September is finally here. For most back home it means back to school, but for kids in Korea it is just another month. Korean kids do not even start a new school year in September. After "summer vacation" which they spend going to school camps, and academies they continue the same school year as before break. The new school year will start in March.

I have been excited for September because it is a busy month, and marks my 75% finished. This weekend I am going to the DMZ. My kids think I am crazy for wanting to go there, because "North Korea is sooooo crazy and they might shoot you" but I have been looking forward to it. Thailand is also officially booked, and I am looking forward to this vacation. Booking a trip with travel agents in Korea has been a bit of a nightmare due to language barriers. Even getting my name correct on a ticket seemed to be a hassle. I am Andrea Lynn Gallant, but in Korea I am Gallant Andrea Lynn, but I am sure the travel agent had every combination of my name before getting it right. I was happy to get my e-ticket today so I can stop searching, emailing and calling. My kids have also been getting on my nerves lately, so I think that means I need vacation ASAP. A group of 5 girls will head to Thailand for 8 days over Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). On the agenda we have Bangkok, floating markets, elephants rides, tiger temple, feeding wild monkeys, and an islands or two to enjoy some beach time. I think we also might try to fit a quick trip to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, and whatever else Cambodia has to offer. Friends, sun, sand, adventures, no kids, and Thai food....what more could I ask for?

School is going well. My kids have been slightly boring lately, no really funny stories or ESL highlights. The other day in one of my elementary classes we were talking about a ship wreck, and looking at an underwater picture of a ship wreck, sea animals etc. While I was going through some vocabulary words I was getting kids to point and color certain things in the picture. I said "color the turtle green" and all kids would color the turtle green, next I said "color the chest brown"....meaning the treasure chest that was in the picture, but as I start walking around to see everyones work I notice one kid with the "chest" of the two scuba divers in the picture colored brown...and the treasure "chest" left white. The one word with two meanings really confuses my young kids, so I had a little laugh and said ok. The things you find funny after 8+ months in Korea are slightly sad. Although ESL moments give me something to look forward to everyday.