It's Winter {in Korea}

When I arrived in Korea back in July it was HOT and HUMID.  I wanted to die everytime I walked outside because my clothes would be instantly wet.  We didn't want to go explore the country because it was too hot and we knew that it would not be enjoyable.  We kept saying, "When it cools off."

It has certainly done that now.  Every morning it is at freezing and now the air is so dry that the possibility of snow for us has been slim.  I came to visit my hubby last Christmas here and I remember it being bitter cold and thankfully we haven't hit that yet but there are still a few more weeks until we get to the time when I was here last year. (Did that sentence make sense?)  I love having my beanies and scarves out, though.  In Texas, I only got to wear them for like a week total.

I have seen Christmas lights start to be set up around town and there seems to be a Christmas village going in to the open lot between school and home including what looks like a man made sledding hill.  I am very intrigued but it all.  I love anything sparkly so I love when there are lots of lights around.  We don't decorate at our house.  Never really been rooted down on a regular enough basis to warrant it.  We occasionally and quite randomly set stuff up when we lived in Texas but did not bring a single string of lights with us to Korea.

When I am in the US Christmas is a time to enjoy being with family.  For me, it isn't about religion or presents it is ALL ABOUT FAMILY.  I love being able to hang out with my husband, mom, dad and brother because it doesn't happen a lot.  This will be the second Christmas that I have been away from my family but at least both of those have been with my awesome husband.

The school year is almost half over and I can't believe how the time has flown.  Yes, there has been a major problem once a month since school started but we are trudging through and there will probably be a major problem every month til the summer but what can you do?  I am not planning on ever working at a BRAND new school ever again.  I like being somewhere with policies in place and no growing pains.  Makes it easier for me to teach and deal with the teenagers when I am not consumed with the adults... WAIT! Nevermind, we had that problem at my last school. HA!

Anyway, here are a couple pics from this last month.  We really need to get out and take more pictures.

The place where tennis club meets.  The bus can't cross the skinny bridge.

View from my desk out the window.  Note there is only ONE flag there.  I am in a foreign country, aren't I?

The picture does not do the justice of how close this guy was to my car.  He was trying to cram is little van in between us and the bus that we were practically on top of to begin with.

Me getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.

It's Cold!

Okay, if you follow me on Twitter you may have noticed that I have went from bitching about it being too hot to now being too cold.  I feel frozen all the time lately.  Part of this has to do with the fact that my hubby doesn't want to turn the heat on in the house.  The house has radiant floor heating that is attached to a MASSIVE hot water boiler behind it.  I can't even imagine how much water is in this boiler and how much electricity it will take to heat it.  It had been on when we first moved in but when we got our first MASSIVE electricity bill Adam put it to sleep.  Now it is cold and our house seems to always be at a constant freezing temperature even when it heats up outside.  When I got home from work the other day I even opened the windows hoping that it would change the coldness in the house... it didn't  because it was only like 60F outside and Adam looked at me like I was nuts when he got home and I had the windows open and curled up in blankets.

I have to keep reminding myself we are living here and not on post because it is easier for me to get to work.  I am about a 1 minute drive from here as opposed to the 1hour minimum through the city from post.  I am very grateful for that.  I hate driving and I couldn't even begin to imagine a commute everyday through Grand Theft Auto: Daegu (not even kidding here it is like driving in a video game but not as fun).

Thankfully, this weekend we picked up a couple of space heaters at the PX and they have done wonders for the living room.  The bedroom is good because I like it cool when I sleep plus we have an awesome down comforter that makes you sweat no matter how cold it is outside.  If only I had my puppies to pile up and I would really be set.  Oh well, they are keeping mom and dad company and warm.

I was here last Christmas when it was FREEZING and I am not looking forward to what is to come.  Having lived in Texas the last 5 years and New Mexico the 2 before that I really haven't had winter in a while.  Daegu unfortunately has the distinction of being not only the hottest (I can vouch for that) but the COLDEST place in Korea.  Lucky Me!

Oh and to top things off I seem to have not packed in anything we brought my favorite beanie and scarves.  Ugh! This will be a long wait to Spring even though if it is going to herald in another summer like we had I will keep winter at least I can pile on the sweaters and blankets.