i love this city

I LOVE MELBOURNE!!!

• On Friday Aurelia and I went cycling around the city and she led me to the harbor and beach area. We sat at a lovely cafe on a long pier and drank exquisite espresso.
• Then on Saturday we went hiking in what is called the Dandenong Ranges. It was lush and green and smelled of fresh earth and we saw a Kookaburra (but it didn't laugh).
• Sunday Aurealia ran a half-marathan and I spent the morning watching fit runners and listening to stage music and cheering everyone on, and feeling inspired to excercize.

I have pictures of all of those days but I have limited internet access and the cafe here is very slooooowly uploading my photos. So below, please enjoy a bit of Melbourne through my eyes.

This is an astoundingly beautiful city, a mixture of all the things I love.
The architecture is vintage Victorian.
The espresso is top-of-the-line!
Public transport is rockin',
fresh markets boast a rainbow of fresh produce,
used book shops beckon you down intriguing alleys,
live music,
colors everywhere,
and the most friendly fun easy-going people you will ever meet.

I can't help but just fall instantly in love with it all!




Yep, it's all over the news here too!


The Queen Victoria Market could perhaps be my favorite place here.

I spent the afternoon/evening yesterday just wandering around the city. I walked an ungodly amount of kilometres just as happy as a clam. (hmm...a clam? whatever.) I'm filled with joy, so happy to be here, and excited to share at least these bits of it with you.

I sat for a while along the Yarra River. I enjoyed watching people, and also enjoyed a delicious pastry!

Yeah, pictures of me are rare these days. Much more amazing things to look at!

Peace y'all.

melbourne sky

Melbourne is beautiful.

More to come later.

Love you!

and i'm off!

Well Folks, the journey has begun.
I'm currently sitting in Hong Kong airport, biding time during my 11 hour layover. Usually layovers are draining and dreadful but Hong Kong just so happens to be #5 in the worlds most favored airports. And I can see why! It's carpeted, has wide open and very clean spaces, seats without armrests, free wireless internet, a shower room (for a small fee of course) and even classical music playing over the speakers. I was able to call my parents last night, catch up on some writing, read a bit in my book, take a nice long hot shower, and I'm just about to head for breakfast.
I'm excited to embark on this phase of my life. I leave behind hilarious and adorable students, incredible friends, late nights of karaoke, street food, laughable attempts at coolness, creative challenges, and so many things I just can't even list. But as I look ahead, I anticipate blessed moments with the loved ones from previous adventures. I'll spend the next few months in the company of people I love, people who will remind me of where I've been, and inspire me with possibilities.
To some of you, I say "See you later!" I pray that we can always remember the good in one another, the way we became family regardless of our differences, and especially in a strange foreign world.
To some of you at home, I thank you so much for supporting me this year! Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for your letters, your emails, for keeping me connected with home-life, with your families, with the growth of your children...
To those of you scattered around the world, "Cheers to you!" Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, live boldly, incredibly, joyously. I cherish the love that keeps us together.

To everyone, stay tuned for more. It's time for some fun! I'm so excited!

last week at work

For my last week at work, we coworkers landed back at Sindong Dong for more ttukbokki and noraebang(karaoke). Had a lovely time. Enjoy the pictures below.













And now, welcome to the REAL family fun. These pictures really bring out the moments I'm going to miss.

















After dinner we spent WAY TOO LONG in the noraebang. (Hey that rhymed!)
Stay tuned for a few video uploads. Youtube is not cooperating at the moment. But Michael...thanks for the entertainment! :-)



I really do love sindong dong.


***Any of you cdi folks who want these pictures, they are all on my flickr site which you can find by clicking on any of the pictures above. Love you all and miss you already!***

take me out to the ball game!

I finally made it to a Korean baseball game!!!

I'd been anxious to go since baseball is one of Korea's most beloved sports. I didn't want to leave the country without being a part of something I'd heard so much about from my students.









And WOW am I glad I went!

It was by far the most fun and exciting baseball game I've ever attended!

This was kind of my farewell hurrah, compliments of a few of my coworkers.

Mia and me

Mia and Eura

Me and Leslie

Ami and me

We were cheering for the SK Wyverns.

Unfortunately, they lost. But that didn't stop us from cheering passionately!

We had the best cheerleading squad ever!

YES, there were cheerleaders at a baseball game!!!

This guy was so entertaining! I think I watched him more than I watched the game.

And they danced...

...sorry, lots of cheerleading pictures...

There were many funny moments during the game, reminding me that I was indeed in Korea.

The opposing team had a Hello Kitty mascot. It was pretty awesome!! :-)

During one break this guy was recognized for something (didn't really understand the Korean) but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with his dashing outfit!

Please notice the pink feather headband he's wearing along with this hot pink t-shirt! To his great joy he was givin a Hello Kitty doll!!!! Every man's dream!

During another time-out, they had a contest!--WHO HAS THE BIGGEST HEAD?

And of course no baseball game is complete without the Ajuma selling squid jerky! Forget the peanuts and cracker jack, let's just chew on a dried squid tentacle!

After the game we went to Ttukbokki Alley (pronounced duck-boke-key) and indulged in a delicious pot of goodness!

(before)

(after)

Yummy yum yummy yum YUM!

***The rest of the night was spent in the Noraebang (Karaoke) and I was just too caught up in singing and dancing to even think about my camera! You'll just have to imagine it.

To all of you girls who made this day a blast!!!! THANK YOU! You've made my time here so meaningful. I won't forget you.

Peace out!