midterms, already!?

So, I've been busy studying for midterms.  I can't believe they've come so soon! Yikes. I need to memorize a lot of vocab in the next two days. Luckily, since Sogang is a Catholic university, we had Easter break! So, I didn't have class thursday or friday, which was really really nice. I needed the break, although its not entirely a break, since I have to study.

Anyhow, lets see... last week was Marina, one of my classmates last week.  She was on this short study abroad program through her Japanese university during her spring break.  So, she was only here for thee weeks. But it was sad, as we hung out after class etc.  So, on Tuesday, after pronunciation class (from 2-4. It was my first time going and I really liked it) a few of my classmates and I went out to have 닭 한 마리 (an entire chicken cut up in a hotpot style pan in the middle of the table.  It was really good!  It was one of the foods on Marina's "to eat" list before she left.

1.Chen (Austria), Junhye (Taiwan), and Marina (Japan) 2. an entire chicken in a pot

Friday was really fun because we had a going away "snack" party for Marina.  So, people brought snacks in to share. I made puppy chow and brought some in.  I never realized how disgusting it looks, until I was thinking about it from the perspective of someone who has never eaten it... but everyone seemed to like it.  Then, we actually got to make chapchae in class!  Our chapter was on cooking chapchae, and our reading/listening teacher brought it all of the ingredients. Everything was already cooked, so basically we just mixed it together and added seasoning, but it was really fun!

 1.teacher with the directions on the board behind her 2. Martin (Sweden), Scott (England), and Travis (US) with chapchae

After class, I went to Youngwha unnis and hung out.  I really like hanging out with her. She's so fun and I really get to practice my Korean with her.  I met up with Marina and some other classmates in Sinchon at 7:30 for dinner. I had another thing at 8(ish), but I wanted to see Marina one last time.  We ended up at some samgyupsal place that Tte used to frequent a lot.  lol.  That night it was pretty empty though, and the soju man came! He goes around to various restaurants in Seoul and hands out free bottles of soju to promote a certain brand.  We kind of buttered him up and he gave us 4 bottles for free!!!

1. Marina with the Soju Man  2. Marina (Japan), Travis (US), and Scott (England)

I left around 8:30 to go meet Yunjeong unni, kyungmoon and taesung oppa for taesung oppa's birthday.  I had the job of buying an icecream cake for him. I found the cutest one at Baskin robins; it was a tiger!

1. Yunjeong unni and I  2. Taesung oppa and his birthday cake

I ended up staying the night at Kyungmoon's apt. on the couch since it was too late to catch the subway.

The next morning I booked it to Myeongdong to meet Jeewon unni.  I haven't seen her since I got her.  We were suppsed to meet last week, but had to reschedule.  Unfortunately, I left my phone at kyungmoon's place....  A BIG inconvenience!
Anyhow, we went to Mr. Pizza for lunch and had potato pizza. Yum! and then walked around myeongdong for a bit.   

That afternoon I was supposed to meet Youngwha unni and mark to go to the last Dulsori rehearsal.  I got on the subway and it went about two stops and then stopped in the middle of a tunnel and sat there for about 15 min! And then, when it finally started moving, it went really really slow! I didn't know what to do, as I was running super late and I couldn't call either of them. So, I decided to chance it and take a taxi. Bad idea. Sometimes taxis are faster, but the traffic was terrible!!!  So, I got stuck on the highway for ever and a day!  I finally got there 50 minutes late, and ran over to our meeting spot and I saw Mark and Youngwha unni talking. My first reaction was relief that they were both there; my second reaction was, wait, how do they know each other!?

Youngwha unni told me that after about 30 min. she noticed that Mark had been milling around too. So, she walked over to him and asked him, in Korean, if he was Lia's friend.  He said something like, "Oh, I don't speak Korean." and she was like yup, its gotta be him. hahaha!
Anyhow, we caught the last half of the Dulsori show. whew. awesome, as usual.

Then we went out for dinner and had뽈쌀 aka pig cheek. sounds disgusting, but it wasn't bad.  really. So super unkosher... but its really hard not to eat pork here, as thats the main meat available.

Youngwha unni and I at dinner (that tube hanging in the pictures is a fan that sucks the smoke from the grill)

Sunday, Kyungmoon came over to study and drop off my phone.  We ended up going out for lunch and wandering around. We found this awesomely cheap samgyetang place! and then wandered around. The weather was sooo nice!  Then we came back and studied Korea for a bit before my host family took us out to some very famous duck restaurant, outside of seoul.

The restaurant was so awesome! I love smoked duck, so the meal was amazing. Plus, the scenery was so beautiful!  The place doesn't take reservations, so we had to wait over an hour, but we had fun taking pictures and looking at the Han river.

1. with my host bro, John, near the Han River  2. Kyungmoon and me  3. sweet potatoes that cooked while we grilled our meat  4. host parents (note the duck on the grill)  5. kyungmoon's lettuce wrap  6. the grease after the meal... ugh. as Moon pointed out, at least we didn't digest it, right?...

On Monday, I met up with Jeonghye unni for dinner.  We went to some famous nangmyeon (cold noodles) restaurant in Jamsil.  It was so insanely spicy! Both of us could only eat half. but it was so good.  I think next time I go, I'll order mul-nangmyeon (with broth), not bibim-nangmyeon (spicy sauce over the top). whew. I'm positive I killed some tastebuds with that meal.
Then we went to this super cute cafe and I had pumpkin juice. So delicious!

On Tuesday, I went to baram (pronunciation) class again. After regular class but before baram class, a few classmates and I went out for lunch.  It was fun because I met some new people, who are in different classes. Its interesting going out with classmates, because often times, the only language we have in common is Korean. Its a good way to practice Korean!

Wednesday, I started tutoring a new student. My monday students decided not to continue. I liked them, but the distance was really hard (1 hr to get there from school and 1.5 hr to get home), so it worked out.  Anyhow, this new student lived in the US for two years, but his English isn't fluent.  He is in 3rd grade and had a lot of energy. wow.  but he lives right near Sogang (my university) so its quite convenient!
I tutored him for 1 hr. and then had to rush off to get back home so I could tutor my other students from 5-6.  Then I ran off again to catch the train to drumming class. Wednesdays are going to kill me! everything is back to back. So it goes...

Thursday and Friday, I didn't have class which was amazing! I met up with Dewi on Thursday and she tried to help me fix my phone payment/bank account situation. She is also the friend that helped me get a phone in the first place.  Anyhow, because of my short visa, I basically can't do anything, so 1.5 hrs and 2 stores later, we concluded that I couldn't switch it.

Afterwards, we went to yonsei and she showed me the new I-house.  They completely redid the international dorm there and it is sooo nice!  I wasn't going to eat lunch, since I had a lunch date with another friend, but she talked me into it... I ate two lunches! but I skipped dinner.
I had KLI sundabu, the best spicy tofu soup.  I used to eat it all the time after class while I was abroad!

1. Dewi and I (we were in the same Korean class at Yonsei two years ago  2. KLI sundabu!!!

Then around 1:30 I met up with Sooah from the drumming club I joined at yonsei.  We hungout in tte bang, the club room and ordered chinese noodles.  One of the other members I know came in and a few first years.  It was really fun to be back!!!  Eating chinese takeout in the room brought back lots of memories (it was a very regular occurrence while I was at yonsei). haha!

Everyone had class at 3, so I went to wangshimni and met up with youngwha unni.  We just chilled at her house, which was really nice. I asked her a few questions about some Korean grammar and taught her some English stuff. We ordered chicken for dinner, which was super good!  Then I went home.  It was a nice relaxing way to end the day.

Friday, I pretty much tried to study all day.  I did get sidetracked... but I didn't really do much except tutor for two hours.
And today, I tried to study most of the day. Sarang called! She got in yesterday, and invited me to her grandpa's for his birthday dinner! It was so nice seeing her again! and her parents/family!!! I'm so glad she came to Korea!!!!

Tomorrow, I am going to see the Alice in Wonderland movie, 3D, with Youngwha unni and then study for the rest of the day. I have my exams on tuesday and wednesday, and then an interview the week after.
Wish me luck!