We had kindergarten graduation a couple days ago.  It was stressful and chaotic, but it turned out to be really cool.  I didn't get many pictures because I was backstage helping kids change costumes, and Carson had to watch all the younger kids the whole time.  But here are a couple pictures we snapped.

Nanta Drums

This is Sara and I love her so much!  She would always bring me erasers, candy, stickers and other things to class.  Whenever I saw her in the hall, she would hug me and say, "Oooh I love you Tausha teacher," then kiss me on the cheek.  She asked if I was going to still be her teacher.  When I told her no, she teared up a little bit and hugged me, burying her face in my stomach.  She's so sweet.

This is Becky.  She's wearing crazy makeup because she was one of the belly dancing kids.  Check out the video below.  She's the one in the middle.

Here's a list of some of the things I've missed since coming to Korea.  I'm not complaining so don't get the wrong idea.  It's just a little glimpse of how things are on this side of the pond.

Things I miss about the US:

*Speaking.  I'm ready to be able to talk to people in grocery stores, the bank and restaurants.  Last time I went to the bank, the teller kept talking and talking.  She was asking me questions even though I repeatedly told her I don't speak Korean.

*Dairy products. I'm living in the land of Kraft Singles, and they're expensive.  A package of 8 slices will run you about $4.  I saw a rare can of whipped cream at one of the larger grocery stores, and it was $10.  Real butter is $8 a box... you get the idea.

*Driving.  We take the bus and trains all over, and we're lucky that the transportation system here is so awesome.  But sometimes I just feel like going for a drive.  On a side note, I miss all my CDs I left in our car too.

*Bountiful Baskets.  So right before we left the States, we discovered a fruit & veggie co-op where we got a laundry basket full of local produce for $15.  Today I saw a single pear at the grocery store for $6.

*Family and friends.  We've met so many good friends through work and church and we're so blessed.  And we're so lucky that we live in a world with Skype, Facebook, and e-mail.  But it's just not quite the same as hanging out with your family for Sunday dinner.

*Pandora and Netflix:  Some websites just aren't available in our region.  

*My clothes:  I seriously look like the biggest bum these days.  It's freezing cold everywhere and the hallway windows at my school don't close properly.  I have 3 or 4 hoodies and a couple pairs of jeans that I just cycle through over and over.  Everything we buy over here has to come home with us in a suitcase so we don't see a point in acquiring much of anything.

Things I will probably miss when I leave Korea:  

*Not having expenses.  Our utilities are all bundled together here, and we usually pay under $100 a month for electricity, gas, cable TV, and telephone.  Plus, the school pays for our apartment .

*Being able to travel.  In the past seven months of living in Korea, we've been able to go to the Philippines, China, and all around Korea.  It's much cheaper to fly to Asian countries when you're already in Asia (duh).  

*Trash & Recycling.  You don't get a monthly trash disposal bill here.  Instead, you buy special trash bags for your garbage.  Every apartment complex has areas where you can dump your trash and sort out all your recyclable materials.  The recycling is free. You don't need any bags; just toss it in the bin. Only your garbage has to be in a bag.  You pay the city for trash removal when you purchase the trash bags.  So the less you throw away, the less you pay.

*Living close to everything.  There are three grocery stores that we can walk to within five minutes.  There's not a lot of room for storing food in our apartment, but it's so easy to just buy whatever you need every day.

That just about sums it up.  I'm sure there are a million more things I could add, but this gives you an idea of some of the differences between living in the US and Korea.  I keep telling myself that I'm just ready to go home now, but how many people can say they spent a year in Korea?  I've learned a lot about Korean culture and language, getting around without a car, acting out scenes instead of just using words like a normal person, and I've learned a lot about myself from being here.  We only have 4 1/2 more months, and I think it will fly by.