New Korean Friends

On Wednesday this week a group of some of the ETAs teaching in Cheongju got together to celebrate Luke’s surprise birthday party and also to get dinner with some new Korean friends we made. (There are 12 ETAs in Cheongju, 3 are people coming back for the second or third year and 10 are first years who are Me, Ekatarina, Jessica, Andrea, Crystalyn, Jake Phillips, Dan, Luke, and Izumi.) Ekatarina’s co-teacher knew that some of us wanted to make Korean friends so he essentially put an advertisement in his undergrad university for people who are interested in hanging out with foreigners. I missed the first meeting because I was feeling sick but I decided to go to this one. It was nice but there were a lot of us so we were spread out to three different tables. Jessica and I sat at one table with 3 Korean girls who were in their second year of college.

We surprised Luke with a cake and some presents with notes from all of us then ate some ramen. I was praised on my chopsticks skillz.

After eating the ETAs and one of the Koreans (Kang Sun) went to go get coffee and ice cream. It’s always nice getting together with people but sometimes it is hard for me to muster up the energy.

We exchanged stories about how we’re dealing without books (I’ve just been buying them which is a little expensive because I go through like 1-2 a week... yay no homework or tv.) Ekatarina has a library card but you have to have your foreigners ID and a picture to get one. I’m thinking about trying to do it this week because she said the whole 4th floor of the library is foreign books. I think we’re also starting a note in our group on facebook about what books we have.

For anyone at home who is interested I just started reading a book series that came out in 2007. It’s The Mysterious Benedict Society. So for anyone who is looking for a good harry potter/roald dahl like novel check it out.

Thanks Poppa and Gig for sending me some mail! Gig, yes they do love stickers and they don’t do Halloween in the sense that they go door to door trick or treating but I think they’re so in love with the holiday that they celebrate it in as many ways as possible. I plan on dressing up like a witch and giving candy to whoever says trick or treat to me. J