thailand

the alignment of the stars is in my favor...next monday, i'm flying to thailand with my friend nami, for one week of sweet rest and relaxation. oh yes, i am itching to have the time and space to read, write, veg, yoga, swim, hike, kayak and chill.

jeju-do

it has been years, and i do mean, YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAARRRRRRSSSS, since my family has had a vacation together. the last time we traveled together was to my brother's graduation in 2003, 5 years ago. and while it was nice to see pomona's beautiful campus and to hear my brother speak (he's good, REAL good!) at his commencement ceremony, it wasn't necessarily a vacation.

now, jeju-do is a tropical island south of korea's peninsula. it's labeled as THE honeymoon destination--it's true, you can spot the newlyweds in their matching (barf) "couple" outfits--due to its beautiful beaches and close proximity to seoul--it takes only an hour to fly to jeju. my parents locked us into a guided tour, which, we the children at first scoffed. luckily, it turned out to be quite enjoyable. our tour guide was animated, we ate tasty meals and while some of the spots we visited were a bit overrated, i was with my family and that's all that mattered.

we've arrived to jeju-do airport, ji hong maps it out:

clear blue water, refreshing air:

jin with the most common jeju statue:

our hotel:

ji hong asleep, mom chuckling:

brother perfects the asian squat:

topiary admiration:

dad hams it up, for real!

the chongs:

blue skies, palms:

sunny day, sweaty hike:

we three, adopt the korean serious expression:

we three, reveal our true selves:

on the road again:

beachside, dusk:

relativity

i've been thinking recently about happiness and how relativity plays are a tricky part in that state of being. i'm trying to teach my students how to become more articulate, opinionated thinkers. i've tried to illustrate the importance of weighing both sides of the issue/question and then supporting their opinions with confident examples. "just because," i'm not sorry, is not a good enough answer. and so, i'm applying the same thought process to my own issues and questions, but, relativity complicates matters.

my job has become a major source of frustration, angst, and annoyance. i work hard at it, preparing, planning, doing. it wears me down, i'm starting to burn the fuck out. and just when i think i've run empty on motivation, i have the most amusing and heartwarming moments with my students that remind me of why i do what i do. for the laughs, for the unpredictable connections the students have with me, with each other. that, my friends, is the icing on the cake, the cream of the crop, the wacka wacka wacka. but, is it worth it in these circumstances? relatively speaking...

i'm beginning to contemplate my options. i dislike feeling like i'm losing sight of the reasons why i came to korea. last night, for the first time in weeks, i opened up my korean books and studied. it felt great! as i was getting ready to go to bed, (at 4am) i got the sudden urge to study and it felt incredible to actually DO it instead of only thinking about it. (then i wonder, am i just a lazyass for not making myself study at other times?!) i'm recognizing, yet again, to take control of my actions and own up to my choices with kindness, patience, and determination.

feeling crusty and it ain't pretty

rar! i'm feeling crusty. i feel bloated, gassy, tired, and cranky. yep. i'm in a real debbie downer sort of mood right now. i've also been prepping for my classes for the last 2 hours. am i finished? nope. will i finish tonight? hell no. why? it's effin 3:45am. my tired whiny ass is going to bed. sleep well my lovelies.

we are family!

i love my family! my family came to visit south korea for a two week touring extravaganza. they explored seoul, daegu, jeju island, suwon, pyeongchon, and beyond. it was wonderful, fantastic, hilarious, and enlightening to be in their company. and when they left, my apt felt empty, my heart, a bit heavy. i am already looking very forward to my visit home, holidays 2008.
sibling subway entertainment:

suwon walk and talk:

older sister lends her back:

sister legs:

chew on this: (my cousin once removed and aunt)

my beautiful mother and 3 of her 5 lovely sisters:

chongs, karaoke style:

last days

the last day of classes are usually more laid back--shoot! it's the last day! say kimchi!
troublemaker harry and silly sam (jongha in the background):

albert and samuel:

harry, making a silly face and ryan, laughing:

my students were brown nosing me in hopes of getting a higher test score:

sarah, jennifer, tina, linda and mary:

buh-bye, buh-bye now:

m.i.a.

too many ongoings and not enough time have made me m.i.a. but not for long. a slew of updates a brewing...