Valentine's Day Snow

When I went to sleep the night before, no hint of snow. When I went to work, 6 inches. More all day. Day after, melting. Go figure.

September 11th: 9 year Anniversary

Can't believe it's been 9 years...seems so much more recent, although so much has happened in that time. Taking some time to remember those who were lost, but never forgotten.

Happy Independence Day! (aka. Happy 4th of July!)

Happy 4th of July to those still in those time zones! Enjoyed some mac and cheese in honor of American freedom. Granted, it was a Canadianized-Koreanized version, but it was mac and cheese nonetheless.

Down to 7 remaining needles attached.

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th all! Eat lots of American goodness for me, since I can't!

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patty's Day is not celebrated in Korea, to be expected. But I had to play a little in it's honor. I bought stickers for the kids, and one of my little ones decorated me!

Pepero Day: November 11th

Pepero Day is similar to Valentine’s Day in America. On this day, you are expected to give a box of Pepero (I know the Japanese version, called Pocky, from home) to loved ones, teachers, and friends. It’s called a “gift and snack day”, which in my mind makes it closer to Sweetest Day than Valentine’s. To me, it seems a lot like what I would call a “Hallmark Holiday”. In the U.S., it seems like every so often during a slow retail month, someone (usually the Hallmark Company, to sell cards) “creates” a holiday. Suddenly, people feel they must celebrate the fake holiday, buying cards, gifts, chocolates (and Pepero?), and retail sales increase. Maybe I’m wrong. I mean, it was nice to get random chocolate snacks from some of my students, but it didn’t much feel like a holiday.