No Teaching Friday

I've been lesson planning hard out today! I have not had any teaching at all, and as a result have pretty much finished planning two whole weeks worth of Christmas lessons. The lessons I have the next two weeks off teaching to plan. I'm pretty Christmas-ed out now, actually. I've listened to carols to make work sheets, copied a hunderd different pitures of Santa, reindeer, turkeys, christmas trees, and presents for all my powerpoints, and I've watched 'Merry Christmas Mr Bean', 'Shrek the Halls' and 'Spongebob's Christmas Special' and make vocab sheets, worksheets, and discussion exercises for all of them. Thank goodness Christmas stuff is pretty much non-existant outside of my lesson planning, I'd go insane(er). I think I have seen one small mention of Christmas in one shop's window, and one display of Christmas trees in E-Mart. So far, that's it, and with only one month till the big day, that is an epic absence of Christmas Crap! I must say, I am not missing it at all. Many of the people I've met with say how they think they'l feel crappy on Christmas being away from their families, but it's just a day right? Our family was kind of already going off the whole thing before I left, so them and I both will probably all but ignore it this year :) Though, I do like any excuse for a celebration and am planning on buying myself the Sim's Pets expansion pack, and a big banana split from Baskin Robbins. That sounds just right!

So, dinner with Courtney and Jen on Wednesday night was great. It had stopped 'snowing' by the time I went out at 10, but was bitterly cold. The BBQ place was toasty warm, though. We got pork cheek to BBQ, and it was a great cut of  meat. Just enough fat to keep it flavourful, and really tender. I'd look for it again. The girls were good company, and Courtney told us about a buffet place in Suwon that sounds amazing, so we will hopefully plan a trip there maybe next weekend.

As for this weekend, I've cancelled my Saturday plans. I was going on a big walking tour, but after looking at the subway website, it going to take me two hours to get there (so two home again as well), and I just don't feel like it. So, I'm going to have a home day, and hopefully go for a walk and get some sun. I've been feeing a bit crappy these last few days, and I think it's because I don't get outside much during daylight. I get on the bus when the sun is low, spend all day inside school, and by the time I get out, it's dusk. So, sun outside for the weekend, and I'm trying to hang out outside during lunch as much as I can, even if it's freezing. Literally, freezing - all the puddles froze solid yesterday. They'ce defrosted now, but it's only a matter of time untill they stay that way :s

On Sunday, hopefully, Laura and I are going to go to the zoo. That reminds me, I'd better facebook her to confirm. That should be fun, and I bought some snazzy (fake) leather gloves yesterday, which should help keep my hands warm :)

My after school class has been cancelled AGAIN. Wihtout notice. Well, ok, an hour's notice. So, now I have to sit here for two more hours. The reason, I have no idea. I'd just finished my photocopying, and Mr beak told me I had no class. So, no class at all today. And did I tell you I've moved desks? I think I mentioned it last post, but now it is a reality. I have to sit in the English classroom all day instead of the teacher's room... for no apparent reason. If I want to print of photocopy, I have to bring my laptop down to my old desk and print from there. So, I have to work while Mr Beak is teaching all the classes, and then sit alone in an empty classroom while he;s not. Or he comes and works in there too, because he prefers it, but there's only one desk, which he leaves fo me, so he sits at the kids table and works there. It's really not ideal for anyone, but from what I gather, if the vice-principal wants it, you just do it and ask how high. Or something like that. Weird, but luckily, it's only a little annoying. In terms of crappy work stuff, it is very mild. At least the English rom is well heated. And I actually think my chair in there is better for my back. I have this reccuring shoulder pain, and it happens at my teacher's office desk, but not in the English classroom. So, maybe moving is actually a good thing.

Um, in other news, I have made a nice lot of nachoes for the next few days, which are very yummy. I'm planing on attempting to make some biscuits tomorrow to take to the zoo on Sunday, and I want to re-attempt the savoury Korean pancakes I kind of failed at two weeks ago. I have read that the packet mixes of batter are actually really good and yeild better and more consistent results that making your own from dry ingrdients, so I'm going to try that. The packet mixes are cheap, and very available, and I'll buy some marinanra mix to add. I will photograph and report the results next week.