Goodbye teachers

The kids aren't the only amazing people I work with. I have been so lucky to work with a super friendly, encouraging and inclusive group of co-teachers. It was very sad saying goodbye to them as well! We went for a final lunch and they were extremely kind and got me a present! I am so grateful to them as they've all helped me so much throughout my stay in Korea.

For lunch I actually got to try something new, which is always super exciting! We had a dish called 물회 aka Mul Hoe. This literally translates to "water sashimi." It was actually super tasty and very refreshing on the hot day. I couldn't find it online so here you go other people looking to find out about it! It consists of raw fish, in this case flatfish though I hear it varies, veggies like radish, and a ton of delicious Asian pear. This then had yummy spicy red sauce added, then we add ice and rice. It becomes a cool mushy yumminess. I enjoyed it very much! I was less a fan of the giant snails we had for appetizer but they weren't bad when dipped in sauce. 

Thank you Yurim teachers! You are all amazing, and it's been an honour teaching with you!

Mul hoe before adding ice.

Mixed up and ice added.

Squid side dish. I love squid, but this had a weird filling
I wasn't a fan of.

All finished!

Time to start saying goodbye...

I began saying goodbye to my students this week.  Thursday and Friday are the days I teach my favourite grade: grade 5.  I knew for a while that next Friday, the 25th, I wouldn't be teaching. But I only found out yesterday that I also wouldn't be teaching Thursday the 24th. SO I had to say an impromptu goodbye to my Thursday classes. Luckily, I had my camera and was able to take class photos. It was super sad, but they were adorable as always and thanked me and said goodbye. Today however, the students and I knew it would be our last class.. and they prepared amaaaaaaazingly sweet letters and gifts! I couldn't help myself and I just photographed every letter.I will need to get a new scrapbook tomorrow... What an emotional bitter-sweet day!!

Piles of cards. The box gift was purchased
by two adorable twins who told me
they spent their own money on it.
I love them.

Let the cuteness begin...

This girl is super shy and quiet, I
was absolutely amazed and touched by
the translated version of this letter.

I don't know who translated this for her,
but I am so grateful. Such a moving letter!

This is a card from the twins!

\

And the adorable contents of their box:
origami cranes and hearts, delicious cookies,
a lollipop, a cow pen, a rose petal decoration,
and a green teddy bear they asked me to keep
on my phone to always remember them by.

Okay? Love that her English name is Luz.

I haven't said goodbye to grade 6 just yet (and the majority of them are pubescent and really won't care haha), but I still have a few letters from them. The girl who wrote to me earlier (under the post Emotions) has been writing me daily and asking for immediate responses ("A4 paper is okay!") at school, so her letters are currently nestled in my desk.

 EMOTIONS!!!! I am really truly going to miss these kids. Every single letter means so much to me, even though I don't know all their names I know their faces and their personalities and ACH so sad. But such is the life of a teacher!

Beautiful beach day

I finally made my way out to Najeong Beach, in Gampo. It always blows my mind how easy it is to get to this lovely spot, just 1 hour by city bus from downtown Gyeongju! It was a beautiful day of swimming and relaxing, and of course people watching. It seems many Koreans aren't very comfortable in the water, so everyone had a ton of clothes and floating devices. This kid, as you can see, even had a bathing cap to prevent his hair from clogging up the drains of the oceans. When I would swim, sans floaties, out to the buoys, apparently people would watch in shock. It's quite funny. Either way, beautiful relaxing day, and a nice break from the heat.

Also, in a moment of connecting with my roots, I found both falafels and an Istanbul booth in Gyeongju! The falafels were delicious, in a little stall by the Express Bus Station. The woman said her husband is from Israel, and thats how she knows to make falafel and hummus. Sadly, one of mine fell onto the floor while I was eating!! But from what I tasted, it was super delicious. 

Emotions

This is the same girl who wrote a letter and made bracelets for my parents, and the same girl who asked if she could come to Canada with me. She's graduating in one more semester, so I wouldn't have her for much longer anyways, but definitely got me choked up reading this! I hope she does well and one day makes it out of Korea for some adventuring!

Feast your eyes

Delicious food!

Pork BBQ at a teacher dinner

BBQ is always followed by another course.
I always choose Naengmyeon, or cold noodles.
This was the first time I had them with
watermelon! So good!

All finished. SO FULL.

Not food but how funny and cute.

This beautiful creation is a "Milk Cake." My friend and I
saw it and knew we must eat it. It tasted like a heavenly
dairy cloud.

Japanese Ramen! Soooo delicious. Completely different
from packaged ramen we are used to. 

Decadent dessert drinks at The Coffee Place.
They serve delicious seasonal fruit
juices, and I got a super tasty plum juice.
My friends got a yogurt blueberry smoothie,
lemonade, a mint chocolate frappucino, and
a milkshake.

MY GROCERY STORE STOCKS AVOCADOS NOW.
Anne made guacamole. SO DELICIOUS.