And So It Begins...

I begin the spring semester in T-minus 25 minutes. This will be a short update, Dear Readers.

Winter Camp was a beast and I'm not only looking forward to reading new books with my core 2 novel classes, but also awaiting the warmer weather. It's been brutally cold in Seoul and while the US is just now starting to feel the shiver of winter, we Seoulites have been dealing with freezing water pipes and the iciest roads known to man.

I normally can handle the cold fairly well, but DAMN it's been friggin' frigid.

I recall finishing my first Winter Camp in January of 2011 (got here in December 2010) and I went to a jjimjibang with Kat and Jane. It was a reward for getting through the hardest part of my teaching career (the beginning). I haven't been to one since, which is not because the experience wasn't great--I just don't ever make the time. It was just lovely to alternate between the hot and the cold pools, until my body went into shock because I did it so much...
I recall telling Jane that my throat felt cold, and she responded, quite cheerfully mind you, "Oh, your body is going into shock." ^^
My eyes bulged out of my head. "WHAT?!" She nonchalantly said it again. As if this were an everyday occurrence.

Thinking back on it, it was probably best to receive that information in such a way--if I were to freak out, then it would have been much worse. So I asked what I should do, and she just said to get out of the water until it didn't feel cold anymore...and to just relax. I did and I was fine.

This, of course, has no bearing on why I haven't returned. Nor is it the "being naked in public" bit" either. At 33, I've become much more comfortable with my body, especially since I started going to the gym.

Which brings us to the second year of teaching...I went to Cambodia and Vietnam shortly after Winter Camp ended in 2012, so that was pretty awesome. It was a welcomed treat to get out of the cold. My body didn't go into shock, although I did get a pretty nasty sinus infection from inhaling all the dust whilst riding in the tuk tuk.

To be honest, Seoul had an incredibly mild winter last year. It snowed all of three or four times and it didn't seem to be that cold.

Which brings us to the most bitter and Siberian-like winter I've ever experienced...I needed something or some place HOT. Like HOT HOT. But with a minimal amount of money in my bank account, what could a girl do? I surely deserved something tropical after the subzero temperatures. Right?

There was only one thing that I wanted...

So what did I do this year? Oh you know...nothing fantastic...just saw the BEST K-POP BAND EVER! My friend and co-worker, Sarah, and I scored tickets courtesy of her rad boyfriend, Kyu, and off we went to see BigBang!!

We were so close it was insane. At one point, Seungri (the maknae of the group)winked, waved, and mouthed "hi" to us. I've read many articles that he likes foreigners so "hey girl hey!"

TOP is still number one, but I have to say they all looked great, even Daesung, whom I normally could do without. Taeyang was amazing--he has mad skills on the dance floor... And G-Dragon...damn. That boy was so sexy. He has such commanding stage presence.

We sang our hearts out, and it was such a welcomed form of release from all the stresses of the winter intensive camp and it certainly gave us something to smile about when we told our students about the concert on Monday morning.

Pictures, you ask? Sure...keep in mind that they mostly aren't that clear due to the fact that these boys were always moving about, but I got a few good shots on my iPhone. I also didn't start taking photos until the encore performances because if security caught you taking pictures, they would kick you out. I saw one middle school Korean girl get ousted and she had tears in her eyes. I am not about to drop 100,000 won to see my favorite K-Pop group and then get kicked out. By the encore, no one cared anymore. ^^

This is Sarah and I on the way to the show. ^^

TOP!

Daesung and G-Dragon!

Dae and TOP!

Taeyang!

Seungri!

TOP and Dae!

TOP ^^

I just like this picture--none of the members are in it, but it just makes me happy.

Tae!


TOP, GD, and Tae!

GD in action...quite possibly my favorite shot of the night. ^^ G-Dragon just has so much swag. ^^

Sarah and I after the show. Still beaming!

We were in 001 section, right by the stage. ^^



So yeah...In my after Winter Camp excursions, I went from going into shock, to going to tropical temperatures, to going into shock over the hotness that was displayed before me...Progression is everything, I suppose. ^^

I can't wait until next year...

xo

c