Meet Yoo-Kyeong!

On Wednesday, July 21, 2010 I visited my friend Jin and her beautiful baby, Yoo-Kyeong. She has got to be one of the most gorgeous babies I've seen. She was so friendly and cute - just look at that face!

Seo-joon learns "Thank you"

On Sunday, July 11 2010 I met my friend Hye-jin and her gorgeous baby (who I've half-adopted!) Seo-joon for lunch. I met Hye-jin on new years eve (2009) and we've maintained a really good friendship ever since. I've known her through the latter part of her pregnancy and have watched her baby boy growing up.

Seo-joon celebrated his first birthday in March. I get to see him every few weeks and he really does bring a smile to my face. On Sunday, I was giving him a piece of cheesecake in a coffee shop and was blown away by how cute he was. His mum has taught him to give/accept items with both hands extended and to bow his head to say "thank you" which is typical in Korean culture.

Look at this video where I'm giving him a piece of cheesecake. His mum is telling him to use both hands. When she says thank you in Korean, look how he bows his head to the side. Adorable!

Waka Waka Baby

My buddy (Ajay) sent me this clip of a baby dancing to Shakira's Waka Waka.

Do-Re-Mi by Cute 3rd Grader boy

While my 3rd graders were doing a worksheet today, I passed by one boy who was singing something while colouring in. I couldn't make out the tune so I leaned down to listen properly. I asked him if he'd sing again for me, and he agreed. My heart just melted...doesn't yours?! :)

Penguins Play Soccer in South Korea

Thanks to Yogita for this. This has to be one of THE most adorable things I've seen yet ^_^

At the Everland Aquarium in South Korea, eleven penguins dressed in the national colors, are showing off their dribbling skills.         
   
Lee Kwang-Hee is their trainer.   
         
[Lee Kwang-hee, Trainer]:             
"We have formed a group of penguin supporters, hoping that our South Korean team will go to the next round at the World Cup finals in South Africa."   
         
South Korea has reached the finals seven consecutive times and reached the semi-finals in 2002.             

This year they are in group B with Argentina, Nigeria and Greece.             

Their feathered counterparts, it's fair to say, could do with a few more flair players.   

How much is that doggie in the window?

At a car place near my apartment.

I don't like you all the time!

How incredibly cute is this kid? "I love you too, bu-bu-bu... I don't love you all 'e time!"

Roller Babies

Showed to this to some classes today. They loved it!

My new lil' friend at gym

After a day of just sitting glued to my desk at work, I was looking forward to a good workout at gym. When I walked in, I saw a guy who looked familiar. As I approached him, he broke out into a big smile and waved at me. It was Seo-gyun, one of my first students I taught when I arrived here. Now he's in middle school.

"You here?" He points to me and then to the floor.
"Yes! You too?"
"Yes yes!" He nods his head.

I start on the treadmill and after 20 minutes, Seo-gyun appears at the treadmill on my left. He wants to talk. So I take out my earphones and talk to him. I'm so impressed with his spoken English. He was always one of those students who got almost every answer wrong, but never gave up. He's one of the few that have stuck in my mind. He was also teased a lot by his classmates as he was on the chubby side.

"You house where?" He puts his fingertips together to make like a roof.
I point in the direction of my apartment.
"My house hospital" and he points in the other direction.
(My apartment is near the hospital)

"You time here what?" He points at me, then to the floor and then to his wrist.
(What time do you come here?)
"Everyday is different, Seo-gyun"

"You. Man?" He points at me and then smiles.
(Do you have a man?)
"Husband? Boyfriend?" I ask him.
"Yes!" He nods his head.
"I don't have" and shake my head.
"Why?" He tilts his head to the side.
"You?"
"No! I is (running action) and... girl ... (come hither action)"
(After I exercise, girls will come)
"Seo-gyun, picture ok?"
"Ok Ok!" and he smiles for me.


My time is up on the treadmill. Seo-gyun follows me to my next stop. I'm there for 2 minutes before moving on, and I notice he's behind me again.

I then move into the dance studio where I'm going to do some stretching and hula hooping. Seo-gyun is on my tail. He picks up 2 weights and then stands next to me to talk some more. I have to tell him to watch out so that I don't hit him with the mother of the hula hoop doing its rounds on me. He starts telling me a story in Korean. The only words I understand are "grandfather" and "bus" (in Korean), but I try to look interested and nod my head.

This guy is so cute! I can't bust his bubble and ignore him!

A few minutes later, he asks if he can use my phone to call his mother at home. Sure. He walks a few steps away, but I can hear him tell his mother that he's met me at the gym. He's speaking fast and smiling. He calls me over to the window and points outside.

"My bike" He points down to a lonely bike against a pole.
"Oh good, Seo-gyun!"
"You is home when?" He points at me, to the clock and then outside.
(What time are you going home?)
"I don't know, Seo-gyun"
"You is home. I my home" He points with one finger to the direction of my apartment and the other to the direction of his.
(When you go home, I'll go home)

I carry on hula hooping and Seo-gyun sits on the floor watching me.
"Seo-gyun.." and I make action to exercise.
"Tired!"

By now, I can see that we've attracted the attention of a few people at the gym (remember - I'm a foreigner here so I stick out like a sore thumb!)

I want to do some weights. Seo-gyun follows me out and watches me. I tell him to try it out. The gym instructor comes over and helps him.

I move somewhere else and he's behind me again. I'm on my phone sending a text.
"Friend..mun-ja? [text]"
(Are you sending a text to your friend?)
"Yes!"

"Seo-gyun, I'm going home now! He rushes behind me and the gym instructor asks him why is he leaving so soon. He notices the huge smile on my face and he catches on that this boy is following me!

He asks Seo-gyun in Korean, "Do you like her?"
He tells him that I was his teacher.

Downstairs after saying bye, he asks me again what time I'll be at gym tomorrow.

I shrug my shoulders and tell him I don't know. I leave smiling from ear to ear. It's like he's so excited he's made a friend at gym! But the thing is, he's not exercising. He's just standing watching me!

Oh, and he was so impressed that I remembered his name after 2 whole years. So cute, huh?!

Little Baby Seo-jun

Last night, Friday October 30 2009 I met my friend Hye-jin in Juan. Her baby boy, Seo-jun is now 7-months old and is so cute! Don't you agree?! :-)

Cute kid!

Ran into this adorable (big) lil' 3-yr old when I visited the doctor for a checkup!

The girl with green hair

This is Joo-hyeon. The pic on the left is from last year when she was in Grade 2. The one on the right is a recent pic of her in Grade 3. She's cute...! But green hair? I don't know....

Potato Head

Meet one of my favourite 6th Graders, Jin-hyeok. The rest of the kids call him Potato Head. He's really good at English and understands a LOT of what I say to him. I told him the other day that I'm going to request to his homeroom teacher not to allow him to graduate and go to middle school next year, cause I'm going to miss him too much!

Kindergarten Angel

I've often said that Thursdays are to ME what Mondays are to the rest of the world - why? I teacher Kindergarten at 2pm. OMG - they suck all known energy out of every single pore of my body. However, one student who I LOVE and wish I can keep as a souvenir is this little girl. How precious is she?!

Cute Kids~!

This is the THIRD week I'll be doing speaking tests with my students. As you can imagine, my patience is wearing out. Yours would too, if you taught Grade 3, 4, 5 and 6 (and Kindergarten). That's just over 1000 students a week!

Anyways, these two kids (3rd Graders) are really cute - dontcha think?!

Morning kids~

These 2 little kids (brother & sister) wait for their kindergarten bus every morning with their mum. They are *so cute & greet me every morning...!

Elevator Boy again

I met Elevator Boy again this morning. It was raining when we got to school ... and his umbrella was about 3 times bigger than him. He is just so cute ^^*

Elevator Boy

I see this little boy every morning at the elevator. If he's down the passage he runs to me, and just stands there and smiles and waves. When I wanted to take a photo of him the other day, it looked like he was going to cry. I tried again yesterday, and he obliged!
He makes me smile *^^*