Construction Complete!

For the most part, photo uploading is complete. If you happen to venture to my earliest Korea posts, there are some pictures missing (my apologies!), but the rest of them are up. Thank you for your patience and happiest of new years to you! Resolutions to follow, both personal and teaching related for the REACH TO TEACH BLOG CARNIVAL.

Much love,

Abby

Under Construction

My apologies for the inconvenience as Bodging for Apples II is under construction. Photos are currently absent, but they will be back by the end of this year, December 2014.

Feel feel to continue to peruse and read, minus the photos ^^ Thank you so much for visiting my blog! Great things to come in the new year, including monthly posts for the REACH TO TEACH BLOG CARNIVAL.

A Week of Friends

This week, I had so many dinner dates and get togethers with friends. Friends from high school, college, and beyond. Now that I'm home from the last of these visits, I feel incredibly thankful for the time I had with them all. I do not think that any of us are really in the same place, and that is hard for me to grapple with sometimes, but I appreciate that we are willing to drag our butts out into the dark and cold that is winter to meet up and eat food.

I have always had trouble balancing social time with alone time, which makes that last part about the effort it takes to meet up with even the Best of Friends stand out more to me. The good things in life take effort and it is not always going to be something I particularly want to do at that exact moment in time. And just because I enjoy a certain amount of solitude does not mean I do not want friendship; living in Korea taught me that one for the last time. Also, That Effort is an important thing. Friendship by way of courtesy is not helping either party and is super exhausting.

So, I feel happy about this week. XOXO to all the friends out there.

Coming & Staying Home

After a little over one year in South Korea, I returned home to the United States of America in the last days of this past September. I think back to that very last day in Korea, my flight day, and remember that I couldn't sleep I was so excited-ansty to catch the early morning bus to the airport. I hauled my luggage down to the taxi stand, and my very last taxi ride in Icheon was with a fine taxi driver, noticeably irritated at the amount of luggage.

I had chosen to wear one of the bows I had bought from Artbox that day -- my friend the special education teacher at school always wore these big, beautiful hair bows. And I daresay the bow made me extra sweet and extra likable. At the airport check-in, not an eyelash was bat at my overweight, extra-extra large checked bag. Sitting at the gate, five traveling friends with matching carry-on luggage approached me and put some of the fruit they were munching on into my hands. Leaving the restroom, I was chased down by a cleaning lady: she handed me a sturdy Lotte shopping bag for the quilt I was carrying. I would miss this genuine interest and nature. I would miss Korea.

Nov. Soundtrack

Quick before the month ends, here is my November soundtrack. I've always been very much in my own head and the year in Korea especially. The lyrics and and phrases struck me this month.

Courtesy of Pinterest scourings

Goodbye, Korea

I feel so grateful for the time I had here in South Korea. The difficulty to try and find words other than ones that gush and get nostalgic already -- it's impossible not to. 

Teaching ESL, A Shorthand Guide

I wrote a "teaching guide" for the next native English teacher that will be at my elementary schools containing some general and some specific information about teaching in my corner of South Korea. I was so grateful for the letter I received from the previous teacher at Doam and I thought it could also be a helpful blog post.

Contents:
1. Classroom Set-up
2. Class Curriculum Notes
3. Games & Activities
4. Know Your Contract
5. Teacher Dinners
6. Happy Teaching

Welcome to Korea, A Shorthand Guide

More 'Type A' than ever before, I thoroughly enjoyed writing this "shorthand guide" to living in South Korea so much that I couldn't just give it to the new native English teacher - it needed to be blogged (parts of it anyway ^^). Geared towards prospective or new native English teachers, welcome to South Korea!

Contents:
1. Your Apartment
2. Helpful Technology
3. Official Business - Getting your ARC, Korean bank account, tax benefits, etc.
4. Contact Me

Got Style: Korea

Here is a post I wrote when I was maybe six months into my year in South Korea about fantastic fashion in Korea. I'd like to add hiking attire to the list of great, iconic Korean looks.

Feeling Inspired to Dress:

My looks during the BADGER BLOGGING BLITZ

Your Own Beauty

As my dental bills loom over what might have been in my bank account, I think about how my definition of beauty and style has evolved. I have become more willing to recognize that I do care about how I look because I am proud of the attributes I have. I like dressing to impress myself. 

With that, I am more willing to invest into that look nowadays. My dental work, while much was medical (root canals and cavities), a large portion of that work was bridging over gaps left by four baby teeth with no permanent teeth to back them up. I was getting by - eating steak, popcorn, and everything else. But at the end of my treatment, the dentist said to me, "Now your eating is much more comfortable and easy." I must also say, my bottom row of teeth has never looked prettier.