Life in Korea

 Okay so last blog I talked about mostly what I have been up to here.  I think in this blog I'll talk more about interesting or funny things I have encountered.  Hmm... so first of all there is not a separate shower stalls in the bathrooms.  It is connected to the sink so you take a show in the sink.  Also there is no pipes from the sink to the drain in the floor so water goes everywhere and therefore you have to use shower shoes.  Speaking of bathrooms they don't put toilet paper down the toilet they put it in a trash can (I don't I find it too weird).  So toilet paper here is scented.  Oh so in Korea you walk everywhere!!! The public transportation is wonderful here.  It is also pretty cheap.  The subway is like 90 cents one way, bus is the same and a taxi is like $2.  It is very affordable to use.  Otherwise you walk.  Most people don't drive but there is a lot of cars in Korea.  Speaking of cars, so back home cars yield to pedestrians but in Korea pedestrians yield to cars.  Often times cars will run red lights and not pay attention.  It is annoying at first but you get used to it after awhile.  I sometimes to walk at night by myself but honestly it is very safe.  There is always a lot of people around.  Umm...oh it is very common for people to walk up to me or any of the other foreign teachers and try to talk in English and ask us where we are from.  I've also been asked to take a picture with them.  In fact I even made friends with two store owners from Japan and they took a picture and put it up in the store.  They were very cute!  Umm... let's see when you go to Lotte Mart (which is like Wal-mart) you have to buy bags if you want to use them.  Since people walk everywhere often you will see like small carts to carry things home with.  They use T-money cards which you put money on and swipe when you take the subway or bus.  It is very handy.  You don't need to carry exact change with you.  Oh when you go eat you don't have a waiter always coming to your table instead there is a bell you ring on the end of the table so you can get whatever you need.  Speaking of eating out you do not tip here and usually people don't go dutch.  Culturally it would be the oldest who would pay or whoever invited everyone.  I eat out much more then I cook.  That is very common here.  It is kinda interesting but it is also why many places aren't expensive to eat at.  Hmm... well honestly this is all I can think of for now.  So speaking of food it is time to got eat.  Which means I'm going to go to the Kimbap shop next door for Pacombap (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) anyways it is delicious. It is a rice ball filled with tuna mixed with mayo and on the outside it is covered in seaweed.  If you have any questions or want to know anything feel free to ask.  Besos!!!!

A month later...

So where to begin...?  Well I've been here a month now.  I love Korea!!! I love my students but my boss sucks sometimes.  Oh well could be worse.  Let's see I live about 20 minutes walking from my school.  It is an okay walk.  When it is super cold like it has been this past week it really sucks!!! The bus, subway and taxi are very cheap out here.  Usually ranging from 900 won to 3000 won ( 90 cents to 3 dollars).  It depends on how far you go and which one you are talking about lol.  I take the subway a lot.  I have been in Seoul every weekend I have been here sometimes more than once a weekend.  I've been to Seoul (Namsan) Tower twice now.  I've gone to Lotte World which is the biggest indoor amusement park in the world I believe.  I celebrated Lunar New Year with my students the Friday before and on that Monday I celebrated with some of the other foreign teachers.  I've been to the Korean War Museum and the Folk Village.  I played traditional game and even made rice cakes.
As for teaching I am usually at school from 9 in the morning to 7 at night.  I teach for 7 hours a day about, but it ranges depending on the classes for when I teach.  Confusing I know, but I teach Kindy from 10 to 3 with a lunch break and an hour break.  Then after 3 I may teach one or two hour classes in elementary or I'm with all day Kindy.  It depends on the day.  Also then I have phone teaching in which I will call my student and have them talk to me for 5 to 10 minutes on the phone.
As for stories, well I hang out with the other foreign teachers all the time.  Mostly, with Leah who is from the States as well.  Her and I have a lot in common and we get along really well.  Megan is very cool.  She is from Canada and she cooks dinner often for all of us being the 5 that live in the same building (which is funny because she calls me Omma which means mom in Korean).  Philip and Kevin are from the UK and are always with us too!  Kevin is from Scotland and is very funny.  Philip is from England and is very sweet.  Harris and I joke around a lot. He is from the States as well.  Matt is from England and is very nice.  Andy is from the States and is my buddy teacher so he is always helping me out especially after I got yelled at on my third day of teaching and my students didn't have their books.  One thing about teaching is that they really take into account what parents say and parents complain a lot.  Kind of sucks but whatever.  I won't get into it, because honestly it isn't worth it.  Steven and Basel are from Canada and are interesting.  They are nice but different sometimes. haha I don't know how to explain.
My students are very cute I teach a new class so they speak no English really and are only 5 years old.  They are my baby class and call me all kinds of things.  Lately it has been "Tara Teacher Mommy" and they hug me and pull on my scarf.  Oh the kids here love my earrings and scarf.  I'm not sure why but they do.  They like to give me kisses on my cheeks or nose too! My other Kindy class are 6 year olds and there is only 2 of them.  They have had many teachers change in the last 6 months so I feel bad for them.  They have finally warmed up to me and they like to hug me.  My elementary students are very cute and most of them are smart.  I have pictures but not at works so I will have to upload them later.  Oh they love Angry Birds out here!!! It is everywhere and I mean everywhere.  Just as much as their K-pop idols!!!!  Speaking of K-pop idols my elementary students call me T-ara (tiara) Teacher.  My name is spelled the same way as a very popular K-pop group so my students tend to sing their songs to me everyday!!!!  Also they have no idea what Spanish is.  I usually will use it to get their attention, when they aren't paying attention.  They didn't even know it existed.  Kind of funny sometimes because they thing it is cool. 
I still have no internet at home since I'm still waiting for my residence card so I can get a phone, a bank account and internet at home.  It kinda sucks, but oh well I'm not home much anyways.  hmm...well this kind of turned into a long blog.  Sorry about that.  I'm off to go eat dinner with the other teachers to celebrate a birthday!!! I'll try to update soon!!!  Besos!!!!