HOLY SMOKES... It's almost Christmas!

Wow! I can't believe that Christmas is just a couple of days away and that New Years is right around the corner... pretty soon it will be 2006!
This year seems like it has just flown by... and with it came a lot of first. My first plane ride... my first time abroad... my first time being so far away by myself... the first time I am using or leaning Korean... and so much more. This year has definately had its ups and downs... but unlike any other time before I feel that I am equipped with both the emotional and mental maturity needed to get through them. That being said... I am still a bits away from having total tranquility.
This week was a tad tough for me... a girl that I had thought was my friend here at the Village decided to inform me that she wasn't and was never my friend and that she was only pretending so that she could be friends with Paula. She said some really hurtful things... that I was a racist... that I hated all Americans... and for a while... well even now it stings. Needless to say in true Chelsea form I cried... and cried.... but once I had finished I came to realize that... well instead of feeling sorry for myself, I should really feel sorry for her. That she would have to only pretend to be someone's friend because she was too insecure to feel that Paula would have a friendship outside of mine... that she has such a huge chip on her shoulder that she would want to hurt someone so that they could be lowered in the process. My dad said something to me that rings true... "You can't always change yourself to fit so that others will like you... if you do.. you will be nothing but a camelion... and will in turn lose yourself and your idfentity to the expectations of others". Part of me is still wounded by the hurtful and downright cruel things that were said to me... but another part... in a twisted way feels relieved... at least I know now that she doesn't like me and is no longer pretending. It is still tough to know that someone can feel so negatively about me... but that is something I will have to come to grips with... because.. well not everyone will like me... and that's ok... it doesn't lower or devalue me in anyway!
On a brighter side... the kids are just so cute... and they really say the darndest things. For example... in hospital class last week we were taching the kids about "pink eye"... to help them remember the name I pointed to my boots and said "what color are these"... and they said "pink"... I then pointed to my eye and said "and what is this"... this is when a little boy stood up and said with the greatest confidence... "dark circles!" I just burst out laughing... the truth comes out from the mouth of babes right (or something like that).
So last weekend was a lot of fun! Paula, Hana and I went to Co-Ex mall to go shopping for our secret santas. In the process we stumbled upon a Japanese bra and panty store (for those of you who don't know... Korean sizes in bras are too small - they go to about a size B36ish - but Japanese stores go to a size E) so needless to say I was elated to know that I could buy bras. When we went into the shop we were greated by a little korean lady with a measuring tape... she came over and said "size?" to which I said that I wasn't sure. She then lifted my arms and measured me. She then said that she had "my size" and pulled me over to look at the sale rack of bra and panty sets. When I found one that I liked.. I went into the dressing room to try it on.. I had just put on the bra when suddenly I looked back and saw that she was right there beside me... she then said "no good" stuck her hand into the bra and proceeded to shift me around so that it would fit. I wasn't sure how to feel... I was flabbergasted... I mean this ajuma had just stuck her hand into my bra... oh I know that it wasn't anything dirty.. it just caught me off guard is all. Though I did end up leaving the store with 2 new sets.
Overall this week has had it's highs and lows... but in all honesty I am doing just fine... I have some things happening right now which are good... have a great job... and am growing mentally and emotionally.
2005 overall has been a great year... here's to 2006!
Cheers!