Happy halloween! - Blogabond

Happy Halloween! A couple days late, I know. Last Friday, my hagwon held a party to introduce the kids to that sweetest of Western customs, Halloween. Thanks, Mexico! They were pretty thrilled with the concept, naturally. ("Alli Teacher...Halloween is...superhero pants and 'give me the candy?' "Yes." 'Really?') We played zombie tag and mira (mummy) games, and about half the kids dressed up. Sometimes my job is unbelievably cute.

These are two of my favorite little cretins, above.
We also did face painting. I'm pretty proud of my work on Undertaker:

And, being the good sport I am, I let one of my six-year-olds turn me into Alli-Cat-Teacher.

It was a fairly hectic day, as you can imagine, but the kids had a good time. Throughout it all, my boss kept running around the school in his shiny suit wearing a flu mask with two holes punched in it over his eyes, yelling at the top of his lungs, "I AM ANGRY MAN!" I fear he may have missed the point of Halloween just a little. We also had a little hiccup when one of the littlest boys, who is only four, didn't get the memo that masks aren't real. When one of the teachers entered our room wearing a Frankenstein mask, he was so scared that he promptly attached himself to my left leg and wouldn't be parted with it for anything in the world until I got us some jack-o-lantern coloring sheets and showed him that he wouldn't be able to color unless his hands were free. Also, I made it clear that there was a lollipop in it for him if I could see a smile (with teeth). He then produced several rainbow pumpkins and was able to go back to the party, plastic scythe clutched defensively in front of us both.

Tom has been enjoying his time here for the most part, although this quarantine of mine has put a little damper on our adventures. I know it's not my fault, but I still feel kind of bad. Thanks for flying all the way around the world...but I'm going to go throw up now. Anyway, he's off wandering the neighborhood right now. Having him around has been a little surreal since I'm so used to just being in my own head after all this time alone with no one understanding me. He's still pretty overwhelmed by all the colors and lights and constant K-pop flowing from unseen speakers. Korea is definitely a sensorial experience, but I suppose I've gotten used to it after--wait for it--NINE months here. That's right, I'm 3/4 finished now; I can see the light, and it's called New Zealand! I got my visa straightened out, bought my plane tickets this week, and on Feb. 1, I'll be kiwi-bound! Can't wait to get moving again.

written by

alli_ockinga on November 3, 2009 from Inch'on, South Korea

from the travel blog: I go Korea!

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Am I jealous that New Zealand gets you first? Immensely. However they also have those goats that fall over when you scare them, to that's a plus for you.

written by Ryan on November 12, 2009

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