China has come and gone; it was a quick trip but very enjoyable. We started things off a little rocky with a 2 hour delay, but once we got to Beijing it was fantastic. Our tour guide met us at the airport and from there we started with sight seeing right away. First on the list was Tiananmen Square. This is the largest city square in the world, and hosts many Chinese historic events. Across the street we went to the Forbidden City which was the house for the Emperor in the Ming Dynasty. No members from the public were allowed access to this huge area until 1925. Only the Emperor, and Empress had access to the 980 buildings and 8707 rooms. Now the "Forbidden City" is called the Palace Museum since it is no longer forbidden to the public. By the time dinner came were exhausted, but we enjoyed a few Chinese style dishes before going to the acrobat show. I will say it was a bit dissppointing. China produces some of the best gymnast in the world, but this show did not show their potential level of talent.
The next day we did the Jade market, Ming Tombs, and the Great Wall. The Great Wall was defiantly the highlight of my trip. It was extremely cold and windy, but its was amazing. The section which we climbed was very steep, but from the top you were able to see a large section of the wall to really appreciate the size of it. Following the Great Wall we went to the Summer Palace, which was built as a summer resort for the Empress. It is completely man made, but it really is beautiful. Since it was winter, it was hard to get the true sense of beauty, but in summer or spring with trees and flowers I imagine it would be gorgeous . We also went to a pearl market, where they let us see how to extract pearls and taught us how to tell if they are real. Last on the agenda was a tea ceremony. Tea for me is a stereotypical "China" thing, but to see how different tea should be prepared was interesting. They also believe that different tea is good for different functions, so they to try them and learn about it was interesting.
The last day of our tour we did the Temple of Heaven, silk market, and a Chinese duck meal. The Temple of Heaven is now a big city park which is open to the public and there were hundreds of people there exercising, but it is still very peaceful. The silk market was also very interesting to see the steps in making silk.
Our final day in China we spent shopping. We went to a big market which had everything. pearls, silk, makeup, electronics, souvenirs, shoes, and purses. If you are good at bargaining you and practically buy things for nothing here. Most of the vendors sell the same products so if you name a price, its hard for them to say no.
After hearing some negative things about China and Beijing, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It was probably my favorite Asian destination to date, I didn't find it to be dirty, or crowded with people. The tour which we did was also perfect. We were the only two on the tour, so we had a guide and a driver and they really catered to our interests. They would pick us up, drop us off, and let us do our thing which was exactly what I wanted. I would defiantly recommend a tour package for people wanting to see the most of Beijing in the least amount of time. We were able to see everything we wanted and more in 4 days, and it didn't feel rushed at all. As for going in winter, it probably wasn't the best time of year. In the fall or spring I feel would be ideal. One bonus about going during winter months, there weren't as many people around at the sights.
This week was the first snowfall, it made things feel more like Christmas. Snow never lasts very long around here, but it was nice to wake up and see big white flakes falling. The kids are much more excited about snow, then Christmas. A lot of my kids said they are "too old for Christmas." None of my kids believe in Santa, which I find very sad. I had a 6 year old kid tell me that the thought of a fat man coming down a chimney was crazy. Makes the holiday season much less exciting around here. There are a few stores and office buildings decorated for Christmas, but no houses have lights. It is not recognized as a major holiday like back home.
December in Korea has brought lots of goodbyes. They are starting to slow down now, but its sad to see people who you have spend the past year with go home. It has also brought changes to Moon Kkang. At my school we have a new Korean teacher, new manager, and soon will have a new foreign teacher. Starting in January there will be changes to the curriculum as well. As much as I am in a routine now, changes make the time go by quickly. I will be saying my farewell in less than 100 days now. Scary how fast the time has gone.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
This week has been eventful with another attack from North Korea. It is sad that it is a fairly common thing around here, most Koreans don't even flinch when things like this happen. Living in a country and having a hostile neighbor for 50+ years gives you time to adjust to acts of war. When I first got here I thought the monthly invasion drills, amount of military, and sirens were a bit ridiculous, but after this event I guess they are all necessary precautions. When we first got here we asked a lot of questions, but my co teachers insisted it was fine. We would often say "This is strange for us because no one really hates Canada. That is why tourist sew Canadian flags on backpacks even if they aren't from Canada." Living abroad has made me thankful, and proud to be Canadian.
It is sad how much knowledge Korean kids have of war, military, and weapons. This week in class while discussing the North Korea attack with a group of 10 year olds; I had a child explain to me the chemicals used to make a nuclear bomb. Since military is mandatory here for males when they reach their twenties, a lot of my students also pray to be from another country so they don't have to do service. When I asked some middle school kids how they felt about it, they would answer "It is so terrible, I don't want to be a solider I want to play soccer and computer games." For now life goes on as usual, and I am glad I don't live near the boarder.
Farewells are still happening weekly here. This weekend there are 7 foreigners who will say goodbye. My co-teacher has also left my school, so there are a lot of changes happening soon. I am heading to China this week, so I am really looking forward to that. Caitlin and I have booked a tour and are going to hit up all the major tourist attraction in Beijing before she heads home to South Africa. I will be sure to update when I get back!
It is sad how much knowledge Korean kids have of war, military, and weapons. This week in class while discussing the North Korea attack with a group of 10 year olds; I had a child explain to me the chemicals used to make a nuclear bomb. Since military is mandatory here for males when they reach their twenties, a lot of my students also pray to be from another country so they don't have to do service. When I asked some middle school kids how they felt about it, they would answer "It is so terrible, I don't want to be a solider I want to play soccer and computer games." For now life goes on as usual, and I am glad I don't live near the boarder.
Farewells are still happening weekly here. This weekend there are 7 foreigners who will say goodbye. My co-teacher has also left my school, so there are a lot of changes happening soon. I am heading to China this week, so I am really looking forward to that. Caitlin and I have booked a tour and are going to hit up all the major tourist attraction in Beijing before she heads home to South Africa. I will be sure to update when I get back!
Monday, November 1, 2010
To keep busy I have started to plan a trip to Beijing. I feel while in Asia I have to see the Great Wall, so I have taken some time off to check that out in December. It will be a short 5 day trip, but I plan to hit up the major sights in Beijing and do some shopping as well. I thought Thailand would be my last vacation while here, but now that I am staying I will get to see China, Japan and possibly a couple days in Hong Kong on my way home.
After being here for 10+ months my goodbyes to friends have officially started. Since most people sign a year contract, many of the great people I have met are now leaving to go home. For the next month it will be pretty consistent with one goodbye a week. I have decided to extend my contract for 3 months, so my goodbye wont be until the end of March; but it is still hard to see good friends leaving. The people I have met here are from all over the world. It has been a wonderful experience with a wide variety of people. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to meet everyone I have crossed paths with here.
After being here for 10+ months my goodbyes to friends have officially started. Since most people sign a year contract, many of the great people I have met are now leaving to go home. For the next month it will be pretty consistent with one goodbye a week. I have decided to extend my contract for 3 months, so my goodbye wont be until the end of March; but it is still hard to see good friends leaving. The people I have met here are from all over the world. It has been a wonderful experience with a wide variety of people. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to meet everyone I have crossed paths with here.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Things since Thailand have been fairly relaxed. A lot of people who I have met here are soon leaving, so we are just preparing for their departures and crossing more things off the Bucket List. My next big adventure will be in December where I plan to go to China and see the Great Wall.
Last weekend we crossed the "Konglish" party off the list. Many shirts, signs, etc make no sense and have multiple spelling mistakes. Some of the shirts the kids wear to school are ridiculous both in meaning and non meaning. We had everyone over for a potluck event and we all wore a "Konglish" shirt. It was nice to have everyone over for drinks and potluck before we made our way to Waegook.
This weekend I crossed off the babies 1st birthday event. Hyun who takes care of all the odds and ends for us in Gumi invited us to his daughters 1st birthday. I have to say it was a bit over the top, but the first birthday in Korea is a big deal. Long ago many babies died before their first birthday due to malnutrition, so now they have a very elaborate party to show friends and family their healthy baby. For GaIn's party they rented a wedding hall, had buffet style dinner, and free alcohol, for 100+ guest. The family was dressed in matching outfits. There was a hired photographer with photo booths set up. There was a movie made for GaIn and her life up till now along with games, and prizes. They also are very superstitions here so one of the games they play is showing the baby a tray of items. On the tray is money, a ball, a pencil, string, stethoscope, and a few other items. Each item is a symbol for something (i.e.: string= long life, stethoscope= doctor). Which ever item the baby chooses will be his or her future aspiration. GaIn choose the ball and the pencil which means she will be athletic and academic. I have to say, I felt like I was watching an episode of my Sweet 16, except it was for a 1 year old. GaIn will not remember it, but there was lots of pictures for her to look at when shes older. It was nice as a foreigner to see another part of their culture...even if it made me say "Ohhhh Korea"
Last weekend we crossed the "Konglish" party off the list. Many shirts, signs, etc make no sense and have multiple spelling mistakes. Some of the shirts the kids wear to school are ridiculous both in meaning and non meaning. We had everyone over for a potluck event and we all wore a "Konglish" shirt. It was nice to have everyone over for drinks and potluck before we made our way to Waegook.
This weekend I crossed off the babies 1st birthday event. Hyun who takes care of all the odds and ends for us in Gumi invited us to his daughters 1st birthday. I have to say it was a bit over the top, but the first birthday in Korea is a big deal. Long ago many babies died before their first birthday due to malnutrition, so now they have a very elaborate party to show friends and family their healthy baby. For GaIn's party they rented a wedding hall, had buffet style dinner, and free alcohol, for 100+ guest. The family was dressed in matching outfits. There was a hired photographer with photo booths set up. There was a movie made for GaIn and her life up till now along with games, and prizes. They also are very superstitions here so one of the games they play is showing the baby a tray of items. On the tray is money, a ball, a pencil, string, stethoscope, and a few other items. Each item is a symbol for something (i.e.: string= long life, stethoscope= doctor). Which ever item the baby chooses will be his or her future aspiration. GaIn choose the ball and the pencil which means she will be athletic and academic. I have to say, I felt like I was watching an episode of my Sweet 16, except it was for a 1 year old. GaIn will not remember it, but there was lots of pictures for her to look at when shes older. It was nice as a foreigner to see another part of their culture...even if it made me say "Ohhhh Korea"
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Now that Thailand and Chuseok are over and everyone is back in Korea the Bucket List is continuing. This weekend we crossed temple stay off the list.
On Saturday afternoon we made our way to Gyeongju to the Golgul Temple. It was probably the most exhausting 24 hours I have ever willing been through, but defiantly work the experience. When we arrived we changed into our very faltering Monk wear and headed to archery practice. The routine of a Buddhist Monk is VERY structured so all day it was one thing after the next. Following the archery we were sent for community work. Here the women had to sweep the walkway and the men had to clean windows. All things are very simple and they believe in simple living, so the brooms we used were made of bamboo and straw, while the boys washed the windows using a newspaper rag. Dinner was next thing on the schedule. Monks do not waste anything, so when eating your meals you MUST clean everything off your plate. Dinner is also very simple and light. Most meals consist of white rice, vegetables, soup, and sometimes tofu. They believe that eating light meals helps the body maintain energy. After Dinner we went to evening chanting which is similar to a pray session along with many bows. After chant we started our Sunmudo training. This is a Korean form of a Zen Martial Art which is suppose to harmonize the mind, body and breath. The training is a mix between yoga, gymnastics, and taekwondo. It was probably one of the hardest things I have done. All the monks make it look fairly easy, but the positions and moves are very tough. After training it was bed time (10pm), where we headed back to the room and slept on the floor.
On Sunday we had a 4am wake up. You are woken by a junior monk who is beating a wooden bell. Between 2-6am is said to be the best time to meditate so they wake up early to hike the mountain where at the top is a meditation cave. 4:30am you must be at the cave to start chants and meditation, if you miss this activity your punishment is 3000 bows, which takes 8-10 hours to complete. 6am we left mediation for breakfast. Breakfast was a Buddhist ceremonial meal called Barugongyang. It is a meal where you eat and clean together with all the monks, junior monks and other guest at the temple. During the meal you are give 4 bowls. One for each: rice, vegetables, soup, and water. The water bowl is to remain untouched until the end of the meal where you use the water to clean your other bowls. You pour the water from bowl to bowl until they are cleaned then you drink the water so you do not waste anything. Following breakfast we were given a chance to enjoy tea while asking about life in a temple as a monk. It gave us an eye opening look at just how much dedication is required. Everyday they have the same schedule full of chanting, meditation, and exercise, it sounds peaceful but it is challenging. The last thing on the list was to complete the 108 bows. Not just a small fold at the hips, but a full bow from standing to bending touching your forehead on the floor.
After my 24 hour Temple Stay I know I could never live the life of a Buddhist Monk. Little sleep, little food, and little talking is they norm way of life for them and that takes a lot of discipline and dedication. It was a great experience to live the life for a day, but I was very glad to sleep in my bed, and enjoy a nice dinner when I returned home.
On Saturday afternoon we made our way to Gyeongju to the Golgul Temple. It was probably the most exhausting 24 hours I have ever willing been through, but defiantly work the experience. When we arrived we changed into our very faltering Monk wear and headed to archery practice. The routine of a Buddhist Monk is VERY structured so all day it was one thing after the next. Following the archery we were sent for community work. Here the women had to sweep the walkway and the men had to clean windows. All things are very simple and they believe in simple living, so the brooms we used were made of bamboo and straw, while the boys washed the windows using a newspaper rag. Dinner was next thing on the schedule. Monks do not waste anything, so when eating your meals you MUST clean everything off your plate. Dinner is also very simple and light. Most meals consist of white rice, vegetables, soup, and sometimes tofu. They believe that eating light meals helps the body maintain energy. After Dinner we went to evening chanting which is similar to a pray session along with many bows. After chant we started our Sunmudo training. This is a Korean form of a Zen Martial Art which is suppose to harmonize the mind, body and breath. The training is a mix between yoga, gymnastics, and taekwondo. It was probably one of the hardest things I have done. All the monks make it look fairly easy, but the positions and moves are very tough. After training it was bed time (10pm), where we headed back to the room and slept on the floor.
On Sunday we had a 4am wake up. You are woken by a junior monk who is beating a wooden bell. Between 2-6am is said to be the best time to meditate so they wake up early to hike the mountain where at the top is a meditation cave. 4:30am you must be at the cave to start chants and meditation, if you miss this activity your punishment is 3000 bows, which takes 8-10 hours to complete. 6am we left mediation for breakfast. Breakfast was a Buddhist ceremonial meal called Barugongyang. It is a meal where you eat and clean together with all the monks, junior monks and other guest at the temple. During the meal you are give 4 bowls. One for each: rice, vegetables, soup, and water. The water bowl is to remain untouched until the end of the meal where you use the water to clean your other bowls. You pour the water from bowl to bowl until they are cleaned then you drink the water so you do not waste anything. Following breakfast we were given a chance to enjoy tea while asking about life in a temple as a monk. It gave us an eye opening look at just how much dedication is required. Everyday they have the same schedule full of chanting, meditation, and exercise, it sounds peaceful but it is challenging. The last thing on the list was to complete the 108 bows. Not just a small fold at the hips, but a full bow from standing to bending touching your forehead on the floor.
After my 24 hour Temple Stay I know I could never live the life of a Buddhist Monk. Little sleep, little food, and little talking is they norm way of life for them and that takes a lot of discipline and dedication. It was a great experience to live the life for a day, but I was very glad to sleep in my bed, and enjoy a nice dinner when I returned home.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Thailand was an amazing vacation. Very relaxing, self pampering, and a couple of days of partying. It was hard to come back and get into the routine of things again. Also it is fall weather in Korea now, so to come back from the hot sun in Thailand was a bit depressing.
On Friday we arrived in Bangkok early evening and made our way to Khao San Road. This is a street full of shopping, eating, and partying. It also has a tone of hotels, so we checked into a great spot right on the main street called D&D. It still amazes me when traveling in Asia how cheap accommodations are. For a standard room with a king size bed, bathroom, and free breakfast it only cost 800 baht ($25 Cdn) a night. We were exhausted after the day of traveling, so we made our way to supper where we enjoyed some Pad Thai served by a lady-boy, and back home to sleep. The lady-boys in Thailand are an interesting sight. Some of them you second guess yourself because they are truly beautiful. The give away for most of them are the hands, although some are well manicured its hard to hide. They keep themselves very clean, with their hair and makeup done. They also have very feminine shapes, which most would be jealous of. It is also strange to think that in Thailand they really are accepted as a third gender. After being in Korea and visiting Thailand I know see how narrow minded the culture in Korea really is.
On Saturday we wanted to do some shopping in Bangkok, so we made our way by local bus to MBK which is a shopping district. We didnt have much luck at MBK so we decided to head back to Khao San road for lunch and shopping. While we were eating lunch we met a couple of guys from England who were pretty entertaining, so instead of shopping we spent the afternoon drinking with them. Saturday night we took an over night bus to the ferry pier where we caught the ferry in the morning to Koh Samui. If I were to do it again, I would probably fly to Koh Samui, the 14 hour bus ride was no comfortable and very long. Although we did meet a lot of people who are on traveling adventures, and later spent time with throughout the week it was just a long trip. There were a ton of people from Europe who were in Thailand for a short period before heading to Australia.
When we arrived in Koh Samui we checked into our hotel which was located on Chaweng Beach. The beach and water were beautiful. White sand, and teal blue warm water. We were again exhausted from traveling so we spent most of Sunday napping. Monday - Thursday we stayed in Koh Samui and just spent time relaxing on the beach, enjoying massages, and eating delicious food. We got to meet up with some of Caitlin's friends from home (South Africa) for some drinks. A couple of people we met on the bus were staying in the same area so we spent our evenings having a few drinks and dinner with them. The people you meet while traveling are very interesting. Even just to learn about different cultures and countries was very entertaining. For people we only met a short time ago there ever seemed to be a lull in conversation. Thai food is much better than Korean food, and the variety is massive. I ate on average 4 meals a day, just so I could fit in all the things I wanted to try. Pad Thai is by far my favorite dish, but even the selection of western food excited me.
On Thursday we took the ferry to Koh Phangan. Thursday night was the Full Moon Party which is said to be the world's largest full moon party. It is an all night beach party and it was pretty wild. There were different dance areas, a load of drink vendors, and swarms of forgieners who come for the event. We had planned to stay in Koh Phangan for two nights, but we didn't like the beach or accomadations as much as in Koh Samui so we went back early.
Friday afternoon we made our way back by ferry to Koh Samui, where we relaxed after a wild night of partying. Saturday was our last day on the beach so I laid pool/ beach side while Caitlin did some shopping. Before we left we enjoyed some Thai massages, which is more like a stretching process then a massage. I enjoyed it, to me it felt like yoga without having to put in much effort. We decided we would fly to Bangkok from Koh Samui instead of taking the overnight bus back which was a great plan seeing as we still had a long trip back to Gumi from Bangkok. All in all a very relaxing trip. Thailand is really cheap to eat and sleep. It is a great beach getaway in Asia. Also another successful trip weather wise for me. I seem to go to locations during rain season, but it only seemed to rain at night while we were sleeping so it was perfect.
On Friday we arrived in Bangkok early evening and made our way to Khao San Road. This is a street full of shopping, eating, and partying. It also has a tone of hotels, so we checked into a great spot right on the main street called D&D. It still amazes me when traveling in Asia how cheap accommodations are. For a standard room with a king size bed, bathroom, and free breakfast it only cost 800 baht ($25 Cdn) a night. We were exhausted after the day of traveling, so we made our way to supper where we enjoyed some Pad Thai served by a lady-boy, and back home to sleep. The lady-boys in Thailand are an interesting sight. Some of them you second guess yourself because they are truly beautiful. The give away for most of them are the hands, although some are well manicured its hard to hide. They keep themselves very clean, with their hair and makeup done. They also have very feminine shapes, which most would be jealous of. It is also strange to think that in Thailand they really are accepted as a third gender. After being in Korea and visiting Thailand I know see how narrow minded the culture in Korea really is.
On Saturday we wanted to do some shopping in Bangkok, so we made our way by local bus to MBK which is a shopping district. We didnt have much luck at MBK so we decided to head back to Khao San road for lunch and shopping. While we were eating lunch we met a couple of guys from England who were pretty entertaining, so instead of shopping we spent the afternoon drinking with them. Saturday night we took an over night bus to the ferry pier where we caught the ferry in the morning to Koh Samui. If I were to do it again, I would probably fly to Koh Samui, the 14 hour bus ride was no comfortable and very long. Although we did meet a lot of people who are on traveling adventures, and later spent time with throughout the week it was just a long trip. There were a ton of people from Europe who were in Thailand for a short period before heading to Australia.
When we arrived in Koh Samui we checked into our hotel which was located on Chaweng Beach. The beach and water were beautiful. White sand, and teal blue warm water. We were again exhausted from traveling so we spent most of Sunday napping. Monday - Thursday we stayed in Koh Samui and just spent time relaxing on the beach, enjoying massages, and eating delicious food. We got to meet up with some of Caitlin's friends from home (South Africa) for some drinks. A couple of people we met on the bus were staying in the same area so we spent our evenings having a few drinks and dinner with them. The people you meet while traveling are very interesting. Even just to learn about different cultures and countries was very entertaining. For people we only met a short time ago there ever seemed to be a lull in conversation. Thai food is much better than Korean food, and the variety is massive. I ate on average 4 meals a day, just so I could fit in all the things I wanted to try. Pad Thai is by far my favorite dish, but even the selection of western food excited me.
On Thursday we took the ferry to Koh Phangan. Thursday night was the Full Moon Party which is said to be the world's largest full moon party. It is an all night beach party and it was pretty wild. There were different dance areas, a load of drink vendors, and swarms of forgieners who come for the event. We had planned to stay in Koh Phangan for two nights, but we didn't like the beach or accomadations as much as in Koh Samui so we went back early.
Friday afternoon we made our way back by ferry to Koh Samui, where we relaxed after a wild night of partying. Saturday was our last day on the beach so I laid pool/ beach side while Caitlin did some shopping. Before we left we enjoyed some Thai massages, which is more like a stretching process then a massage. I enjoyed it, to me it felt like yoga without having to put in much effort. We decided we would fly to Bangkok from Koh Samui instead of taking the overnight bus back which was a great plan seeing as we still had a long trip back to Gumi from Bangkok. All in all a very relaxing trip. Thailand is really cheap to eat and sleep. It is a great beach getaway in Asia. Also another successful trip weather wise for me. I seem to go to locations during rain season, but it only seemed to rain at night while we were sleeping so it was perfect.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
DMZ Tour
This weekend I finally crossed the DMZ off my bucket list. The DMZ is a 4km section of land that divides North and South. It is the most heavily militarized boarder in the world, and driving there you can definitely notice. All along the highway on both the North and South Korean sides there are multiple layers of barbwire fencing with military watch houses every 500m.
When we arrived we needed to registrar to enter the area, and have the tour bus checked by a South Korean guard. Once we were registered we were free to explore. First on the agenda we saw the Freedom Bridge where North Korea and South Korea exchanged POWs following the war.
Next we went to a small village on the boarder called Tongilchon for lunch. Here there are 400 South Korean residents who have special permission to live here tax free, and military service free. All South Korean citizens do a mandatory 2 years of military service, but people living in this village are exempt. Through out the village there are many land mine signs which seemed poorly marked to me, but the residents here continue to farm and live a normal life. To come and go from this village there is a military security check point, as well as residents have an 11 o'clock curfew.
Next we went to the 3rd tunnel. This tunnel was dug by North Korea after the war and discovered in 1978. There are 4 known tunnels, but the US and South Korean military do random drilling checks looking for new ones. It is said that the tunnel could allow about 30 000 men in light weaponry an hour pass through and invade Seoul. Inside the tunnel you notice the walls are covered in coal. This is because North Korean wanted people to believe that tunnel was used for mining if it were to be discovered. This as an area that no pictures are allowed for security reasons.
After the tunnel we made our way to the Dora Observatory where you can look across into North Korea. To look into North Korea you would think it was a ghost town. There are a few buildings, but no sign of life. No cars, no people, and many shells of building without windows. Most of the buildings are colorless, there are no signs, or advertising which is very different from South Korea. The leader in North Korea has also cut 1000s of trees from this area so he could see invaders. The only thing with any color is a massive North Korean flag, which flies from the tallest flagpole in the world. There is a photo line at the observatory which you are not allowed to take pictures from, you can only look through binoculars to get an up close look. The guards on duty will delete any pictures you take past this line if your are caught. While we were at the observatory there was a little action. Not sure what was happening but we were quickly ushered away from the look out room by the US military due to a military debriefing. Following the debriefing we noticed a string of about 100 cars coming from North to South which was strange to see because there were no cars in sight prior to this. All military matters seem to be very hush hush in this country so I'm sure we will never hear why or what was happening.
The last stop on the tour was the train station which allows one train a week to travel to and from the two Korea's. It is mostly supplies and occasionally factory workers. Here we were able to get our passports stamped with a North Korean stamp. The train station is similar to all the others in Korea, minus the amount of people. It is the last stop before North Korea on the South side. It is also run by military officers unlike a normal train station.
All in all a great experience, and very interesting. I would suggest it to anyone visiting or living in Korea. I think I would like to do a different tour, to see other parts of the DMZ and a different tunnel.
When we arrived we needed to registrar to enter the area, and have the tour bus checked by a South Korean guard. Once we were registered we were free to explore. First on the agenda we saw the Freedom Bridge where North Korea and South Korea exchanged POWs following the war.
Next we went to a small village on the boarder called Tongilchon for lunch. Here there are 400 South Korean residents who have special permission to live here tax free, and military service free. All South Korean citizens do a mandatory 2 years of military service, but people living in this village are exempt. Through out the village there are many land mine signs which seemed poorly marked to me, but the residents here continue to farm and live a normal life. To come and go from this village there is a military security check point, as well as residents have an 11 o'clock curfew.
Next we went to the 3rd tunnel. This tunnel was dug by North Korea after the war and discovered in 1978. There are 4 known tunnels, but the US and South Korean military do random drilling checks looking for new ones. It is said that the tunnel could allow about 30 000 men in light weaponry an hour pass through and invade Seoul. Inside the tunnel you notice the walls are covered in coal. This is because North Korean wanted people to believe that tunnel was used for mining if it were to be discovered. This as an area that no pictures are allowed for security reasons.
After the tunnel we made our way to the Dora Observatory where you can look across into North Korea. To look into North Korea you would think it was a ghost town. There are a few buildings, but no sign of life. No cars, no people, and many shells of building without windows. Most of the buildings are colorless, there are no signs, or advertising which is very different from South Korea. The leader in North Korea has also cut 1000s of trees from this area so he could see invaders. The only thing with any color is a massive North Korean flag, which flies from the tallest flagpole in the world. There is a photo line at the observatory which you are not allowed to take pictures from, you can only look through binoculars to get an up close look. The guards on duty will delete any pictures you take past this line if your are caught. While we were at the observatory there was a little action. Not sure what was happening but we were quickly ushered away from the look out room by the US military due to a military debriefing. Following the debriefing we noticed a string of about 100 cars coming from North to South which was strange to see because there were no cars in sight prior to this. All military matters seem to be very hush hush in this country so I'm sure we will never hear why or what was happening.
The last stop on the tour was the train station which allows one train a week to travel to and from the two Korea's. It is mostly supplies and occasionally factory workers. Here we were able to get our passports stamped with a North Korean stamp. The train station is similar to all the others in Korea, minus the amount of people. It is the last stop before North Korea on the South side. It is also run by military officers unlike a normal train station.
All in all a great experience, and very interesting. I would suggest it to anyone visiting or living in Korea. I think I would like to do a different tour, to see other parts of the DMZ and a different tunnel.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
September is finally here. For most back home it means back to school, but for kids in Korea it is just another month. Korean kids do not even start a new school year in September. After "summer vacation" which they spend going to school camps, and academies they continue the same school year as before break. The new school year will start in March.
I have been excited for September because it is a busy month, and marks my 75% finished. This weekend I am going to the DMZ. My kids think I am crazy for wanting to go there, because "North Korea is sooooo crazy and they might shoot you" but I have been looking forward to it. Thailand is also officially booked, and I am looking forward to this vacation. Booking a trip with travel agents in Korea has been a bit of a nightmare due to language barriers. Even getting my name correct on a ticket seemed to be a hassle. I am Andrea Lynn Gallant, but in Korea I am Gallant Andrea Lynn, but I am sure the travel agent had every combination of my name before getting it right. I was happy to get my e-ticket today so I can stop searching, emailing and calling. My kids have also been getting on my nerves lately, so I think that means I need vacation ASAP. A group of 5 girls will head to Thailand for 8 days over Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). On the agenda we have Bangkok, floating markets, elephants rides, tiger temple, feeding wild monkeys, and an islands or two to enjoy some beach time. I think we also might try to fit a quick trip to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, and whatever else Cambodia has to offer. Friends, sun, sand, adventures, no kids, and Thai food....what more could I ask for?
School is going well. My kids have been slightly boring lately, no really funny stories or ESL highlights. The other day in one of my elementary classes we were talking about a ship wreck, and looking at an underwater picture of a ship wreck, sea animals etc. While I was going through some vocabulary words I was getting kids to point and color certain things in the picture. I said "color the turtle green" and all kids would color the turtle green, next I said "color the chest brown"....meaning the treasure chest that was in the picture, but as I start walking around to see everyones work I notice one kid with the "chest" of the two scuba divers in the picture colored brown...and the treasure "chest" left white. The one word with two meanings really confuses my young kids, so I had a little laugh and said ok. The things you find funny after 8+ months in Korea are slightly sad. Although ESL moments give me something to look forward to everyday.
I have been excited for September because it is a busy month, and marks my 75% finished. This weekend I am going to the DMZ. My kids think I am crazy for wanting to go there, because "North Korea is sooooo crazy and they might shoot you" but I have been looking forward to it. Thailand is also officially booked, and I am looking forward to this vacation. Booking a trip with travel agents in Korea has been a bit of a nightmare due to language barriers. Even getting my name correct on a ticket seemed to be a hassle. I am Andrea Lynn Gallant, but in Korea I am Gallant Andrea Lynn, but I am sure the travel agent had every combination of my name before getting it right. I was happy to get my e-ticket today so I can stop searching, emailing and calling. My kids have also been getting on my nerves lately, so I think that means I need vacation ASAP. A group of 5 girls will head to Thailand for 8 days over Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). On the agenda we have Bangkok, floating markets, elephants rides, tiger temple, feeding wild monkeys, and an islands or two to enjoy some beach time. I think we also might try to fit a quick trip to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, and whatever else Cambodia has to offer. Friends, sun, sand, adventures, no kids, and Thai food....what more could I ask for?
School is going well. My kids have been slightly boring lately, no really funny stories or ESL highlights. The other day in one of my elementary classes we were talking about a ship wreck, and looking at an underwater picture of a ship wreck, sea animals etc. While I was going through some vocabulary words I was getting kids to point and color certain things in the picture. I said "color the turtle green" and all kids would color the turtle green, next I said "color the chest brown"....meaning the treasure chest that was in the picture, but as I start walking around to see everyones work I notice one kid with the "chest" of the two scuba divers in the picture colored brown...and the treasure "chest" left white. The one word with two meanings really confuses my young kids, so I had a little laugh and said ok. The things you find funny after 8+ months in Korea are slightly sad. Although ESL moments give me something to look forward to everyday.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Summer is coming to an end, most of my kids start back to public school tomorrow. They have been in lazy summer vacation mode for 8 weeks now so I'm glad they are going to be back in the school routine. The heat is continuing here and apparently continues into September and October. I will say, Korea lacks many things compared to life in Canada, but the seasons and weather are a very nice change. Longer summers, shorter and warmer winters, but still with spring and fall which bring ideal temperatures, new flowers, and changing leaves.
My kids have not been as funny as usual, and since I have lost some kids due to our new teacher and classes being divided I have lost some of my comedians. My only laugh of the week last week was when a kid came back from vacation with a killer tan. I said to him in a slightly jealous/ slightly complimentary way "nice tan" which he took as an insult followed by the defense of saying "Teacher I have no tan, I wore sun cream." I guess this is the culture where white is seen as pure, rich, and royal, which still has my kids puzzled to why I like tans (even if my kids call me dirty skin).
Life in Gumi hasn't been over exciting lately. We have been trying to lay low and save money for September. So far we have booked a DMZ tour for the first weekend in September, and a trip to Thailand/ Cambodia from the 17th-27th. I am extremely excited for the DMZ tour which is on my Korea bucket list. I find the North Korea/ South Korean relationship very interesting, so to visit the DMZ where the two Korea's meet along the most heavily militarized boarder in the world is very exciting to me. The Thailand and Cambodia trip has no concrete plans but the beach, and Angkor Watt are on my to do list so I plan to fit both of those into my travel plans. I have many friends who are leaving between now and December, so I feel the next few months will be full of adventures. I also am on the home stretch and have many more Korean bucket list adventures to check off my own list.
My kids have not been as funny as usual, and since I have lost some kids due to our new teacher and classes being divided I have lost some of my comedians. My only laugh of the week last week was when a kid came back from vacation with a killer tan. I said to him in a slightly jealous/ slightly complimentary way "nice tan" which he took as an insult followed by the defense of saying "Teacher I have no tan, I wore sun cream." I guess this is the culture where white is seen as pure, rich, and royal, which still has my kids puzzled to why I like tans (even if my kids call me dirty skin).
Life in Gumi hasn't been over exciting lately. We have been trying to lay low and save money for September. So far we have booked a DMZ tour for the first weekend in September, and a trip to Thailand/ Cambodia from the 17th-27th. I am extremely excited for the DMZ tour which is on my Korea bucket list. I find the North Korea/ South Korean relationship very interesting, so to visit the DMZ where the two Korea's meet along the most heavily militarized boarder in the world is very exciting to me. The Thailand and Cambodia trip has no concrete plans but the beach, and Angkor Watt are on my to do list so I plan to fit both of those into my travel plans. I have many friends who are leaving between now and December, so I feel the next few months will be full of adventures. I also am on the home stretch and have many more Korean bucket list adventures to check off my own list.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The summer heat continues here in Korea, but the rain season has stopped. A few days ago it was 42 degrees with the humidity. It has been a hot and sticky summer, but it has gone by very quickly. This week brings the end to another series at work, so we will have more new students soon.
I have been doing a lot of traveling in Korea lately. I did a relaxing weekend in Ulsan which is on the south coast. A shopping weekend in Seoul with the girls. This weekend I hit up Gampo for the Moon Kkang summer beach party. It was a beautiful day for the beach and a nice chance to meet other Moon Kkang workers from other parts. Mr. Moon even made an appearance in a speedo. After the beach we headed to Gyeongju (the oldest city in Korea) for a buffet supper and back to Daegu for drinks.
July was a busy month so I think the next few weeks are going to be pretty low key. In September I have planned a trip to Busan for shark diving, and my Chuseok holiday. I am looking forward to a nice break from work, but the travel planning for Chuseok is not going as well as planned. It is a popular time for Koreans to travel so ticket prices are high. Originally I had planned on doing Thailand and Cambodia, but it looks like Japan and Thailand now. The best ticket prices are from Japan so we are looking at taking a ferry to Japan spending a couple days there and then heading to Thailand. Regardless of the travel plans a 9 day break from the kids is going to be very nice.
I have been doing a lot of traveling in Korea lately. I did a relaxing weekend in Ulsan which is on the south coast. A shopping weekend in Seoul with the girls. This weekend I hit up Gampo for the Moon Kkang summer beach party. It was a beautiful day for the beach and a nice chance to meet other Moon Kkang workers from other parts. Mr. Moon even made an appearance in a speedo. After the beach we headed to Gyeongju (the oldest city in Korea) for a buffet supper and back to Daegu for drinks.
July was a busy month so I think the next few weeks are going to be pretty low key. In September I have planned a trip to Busan for shark diving, and my Chuseok holiday. I am looking forward to a nice break from work, but the travel planning for Chuseok is not going as well as planned. It is a popular time for Koreans to travel so ticket prices are high. Originally I had planned on doing Thailand and Cambodia, but it looks like Japan and Thailand now. The best ticket prices are from Japan so we are looking at taking a ferry to Japan spending a couple days there and then heading to Thailand. Regardless of the travel plans a 9 day break from the kids is going to be very nice.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Last weekend was my island getaway. Jeju was a perfect weekend trip. Even though it is monsoon season in Korea the weather cooperated with us and we got to enjoy a weekend on the beach. The weekend was an excellent mix of Western and Korean life. I got to enjoy some home cooked Korean food and nore-bang, as well as western style breakfast and tanning on the beach. It was a nice relaxing getaway from work, and Gumi. Going to Jeju also gave me a better impression of Korea. Jeju doesn't have all the buildings and flashy signs that the main land does. Also it was so nice to breathe some fresh ocean air instead of factory smog.
This week at school has been a bit crazy. New teachers, new books, and new classes so it has been a bit of a hectic week. The new teacher finally arrived, and it is nice to have more staff in the work room and another foreigner in Gumi.
Not too much is new or exciting in Gumi. I have started yoga with some of the girls, and even though I don't understand much Korean I am really enjoying the class. In a couple weeks time Moon Kkang is planning a beach trip, so I am looking forward to that. Since we are in Gumi and most of the other teachers are in Daegu it will be a nice chance to meet some of them. Other than that I have no plans until September when I plan on going to Thailand and Cambodia. I think the rest of the summer will be dedicated to traveling in Korea. There are some coastal cities that I want to visit, as well as the DMZ. I really want to do a tour of the DMZ (boarder) but North Korea and South Korea need to ease tensions before I feel it is safe. It has been crazy how quick the summer has gone bye already, and I am feeling the need to travel while the weather is nice. Although by nice I mean hot.
This week at school has been a bit crazy. New teachers, new books, and new classes so it has been a bit of a hectic week. The new teacher finally arrived, and it is nice to have more staff in the work room and another foreigner in Gumi.
Not too much is new or exciting in Gumi. I have started yoga with some of the girls, and even though I don't understand much Korean I am really enjoying the class. In a couple weeks time Moon Kkang is planning a beach trip, so I am looking forward to that. Since we are in Gumi and most of the other teachers are in Daegu it will be a nice chance to meet some of them. Other than that I have no plans until September when I plan on going to Thailand and Cambodia. I think the rest of the summer will be dedicated to traveling in Korea. There are some coastal cities that I want to visit, as well as the DMZ. I really want to do a tour of the DMZ (boarder) but North Korea and South Korea need to ease tensions before I feel it is safe. It has been crazy how quick the summer has gone bye already, and I am feeling the need to travel while the weather is nice. Although by nice I mean hot.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Things here have been pretty quiet this week. Last Friday we got to meet our new foreign manager who seems very nice. We went out for lunch to get to know her. The weekend was low key. Friday I enjoyed supper downtown with some friends. Saturday we had a little black dress night with all the girls. Sunday is was a true "rainy season" type of day. It poured rain all day and night which made it a perfect lazy Sunday.
This weeks highlight in teaching ESL came early in the week while talking about what your favorite foods are. As I mentioned before Asians have trouble with the letter B. P. R. and L. They often mix up B and P, or R and L. I started one of my younger classes off with the opening question "What is your favorite food?" as going around many responses were "My favorite food is crap" and "My favorite food is lice" also known as crab and rice. Teaching ESL can be very annoying, and tiring, but it also comes with some good laughs.
I'm off to Jeju Island on Friday! I'm excited for a long weekend in the sun. I'm sure I will be nice and "dirty" (tanned) when I return.
This weeks highlight in teaching ESL came early in the week while talking about what your favorite foods are. As I mentioned before Asians have trouble with the letter B. P. R. and L. They often mix up B and P, or R and L. I started one of my younger classes off with the opening question "What is your favorite food?" as going around many responses were "My favorite food is crap" and "My favorite food is lice" also known as crab and rice. Teaching ESL can be very annoying, and tiring, but it also comes with some good laughs.
I'm off to Jeju Island on Friday! I'm excited for a long weekend in the sun. I'm sure I will be nice and "dirty" (tanned) when I return.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 1st marked my official six months in Korea. It is crazy to think how quickly the time has gone. With more trips and events planned for the next six months I know the rest of my time here is going to fly by.
The rain and grey days continue here in Gumi, but that hasn't put a damper on any celebrations. This week was a busy week for parties. Thursday we celebrated Canada Day at Waegook. There are not many Canadians here in Gumi, but we had some support from other countries. I even got to have poutine for supper. This country lacks in cheese and gravy is pretty much unheard of, but Waegook made it happen and it was a great "home" food for Canada Day. I also have to give credit to Leah and Elle for the Canada Poncho....it was a great party hit. Friday after work was Mike's going away supper, so I joined everyone for some supper and drinks followed by dancing at Corona. Saturday we enjoyed some Independence Day celebrations as well as a couple farewells, a birthday and World Cup. The Americans helped us celebrate so we returned the favor. We had a nice bomb fire BBQ with hotdogs and s'mores. Again Korea lacks things we find very common at home, but for s'mores there were no graham crackers. Instead we used ginger snaps... not the same, but making the most out of the supplies available. Sunday Waegook hosted a swap day for people to get rid of their old junk along with a brunch. Breakfast is also a hard find around here (with exception of McDonald's). Most Koreans eat rice and tuna for breakfast, so when Waegook has brunch with bacon, eggs, and toast it is a nice treat. I enjoy Korean food, but I cant handle the rice and tuna breakfast.
This week should be a little more low key. Friday I have a workshop and I get to meet my new foreigner manager for lunch so that will be the event to look forward to this week. My co-teacher was on vacation last week, so she will be returning this week as well. The forecast is showing a couple clear days this week so hopefully there will be a chance to enjoy the sun. Hope everyone back home enjoyed the Canada Day celebrations!
The rain and grey days continue here in Gumi, but that hasn't put a damper on any celebrations. This week was a busy week for parties. Thursday we celebrated Canada Day at Waegook. There are not many Canadians here in Gumi, but we had some support from other countries. I even got to have poutine for supper. This country lacks in cheese and gravy is pretty much unheard of, but Waegook made it happen and it was a great "home" food for Canada Day. I also have to give credit to Leah and Elle for the Canada Poncho....it was a great party hit. Friday after work was Mike's going away supper, so I joined everyone for some supper and drinks followed by dancing at Corona. Saturday we enjoyed some Independence Day celebrations as well as a couple farewells, a birthday and World Cup. The Americans helped us celebrate so we returned the favor. We had a nice bomb fire BBQ with hotdogs and s'mores. Again Korea lacks things we find very common at home, but for s'mores there were no graham crackers. Instead we used ginger snaps... not the same, but making the most out of the supplies available. Sunday Waegook hosted a swap day for people to get rid of their old junk along with a brunch. Breakfast is also a hard find around here (with exception of McDonald's). Most Koreans eat rice and tuna for breakfast, so when Waegook has brunch with bacon, eggs, and toast it is a nice treat. I enjoy Korean food, but I cant handle the rice and tuna breakfast.
This week should be a little more low key. Friday I have a workshop and I get to meet my new foreigner manager for lunch so that will be the event to look forward to this week. My co-teacher was on vacation last week, so she will be returning this week as well. The forecast is showing a couple clear days this week so hopefully there will be a chance to enjoy the sun. Hope everyone back home enjoyed the Canada Day celebrations!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Lately there has been lots of action in Gumi, so we have been hanging out here on weekends. Last weekend we enjoyed a roof top BBQ. We tried to go on a pubcrawl after the BBQ, but with a group of about 30 foreigners it was hard to find a place that would let us in. I guess we are intimidating. After a failed attempt at a bar in Indong we all made our way to good old Waegook. World Cup action has also continued in Korea, as they advanced to the 16 team round. Yesterday we went to buy some Korea gear for the game, but sadly Korea lost so they are now out.
There are a couple events coming up which I am excited for. Next weekend a group of girls are heading to Seoul for the weekend. Canada Day marks my official half way point, so I'm sure I will be celebrating. Time has gone by so fast, and I have a feeling the next 6 months will also fly by. Also I have booked a trip to Jeju Island finally. I am heading there mid July to soak up the sun and lay on the beach. In July my school will also be getting a new teacher which is exciting.
Apparently rain season has officially begun here, which is kind of a shame. The weather is nice and hot but you cant enjoy it in the rain. Also the rain makes the humidity insane. Although the rain makes for a great lazy Sunday in an air conditioned apartment! Since it is now rain season I will have lots of time for updates (KO was angry at my lack of updates) so stay tuned for pics and Korea stories.
There are a couple events coming up which I am excited for. Next weekend a group of girls are heading to Seoul for the weekend. Canada Day marks my official half way point, so I'm sure I will be celebrating. Time has gone by so fast, and I have a feeling the next 6 months will also fly by. Also I have booked a trip to Jeju Island finally. I am heading there mid July to soak up the sun and lay on the beach. In July my school will also be getting a new teacher which is exciting.
Apparently rain season has officially begun here, which is kind of a shame. The weather is nice and hot but you cant enjoy it in the rain. Also the rain makes the humidity insane. Although the rain makes for a great lazy Sunday in an air conditioned apartment! Since it is now rain season I will have lots of time for updates (KO was angry at my lack of updates) so stay tuned for pics and Korea stories.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The weather here has been hot. We have been having heat lightening almost every night for a week now. Since we live inland there is no breeze, just hot humid heat. I personally like the heat ...minus the smell of my kids and garbage on the streets. With the increase of heat comes the reminders about "fan death" or as they say "pan death." Koreans believe that if you are in a room with the windows and doors closed and a fan on that the fan will suck all the air and you will die. I have tried to reason with some of them about the theory behind this and how it makes no sense, but they tell me is "very dangerous" so now I just smile and nod.
So this week my kids have been very annoying. They are all shutting down and going into vacation mode, even though there is no "vacation" from academy. No matter how awful my kids are, there seems to be a funny moment every week. This week we were talking about adverbs in my writing class. So I explained an adverb describes how someone is doing something.
"He runs quickly" "She speaks slowly"
After writing 101 adverbs on the board, and going over many examples I gave them an assignment. I told each of them to write about a trip to Africa and talk about what they were going to do there and how they were going to do it. I reminded them that they had to use adverbs and they all got to work. After about 10 minutes of writing time some of my kids were finished. I knew this because I could hear the haunting "pinisheeee teacher" in that Korean accent and the common error of changing F for P. So I started to walk around reading and correcting some of the students work. I had some great stories about "playing in the sun peacefully", "riding elephants excitedly", and "swimming in the ocean quickly". Just as class was ending I get to a student who writes...
"I eat quickly" (not bad, in Africa you would have to eat at some point)
"I sleep quietly" (ok again not bad)
"I poop joyfully"
The last I found a little disturbing. I agree all of those things would probably happen while you were on a trip to Africa...but somethings are better left untold. Although the word of last week was constipated, so if the kid is "pooping joyfully" I guess that means things are working well.
So this week my kids have been very annoying. They are all shutting down and going into vacation mode, even though there is no "vacation" from academy. No matter how awful my kids are, there seems to be a funny moment every week. This week we were talking about adverbs in my writing class. So I explained an adverb describes how someone is doing something.
"He runs quickly" "She speaks slowly"
After writing 101 adverbs on the board, and going over many examples I gave them an assignment. I told each of them to write about a trip to Africa and talk about what they were going to do there and how they were going to do it. I reminded them that they had to use adverbs and they all got to work. After about 10 minutes of writing time some of my kids were finished. I knew this because I could hear the haunting "pinisheeee teacher" in that Korean accent and the common error of changing F for P. So I started to walk around reading and correcting some of the students work. I had some great stories about "playing in the sun peacefully", "riding elephants excitedly", and "swimming in the ocean quickly". Just as class was ending I get to a student who writes...
"I eat quickly" (not bad, in Africa you would have to eat at some point)
"I sleep quietly" (ok again not bad)
"I poop joyfully"
The last I found a little disturbing. I agree all of those things would probably happen while you were on a trip to Africa...but somethings are better left untold. Although the word of last week was constipated, so if the kid is "pooping joyfully" I guess that means things are working well.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
So weather didn't cooperate with us for the weekend, so the island getaway has been post phoned. Although I love the beach and tanning, it was also nice to spend the weekend in Gumi and relax. World Cup fever is in full force here. I'm not a big soccer fan, and since Canada has no team in the World Cup it is not of great interest to me, but many people here are very excited about it. Friday we went to Waegook to watch the opening and South Africa game. Many people here are from South Africa, so having world cup in their country is a big deal for them. Similar to feelings of having the Olympics in Canada for me. Saturday we had a lovely girls day with a small group. We enjoyed haircuts, supper and Sex and the City 2. I was a bit nervous about getting my haircut here, but $12 for cut, wash and style I am happy. Saturday night was a big World Cup event for Korea, with their first game against Greece. Bars, pubs and restaurant were all packed with people watching the game, and after Korea won 2-0 the streets were filled with cheering fans.
Work is still going well. I have felt that communication has been weak lately between staff. I hope after letting the manager know that writing important messages in only Korean is of no help to Britt and I that it will improve. My kids are still as funny as ever. This week they were very confused as to why my head was so small. I guess westerners do have "smaller" heads/ less round face shapes, but I'm not sure why after 6 months they are only noticing it now? Also the new word of the week in public schools must of been "constipation" because many teachers this week had some great student stories about the word. I heard many of my kids this week asking each other if they were constipated. You also have the kids who just do';t understand the meaning of the words and use them in the wrong form. Sometimes I just let them entertain me instead of correcting them. Sooner of later they will learn.
This week is the end of another series so next Monday there will be shuffling of students, and some new kids to add to the mix. Summer vacation is coming soon for the kids here, so it will be interesting to see how many kids come to academy during summer break. I feel here they do not believe in breaks or vacation, and if their children have a chance to get ahead in education parents will push it. I suspect all my students will be at Moon Kkang all summer. You think the month of June is bad in school at home...try July and August in Korea. I can hear my students whining already.
Work is still going well. I have felt that communication has been weak lately between staff. I hope after letting the manager know that writing important messages in only Korean is of no help to Britt and I that it will improve. My kids are still as funny as ever. This week they were very confused as to why my head was so small. I guess westerners do have "smaller" heads/ less round face shapes, but I'm not sure why after 6 months they are only noticing it now? Also the new word of the week in public schools must of been "constipation" because many teachers this week had some great student stories about the word. I heard many of my kids this week asking each other if they were constipated. You also have the kids who just do';t understand the meaning of the words and use them in the wrong form. Sometimes I just let them entertain me instead of correcting them. Sooner of later they will learn.
This week is the end of another series so next Monday there will be shuffling of students, and some new kids to add to the mix. Summer vacation is coming soon for the kids here, so it will be interesting to see how many kids come to academy during summer break. I feel here they do not believe in breaks or vacation, and if their children have a chance to get ahead in education parents will push it. I suspect all my students will be at Moon Kkang all summer. You think the month of June is bad in school at home...try July and August in Korea. I can hear my students whining already.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Since Taiwan it has been fairly quite around here. Daegu has been the new weekend location. I have been to Daegu at least once a week for activities. For Bhudda's birthday we did a temple visit. Moon Kkang had a company soccer game followed by an amazing buffet lunch compliments of Mr. Moon. We also like to take advantage of Costco while in Daegu. Last weekend I went to Daegu with a group from Gumi for a Samsung Lions game and some Billabow. The weather is beautiful here, and summer is in full force. This weekend I am planning an island trip with some friends. Its a small island off the coast called Bijindo. Sun, sand, drinks, bbq and friends!
Work is going well, we are excited to get new teachers in July (one Korean and one foreign). That is all the news from this side. I thought I would just do a quick update, but keep posted for new pictures and island stories from the weekend.
Work is going well, we are excited to get new teachers in July (one Korean and one foreign). That is all the news from this side. I thought I would just do a quick update, but keep posted for new pictures and island stories from the weekend.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Taiwan
All week prior to our trip the weather in Taiwan was calling for rain. When we arrived at our boarding gate there was a sign posted with a 3 day forecast. Rain, Rain, Rain. Not such a great start to vacation, especially when the plan was to lay on the beach.
When we arrived in Taipei we had no real plans, especially due to the weather. We took a bus into the city where we were the only white people. I think as soon as we arrived I noticed some major differences between Taiwan and Korea.
1. Language, almost everyone spoke English.
2. Appearance, although they are both Asian countries the people in Taiwan have a more westernized look.
3. Size, people in Korea (men and women) are very petite and thin. Taiwan were taller and bigger.
4. Dogs, In Korea dogs are not treated as pets, and if you have a "pet" it usually lives outside and is not taken care of. In Taiwan people have dogs as pets and take them for walks/ care for them.
5. Tattoos, In Korea tattoos are shunned upon, and it is illegal to be a tattoo artist here. In Taiwan they were everywhere and not covered up by clothing.
6. Street smell, Korea stinks like sewer about 75% of the time. Taiwan had a few areas with "street smell" but nothing like Korea.
Saturday we spent the day traveling Taipei. We checked out Taipei 101 (the only real attraction) and a couple markets in the area. Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world and the view from the top is great....minus all the fog. We did a quick trip to a memorial hall, but when all the information is in Mandarin its not that interesting.
Sunday we ventured to the south coast of Taiwan to a small town called Kenting. The south coast offers the best beaches in the area, and we were looking for a couple days of sun. On a map Taiwan seems like a small country, but when we went to get information on a bus from Taipei to Kenting we found out it was going to take us 7+ hours. Instead of the bus we opted for taking the high speed rail which took about 2 hours, and arrived in Kenting just in time for prime time tanning. Sunday the weather turned out to be beautiful. We spent the day soaking up the sun...later we both ended up with a bad sunburn. I will blame it on the lack of tanning beds in Asia. There is no opportunity for a base tan here. Although laying on the beach for 6 hours in the sun for the first time all season might have something to do with it. Sunday night we went to a street market in the area, nothing overly exciting but something to do in the evening.
Monday we enjoyed the morning at the B&B and hit up the beach in the afternoon. It rained late in the afternoon. At the time it could of snowed, we were just happy to be away from work and kids. Monday evening we checked out the aquarium. It was a task and a half to get there, Kenting is a small town and not many people spoke English and there are no taxis. This is where I realized I know more Korean than I thought I did. In Korea I would be able to communicate where I wanted to go, but in Taiwan they speak Mandarin and I know none. We eventually made our way to the aquarium just before closing, but we lucked in and got to see a feeding which was cool. We did a quick run through before heading back to Taipei for the night.
Tuesday was our last day. I spent the morning having a relaxation foot massage. I will say it was relaxing. Before the massage they assess your energy and organ function. All were working fine except my liver which had a value of 78 (20-30 is normal). I was told I should detox. I told her it was Korea and Soju that made my liver work over time.
It was a quick trip but a very nice mental break from Korea/ kids. I'm not sure I would recommend Taiwan as a vacation location or a must see, but it was perfect for us. All we needed was a beach, and the south coast provided that. Also traveling to countries in monsoon season is not recommended. It becomes a little depressing when the forecast calls for rain, although we lucked in and the weather didn't prevent us from any activities.
When we arrived in Taipei we had no real plans, especially due to the weather. We took a bus into the city where we were the only white people. I think as soon as we arrived I noticed some major differences between Taiwan and Korea.
1. Language, almost everyone spoke English.
2. Appearance, although they are both Asian countries the people in Taiwan have a more westernized look.
3. Size, people in Korea (men and women) are very petite and thin. Taiwan were taller and bigger.
4. Dogs, In Korea dogs are not treated as pets, and if you have a "pet" it usually lives outside and is not taken care of. In Taiwan people have dogs as pets and take them for walks/ care for them.
5. Tattoos, In Korea tattoos are shunned upon, and it is illegal to be a tattoo artist here. In Taiwan they were everywhere and not covered up by clothing.
6. Street smell, Korea stinks like sewer about 75% of the time. Taiwan had a few areas with "street smell" but nothing like Korea.
Saturday we spent the day traveling Taipei. We checked out Taipei 101 (the only real attraction) and a couple markets in the area. Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world and the view from the top is great....minus all the fog. We did a quick trip to a memorial hall, but when all the information is in Mandarin its not that interesting.
Sunday we ventured to the south coast of Taiwan to a small town called Kenting. The south coast offers the best beaches in the area, and we were looking for a couple days of sun. On a map Taiwan seems like a small country, but when we went to get information on a bus from Taipei to Kenting we found out it was going to take us 7+ hours. Instead of the bus we opted for taking the high speed rail which took about 2 hours, and arrived in Kenting just in time for prime time tanning. Sunday the weather turned out to be beautiful. We spent the day soaking up the sun...later we both ended up with a bad sunburn. I will blame it on the lack of tanning beds in Asia. There is no opportunity for a base tan here. Although laying on the beach for 6 hours in the sun for the first time all season might have something to do with it. Sunday night we went to a street market in the area, nothing overly exciting but something to do in the evening.
Monday we enjoyed the morning at the B&B and hit up the beach in the afternoon. It rained late in the afternoon. At the time it could of snowed, we were just happy to be away from work and kids. Monday evening we checked out the aquarium. It was a task and a half to get there, Kenting is a small town and not many people spoke English and there are no taxis. This is where I realized I know more Korean than I thought I did. In Korea I would be able to communicate where I wanted to go, but in Taiwan they speak Mandarin and I know none. We eventually made our way to the aquarium just before closing, but we lucked in and got to see a feeding which was cool. We did a quick run through before heading back to Taipei for the night.
Tuesday was our last day. I spent the morning having a relaxation foot massage. I will say it was relaxing. Before the massage they assess your energy and organ function. All were working fine except my liver which had a value of 78 (20-30 is normal). I was told I should detox. I told her it was Korea and Soju that made my liver work over time.
It was a quick trip but a very nice mental break from Korea/ kids. I'm not sure I would recommend Taiwan as a vacation location or a must see, but it was perfect for us. All we needed was a beach, and the south coast provided that. Also traveling to countries in monsoon season is not recommended. It becomes a little depressing when the forecast calls for rain, although we lucked in and the weather didn't prevent us from any activities.
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