Nothing says Merry Christmas like a hippo in an ugly jumper

This weekend was Christmas.  On Friday night I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie (really good).  Went to the cinema in 율하 which honestly seemed to be the only thing there.  Grabbed supper before the movie, a drunken old Korean guy tried talking to us, grabbed Elliot1's nose (he was saying that us white folk have good strong noses).  Apparently this was a first for Elliot1 and he didn't seem to pleased by it.


Saturday I had my last 한국어 lesson of the year.  Got a shiny certificate and everything at the pizza party/drum show/awards meeting.  See the video of the traditional drumming.  I've checked out the courses for next year - going to finish the current book myself and then start the intensive course in May - I won't miss so many lessons if they're on Tuesday and Friday mornings.  Especially as I'll only be in 대구 one weekend in January.  


After that I had lunch with Elliot2 - Buy the Book downtown did a proper turkey dinner which went well with spiced orange tea.   Yum yum yum.  Perfect Christmas eve lunch.  That evening we went to Jinny's apartment for supper/drinks, hung out with Jinny, Sophie, Julian, his bf, Mark, Harry and Charlie.  Jinny cooked this delicious spicy chicken stew and then followed not one but two cakes.  Went downtown after that, saw in midnight with a bunch of people at MF bar including Shelly.  Got back about 2am and was up before 8 to Skype the UK.


Christmas Day was spent at an orphanage near 버머사 in 부산.  It was quick and easy to get the bus from 동대구 to 노포 so will have to remember that for when my parents come out to visit.  When we got there Jessica and bought a pile of presents with donations from the Wolfhound Bar (해운대) so we had 20 min of frantic present wrapping.  There were about 40 kids and about 20 volunteers, some of them put on a play, the rest of us organized activities afterwards - our group played Christmas Bingo.  Then the kids got presents, second hand clothes and fun socks.  The youngest girl had so many presents she kept on dropping them.  So sweet.  Another girl kept on sneaking up and bonking people on the head with this toy hammer.  I don't know how they had left over presents at an orphanage on Christmas!  Maybe they'd go to another orphanage.  


Christmas lunch consisted of Shabushabu (vietnamese) in the PNU area.  Not very Christmassy but enjoyable.  Then we had a pint in a bar and helped (kinda) to build Jessica's Christmas skeleton.  I even simulated a stress fracture on his left collarbone (read:I broke it).  I'm really pleased with my presents this year - got pinkcatheart pj bottoms, an electric kettle (how did I live without it?!), a funny book from my parents as well as Rooibos and bathroom slippers (kinda essential for wetrooms in the winter).

I've got "winter vacation" this week (Friday off).  Looking forward to a nice 4 day week.  The other foreigner teacher at my 학원 is leaving Wednesday night so we'll have a meal and drinks in 동대구 to see him off.  Gonna head through to 울산 Thursday after work too - 3 day weekend!!  The plan is 부산 for Saturday (New Years).