Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!! Any resolutions?? I don't really have any.. unless you count adopting a Korean child

We've been doing these intensive schedules for about a week and a half now and I'm really starting to enjoy it! I have mostly high level middle school grade 3 students, which I am so happy to have. I can actually teach them things, demand things from them, and watch them get better (hopefully), because they are older, more mature, and smart! They want to succeed, and their Korean teachers are very strict, which makes me feel like I have to push them also. With the lower levels I felt mostly like a clown just entertaining them for 50 minutes a day, trying to get them to speak. The only downside is waking up and getting to work before the sun rises.. and Starbucks isn't open so I haven't had a decent coffee in the morning for 10 days (its killing me!) 

Since we have the new schedule we did little introduction classes with our kids. My one middle school grade 2 kid said his favorite artists were Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, and Snoop Dogg.. quite possibly my new favorite student. 

We worked on Saturday, New Years Eve, til 2 o'clock. After that I went home and chilled, took a nap, watched some tv.. I met everyone out by work at around 7 and we went to Gold Bar. It ended up being a really fun night! I don't usually get hyped for New Years. When we first got to Gold Bar, we tried to get some Irish Car Bombs, which are a half pint of Guinness and you drop a shot of 1/2 Baileys 1/2 Jameson in and drink it. They are delicious! But the bartender told us "New Year special, you have to buy a bottle". We were like okay, whats the special? How cheap are they? He said "same price but you have to buy a bottle before you get drinks" This went on for about 10 minutes. Suzie took control and was questioning him on how you can call making us buy a bottle that isn't discounted a special. It was entertaining. But in the end we won and got our car bombs!

Peter and Emily posted up at the bar.

Me Tyler and Ben with Ben's friend and Joon's coworker (she's the one covering the Virgin Mary with her peace sign)

Joon (I think) ordered us some New Year shots! They are called Agwa bombs (too many bombs!) although they look more like science experiments. Agwa is some kind of liquor made from the coca leaf, its the green stuff floating on the top. The bottom is red bull or some kind of energy drink. Its so cool how they stay separated! I attempted to take mine, but failed. I'm no good at shots and just general don't like them. Every time I get a shot or can't drink a drink, I just pass it to Ben. Its a win-win scenario! Ben gets free shots and I don't have to do them! 

Gold Bar also passed out sparklers, which maybe wasn't the best thing to give drunk people in a crowded bar, but they were fun.

My sparkler lasted the longest because I was too busy taking pictures. The guy in the background, Rene, was the guy who interviewed and eventually hired me! He's a lot of fun, but its still strange being out with someone who made me so nervous during an interview. 

After Gold Bar, Suzie, Emily, Peter, and I went to McDonalds for some hamburgers and fries. Peter was wearing holey jeans (he's a bit behind in the fashion world). I kept trying to stick the ketchup packets in the hole and smashing them, but it wasn't working. They were some sturdy packages. 

The next day, for actual New Year's Day, Suzie, Tyler, Emily and I went to Itaewon for some breakfast and some drinks. I had the fish n chips, which I didn't really enjoy. I don't really like fish, I just panicked cause everyone was ordering and I didn't want to be the only one who didn't. But we had some fun that day. 

.. plus its one of the few places to get a bloody mary.

such a beautiful beer!

Everyone and their mother has a smart phone.. even my kids make fun of me for having a dumb phone. Sometimes I have to sit there and entertain myself for a bit because everyone is on their smartphones

We did rock paper scissors for shots again, only this time we got all nice ones. Luckily I got the scooby snack again! The other contenders were chocolate cake, purple hooter, and surfer on acid (I think)

Tyler, knowing I'm a terrible drinker, challenged me to who could finish their Guinness first.. notice how his has twice the amount of beer than mine.. mine is merely one gulp.. 

.. love how Emily got a solid profile.. totally accentuates the beak.

.. and yes, he destroyed me.

Not much else has been going on since our new schedule. Joon and I should be picking up sewing classes again next week. Joon's birthday was yesterday, so was MaryKate's! Happy Birthday MaryKate!, and Ben's is tomorrow so tomorrow night we are going to some wine bar (per Suzie's reservations) in Apgujeong. Should be promising! Also, there have been talks of ice fishing one weekend coming up, so hopefully that happens.