so christmas came and went without much fanfare, and new year's came and went with just a bit too much revelry, but I suppose everyone needs one ridiculous new year's in asia under their belt, eh?

we've started our (temporary) new schedule, which will be in effect for the month of january, while the kids are on vacation. we work from 11:30 til 6:30. I like the time frame a lot, but the days go by a little slower since we have the older kids (which are also the smaller classes) first, and then the energy-mongering little kids later in the day. we were used to having the last block of classes as winding-down time. but all in all, I like the new schedule. we're losing a lot of students. mr. kang, the man who was in charge of the school when I got here, and who hired me and everything, has left to open up a branch of the school in nebraska, in order to establish some exchange programs and such. the new boss, ms. kim, is very nice and seems competent, but I think a lot of the parents are freaked out by the change of hands, so we've lost at least 12 students in the last month or so, including emma and rose, who were mine and tricia's favorites. but that's the way it goes, I guess.

I've learned how to use the subway, which definitely opens up some options on the weekends...I am not stuck in susung-gu anymore, I can go downtown all on my own. this weekend tricia is in seoul, so I spent the morning working out and doing dishes, then went downtown to buy a cd (alicia keys) and a hat, since my former hat became a casualty of the new year's debacle. the new one is a deep, bright red. I'm a fan.