Sunday, February 2, 2014

February Currently & Five for Friday (on Sunday)

I am linking up with Farley from Oh' Boy 4th Grade for the amazing February Currently.  I just love reading everyone's currently.  Don't you?


Listening: I am catching up on all my favorite TV shows from when I was on vacation.  I am watching Bones right now.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE murder mystery shows.  CSI, Bones, Criminal Minds....I love them all.

Loving: I went to Nara Park yesterday near Osaka, Japan where deer live in this park.  It was amazing. Check out the pictures below.

Wanting:  The food in Thailand was absolutely amazing.  Korean food does not even compare.  Not even close.  I ate Khao Soi and mango and sticky rice whenever I could, and it was magnificent.  I must learn how to make it.

Needing: I only took 2,000 pictures on my trips to Thailand and Japan.  Yes, I have a problem with taking pictures.  That's a lot of pictures to edit.

2 Truths and a Fib:  Hmmm....can you figure out which one is the fib?
~1. I did work at Chuck E Cheese in high school, and I did everything there except make the pizza.  That included dressing up as Chuck E.  One time, kids saw my long blond ponytail up in the head and figured out that I was a girl.  It was exactly that time when Chuck E had to go take a nap.
~2. I do not love chocolate.  I know.  I'm weird.  I like chocolate OK (chocolate cake, brownies, chocolate chip cookies), but anything like Death By Chocolate is way too much chocolate for me.  One tiny piece of fudge will last me enough for an entire year.
~3. I did go sky-diving in Christchurch, New Zealand, and I totally want to go again when I get down to my goal weight.  It's an amazing feeling.  Absolutely amazing.

So now onto Five for Friday....I know I totally missed the Five for Friday on Friday, but I just back from a long weekend trip to Japan.  So please forgive me that I'm doing it on Sunday!

Go check out what everyone did this week on Doodle Bugs Teaching!


 What did I do this week?

On Sunday, I arrived back in Korea after vacationing in Thailand for 2 weeks.  It was wonderful.  Amazing.  Awesome.  So good that I did not want to come home.


And we were staying right in the middle of one of the big protests.  It was so amazing to be there at a big point in Thailand's history.

Other than the protests, my absolute favorite part of my trip to Thailand was visiting the Elephant Nature Park, where they rescue elephants and care for them, not hurting them or harming them in any way.  All the other ones in Thailand hit them or use harmful tactics to get them to do what they want.  I learned that riding in a basket on their backs can break their back.  One of the elephants there has a broken back exactly from that.  Another one is blind in both eyes because her handler shot both of her eyes with a slingshot after she refused to work when her baby, still in the placenta sack, rolled down the logging mountain and died.  What an amazing place.





I didn't realize this but something bit me on my back while I was in Thailand.  On Tuesday, this bite really started hurting so I went to the doctor and got anti-inflammatory medicine and antibiotics.  Well, this bite got worse and worse until it was one big knot.  It even hurt to lean back on pillows (it was right in the middle of my back).  Sorry, I can't include a picture but I couldn't contortion my body enough to take a picture.  It is finally getting better after um expelling itself.  Gross, I know.


Thursday and Friday were holidays for me (Lunar New Year), so I decided to take a long holiday weekend in Japan.  I flew into Osaka (less than 2 hours away) and went to Kyoto for two nights.  One of the places I went to in Kyoto was Nijo Castle.





On Saturday, I took a train from Kyoto to Osaka and met up with a friend who lives in Tokyo and speaks fluent Japanese, which was SO nice.

Jason, my friend, asked me if I wanted to do a city tour or a little bit different country tour.  I decided for the little bit different, and boy, am I glad I did.  If you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE animals.  Jason took me to Nara Park, about an hour outside of Osaka, where deer live freely among the temples and shrines.  It was THE absolute best part of my trip to Japan.  The BEST.

The deer just come right up to you....especially if you have food!  You can buy these wafers to feed the deer, and they know when you have them!



The temple has a very large Buddha.




I just love looking at my pictures of the deer.  I remember them coming up to me so I could pet them.


This week, I hit a milestone on Teachers Pay Teachers.  I have now made $1,000, and that really does excite me since I just started selling products in early October.  Woo-hoo!  Check out my store!
I just wish I knew what grade and subjects I would be teaching next year, so I could start making games, activities, and lessons.  I never know which direction God will take me.

9 comments:

  1. Oh! I'm so glad you linked up after me or I would not have found you! I absolutely love your travel pictures!! I live in Germany and I'm always on the hunt for blogs that share their travels as well as educational info. Thank you! I am your new follower! Come by and visit me!

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    1. Girl, that's so awesome! Where do you live in Germany? I've been there a couple of times and loved it. In fact, my mom and dad lived there for 10 months when my dad was stationed in the army there. What is your blog?
      ~Angela

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  2. I've heard so much about the Bones series, but I've never watched it. I might have to give it a shot. Are you a fan of Castle? I love that show, even though I think the storyline is a bit predictable. ;) There's also a show that only lasted one season called Lie to Me -- I found it on Netflix. It's about a guy who is trained to detect when someone is lying based on facial tics and body language. He's regularly called in by law enforcement to help with cases. Since I loooove psychology + crime stories, Lie to Me is one of my favorites! :)

    ~Mrs. K. from The Teacher Garden Blog

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    1. I have heard that Castle is a great show. I think the lead actor on it is pretty handsome, so I think I could easily be persuaded to start watching it. ;) And I am always looking for new shows on Netflix so thanks for the recommendation of Lie to Me! I love psychology (was my major) and crime stories too. Can't get enough of them!
      ~Angela

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  3. Your pictures are beautiful! Best thing about digital is deleting ones you don't need/want or that are good! I'd take a million too if I were there!

    I don't like chocolate either! Occasional times, yes... or with caramel or peanut butter... but yeah. Nothing death by chocolate! yuck!

    Angie
    Rulin' The Roost

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    1. Thank you! I remember taking tons of film canisters on my trips in my early days of traveling. I labeled them with a sharpie marker what order they were in. Digital is SO much better!
      And I'm so glad to meet a fellow non-chocolate lover!
      ~Angela

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  4. Beautiful pictures! I love to travel, too. What fantastic memories to have!

    Mandy
    Caffeine and Lesson Plans

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    1. Thanks Mandy! Korea is a great central place to travel from.
      ~Angela

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  5. That is amazing that you were able to go there! I just love the pictures you posted.:)

    Alma
    Mrs. Solis Teaching Treasures

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