80s no-rae-bang night!

OK, so some definitions first:
no-rae-bang = literally "singing room", complete with 2 mics, 2 tambourines, neon lights, couches, large books of songs in various languages (with a substantial English section)

One night, while returning to school from a staff dinner on a no-rae-bus (that's what I said), some fellow staff members and I recognized the need to have an all-out, full-on 80s dress-up no-rae-bang night. All 80s music, all blue eye shadow and big hair. Well, here's a bit of the evidence... funny how much we did not stand out - the 80s look has returned full-force here in Korea. Long live Bon Jovi!

Christmas in South America or Bust!

Yep, that´s right, this Christmas I, along with my two fellow TCIS Spanish teachers, Stephanie Liebe and Kirstin Erickson, will begin our 31-hour+ voyage to Argentina and Chile, two of the four Cono Sur (Southern Cone) countries waaaay down south. What are our plans? Hablar muchísimo español, eat lots of red meat a parrilla (grilled), read some Borges and Cortazar in Spanish on some loooong bus rides, dance the tango, ice climb on a gargantuan advancing glacier, trek, go white water rafting, and absorb all that I can of the culture, history, and language that I can so I can return and spew it back to my students (oooh, perhaps “spew” is too graphic… what I mean is, “share”)! WHOOHOOOO!!! Oh, and of course, in true Barrigar fashion, taking a ridiculous number of pictures. 
The itinerary:
Dec. 19-20: 9am depart Daejeon, Korea via airport bus for Incheon Airport > Tokyo Narita Airport > Dallas/Fort Worth Airport > Buenos Aires Airport
Dec. 20-25: Buenos Aires (La Recoleta to see Evita Peron’s burial site among others; tango dancing; colorful neighborhoods; museums; parrilla!)
Dec. 25, 1pm: depart on 19-hour bus ride to San Carlos de Bariloche, in the western Lakes District of Argentina, at the foot of the Andes
Dec. 26-28: Bariloche - white-water rafting (Kirstin was a guide in Colorado!), driving around the picturesque countryside
Dec. 28: depart at 9pm for a 30-hour bus ride south to El Chalten (north of El Calafate)
Dec. 30-Jan. 2: El Chalten – ice climbing and trekking on the Perito Moreno glacier, trekking through the Andes, eating parrilla, ringing in the New Year in the Andes, etc. etc.
Jan. 3: (last) bus ride from El Chalten to Punta Arenas, Chile – see penguins!
Jan. 4: 7am hopefully fly from Punta Arenas to Santiago, Chile
Jan. 4-8: explore Santiago, possibly hit the beach near Valparaiso, or see Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Western hemisphere
Jan. 8: depart Santiago > Dallas/Fort Worth > Tokyo Narita > Incheon > bus to Daejeon
Jan. 10, approx. 10pm arrive back in Daejeon, hit the hay, and wake up to teach the next morning!
I have promised my brother that he will see pictures before June 2010, so stay tuned!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!