Sorry.....but it's been.....CRAZY TIMES

This last year has just been chaotic! I don't really know how to truly explain it...but I'll give you some snip bits of the stuff that happened.

Well, lets start in May, since that's where I pretty much left off.

May- Went to the Doctor for somethings that were going wrong, they gave me some pills and then after I took them they didn't agree with my body....ever since then I have sufferred with the side effects, b/c the stupid doctor don't know why my body's not responding to them the right way. by the way, its Jan. and I still have some of the side effects...BLAH! Then to make matters a little tougher, my school needed me to take on an extra 3 hr. class a week. which meant that I lost my one time slot away from work or that I could use for prep time. So I was working mon-sat. 4-10 PM every week.

June....I wound up meeting a guy, which I thought, "Won't it be great having a relationship?" but it actually just added to my stress. Then, I started getting really really sick. I kept going to different doctors but everyone told me that everything was just fine. They still gave me some kinds of medicine (just b/c it's Korea) but nothing was helping and no one could seem to find out what was wrong with me. My Branch had a retreat and invited us all out into the mountains. We did norebong and had a whole barbequed pig! lol! Then we all stayed up most of the night and just hung out and had fun getting to know all the people from both April and the main CDI at our Branch.

The next morning we woke up early and headed to Mnt. Palgongsan and they hiked. Since I was sick I went very slowly, I wheezed and coughed my way all the way to the top. It was really nice and Gatbawi was really cool to see. I wish that the trip had been longer...When I got back home I found out my new boyfriend cheated....but I wound up taking him back...b/c I'm dumb... July (LONG MONTH)-I had my vacation the first week. I was still sick, but I made a point to still go and have fun. I went to Japan. I had to take a 5 hr. bus ride up to Seoul to one of the TWO international Airports in Korea, but the flight only took 2 & 1/2 hrs to Island hop. LOL. Once I got to Japan I was greeted by the Absolutely, Amazing Amy Ives!! I stayed with her for half of my week. She took me to the University where she was working, took me to Hula dancing classes, took me to TOKYO!!! We saw many many things and then we stayed in a really good Hotel for very cheap! Then we went to see Disney's the Lion King in Japanese. lol! They had the coolest outfits....but don't take pics, not even when they're bowing at the end....you'll get your camera taken away. Then Amy and I went our separate ways and I went to meet up with the Marvelous Maloney's in Mito. They took me around Mito and I got to meet up with several other OC grads, for a moment I felt like I was back in Oklahoma! lol! I enjoyed spending time with them and celebrating the 4th of July with them, but my trip was too short. Next thing I knew it was time to go back to Korea. On the flight back, my sickness got worse and just shortly after we took off, my nose started bleeding and my head was pounding and then I lost the hearing from one of my ears completely and part of my hearing from the other side. I was falling apart, and I was so glad it was a quick flight. When I got back, I went to more doctors and they told me it was just allergies...but I refused to accept that answer. Then I asked my boss if there were ENT doctors in Korea, and she found one for me and sent a staff member along to interpret. I found out that I have a disease of the nose called ozena. Dr said that I need surgery, but i requested just medicine until i could go back to the states for a second opinion. Still working 33-36 hours of classes (not including prep time or extra time that I'm in my classroom) Then Intensives start and I've just gotten extra classes on Mon-Wed-Fri. mornings & afternoons. So now I'm working 45 hrs a week, but at the school for close to 60 hrs a week. Then I get a call from my sister saying that my mom is in the hospital b/c her appendix burst and she has multiple problems in her pancreas and....something else. I was soo scared. I wanted to go home, but I knew that I couldn't do that so close to the end of my contract. Started doing interviews for other schools, b/c I wanted to work for another year in Korea.... SOOO, I'm juggling boyfriend problems, sickness, lots of work, the worry of my mom being in the Hospital, Job searching (for one with fewer hrs)....THEN, my laptop from OC stops working. I'm told it was the mother board, and needed 300,000 Won ($300) to fix it. I Decided its not worth it and I just could go without a computer.

August- Still dealing with all of that junk, but then mom got surgery and she started feeling better, which gave me relief. Didn't get any of the other jobs I interviewed for, so I just resigned with Chungdahm. Halfway through the month intensives ended and I was back to only working 33 hrs of classes. My sickness finally accepted the medication and the pain gradually went away...(for the most part). Things were actually smooth with the boyfriend (for a while). And my wonderful Head Instructor let me use her computer to check e-mail and talk on skype. I started relaxing and feeling comfortable in Korea again. September-Started to get really close to some people at church and hung out with all of them a lot. Took several trips to different cities with big groups of people. Things were starting to wind down for me until the end of my first years contract! But things started getting rocky again with the Boyfriend....so this time I made the decision to let this one go.
October-Packed up and Flew home for the month! Spent the entire time with my old roomie and best friend, Josephine, at her apt.

Went to the Beautiful Britney Sinor's Wedding. Then did a lot of visiting friends and family. I even made a trip to Colorado!!! It was soo much fun and it felt like I had never left, just that I was currently on a very long vacation! lol! I really enjoyed it and I loved spending time with my beautiful neices! Got to celebrate an early Halloween! And enjoyed American food! lol! Did lots of shopping and then just before I left, my new laptop was delivered to my state-side home. YAY! Then my time ended and I came back to Korea.

November-Went and saw Phantom of the Opera in Korean! Awesome Stage, they even had the falling chandelier!!! SO COOL, But I was So glad I pretty much know the entire show by heart b/c I don't speak Korean! lol! After that I started spending EVERY weekend with Jessica, and Christy, and we were occassionally joined by Breanna and Dani. We quickly became known as weekend roommates. I have grown very close to those girls and I'm truly going to miss our get togethers when we all start to go separate ways. At the end of the month we celebrated Thanksgiving Day with Dongshin.

December-We celebrated Christmas early, b/c most of my friends had vacations during the holidays. Had time to talk with friends and family back home. Had my first Parent Teacher meeting at my school! Talk about nerve wracking, especially when you don't speak the same language. I had to have a translator! lol!..... Went to my first Korean Dance Club! I loved it, b/c EVERYONE dances in there and I don't feel like I can't dance when I'm in there, b/c everyone is dancing silly and just having fun! LOVE IT!!! That's how all clubs should be! Christmas came but I had to teach classes on that day, b/c its not a Korean Holiday. BOOOO! But the following weekend my boss gave us New Year's Day off, so I got to spend New Year's Eve with friends downtown dancing and having fun in the FREEZING, snowy weather!

January- HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 2011!!!! Started off the new year with extra Intensive classes, but I'm not letting that bring me down, I'm going to have a good year, and I'm going to enjoy this time with my wonderful new friends and this wonderful life full of opportunities I've been given! I love it!!!! PLUS....My Birthday is this Thursday! I'm going to be a Quarter of a Century Old! Can't believe I'm already 25! Time flies so fast!