Oh Korea...

While Jon and I are extremely happy with our decision to move back to the land of the U.S. of A, there are definitely moments we really miss Korea and the amazing people we met there.

Lucky for us, there's a whole group of Korean families living on the Denver Seminary Campus. We've already had numerous invitations for dinner and every Korean that meets us is beyond ecstatic that we lived in Korea.

Another fun aspect is that every Friday the Korean men get together for soccer/volleyball. As in a soccer ball being kicked/headed/etc. over a low net. I've kept telling Jon that he needs to join in on the fun, and he didn't until today...

Yes my husband did run out in his Pak Ji Sung jersey.

The Koreans went wild!!!

shocking... i know.

(if you don't know who pak ji sung is... look him up and it'll all come together)

throughout the game there was a healthy dose of "nice-uh" and "fighting!" with a whole lot of other Korean phrases mixed in :)

It made us miss our Korean Volleyball games and co-teachers so much!

Oh Korea, how we miss you :)

Finlandia: Rock Church and Soccer

Yesterday we got up early and started preparing for the trip to Estonia. And then we found out it was cancelled. Due to strong winds the ferries were stopped! After living on the islands I had thought ferries and high winds would no longer affect my life... I was wrong.

Instead we decided to rest all day, play a little soccer,  go to the Finland v. Hungary qualifying game for European Cup 2012. 

But before we had to make a cultural stop.

The Rock Church.

Yes, this is a church literally built into the rocks. It's pretty sweet.

The ceiling is a huge copper dome... it is definitely one of the most unique churches I've been in.

After that and some Finnish fast food we headed off to the game!

Some drunk students singing and riling up the crowd.

This is the line we stood in for a good 10 minutes or so right as we were getting in the gates we realized we were in the wrong line. Soooo we had to go to the back of the other line and wait another 20 minutes.

But the real troubles didn't start until we were attempting to find our seats.

We asked directions numerous times and each time we went to our seats the people already sitting there would say it was section B17 or B19... we were in B18 and apparently it was in some parallel universe. for 20 MINUTES we had to go back and forth between two staircases, asking people to move, asking the workers where we were supposed to sit and they always just kept saying the other section. It was beyond annoying that the workers wouldn't take the time to help us (although we saw them doing it for numerous other people) finally we just sat in some random empty seats... and it was hilarious. Drunk Finns (and a loud Irish man) was quite entertaining :)

The Hungarian section... complete with like 8 guards surrounding them.

Excited to be at our first *freezing* European soccer game!

Hungary scored first, and Finland was not doing anything too impressive... but at minute 86 they scored!

Hooray!

Everyone freaking out!

We were pretty pumped! It was looking like a tie game!

Then it went into stoppage time. It looked like the ref was going to call it at any time. And then this happened....

And literally five seconds after the kick-off they stopped the game.

It was such a disappointment! And truthfully it should've been a tie. 

But it was definitely a fun way to spend the evening!

Korea Vs. Argentina

Last week I wrote about the Korea game we hit up at the high school. Welllllll tonight Korea plays Uruguay and if they win, and we perchance happen to win again Ghana... we will play each other. Which could get interesting.

Anyway, I shared why I thought Argentina won , but what I didn't get to share was our experience at the game. The students were funny and everyone was all riled up!

The crowd getting ready for the fight!

They had plastic bags on their heads... please don't ask why. I still have yet to try and figure out the way Korean students think... and I don't know that I ever will.

And yes... they also put on make -up they're comfortable with their masculinity.

Now it's game time. Soon after they turned off all the lights. It was pretty fun watching it on the big screen.

Korea Scores!!! In overtime of the first half. It was a great way to end the first half! And everyone went WILD! The lights were still off so you couldn't see the excitement but they were pretty pumped!

Taking a break at the half. Ian with his manly students.

Then there was this guy. Just meandered up to the stage and started beating on the drum. The REST OF THE GAME. It seriously felt like I was being led into battle. All I could imagine was Lord of the Rings, and I was just waiting for the Orcs to come out and attack. It was honestly stressful to hear the drums for over 45 minutes straight... apparently I wouldn't do well in a battle.

Unfortunately, Korea didn't do so great. A 4-1 loss took it's toll on everyone.

And this is how they dealt with their pain.  I have to say, before we took this picture, in the dark. The boy with his leg over the other one was on his back, with the other boy laying on top of him. And he had his legs around the boy on top of him. 

Awkward... yes.  Typical of Korea... yes.

And there you have it folks. An interesting way to spend the evening :)

Have any of you been watching the World Cup??

Samson

Last night we had the pleasure of watching the Korea v Argentina game in a gym with a bunch of high school students...it was a BLAST!  Usually I can't stay focused on a game for too long, but with the energy and excitement of the crowd we were part of it was easy to get carried away.

Unfortunately Korea lost, and it was really dissapointing, but I've figured out why. The Koreans had no chance. I am revealing the secret of the Argentina team... that's right you heard it hear first. It is their.... *da da daaaaaaaa* hair. Yes... their hair. They are the modern day Samson, and I am convinced that they have some super human ability to play soccer because of all of their luscious locks.

I mean check these guys out!

This guys hair helps him FLY!!! Look at all of it wafting in the wind. And personally I would LOVE to know how it doesn't bother the heck out of him to have his hair all down his back while he's playing... ish.

No Korean is any match for this mane of locks.

Here, I'd like to think they're all yelling at numero 20 for not growing out his hair and pulling his own weight.

"You totally could've gotten that goal if you hadn't let your girlfriend chop your hair off... what the crap were you thinking?"

Yes, I do enjoy making commentary on photos that I have no clue what's really going on... I really do live in my own little dream world. Consider yourselves lucky you aren't Jon :)

"I can take on 3 Koreans at once!!!! You and your silly, weak, short hair cuts!!"

You know this guy is just beating himself up about his lack of thick luscious hair. It's alright... we've all been there man.

"Yeeeeeees! my hair ROCKS!!!!"

For those of you who don't know this is Messi, one of the best players in the world. And this photo is just an example of all the slow mo action we got last night on the screen of "The Hair" wafting from side to side. If I didn't know better I'd think these guys were hair models waving their heads back and forth in front of a fan.

I am envious of their hair... I'll admit it. I truly think that hair that gorgeous is wasted on boys. I want hair that's thick, shiny, and helps me win soccer games.. *sigh* a girl can dream.

And let's not forget the man that gave all of his players tips on the perfect hair style.

Maradona.

Soccer legend, Argentina player, Argentina coach, and the Hair god.

He's still got flowing locks, and I'm pretty sure he's the one training these guys in the importance of not only soccer, but hair maintanence.

Just wait until someone shows up with scissors...

OH and all these shots were found HERE