Winter Madness!

**Did you know that you can click on the pictures to make them larger??

Anyong haseyo!!  So it has been WAY too long since my last post!  I apologize, but we have been very busy!!!  Here is what we have been up to lately!

Well, we came back from winter break, well rested, kind of.  It's a good thing because we hit the ground running!!!  Our school year ends in February, so every class is required to participate in annual performance.  When you think of kindergarten graduation, you think of caps and gowns and cute little songs about going to first grade.  Not here!!!!  We have a HUGE Broadway production.  Our kids have to perform two songs (song and dance) and put on a play.  Its not your average kindergarten play.  We really are expected to put on some sort of broadway production.  We didn't know when we accepted the job that we would have to be directors.  Unfortunately, we learned the hard way.  Anyway, we have been preparing nonstop, practicing EVERYDAY, working at night to perfect our songs, dances and scripts.  I literally spent a whole Sunday standing in front of my window, dancing to "I Gotta Feelin," while Jeff played video games and laughed at me.  The good news is that my kids' dance is AWESOME!  I will post a video after the performance.

The kids have felt as much stress as the teachers.  They now hate the performance (my kids still love "I Gotta Feelin" but hate the rest).  I heard one of the Korean teachers tell her students, "You have to be like soldiers!" and she wasn't kidding.

But, after all the hard work, we have managed to have some fun!  The kids need it, and so do the teachers.

We had an ice cream sundae party and watched "How To Train Your Dragon" for a reward.

I caught these bad boys sneaking extra toppings off the table when I wasn't looking!

The first week of February, Korea celebrates Lunar New Year.  The kids came to school wearing the traditional clothing for the holiday, learned to bow to their elders and played traditional Korean games.  They were pretty cute in their "hanboks."

Doing the traditional bow.

Jeff's favorite

Jeff's other favorite

We had a 5 day weekend for Lunar New Year.   We planned to travel during this time, but ALL the flights were already sold out!  We couldn't go anywhere.  We also found out that most everything was closed for the holiday, too.  This was like their Christmas.  So, we relaxed and enjoyed our time away from the madness of school.

Playing screen golf.

Ice skating in Seoul Plaze 

At a hookah bar!

Birthdays here are a BIG DEAL.  Once a month we have a birthday party at school who celebrate their birthday in that month.  The kids don't just bring in a treat for their birthday.  Their parents have a whole meal catered for the class.  A photographer is also hired for the day to take pictures of all the events.  It is complete madness!

David's birthday feast!  This wasn't even all the food.  This was just what they put on the table for the photographers!  I think there were 3 pizzas, lots of fruit, chicken, several cookies and lots of drinks.  All for a class of 10!

Our performance is next week.  My kids graduate on Friday and move on to first grade.  Fortunately (I think) my kids will be coming back to me in the afternoon for English.  They will go to first grade during the day, and then they come to our school for English academy.  I thought I was really going to miss my kids, but I will still get to see them 3 days a week.

Jeff's kids will stay for their second year of kindergarten. (Kindergarten is from 4-6 here).  I will get a new class of 4 year olds starting in March.  Hopefully, we will be less busy and will have time to enjoy the kids!!  

I also hope that as the weather gets nice, we will get to go out and do more exploring around this beautiful country.  Maybe do some sightseeing.  And I hope we can see some more exciting things than the Kimchi Museum (yes, it is as exciting as it sounds!)