Untitled from colleen douglas on Vimeo.

this video is a bit long, its something we used for the "farewell party" where the girls performed songs and hip hop dances, we gave away awards for best campers and they showered me with gifts (phone charms, chocolates and sweaters) overall camp was awesome.

for liz

steampunk: is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction. Specifically, steampunk involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used as the main source of power.
IMAGINE if steam engines powered the world???? This is what the world and we might look like:

liz and I stumbled across a steampunk mecca in our travels around NZ in the town of Omaru... we nicknamed the place "odd-aru" due to its very strange people and behaviors.

little dragon

field trip!!!

my life is consumed by korean camp these days. its magical and stressful and i love it. there are 33 campers and guess how many counselors... one (me!!!) the ratio is a little off in my opinion but thats alright. i've been able to pull in a few friends to help me out with cool activities- thanks huy and caitlin!

we just went on a great field trip to Seattle- we packed in all of the tourist hotspots (speaking of which the Boeing factory is surprisingly radical and highly recommended). Here are some shots of the kids and the sights from these past two days:

this city was surpisingly delightful.

Yoori- that's her name. she is a middle school student who is a pain in the ass and i like her, she kind of reminds me of myself when i was in middle school... not the "happiest camper" you might say. she thought it was funny to take photos of other people while sleeping and then make fun of them... this is payback!!! I have officially started a sleeping photo war and can no longer rest peacefully on long bus rides.

horribly over exposed but still sweet.

dinner for the last two nights... i can now removed a fish head, bone and guts with only chopsticks (BOOOOM!!!!)

me like spicy soup.

korea camp continued....

the girls brought some snacks to share while we watched "Twilight" together... this is a dried squid which smells like dried squid and made me want to vomit. it was adorable watching them gnaw on his tentacles with smiles stretching across their faces. they thought i was weird cause i thought it was gross. i thought they were weird because they thought this was delicious.

teacher Joe... he is coming with me to Doug Fir tonight for a real taste of Portland town.

we made beautiful sugar cookies. this was the first time several of the girls had EVER baked. my co-counselor had to teach the girls how to sweep the other day, he wasn't sure if that was cute or sad. very different lives we lead.

stunning

cookie girl

field trip to COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE. this is my korean smile. the girls don't smile, so i've kinda toned it down a bit.

these two are the class goofballs, needless to say, we get along great!

REASONS WHY I LOVE HOLIDAYS & MY FAMILY:

(winter break: Rosalie comes home from university in vermont and lets me shave her head!)

(dinner with family friends- Thank you KEVIN!)

(gravy boats full of fat and heaven!)

FUCKING GOOD WINE

VEGETARIAN CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER MADE BY me!!!!!

(hanging out with Sister Wanda... nuns who party!)

(MOMMY-and a her pomeranians!!!)

a year end review:

• 10 months in New Zealand (like a slice of delicious pie only way better), filled with new friends, amazing memories, mountains, laughter, and real english accents... already feels like years ago although it was more like yesterday.
• Back in Portland: sake job- fired for snowboarding (oops), Korean English Camp job- hired for enthusiasm.

At this moment, on January 1, 2011 at 10:12 pm... sitting in my random and temporary 2 bedroom apartment on 90th & SE Powell Blvd (aka the ghetto)... I FEEL BLESSED.
what an amazing year this has been for me any many of my beloved friends and family. I've done things and been places I never imagined would have been a part of my life. I am currently weaseling my way into the role of a teacher, finally not working in the hospitality industry (although there is NOTHING wrong with that, I have just felt for a while like I've wanted to diversify my "professional" self).

My current employment gig as event coordinator for a winter break English camp for South Koreans is absolutely mental and amazing. Tonight I am overcome with relief and joy. Its only 10:16pm and i am DONE for the night. I am finished with my 5th day in a row of 16 hour work days, no one is yelling "teacher, teacher" at me in the cutest voice ever, and i have a glass of delicious and cheap red wine on my desk (BOOOOOOM!)

CHEERS TO A NEW YEAR a life full of great people, amazing opportunities and beautiful places.

RESOLUTIONS: money is purchasing power, purchasing power is our only voice in this crazy economic world, so I want to spend wisely. be healthy... I am 26- according to someone I am entering my physical prime as a woman, i want to run at least 10 miles each week, i'd like to stretch, sketch and read more, and EAT LESS SUGAR!

love you
ckd

a peek at the Columbia School of English's winter campers: