http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , South Korea , Gyeonggi do , Paju en-us Sun, 06 Dec 09 04:33:46 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 09 04:33:46 +0000 Hi Folks There are a few more pictures on this blog so make sure you scroll down past the comment box as well as go to the second page of pictures to see the beautiful laterns. I want to share a few customs that I found interesting. I've heard that Korea has a high rate of traffic accidents but I haven't seen as many as I see in the states. It may have something to do with the fact that red lig http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-453313.html Hi family friends and neighbors Life continues to be a blast. I've been very busy at work teaching and helping other teachers pilot a new program here at English village. It is a new experience using different skills and I am enjoying that part of it. It has added up to doing work related activities over 50 hours a week which I am not enjoying. On the bright side there are some Korean teachers http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-447793.html Hello everyone I thought I only had a few takers on this blog but I have a few more than I thought and I thank you for reading it. I have gradually become quite busy. As part of my work I am taking a course out of Harvard call Teaching for Understanding. That meets on 2 Saturdays a month plus two nights a week. We also go to church on Sat. the English service is on Sat. or go with the boys http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-444017.html Hello I am officially missing my two boysbut I'm so glad I'm not far away. Last Friday I went on a field trip with them to an big island at the mouth of the Han river. We climbed the large mountain there which only took a couple hours to go up a pleasant 90 degree hike at timesalmost 90 I'm sure. Most of the kids had no problem. I did have to rest alot. Then we got to see the 6th annual Asi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-439631.html Hello AllI have some wonderful news some slightly old wonderful news and general updates for you all.First and foremost I have turned down an offer to renew my contract in return for a Harvard course training and certificate. I will in all likelihood be coming home in June of 2010 as scheduled. I can't wait to see you allSecondly I found out today that my application for promotion has been http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-439024.html Hello It is taking me a while to get around to updating this blog. I am also emailing skypeing facebooking and calling in Korea I have been working with the phonics program here at English village and preparing to give a workshop on classroom management. We will soon begin training on the teaching methodology called Teaching for Understanding. It is an online course out of Harvard and we http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-434195.html Hi friends and family We arrived safely on a lovely flight through LA to Korea on Asiana airlines a Korean airline. Boys watched a couple movies and played games on their personal screens located on the seat in front of them. We were picked up and whisked away to Paju English Village which you can google and see on the internet. The English Village is a place where Korean school kids can come http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-430439.html Hello all. I know it's been quite some time and I've received a few griping complaints about the complete lack of timeliness in my updates. It's been a hectic month and I hope you all and understand that. I don't even know if I can fit into one blog the insanity that has ensued in the past few weeks. But for your sakes I will definitely try. Here's the digs VIP was a blast and a half. It was a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-429966.html Hello allI have a phone Email me privately if you would like my international number. YAY And for all of you skeptics out there Jenn Josh I'm looking at you I will have you know I solidly survived over a month without a cell phone and slept infinitely better without the 4am texts and calls. Sure I was a little twitchy and would wake up in a cold sweat searching frantically for my alarm http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-421921.html Spent the day at the Village mom dad and blake came to see some of the classes immigration creative kids and kindy music. The day was finished off with a housewarming for the new apartment... including soju mekju beer and some south african treats http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-414917.html Today we took a 20 min cab into Ilsan and headed to La Festa and Western Dom. These are two vibey shoppingeating areas that the inhabitants of English Village often frequent. Of course there was plenty of shopping to be done...so mom and I did our thing while the boys hit some balls in a baseball batting cage and got started on the beer outside the local family mart. Once mom and I were all shop http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/blog-414688.html The family arrives in Paju South Korea...and get the grand tour of English Village.Mom dad and Blake get the full english village experience and head down to Jjokki jjoki's the local pub for a soju cocktail and some korean bar snacks http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/blog-413904.html Hello AllI know I'm a terrible person. It's been over a week since I last blogged and ranted and raved for you. BAD Megan BAD Please be patient with me. It's going to take me a while to get into a rhythm here. I have a few ideas for upcoming blogs but I want to get them worked out on paper before I post them for the world to see. I had quite the week The students from Bumgye Middle Scho http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-410027.html Yesterday was my first day of work. It was AMAZING The feeling was almost surreal. I have imagined this job in my head over and over and it was nothing like I had dreamed it was better I know all of this sounds really dangerously cheesy but please bear with me here. This is the thing that I have wanted to do for about 5 or 6 years now since I found out that teaching abroad was an optio http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-406700.html Hello AllMost importantly you all should know that I found Peanut butter and Frosted Flakes a normalsized box so I am not going to starve. I can't think of a better way to organize this apart from chronologically so here we go...June 23 I left 12 of my favorite people on the planet behind as I passed through security in the Columbus Airport. I boarded my plane bound for Chicago http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-406005.html Well ladies and gentlemen I have arrived. It was quite the adventure getting here and my flight was rerouted and my tickets changed about four different times but that's a really long story and I have been awake since 4am... of Tuesday. It is now about midnight 12am Thursday... and I have yet to sleep. Sleeping on planes I don't know how people do it In any case I will provide full angering http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-404949.html Hello AllJust making an updateaddendum to my last post. I am currently in Chicago preparing for my interview with the Korean Consulate. My flight itinerary has been changed due to time constraints. I will now be leaving on June 2nd from Columbus at 955am. Woot I will be making stops in Chicago Tokyo and finally Seoul. I will update you as necessary. Love you allMeg http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-402141.html Hello all. This will be my first entry on my first travel blog for my first trip outside North America on my own. YAYI'm going to be honest with you all I'm a little terrified. I don't speak Korean yet and I know very very little Japanese not enough to get me through the airport. But this is going to be a learning experience and I am excited about it.For those of you reading who don't know t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-399985.html We are home. Our year in Korea is over. It was a year that we will always remember. We did a lot of cool stuff and made some great friends along the way. During the past year IMade lots of friends from all over the world. I now have friends and a free place to stay in Korea Canada South Africa New Zealand and England. One of the hardest things about working in Korea is that just about http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/Gyeonggi-English-Village--Paju-Camp/blog-395910.html Another week has passed and I think it is so strange how quickly I have fallen into a routine. My life almost normal except when I have to pinch myself as a reminder that I am LIVING IN SOUTH KOREAToday was spent in Lake Park in Ilsan. It really is a very nice park for being in a city. The park is pretty but I think what is so appealing is how busy it was. It is exactly how a park should b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeonggi-do/Paju/blog-394311.html