Today's Homework: Watch Sex in the City

I cannot begin to tell you how much I've come to cherish my Sundays. All week long it's "teacher-this" and "teacher-that". Kids crying, whining, yelling, talking . . . you get the idea. Friday nights and Saturdays are for hanging with friends, drinking beer, and generally have a merry, usually drunken, time.

Sundays, however, have turned into "Allison Time". Cheesy, but true. It's the one day of the week that I have to myself. I do things that I really want to do. I can discover Korea by myself. And I'm really starting to like where I live because of it. Usually, I go shopping, or for a long walk, or to a museum. This past Sunday, the most beautiful day I've seen since coming to Korea, I went to a Picasso exhibit near my house. The only thing I really discovered that Picasso loved drawing every part of women, but did I see a single penis? Not one.

From there I finally, finally discovered a coffee shop near my house that sells regular black tea. Most of the tea here in Korea tastes like grass and none of it has caffeine. I miss tea. See what happens when I take a day to myself? I discover great things.

But it's back to work for the week. Right now I'm procrastinating writing report cards. I hate giving kids grades, especially since they have so much school and homework here. Seriously, kids often go to school from 8 am to 9 or 10 pm. That's rediculous! When do they have time to just be kids? I wish I could say just once, "you know what? You're homework is to just go home, watch T.V. (in English, of course) and play with your friends". But then I'd get angry parents calling me. So, sorry kids, you are the slaves, and I must be just another slave driver.

Korean word of the day: Pangu. Fart. I taught my preschool kids "Skinamarinky-dinky-doo" the other day and they've now changed the "I love you" part to "I love pangu". Actually, it was pretty funny.

I found this picture: Look how much smoke is over North Korea. I love the South.