On Neutral Topics and Being Candid

I know I have posted very few times in this new year, and all this winter for that matter. So I feel I owe you, my dear readers, a brief explanation. The reason for this is very simple: I cannot post online all the things that have been happening recently. I believe most all of you who read my blog know the events of the past year, and I have greatly appreciated your prayers. But on the internet I am therefore regulated to discussing neutral topics, such as random weekend trips or special events, all of which have been at a minimum during the cold weather. And I do not always like talking about trivial matters, because for one, that means I have to think about them, and for two, it feels fake.

But on to neutral topics! Last Friday was a half-day, and I skipped the (non-mandatory) staff retreat to hang out at SYME, see the Spaldings, make a trip up to Seoul, and spend Sunday doing church stuff. Saturday I talked another teacher into going up to Itaewon, in Seoul, to go shopping and get some good food. We had a great middle eastern lunch, did some window shopping, got great coffee (there is a Korean place that is better than Starbucks, although they have those in Seoul too), and went to a couple English bookstores.

We ended up at a mall where we got a couple books to read for fun, if we can remember what that is, and where we found some American fast food. Namely, Krispy Kreme donuts. Now, the original glazed donuts here taste very similar to ones in the States, especially when they are still hot, but all the rest of them are weird flavors, like pistachio or green tea, or have things like small, hard breadcrumbs on top. We couldn't quite figure out how the store worked, though. We saw some people coming out with free donuts, but we couldn't figure out how to get one, and nobody offered us one when we went in. But that's okay, I decided I would just order a couple. But was the mass of people paying first and then picking up the donuts, or picking out their donuts and then going to the cash register? After a brief moment of cultural confusion (what would my life be without it?), I decided that both were evidently happening. I pushed up to the counter, told the lady what I wanted, and then went to pay for them. So good. My friend later got McDonalds, but I was perfectly content with a dinner consisting of a couple donuts. Ha. Good thing I don't go there often.

Now it's back to endless grading and lesson plans. Somehow I'm ending up teaching US History and government in two weeks- the 8th graders in my geography class would never have it otherwise since they have to take geo twice due to scheduling. I'm also trying to plan out things I want to do/see before the end of the year if I can. I think spring will come soon... it is still cold but it has been sunnier and not quite as freezing.

Until later...