Vacations

As much as I have been loving having a 2-month break from teaching, in some ways it is starting to get to me. I fear that I am getting used to doing nothing all day, and I will have a hard time adjusting to working again. I haven't had a full two-months off to do nothing (except maybe travel of course) since probably my 6th grade summer due to summer camps, jobs, and one summer I chose to take summer school to get ahead.

January was supposed to be a work at home time, and I did get many lesson plans and games thought out, and finish some flash cards and game cards, but really I've only worked...maybe 12 hours all month. Even though February is officially my vacation, I might work a bit more, but probably less than 12 hours because I will be traveling out of the country and such.

It doesn't really help that throughout last month and currently, I have always had a stack of money, but I can't spend it because the money has been devoted to China. I don't plan on spending the full one million won I set aside to bring to China, but I have to make sure I don't run out of money until I get back home. I have been wanting to travel a little bit more around Korea, but due to my money issue, I haven't done as much as I might have liked to.

Ah well. I have had fun on some days, been bored on others, and just relaxed on others. Even with all my spare time, I have procrastinated on many things. I have enjoyed my time off, I just want to make sure I'm ready to go back to work when it's time. If we stay another year, I am going to try and make sure that when this break comes around again, I have planned and saved better so I don't end up perpetually broke during the break again.

Almost ready for China

So it's almost here. After languishing mostly around Mokpo in January, except for the trip to the Boseung green tea fields and two days in Seoul, Cody and I are about to leave for China for eight fabulous days where we will explore Beijing.

I have bought everything I need and read everything that will help me in a new country. I have everything packed, including hand sanitizer, my own chopsticks for the places where I shouldn't trust their utensils, and tissues for the inevitable public restrooms without toilet paper. Luckily, I think Korea has indeed given me a head start towards knowing how to Survive China. I just need to remember to only drink Juice, Hot tea, and Bottled water, if I want to avoid being sick during my vacation.

We plan on seeing the lantern festival on the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration, the Mutianyu Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace, The Temple of Heaven, Pickled Mao's Shrine, The shopping streets of Qianmen, as well as try Beijing Duck, roam the labyrinthine hutongs, take a bike tour, eat large quantities of dumplings, and spend too much money on stuff that was made in China, but that's OK because we would have bought it in China.

I am also hoping to see the Beijing Zoo. I hate how animals are treated and the conditions they are kept in in Zoos, but somehow I am drawn to visiting the Zoos in places I am visiting. I have yet to visit one in Korea, but I am sure I will before I leave.

I am so excited to get to China. I have my bags packed and our officetel is almost clean and ready to be left empty for a week. I only have about 15 pounds of stuff in my pack, so I have almost 30 pounds left for bringing back stuff from China. Dante will be staying with our friend Chris, so we don't have to worry about him too much. I am ready to just get a move on.