Post Lunar New Year Updates...

January came and went just like that...

We went to the Roots concert at the Melon AX. After the concert was over, I got/stole/fought a guy for one of the signed drumsticks. Long story short, I got it.

Instead of spending new years in Hong Kong like I wanted, I spent it in Seoul with the co-workers. We rented a room at the Shilla Hotel and spent the day at the sauna...

What else...the pre-schoolers went to Seoul Land for our January Field Trip. The instructor for the "magic" show was extremely disturbing. I wondered why we wasted so much time...I just wondered why a lot that day.

Marathon training continues on and as we near the February stretch of the schedule, Judy and I are already thinking about the Jeju Marathon in June. I think it will be somewhat like the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii only it's not an ironman triathlong and it's in Korea. Regardless, we are upping our stakes and looking for further running challenges.

This morning, I had one of the worse runs thus far. My left foot cramped up and it felt like I was running with a log for a leg. Definitely not what I expected but important to experience for race day.

What else...it snowed more over the weekend. The city shut down and for awhile, it was peaceful and calm.

More to come as new changes continue to unfold around here...smell ya later.

Update: Marathon Training

Our training for the Seoul International Marathon has been inconsistent but injury-free (knock on wood).

Yesterday, Judy and I ran for two hours, which was nice because up to this point, I have never ran for longer than an hour and a half. The two hour run was also made easier by the snow on the ground. But towards the latter half of the run, we were running on slush, which sucked because it was so slippery.

I also got a new pair of running shoes with Judy that evening. We trekked our way to Lotte Mart and had some fun with the Laneige counter and some blankets that we never purchased. Judy says she always runs in Asics, so I got the same pair that she has but in pink. I couldn't wear them for my long run, but cross-training, here I come!









I'm learning to be more consistent with my runs and to eat more healthfully...drinking lots of water. As such, my lifestyle here in Anyang is changing...I think I go to bed earlier and I am making decisions that are healthy for my training. I'm thinking about the finish line more than the temporary high of going out and spending it with other people. It's hard to make this trade-off because these people aren't always going to be around...but really, I would appreciate the marathon goal more. I'd like to think if they were really good friends, they would still be there after all the training.

But yeah *sigh* we ran a half marathon this weekend! *FIGHTING*

Next weekend, we're gonna run for two and a half hours. *ADD GAS!* hahaha

Hope you all have a wonderful Lunar New Year! Happy Chinese New Year :)

H.

Rest Day...

There was no second hike today...very tired. Slept. And stretched out. Tomorrow is our two hour run...let you know how that goes when I return alive.

Hiking Club - Hike #1 at Yongbongsan

Judy looked into hiking around Korea and came across the Seoul International Hiking Club. Our first hike was at Yongbongsan.

I have no idea where and which province that's in because I fell asleep as soon as the bus started...so yeah, look it up for me. In the meantime, here are some photos.

Our next hike is tomorrow...the name of it...I don't know. That sentence was written in Korean grammar. I don't apologize. It makes life here easier.

Hope you are doing well wherever you are hiking/running...

H.

Shina's Sweet 7th but really 6th Birthday Party

Around here somewhere in Preschool jungle-land, celebrating birthdays are a big deal. Today, Shina celebrated her 7th but really 6th birthday.

Here are some post-worthy photos for your eyes only:

Nicole Teacher with Shina (dressed in hanbok)

Shina is shy in the spotlight

Shina with the rest of the Penguins

As shown, Shina is thoughtful and intelligent.
She has this kind of gracefulness that will transcend and help her achieve many new and exciting things...
She is my lovely sunshine.

The Girls: a non-fighting moment

When I first arrived, I was fairly skeptical about these birthday parties...they seemed tacky and annoying to sit through, but now...six months into this crazy adventure, these birthday parties are looked forward to, counted down daily during morning routine, loved and cherished.


She is my sunshine.

Look at what I made!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't this coooool?!?!

Hey Heather!

I don't know if you read this at all, but here are the photos of us at dinner and work.

Every now and then, I try to do that thing I promised I would do and throw your name in whatever conversation we are having...You are never forgotten as long as we are around haha

"Hey remember that time we did that with Heather?!" or "Heather taught us that one..."

Well, whatever you are doing, I hope you bought those UGGs you wanted and soaked up the sun down there in Miami 'cause where you're going is not warm at all hahaha

Have a smooth packing experience. Remember to use baskets like I did and organize from there...

Best of luck in China! It's freeeezing there right now!!!











OH! And every now and then, I remember to read those post secret things you told me about...some of them have gotten a bit depressing over the holidays...

BE SAFE!






...and email me your email address

Hong Kong ramblings have come to an end...

haha isn't Ah Mah so cute?!?! She's so jolly hahaha

You can see Aunt 3 in the window.

My Kim Jun Do...

...for now. I do plan to revisit Hong Kong in July 2009 though. Those of you that missed the picture invitations, here they are...

Flying back and forth between Seoul and Hong Kong makes me feel extremely lucky and fortunate. I feel free to travel and explore as I please, which is how I intend to live the rest of my life--with or without a family of my own. I know some of you are concerned about that, mother.

This second trip also reminded me that my home is really where my heart is...no, that's corny. My home is between Hong Kong and Toronto. I have the holidays and the money will be saved somehow. I'll go back and forth until I've had enough of the HK airport...and the funny thing is, now that I'm living in Seoul, I feel like I could possibly settle back here as well...once the air pollution clears up.

For once in my life, I feel free to think wider and bigger than where I grew up. This kind of independence is amazing because when you think about it...some people never left. I don't feel bad for those who stayed but at the same time, I wonder...why the hell wouldn't you?!?!

Since I've reconnected with my aunts, I understand where my rage, orderliness and spunk comes from...my mother who moved us here and my dad's sisters. They gave and taught me to be like this. So when you are frustrated, you should just remember that I'm like this because I watched you and imitated your behaviour. As an adult, I choose to be the same. Knowing who I am now...it would be a terrible waste for me to just settle in one place and nest right now...

I'm grateful for what I have now because I know what it was like to be a workaholic for the past two years. Anyone who knew me prior to Seoul would say that I worked too much and spent little time thinking beyond my Korea trip...Teaching and living here is the culmination of my hard work. I planned for this, I worked for it and cried for it several times...

I've diverted from my focus here but it's just occurred to me that Hong Kong was another goal and again, I am proud to say that I have accomplished it. I made Ah Mah happy when I landed and it was amazing to see Aunt 5 healthy and hear her scolding me for shedding hair all over the floor. I just needed to write this down for the record because I have worked hard...and I let myself and other people say things to make me forget that...

In celebration, I have decided to not plan the next five years, yet. I told myself that in Korea, I would plan the next five...but I realized that I couldn't do this and enjoy what I am doing now. Hannah often reminds me that this is her selfish year...to rest a bit. I'm definitely going to do that now.

But no actually, I do want my own house. I want real estate!!!!!!!!!!!!

Around here...there are no ordinary Fridays...

...what we do have are many fights about any given things.

I took it upon myself to capture some of these fights. At first, I wasn't sure if the Penguins would cooperate and give me something to giggle about, but then the girls stepped up and really delivered.

If you work with young students, you will completely agree and laugh hysterically. If you don't, it's serious birth control.

Hope these amateur videos find you well and that your New Year is going well. Stay tune for my trip during the Lunar New Year; it should be a blast.

Here you go, procrastinate!

Photo #5: Cable Car with Aunt 6 & Uncle Bobby

Aunt 6, Uncle Bobby and I in the cable car in Hong Kong.

There are seven towers that connect the cable car over mountains and rivers.

For seven towers and 35 some odds minutes...we were taking photos and waiting for the monkey camera. If you know them...we were waiting and getting ready at Tower 2.

More photos of Hong Kong Trip #2 to come...