Rakhi: Only last Saturday we were sunning ourselves on the banks of the Han river in the baking sunshine but now, what with the start of the new school term, it feels like summer has officially come to an end. This week for the first time since we arrived in Korea, we've had to shut all of our windows. It's no longer hideously sticky and humid and the cicadas have ceased their endless vibrations. I can't imagine what winter here is going to be like.

This has been my first full week back at school and I've found it pretty tiring...from lack of work rather than over-work! I have lesson planning down to an art form so it hardly takes me any time to do. Plus, I have a small library of material I can use so this saves a lot of time. This week after curriculum classes in the morning I've had at the most two classes in the afternoon. The rest of my time has been spent playing computer games, reading The Guardian, reading books and passing the day until home time. For my grade 5+6 after-school class on Wednesday I taught the kids comparatives (bigger, smaller, richer) and superlatives (more expensive, the most beautiful...) and one of the little girls told me that I was the oldest (apparently I look 50), ugliest, shortest, fattest person in the room. It's so rewarding when you get the kids using English correctly! I told her she looked like Shrek!

On Monday after school I went shopping with a couple of the teachers. We went to Ewha Women's University in Seoul which is said to be the best shopping district in Seoul for women; there were countless cool shops and stalls. Young Korean women are very beautiful with gorgeous shiny hair, super slim figures and contemporary, stylish outfits. Fashion in Korea is very similar to that back home except that nearly all Korean women always wear high heels and it's not because of their height because they're not all really short. I don't know how they do it-I've seen women climbing mountains and on the beach in them! Korea is definately as clued up on style as home. You can find all the latest fashions you would see in magazines but at bargain prices. Strangely, one of the best places to find nice clothes is in the subway stations! As land is so expensive, particularly in Seoul, no space is wasted. Most of the big subway stations double up as giant supermarkets, restaurants and underground malls. Whilst the clothes are not necessarily the best quality they are aesthetically pleasing and cheap, cheap, cheap! Ewha was great though and even though there were so many lovely clothes and accesories, I was very restrained and only bought a bag as I had intended. I'll definately be going back for more soon though!

We went to see Shane the other day to check how he was doing after his accident. Considering it was quite horrific, he thankfully wasn't as bad as either Joel or I expected him to be. We took him some National Geographics and doughnuts and went out for a bite to eat with him. His face was a bit swollen and he has no sensation in his lips but I reckon he's very lucky. It could have been so much worse.

The weekend's here again! They do come around pretty fast it's great! I think we're going to Insadong during the day tomorrow and maybe take in a palace or two then to see FC Seoul v Jeju in the evening. I have the chants down now so i'll be singing my little heart out!