Updates

There has been so much happening, so I have several great posts coming.  I will go ahead and give a real broad update now, and there will be more specific posts with more pictures and videos soon.

•  I have now been in Korea for over 3 months, and I am still loving it!
• I have been keeping very active.  
• I am still doing Taekwondo 3 days a week, and actually just earned my orange belt!  I have been doing Taekwondo for just under 2 months and I'm on the third belt, so I guess I'm doing well!
• I still do daily hikes with my co-teacher, which has been awesome with the Fall weather.  Of course I'm not excited about Winter (because of the cold) but the temperature has been very mild for November, so I think I'm doing better than what I'm used to in Ohio!
• I have been doing volleyball a lot more often, almost every day actually.  Our team has some really good players, but we got beat pretty bad the last time we played another school, so there are practices almost everyday.  I am getting pretty good, but I don't always get to play when we face other schools.  I think part of it is I am the least experienced player there and I still make beginner mistakes occasionally.  It is just for fun and we're almost always playing against teachers in our own school, so I get to play all the time anyways.  It sure does remind me of 10th grade football, not quite making the varsity cut though, haha.
• I am still break-dancing on my own, but I have sad news about my class.  It was canceled after a long ordeal last week.   First there was a big deal with the athletic director who apparently never knew about it.  I was willing to fight for the class because I thought it was so beneficial for the students, and the athletic director was just upset that he wasn't asked upfront about the unofficial club.  (My co-teacher and I checked with the vice principal, and the head teacher, and it was 'cleared.')  After everything cooled down last week I was told we needed permission from like 6 different faculty members, as well as submit official documents to make it a real club.  When everything was about finished, the principal essentially vetoed the whole thing for reasons nobody in my generation will ever fully understand.  Even Jack (my co-teacher) thought it was ridiculous.  But people in my principal's generation have some traditional, conservative views, that will not allow 6th grade girls, boys and a male teacher to be in a dance club together.  I also blame his lack of knowledge of break-dancing to this decision, as his idea of dance differs from the style which I have been instructing.  It's too bad, but you can't win em' all, and that is not a battle worth fighting (with the principal).
• I have also been doing other hikes on my own and with my friends.  All in all, I am in great shape from all of these activities! 
• Another unfortunate thing is I am ready to give up on the Oriental Medicine; acupuncture treatment.  I was going once a week for chiropractic, since I have slight scoliosis.  My chiropractor back home was very helpful, but my back has been getting much worse lately.  Part of it is all of the intense exercise I do (Taekwondo/vollyball/breakdancing).  However I have always done extreme type sports, and the Western style chiropractor balanced my back out.  So I will be searching for a new doctor soon.
• I've managed to keep a fairly active social life as well around all of my other activities.  One of my favorite things about being in Korea is actually all of the other foreigners I have met and hung out with.  This past weekend for example I was hanging out with my new friends from India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Japan, Ireland, England, Canada, South Africa, Germany, Russia and of course Korea.  How cool is that!?  It is absolutely amazing, and it really makes me want to spend more time abroad.  I have the opportunity to go all over, but I am leaning towards China or Vietnam next year.  I will definitely have an extensive post weighing my options!