Korean coffee is the answer

The past week has flown by, and the amount of stuff I crammed into it is astonishing in itself. I'll only clue you into the most interesting parts so you're more inclined to follow through with the entire saga, deal?

I'm sitting in my apartment listening to Fleet Foxes and Avett Brothers as I recover from sheer exhaustion. Let the drama unfold. This week, I became a teacher; I became a sore thumb; I became a public bus regular; I became a color me rad "runner"; and I became a real person. 

This is the classic "first day of school" pic. In front of the numerous plants in and around my elementary (I love all the plants - fresh air is good for the soul). 

My Korean name tag. They call me "Rogan teacher." (They have a hard time with their r 's, l 's, p 's, and f's). So it goes. It's pretty endearing. And I can actually read my name tag now! Yeehaw! 

Third graders with Mrs. Hong.

I creep, I think it's halfway expected of me. 

To celebrate the end of the first day of school: coffee. 

Another day, waiting for the bus (I am the queen of public transport now). Mom, this picture is for you. Don't worry, I match AND look presentable.

This day was exciting and extra stalker-ish. Some of the girls were competing in a music contest where they played  traditional Korean instruments. I saw them walking, I saw they were dressed up, I followed them to their practice session. I admit they probably think I'm strange, but I'm one of the only foreign weirdos in the school so I get away with it. 

Aren't they darling?!! You would follow them too. Then the unthinkable happened: I confiscated my first Korean LOVE note!! Translation: basically these two fifth graders look good together and they love these Korean bands, yada, yada.  

These  two dears clean the classroom every lunch. And they serve us coffee.

This week I also learned Hangul!! It's like a secret coded puzzle and I've had fun using my special powers to decode license plates and read subway stops.

Walking to the bus stop. I liked my outfit, don't judge.

To celebrate completion of first week : coffee. There is always an occasion for coffee. Always.

I became a real person this day because I finally got my alien registration number from the immigration office! I'm real!!

The color run in Incheon was this morning. I was  dirty for hours. I would compare my personal appearance to that of Linus from Charlie Brown : a cloud of colored dust followed me everywhere, on the bus, in the Mexican restaurant, on the subway, and in the taxi.

Color me rad 5k = very little running and a lot of people on a leisurely stroll documenting every second with photographs. These days. Look above! They're not even walking! They're LAYING DOWN!! What. I've seen things I never  thought I'd see. I'm learning things I didn't know needed to be learned.   

But I celebrated the colorful finish with coffee, and 

I fondly believe I singlehandedly left a lot of Korea more colorful today. 

Spread joy, people, spread joy.

 (Although I'm not sure how the people sitting next to me on the subway felt).

Here's to the next adventure: trying to watch Michigan kick Notre Dames BUTT live in tomorrow mornings game!!!