Seems like I live for weekends, but what's funny is that when I'm done on Friday, I'm not sure what to do with myself! Well, not for long...there's always 'eye shopping' to do! oh yes. too much. All the little things you can manage to do. I try to stay at home enough so I dont spend too much. I have to save after all! I came here for that reason... They have such pretty stuff here that is so cheap! Thank goodness the shoes dont fit me!
And most of the clothes, but actually after losing all this weight, I think I could fit into stuff! Scary thought. I actually found a pair of pants that fit me the other day! Woohoo!
Anyhoo...
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Strange and wonderful country
Well yes, this is a strange country sometimes. I'm trying to remember all my observations, but I always seem to forget them when I sit down to write. Hmmm... One rightnow is that they serve sponge cake and whipped cream and cherry tomatoes together! Interesting. The taxis can go ahead of the cars at a light, and go right around to the front if they're not too far behind...gotta love that. The kids get a birthday cake and the teachers eat it. Yep..that happens...poor kids. Maybe that's a good idea tho. Not so much sugar high. Ha ha.
I went to E-mart last night to get some groceries. It's like a superstore but a huge 5 floor one. one floor for groceries, another for clothes, another for household stuff, and others for services...etc. Quite a good idea, actually. Stores usually have only one of an item...department stores or not. What you see on the rack is what u get, so everything looks like a mishmash of stuff, but somehow it works. There are individual stores on the one department floor, so any section you go to is a different subsection store. The thing I like is how special you feel. Everyone is expected to tag along with you while you are browsing or shopping. At first it was a bit uncomfortable and annoying..but u get used to it. The key words are 'eye shopping'.
The special feeling is from all the attendees bowing to you if you pass by or give any sort of attention their way. It feels like a red carpet sometimes. And very polite with a twist of class to it...even if it's normal here. I wonder what I'll do when i get back to Canada and start bowing to everyone!! Just habit now.
Gotta run to class now.
Later...
I went to E-mart last night to get some groceries. It's like a superstore but a huge 5 floor one. one floor for groceries, another for clothes, another for household stuff, and others for services...etc. Quite a good idea, actually. Stores usually have only one of an item...department stores or not. What you see on the rack is what u get, so everything looks like a mishmash of stuff, but somehow it works. There are individual stores on the one department floor, so any section you go to is a different subsection store. The thing I like is how special you feel. Everyone is expected to tag along with you while you are browsing or shopping. At first it was a bit uncomfortable and annoying..but u get used to it. The key words are 'eye shopping'.
The special feeling is from all the attendees bowing to you if you pass by or give any sort of attention their way. It feels like a red carpet sometimes. And very polite with a twist of class to it...even if it's normal here. I wonder what I'll do when i get back to Canada and start bowing to everyone!! Just habit now.
Gotta run to class now.
Later...
Monday, February 20, 2006
Reverse Banana = Yello Belt!!
Yayyyy! I got my yellow belt tonight! And I didnt sit out as much! I'm so excited! Accomplishment! Never thought or imagined really doing this. Love it.
Last weekend I went to Seoul and Suwon (a city close to Seoul) where my friend Candice lives. It was her birthday on Sunday...she hit the 30 mark! We went and danced and she teased the Korean boys by giving them a note from the 'Canadian girls'! It was so much fun! It's just fun to see their reaction cuz they're so shy! Good thing they're not my type tho..!! Even if they do dress amazingly. Darnit!
So I'm watching the Olympics in Korean...kindof interesting.
Back to Seoul. I went up on Friday night....got there at 9:30 on the bus. I was planning on going right to Suwon to Candice's but I was too tired, and decided to stay in a jimjilbang (sauna). Man I love Korea for that. So about 8 dollars and you have a luxurious feeling shower and sauna and hot tub which I believe has herbs in it (?), and a place to sleep. Then a shower in the morning, and everything you need to get ready for the day...and feel relaxed. LOVE it. What am I gonna do when I get back to Canada??? I guess i'm going to have to build one myself!
This one had a nice sleeping loft. The ceiling wasnt very high though. Maybe 5' high. But that wasnt a problem, really.
So then I went by an art shop...oh man....keep me out of there! They have great ceramic sculptures you can paint or do whatever with. Man, would I LOVE to get a Venus or bust of Beethoven or something sometime.
Then I got myself on the subway (which is a feat in itself- they can be quite complicated or simple too- but it takes a lot more energy than you realize until you do it) and headed towntown Seoul. I went to see where this bookstore was, and found a gem of a place. I really like how Seoul is laid out downtown. Once you start to understand where everything is..not that I have mastered that by any means!
Then after I went and saw the Samsung Tower in the daylight! Woohooo! So, there I am staring up at it...the landmark of Seoul....and I think to myself, I thought....why am I not going UP there?! So I did just that! I went in, and found the elevator, and went up up up to the 33 floor! (interesting number)...and as soon as I got off the elevator.....WOW! I have pictures to prove it. You are standing in the core of the building, and there is a hallway to the 'circle' surrounding it. It's really quite incredible to stand there and see the gap and look down 33 floors to the ground and the little cars and people...etc. There was a wedding up there in the restaraunt and bar/lounge. Ooooh it was beautiful. I didnt go in to the wedding because I looked like a hiker in a fur coat...which is quite rediculous when you think of it...but I would have crashed the party for sure if I could! Picture opportunity!
So I stared out the window for a few minutes....and then just before I left, I found the washrooms. Every good interior designer or person who appreciates it should Always check out the washrooms!! And man...it surpassed my expectations! The women's door is in a short hallway, directly at the end. It is opaque frosted glass in white with a black silouette of a woman on it. And then ......I walked in..and ...
OH MAN....I was standing there with my jaw hanging open..literally for about a minute or what seemed longer. There, right in front of me was a stunning black and white toilet with a huge window looking over Seoul to the mountains. WOW! It tops my top 10 list of the best toilets I've seen. (the word is toilet here for washroom, and I'm trying to get that into my head)
Yep, now I'm rambling, but who Cares!
So I had to run and meet Candice at another subway station...so off again. I wish i had time to go see the big palaces there...but I will have to at another time. Soo much to do, and so little time!
Met Candice at Namdaemun Market, and went looking at all the stuff. It really can get overwhelming but its so fun to see.
Then we went back to Suwon when it just got too overwhelming! I was carrying my backpack and a heavy bag with me too...then we went out dancing and to a noraebang (karaoke room) till 4am! Man, its been a looong time since I've stayed up that late! But noraebang is perrrfect late at night! Especially when you have a cold and your voice is hoarse anyway. The reverb that seems to be permanent on the mic isnt so bad then! lol
Sunday we got up and the mission was to go and get some hair stuff to do Candice's hair. I went and forgot my scissors and everything like a dumba** . So after eating a breakfast of 'toastuh' which is how you say 'toast' in Korean (heh heh). It's so yummy... fried egg and cheese with hot pepper sauce and mustard. Couldnt be any more perfect. (wow..hows that for crazy English). YUM. Sat there looking at the fortress gate under a red umbrella. I can't belive I'm FINALLY able to experience this!
Went to the hair supply store, and got LUCKY! I got a pair of scissors so cheap I dont even want to tell you! Okay okay, they were SEVENTEEN thousand won. Take the 'thousand' off and that's how much they cost in Canadian! OH MAN! I was like a kid in a candy store! CRAZY! Mind you they're probably not the best quality of metal..but who cares!!
Then we went and got my train ticket just to be sure. Last time I thought I could catch one pretty much any time, but they only go at 6:30 and 10:00. Last time I had to wait 2 hours to get the 10:00 train which got to Gwangju at 3 am. Nope...dont want to do that again.
Then back to the house to do Candice's hair...which turned out super cool...of course! ;) heh heh... and then by that time it was time for me to go. Ugh...not NEARLY enough time to do the stuff we wanted to.
Oh, before I forget, I have to say that we saw a girl getting her nails done, and she was having the tips painted in POLKA DOTS! man, I want mine like that!!! How cool is that? The trend is to leave the nail bare looking, and just paint the tips whatever you want. A pattern, or solid or a sparkle coating that fades off into your natural nail. Man, that's fun.
Well, that's about it for now. I gotta go baste in the realization that I've graduated to yellow belt. Yeehaw! And the taekwondo master invited me to his house on Sat afternoon. That will be interesting I'm sure! I'm trying to figure out how I work this though, because they will for sure be inviting me for dinner, and I dont' want to bother saying I'm vegetarian, because they'll get all stressed out about it...and not know what to do. Sometimes I've found its just better to not say it, and just pick out what you can eat. But I dont want to offend them either. Well, whaddya do.
Sidebar-I dont like using wood chopsticks anymore! I find that the metal skinny ones are better and easier! Imagine that! Ha!
Okay...time to go to bed.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Oh yah...Valentine's Day
It was a good day... It was a lovely morning waking up to a special email to start my day. Right on time too.
Got a lot of chocolates for the kids, and had fun giving them out....
..then today....I decided to get myself some roses. White of course, and a few pink....thinking about my Grandma Orlo. I can't believe that she's gone. So unreal.
So I'll think of her and some other people who are special to me everytime I look at them.
Bollucks Valentine's anyway! Why can't we do things nice everyday?
Got a lot of chocolates for the kids, and had fun giving them out....
..then today....I decided to get myself some roses. White of course, and a few pink....thinking about my Grandma Orlo. I can't believe that she's gone. So unreal.
So I'll think of her and some other people who are special to me everytime I look at them.
Bollucks Valentine's anyway! Why can't we do things nice everyday?
Well what a day. I started at 11 am as usual today, and about 15 mins before the end of class, Rachel came in and told me that Mr. Shim wanted to have lunch with me. Ugh...so I get all paranoid, wondering what's wrong, and getting all these thoughts in my head. How can u tell that I'm at what they call the 3 month blues.
It turns out that it was the 3 month let's take the English teachers out to dinner! Man, why do I do that to myself?! Anyway, it was a wonderful lunch at a really nice Chinese restaraunt. We had two traditional Chinese dishes, I wish I could remember the names of them, accompanied by Korean kimchi and radish and seaweed, etc... The service was impeccable, and it was served as a 5 course lunch. First the radish and kimchi and seaweed, with a plate of 'plankton' which was really surprisingly yummy. I never imagined eating plankton! I thought it was only something the creatures of the sea ate! But I should know better. Korea IS the sea! Well it seems like that's all u eat here! Cabbage and rice and seaweed and every animal from the sea imaginable, or unimaginable! Ha ha! Not that there's anything wrong with it.
....so back to the meal, the plankton was served beautifully in a mound with 3 pieces of something on the side that I actually tried. I thought it was a mussel or something, because it was a slice of something purple and around it was a brown jelly like substance. So, I was feeling like I could stomach something adventurous, and so I tried it. It turned out to be a duck egg! And it tasted like a smoky hard boiled egg! Interesting. And not that bad at all.
Then there was a soup of clear jelly like broth and small pieces of something white and orangy-red. It was a crab soup with egg. So I tried it too, and it was pretty good. The thing I have a hard time with is the slimy texture...but other than that...
Then we were served a plate of deep fried pork and a few veggies in sweet and sour sauce. I had some veggies. Yum.
And then fried rice. And then desert of lychee and pineapple. Yum! And of course through the whole thing was a wonderful green tea.
In terms of the interior- sigh- it was beautiful!!! Especially the chairs. They were authentic Chinese sitting chairs complete with dark stain and bowed back and arm rests. A bit narrower than I remember they were supposed to be, but it makes sense if the people are smaller. There was bamboo 'trees', and Chinese wood carved plaques on the wall. The walls were in dark grey plaster, floors in tinted concrete (dark grey-green) - quite nice, really. The walls on one side of the restaraunt, right over the raised 'traditional' platform were in a Gorgeous red wallpaper with gold designs on it. Oh...WHY did I forget my camera? Well, I suppose its about time that I exercise my writing abilities. Lazy English or no. (yes Michael..I admit it!)
And then, just as suddenly, after Mr. Shim said that Koreans eat fast...we were up and out the door!
It's amazing really, how food defines or is definative of a culture and country. I was just watching Jamie's Kitchen on TV. My new fave show...because I didnt ever watch TV at home in Vancouver very much on purpose. But I LOVE this guy! It's him on his trip to Italy right now. And something I noticed... everyone likes to wear gloves when cooking food, and they did in Italy too (on the show). Hmm..smart really. The red pepper paste can stain quite a bit, and cleanliness is comforting!
And tonight I actually went out to eat..and finally tried the Korean porridge restaraunts I keep passing. I had vegetable soup..and wow was that GOOD! I'll be a regular there! IT's rice with a thick broth...like when you cook oatmeal with lots of water, and it's slightly slimy. JUST how I like it. And smal chopped veggies.
I really miss cooking, but yet I dont because my time is experiencing now. Even though I can't cook and bake here that much, I'm enjoying learning that as a vegetarian, eating here isnt really that bad at all! I feel really quite healthy! Healthier than I have been in a long time. Yay!
But, today I got sick AGAIN. UGH. Must have been the Valentines chocolate. And/or me punishing myself worrying about stuff I dont need to. All of that. And I'm going to Seoul tomorrow and I ALWAYS manage to be sick! How does that happen???!
Argh...and speaking of...I'm going to go and sleep as much as I can tonight. Worrying myself sick isnt good!!
It turns out that it was the 3 month let's take the English teachers out to dinner! Man, why do I do that to myself?! Anyway, it was a wonderful lunch at a really nice Chinese restaraunt. We had two traditional Chinese dishes, I wish I could remember the names of them, accompanied by Korean kimchi and radish and seaweed, etc... The service was impeccable, and it was served as a 5 course lunch. First the radish and kimchi and seaweed, with a plate of 'plankton' which was really surprisingly yummy. I never imagined eating plankton! I thought it was only something the creatures of the sea ate! But I should know better. Korea IS the sea! Well it seems like that's all u eat here! Cabbage and rice and seaweed and every animal from the sea imaginable, or unimaginable! Ha ha! Not that there's anything wrong with it.
....so back to the meal, the plankton was served beautifully in a mound with 3 pieces of something on the side that I actually tried. I thought it was a mussel or something, because it was a slice of something purple and around it was a brown jelly like substance. So, I was feeling like I could stomach something adventurous, and so I tried it. It turned out to be a duck egg! And it tasted like a smoky hard boiled egg! Interesting. And not that bad at all.
Then there was a soup of clear jelly like broth and small pieces of something white and orangy-red. It was a crab soup with egg. So I tried it too, and it was pretty good. The thing I have a hard time with is the slimy texture...but other than that...
Then we were served a plate of deep fried pork and a few veggies in sweet and sour sauce. I had some veggies. Yum.
And then fried rice. And then desert of lychee and pineapple. Yum! And of course through the whole thing was a wonderful green tea.
In terms of the interior- sigh- it was beautiful!!! Especially the chairs. They were authentic Chinese sitting chairs complete with dark stain and bowed back and arm rests. A bit narrower than I remember they were supposed to be, but it makes sense if the people are smaller. There was bamboo 'trees', and Chinese wood carved plaques on the wall. The walls were in dark grey plaster, floors in tinted concrete (dark grey-green) - quite nice, really. The walls on one side of the restaraunt, right over the raised 'traditional' platform were in a Gorgeous red wallpaper with gold designs on it. Oh...WHY did I forget my camera? Well, I suppose its about time that I exercise my writing abilities. Lazy English or no. (yes Michael..I admit it!)
And then, just as suddenly, after Mr. Shim said that Koreans eat fast...we were up and out the door!
It's amazing really, how food defines or is definative of a culture and country. I was just watching Jamie's Kitchen on TV. My new fave show...because I didnt ever watch TV at home in Vancouver very much on purpose. But I LOVE this guy! It's him on his trip to Italy right now. And something I noticed... everyone likes to wear gloves when cooking food, and they did in Italy too (on the show). Hmm..smart really. The red pepper paste can stain quite a bit, and cleanliness is comforting!
And tonight I actually went out to eat..and finally tried the Korean porridge restaraunts I keep passing. I had vegetable soup..and wow was that GOOD! I'll be a regular there! IT's rice with a thick broth...like when you cook oatmeal with lots of water, and it's slightly slimy. JUST how I like it. And smal chopped veggies.
I really miss cooking, but yet I dont because my time is experiencing now. Even though I can't cook and bake here that much, I'm enjoying learning that as a vegetarian, eating here isnt really that bad at all! I feel really quite healthy! Healthier than I have been in a long time. Yay!
But, today I got sick AGAIN. UGH. Must have been the Valentines chocolate. And/or me punishing myself worrying about stuff I dont need to. All of that. And I'm going to Seoul tomorrow and I ALWAYS manage to be sick! How does that happen???!
Argh...and speaking of...I'm going to go and sleep as much as I can tonight. Worrying myself sick isnt good!!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Where does the time go?
Well, here it is - the day before V day. And I'm reminiscing of Korean ways....I suppose not reminiscing, but contemplating. Yep, I feel like actually writing in a bit more of a proper English way. Okay, so much for that!
All the stores and streets are loaded with the 'frouffiest' (non-English word?!) Valentine stuff that you could even imagine. Big humonsterous (my own English word) baskets of 'stuff', huge stuffed animals or chocolates all individually wrapped and decorated as cute anything! Hard to explain all the stuff. Oh, but guess what. Valentines is different here because only the girls have to buy something for the guys! What the...?!! And then they developed a day called 'White Day' where the guys buy for the girls! Imagine that!
Oh, and there's 'Black Day' too. That's when everyone who is single wears completely black, and they eat black noodles with black sauce and EVERYTHING is black! That makes complete sense because of how this culture is traditional in the sense that everyone is pressured to get married or be married. There are wedding centers everywhere you look pretty much, and I think it would be great to be married here, because everything is here. Just rent the space for a day and presto! you're Cinderella wedding is right there!
Oh man, I was looking through the Hyundai Department store last night...and I thought I would go and look at the men's clothing for a change...and there were the most amazing ties! Wowzers! There were lots with flowers on them, and there was one in particular that looked pixellated and integrated were Swarovski Crystals in it! Damn! It was 75,000 won (or close to $75) Wowzers. It was BEAUTIFUL! Hmmmm...maybe I should get that for me! Nah!
So last week I finally got myself to the National Museum here in Gwangju. It was really quite interesting, especially because everything I saw there was also somethign I could buy on the street. Except that the new things are new, and the old things are really old- if that makes any sense! It had pottery that was the original celadon (I think that's right) which is the light green color that Korea is known for in its pottery glazes. And the most memorable thing for me besides the paintings from the 11 century were the coffins. They looked like capsules and they were made from clay-just like pottery would be. Of course! I asked my students, and they called them tombs. How very cool. You could probably fit at least 3-5 people in them too!
So Candice came down to visit me this weekend which was really quite refreshing. We went around town and then to the jimjilbang on Sunday. Man, I really dont know what I'm going to do when I go back home to Canada and I cant go to a jimjilbang! I'll be in the rec centre with all the rest of them! I can understand it soooo much more now!
So the last few weeks have been kind of hard for me because-as I found out- I'm at a 3 month 'hump' and I couldnt figure out what was wrong until Yu-gin, one of the teachers mentioned it. I was having all these stupid anxieties about everything like my performance, and other things in my life all bundled up, and what a relief it was for me to realize that it happens to most people. Not quite in the same way, but there is a shift of things. Its hard to explain, but I suppose its just growing pains.
Well, that's about it for now...I wish I could record every thought that comes into my head sometimes. There's just so much, but I realized that there is only so much I can share...because its one thing to write or read or listen to it, but it's a whole other thing clompletely to experience it. I just wish words could convey that sometimes...but then I'm so glad that they dont at times too.
Oh, I just remembered, I got the book 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and read it, and then the movie just opened here a week ago, and I finally went to see it. The one thing that struck me while I watched it was that I have such a different and maybe better understanding of the movie because I am pretty much living it here! Well, not quite- I'm not in Japan or in the early 18th century, but I'm here in Asia, and very close to Japan, and I've been there now, and wow!!!! If I saw this in Canada I would just relate to it on an American point of view. A movie that has simply been stylized; but being here and living amongst these people (who are different but similar to Japanese people) and living with the architecture and different ways and spaces and ergonomics and customs of Korea makes me understand it soooo much more!
It was just a sudden realization that while she looked up and over the rooftops of Kyoto for the first time, that I see that here and that's my reality too! But it's just mixed in with modern times too! How bizarre and wonderful and I'm sooooo thankful that I'm having this experience!
Now I just need to learn Korean sooo much faster! Apply myself would be a good thing! Its hard though when your job is to speak English all day! Okay so that's no excuse. Allrighty!!!
Okay time to sleep...till the next time.
All the stores and streets are loaded with the 'frouffiest' (non-English word?!) Valentine stuff that you could even imagine. Big humonsterous (my own English word) baskets of 'stuff', huge stuffed animals or chocolates all individually wrapped and decorated as cute anything! Hard to explain all the stuff. Oh, but guess what. Valentines is different here because only the girls have to buy something for the guys! What the...?!! And then they developed a day called 'White Day' where the guys buy for the girls! Imagine that!
Oh, and there's 'Black Day' too. That's when everyone who is single wears completely black, and they eat black noodles with black sauce and EVERYTHING is black! That makes complete sense because of how this culture is traditional in the sense that everyone is pressured to get married or be married. There are wedding centers everywhere you look pretty much, and I think it would be great to be married here, because everything is here. Just rent the space for a day and presto! you're Cinderella wedding is right there!
Oh man, I was looking through the Hyundai Department store last night...and I thought I would go and look at the men's clothing for a change...and there were the most amazing ties! Wowzers! There were lots with flowers on them, and there was one in particular that looked pixellated and integrated were Swarovski Crystals in it! Damn! It was 75,000 won (or close to $75) Wowzers. It was BEAUTIFUL! Hmmmm...maybe I should get that for me! Nah!
So last week I finally got myself to the National Museum here in Gwangju. It was really quite interesting, especially because everything I saw there was also somethign I could buy on the street. Except that the new things are new, and the old things are really old- if that makes any sense! It had pottery that was the original celadon (I think that's right) which is the light green color that Korea is known for in its pottery glazes. And the most memorable thing for me besides the paintings from the 11 century were the coffins. They looked like capsules and they were made from clay-just like pottery would be. Of course! I asked my students, and they called them tombs. How very cool. You could probably fit at least 3-5 people in them too!
So Candice came down to visit me this weekend which was really quite refreshing. We went around town and then to the jimjilbang on Sunday. Man, I really dont know what I'm going to do when I go back home to Canada and I cant go to a jimjilbang! I'll be in the rec centre with all the rest of them! I can understand it soooo much more now!
So the last few weeks have been kind of hard for me because-as I found out- I'm at a 3 month 'hump' and I couldnt figure out what was wrong until Yu-gin, one of the teachers mentioned it. I was having all these stupid anxieties about everything like my performance, and other things in my life all bundled up, and what a relief it was for me to realize that it happens to most people. Not quite in the same way, but there is a shift of things. Its hard to explain, but I suppose its just growing pains.
Well, that's about it for now...I wish I could record every thought that comes into my head sometimes. There's just so much, but I realized that there is only so much I can share...because its one thing to write or read or listen to it, but it's a whole other thing clompletely to experience it. I just wish words could convey that sometimes...but then I'm so glad that they dont at times too.
Oh, I just remembered, I got the book 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and read it, and then the movie just opened here a week ago, and I finally went to see it. The one thing that struck me while I watched it was that I have such a different and maybe better understanding of the movie because I am pretty much living it here! Well, not quite- I'm not in Japan or in the early 18th century, but I'm here in Asia, and very close to Japan, and I've been there now, and wow!!!! If I saw this in Canada I would just relate to it on an American point of view. A movie that has simply been stylized; but being here and living amongst these people (who are different but similar to Japanese people) and living with the architecture and different ways and spaces and ergonomics and customs of Korea makes me understand it soooo much more!
It was just a sudden realization that while she looked up and over the rooftops of Kyoto for the first time, that I see that here and that's my reality too! But it's just mixed in with modern times too! How bizarre and wonderful and I'm sooooo thankful that I'm having this experience!
Now I just need to learn Korean sooo much faster! Apply myself would be a good thing! Its hard though when your job is to speak English all day! Okay so that's no excuse. Allrighty!!!
Okay time to sleep...till the next time.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Havin a bad Korea day
Oh man. Yah, I admit it...i don't love Korea everyday. Last night I was up till 2 am with other anticipations in my more personal life, and then today school was a bit crazy. Then at taekwondo tonight I didnt do as well as my expectations. The instructor did say that I was flexible enough...but poor John got what I call the horrific stretch. Oh someone putting the physical pressure on someone else's body isnt my idea of fun, or Johns! Poor guy, I felt that almost as much as he did! Man, i feel like a control freak sometimes. Not so cool..and than that makes me more annoyed! Whaddya do. Go to sleep and wait for tomorrow.
SO the next issue is that I havent been learnign Korean as fast as I'd like. I just have to use my memory and practice and USe it more...I'm good at listening..but the speaking is another ting sometimes. It's good in a way because it makes me remember what it's like to learn another language, and the awkwardness of speaking it...and that makes me empathize with my students better. I've been somewhat guaging it by John, my co-worker, as we have arrived in Korea at the same time...and he's learnign faster than I am...darnit!
The next thing is that I'm trying to decide where the best website is for putting my albums of pictures. As you should know I love taking LOTS of pictures, as I think it really tells a story better than words at times. That might be because I'm such a visual person. Sometimes I think nothing gets through my head unless I visualize it or see it. That can be good and possibly bad at times. Whaddya do once again.
This past weekend (long weekend of the New Years Doggy - heh) I went to Mokpo, a coastal city about an hour away from Gwangju. I'm Sooo glad I went! The big attractions there were for me, the ocean, then Yundul mountain, and then the museums. It was sooo wonderful to be near the ocean again. It amazes me how powerful it is...the draw of it too.
Then I went on a taxi ride, with a woman taxi driver! cool! to the Yundul mountain, and the one place I wanted to go to was closed, and then across the road was a Buddhist monestery/temple, so I hiked up the stairs to that. Then I came back down and walked along the road when i heard music coming from the mountain. I looked up and tried to find the commotion...and decided that I shoudl go and check it out. So I went up one big set of stairs...then along 'stone paved' paths to more stairs and paths and stairs and stairs and paths to a statue, and lots of 'lookout' temple structures. The darker it got, and the higher I got, the more amazing it was.
Man, I'm sooo glad I came here to experience this..FINALLY! Another country and culture...why is it that I thrive on this? Dunno...but I love it. The mountain was also lit by lights that changed color. There's lots of lights that change color in Korea...on buildings...all of that..on mountains..anything. I love it!
So that was a night, and I walked down this hill to downtown. I swear everything in Korea in terms of what's in the stores is the same. But that's allright...then you know what you're gonna get anywhere! Ha! Then I took an adventurous taxi ride and asked for a jimjilbang (sauna) that was open 24 hrs. Some of the are open all night with sleeping rooms and some arent..so I had to make sure. Of course then was the time when the taxi driver, who was around 22 kept saying that I could stay at his house! Um...NOT! But thanx for the offer! ha haa.
A stay at the jimjilbang is definitely a thing that I wish everyone could appreciate! You go in for a nice shower, and srubadub, and a hot tub soak, and any temperature you want...well two or three temperatures anyway. A sauna in all temperatures..at least 4 or 5. Then get some clothes on (shorts and tshirts issued to you in the sauna colors). Then to find the place to sleep on a warm marble floor..ohhhh yeahhhhh! The only thing was that it was a bit noisier than I might like. There were families with brand new babies there all awake at midnight. Interesting how that works.
Sleeping on a hard warm floor is actually easier than I thought. At one point the room I was sleeping in was a bit warmer than I wanted, so I moved to another room. At one point, the cafe lady came to me and put a blanket and pillow on me...how sweet are these people?! A little later, I wasnt quite asleep...was somewhat tossing and turning, and then a mother and her baby on her back came in. There was a big window, and she stood there and sang her baby to sleep...and me too! I was thinking...how magical is a mother's lullaby...and how precious. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............
The next morning was interesting to wake up to. There I was in a jimjilbang! IT wasnt so awkward after all. I got up, went to find a massage chair that wasnt being slept in by another person, and had a morning massage. NICE! THen down to have a nice long scrub shower, and hot tub...and on the road again!
I went for a walk after, and discovered I was a lot closer to the beach than I thought! It was so nice to be right at the water again. A father and his son was flying their kite there. That was neat.
Then I found a taxi, and went to the museums. WOW. The architecture was amazing. I ended up going to the Natural History Museum which was amazingly put together-combining great architecture with a wonderfully laid out display of everything from dinasaurs to insects of any type you can imagine.
THen back to the bus terminal, and back home. YAY.
Whew!
Gotta sleep now...till next time!
SO the next issue is that I havent been learnign Korean as fast as I'd like. I just have to use my memory and practice and USe it more...I'm good at listening..but the speaking is another ting sometimes. It's good in a way because it makes me remember what it's like to learn another language, and the awkwardness of speaking it...and that makes me empathize with my students better. I've been somewhat guaging it by John, my co-worker, as we have arrived in Korea at the same time...and he's learnign faster than I am...darnit!
The next thing is that I'm trying to decide where the best website is for putting my albums of pictures. As you should know I love taking LOTS of pictures, as I think it really tells a story better than words at times. That might be because I'm such a visual person. Sometimes I think nothing gets through my head unless I visualize it or see it. That can be good and possibly bad at times. Whaddya do once again.
This past weekend (long weekend of the New Years Doggy - heh) I went to Mokpo, a coastal city about an hour away from Gwangju. I'm Sooo glad I went! The big attractions there were for me, the ocean, then Yundul mountain, and then the museums. It was sooo wonderful to be near the ocean again. It amazes me how powerful it is...the draw of it too.
Then I went on a taxi ride, with a woman taxi driver! cool! to the Yundul mountain, and the one place I wanted to go to was closed, and then across the road was a Buddhist monestery/temple, so I hiked up the stairs to that. Then I came back down and walked along the road when i heard music coming from the mountain. I looked up and tried to find the commotion...and decided that I shoudl go and check it out. So I went up one big set of stairs...then along 'stone paved' paths to more stairs and paths and stairs and stairs and paths to a statue, and lots of 'lookout' temple structures. The darker it got, and the higher I got, the more amazing it was.
Man, I'm sooo glad I came here to experience this..FINALLY! Another country and culture...why is it that I thrive on this? Dunno...but I love it. The mountain was also lit by lights that changed color. There's lots of lights that change color in Korea...on buildings...all of that..on mountains..anything. I love it!
So that was a night, and I walked down this hill to downtown. I swear everything in Korea in terms of what's in the stores is the same. But that's allright...then you know what you're gonna get anywhere! Ha! Then I took an adventurous taxi ride and asked for a jimjilbang (sauna) that was open 24 hrs. Some of the are open all night with sleeping rooms and some arent..so I had to make sure. Of course then was the time when the taxi driver, who was around 22 kept saying that I could stay at his house! Um...NOT! But thanx for the offer! ha haa.
A stay at the jimjilbang is definitely a thing that I wish everyone could appreciate! You go in for a nice shower, and srubadub, and a hot tub soak, and any temperature you want...well two or three temperatures anyway. A sauna in all temperatures..at least 4 or 5. Then get some clothes on (shorts and tshirts issued to you in the sauna colors). Then to find the place to sleep on a warm marble floor..ohhhh yeahhhhh! The only thing was that it was a bit noisier than I might like. There were families with brand new babies there all awake at midnight. Interesting how that works.
Sleeping on a hard warm floor is actually easier than I thought. At one point the room I was sleeping in was a bit warmer than I wanted, so I moved to another room. At one point, the cafe lady came to me and put a blanket and pillow on me...how sweet are these people?! A little later, I wasnt quite asleep...was somewhat tossing and turning, and then a mother and her baby on her back came in. There was a big window, and she stood there and sang her baby to sleep...and me too! I was thinking...how magical is a mother's lullaby...and how precious. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............
The next morning was interesting to wake up to. There I was in a jimjilbang! IT wasnt so awkward after all. I got up, went to find a massage chair that wasnt being slept in by another person, and had a morning massage. NICE! THen down to have a nice long scrub shower, and hot tub...and on the road again!
I went for a walk after, and discovered I was a lot closer to the beach than I thought! It was so nice to be right at the water again. A father and his son was flying their kite there. That was neat.
Then I found a taxi, and went to the museums. WOW. The architecture was amazing. I ended up going to the Natural History Museum which was amazingly put together-combining great architecture with a wonderfully laid out display of everything from dinasaurs to insects of any type you can imagine.
THen back to the bus terminal, and back home. YAY.
Whew!
Gotta sleep now...till next time!
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