Cat cafe part 4

Yes, I went to the cafe cafe yet again! This time I had a good reason. My friend from England is travelling through Asia and she loves cats, so she asked me to take her.
On that Friday, all the teachers returned to school and I had to decorate my classroom ready for Monday/ prepare my powerpoint. I could of done this during the two weeks I was deskwarming, but the whole school was too cold then and it was warm on Friday <3. My classroom is sooo big. It's really two big classrooms so it took 4 hours to finish decorating. I actually didn't have a spare minute to myself on Friday!! >< Blah!

So back to the cat cafe. I metmy friend after work and took her to the cat cafe (which takes ages to find thanks to the small streets and the hundreds of people). I think it'sthe 3rd or 4th side street on your left as you walk down from exit 6. You will see this guy at the foot of the subway........



The cat cafe was the same as the last 3 times :/ but it was nice seeing Sarah :D. It cost 8000won to get in with a free drink.

Here are cat pictures.....




Seoul forest!

Yay! It's finally Spring! The weather literally changes overnight here! On Tuesday it was freezing, but by Wednesday, the sun was shining. Yay!!

Last Thursday (1st March) was a national holiday (I never know what the holidays are for ~ I don't even know half the British holidays are for to be honest). I decided to go for a wander. My friend had a idea of going to Seoul forest so off we went (after a lie in bed, naturally.....).

Seoul forest isn't really a forest. It is like a giant park with trees all lined up and a road running through the middle. It's great for familys but they should of called it a park.... The park for kids was one of the coolest I have seen for kids. It reminded me of Telford park in England. I saw some of my sixth graders (the cute ones).

It might look better in the summer when the trees have leaves and the "forest" didn't look so naked. We wandered over to see the deer. I was the most space I have seen an animal have since I have arrived in South Korea. It was nice seeing the deer and I think places like that are good for kids.

We wandered over to the insect section which had no insects but just a lot of plants and some animals that were in cages far too small for there size. It was free though. There was also a giant cage full of rabbits etc.

Yeah, there is not much to write as like I said above, Seoul forest is not a forest. We wandered along the river after and ended up drinking some beer/alcho pops by the river. Though the weather was sooooo good. It was beer garden weather in the UK <3









1 year in South Korea!

Last Wednesday (22nd feb) was my offical one year in South Korea! I didn't even realise until my friend mentioned that we had been here a year on Friday. It's been a good year with ups and downs with new friendships but also the odd fall out. I can safely say, I now have a good group of friends around me. I've been lucky in a lot of ways.

My school is ace. Because it's so big that we had (yes had! *sobs) four native English speakers. This gave me a chance to have friends in work so time flew by. Sadly, due to budget cuts in the Edu town program, one native teacher is leaving and the other is moving to the after school program.

There are also loads of younger teachers at my school and they speak English pretty well. Again, one of my friends left this year (yay! she is having a baby!! :D) but three of us are having a bookclub/cooking thing so we can visit her (and the cute baby when it is born!).

My principal is strict (I heard!) but he is powerful so that works in our favor. He is also kind. Last but  not least my (ex) co-teacher. I was sooo lucky to have had Mina as my first co-teacher! It was strange as everyone said we were like sisters in the way we acted and the foods we hated etc. But, I can always go and visit her upstairs. I met my new co-teacher the other day and she was really really nice. She said she was happy when she heard she got me which I take as a good sign. Oh yeah, that is my bad news. The principal decided I would have 5th and 6th grade again this year. I first found out on Thursday, I had 3rd n 4th so I took all my decorations down to us in my new classroom. Then on Monday, as an after thought, a teacher told me it had changed. I was so pissed! As the new 5th grade are horrible! Worse than sixth graders and last years sixth graders nearly killed me! I was hoping to do an evening language course this year but I won't be able to now. After teaching 6th grade last year, I was half dead during the week and then I had to use the weekend to zone out. I will be a zombie this year!

For this reason, me and Sarah decided we need a drink (or two)! We ended up in Itaewon (I am slowly liking this place more and more). First, we went for some Greek food (same place I went last week. Yummy!).

This is for sharing! I am not a pig!

But I wasn't only lucky with my school (except 6th grade). I think I was lucky with my apartment and the location. Sure, it isn't in the nicest area but it's fairly ok. Plus, it's on line 5 with is a pretty useful line for transfer and main locations. Even for the airports - Incheon 1 transfer, Gimpo 0.

So, all in all, I've been very lucky. I keep trying to tell myself this as everyone this week is going home/travelling and I half wish I was one of them. But then I realise there is nothing for me at home (just the unemployment line) and if I went travelling I would want to save up more. This year my plans are to save up loads of money for when I do go travelling/or house deposit and to see the rest of South Korea. Next month I am going Kimchi making as my first day trip! I also want to go travelling in my winter/summer holidays. I am still unsure about my third year as it depends on the SMOE budget cutbacks.

Anways, enough of thinking :p. Tuesday was pancake day! No, Sarah I didn't say American pancakes with cheese and blueberries!!! Bleugh!! For those who don't know. English pancake day is the Tuesday before lent. So back in the olden days people had to use up their stocks of milk, eggs etc. So they made 'pancake day' or 'shrove Tuesday'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday I don't know about other countries but we have lemon and sugar on the English pancakes. Yummy!

On Tueday, I invited my friend around for dinner then.....pancakes. We ate far too much that night! Butter curry then 5 pancakes each! I am getting fat!! :O

Julia taking pictures of pancakes!!

I am hungry just thinking of pancakes....

Ooo, I have been desk warming for the first time since I have been here. Though luckly, I have Sarah to keep me company and in Sarah's room there is a .....kitchen!! To make cookies!! So I spent the week making cookies. Though, I am not a sweet person (I meant sweet toothed!). I'd much rather have a packet of crisp or a pasty ^^ So everyone else got to eat my yummy cookies (or I got to give everyone food poisoning mwhahahahaha!!)

Coconut chewy cookies

Everything cookie bars

As I mentioned above I am getting into Itaewon so on Friday we ended up there again at the Bulgarian restaurant. There was so much to choose from so everyone was taking ages to choose (me mainly :P) which annoyed poor Lea as she hadn't eaten for over a week due to a bug. The food was lovely but sooo rich. I could only eat a bit. I would go again just to try something else. I seriously have to stop eating so much!! I look like I am having a baby! ><

After we went to some pubs. First was the English pub. We played darts and then left as it was small and all 'older' couples. Though there was a funny Korean couple there. The girl had a pint while the guy had this really girly cocktail...well, it made us all giggle :P.

Next we went to the Wolf hound, where there was so many cute guys! Big headed and knew that they were good looking of course, but a girl can still look.

Focused

My friend Lea is leaving tomorrow *sobs*. I am half glad as she has been ill over here due to the children germs. But I am mainly sad as I will miss her *sobs*. I knew this was coming from when I met her at orientation as she wanted to stay just a year but it will be weird her not being here. We met on Sunday for coffee which ended up turning into waffles (I can't diet! It's not in my blood!). She forced me in to a hug at the end as I hate goodbyes!!! >< Urgh.. I am sad just writing this! Bleugh!!! Though, I will most likely see her again as there is a direct train between our homes in the UK, plus we are both always travelling. So I will just say goodbye...for now (sounds like a threat!) and have a safe journey home ^^.

Visa renewal

Last Thursday I went to get my visa renewed. It was so much easier than the first time. My co-teacher booked the interview so I just had to turn up on time instead of waiting. The lady only wanted my ARC card, my document from the school and a copy of my contract. That was all. No fee and no need for my medical record/passport.

I had to wait 5 minutes then they gave me my card back with just a stamp on the back saying I was here until 2013. Last but not least they scanned my finger prints and it was over! It took 10 minutes and then I had the rest of the afternoon of mwhahahaha :p.

Stupid

So here I am, sitting in the cold office alone. Why? Do you ask? Well, because I totally forgot we could come in to work an hour late today! Donkey balls!!!