It's beginning to look....

Catching up a bit...

(12/6) We had snow! (Although not nearly as much as back home from what I hear!) I stayed in bed most of the weekend wrapped in my down comforter, knitting my scarf, and watching movies. Save for the hour I was outside playing in the snow! It didn't stick in the city, but out in the country where I live it stuck around until Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, since the snow melted, the weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny! Well, maybe they're not "unseasonably", I wouldn't actually know that yet.

Snow angel! Does it look like me?

"Mmmm...snowflakes..."

(12/9) My friends hosted the 3rd "Stich & Bitch" of the year...we get together and do crafty things, mostly knitting and crocheting. I'm almost finished with my first knit scarf and I'm having a crocheting lesson this week. It's a great, productive way to pass the time on the bus everyday. I went to Temple in Gimnyeong (김녕) on Tuesday, taught yoga on Wednesday (to the biggest class yet!), and Thursday I'm watching Christmas movies with my friend Sin Nae in a DVD Bong. You can rent a room with a huge screen and watch a movie. It's about the same price as renting a movie back home.

A Calligraphy lesson with a fundamental line from the Diamond Sutra

(12/13) Last weekend we got out for a hike in the beautiful December sun. We hiked up Chunweongsa, a nice trail that leads to a small residence with a temple. I spent the day with Jason and John and it turned into a spontaneously fun tour of Jeju including Chai and curry at Baghdad Cafe, the Indian restaurant on the island, a few hours at a jim-jil-bang, a co-ed sauna, drinks at the Sky Lounge on the 21st floor of the nicest hotel on Jeju, and a late night at a few foreigner pubs.

Jason & John on the trail

Zen rocks at the top of the trail

Yeah Christmas tree! At the lobby in the Kal Hotel

And the night continues...

On Monday (12/15) I was invited by my co-teacher Pyeong Su to play piano and sing at a recorder recital of school teachers. I accompanied a few pieces and then sang "O Holy Night" while Pyeong Su and a 5th grade teacher from my school accompanied me on recorder. I met many new Korean teachers and had a really great time. It was nice to play some classical music and sing! Hopefully they'll invite me back again in the new year.

6 days of classes and counting! We have school next Wednesday but I'm almost positive there won't be any English classes. Then the kids are done until February. I had my last classes with the 4th graders (we sang the 12 Days of Christmas) and 6th graders today (who were acting like typical end-of-the-year-6th-graders) and have 1 more class with the 3rd and 5th grades tomorrow and Monday. I have a bunch of Christmas plans that span about 4 days so I'll be celebrating in style with all of my friends. And this weekend I'm off the Busan on the mainland!