Break

Christmas and New Year's was really great. I had 2 1/2 weeks off from school, the first time I've ever taken a break this long from a job and not gone broke. :) Last year I had this much time off, but I had to quit my job to get it and then find a new job after Christmas was over. (But I got to see Granny so it was worth it.)

The first week was really busy and crazy because Mom and a friend/coworker came to visit. I felt really guilty when they arrived because they lost some of their luggage but all my Christmas gifts came. They had 2 carry-ons, 2 suitcases with stuff for me, and 2 suitcases with their essentials. Mom had received the very insightful advice to put all her necessities in her carry-on in case her luggage got lost, so she did that. However, the lady working at the airport decided to measure her carry-on and found it to be too long, so they had to check it. And then the airline lost it. On top of that, the other lady's suitcase with her stuff in it got lost. So they both arrived with all my presents but without any of their own most important belongings. They still insisted that I go ahead and open all the gifts that night, so I did.

This Christmas I got the motherload. There's no way I can take all this stuff back with me to the states. I have at least 5 suitcases worth of stuff now, but I'm so glad to have it all here. I have everything I need and more. Thank you to my several Santa Clauses! The best gifts I got were blankets, so now I can get warm a lot faster at night in this 15 degree weather than before. Until now, I had to wait until the heating in the floor carried up through my mattresses (they're sitting directly on the floor).

We had a good time together and traveled into Seoul for 2 of the days. One day we went to a large market (Insadong) and to see a replica of an Korean temple, and the other day we went to a traditional Korean restaurant and to see a modern Buddhist temple. One day we went to see the Traditional Korean Village, where everything from the old days was remade. We found some really good old rice candy there, and found out about pigs that are fed special food so their meat tastes different (but it's a bit inappropriate so I can't mention it here.)

Mom was very impressed at how nice everyone was. All I can say is, I'm glad she had a good experience. It always helps to speak a little Korean, and I was very impressed at both of their efforts to say "Kamsahamnida" or "Thank you" everywhere we went. Saying that is usually met by a smile here, and it doesn't matter whether it is said with mediocre or perfect pronunciation.  You can see a Korean visibly relax when you speak a word or 2 in their language. (By the way, I can say small sentences now, and more Koreans burst into a full sermon at me sometimes when I say the right thing. I just smile and nod or say, "I'm sorry but I don't understand.")

Belated Happy New Year everyone!