Hello, November!

I have passed the eight month mark! Some days, it feels like eight years; some days, it feels like eight minutes. I will be home for two months in March, and I can't wait, but I am also looking forward to another sensational year in Korea. Knowing more about the various areas, housing options, and schools has me really excited about "movin' on up!" I know that much of the rural area in Korea is beautiful and offers a higher salary, but I'm a city girl, and Seoul is where I shall be next year. Yongin has been nice, but I'm so tired of making the trek back and forth into the city.
I also can't believe it has been nearly two years since I have seen my family. I'm loving life, but man-o-man do I miss them, especially my nephew, Luke. The word on the street is he no longer answers to "Luke Swilley," only "Luke Skywalker." And I cannot wait to meet my soon-to-be niece, Ella Rose. It's unfortunate that my family won't move to Korea, but they have always been a selfish bunch!
And don't think for a minute that I have forgotten about my "Miller" family! I can't wait to see Steven and Savannah. I have a feeling Dar and I will be kidnapping them for a fun-filled afternoon; hopefully Sprinkles Cupcakes and Gelato Paradiso will be involved!!!! Michelle, don't start. I know you're cupcakes are awesome.

As the blog title implies, it is now November, a month in which a VERY important holiday occurs. THAT'S RIGHT......Pepero Day!
Pepero is a cookie stick dipped in chocolate. I won't lie. I'm a big fan. (No pun intended) And November 11 is Pepero Day because "11-11" looks like four Pepero Sticks. I did some research, and according to one story, Pepero Day was started in 1994 by students at a girls' middle school in Busan, where they exchanged Pepero sticks as gifts to wish one another to grow "as tall and slender as a Pepero." That's what I like most about Korea culture, it's focus on intelligence.

I'm surprised there is not a Spam Day (maybe there is) because EVERY convenience and grocery provides not only tons of Spam but SPAM GIFT SETS! And I'm talking HUGE gift sets. SPOILER ALERT: Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas????

I almost forgot that Thanksgiving is this month, and it will be very odd to be stuck in a classroom teaching, instead of watching the parade with Dar (remember the slow moving panda bear? Yep. You're doing to motion right now, aren't you?!?), making mashed potatoes with Michelle, stuffing my face with Joel's bean dip, and watching the yearly James Bond marathon.
My friends and I really want to cook a turkey, but we don't know anyone with an oven. (Maybe this is where the Spam become necessary) There has been talk of frying a turkey, but we do not know how to find a large amount of peanut oil. Also, I'm pretty sure the turkey fryer would just be a huge pot on top of a bonfire on someone's rooftop. Errr...I'm gonna keep searching for an oven. Maybe TGI Fridays will let us use theirs.

Did I mention it's freezing?????? We went from 70 degrees to 30 degrees in 60 seconds! How did I miss autumn? I took a nap on Sunday, so maybe I missed it then. Thank god for my ondol (heated floor). It's cranked up so high at the moment, I could probably bake a turkey on it. Uh-oh! I think we have a solution to our problem! :)