivious--and my eye kept catching the small, white pile. Off to the side of the picture of my annoyed girls, my ill boy sadly sits alone...

Since it was a good hour to get back to the school, I only had 1 hour to hang with my kids at the pool before I had to leave for my other job. Which I got to late, and was pretty annoyed myself that I even had to go. I looked like the little girl in my photo on the way left--hot, sticky, and wanting to leave......or die.

Fresh Air in Jeju Island!

So I finally got a chance to run away from the smoggy air of Seoul for a mini-vacation down to the southern island of Jeju. A friend from high school who just finished working in Japan came to visit, and we decided to go down there. (Adam Caruso, Gloria Pugh's nephew.) It was a short visit, but very relaxing and beautiful! The palm trees and fresh air was a great change from the loud, crazy city!

First stop, Jeju City. This is what the main roads looked like. A lot of shopping and Korean restaurants. Unfortunately, no "western" food... The other picture is the boardwalk along the Ocean which come to find out houses MANY centipede-type bugs. Think "a centipede on steroids with a hard shell and long antennae".....First one I saw was when I was about to climb up on the stone wall for a pic. and it nearly ran across my hand. I screamed right as an old Korean lady was walking by us and she jumped about 5 feet because of my loud reaction! Nasty little things though.. We walked out on the pier and looked back at the city, but it was dark and the photo didn't come out very clear, but here it is anyway!

These statues are everywhere on the island. Read there's 57 in all. They are called Dol Hareubang meaning "Stone Grandfather".

They are meant to protect the island by keeping out evil. They are also thought to help with fertility problems (as they are pretty phallic!!) The island is big for honeymooners, so.......

Our first hotel they told us we would be sleeping on a "Korean style bed" on the floor...So I was a bit freaked out at first, but after we got there and slept I actually would prefer this to my brick of a bed in the A.P.T! The "mattress" was a big, fluffy blanket that we doubled up on. (Their heating system comes up through the floor, so I bet these beds would be awesome to sleep on in the freezing winters here!) It was actually very comfortable.

Next day we went to the southern area of the island to Jungmun beach and some touristy places. It was really foggy that day, but actually cleared up and the sun came out for awhile when we were at the beach.

First stop was Oedolgae, meaning "the lone rock pillar". A giant rock in the Ocean formed by a volcanic eruption 1.5 million years ago..(Did some research on this one!) Then headed off to Cheonjiyeon Waterfalls. It's usually bigger than this I guess, but who knows what was happening that day...

Finally, some random pics from the area of Seogwipo.....and that's our trip!!