The Mime Festival in South Korea

Last night I pulled my first ever, fun all-nighter. The Mime Festival is a big deal here in South Korea, and it's dedicated to many cool forms of art. It was one incredible show after another, from rock concerts to interpretive dance. The festival started at 10 pm and ended at 4am, but it was worth it. It's so amazing that this festival exists, and it celebrates a variety of art.

"A frog in a well." U-mal-an kae-gu-ri

There's an Asian story about a frog that is similar to Plato's cave story. It was mentioned in my guidebook when I arrived, and it's stuck with me through today.
The story itself is about a frog, living in a well, and a turtle who lives in the ocean. The frog is fairly content with his well, but the turtle tries to persuade him to get out, talking about the wonders of the ocean, but the frog never leaves, and is determined to believe that the well is the best place for him.
So there's a saying here: don't be a frog in a well. In other words: don't miss an opportunity. I think this applies to my current state, because I finally came through in my opportunity, but I want to continue this mindset in the future.
So here I am, in my own well, surrounded by what I brought from home, and the ocean lies just outside the door. New people to meet. New places to see, and a new opportunity to discover what I can do. It's all a little scary, exciting and overwhelming. But I'm determined to be a turtle instead of a frog. So here we go. The first step. The first day. The first chance to explore. ^_^

우물 안의 개구리는 되지 않도록 많은 경험을 하고 싶어요. 

 So I don’t become a frog in a well, I want to have many experiences.

(picture from: http://seouldiscovery.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/frog-in-a-well-story-%EC%9A%B0%EB%AC%BC-%EC%95%88%EC%9D%98-%EA%B0%9C%EA%B5%AC%EB%A6%AC-%EC%9D%B4%EC%95%BC%EA%B8%B0/)

A New Adventure

I arrived in South Korea yesterday, officially completing my my first ever international flight.
The airplane was huge. It reminded me of Star Tours at Disneyland, but a much larger version. There were televisions everywhere, and we were served four meals, including a breakfast at three pm.
I was very nervous, and probably fumbled some basic Korean words as I tried to communicate, but every Korean I met was very kind and patient with me. I really favored the word kamsahamnida, because so many people were understanding, and they helped me get to where I needed to be.
I had a bit of a scare at the airport when I couldn't reach the director right away, but once I gave up using the payphone and talked to the bus information staff, they actually called the school for me and explained my situation to get the right phone number. I even dropped by my my new work station, since the director had to teach a class, and introduced myself to the other teachers.
It's beautiful here, and I'll post some pictures as soon as I can. When I arrived, it was dark, and the bus ride was long, but many tourist places whipped by. We drove over the Han river, passed Lotte Mall and I even believe I saw La Petite France on our way to Chuncheon. I can't wait to visit the places here, and I arrived just in time for the mud festival, which my new friend and co-worker Jamie explained as one of the coolest festivals here.
Today I am in my own place, which is also a first, and I'm going apartment shopping later to settle in. My work hours are 2:30 to 9, which is an interesting schedule, but I always have weekends off to go explore, and we get a summer break!
I've never taught before, so I'm a little nervous, but mostly I'm excited to be here and start a new adventure!

The Beginning

My journey begins here, in lovely, colorful Colorado. Since I was five, I grew up with its unpredictable weather, open spaces and challenging hiking trails. The mountains, gentle giants, framed sunset after sunset and offered a window to the clear night sky. The ever-changing landscape has always given me a piece of calm during the toughest times in my life.

It was here that we adopted my best friend and loyal black lab Hale Bop Comet, or Haley, named after the comet that appeared in the sky when she was born. We had many backyard adventures and countless strolls through the park and neighborhood. Hiking was a frequent habit was I was seven, and Greys Peak was my first fourteener where I proudly signed my name along with my Dad in pencil on a weathered piece of paper in a metal tube at the very top. I rode my first big roller coaster here, the Mind-eraser at what was known as Elitches Gardens and has changed names over time. I was here during the opening of the aquarium, and I loved watching the Tigers play in the rain forest exhibit. 

I've learned a lot here. From how to prepare for crazy weather, to the best way to treat others and to respect myself. I may have lived here, but my mind always wandered, dreaming up stories and often zoning out throughout the day. I left here for a short while, about six months and joined the Disney College Program when I was 17, going on 18.