Thanksgiving Approaches

Well what I said about the weather, it quickly took a turn for the worst. We had a few days that were prettttty cold, at least for here ( I think I was seeing daily highs of 38-42 f). I even whipped out a jacket, though the Koreans were all bundled up like it was the next ice age. I'm still refusing to stop wearing my flip flops though, because now the weather is back to comfortable, just a bit rainy at the moment.

I'm actually supposed to have class now, but I showed up and the room was dark and empty. Upon asking Jang (maybe Chang), one of my two go-to people able to understand me here, he simply shrugged and said "today canceled." I find it strange they don't bother to tell me things like that before hand. In fact, it's been like that quite a bit. While I started with 9 classes, I'm now down to 5 -- last week they simply just disappeared off my schedule. The schedule changes regularly, apparently, so while I was scared to death I did something wrong, Hee Ju (the other go-to) told me the director wanted them to focus more on their reading and grammar classes, so some of my speaking classes were dropped. I'm baffled that they paid all this money for me to come (and I make more than any other teacher here) and they don't want to use me as much as possible. So I'm being paid to teach an average of 3, 40-minute classes per day, surf the web until I've read all there is to know, and walk around Jangsan for extended "breaks" until it's time to go home. This is the opposite of stressful. I'm just glad to know they're really happy with the job I'm doing as a teacher, regardless of how much teaching I actually do. I hope they take me up on my offers to help out more around here, though.

Yesterday I went exploring with some friends around Haeundae Beach about 2 km from my house. The beach is still very busy with families out for walks, people flying kites, and kids practicing their martial arts in the sand. On the western-most side of the beach there is an incredible 2.5 km path that winds up around the edge of cliffs (where we sat watching the fishermen on the rocks below), over boulders and through trees, past a lighthouse, and through beautiful meditation gardens. It reminded me that I really need to get a camera ASAP; words can't really do it justice.

My buddy Lenny and I are trying to start a weekly open mic thing at a place nearby; our first attempt will be Saturday. So right now we're learning new songs to play, as well as recruit some other musicians or groups in the area who'd be interested in joining. It reminds me of the good ol' days playing with Logan at the coffee shop in West Bend!

So Thanksgiving is approaching, EH? Here it'll be just like any other day, though I think some of us waegooks are going to try and get together after classes and organize a makeshift feast. The Turkey may end up being a bunch of Spam molded around some chicken bones, but it's the idea that matters, right? Ha. I can't help but feel a certain homesickness, however. Nobody prepares a Thanksgiving feast like my mom does, and it was always nice to have the family back together, as over the past several years the opportunities for such have been few and far between; I'm probably mostly to blame for that though, and I'm regretting not jumping on more chances to be home. This year I'm going to be most thankful for two things: one, the incredible opportunity I was given to grow up in a loving, supportive home with all the comforts I could have asked for (my empty apartment and fridge is quite depressing), and two, for having moved around so much in my life. I might not have felt this way during the time of moving states or schools, but now I look back and I really feel blessed for having been forced into uncomfortable, awkward, and undeniably scary situations growing up. It has made me truly appreciate my aquired willingness to try new things, such as the adventure I'm currently living. So since I may not update my blog before Thursday, I thought I'd say it now: Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!