I am thankful

for K2 world; a rock climbing gym that's actually close to my part of the world.

for strong hands.

for a stubborn but humbled personality.

For my climbing buddies, who push me physically & mentally when I don't think I can do any better.

for my job, which I love, and for my sweet students.

for teaching aids & curriculum and DVD teaching materials.

for my coteacher who is awesome and patient even though our cultures cause misunderstandings sometimes.

for butterfinger pancakes on a Saturday morning.

for Joowon & Nina & Mer & Cari & Kate.

for my sister and my niece.

for my brother...most of the times.

for good, strong coffee on dry, cold days.

for smiles and hugs and reasons to laugh.

for funny faces.

for music and audio books.

for technology. my phone. my ipod. my computer.

for youtube

for meetup.com, most of the time.

for living in a big city that is populated by hills & mountains

for a stellar public transportation system

for bullet trains

for turkey on Thanksgiving.

for friends with whom I can share my dinner.

for airplanes

for skype. thank God for SKYPE!

for electronic dictionaries.

for snail mail!

for pen pals.

for holidays that give us a reason to send a silly picture of a dog dressed as a turkey.

for changing seasons.

for friends with cars!

for snowboarding weekends and climbing vacations.

for knitting by the fire and twister in the sauna house.

for gifts of donuts simply b/c I'm cute & can knit.

for deeper conversations

for getting to know friends just a little bit more than acquaintances.

for fashion and art.

for only having to work with 6th graders once/weekly.

for awesome hair products.

for hot showers and long baths.

for chocolate.

for empathy.

for loyalty.

for freedom of expression and choice.

for the rights to my own body.

for my passport.

for kimchi-seafood pancakes and makoli (or dong-dong-ju)

for an apartment that is paid for by my employer.

for cheap liquor and all-night danceclubs

for korean people who've lived in the USA and understand a little bit of what I go through during holidays.

for used bookstores.

for pants that fit (of which I sorely miss!)

for zuchinni, and other gourd-like veggies.

for carmex.

that I don't have to worry about rent or food.

that my dog is happy and healthy and loved.

that I can eat KIMCHI with every meal if I choose

that I won't be eating any KIMCHI tonight with my turkey!

that the world is round and diverse.

that I have a chance to see it!

that people are different and for the most part kind with good intentions.

that it's cold but I know it'll get warmer again someday

that I am a 27 year old with decisions ahead of and behind me.

that I getto spend my days with kids and my afternoons & evenings waway from them.

that sometimes when I go away on a business trip, I get to leave early.

that I live in a city where it's more convenient NOT to own a car.

that I have the chance as an adult to live in a foreign country and learn a new language and feel what it's like to be treated like a minority.

that Casandra writes me letters. sometimes it's all I have to look forward to.

that Bellingham never really changes, no matter how forward-thinking and progressive its residents try to convince themselves they are.

that two halves make a whole.

that i'm a glass half-full girl most of the time

that my niece is happy and healthy and sweet as all hell, and that I get to be a part of her life even though I live on a different continent.

that I have twice as many holidays to celebrate because I live in one country and belong to another.

thats all I can think of right now.