Holidays in Korea

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It doesn't need to be said but, in typical Shawna fashion, I will say it nonetheless......Christmas is tough when you are abroad. In all honesty, I am handling it much better then I ever would have thought possible, considering my roommate and best friend is going home, to Calgary, to do everything I would sell my SOUL to do right about now (ie. Banff, hockey, dinner with MY family).....however, I am going to Thailand. And let's be honest.....it's Thailand. What am I complaining about.

But the holidays really sneak up on you...I mean REALLY sneak up on you. Fair enough, they do no matter where in the world you are, but here they kind of creep in when you aren't looking and punch you in the face. Snow is what makes it real. The first snow fall of the year was definitely the moment where I first took a step back and realized that I am where I am, and the holidays are still happening..the world is still spinning, though seemingly on a completely different axis. And Christmas does exist here, as it would at home, with tinsel and bells and lights and, most importantly, magic.

My kids are making the holidays for me. They are what is keeping me from going right off the deep end. Everything I have been going through over the past year...all that stuff that people bring with them to "deal" with when they come teach abroad (and let's face it folks, we all have it....and those that don't...do) has accumulated over the past year of denial and has come to a head right as the seconds tick by counting down time to Thai departure. T minus 6 days, and counting, and I am starting to get the ol' holiday heebie jeebies. But the kids...ah, the kids. They make it all make sense. Adults make everything so convoluted..."only you Charlie Brown can take a wonderful holiday like CHristmas and turn it into a problem". It's CHRISTMAS!!!! It is supposed to be about joy and peace and love, and those kids bring it all back.

Tomorrow is our Christmas play. I am going to sit back (and by that, I mean get up on stage and act like an ass) and enjoy it. "This is what it's all about Gingerbread man...This is Christmas!!!" And when they get back to the classroom, full of pride from the play, still in the afterglow, they will see all those candies and lights and the tree that Santa has promised to leave for them (if Dancer is feeling better, and he can make it to the play that is...) and I will most likely shed a tear. That will be my Christmas. Let's hope all that accumulated emotional baggage doesn't come gushing out along with it.

OK, and let's be honest, Christmas is also about drinking too much. That I have pretty much got down pat. Thank you for the party Mr. Yu. It was a good one. And ladies night wasn't too bad either.

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Photos

Leo leaves
To kick off the holiday hurt, Leo, love of my life, leaves me for another school. Not a good day, but one thing about kids moving on is remembering how much you love them. And him, I love.

Watching Xmas play practice
I realize the reason they aren't making my kids practice very much is because they have little expectations of them, but I see no problem with this

Watching Xmas play practice
enjoying the show

All I want for Christmas is you
While Mercury class serenades us with their rendition of Mariah Carey, William and Jasmine find holiday love of their own

The grinch
Had to take the pic...too perfect. My kids, in the middle of class, stop the lesson..."oh teacher! Here!" and hand me the tiniest apple on the planet.

Real cake
It is frigging impossible normally not to gain a ton of weight working in that damn office, but the holidays are even worse. Somehow one of Angele's mom's found a REAL chocolate cake, and it was to die for

New stage
The season means lots of excuses for use of a stage...and now they have one

Acoustic Showdown
Good music, good times. I do, however, have to learn moderataion, and that it is ok to go home when the music ends.

Sunday morning
Canucks game...my dad was at it, so I gave him a ring. Weird watching the game in Korea, live, and talking to dad, in Canada, drunk.

Sunday afternoon
I PROMISED myself I would leave after the hockey game. But alas, there were good bands. What's a girl to do. 12 hours ain't that bad for one day is it?

Charlie and Tony
Tony is trouble, and Charlie is just always in for trouble

Chris
I may have been there all day, but there is always someone worse......

Central Park
It has been awhile since I have gone up the hill. The smell of pine needles helped kindle the Christmas spirit.