merry christmas

Merry Christmas from South Korea!

Yesterday we spread some Christmas cheer around our school by wearing silly little elf headbands in our classes. I think it was one of the best days at work, doing Christmas themed English activities and playing Christmas music for the kiddos.

I wrote Merry Christmas on all of my white boards and some of the kids asked me how to do cursive handwriting. They were mesmerized. It was great to see their faces light up trying something new and challenging.

Yuri and I spent the rest of our Christmas eve together by singing/rapping our hearts out to some Christmas Carols at a noraebang (karaoke room) and today I was able to Skype with my family opening up the sweet gifts that they sent along in the mail. It's been a relaxing day.

I couldn't help but open a couple of my gifts the night before. I had been looking at some of these packages for nearly a month!

One of the sweetest gifts was from one of my adult students, Hye Young. She neatly hand stitched the little slippers for me in the picture. It's something I will treasure for a long time, for sure.

You don't really consider how much you love your home province until you are unable to go there. It was such a nice surprise to receive so many Newfie-themed/home comforts gifts. Seriously, perfect. I decided they deserved a photo all on their own with my teeny tree.

I especially love the Newfoundland flag hat from Elizabeth and the Jellybean Row ornament from Robyn. I can try to make my own version of the Festive Special with the Chalet Sauce!! The Newfoundland Chocolate Company stash is almost too beautiful to eat.

Again, packages and cards from home made me feel a lot closer to it. Thank you for your thoughtfulness on a potentially lonely special day!

Well, as they say here in Korea,

메리 크리스마스! 

(may-ri ke-ri-se-ma-se)