Happy Thanksgiving to All!
I hope that everyone was able to spend the holiday weekend with those they love, sharing a laugh, bellies full to the brim. Thanks to the wonderful people around me, my Thanksgiving weekend beat all my expectations. Thursday evening, my co-workers and I shared a unique Thanksgiving feast: spicy squid. It was delicious, just takes a little time to adjust to your food actually wiggling around while it’s cooking. Regardless, everything was delicious and the company equally enjoyable. Saturday night was our big Chungdahm Family Thanksgiving dinner. Dusty actually found a 13lb turkey at the foreigner market in downtown Gwangju. So our feast included turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies, salad, green bean casserole, fried rice, and of course the cranberry sauce sent from the States. We stuffed our faces, some eating quickly to fool the brain- others pacing themselves. Either way, we all were sure to leave a little room for the delicious apple and pumpkin pies. Many miracles were performed in one evening: all twenty of us fitting around one table in one apartment, but the bigger miracle being that all of the food was made with just one real ‘oven.’ Bravo team, bravo.
In honor of it being Thanksgiving weekend and the beginning of the Holiday Season, I’d like to share all that I am thankful for:
5. End of the Term: I’m thankful that I survived my first term teaching at Chungdahm. I had a great head instructor that showed me the ropes with endless support and grace. I also had a wonderful batch of kiddies. While the semester included a handful of headaches, there were also many laughs and good memories. The kids were great and I’ll miss ‘em all at some point. I’m also thankful that the first term is over, because it means that my journey here in Korea is ¼ complete. It’s been an interesting ride thus far, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming months.
4. Koreans: I’m incredibly thankful for Koreans being the generous, warm-hearted people they are. The other day I was in a battle with the bus system here in Gwangju as I was trying to travel to new territory. The busy system had powerful resources- seeing as most of the bus maps are written only in Korean. However, several friendly Koreans jumped up to help me find my way. I am thankful that Koreans are so friendly to foreigners. I am also thankful for two guys: George and Ed. More notably known as McCune and Reischauer, who are responsible for the Romanization of the Korean language. Living in a country that doesn’t use the Roman alphabet has been more challenging than expected, but luckily, Korea has adapted to the growing number of foreigners and you can find English most places.
3. Skype: Pretty self-explanatory, but I am extremely thankful for Skype and the possibilities our 21st century technology allows us to enjoy. Thank you for allowing me to stay in contact with my friends and family at home. Skype, you’ve truly impacted my life more than you’ll know. Kakao talk, my text-messaging program, you’re in a close second place.
2. Friends: Old and new, thank you times a million. I feel so lucky to have such a great support system at home. There are many friends at home who I have maybe just messaged a few short novels to occasionally, or have written a letter to- but it helps me so much. Writing to you is the greatest therapy for me. So thank you for listening, and more props if you wrote back. I miss my friends from all over the States, but I feel your love and support. If you have sent me mail (or surprise packages) I am forever grateful. If you have skyped with me, again, seeing your face means the world to me. Specifically, thanks to Anne and Berta for skyping with me for hours on end. I am also feeling grateful for the new friends I have made in Korea. My co-workers rule, and I love our big, crazy Gwangju family.
1. Family: I honestly wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the support from my family. I have the two greatest parents, who shower me with love and warmth. Thank you for showing me the world from a young age, sparking my curiosity and passion for traveling. Also, I am thankful for having such a big, loving family. I feel so much love hearing that you all read, enjoy, and share my blog. I miss all the Goodwins and the Olivers (especially my grandparents) and I’m glad we can connect via the Internet. Being away from the family around the holidays will be rough, so feel free to send me some emails. Oh, and congrats to my cousins Tony and Julie on their beautiful baby girl!
Overall, not too much is new in Gwangju. Winter has made it’s entrance. The days are mild, and the nights are frigid. (Thankful for floor heaters in Korean apartments.) Two weekends ago, a group of us headed to Seoul to check out Everland: the 8th largest amusement park in the world. Everland is a 50-minute bus ride outside of Seoul. Dusty, Nick, and I took a bus to Seoul on Saturday and enjoyed a speechless Mexican dinner at On the Border in Co-Ex mall. Guacamole, cheesy burritos, and margaritas= enough said. Sunday morning, a group of 8 of us headed off to Everland. Everything in Everland is extremely close to Disney World, but not. We found ourselves saying, “It’s just like Disney, but not” at several points in the day. The rides were really exciting actually, but the lines were no less than 60 minutes. On top of the greatness of being at an amusement part in Korea, the whole park was Christmas themed, which meant we enjoyed Western Christmas Carols and Christmas decorations. The day came to a peak of greatness when I was watching the best firework show, drinking hot chocolate, and Santa came on screen.
I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend and officially: Happy Holidays to you! The pictures include: Everland, Thanksgiving dinners, my students, and a few others. Enjoy!
Until next time….
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