Everlalaland Orientation

I just went for a walk and it was a humbling experience. I passed one of my students and his girlfriend and they laughed at me hystarically. Then I was walking behind an old man who was farting loudly!! I did manage to say hi to a lady from my Yoga class who I saw on the street. Oh my neighbourhood is never dull. There used to be an Aplus mart across the street but it is currently reinventing itself into a Family Mart... which might possibly mean lower price$.

Anyways, this blurb of text has nothing to do with the photos whatsoever- the pics are from our recent orientation day (Tuesday) December 18th at Everland. We bought fun headgear and wandered around taking silly pictures. It was a great day!

The Dinner Daters

Every week or so a group of us get together to enjoy a meal to get away from the everyday and talk about our blissful lives.
Here are some photos of us in action.
Ahhhhh friends, good conversations, cheap food, tons of laughter!
Life is good.

Looking out my window

This is what I see when I look out my bedroom window.
There is a huge church, a bar (that nobody ever goes to), there is a sports equipment store, there are a few hair salons and a few restaurants, an English Academy, a Taekwondo studio et cetera...

(Very) South Korea

Click the map to enlarge it.

See if you can find Kyongju on this map...
Hint: It's between the major cities of Taegu and Pusan.
If you can also find Suwon (which is just below Seoul) you can see how far away we traveled!
I spent about 12 hours in a swift Sonata on a sunny Saturday and Sunday.

Kyongju is the oldest city in South Korea!
The mountains were a whirl of orange, yellow and brown... Like in North America, November is the best time of year to catch a breathless glimpse of the changing leaves.
I had the opportunity to visit this small city and experience its rich history.
I went up a mountain on a freezing Sunday morning and visited a Buddhist temple.
I visited a museum that held archaic relics from as early as the 6th dynasty.
I got to go inside a Kings tomb!
I ate amazing traditional food and even slept in a ancient Korean hut!
I made friends with a very generous and friendly family.
I even ate larvae!!! Can you believe it? Me eat insects? I can't even kill them! But I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try something new. The edible worm larvae are called 'Buundeygee' and are a favorite treat for many Koreans young and old.
The taste was rather fishy and nutty... Not exactly my kind of crunch!

a dozen good weeks

(a bunch of Canada 2 korea teachers)

My relationship with South Korea has progressed quickly since I landed here a couple months ago.
She is a generous, wise woman who focuses on progress without losing sight of where she came from.
Although my handle on the language isn't really tight, I have a good grip on the culture.
There is so much to appreciate and learn from the people here. I know I can teach them something in return.
I always remember that I am representing my country, my family, my ethics and personality.
Homesick isn't a word in my vocabulary. Adapting to new environments is natural for me. I enjoy the challenges and surprises each day brings and thrive on the scent of newness.... Some of my favorite things so far include: cheap public transit and expensive coffee, purple sweet potatoe snacks and salty seaweed paper, the Korean's endless generousity and the students' perpetual bowing to show respect. I feel like I can really connect with my students even though my time with them is limited.
I have uncovered the unique, fun-loving atitude of the younger artistic generation and have found that Seoul has Soul.

Too much me

I'm not going to lie, I just like this one.

My coat that I found at the second-hand shop. Affordable warmth and style!!



I got a new hat to keep my brain warm. I love hats, they help to hide my messy hair.
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Transportation

I've always been a fan of public transportation. It gives you a chance to wonder about life and explore the deepest depths of the imagination. Public Transportation means never having to check your blindspot and always having to carry a book around. Public transportation means never having to scrape the ice off your car, but equals waiting out in the cold. It means being subject to its puzzle of timing, always having an extra dollar in your pocket andcoming in close contact with fellow humans. Taking the bus is a cathartic journey, and headphones provide the soundtrack, making the journey all the more astounding.

For a few brief seconds I thought I was going to die today, facing fate on bus number 2.
The driver sped fervently ahead in the direction of a string of idle hyundais and daewoos.
Luckily I noticed the mistake I was making at the same time the driver threw on the airbrakes.
And with a whooooooosh and a giant left turn, we narrowly avoided death and I quickly went back to focusing on listening to music and looking out the window, giving up on keeping track of my living or not status.

It is important to not pay too close attention to the driving on the bus, it is best to amuse yourself somehow. All too often, when I find myself watching where the bus is going I am positive that we are going to come in contact with those pedestrians, that building, that string of cars...

Inevitable as it were, I have developed a mild sense of competency when buses are concerned. Trial and error was helpful here. I know how to get home and am friendly with the 2, 700-2 and 720, and 720-1 families of buses, although am aware that 720-2 and 3 will take me to a far away land.

The subway is fairly easy to use, as it is similar to the Toronto system except that it is a big tangled pile of spaghetti and I am the meatball.

Halloween

Hallowe'en isn't really a big deal in South Korea.

Some friends and I sought out a party at the Crazy Duck where some people were costuming.
Some girls from Hamilton, Windsor, Thunderbay and Toronto, admist people from all over the world.
A healthy mix of foreigners and locals, The Duck is a good place to meet new people, talk, dance and drink dr peppers.
The bars and clubs here are open all night. It is ridiculous.

Halloween is usually one of my favorite holidays. All week i was teaching my students about Jack-o-Lanterns and Trick or Treating, I even crept into class wearing a mask.

It's the little things I missed most, like carving a pumpkin and roasting the seeds or answering the door to give candy to trick or treaters.

The end of October

Smells of ripe Persimmon mix with sewage and spoiled kimchi as the wind hastens itself in preperation for winter.

Had a Persimmon feast for dinner a few nights after walking across the city on an impromtu self dare.

You find what you need when you aren't looking.

On my ipod-accompanied journey I stumbled into many great stores, including an Art supply store and a second-hand store.

I gathered some discount acrylics and successfully bartered for the only coat that had sleeves that went past my wrists.

Sports Day at Yeonmu!

Once or twice a year public schools have a Sports Day. Students wear bright t-shirts that they designed as a class to show their spirit. Energy is high as students, teachers and parents enjoy this day, dedicated to a wide variety of physical activities. There is something for everyone: Traditional Korean wrestling, tug of war, strength competitions, chicken fighting, soccer, 3-legged races, running, funny costumes, basketball and handball. Obviously, with all these activities, you have to have a halftime show... complete with suggestive dancers and bouncy cheerleaders. Whatever the activity, today is all about school spirit, building community and getting the competitive juices flowing.