Birthdays, Bowling, and Bowing-Out

This past weekend was filled with lots of birthday fun and soccer craziness. I must say, it was a little heart-breaking to see Korea lose after making it to the top 16. Everyone was so hyped up and the expectations were so high. Just when I thought I might still have a team to cheer on, the USA goes and loses their game as well. It was a sad sad day for futbol fans in many places.

Friday night was Sam's 25th golden birthday and I traveled to Seosan to help her celebrate. We drank outside at a beautiful little park in a Korean gazebo. Afterwards we headed to her favorite local bar for a spectacular fire show and some great dance beats. We then bar hopped to another establishment where we enjoyed some super-sugary drinks and darts. It was a ton of fun and I was so glad I could be there with her to celebrate and see her in rare form. "Look at this. This water looks deliciousssss!" -Sam, to some stranger in the bathroom after she tried to put the glass in the soap-holder and say it was a cup holder. Good times.

the gazebo in the park

Bum giving us a bad-ass fire show

birthday girl and I

Saturday night held more birthday celebrations. Our friends, Frank and Alex were celebrating their birthdays and we all gathered at an upscale bowling alley in a ritzy area of Seoul called Apujeong. Saturday night also happened to be the Korea VS. Uruguay game. After a few games of bowling, some food and beers, the game began and the place was alive with screaming fans and cries of "dae han min guk!" Even though Korea played tough and got one great goal, they were no match for the South American players and lost in the end 1-2. Even though no one was jumping for joy, everyone still wanted to enjoy the night so we headed over to a dance club near by and were treated to head-throbbing music and buckets of alcohol while dancing to the top American Top 40 soundtrack. What more could you ask for to drown your soccer sorrows?

shots with the birthday boy, boyfriend, and brother

black-light bowling!

group shot

Namaste

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

One year ago today I was embarking on the best and longest vacation of my life, a 6.5 week backpacking trip through Africa and a bit of Europe with a great friend. One year ago today teaching in Korea was a distant hope. One year ago today I had the whole summer to look forward to working as a public school teacher in America. One year ago today I was a single gal surrounded by close friends and family living in my hometown.

Crazy how much life changes in one year.

I have actually been swamped at work the past couple of weeks. Korean public schools are obsessed with the idea of open classes. An open class is when you basically put on your smiling happy face and fake the shit out of a lesson, trying to pretend that teaching "who is she?" and "my father is a pilot" are the most exciting concepts you have ever heard of. It is all just for show as lessons are never this well planned or timed and studnets' behavior is never anywhere near this level of attentiveness and quiet. Open classes are more trouble than they are worth in my opinion. I have only one more left (that I know of) next week and then I'm in the clear... until next semester.

Besides all the open classes, I had an awful day at work yesterday. (I try to keep this blog positive and upbeat, but sometimes it's necessary to vent.) My school changed my summer vacation on me after months of me asking "are you sure that I can have this time off?" and "has the summer schedule been approved yet?" and hearing "no, but it will be fine" and "don't worry". Of course it wasn't. My vice principal decided that my other co-teacher and I would have to teach 4 weeks of summer camp instead of 2. I also found out that while I came into work for 4 weeks every day during my winter camp while NO other teachers were in the building I could have gone home in the afternoons instead of staring at a computer screen banging my head against the desk of boredom and spent my 20 hours of 'at home work' that I never knew about. Lovely. To make matters worse, my 5th grade students were horrendous yesterday. Their behavior was some of the worst and rudest I have EVER seen in students, and mind you I have taught students in three different countries now. Trying to teach them was miserable. I am pretty sure that I sound just like the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons, you know- the whomp, whomp, whomp... I also have to try and communicate this to my co-teacher who, by the way does not really speak English well. (First thing she said when I met her a few months ago was "Me English- no good.") And on top of everything else, someone stole my shoes. Yes. I have to wear indoor shoes inside the building and when I went into my cubbie yesterday morning they were gone and all that was left was a pair of men's work shoes many sizes too big. Ugh.

No worries, folks, things are all good. Thank God for supportive family, friends, and boyfriend, otherwise I would not have been able to last these 9 months here in Korea. By the way, today is my 9 month anniversary in Korea. 3/4 of the way done with my 1 year commitment!

Namaste

A Day for Fathers

"All fathers are invisible in daytime; daytime is ruled by mothers and fathers come out at night. Darkness brings home fathers, with their real, unspeakable power. There is more to fathers than meets the eye. "

-Margaret Atwood

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there. I hope your days are filled with family and happiness.

Thank you for all you do for me and our family, Dad. You are a great man and I am proud to have you as my father. I love you.


Namaste

Love and War

Aren't all the greatest stories comprised of these two elements? This one was no exception.

When I saw that the opera, AIDA, was coming to Seoul for one weekend only I jumped at the chance to get some tickets. It has always been one of my items on my so-called bucket list to see a live opera performance. The opera was performed at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House. The theatre was huge and very elegant. Our seats were up high, but we still had a great view of the stage.

AIDA was a fantastic show and I loved every minute of it (sans the few at the end when my eyes were drooping like a cartoon character and my head was nodding to the side like I was dozing in a high school lecture and Sean had to nudge me back to full attention- it was a long week. I was tired.) The performers were nothing short of amazing. The main characters were all husky Italians with voices like butter. The army of supporting roles and dancers belonged to Korean students from an Art school. I was mesmerized by the lights, colors, sounds, ambiance of the entire performance. By the end of the show the applause for the performers was one of the longest and most respectful I have ever seen at a live show.

I loved the opera and can't wait for my second one, hopefully in NYC.

I snuck a photo of the stage

Sean and I at the Seoul Arts Center

Namaste

Dae-han-min-guk!

This has become the victory cry for soccer fans in Korea. The weeks leading up to the World Cup kick off have been exciting over here in Korea, as I'm sure elsewhere in the world too. After Korea placing in the top 4 in the 2002 World Cup finals, the expectations and anticipations for the Korean team to perform this year have been set high. The madness leading up to the first game was apparent as people began donning red shirts, integrating soccer and Korean soccer star, Park Ji-Sung, into TV commercials and ads all around, and even having one of the hottest K-pop bands, Super Junior, creating a song featuring Kim Yu-Na called Victory Korea.

Check out the music video for Victory Korea here (this version not featuring Kim Yu-Na):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdYAYPjZ4M&feature=channel

Saturday arrived quickly and unfortunately mother nature decided to rain on our parade here in Korea, literally. There were many huge outdoor screens all around the country and four in Seoul where the first game was to be broadcast with huge crowds of people, but many like me decided to stay indoors and dry instead of braving the wet to cheer on team Korea. [Side note: I am and always will be a true American fan and root for my team to the end, but I have become part of the mass of red-screaming-devil-horn-wearing people for the time being. Proud of my American team for their first non-loss as well!] We chose a bar in Gangnam to watch the game that night and lucked out getting the last table available. Every time Korea scored a goal, the crowd in the bar went nuts. The energy in the room was pulsating and the crowds in the streets after the first victory were unbelievable. Korean fans and expats alike were shooting off fireworks, shouting at the top of their lungs, and generally acting ridiculous. Needless to say it was quite a sight and a World Cup experience that will remain unmatched. I am pumped for game two!

mini CASS parade before the game

with our red gear all ready for kickoff

we got our devil horns

the streets in Gangnam after the win

Check out the anticipation before the kickoff at the bar here:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100226404555319

Namaste

Mmmmmmm.......

..... home-made meatballs and spaghetti. For the first time in Korea.

noodles +

sauce and veggies +

meatballs =

voila!

Makes me miss the Scuderi's a huge amount.

Namaste

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid

I forget where that slogan was from, but it popped into my head when Sean and I entered a huge famous amusement park in Seoul this weekend, Lotte World. Lotte World is part indoor/part outdoor theme park complete with rides, games, treats, and even an indoor ice-skating rink. Supposedly the indoor portion is the largest indoor amusement park in the world. The park was filled with Korean and foreign families, teenagers and couples galore, and lots and lots of smiling kids. Almost every single Korean girl there was wearing a giant sparkly bow or animal ears on their heads. Even some guys followed the trend too.

only for a photo, I didn't give in to the trend and make a purchase

We waited in lines. Lots of lines. We ate delicious and unhealthy amusement park-treats like corn dogs, ice cream, and fries. We screamed our heads off flying through the air or dropping into oblivion on some great rides. We had a blast acting like kids for the day. Definitely two thumbs up for Lotte World.

Sean and I posing at Lotte World

inside Lotte World

in front of the castle outside

dippin' dots, yummm

the castle at night was so pretty!

Namaste

North VS South

Just wanted to give you all a little update on the situation here on the South Korean peninsula. Everything is fine. There is no violence and there are very little worries about violence actually occurring. The news with all the North VS South drama has been hyped up in the media due to the local elections that are being held today here in South Korea. As you have read, the South claims it has overwhelming evidence that it was indeed North Korea who fired the torpedo which killed sailors on a South Korean ship back in March. North Korea denies it of course. North and South Korea have been at a sort of unrest since the end of the Korean war years ago. Experts and most Korean people I have talked to believe that there will not be another war or any attacks because North Korea would be completely overwhelmed and cut off from the world even more than they are now. It is just a little scary though, that nuclear weapons are in the hands of a crazy government with a nut-case (Kim Jung-il) as their leader. So anyways, tensions are not high here, they are fine. Everyone is really just speculating at this point and there is absolutely no reason to worry. It's all good.

Let's continue to hope and pray for peace.

Happy June!

Namaste

Just Call Me Pocahontas

I was lucky enough to have a 5 day weekend which was more than I could have hoped for. Time away from my job was just what I needed and after a fantastic weekend in Jeju island, two extra days to relax were a bonus.

Sean and I went exploring on Tuesday in Seongnam. Seongnam is the city I live in, but the area I live is called Bundang. Bundang is a really upscale trendy expensive area to live in and differs tremendously from the rest of Seongnam. The other areas of Seongnam are a bit ghetto if you will. A few years ago the government moved the poor people out of areas of Seoul and relocated them here in Seongnam. You can immediately tell when you cross over from Bundang to Seongnam. The people, store fronts, and general atmosphere is different.

As we were about to begin hiking up a trail through the city we discovered an archery range on the slope of a hill. We looked at each other, said "why not" and paid the 3,000 won to try our hand at archery. Let me tell you, shooting a bow and arrow is a tough thing to do. You have to use a lot of arm strength and balance in order to aim correctly at your target. After being showed what to do I practiced and finally got the hang of it. I hit was able to even hit the circle a few times and the older Korean men there were clapping for me and told Sean in Korean that I should join the Olympic team. It was a lot of fun and totally random. Sean and I really gained some respect for Native Americans after that discussing and wondering how the hell they were able to shoot those things while riding horses too.

Sean's turn

my turn

I hit inside the red!

There is a big market in that area as well and walking through it was an experience. I was trying to photograph different things and most people didn't mind, but some were asking me not to take photographs. People were selling everything from fresh produce, to meat, seafood, and even random house hold odds and ends. There was one man using a machine to make rice cakes and home made popped corn and rice. We stopped and watched the process for a while. The device he used got really hot and then made a loud exploding sound and all of a sudden the popped rice or corn came out. The popped corn was a delicious and healthy snack.

After a night out dancing and drinking with friends on Tuesday night, we hopped in a taxi home. Before I knew it we had been side-swiped by another car and we were left sitting in the middle of an on-ramp to the highway. After a few minutes we decided to get out and grab another ride home praying that we would make it safe. Thank God no one was hurt or anything, but it was still scary. The roads in Korea are bad and Seoul is the worst. People are not careful drivers at all and cab drivers and bus drivers are notoriously dangerous and reckless. I am totally fine and everything is ok, but I continue to say a little prayer every time I get into one of those vehicles.

As I've mentioned before, Korea is full of all kinds of random and fun things to explore. I love making little finds and trying new things. I also love getting a good photo and will do just about anything to do so, even if it means risking getting scolded by an ajuma saleswoman.

Namaste

Island of the Spirits

This past weekend I ventured to one of the most southern parts of Korea, Jeju-do. Jeju is an island off the southern coast of Korea and is a self-governing province. Jeju island is composed almost entirely of volcanic rock and in the heart of the land amid a sea of mountains is a huge volcanic crater. It is known as the 'island of the spirits' and is a favorite get away and honeymoon spot for many Koreans.

Sean and I flew from Seoul and arrived in Jeju a mere 55 minutes later. Coming into the island from the air was a real visual treat. The landscape was all a giant patchwork of colors and reminded me of a Cezanne painting or something. The deep greens and foliage accented the yellow fields beautifully. As I mentioned, the island is mountainous and I could see the view of Hallasan Park and Halla Mountain, the tallest mountain in Korea, from the plane as well.

On the plane I looked around and noticed that I was the only white person on the entire flight. This has never happened in my entire life, and I have been on my fare share of flights to various places. During our stay in Jeju we saw other white foreigners, but I never saw any other white people at my hotel either. During our complementary brunch each morning while I was pouring my cereal and getting my toast, the Korean guests were piling their plates with rice and kimchi. It's such a difference in diet and the ways of thinking about food here. Korean people are generally very thin and fit, so maybe I should consider kimchi and rice for breakfast. I just don't think I'm ready to let go of my cereal spoon quite yet.

We rented a car and spent the next three days driving all over the small island. Jeju is just gorgeous. There are so many different parts to the island that we discovered. Along the northern coast is Jeju city and some really pretty beaches. We drove through the southern coast and discovered some breathtaking waterfalls and rocky coastlines. The eastern part of the island was also choppy and covered in volcanic rock, but the water was crystal clear and different shades of blues and turquoises. Throughout the middle of the island the scenery was so similar to middle America it was uncanny; farm land outlined by coniferous trees everywhere. It really reminded me of so many of the drives I have taken throughout Indiana.

beautiful beach and lots of wind

shadows in the sand

rocky coastline

in front of a waterfall

Jeju is famous for a few kinds of foods. One is the black pork that they serve as BBQ. These pigs are actually black in color and have a soft texture and unique flavor. I got to enjoy this local specialty for lunch one day and it was actually quite delicious. One of the other things that Jeju is famous for is their orange-like fruits called gamgyul. They are unique in shape as they look like oranges with an extra little knob on the top. They are so juicy and taste amazing. They also use this flavor to make some special Jeju chocolate. The chocolate is layered with the orange flavor in between two layers of rich chocolate. It's some of the best chocolate I've ever had. Mmmmm.

gamgyul fruits

eating some black pork and bulgogi for lunch

Sean and I had every intention coming to Jeju of climbing Halla Mountain and viewing the famous crater at the top. Once we arrived at Hallasan Park we quickly were informed that this feat would be pretty much insane. The hike to the top of the mountain takes a good 5 hours and another 5 to return. The entire climb is straight uphill on steps that are built into the path. After looking around and seeing all the Koreans with their hiking gear and professional backpacks, hats, gloves, hiking sticks, shoes, etc. we realized we were not prepared in our gym shorts and tee-shirt and tank top. We opted for a shorter route and only made it about 20 minutes before we were both dripping sweat and decided to turn around. I am not ashamed to say that we are not hiking people, but I do need to resume my running stairs exercises if I have any intention of climbing the Great Wall in September.

Halla Mountain

Every sight and landmark that we wanted to see charged a small admission. It was kind of silly, but we didn't mind spending 3,000 won here or there in order to be proper tourists. We checked out waterfalls, an extinct crater, Sangumburi, and other cheesy sights such as a miniature park with the world's famous buildings all built to a small miniature size. We saw a few different Buddhist temples. They never fail to astonish me. The architecture and aura are so beautiful and mysterious to me. We checked out a few beaches, but unfortunately the weather was still too chilly for sunbathing or swimming. One day we drove to see Manjanggul, the world's longest lava tube. It was similar to a cave inside, dark and wet. It was a little disappointing as it was freezing cold, very hard to see, and there was water dripping left and right from the ceiling of the cave.

Manjanggul lava tube entrance

Buddhist temple

Buddha statue

temple in the mountains

statue at the temple

rows of tiny sculptures

huge golden Buddha

My favorite part of the trip was when we visited a small peninsula within the island on the eastern side. The peninsula is called Phoenix Island, even though it's not really a separate island. Sean and I enjoyed an upscale set course meal for lunch in a fabulous restaurant, Mint, made of glass overlooking the water. Mint is located on the grounds of a fancy resort and you have to take a shuttle bus just to get there from the main resort area. The scenery was just stunning. After eating we walked down to the cliff overlooking the coastline. Even though the wind was fierce, we climbed to the top of a lighthouse tower and soaked in the 360 degree view of the area.

lighthouse near the restaurant

I was surprised by all the large stone statues we saw everywhere around the island. Dol hareubang statues were literally all around us. They are these stone grandfather carvings made out of basalt rock that are believed to provide protection from demons and also used for fertility. They are kind of like the token symbol on Jeju.

dol hareubang statue

The trip was a perfect get away. It felt amazing to be on an airplane again after my 8 months of sitting tight. Korea is full of so much lovely natural beauty and Jeju island is no exception. I feel blessed I got to spend three wonderful days exploring.

love the beach

Namaste