My Chingu Janelle

For many teachers abroad, the six-month mark is a time of emotional vomit. Miscommunication isn't funny anymore, the food is weird and people still haven't realized that you have a space bubble ("You didn't see me standing here or do you think you can walk through people?").

Yes, it was an emotional time, mostly because I miss people back home and I'm already dreading my goodbye with my wonderful friends here. But my fears of goodbyes were shelved with my occupation of a big HELLO to Janelle Jenison, a treasured friend (chingu), who's come to teach English, too!


Besides being a remarkable harmonica player, Janelle is a proud member of the Decadox, the house we lived in with 10 girls our senior year at Biola in California. I'm so excited about her being here and all the memories we'll make in Asia together. Welcome to Korea, Janelle!

Girls Generation in Gangnam

The group of friends was split into two camps. One turned up its nose at celebrities and one was ridiculously excited at the sighting of pop group Girls Generation in Gangnam. Gangnam is an upper-class district in Seoul with a surplus of nightclubs, restaurants and plastic surgery clinics. It's also where an American breakfast joint called Butterfingers Pancake House is -- and where Girls Generation was spotted.

First, some background. Girls Generation is a popular music group that won the Artist of the Year Award last year. Don't ask me why it's singular, because there are freakin' nine of them. I really don't know much more than I did when I joined the group running toward the pancake house. A crowd stood outside, looking at the second story window and silhouettes of microphones for a TV interview. A few brave (obsessed) souls went inside to "go to the bathroom" and got to see them -- one guy even said a girl looked straight into his eyes.

After about an hour of waiting, my friends and I were the only ones left in the frigid cold when suddenly, all the girls dashed out of the restaurant and hopped into a monster of a black van that was waiting for them. I managed to get ONE clear (not really) shot. And there you have it.