Life, as I know it..

Once a new and exciting adventure, Pohang has now become... life. An exciting and adventurous life! I like my job. Even though I'm completely exhausted by the end of the day, hearing, "Heather Teacher, you're beautiful," (sounds like "beeeoooteeeful") then "No! Heather Teacher, you are VERY beautiful," "VERY VERY beautiful," (etc...) from 3 year olds makes it all worth it. And today one of my babies fell asleep in my arms. Good to know Kindergarten wears them out too!

But I definitely live for the weekend. Pohang has good cultural stuff to do (hiking, temples and waterfalls etc), some good beaches, and good night life. There is a base in Pohang so there are usually a lot of military at the bars I frequent. Sometimes military guys are... well d-bags... but others are interesting to get to know.

And by adventurous let me just explain my Saturday. First, three friends and I ventured to a beach that was a good 20 minute cab ride away. Great sun, great water and for a few, an even greater sunburn. I am proud to note that I am a bronze beauty this summer. (Side note: my students always comment that I'm browner. One student called me "black". Understand that not-pasty-white skin is considered unattractive in Korea. So it is common to see Koreans at the beach with long sleeves, long pants and under an umbrella fanning themselves... The best Korean moment at the beach was seeing a girl in full Sunday church clothes, complete with denim vest, long skirt, etc in the ocean with a parasol and her grandma in tow.)

"Long sleeves? Check. Pants? Check. Hood? Check. So glad the sun will not touch me at all while I'm at the beach."

Anyways... beach Saturday. Then it's decided that after beach-ee (story for later on Koreans and extra syllables) we'll go to Burger King for food. The Burger King is on the campus of a university. None of the Pohang vets I was with have been there. We get on the bus to head to the campus (we don't know which bus to take so Chad tries his best Kanglish - a little Korean + English and the Korean he asked responds in perfect English, "Take this bus.") We're on the bus and see a Pizza Hut sign. We rush off the bus, not wanting to miss the stop. I mean Burger King MUST be by Pizza Hut, right? Wrong. So we take a cab to the campus. Cab driver drops us off in the middle of nowhere. He didn't understand our Kanglish ("Hamburger. American Hamburger. Way-gook hamburger" ). We walk around aimlessly - no Koreans are in sight to try to ask. We contemplate just going back to Pizza Hut but flame grilled Whoppers loom in our American memories... Finally find a security guard who shows us a map. And we make it! Adventure. To find a fast food restaurant. Typical American... (the Whopper was DELICIOUS by the way)

Sooo to wrap up, I love my life and my new home. And krazy Koreans.

PS If you read this you HAVE to leave a comment. Even if it's "Hey, I read it." PLEEEEEEASE!