Erin, Jeffrey, Carolyn, and I went to Namdaemun to pick up some "traditional Korean Christmas gifts" to send home. Though I didn't find much of note, I did find something for my mother that she'll either adore or despise (I'm leaning toward the former): I can't get enough of it myself.
We ate homemade, hand cut rice noodles in a tent-like shack at the side of the road. It was the first non-vegan meal I've had in about three or four weeks, so it tasted amazing. Sometimes real food is just what you need.
We walked around in the cool day: the weather here is great these days: it's not so cold that you have to avoid outdoors, but it's cold enough sometimes that staying inside, staying warm is perfectly socially acceptable. We drank in the overly Christmas'd sights, marvelling in how well they took the over the top spirit and went with it. I found some Junior Mints in a foreign store and ate quite a few of them. Again, non-vegan = one delicious day.
After the Find of the Century (for mom), we scooted over to Myeongdong, for some Western shopping. As Erin put it so well, it is only here that she is reminded that she's in Asia. It is the shopping district of one of the world's biggest, most important, most prevelant cities: it should be as busy as it was. It was Saturday night, the stores showed no signs of ever closing, and there were human beings everywhere. It was great.
I stopped for a latte and went to see the Myeongdong Catholic Church. I love that the Catholic church owns this entirely pretentious, huge parcel of land on an enormous hill in one of the most expensive places on earth to buy real estate. I can't imagine how much this piece of property would sell for if they decided to, I don't know, get rid of it and feed all of the world's hungry. Just a side thought.
Starbucks note: vanilla latttes do not taste good with soy milk. They're fine, but they aren't the original.
Here's a picture of the Christmas scene where passersby like yours truly can pile up on an outdoor couch and pose with Korean Santa and his trees. Note the area rug on the floor: I love Asia today.
Last night marked the official end of Module 3 for the Math. I can't tell you how relieved I was to hit that "Post" button last night and send forth the Unit Plan. I'm not certain it is my best work, but I did put a lot of heart into it. There's even a retirement joke about embezzled funds from Nigeria. Props to BNS for making email money scams from Africa part of my vernacular (and hence, my joke repitoire). The group also posted our final group project, so that heartache is over as well. Phew. Two more weeks and the course is over. Oh, and I'm finally a certified teacher with the Ontario College of Teachers (just a little behind the times).
I went to one of my student's house for lunch today. I was exhausted, but her mother put on this entirely vegetarian spread just for me. It was really nice. I haven't eaten that much tofu, walnuts, and vegetables ever in one day, but I had to make up for Saturday's gorging somehow.
Matt and I watched the first two episodes of Glee tonight. BEST show ever (Lainey Gossip was right). If you haven't (and why haven't you?), you MUST Glee (it's my newest verb). You will download it and watch it illegally (yes, I said it). And then you will tune in and watch it as faithfully as you watch Grey's Anatomy. And you will thank me because your life will be that much better. Think about how good you feel after you watch Chicago. It's like that only current and set in high school: it's perfect. It made me miss Jamie and Mike and the curling up, wining, and watching we used to do while we were in school. Good times in STT ;) I'm listening to Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. I can't help but think of you.
I hope you had a good weekend.
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