Desk warming Conclusion

At the end...

I am coming to the end of my desk warming experience, and I want to try and sum it up in one word but I don't think I can. So I will sum it up in a few paragraphs instead. To give you a bit of a time frame, I have basically done nothing since I came back from leave after new year (except for camp which was a complete joke) - I have not worked all through January and February.

Classroom

I had heat pretty much every day. There were a few days after camp where the heater wasn't switched from the English classroom to the office but actually I blame Co for that one, as he was here and knew I wanted heat but 'forgot' to switch it. Every other day I have had the heater on and I have been reasonably toasty. One day I had no internet so I played with my DS instead and it was still an ok day. I have a refrigerator in my office so I can keep my Herbalife shake and yoghurt in there, and I also bring my thermos so I can have a hot drink and all that. I have also been making an effort to go downstairs a little more often. Which leads me to the next point.

Co-workers

For the most part I am totally ignored at school, and this pisses me off. I am a friendly nice person so it's weird for me not to have anyone to talk to. Jeong was basically my only friend at school and she is not coming back this year and I am sad. So I decided that I needed to try and make more of an effort with them because its obvious they won't make it with me. I started by bringing in snacks to share, and as I said earlier I make more of an effort to go visit the office. I make a point to go and say hello to all the office girls rather than just poking my head in and saying hi. I make an effort to greet everyone. And I think my efforts are now starting to pay off, I have been greeted every morning this week by the girls downstairs and was even given juice. And I had a good laugh with one of the girls over how bad my school photo was. So its going well. I mean, I am sure when Co comes back it was will vanish into smoke cos he is such a gloom bag about me being social with other staff but whatevs. I will keep trying anyway and if he has an issue I will just explain to him I am sick of feeling like a loner at school and I want to be friends with the others. 

Students

Aside from camp (which I am sure you are all sick to death of hearing about) I have had no classes. Oh, wait... we had classes for 1 week but it was only grade 4's and so only for the Monday and Tuesday. And then nothing. There were students here for the week and a half, for gr 6 Graduation and all that but because of Lunar New Year there were a heap of holidays so it hardly counts. 

So yeah. No students for 2 months. 

Day to day stuff

I get to school at normal time, being 8:30ish and go visit the office ladies, make my tea, then go to my classroom/office. I then sit on the internet all day and chat with other teachers who are desk warming, skype people if they are online and watch kdramas. I have my lunch at 12, then repeat for the afternoon. I pack up my stuff at 4:20 and run home. I have spent 2 weeks this way...

Conclusion

In conclusion I love desk warming. I don't understand why people complain about it. I mean, yes, it can get a little boring, and I can understand that if teachers don't have a heater then they would be freezing but for me I am loving it. I wish I could sit here all year... This job is one of those once in a life time jobs that may not pay amazingly (if you are looking at teaching in Korea and your recruiter is telling you that you will save a heap of money then they are lying) but is not really that much work. And to me the desk warming is a perk. I like just chilling out. I like playing on the internet. I like using the schools downloads. I like chatting to my friends via fb. So for me desk warming is a win, and another tick in the public school box. But again, I stress that my situation might not be the same as everyone else, so I guess it depends on where you are. 

In other news...

Friday is a public holiday (I know it seems like there is one every weekend lately, its brilliant) so I can go out Thurs night and then sleep in which is one of my favourite things ever. On Friday night it seems I will be having a new experience - going to a nightclub. Nightclubs here are not really the same as home, it seems that its more of a set people up type arrangement, where girls sit at one table and guys at another, and the waiters and waitresses take the girls to different tables to hang with boys. I am terrified but it should be fun at the same time. And Saturday me and Heather might try out a jimjilbang which is just a big public spa. I have avoided them so far, mainly because I am scared of nudity and germs but you can't come to Korea and not give it a go (or so I have been told) plus Jess raves about them.

And Sunday can be sleep in day and cleaning day.

I have started the Herbalife shakes and I think there is already an improvement. I swear my jeans feel less tight... 

So basically I have my fruit smoothie for breakfast (bananas and strawberries with milk and iceblocks) and then I have my shake for lunch, some yoghurt for a snack and then the shake for dinner. I also drink too many cups of tea but whatever. And I do a fair bit of walking anyway because of to and from school but I have been taking Milky on longer walks lately too. So I am aiming to lose at least 5 likos before Jessie's wedding and get a new dress, and then another 5 for when Sissy comes back at the end of May. So that's 3 months to lose the goal amount of 10 kilos... Let's see how I last. I am a notoriously bad dieter so its a challenge. Plus I drink too much on the weekends but hopefully my diet will help with my cutting down on drinking too. And save money! So all up its a good thing. I will keep you posted...

One of my best pals here is finishing her contract soon and shipping off to Japan. I am super sad, but happy for her at the same time. There are negatives and positives from this - the obvious negative is that i will miss my friend. But the positives are that I will have someone to visit in Japan, and also she needs to off load a heap of stuff that I need, such as a wall clock, cutlery, other bits and pieces and COATHANGERS. I need to sort out my closet sooo badly! 

I remember blogging a little while ago about how I am feeling very mixed about my friends here. I love them, and I am feeling sad already knowing that many of them will be leaving. This is the nature of the beast here... people come and go all year. I am sitting here contemplating a second year, while others are literally chaffing at the bit to get back home and continue their lives. 

When I think about going home, I am happy, but sad. Happy to see friends and family, but sad because home is not where I want to be... 

Argh, thats too much for my pea-brain to think about right now, I will save it for a late night drunken post I think.

Ooo, its 10:00am and I want to watch City Hunter - do a google image search of Lee MinHo and thank me later ;)

xoxoxoxox

Another Monday Morning

Here we go again

I have another 2 weeks of desk warming (yay!) and no Co in sight, which is a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I don't have to hang out with him and make awkward conversation, curse because I wanted to talk to him this week about taking the last 2 days of my leave at the end of the month. Oh well, maybe I will see him tomorrow. 

I didn't manage to get out of the area last Thursday or Friday, I ended up just drinking and hanging out with friends here. Although Heather and I did have a non eventful trip to Seoul on Saturday but I got us seriously lost so we didn't make it to Gyeongbukgung Palace like we wanted to. Totally my bad. 

The highlight of my weekend was going with HeeJin to Jessie and Sangwon's wedding photo shoot. Let me explain a little of how weddings take place here in Korea. 

Korean Weddings

My beautiful friend Jess is marrying her Korean boyfriend in March, and they have been together pretty much since she arrived in Korea a few years ago to teach. They are planning on staying here in Korea for the time being, and the whole wedding and getting married thing seemed to happen really quickly - well, to me anyway. They are adorable together and I am so happy for them :)

She went home to visit her family over Christmas and gave them the good news that they were getting married in March. So her family are heading out for the big day, except... They are already married on paper. And... All the photos will be done. Its really just the ceremony and party time to go!

So generally what happens is this: A couple will decide to get married and they will go and do all their paper work first so they are legally married. Then the photos will be done (more about this soon) and then finally they will have the ceremony for friends and family to attend. 

Anyone can go to the wedding, and the guests all give some money to the couple. The amount you give is dependent on your relationship with the couple. Generally people don't give wedding presents. 

Traditionally, the husband will buy the house or apartment and the wife will furnish it. You don't get old furniture from people, your new home should have all new stuff in it. 

You don't need to organise things like flowers, food, tables etc all of that is done by the wedding hall. So once its booked, the bride picks her dress, chooses some decorations and flowers and the wedding hall does the rest. Its a serious no-stress event. I think they even organise the invitations (I will need to check this one).

Some wedding halls might do 5 or so weddings a day. Its like a bride conveyor belt. I am pretty sure the food is all buffet style, hopefully not all Korean food but we shall see!

After the ceremony the couple may have a party for all their friends to gather around and be merry. I guess like a reception??? Then the couple will go on their honeymoon and the day is done.

Jess invited myself and HeeJin to come on Sunday into Cheongju to help her pick dresses for the photos and for some girl fun. Poor Sangwon had to put up with us all day but he was a good sport and looked very handsome all dressed up. 

HeeJin and I caught the bus from Pyeongtaek into Cheongju, which was something like 4200won and took an hour. The bus leaves from the Pyeongtaek bus terminal if anyone is looking to go to Cheongju...

Anyway we arrived and we all headed into the studio where we sat and were able to look at a heap of photos and dresses on the directors I-Pad. From the photos Jess picked out I think 5 different dresses and together her and Sangwon chose a few different 'concepts' for their pics. 

Here are a few amazing pics curtesy of myself - 

And then me and Heejin spent a fair bit of time fooling around too...

We got there around 1pm and left I think around 9. It was a huge day and the couple did so well with their photos. Jess was beautiful (as you can see) and Sangwon very handsome. And the people who worked at the studio were super nice and took some amazing pictures. They were all very professional. The company was called Olivia Wedding and they are located in Cheongju. We ate plenty of crappy food and I got to wander around Cheongju a little bit. It's actually a huge town and has a university and all that so on the night of the actual wedding we all want to go out on the scene. Heejin went to uni there so she has some friends still living in the area and she knows some fun places. 

We will be going out this Saturday night to Suwon for her Hen's Night and I am SUPER excited for it!!! Gonna get dressed up and everything, and have a fun night! 

Anyway I am actually so tired right now, I still haven't fully recovered from the weekend so I might have a nap seeing as there is no one here and no one cares if I am here or not. 

North Korea in the news

Some people have asked me if everything is ok over here, what with all the nuclear talk coming from the North... Everything is business as usual for us, I know plenty of guys in the Army and Airforce who I am sure would tell me if there was an imminent attack or anything like that. So people, please don't worry we are all fine.

Except for Robert who we are yet to hear from... He went to visit North Korea at the end of his contract and I don't know when he was due home :/

Anyway peace out peeps I am sure I will blog again tomorrow with something rubbishy!

xoxox

Home-made Tomato Soup

To start off this is not my own recipe, I got it from a blog that I read called A Fat Girl's Guide to Eating in Korea, and you can find her exact recipe here.
She has a heap of killer recipes and reviews of resteraunts here in Korea, and all the recipes contain ingredients that you can find (eventually) in South Korea.
I will add that this lucky lady has some sort of oven, so I can't try out all the recipes but I was craving tomato soup and thought I would give this one a go.

Home made tomato soup

Ingredients

x2 cans of Hunts Tomato Paste

400ml chicken stock - I only had cubes so I dissolved 2 cubes in the 400ml. Worked out fine.

600ml of milk

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic - this for me was a garlic overload. Next time I make it I will only add 2 cloves. I think Korea does something weird to your taste buds after a while... You start needing more garlic with everything. 

200ml of cream (optional) - I opted for 100ml. After all, I am on a diet

A knob of butter

1 tbs mixed herbs

2 tbs garlic powder - I forgot to add the garlic powder till the end, and probably only added 2 tsps. Next time I make it I will add the full amount and see how it effects the flavour. 

fresh basil leaves - totally didn't add this

Salt and pepper to taste - I use sea salt and cracked pepper. I ended up adding a shit load of salt.

Directions

Finely chop the onion and garlic and heat it up in a pan with a bit of oil and your butter. I used olive oil. Add the tomato paste and chicken stock and bring to the boil. I think this is where you add the garlic powder too. Bring it all to boil then add your milk, and then cream if you have it. Add salt and pepper as you like it and the herbs. Then there you go! Tomato soup.

Now, things to note - this makes a HEAP of soup, so if you are cooking for one (like me) then I would halve everything. Because this will keep me going for weeks. I am actually gonna freeze it, or even see if the girls want to try some on Monday night. 

The garlic was a little strong for me. I mean, I love garlic as much as the next person but I regret eating the soup before I have to go out. No kissing boys for me tonight (unless they are Korean, then I guess they won't notice). So when I make it next I will halve the garlic. So for 1 person soup I will only add 1 clove and a half onion. I really think that will be enough.

I'm not sure if it was because I forgot the garlic powder but I needed to add a heap of salt. I am happy with how it tastes but I don't usually add that much salt to anything. 

All of this stuff you can get at Homeplus btw.

Looks good huh?

Just a small bowl will do - I have enough to feed the whole of Osan AB

Anyway it would have been fab with some bread, but I am trying to say no to carbs.

If you make it let me know what you think!

And try and check out the other blog, there are some really good things to try.

Time to go freeze my soup^^

xoxoxoxox

Australianisms

It has recently been brought to my attention that some of the terms that i use are only really known to other Australians. Some things I say are not immediately understood but can be inferred from context or just make sense when the entire statement has been made or question has been asled. But some things my friends will stop me and ask "what the fuck did you just say?"

Let me help you...

Words and Phrases

Pash - Kiss. e.g "Did you pash him?" translates to "Did you kiss him"

Pashing therefore is kissing. e.g "She is over there pashing that Airforce guy" (when asked where a friend is)

Vegemite - a delicious condement that one generally has on toast with plenty of butter or margarine. I know of people who use Vegemite in cooking (Kirsty makes a fab pasta sauce with Vegemite) but I personally like to have mine on toast with a bit of honey. It's salty and a good source of vitamin B.

Use of the word "fag"

Now, this one may be a little controversial but here we go...

Fag can be a cigarette, someone who is gay or I guess the traditional firewood log. Australians also use it as verb* (is it a verb??? #englishteacherfail) in the same way you would use "bothered"

e.g

"I can't be fagged going out tonight" translates to "I can't be bothered going out tonight"

"Nah I didn't meet up with them I couldn't be fagged"

"I took a taxi cos I couldn't be fagged walking"

We use the word "fuck" or "fucked" for basically anything. It can be used to describe something, doing something, describing a person, an action itself etc etc. A very useful word. 

"This is a fucking joke" (note this is sarcastic. It probably wasn't an actual joke)

"Are you fucking serious?"

"He is fucking sexy"

"Did you fuck him?"

"No, because he is a dumb fuck"

"That's fucked" aka not good, broken etc.

"Rug up" 

This is a favorite of Sam's, so I will put in it. 

To "rug up" means to put plenty of layers on before you go out in the cold. 

e.g. "Better rug up, it's snowing outside"

Jumper. Its the same as sweater. Watch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny uses tis word in perfect context.

"Mum have you seen my jumper?"

"Yes dear, it's on the cat"

Thongs. Nope, not a g-string, just flip flops. I had no idea that New Zealander's said flip flops too... I thought they were one of us. Just another disappointment from NZ I guess. 

Fortnight.

Apparently they don't use the term "fortnight" in America... 

A fortnight is a period of 2 weeks. 

e.g "I get paid fortnightly"

And for all you people who don't know it, Australia is just as racist as Korea. Its embarrassing to admit but reading some of the fb groups and watching the news makes me so embarrassed to be Australian sometimes. We are the most racist society in the world which is rubbish considering how multicultural we are. 

Anyway there are probably heaps more that I can't think of right now, so I will add them as I hear/see them. Or as they are pointed out to me. 

So far today...

I have done basically nothing. I am planning on going to my first cat cafe in Korea later on this arvo (ooo, here is another one - arvo = afternoon) and then getting a skin treatment with Jessie. And then dins with some single ladies :) Happy Valentines Day to us! So it will be a busy afternoon, which is why I am taking it easy for now. 

Picture of Milky, just cos he is adorable

I have hurt my left wrist... I am thinking it might be an injury from the weekend but it's really sore, so lucky I am right handed. 

I am being better with my diet this week (my week started yesterday HAHA) but I am hungry. So it better work. It's another stupid one that won't work so don't anyone bother telling me I am doing it wrong cos I know I am. So I won't bother to tell anyone what I am or not eating. But let's just say I am hungry. Summer will be here soon and I want to look sexxxy. But I have increased my activeness by doing leg lifts and squats as well as taking the dog for longer walks (I wasn't able to take him for long walks until the heartworm cleared up - which I assume it has :/) so we shall see. I don't own scales so I will just judge for myself. 

Anyway I'm gonna go waste time on something else for a while. I love Korea!

xoxo

Honey Soy Chicken Salad

Today has been a funny sort of day for a few different reasons. One of them is the fact that I am posting  2 entries in one day.
Why?
Because citizens, I have started cooking.
I know, to most of you this doesn't seem like a big deal but in Australia I pretty much never cook. My signature dish is spaghetti with Rosella Tomato Sauce (ketchup, mi-guk sarams) and grated cheese. But I have decided to branch out. I think I will make my Lunar New Year resolution to be try to cook more.
Now, I am limited to a stove top and a rice cooker (and a microwave) so I don't know how adventurous I will get, but here we go.

Disclaimer - I am not suggesting anyone try this. It is probably horrible. But I want to prove I am cooking things and trying to feed myself something other than rice. If you don't like the recipe fine I don't give a shit. Enjoy :)

Honey Soy Chicken Salad

This marinade is actually Mum's, but I have added mustard. I make all my meals for 1 *sobbing* so this won't feed many people but any leftovers are fine for another salad or in a sandwich or whatever.

Ingredients

• x1 chicken breast sliced up how ever you like it
• 1 tsp seeded mustard - any will do I suppose, the one I am using is one I got from E-Mart in the internation food section. It's actually dijon, Reine Dijon in the European section
• a decent squirt of honey - again I guess any is fine, mine is the cheapest one I could find
• a decent squirt of soy sauce - I use the low sodium low fat soy because sometimes I feel health concious. Hence the salad
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• half onion
• lettuce
• tomato
• capsicum (or peppers, for the mi-guk sarams)
• mushrooms
• etc etc - whatever salad you have in the fridge.

NB

Honey is ridiculously expensive in Korea. I paid 12,000won for a honey that might have been $6 at home. The Capilano honey in E-Mart made me trip over - nearly 30,000won for 600g of honey. 

Ingredients

My chicken in the marinade

Method

Preheat your pan and put a little bit of oil in. I use sesame oil because I don't have anything else. Place your bits of chicken on the pan and cook the chicken until its all white on the inside. Thats how you know chicken is cooked apparently.

DO NOT have your heat up too high. My stove top os electric so you need to keep your eye on how hot it gets. I have burned my marinade before which is ok is you like a bit of charcoal. Unless you are Korean then it means you will get cancer because you ate the burnt bit. 

While your chicken is cooking chop up your salad. Put it all in a bowl or onto a plate. Once the chicken is cooked drizzle the remaining marinade into the pan and get it nice and hot. Add the mushrooms and onion to the chicken and marinade mix.

Tip the whole lot over your delicious salad.

Yep I ate it out of the plastic bowl

Enjoy ;)

I hope no one gets food poisoning :|

xoxoxoxo

Back to School

After Lunar New Year, it's back to school

As if you would call what i do working. So I am not saying 'back to work' just simply back to school. 

I accendently published this before I wrote anything, so sorry!

Anyway today was grade 6 graduation, and I wasn't expected to do anything except sit back and enjoy the show. 

There were a heap of awards handed out, and some of my fave kids got a prize so that was nice. Some scholarships were also handed out, and as I was lucky enough to be seated next to Mrs. Lee she was able to explain to me a little about some of the awards. She was super pleased when this particular girl got a scholarship - apparently the girl was very bright but had no parents and lived with her Grandmother. It was sad, I always thought she was a quiet girl and I am glad she got the award. 

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the old Principal who came back today for this ceremony and also his retirement ceremony which followed (more about that later).

I swear to God he was dressed in his dress robes*. He looked like a full on wizards bar the hat. The photos are not up yet but when I see them I will upload some to show you. I didn't take any, I only had my phone and it was nearly out of battery. As per usual I had no idea any of this was happening today until I got to school. Ugh. 

Minor side note - 

After pashing a Korean boy the other week I keep having flashbacks and nightmares that he is in high school (you CANNOT tell how old some of these guys are ok? It's not just me everyone says they look super young) and that i will see him around Songtan in his uniform with his mum or something. 

I swear to you he was at the ceremony today. Its someones older brother I know it. He was on the other side of the gym and maybe didn't notice me (what a fucking joke as if he didn't I am the only foreigner I stick out like a sore thumb) and at the end of it all I bailed out the other entrance and went straight up to the conference room. Who knows maybe it wasn't the same guy - but I am not taking any chances. I thought he looked smug when I said where I worked... Ugh.

ANYWAY back to the main story.

After that there was a little bit of time before the Principal's goodbye ceremony. So I took that opportunity to pee and to find a hot pack. Hot packs are the best things in the world, they really should get these in Australia. For winter, you just put them in your pocket and they keep warm all day. And they only cost 500won. 

This ceremony took forever and I had no idea what was going on. The Principal appeared to be having an ok time and he gave the longest speech in history. He pretty much told his entire life story but there were pictures too so at least I had some idea what he was saying. Pics of his military service, wedding, births of his children, their weddings, birth of grandchildren, different schools he has taught at... I think the guy is mid 60's but I could be wrong. 

We then had a super awesome lunch, it was some sort of beef stew and was really tasty, I copied the other teachers and tipped my rice into the bowl and it was goooood. And we got fruit too. I think I have now gone over my calorie intake for the day cos of the rice so I don't know what i will have for dinner now :( chicken and salad I spose.

So now I am sitting here at my desk, with Co beside me and I am blogging and playing fb scrabble with Mathil, Jess and Sara. Anyone else wanna play just hit me up. 

Lunar New Year

I scored big time and ended up with a 5 day weekend. I had the Friday, Monday and Tuesday off, but the only problem was I was told at the last minute. I think I may have complained about that last week. Anyway, Mathil and I ended up having a big night on Thurs as she was also off on the Friday, and I was drunk until pretty much Sunday. It was such a great weekend, hanging with old friends, meeting new friends and learning some pick-up lines in Korea (thanks HeeJin!!!). I wish every weekend was as fun, and I also wish that I can know earlier next time so I can plan to get out of the province. 

OMG update! I was just told I can have tomorrow and Friday off too!!! I love Korea!!! 사랑해!!!!

And again. I wish I had known sooner so I could have planned to get out of the province. So I have a 4 day weekend now and I will be hanging around here again... Boo...

Actually, I think I might take myself into the city tomorrow and go to a museum or something. I know it will be a little lonely but I am a big girl I am sure I can manage! I will let you know where I go and how I get along :)

Anyway, now I am so excited about my days off I can't even type. I think Friday I will go hunting for foreign food ingredients and do some cool cooking! And I want to try making the cool Korean noodle dish I love so much.

SO MUCH TO PLAN g2g guys.

Hope everyone else is having a fab day! The Year of the Snake is gonna be an awesome one! Haha talk about a 180 turn in my feeling on horoscopes huh. I am so funny I bet you are all dying with laughter right now. 

Enjoy, citizens.

xoxo

Book review - Dodger

Ok, so I have not reviewed a book since high school, and it for for an assignment. I am not pretending that I am any good at book reviews so please hold back judgement and harsh criticism (but constructive feedback and opinions are always welcome!). There is a bit of a spoiler alert, so sorry in advance. I did really enjoy this book, it was light-hearted and easy to read. I give it 3 and a half paws outta 5.

Dodger - Terry Pratchett

Pic courtesy of Wikipedia, cover design by  Paul Kidby

Basic plot

This book is set in London sometime during the early years of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and the main protagonist is Dodger. This character is clearly based on the well known Artful Dodger (a character of Charles Dickens, who incidently is also a character in the story) but as a young man living pretty much on the streets as a tosher. In this tale the young Dodger happens across some men beating up on a girl and comes to her rescue. He then makes it his primary concern to see that she is kept safe from the people trying to hurt her. He makes some unlikely friends and finds help in unlikely places, and ultimately the boy gets the girl and there are happy endings all round. Sorry for ruining the ending but there you go.

My thoughts?

I think my favorite character was Simplicity, the girl that Dodger rescues and falls in love with. She has a back story that you never actually get to hear about but is hinted at, and I like that I can kind of invent her story myself. You have enough sketchy details to make it cool. And I really like how she saw past the fact the Dodger is a street rat. 

Something about the whole thing reminded me of the latest 3 Musketeers movie (the one that come out some time in the 2000's, with the young super cute guy) where the lowly unlikely hero ends up dining with royalty and gets the pretty lady. 

The funniest thing is I don't usually read these types of stories, I usually prefer something more serious. I also used to go mental for a good sci-fi fantasy story but I have gone off them a bit recently. 

Writing?

It is well written. But it should be, Terry Pratchett is a really famous author so if it was bad it would be a worry. The English is easy to read and follow, unlike some books I have read that try and use "old English". I look at books now and try and decide what level of reader it would be suitable for. If they had reasonable good comprehension this book is suitable for high level middle school, there is a little bit of violence but nothing too bad, a bit of kissing but only really light and cute. No sex or sexual references. No innuendo  There are some very uncommon expressions and metaphors that ESL learners would have trouble with but it might make for a good conversation topic. I would think it could potentially be used for high school or adult reading classes, none of the words were too bad for pronunciation and all that but I have never had to pick a book for this sort of thing before. 

If we were at home and I was teaching a class of Australian students I think it would actually be a fun book to use for reading activities. I have no idea what age it is aimed at but I would think older teens would have no problems, and even younger teens might enjoy it. 

I have never read any of Mr. Pratchett's other books, but I know he is famous for the Discworld novels... I did enjoy this book so maybe I will give some of his other stuff a try. 

So, i'm not sure... in reviews am I supposed to talk about themes? Because I don't really know much about this type of thing. 

When I read books I try not to over analyse things. Some books stay with me for a long time after I read them, and even then I don't know if I would want to start dissecting it. So I won't do it for this one either (or any of the other ones I may or may not review). All up, yes, I would recommend this story for a light, easy read. Was it one of the most amazing stories ever? No. It was not a serious read although I suppose there were some darker themes in it. 

:D

In other news...

I am still trying to figure out exactly how this school calender works. It seems that now I have no classes until March, and the students actually have the last 2 weeks of February off for 'spring break'. So I will be desk warming until then. On the plus side we have a seriously long weekend coming up, I get the Friday, Monday AND Tuesday off for Lunar New Year. So thats super cool. I just wish I had known sooner cos I might have been able to plan something fun. 

I am really sad at school that one of my co workers is leaving. Jeong I will miss you!!!! Who will I talk to at school now?!?!?!?! But good luck with your studying. 

The first of my Korea friends is going home soon. And so comes to pass the things I have been dreading - saying goodbye to friends. I know this was to be expected, but that doesn't mean I am happy about it. I like to think that the friendships I am making here in Korea will be life long but I know how hard it is to keep in contact with people you don't see every day. Look at high school! Pretty much all of us still live in the same state and we never catch up. So I know it will be hard for my friends overseas. I must be very diligent about keeping in contact and staying connected. And the longer I am here and the more we all hang out the closer everyone gets. I am gonna cry like a baby when my besties start dropping off. Thank God Jess is here forever wuahahahahaha.

Anyway, signing out for now. I'm starting another book today so maybe after the weekend I will have another stupidly written review for ya.

xoxoxoxo