A Very Special Korean Christmas!

I have been blessed this year on this long Christmas weekend in Korea. Friday was a little rough, but I let it go and realized that Charlie knows I didn't throw a pencil case at the kid and that is why he laughed at it off. The kid is just being a little boy in a class that hates me and wanted attention or something.

Saturday my friend, Chang Woo came here to my neighborhood and we ate a Korean traditional type lunch with chicken that is very good. Then we came back here and he helped me with my Korean a little bit and I helped him with English. My Korean is at a very basic level though of course. Then he helped me find a place where I bought some light bulbs for my place so that was good. Then we met again later that night at the Korean church for like the middle schoolers concert and my other friend Chul was helping them out by playing the drum. It was actually pretty cute and enjoyable and some of the kids even sang carols in English.

Yesterday, Sunday (Christmas Eve) I met my friend Chul and we went to the English service church and then to lunch with another friend. Then we went to the Korean church service and afterwards we went to the big bus station close by and I helped out pass invitations (tickets) with some candy attached to them to people on the street inviting them to church for Christmas day. Then we went back to church and ate a traditional rice cake soup.

After that I went to Starbucks with Chol, Chang Woo, and three girls (Soun, Eun Soung, and another girl I can't think of.) I am getting better there and we ended up being there for like four hours. Two of the girls had just got back from England studying there, so they spoke good English. Soun finished a semester in Liverpool and it was hard for her and she didn't really like it so she came back to Korea. There was another girl who is just here for two weeks for the holiday and she studies in London. So, I talked to them about England and different things and we all talked about our futures, dreams and so on. We all are the same age, which means as of January 1st in Korea we are 25!!!

Then after that I met my other good friend, Yehun and a friend I met through him whose name is So Young. So Young is very young though only 20 in Korean age, and she looks like she is in high school it makes me feel old. We bought an ice cream Christmas cake at Baskin Robins and bought some food and beer and soju. So Young and Yehun ended up cooking all kinds of food, too much plus the cake. We did not finish all the food and I had a lot to clean today plus I need many more things. We had a good time talking and stuff then we watched Love Actually on my notebook. It was really late So Young slept on my bed and Yehun and I slept on the floor with the carols going from the internet radio. They both slept but I didn't at all, which really stunk. They woke up and both left here at about 7 AM and then I got to sleep for two hours before I had to get ready to go to the Korean Church for Christmas day. It was a really fun night, and a special Christmas Eve!

Today I went to church and was so tired though, but it was okay. Then Chul called and I had lunch with him and his mom at Outback Steakhouse, much better in Korea by the way. So much food and I felt stuffed with all of it. Then I came back here for a while and cleaned and tried to sleep for a couple of hours. Then I met my friend Yehun and his parents tonight and we went to a traditional Korean restaurant. There was so much food there and side dishes, but I liked it a lot! His parents are very nice despite the language barrier still there. We went back to their apartment which I thought was beautiful and had tea and fruit. I have never heard this before from anyone, but Yehun's parents said "I have pretty hands." haha! They think I am cute like most people at the Korean church, but what a blessing friends have been to me here. I had a very good time today too.

Tomorrow I have to go to work, so I will go to bed soon because I am very tired! Friday - I leave for Taiwan for about three days!!! So exciting!