April Update!

I went on a posting spree for a while, making up for lost time (and I still have some pictures from March to share), but we've been pretty busy, doing two things in the past few weeks: deciding where we're moving to when we come back and making plans for this summer. We've also been preparing for Brenden's parents' arrival in May! We're so excited they're coming out to see us, and we've been trying to plan on where to go and what to see while they're here. :) Also, since they are coming, we've been ordering a few things for them to bring with them. :) Unfortunately, one of those things they're bringing with them includes a new camera for us. We loved our Sony W80, but after 2 years, the sensor died, and pretty much everything I read indicated that if the sensor dies, it's not worth it to replace it (unless you have an expensive, professional-level camera). So I spent a lot of time researching cameras this week, and we've ordered a new one, this time a Panasonic Lumix. It's a 10 MP point-and-shoot with wide-angle lens (which we're excited to try out!), and I'm *hoping* it will do better in low-level light than our previous camera (really, my only gripe with our Sony). Unfortunately, anyone who's researched cameras knows that there really aren't any P&S cameras that do great in low light, but we want something portable, and a DSLR just isn't it. We're excited to try out the camera, though, and see what it can do!

Last weekend, our friend Heather came down to Seosan for the weekend, and we showed her the Seosan area--complete with an unplanned, really indirect bus ride around the fields of Seosan. Unfortunately, last weekend is when we realized our camera was dead, so we don't have any pictures yet (we'll get some from Heather). Next weekend, we're going to Incheon (where Heather lives) on Friday night, then out to Suwon (a big fortress) on Saturday, followed by dinner at On the Border on Saturday night, and then back to Incheon. On Sunday, we'll be back in Seoul again for a festival celebrating Buddha's birthday. We'll be making lanterns (there's a class for foreigners!) with Heather and our friends Ahna and David from Seosan, and then just walking around Insa-dong, our favorite area of Seoul. Unfortunately, we won't have our camera for any of that, either, so we'll be depending on others for photos.

This week is an unusual one for me. The 6th graders have a 3 day trip, which started today, and since I teach 6th grade 4 days out of the week (everyday except Thursday), I have today and Friday off from class (but not off from school--I still have to sit in my office all day). Thursday is my day to teach 3rd graders but as it happens, the 3rd grade picnic is that day, so my co-teacher and I will be going on a picnic with 150 3rd graders. In the meantime, I'll be working on lesson plans for my teachers' lessons and bulletin board postings about the English language and American culture.

- Carissa