Yet I am perfectly happy to say goodbye to 2010. It was probably one of the consistently most difficult years of my life. Which was part of the reason I needed a change. I needed some kind of jolt in my life and moving to Korea seemed to be it. I have never struggled more in my relationship with God or my sense of direction or with some of my personal issues. So goodbye 2010... time for a new year.
I think part of the reason I haven't written a blog in the last little bit, especially since New Years, is that this has been an admittedly difficult stretch in Korea. Even now I am glancing up warily at my thermostat in the room because it is flashing a red light that means there is some kind of problem. And this is after a repairman was in my house most of the day fixing my boiler issues. And this is after he was already here on Sunday. And already here two weeks ago. January has been the month of issues with my heat. Korea is actually colder than usual. Dahye, a fellow English Center worker at my school, was telling me that it hasn't been this cold, this consistently in Boeun for over 10 years. That partnered with the fact that I have a boiler to heat my floors and water that uses oil (which is a very old way of heating), as well as an old apartment in general, has made for an interesting past few weeks. Plus I washed a bunch of laundry by hand tonight because my pipes are frozen for the clothes washer. Alas... it has to unfreeze sometime...
Plus I am firmly past the honeymoon stage of living in a different culture. This is nothing new for anyone who has lived in another country. There's that point you hit where the language barrier bothers you more or you wish you understood what was happening around you or the culturally different perspective of your co-worker is just all the more difficult.
Yet there are still great things... so before this blog entry becomes sounding "woe is me" (which is not my intention at all!) lets talk about life in Korea in December and January with a positive spin...
First of all... snow! There has been a lot of snow in Korea. Not as much as Canada (yes Edmontonians, you take the cake for snowfall), but still quite a bit.
Snow! It's so pretty when it falls.
Dahye is covered!
But we're enjoying it!
It's very difficult to take a picture looking into the snow...
I was anticipating Christmas to be a difficult time alone in a foreign land. And it definitely was... but not as hard as I was anticipating, and that's due to my wonderful friends in Boeun! First there was the Christmas Eve extravaganza at Leonard and Michelle's. Complete with a white elephant exchange, a potluck, and lots of laughs. (Thanks Betty for letting me take photos with/use photos from your camera as mine died...)
What's in the present? It's always important to shake it to see... Plus I am sporting a lovely scarf you could get when purchasing a cake from Paris Baguette. Also very festive.
Me and Laura at Leonard and Michelle's
Me and Betty
Simon's enjoying the food... so is Joey! (Joey on the left, Simon on the right)
Korean bakeries seriously have the most decorative cakes!
The dessert spread
Leonard, Angela and Joey enjoying some good Christmasy conversation. Now I'm just assuming it was Christmasy, what with it being Christmas Eve and all.
Laura even made a cake from scratch! Way better than the store bought ones
The gifts... let the exchange begin
Joey, Simon, Michelle, Laura and I
Chris originally unwrapped my gift... lucky guy! But apparently he didn't think so because he took advantage of the game and exchanged it with someone else. I'll try not to take it personally Chris. I still think the hat looks good. Hopefully Joey does too because he ended up with it.
The "best" gift was Simon's, which Laura unfortunately opened. Apparently monkey headdresses are not her favourite things... but they're everywhere in Korea!
Simon could just not understand what Laura's problem with the hat was... clearly he's enjoying wearing it.
I really am so thankful for that Christmas Eve party. It's always better in my books to do something surrounded with good people. So thanks again Leonard and Michelle for hosting us!
Christmas morning/early afternoon was filled with Skyping for me. I think I sat in the same chair for close to 6 hours when it was all said and done. But it was great to be able to connect with friends and family from home. I may not have been home for Christmas but it was the next best thing. Plus Chris and Betty gave me a wonderful present of breakfast! What great neighbours they are...
Eggs Benedict by Chris
And it truly was a White Christmas! It snowed for a good portion of the day, which made it feel more like home.
Showing off some Canadian pride
For Betty, who is from Hawaii, a White Christmas was a particular treat! For me... just felt right.
For New Years, the plan was to get a group from Boeun and go to Seoul. Unfortunately, Simon became quite ill and had to forgo the New Years Seoul adventure and stay home. Which became a good thing because Laura also got sick that night. I'm sure I've told many of you of the Seoul adventure, which was not quite the greatest traveling experience I have ever had. It included getting yelled out of a taxi by a cab driver, being lost and unable to find Chris and Betty, several lost items in general... the list could go on. Needless to say it did not inspire many moments we wanted to capture with photos to save for prosperity. But I did take three gems...
This place is actually "Steff Hotdog"... interesting...
I love this sign for the toilets. It's very clear that it's not just for women and men... but women and men who really really really have to go.
Oh Betty... the classic V with the random statues at the bus station. Good times in Seoul...
I wish I had more from New Years, but that will have to do for now.
This coming weekend I am going to Thailand for a two week (much needed!!!) vacation! I'm so excited to thaw out on a beach and get some distance from work and boiler issues. I can't wait! So check back after February 5th for updates on what Thailand was like. I'm thinking it's going to be wonderful.
