Merry Christmas to all....and to all a good 2011

'twas the night before Christmas,
and all through Jukbyeon
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a weiguken;
The plastic 3ft Christmas tree
was decorated with care,
In hopes that our Secret Santa
would be there;
The English teachers were nestled
all snug in their beds,
While visions of turkey and apple pie danced in their heads...

.....ok, ok...so I have taken a little creative license with that one, but I think you get the picture. I can't believe Christmas 2010 has come and gone. This was the 3rd year in a row that Brendan and I have spent Christmas away from our family and friends in Australia. The previous 2 years we have somehow ended up spending the day in Koh Samui (Thailand) - not out of any preconceived plan, it's just the way it ended up really. This year was pretty much as far removed from a Christmas in Samui as you can get. Rather than 30 degree heat, swimming all day and consuming thai seafood on the beach at night, this year it was -10 degrees and we spent the entire day indoors with 9 of our new friends that we have met while teaching in South Korea. What a difference 12 months can make!

Despite being in Korea, a country that really only gives Christmas a cursory glance, we managed to foster some festive spirit and had a really nice Christmas breakfast and late lunch at our apartment. Somehow we squeezed 11 people into our tiny apartment and we feasted on smorked turkey (interesting typo/translation error on the package), stuffed chicken breasts, baked potato and pumpkin, salad and apple pie. There was no shortage of food, drinks, presents and laughter! Thanks to everyone who came and made the day so special - it will certainly be a Christmas that we won't forget and perhaps one of the most international of all Christmas lunches we will ever attend with representatives from Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, South Africa and England.

With one more week of 2010 left, it is around this time that we seem compelled to reflect on the year that is as good as finished and contemplate what we want for the year ahead. If 2008/2009 was about South East Asia and working in Australia, then 2010 has certainly been about teaching in South Korea. What will 2011 be about....who knows....? I would really love to see Japan, teach myself some Spanish and maybe look into doing some travel writing. I refuse to label them as resolutions - let's call them possibilities. But, I guess you will just have to keep reading and see how it all unfolds.

On that note, I hope you all had a nice Christmas and wish you a safe, happy and healthy 2011.

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

//Kate