(Picture taken last weekend by my host mom's photo-obsessed friend, thus I ldon't look entirely thrilled... however, it makes a great profile shot.)
Today's my birthday. I had one of the best birthdays yet- imaging hundreds of middle schoolers singing "happy birthday" and "congratulations..." all day long, eating candy, making birthday collages, and eating loads of cake at school... yup, my day isn't close to being over yet! All the teachers in my school came to the main office (where my desk is located), sang to me, presented me with a HUGE bouquet of roses, and brought this amazing cake made of rice cake and sweet potato (a Korean treat!). That was only 9am.
For five classes in a row, I taught a 'birthday' lesson. I cut out hundreds of magazine pictures, let the kids make groups, handed out glue, paper, and scissors, then taught them how to make a collage. Basically I forced them to make cute and really really creative birthday/ going away cards! I'll post a few pictures soon.
Tonight for dinner, all the English teachers in my school are treating me to a delicous dinner at the KAL Jeju Hotel- exciting, because I think this will be another let's-get-all-dolled-up-fancy-schmancy-dinner! Yay!
Tomorrow my host family is throwing a birthday party dinner for me and a few Fulbright friends on the island. We are going to have a huge Korean birthday feast- then it's off to celebrate our departure from Korea. For many of us, this will be out last weekend we will spend together on Jeju Island before we part our ways in Seoul next weekend. It will be a truly bittersweet weekend. I am so so happy.
My thoughts on turning 23- I forever will be a young kid at heart. Life is short, sweet, and simple, don't try to complicate things. I feel I have already lived a lifetime in my short 23 years- yet, I still have the urge to learn more, travel more, meet more people, and take new risks.
One year has passed in Korea, where will the next take me?
