March Into Symmetry

The rain is different here. It shoots like pellets rather than falling like a shower, as the wind whips around the high rise buildings. It rains hard, fast, verically in sheets until the clouds have rung themselves out and then rest only to refil and have another go. It's not as pleasant as it is at home, maybe because the sky doesn't break open with light afterwards, but rather remains in a thick grey haze. Maybe because the air isn't refreshed, but a grimy cloak from a congested city. Maybe its because I don't have the same comforts as I do at home - an oven to place some chocolate chip cookies and a tall bookshelf to browse before choosing something to nestle into the couch with. Heck, I don't even have the couch. But I can run in the rain here as it is rarely accompanied by lighting or even thunder. I'm often soaked, from hair to shoes with arms and music pumping into a blinding downfall, and afterwards somehow manage to feel better.

I have 2 month left here in Korea. A week of that will be spent in Thailand, while an extra week at the end might be tacked on for Taiwan. I'm trying to use my time wisely and make the most of it. I still find pleasure in little things, like a good jog or a good cup of coffee, a compliment from one of my students or a random grammatical error on a t-shirt, finding fudge pops or finding flip-flops in my size. Today I enjoyed a great meal at an Indian restaurant - a welcomed and exciting change from tofu and rice. I read "The Lion King" to my kindergarteners who were completely enthralled, and we danced to "Rockin' Robin". We played "Teacher Says" and made our own kites. I invented a game for my elementary students and stuck stickers all over my head to make them laugh. Next week is a short work week, accompanied by a fun activity day on Tuesday and being treated to a staff dinner on Wednesday. Then......well then its off to Thailand for 8 glorious days of elephants, tigers, hiking, waterfalls, boating, scuba diving, and lying on the beach doing absolutely nothing. Don't worry, I'll take plenty of pictures so you can all ooze with jealousy.