Hey, Brotha!

"You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you." - Frederick Buechner


Hello! I hope you are all slowly coming out of your food-induced comas. Haha. I hope it was wonderful! I missed being able to see all your lovely faces. I am so thankful for all of you! I tried to call as many people as I could, but it is impossible to call everyone! Also, I am thankful for my pre-Thanksgiving dinner! Also, for all my amazing send-off dinners! They have and will tide me over until next year! :) My Thanksgiving was good! I did not have Korean food..thank God! We (American teachers) had a rotisserie chicken, canned corn, pecan pie, baked beans, and mashed potatoes. Thank you Cosco! :)

Yesterday, was my favorite day in Korea thus far! My day started off with coffee, which is the best way to get me going. I got a hold of the Brothers from Missionaries of Charity. They are male missionaries, similar to priests in the Catholic Church. They told me which subway stop I needed to go to and they would be meet there. The phone call was interesting. It is so difficult to talk to someone on the phone who doesn't really know english. I didn't really understand where I was going, but I was going to try and make it. Then, I ventured off to the subway. I haven't really used the subway by myself and most of you know how HORRIBLE I am with directions. So, I got lost. Go figure. I was 2 hours late, but how can missionaries of God be mad at me? ha. I don't think it is allowed. I am SO glad I had my cellphone (my school gave me one).

They picked me up and brought me back to their house. I was expecting them to be wearing traditional robes, but they were just in "normal" clothes. They were so welcoming and nice. It felt wonderful to be in the presence of Mother Teresa's legacy again. As soon as I entered the house, a statue of her was in the foyer. :) I had tea and snacks with the Brothers right away and it was great! They gave me a tour of their small house and I met the rest of the Brothers and patients. The Brothers take care of 13 disabled men. The men were so nice and some even know a little english. I hung out with them for a few hours,talked, and we got to know each other. There was a lot of laughing. Most of the laughing was due to confusion and trying to figure out the language barrier. I am going to try and visit them once a week. I'm not sure what I will do, but I will be teaching english to a few Brothers and patients. This coming Sunday, I will be helping them make kimchi! HAHA. The thought of having to smell it and get my hands in it for a few hours worries me. I hope I don't have to eat it. They have to make enough to last the next year. I'm not sure, but I think I may be the only foreigner that has visited. They have Korean volunteers all the time, but didn't mention anyone else.

It was so refreshing to be around such happy people. It was actually what I needed, especially over the holiday weekend. The joy in their faces brought back a flood of memories from India and it was amazing. I'm so thankful that I found their number randomly on the internet. Although, I am starting to wonder if the word "random" really exists. They couldn't believe that I found them, because Missionaries of Charities generally have no connection with technology, other than telephones. They gave me a bunch of goodies to bring home and even offered to give me some clothes, but I declined. I had come to help them in any way that I could, but I left more filled from them. Its funny how love changes your soul, especially when you don't see it coming. I was invited to stay for dinner, but I made up an excuse to leave. Yes, I lied to a priest. I am a horrible person. Honestly, I was completely overwhelmed by all of their love and joy. I needed to go home and have a timeout.


Did you know...

- Koreans love Britney Spears! I hear her ALL THE TIME when I am walking on the streets.
- There are a lot of Jehovah Witness people in Korea. I have been stopped three times in the last week by them. Of course, it
has happened on the subway and I have nowhere to escape. I must have a " Please talk to me. I'm a foreigner and I am going
to Hell " sticker on my forehead. Sweeet.
- Koreans love cheesy pop music. The hit song right now is by a guy who sings in Korean, but the chorus has one line that's in
english. Are you ready for it? Really? He sings, " I want to be a bad boy!" Isn't that deep? Do you think it gives more meaning
when he sings it in english?

Petting Zoo?

Hellllooo. Well, tomorrow is officially Thanksgiving (for me). Gobble, Gobble. I hope you all have a wonderful day! I will be celebrating by going out to eat/refreshments with my American coworkers. I'm not sure what type of food we will be eating, but there is a good chance that it will be Korean food. :)

So, I know that Korean people tend to think that I look different than the average Joe, but it never ceases to amaze me. Daily, someone asks me about the dots that seem to cover my body or about my eyes. An English women said I could be a model in Korea (which I obviously laughed out loud about). Apparently, having freckles makes you a super model. I think the whole Nordsletten family (my mom's freckled family) should bombard Korea and we could be the new "hotties" of the country. What do you think? Maybe we could be on the Perezhilton (celebrity gossip website) of Korea? haha. Tonight, I went to a hole-in-the-wall place for dinner. The chef/server/hostess decided to say goodbye by petting my hair. Yes, petting my hair. She kept saying, " Oh, so beautiful!" I giggled and told her that she was beautiful, but she proceeded to tell me I was wrong. I know this is funny (or at least to me), but it made me ponder... Why do people value diversity (exotic) from other countries, but condemn those in their own country who are different? I realize not everyone does this, but it happens often. Whose to say one person is more beautiful than another? It seems like everyone is Korea is very worried about looking different. Almost everyone has "virgin hair" (natural color) and dresses the same. I haven't seen any tattoos or piercings. They all appear to be the "cookie cutter" Korean. WHY? Are they afraid to standout? The same thing happens in America within friend groups or clicks. Friends will dress similar, use similar lingo, or participate in similar activities etc. Again, this doesn't always happen, but we have all seen it. Are we attracted to only those people who are "the same?" Are we afraid to be noticed as one unique individual? I don't know? Where's a psychologist when you need one???

Well, I have been searching for hobbies and I have found some potentials. First, I have begun painting. Yes, I have ONE masterpiece. I am not ready to unveil it quite yet, but maybe one day.... when I become a professional painter. Secondly, I have been researching possible charities that I could volunteer at. I found out that Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's organization) has a few locations in Seoul. I am going to call there in the next few days and see if I will be able to help out. YEAH! I'm so excited. Well, thats all I've got. It's a good start.

December 13th- Going on a tour of the DMZ on the South Korean side. Don't worry! I am going with a group of people! However, MAYBE I will decide to cross over to the north and finally, be the communist I always dream about?!?! I will keep you posted.

December 24th-28th- Beijing, China -> Going to the Great Wall and other destinations. I decided I need a mid-air jumping picture next to the wall. Yes, I am planning pictures in my head and my ticket isn't even booked yet. Priorities, I guess.



xoxo


ps. They served crispy anchovies (whole bodies) today at lunch. I guess they were in some kind of sweet sauce. Blehhhh. Everyone couldn't believe that I passed on them. I opted for the veggie and chicken sauce. What would you have chosen?

Happy Belated Kimchi Day....

First of all, I feel AWFUL! I forgot to wish you all a happy Kimchi Day! In case you were wondering, it was on the 22ND (Sat). It was the first official holiday and I'm sure it was unforgettable. :) Unfortunately, I did not celebrate the wonderful holiday, but I did celebrate being an American. I went to Cosco and had a wonderful time. I ate one of their massive pieces of pizza and ate EVERY bite. It was amazing. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Then, I bought muenster cheese, turkey deli meat, and COFFEE! I didn't know I could be so excited about purchasing food. I will be eating turkey sandwiches for the next two weeks! YEAH! Being I was feeling extra American that day, I decided we must end the evening by going to Friday's for dinner! haha. I had a salad and again, I was in heaven. Yes, I am starting to get sick of the food a tad and love that I can go "American" whenever I feel like it. The Korean cuisine is very delicious, but sometimes I feel like I could kill for a freakin salad. Don't worry, I won't be killing anytime soon.

I ventured around my neighborhood area this weekend and went to the Han River. It is about a 10 minute walk and it was beautiful. They have paths along the river and people were actually exercising. It was wonderful to see people being active. I miss that. Many of the paths were under construction, but they should be done by spring, I hope. It will be my new happy place.

Did you know...

- Most Koreans have HORRIBLE style (according to me). They mix every decade of fashion together and call it an outfit. Their skirts get shorter in the winter, but don't worry, they wear tights/leggings under everything. However, they have great boots. Some stores do not have sizes on their shirts. They are just made "one size fits all". I don't think they were thinking of me when they came up with the sizing chart.
- Girls aren't allowed to have long hair until college. They must have their hair in a pony tail if it is passed their shoulders (i think). My student was sent home from school, because she needed to go get a hair cut.
-Korean children do not have sleepovers with their friends. So sad.
-Korean children give practical gifts to friends for birthdays. My student said he gave his friend socks and underwear for his birthday. As a child, I would not be pleased!
- Koreans eat bugs. I saw a food stand that was serving some sort of barbecued beetle/meal worms. I didn't get to close. I wanted my pizza to stay in my stomach.


Today, I am starting week 4 of teaching! Can you believe it? It has gone by fairly fast, but I am nervous for the holiday season coming up! I know it will be tough, but I am planning trips to distract myself. ha. I will be thinking of all of you on Thanksgiving! :) Enjoy your day(s) off! Eat massive amounts. Take a nap. Then, eat more.

xoxo

Sometimes, You Just Need To Vent.

Today, I left school feeling completely frustrated and helpless. My last class of the day, middle schoolers, really made me think a lot about life. One of the boys said,"This is not a life." I had no clue what he was talking about and could tell that he was very passionate about his statement. The bell had just rang and I told them to stop playing cards and take their seats. Of course, being curious as to what he was talking about, I asked him to explain more. He went on to say that he was not living his life, rather studying his life away. He goes to school from 8 am-ish to midnight every night. When he gets home, he finishes his homework and studies. Then, he goes to bed to do it all over again. Doesn't that sound like a great way to live your teenage years? I was worried about having time to fit both my friends and sports into my schedule at his age. I never really worried about finding time to sleep and eat between classes/lessons. However, I did worry about making it to the chip counter before the bell rang to fill my "starving" belly. ha.

So I got to thinking... How can I, as a teacher, expect my students to come to class prepared and ready to learn, when they haven't had a day off since they were able to talk. I have had a few students vent their frustrations, but never had I heard it so simplified and straight to the point. He wasn't really complaining, but merely making a frustrated statement about his life. I didn't really know what to say, other than I completely understand that you all work hard, but we still have a job to get done in here. Later in class, I learned that he spent two years in Canada as a foreign exchange student. By having that experience, I can only imagine that sweet taste of freedom for him, or a chance to relax after school and have FUN. Then, to have it ripped from his grasp by going back to the reality of the Korean standard of education. How could you continue to live in a world where you are feeling suffocated with every breath? Yes, I realize his is 14(?) and doesn't really have a choice, but he knows there is more to life than having a great job and making tons of money. Actually, the whole class understands that philosophy and made it very clear. They asked me why they needed to go to every private school possible, in order to get into an IV-league-ish school, but I just gave them an answer you would hear from a politician (talked but didn't really answer the question). I wasn't going to make up an answer, because I feel the same way. Money doesn't bring happiness, it comes from within and hopefully, doing what you love.

The most discouraging part, is that these kids will probably force their own future children to grow up in the same manner. Hopefully, their generation can start to make a change in their society .

So, I have no answers and I know that aren't any... unless you have some. Thanks for reading. Sorry, I went on tangent. Hopefully, you can better appreciate your own childhood and cherish the memories - - -your freedom and a time to live your imagination. If you feel like you didn't, it is never too late. Your only as old as you let your self be.

Cheers.


xoxo


p.s. Today, a student asked me why they had to do something and I responded, " Because, I said so!" Ahhhhh! I'm totally turning into my parents (no offense). I used to HATE it when they said that. The student wasn't pleased with my response. I thought it was quite humorous.

Welcome To My Palace

Hello. Finally, here are a few pics of my apartment. It is so small and really hard to get everything in a photo. I couldn't get the whole bathroom in to show you my fabulous "shower area", but I think you can get the picture. The sliding door next to my bed is the laundry area.There are no dryers in Korea, but I am very happy to have my washing machine and microscopic drying rack for my socks.

-The paintings on the building are actually vases. It was pretty cool. I'm not sure what the building is, but I will get back to you on that.

- I think everyone needs to add a cabbage arrangement to their garden. I think it looks so pretty. You could add some broccoli, carrots, and egg plants. You can start of new trend. Who needs flowers?!?!

Ohhh, Kimchi!

I know some of you have no idea what kimchi is, so I decided to give you a quick lesson on it's wonder. I know you can't get the full effect of the amazing smells that come from kimchi, and that saddens me. I pondered for many moons on good descriptive words to share with you. All I could come up with is...... "It smells like feet." Yummy. Do you want to try some? :) If you have had it, please enlighten me with your thoughts. People here say that many newcomers HATE kimchi in the beginning, but then learn to love and crave it. I do not foresee that happening for me, but I used to say that about beer, too. Hmmm....We'll see. I can't go a day without having it in my presence, being it is served at EVERY meal. MAYBE one day, I will cross-over to the dark side.


MAY THE KIMCHI BE WITH YOU ....Opps! I mean...MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU (Spaceballs, remember?)

Hello! I Like Pizza.

I can't believe I have been here almost 3 weeks! Time has flown by and it is really starting to feel like it is my new home. I love the city, because there is so much to do here. You really have to look at where you are to find the hidden treasures. There are so many little restaurants, cafes, tea shops, and random street venders of food/fried goodies of Heaven. I have been eating more meat than I previously intended, because I feel safer eating things than I though I would. Koreans love their squid and kimchi. You see squid at every vender and kimchi is a staple at every meal. Many Koreans make the peace sign (like the children in my pictures) when taking pictures and say, "Kimchi!" I don't really understand the combo.... kimchi brings peace... to your belly? Hmmm...? I have tried squid and I hate it. It is very chewy and hard. Many people eat squid that has been dried. It is the perfect little snack. ha. Stores have squid placed next to the registers, just like we would put candy or other random last minute "needs".  I'm sure a few of you are cringing at this very moment! 

Did you know...

- Seoul's population is around 10 million. Half of the country's population lives in Seoul.

-1998 Summer Olympics were here.

- Korean people are very closed-minded individual's and seem to be stuck in the 50's. Homosexuality is completely underground and they are not accepted. Racism is very much alive here. I had a class on Friday point to a "black man" in a book and ask if he was from America. They were all laughing at the photo and making comments like "He is so dark." I tried explaining that we are all different and that makes us special. I told them to look at me and see how different I am from them. They didn't understand. I was blown away.    

- Korean people are very affectionate towards friends of the same sex. I see them holding hands, locking arms, and hugging everywhere I go. It is the complete opposite of couples. I mostly just see couples holding hands.  

- Koreans' drive on the same side of the road as we do, but walk on the opposite side. Sometimes, there is no orderly fashion and you just have to pay attention. They are always on their phones and not paying attention.

- Koreans will come up to me and say hello. They love speaking whatever english they know. I have heard, "Hello, I like pizza." many times.  

- I feel safer here than I did in Denver. 

I hope you have a wonderful day! I just had some real coffee that I bought and I feel wonderful. My cold is almost gone! Wohhooo! Let me know if you have any questions! :)

xoxo

ATTENTION STALKERS :)

Hey! I know some of you wanted my address! Sorry I took so long! It is my school address, so make sure you write attention Megan Schwartz at the bottom.  

ECC Gwangjin

Moklim Bldg 4F, 599 Kui-Dong

Kwangjin-Ku, Seoul, 143-831 South Korea

ATTN: Megan Schwartz

If needed, Phone number: 02-444-1536 (school)

xoxo

Hello, Buddha.

 belldruml

Also, I went to a Buddhist temple called Jogye-sa Temple. Going through my pictures, I realized I never took a picture of the front of the temple. Sorry! The picture of the pole-like statue is actually said to have some of Buddha's remains. To the left of the statue, people lit incense and candles for some sort of prayer/offering to him. The inside of the temple was beautiful. I tried to take a picture of it very quickly, so I wouldn't get yelled at. I'm so rude. Hopefully, you can get an idea of the inside.  A gold statue of Buddha was the center of the room. Worshipers kneeled on mats and prayed. 

I need to go back on a better day. At this point in the day, I was so over the rain! :)

Hmmm... Which One Shall I Choose?

Hello! Today, I had quite the adventure. I went to the biggest palace in Seoul called the Gyeongbok Palace. It was very beautiful and large. The weather was chilly and rainy, so my pictures did not turn out as well as I would have liked. Oh, well. I will give you a little history lesson. The palace was first built in 1395, but has since been rebuilt and restored due to fires and damage. This palace was the king's primary residence, as well as four other palaces in Seoul.  During King Sejong reign (1418-1450), very important inventions were created. This included the sundial, rain gauge, water clock, and celestial globes. Woohoooo! Your excited, right? :) The grounds of the palace was beautiful with trees, a pond, and gardens. I didn't go to the garden area, because I thought I would wait until spring. 

OK, a little about the pictures. The picture of the two pillars are actually chimneys. Cool huh? I'm not sure where the actual fire was held, being they were not connected to any part of the temple. 

Gargoyles were found on all of the roofs.

The picture of the dragons were part of the ceiling inside the palace.

The picture with all the men are my future boyfriends. They decided to dress as traditional guards for the king and queen (me...ha). Wasn't that nice of them? I haven't decided which "guard" I like best. I'm not sure if I like fake beards... or any, actually. Their outfits are pretty sweet. I know you want to borrow one. 

Freak Show

Hiii. I made it through my first week and a half of teaching! Wohooo! It went really well. The kids are very cute and fairly well behaved, but I had to be more strict with them this week. Uh oh. :) They come up to me a lot and point to my freckles or stare into my eyes. Basically, I am a freak of nature and they like to stare at me. Maybe I should join the circus. Ha. I have done a little more exploring, but I have SO much to see. The neighborhoods are so different everywhere you go. There are a few areas that are full of bars and restaurants. They look like Time Square on speed... times 5. Seriously. I'm not exaggerating. They are full of lights on every building. The churches here have crosses that light up too. Its pretty funny.  I didn't get to do any exploring this past weekend. I came down with a cold and have spent the last few days hibernating. I have been pretty bored during the week, so I bought paint to make fabulous pictures. I am not an artist by any means, but I need some new hobbies. If three year-olds can paint, I have to be able to come up with something creative...or not. I'm also joining a gym here and will actually workout (unlike at home). If you have any other ideas, please let me know. I am really excited to make a trip to Cosco this week. I need some real coffee. Everything here is instant coffee and tastes like crap. 

 I have to get back to teaching! I will be taking a lot of pictures this weekend! Hopefully, I will have more interesting things to report. Miss you all! Love.

xoxo

- Gift giving is very important here in Korea. It shows respect. The kids give me random things everyday. For example, sweet potatoes, candy, rice cakes, chocolate, and weird little toys. I only eat things that are wrapped, so I throw most of it away.   

Supercalifragilicious Expialadocious!

I feel like I have so much to tell you all! My apartment is cute. I will put up pics soon. It's a studio apartment and has pretty much everything I need! However, I am not a fan of the shower situation. The shower is not separated from the rest of the bathroom. Basically, I am showering in the middle of the bathroom. I am not the most coordinated person (don't laugh), so I managed to get water on every inch of my bathroom and some in my main room. This will be interesting. There should be a sign saying, " Shower with Caution."

Guess what? I made a new friend today! I was trying to find E-mart (massive grocery store) and couldn't remember how to get there. I passed a guy who was sitting outside at Starbucks and decided to ask him for directions. He was the first English speaking person I had seen outside of my school. We ended up chatting and I went out to lunch with him and his Korean friend. Yeah for new friends!

After lunch, I went to E-mart. I think it resembles a Super Target or Super Walmart, but bigger. It was an experience. Everyone was staring at me the entire time, which I am starting to get used to. There were people everywhere and I had to use my mad skills to weave around everyone. I listened to my ipod the entire time so I wouldn't freak out. Missy Higgins can put anyone in a fabulous mood! :) It was like Walmart on move-in day for college...times 5. Seriously. They had samples everywhere, but I couldn't figure out what most of it was. Girls were trying to sell all kinds of products and had ridiculous outfits on (matching shirt/short skirt and leg warmers). There was a huge gathering around the Head and Shoulders display. I don't understand how that could be so wonderful and worth your time to hear about. ha. Also, I have never seen such a large seafood section. I think I am going to go back and spend an hour trying to figure out what everything is. Oh! They sell Caribou Coffee there too! Weird, huh?

Tomorrow is my first day of class! I am so excited! I'm still not sure what I will be doing, but I am going in a few hours early to prepare. Ha. I'm not worried! 

I have learned so much about this culture already! It is so interesting and I really like it here so far. Jet lag is pretty much over. I went out with some friends from school last night and stayed awake until 1 am!! Wohooo. It feels wonderful to be back to normal.

-Things I Have Learned-

* Confucius ideas are very much a part of society and may be the reason why almost 50 percent of people do not practice a religion. A person's age is one of the most important things in society. You must respect elders of all ages. For example, during meals the younger person will serve his/her elders (pour drinks or cook at the table). The youngest must be aware of his behavior and make sure he is not doing anything that would be disrespectful (talking or drinking excessively). The oldest person/ male usually pay for the meal. Most people are only friends with others of the same age.

* Korean people drink A LOT. Drinking is a staple at all business meetings and they usually have 4-5 rounds. It is very disrespectful if you do not drink. It is common to have 3-4 business meetings evenings a week. I think it is more common among business men. 

* Korea has one of the highest suicide rates due to the people not meeting the high standards of education or employment.

* Kids are in school/lessons year-round from 8/9 AM to 9 PM . They have school every other Saturday.  

* They eat more ramon than the average college student.

*Rice is made into every form possible. 

* When I eat Korean barbeque, my mouth may swell and burn like hell from all the spices. :)

Hope all is well!

<3 

ps. My toilet does not have a Hello Kitty theme...yet.  

Quiet Voices PLEASE

11/01/08 - Dates posted are one day behind.

Well, I survived Halloween! I think I may still be deaf from all the kids yelling " Trick or Treat!" It was a lot of fun, but it would be fabulous if I never teach (elementary students) during Halloween again! ha! Halloween festivities are very exciting for these kids, because they do not have any celebrations outside of their English school. The kids consumed massive amounts of candy, popcorn, and pop (not soda). I feel a little bad for the families who had to deal with these children when they went home! Opps! We played games and carved pumpkins. The Korean teachers wanted us to light the candles that go inside the pumpkins, but I wasn't sure that it was a good idea. 6 year olds and fire do not mix. I kept imagining the entire building starting on fire. Not on my watch. :) I have had enough bad experiences with fire to last a lifetime. (Someone started my house in college on fire.)

Finally, I have my class schedule. I have 10 classes on M/W/F (1:05- 7:45) and 6 classes T/TH (3:00-7:30). We have two breaks coming up over Christmas and New years. I need to start thinking about where I want to go! China? Vietnam? Hopefully, the Won (Korean currency) will get stronger by then. 

I'm moving into my apartment today!! Woot! Woot! It will be nice to get settled.

I will try to answer emails tomorrow. 

<3

Fun Fact-  The toilets here at my school are decorated with Hello Kitty. I know your jealous. You need to go to the store IMMEDIATELY and purchase decorations for your toilet(s) at home. Hurry. Fast.  

 

   

Halloween Pics

First Day at School

Hello! First of all, I am writing on about 3 hours of sleep. Jet Lag is awful. Yesterday was a good day! I sat in classrooms and observed the teachers/children. I will be teaching kids from kindergarten to middle school. It is going to be a challenge, especially being I am used to the older kids. I have never been interested in teaching younger children, so this will be interesting! Most of the curriculum is created and there are certain books/workbooks that I have to use. The private schools (called hawgons) run like a business and keeping students enrolled is how they make money.  Hawgons want to please the parents in every way, so they will keep their children at their school. That is a little frustrating, but that is the whole culture here. If their child is not doing well, they will move him/her to another school. Grades are everything and determine what schools the children get into next (elementary to university). I will begin teaching on Monday. I'm excited and little nervous. I have no clue what I will be teaching, but I am hoping I will find out today! Ha. Can you imagine if schools operated like that in the states? 

Last night I went out to my first Korean restaurant. The chopsticks were very tricky, but I did manage to get some food in my mouth! We sat on plastic stools and the tables had coals in the center where we cooked the beef. I wasn't excited to eat the beef and was hoping I wasn't eating dog. Ha. It was actually pretty good! It was great to eat "real food". Peanut butter and crackers get a little old. I went out with American and Korean teachers from my school. They are all really nice and even paid for my first dinner here. :) I will be living in the same building as a few of them.  

Today is our Halloween party. I am going to wear a tiger hat and all black. I'm hoping I won't pass out in the middle of the day. Cross your fingers. 

So far, so good. Hope to sleep soon and be back to my "normal" self. 

Happy Halloween. Eat candy. Be merry.

Fun Fact- Korean's add a year on to their age, because they count conception to birth as one year. Isn't that exciting? Those of you who are almost 30 (I won't mention any names), you are one year closer here. haha.