Cherry blossom weekend

Hello everyone,
Here goes an attempt at another entry. Its actually excerpts from a conversation with my 'brother', Michael
It saves me time and energy typing twice!
By the way- I'm 'juseyo' which means please in Korean in short....

oh man...i just got these stickers for your keyboard im going sticker nuts how embarrassing!juseyo 님의 말:i had the best most amazing tea experience yesterday
MichaelTell me about the tea
juseyo the tea ..well let me send u pics first
juseyo :nah..i'lll tell ya about it..too many pictures
juseyo 님의 말:well i went with candice to a very small town about 1.5 hrs away from Gwangju juseyo 님의 말:there's a cherry blossom festival there..and also it's 'famous' in korea for one of itls oldest markets there
juseyo 님의 말:complete with rice straw roof and stuff
juseyo 님의 말:so we were trying to find our friends juseyo 님의 말:and went into the little town and walked along a street with complete cherry blossom trees on either side...wow....on the way to hopefully see a big temple
juseyo 님의 말:but i saw this really cool lookng shop across the street
juseyo 님의 말:and first off..the door was enough to make me happy
juseyo 님의 말:but then we wen tin and there were all this amazing pottery
juseyo 님의 말:(pls dont mind my terrible english)
juseyo 님의 말:and as we were looking around, the lady owner of the shop invited us to sit down juseyo 님의 말:on stumps...literally around a table in the middle for tea
juseyo 님의 말:so we did, and i FINALLY got to witness the proper pouring and serving of green tea
juseyo 님의 말:the ceremony idea
juseyo 님의 말:there's a tea pot for steeping
juseyo 님의 말:a bown that you pour the steeped tea into juseyo 님의 말:bowl juseyo 님의 말:and you pour hot water into the bowl first ..swish it around
juseyo 님의 말:and then pour in a circular motion around the cups that you are going to drink out of
juseyo 님의 말:in 2 steps in that way
juseyo 님의 말:and then she got more hot water from the ..what do u call a 'tank' with hot water already in it...a boiler i guess
Michael 님의 말:I've heard all about the Japanese tea ritual, this sounds very similar
juseyo 님의 말:and then poured water through the strainer which was a wood strainer in the shape of a flower
juseyo 님의 말:(you'll notice it)
juseyo 님의 말:and then poured the tea through that
juseyo 님의 말:and into the bowl juseyo 님의 말:and then poured it into our cups
juseyo 님의 말:it was the most amazing green tea i've EVER tasted
juseyo 님의 말:even in Korea juseyo 님의 말:i was so excited juseyo 님의 말:and we bought some AMAZING insence
juseyo 님의 말:oops
juseyo 님의 말:and holders
juseyo 님의 말:and she ended up giving us a whole bag of tea each that cost 10 ea
juseyo 님의 말:which is really expensive here
juseyo 님의 말:well not really reallly..but on its way there
juseyo 님의 말:whew!
Michael 님의 말:That sounds like something amazing
Michael 님의 말:I'd love to experience that, I have a great appreciation for tea and ritual
juseyo 님의 말:me too
juseyo 님의 말:it was the perfect experience...in a way out small town of korea
juseyo 님의 말:i was jumping around i was so excited
Michael 님의 말:How is work, how is your health?
juseyo 님의 말:work is fine
juseyo 님의 말:health is fine considering im hacking up yello dust
juseyo 님의 말:from my lungs
juseyo 님의 말:my back just got really sore from my self afflictions of worry fits that i am constantly giving myself
juseyo 님의 말:other than that
juseyo 님의 말:im good
Michael 님의 말:Yellow dust does not sound good
juseyo 님의 말:its just wot happens here and everyone gets it
Michael 님의 말:What are you worried about, my sister?
juseyo 님의 말:o just ..im not sure wot they want me to do at school with a class..and it seems that they just leave u to try and teach these 4 yr olds for an hour with no idea of what they want to teach
juseyo 님의 말:most of it is my job to teach them English and part of that is to come up with my own material..but not really
juseyo 님의 말:i wish they had a curriculum that i could follow that worked
juseyo 님의 말:and i somewhat have that there..but it sucks
juseyo 님의 말:and when i give them these color sheets to learn the colors and shapes....and they color them ..and write their name on them...the parents dont like it cuz they think they're jsut coloring
juseyo 님의 말:and they're not...its a way to record, and to keep them controlled, and a method to teach them!
juseyo 님의 말:and the korean teachers know this..and try to deal with the parents abou thtis...or so they say
juseyo 님의 말:but im not sure what to do
juseyo 님의 말:but try to get differnt stuff
juseyo 님의 말:..so what can u do but the best u can
Michael 님의 말:This sounds like a bit of a precariious postition
juseyo 님의 말:it is...
juseyo 님의 말:and i dont know how to make everyone happy
juseyo 님의 말:so i think i might just go to the director and talk to him about it
님의 말:I had better go to sleep.
juseyo 님의 말:ok
Michael 님의 말:Take care
juseyo 님의 말:thanx for listening..or at least letting me blab
juseyo 님의 말:gnite

so there it is...
The weekend was lovely though, although it went a bit too fast. I wish i felt more relaxed. But we went out to see a cherry blossom festival. We wanted to see a temple, but it was too far, and our time was running out.
Candice came down from Seoul, and that was really nice to hang out with her.
We went out to a town called Gurye, and then to another I cant remember the name right now. IT was a little tiny village and it was really beautiful. There was this hideously lit, but beautiful in its own way, bridge crossing the river. Yes, of course I have pictures!
There was a beautiful road lined with cherry blossoming trees on both sides that ran along the river, and it was sooo crowded. There is also one of the oldest open traditional markets there. Yep. I got my pic taken with this cool Korean biker. We didnt even realize it till we saw him going by with his girl on the back! Hilarious! He was all decked out too... and with his friend in Army uniform and those aviator glasses. yep..they were pretty hip.

Blasting Korean music and ajumas (grandmas) dancing around was entertaining too. Then there were suggestive wood carvings mounted on tables along with a drink of some sort that I'm sure was believed to make you more ...ahem...verile!

So we had dinner, and looked around, and then it was time to go back. WE had to get a taxi. I cant believe it. We got a taxi to go for a 10 min drive.! As if ! If we did that in Canada that woudl be a small fortune. It was 17,000 won or 17 dollars! Craziness! I love Korea for that!
LOVE it!
Then we just missed the next bus into Gwangju, so we went and hung out, and then went to find a jimjilbang. Gotta love Korea for that too. 6 bucks and you've got a place to lay yer head. and a shower and the rest in the morning.
It was the most crowded jimjilbang I"ve seen or been in...for sleeping especially. Imagine being in a large room with people everywhere they could find room on the floor, and almost all of them snoring. IT was kindof soothing in a strange way! We all were sleeping on the stone floor...which doesnt turn out to be so bad after all....if you have a pillow, which i didnt for the first half of the night. Hmmmm. Maybe that's why my back isnt so good after all tonight.
Anyway, we got back, and then Candice had to go back to Suwon, and I went home and did my thing.
Here we go for another school week. I better get to bed soon.
:D