Three Weeks In...

It seems my lack of blogging has put me near the end of my first three weeks of teaching. As I'm only teaching for six weeks this makes it a pivotal point in my return to Korea. This time around I am teaching college freshman who are finishing their English requirement. Thankfully I've been blessed by the higher level students, but I will admit, it has still been quite challenging as only half the class really understands the daily conversations and tasks. With that said, it will be interesting to see what the next three weeks will bring as I will also be balancing a 3 credit course, 3 hours, 4 days a week. It should prove interesting, but of course, I'm always up for a challenge.

Life in Daejeon is a bit more laid back than life in Seoul, but not without its unique eccentricities of course. I actually prefer the pace here to the pace in Seoul however, I do like that I know my way around Seoul, know how to get places and was privileged to live in a prime location. Woosong is hectic. I say that with some restraint as I've had some problems with things here, but at the same time, it is more me adjusting to Korean life again. Having previously been to Korea I know that things do not always happen the way they are supposed to or even in a fashion that I am accustom to. With that said, it has been, once again, a learning experience on my part. I am so blessed with this opportunity once again and I'm trying to make the most of it.

My days in Daejeon are filled with teaching, hiking and once again devouring delicious Korean food. I try to eat kimchi daily as I missed it more than I eve knew. I also try to eat something different everyday, not necessarily something new, but different at least. Below are a few pictures from the past few weeks.
















Daejeon as seen from my hike















Uma Park, about a mile from my apartment

Welcome to Daejeon + Thankful Thursday

On June 6th, I left for Korea. Again. This time a two month stint in Daejeon, which pales in comparison to my previous 13 months in Seoul. I spent the first two days in Seoul and on June 9th, made my way to Daejeon. Daejeon is about an hour southwest of Seoul by the high-speed KTX train or about 2 hours by normal train. I'm sharing an apartment with my friend Sarah and it is quite nice. Daejeon is smaller than Seoul, but not small by any means. 1.5 million people occupy this city and while it's subway system is a one liner at the moment, extensive bus and train systems are in effect. I spent my 25th birthday here with Sarah and Jenna and then headed to Seoul for the weekend. Not a whole lot to report yet. I will recap my first week teaching at a later date (probably tomorrow)

Thankful Thursday
This wonderful opportunity to be back in Korea

Turning 25 a week ago

Getting to visit BIS, my old school in Seoul

Amazing Korean food

Round Two

I leave for Korea on June 6th! I land in the land of the Morning Calm at 5pm on June 7th. Watch out Korea, I'm coming back!

P.S. I know I've neglected this blog the last month or so, but that's all about to change my friends. I have updates coming soon about Target Field, running and of course, more KOREA!!!

Thankful Thursday

Classes being finished

New running shoes to break in tonight at the SCSU on the Move 5K

One in class final + one take home final

A year of graduate school finished

Life Changes at 13.1 Miles

Eight months ago I embarked upon a journey that I thought would end at a single 5K race. A single race of 3.1 miles, and about nine weeks of training to get to that point. By the end of December I had completed eight 5K races and began to wonder if I could one day run a 10K or even, gasp, a half-marathon. While I was not necessarily determined to run a half-marathon anytime in the near future, I found an enticing one on April 24th. I began training in the end of January, early February and realized along the way that most of the battle was mental. Physically, I could do it, mentally, completely unsure. Last weekend, I decided to run a half-marathon relay with my friend Kate, just to get some distance in before an attempt at a half-marathon. I ended up running the 7.1 mile portion of the race and while it was slow going, I completed the race and Kate and I had a half-marathon time of 2 hours 32 minutes.

Enter this weekend. Rainy Saturday, ankle issues and a plethora of doubts. And the weekend of the half-marathon. 13.1 miles of running. Doubts plagued me up until mile 6, where I decided to take the half-marathon route as opposed to the 10K route. Doubts then again plagued me at mile 7 when my feet, soaked by the rain, began to blister and hurt. Doubts plagued me at mile 8, mile 9, mile 10, mile 11, mile 12 and mile 13. The doubt left as I crossed the finish line in 2 hours 58 minutes. A slow 13:34 mile pace, but I finished. I, Molly Refsland, finished a half-marathon. My dad was there to see me finish and I would not have wanted it any other way.

I am thinking of running another half in August and a 10 miler in October. I am now, what I consider to be, a runner. A slow, "caboose," but I am a runner. And running has changed my life. It has made me confident, stronger and healthier. It has made me realize that running can be fun, it can be challenging and it can altogether suck, but I cannot stop running. At this point, I will say a full marathon is probably not in my future, but we'll see. Someday :)

Thankful Thursday

My parents coming to visit tomorrow

Finishing my grammar paper

Having a great night with some of my favorite people

Knowing I'm where I'm supposed to be

Jamie Oliver

Nutrition and running go hand in hand. If I don't eat the right foods, I tend to not be able to run as far or as fast. So I have taken a real liking to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. In a brief, but meaningful blog, I encourage you all to sign his petition.

Please, check out Jamie Oliver's website and sign the petition.

Help stop the epidemic of obesity in this country. As a woman who is considered obese, I believe it is very important for children to learn about proper nutrition. I wish I had learned more in my youth, not that you can combat genetics, but it wouldn't have hurt to know how to eat right and to be influenced by my school lunches.