Family

Family is a funny word. It's definitely a noun referring to those folks we share some blood with or marry into, but at some point we turned it into a compliment. People say you're like family when they want to make you feel liked or welcomed, or to show how much they care about someone. It's honestly gotten kind of cheesy, but I too am guilty of having a number of friends I think of as family.

The folks I work with often talk about our school as a family, and I kind of get it. We have people we look to for advice, we have rivalries and in-fighting, we have friendships, and we support each other during hardships and celebrations. But I guess I felt like calling our faculty family was a bit of a stretch until we gathered today for a Thanksgiving dinner. We all cooked and brought something, everyone had their families with them, and we all ate together in a big space we rented. It was definitely comforting.

I must say that as much as I have enjoyed traveling the world and spending my vacations in strange destinations, holidays really are the hardest times to be so far away. The last two Thanksgivings I have been in China, so I was too distracted to think about it, but it was really nice to eat real mashed potatoes and turkey, to sit and talk over a good meal with a bunch of people I know well, and to sort of have that traditional holiday experience. Family doesn't seem like such a stretch for the staff at my school right now. I'm certainly thankful to be surrounded by such good folks.

The good and the bad

One of my favorite parts about living in Korea is the low crime rate. And one of the hardest things here for a penny pincher is that the value of my dollar constantly changes. Add those two things together for my most recent blunder.

I went in to change a bunch of cash last week while the rate was really good....only to find that the rate had dropped by 200 won just an hour before! curses. I missed the opportunity to make some serious cash, and I was so distracted by my loss that I left my bag with my halloween costume there on the couch. Three days later while I was falling asleep, I realized that my Halloween costume was missing, pieced together my schedule on the day I had it, and decided the money changer was my best bet. Four days after I left my costume (shoes, jewelry, and all), it was still there. Can you believe it? All the jewelry, shoes and everything, just waiting for me to come back and get it! I was so excited to see my stuff that I thanked them profusely and cheered...and the nice lady that works there told me to be quiet and invited me to come watch her soap with her. :) I love Korea.

Peanuts

I had two students tell me they were peanuts on the same day! They were in different classes, in different grades....totally separate. both peanuts. Kids crack me up.

The first one I was working with on his own. He asked me a question and when I answered him, I called him pumpkin. He says, "I'm not a pumpkin!" So I told him that it was a nice thing to say, like calling someone sweetheart. That made him smile, and then he brightens up and says, "I'm not a pumpkin.....I'm a peanut!" and then starts laughing hysterically. I have to admit that at this point I was giggling too.

The next one came at the end of the day. We were in a group talking about our Halloween costumes, and one of the boys says he's not sure what he's going to be for Halloween, so I told him to make something up. What would he like to be for Halloween? He gets this lop-sided grin on his face and says, "A peanut?" and the rest of the kids fall over laughing. After the first peanut comment, I was also laughing but more at the coincidence.

So at some point in Daegu, peanut obviously became an elementary school punchline. I love kids. :)