It's The Final Countdown

Ah, what a year, what a year. I have done everything I set out to do in Korea, which was mainly to scour the country from top to bottom and see the sights and meet the locals.

I have made many friends in this country, some Korean and many from different countries all over the globe. New foods, new holidays, new customs... I could make this whole post a giant list enumerating the plethora of "new" experiences I've had, but you mostly know them from my previous writing.

Instead, this last post is about my kids. I've been teaching nearly 130 children for the past 6 months, and they have grown on me like little snotty, candy-flecked weeds. I will miss my little boys who turn beet red when they come to hand in their papers to me because they have a crush on the foreign teacher, and I will miss all my little girls who endlessly play with my hair and have whole conversations with themselves as they do so (SJ tells me that they are weighing the pros and cons of different updos for me :D )

My first week of class, the kids stared at me bug-eyed and tight-lipped; completely unsure how to handle the behemoth, light-eyed woman before them. It wasn't hard to break the ice because everything from my accent, my big feet overflowing the indoor sandals and my habit of bringing salad for lunch sends them into fits of laughter. Now I feel like I am leaving just when things are getting good. We know each other now. Students recognize flustered sighs from dangerous glares and will often silence themselves whenever I lift two fingers and pinch an imaginary sticker from their name on the sticker chart.

These past two weeks, I have been teaching from 9 to 4:30 each day, and I have been loading the kids up on good old Americana. They have learned about New Year's resolutions, how to draw the American flag, how America celebrates Easter, and I am doing an entire lesson on G.O.R.P (Good old-fashioned raisins and peanuts. AKA trail mix!) I went out and bought peanuts, raisins, banana chips, popcorn, peanut M&Ms, almonds and little baggies and labels so each student can have their own stash to take home.

My older students earned enough stickers for class participation that they earned pizza parties. Twice, I have had to brave the snow to go and fetch pizza and soda for my kids. While some of the kids are from middle class families, there are definitely children who come in wearing dirty clothes. They are the same ones that are dropped off way early for class and left waiting at the curbside long after all the other kids have been picked up. I'm trying to lavish prizes on them because I don't think all my children have the happiest or wealthiest of homes to go back to.

Korea is such a humble little country. I imagine Korea as a skinny adolescent, hunkered down low, trying to be overlooked by the bullies surrounding it: China, North Korea, Japan... but at the same time Korea is growing up and REALLY wants a little popularity, a little acceptance. That's why it's more common to get the gift of eyelid surgery (as in cutting the eyelid to make a crease) upon turning 16 than it is to get a car in Korea. They want to Westernize, to get competitive in the global market. Koreans are proud of their heritage yet act like the beaten animals of Asia- another country raises a hand at them and they cower down in fear. Koreans are sweet and industrious people. I am not sure if they will ever be unified with North Korea...or if Kia cars will take over the world (unlikely ;) ) but there are a lot of good things to be experienced in this country. Like the fact that I can walk alone at night. Anywhere. And be completely safe. The fact that I can set my purse in a crowded room, leave for the bathroom, and return to find it untouched. These people are very honest and good-hearted. If there is one thing I envy, it's the fact that I feel safer here beneath a terrifying communist world power than I do in my home town.

This weekend I leave for a last-minute trip to Fukouka and Nagasaki in Japan before hopping a flight on Monday to take me home. Asia has been good to me, and I recommend a visit to anyone seeking out a culture completely foreign to their own. I love South Korea and will miss SJ, but she tells me that one day she would like to come and visit me in Florida. I hope I can introduce you all to her since she has been my savior more times than can be counted over here.

So enjoy these last few photos and videos. I will be sure to add my Japan pics later. And Korea:

Annyong-hi kyeshipshio!!

6th grade, enjoying their pizza party.
This is a "large" bulgogi (meat) pizza, which is actually the size of a personal pan
pizza from Pizza Hut.

Koreans have this thing about carrying stuff- it must have a handle! So, every time you
order pizza or bring home a cake, they tie ribbons around the package to turn it into
a convenient little tote.

My favorites! 4th grade enjoying their pizza party, too.

"No, teacher, noooooo picture!"

Trail mix day! This is Jimmy... being the class clown as usual.

I figured Teacher Katy's true legacy is being a strange, health-fanatic foreigner. So
why not have a trail mix day? I'd rather have my kids inhaling dried fruit, nuts and
popcorn than chocolates and lollipops (although I did splurge and add M&Ms to the
lineup).They seemed to enjoy the lesson too and munched away like cows chewing cud
all during the lesson.

2nd graders. Elli and Bonnie!

Withdrawing all of my won form the bank and getting ready to send it as a wire
transfer to my bank account back home.

The only time in my life that I will be a millionaire. This was nearly 4 million won!