The Beginning of the End

And now, the countdown is officially underway. 

Tim and I spent the past weekend in Seoul which marked the beginning of a list of trips, events and calendar dates that ends with 'HOME!'.

Tim was busy with a CrossFit Certification course ( in which he was the class star, of course) while I busied myself running, shopping, eating, and half-heartedly sight seeing a few places I had missed during our other 2 trips to the city. 

one of the many side-ventures on my 10km-turned-15km run to Olympic park.

orange, melty popsicle = maybe the best thing i've ever tasted.

yaaaaaay!

he survived day 1.

an anniversary meal for 2. eaten by 1.

tourist trip to an old japanese-run prison (Seodamun Prison).

taking a load off on prison grounds. 

where i spent 20% of the weekend. 

kindle break in tapgol park, near insadong.

Next on the docket are three days of work before departing Busan again and leaving Korea for the first time since we arrived last year.  We will be guests in the old Japanese capital of Kyoto for a few days during our much needed, highly anticipated summer vacation. 

When we return to the Land of the Morning Calm following our vacation, there are but 8 short weeks until we are jobless, homeless travellers, embarking on the next phase of life... whatever it turns out to be:) 

Wow! 

The lighter side.

Each month, the Kindergarten students of our school - all 50+ of them- are treated to a half day field trip to a destination somewhere in/near Busan. 


This month, our trip was very short to the WORLD'S LARGEST DEPARTMENT STORE, Shinsegae, a 10 minute bus ride from our school.  No, we were not shopping.  Our school had booked a children's playground/playpark in the basement of Shinsegae called 'Tiovivo'.  


Tiovivo had everything a 3-7 year old child could want: a ball bit, video games, train sets, and a full kitchen (complete with child-sized blenders, mixing bowls, stoves, and a grocery store full of any plastic food imaginable) where I spent most of my time. 


It's the field trip days where I honestly, 100% forget any complaints I have about my job and genuinely LOVE watching the kids run around, being kids.  One of the funniest things is to see them 'mischievously' speak Korean - something they are forbidden from doing during class hours, but is largely 'ignored' during field trips.  


It's neat to see which kids play with which kids, when classes are mixed. It's also interesting to see the different personalities of the kids when the focus is not on academics or following rules.  Many of the children are much more affectionate and clingy outside the school, and others pretend they have never laid eyes on you.  


Here are some pictures from the trip:

Joy, on the bus to Shinsegae.

Sally, lining up with Banana class.  

Kids + Tim teacher in the ball pit.

The plastic grocery store.

David, fresh off the slide.

Another 'Joy'. 

Danica makes me some lunch.

A balanced diet. 

Olivia didn't feel well.

One of Tim Teacher's biggest fans.

Arnold and Melody, who are officially dating.

The boys' section.

Jack and Terry, mechanical engineers.

wouldn't be a play-place without them.

Joy Joy.

kind of a shame... 

Chef Gordon in his kitchen.

Nick, getting reading to back flop.

David and Phillip play....

While Arnold waits patiently.

And an action sequence of Gordon, the chef, making me a 'sandweeeecheuh'.