Chincha?!

I think this week is a good time to teach you all my favorite word I've learned since I came to Korea: Chincha.

So, it's fair to say that the phrase "REALLY?!?" is overused these days...am I wrong? I mean, it feels awesome to yell it, but I feel like since there's an SNL segment devoted to it... it's officially super trendy and mayyyybe sucking away my ability to expand my vocabulary.

Thank heavens for Korean.

"Chincha" is a phrase used JUST as frequently as "really," and certainly just as casually. I hear my students mutter it all the time (ah, teach-ah, chincha!), and it's one of the few words I can actually pick out if I listen to a Korean conversation. But to me it's a new and different word, and I think maybe that is all I needed to give myself the go-ahead on overusing and abusing one small piece of an otherwise huge and unknown language. :)

Anyway, the reason for clueing you all in to this word is this picture, taken from the window of my school on MARCH TENTH for goodness sake:

Can you see those huge flakes? Can you see the semi-substantial accumulation? CHINCHA, KOREA?!??! I was just getting ready for Spring! I was almost ready to retire my scarves (and that is SAYING something!) This week was a crazy week at work (holy drama), did you need to throw this one in the mix?!?!?! CHINCHA?!?!

In other news, the week wrapped up a lot better than I ever expected... despite our staff of 6 people going down to 4 in a matter of 2 days... turns out when one of the foreign teachers pulls a "runner" (leaves without notice to the school so that the school can't try and make them reimburse recruiting costs-- our bosses can be pretty obnoxious), they shape up and start treating the other foreign teachers to tourist tips, giving offers to take us places, and extra thank you notes on my lesson plans instead of just the usual signature.  :)

ALSO! Happy birthday in 2 days to Jess Hostetler, who loves birthdays more than anyone I know. :)