"The belly button is bigger than the belly." -Korean Proverb

I've generally been feeling a little down this weekend. I think it has to do with the weather (it's been rainy and cloudy all weekend and the fact that I was exhausted from the week). Nothing too serious, but this weekend was relaxing and in about a week I will have ten days off from school. I am looking forward to this a lot. I will write a bit about this weekend and then recount the rollercoaster that is Korean language class and the inspiration for this blog title.

Friday I was able to sleep in a little, but I got up to have breakfast with my host fam. because I feel bad if I don't eat with them. Usually the mother or grandmother leaves food out for me and then heats other food for me. I try to avoid this and ate with the fam. and then went back to sleep- a little. I walked to school and met my co-teacher who was kind enough to contact and drive me to a place where I will start volunteering every Friday. I really wanted to volunteer at an orphanage, but it turned out that places did not need anyone on Fridays. I did not understand this until he told me in the car- I would have worked on the weekends to work in an orphanage, but am excited to be where I am- I think I might be needed more. It's an after school center for children who have lost one parent and/or are having financial problems. I think there are only 22 children who come to the center and they are all elementary age. The range is pretty sweeping and there is a good mix between girls and boys. Apparently there are a few orphans who live above the center and might come and attend my class. I think I am teaching the children English- which isn't all that interesting, but hopefully I can make it fun for them. I am excited to meet the kids, I start this week. The woman at the center who met us told me that some of the kids are rude and might not treat me that well, but it is because of their situations. I told them it was the same as in the states.

After I went to language class and then got together with two classmates for dinner- at a Mexican restaurant!! I had a lime daquari and a taco with real sour cream and guacamole! It was super exciting. I haven't been craving anything really, but it sure tasted really good. It was also really nice to talk with other native English speakers and got to meet new people. One of the women I went out with is from Canada and the other from Florida. They are both really nice and are English instructors at the university. Sara, the Canadian, has been in Korea on and off for four years teaching and loves it. She also has a cat! Which I got to hold and pet! I really miss kitties- they don't like them in Korea and no one really ever has them as pets. They're are like rats in America. Chris has been here for three weeks and she's pretty cool too. It was my suggestion that we go and get a drink and I had a nice relaxing time.

Saturday morning I met up with a friend for coffee and that was really nice. We walked around Daegu and found this really interesting outdoor market. Lunch wasn't the best, but it was edible. 국밥 not my favorite thing! Then I came home and just hung out with my host family. I really don't think I did too much of anything really- it was nice. Today I woke up and had a delicious breakfast! It was a fried rice omelette!! Man it was tasty- I can't wait to try and make it myself. My host family invited me to go hiking with them today, but were cool that I wanted to go to church instead. Church was pretty good- this time, the pastor's wife helped translate. I missed a lot, but the service was pretty good and I liked the worship music again. We sang, "God is good all the time, all the time God is good"! It was exciting. Then I went to Bible study and that was good- I still feel bad for disturbing everyone and making them translate things for me. But everyone was excited to see me again and one girl in particular really wants to be my friend- which is really exciting. Then I came home. I was going to go to the gym, but forgot that my host sister wanted to make brownies. So I helped her instead. Dinner was interesting- sushi and a hotdog. :)

Korean language class is difficult. But I am glad I am taking it. Really I think I could just hit myself over the head with a baseball bat over and over again and I would feel the same. Monday night I started in the beginner 1 class, but it was really really easy. I somehow convinced my teacher to let me try beginner 2- but the beginner 2 teacher was less than happy to let me in. Mainly because she thought I wouldn't understand anything. It was really frustrating, I brought my little certificate from Korea University and everything too, but she didn't even read it. Wednesday night she asked me a question in class (part of the grammar we were learning) "how long have you been studying Korean?" I answered correctly "2 months" my teacher nearly had a heart attack and exclaimed "what?!" but really rude. It made me really mad! If I had a different personality I think I would have gone home and cried and changed classes. Instead I was really mad and am now determined to do really well in class- which means I need to study a lot. I left class on Wednesday night and got on the bus angry and then five minutes later my bus broke down. I got off and followed the other Koreans and hoped another bus would come because I had no idea where I was or how to get back home. As bad as this sounds, I am happy I am in class and that it is challenging. Teaching has been pretty easy and it is nice to be challenged. My co-teacher told me the Korean proverb to describe Korean language class. It is because my class is only 50 minutes, but I have to ride the bus for about 2 hours (one hour each way). So, I think the proverb translates to something like "a wash" in English. The bus ride isn't all that bad- except for the fact that Korean bus drivers and driving in general is really scary. I like the time to myself.

I have to go study Korean now! I think I might post again before Sunday as there are a few things about Korean culture and such I want to blog about.

Stay tuned!

-me