Seoul's got soul

Bad pun- I know ;) The big city- Seoul. So much to see and do in a city of 4.5 million- where do you start?

It was a good little crew that headed out for capital at 5:30 am from Shidae Apartments on Saturday morning. All for different reasons and things to do- I somehow managed to include myself in this trip at a planning meeting they had 2 weeks ago at a coffee shop.

Despite the God-awful hour that we had to get up at, it wasn't such a bad trip. The transportation system here in Korea is very advanced, and although it would have been nice to catch the high speed train out of Gwangju, by the time you transfer from the bus to the train station, you're better off taking just the bus. So the express bus was it- taking us into Seoul in just 4.5 hours- including a rest stop.

Pulling in the station around 7, our first stop in the city was the subway. Oh my was I glad I wasn't alone. Going with people who have been there before is key- because navigating that system for the first time would be near impossible. It's not even the language- it's all billingual, but there are just too many lines crisscrossing every which way. Down a hallway, up an escalator, through some more halls and mobs of people- where is the orange line? You could be lost for hours! I was proud of myself for getting a grip on Toronto's subway this summer- but this one could take some time.

We found our way to our motel first. And yes, it was another love motel, the Emerald. Stumbling off the subway, we wandered through a park and down some side streets trying to get our bearings as to where the motel might be. I guess this one is popular with the Suncheon crowd- it's cheap for being in Seoul- about 40,000 Won a night. I tried to go the cheap way and opt for a Korean room, with the bed being, well, not a bed. Mats on the floor that let you soak up that ondol floor heating the proper way. Turns out the Korean room is no cheaper than a room with a 'Western' bed in it- buuttt it was very comfortable nonetheless. Floor it is!

On our way back to the subway we happened upon a little parade/ cultural demonstration going on in the streets, which was both random and exciting. It was really neat to see people in traditional dress, playing instruments, doing acrobatics, and dancing the traditional Korean mask dance. I look forward to seeing more of those types of things as more festivals start up in the new year.

Next was Itaewon, the foreigner district. This part of the city is close to a US military base, so a large concentration of restaurants, stores and bars have sprung up, catering to the waygooks. Nothing too special to look at, but that Indian and Mexican food really hit the spot. Nachos, cheese and sourcream are hard to come by, so it was exciting to be going places to eat that didn't serve kimchi! There were many souvenier vendors all along the street selling mostly chinsy things, like keychains and tshirts... even some boxer shorts with the 1000 won bill on it! Those I couldn't resist ;) Mostly it was striking to be able to walk around without being stared at, and to hear the majority of the people around you speaking English!

Most of the group that went had tickets to Cirque de Soleil for Saturday night, but since I saw it already this past summer, I opted for cappuccino at the Starbucks with Janet and Fraser. From there we met up with everyone again at another familiar place that could fit in, in just about any Canadian town- the Rocky Mountain Tavern! It was a great hangout- provincial flags on the ceiling, Canadian beers, Canadian music... almost makes you forget you're halfway around the world. So if ever you get homesick in Korea- this is the place you should be.

After a late night and a little bit of a sleep-in, I went off exploring on my own through Insadong, the artisan market, and around Changgyeonggung Palace, one of 5 palaces in Seoul. The market was beautiful, and full of sooo many paintings and souveniers that I hardly knew what to buy- there was just too much to choose from. A few of us went off to the palace afterwards, hoping to do a tour. They alternate between Korean, Chinese, and English tours- so sadly we didn't get around to staying for ours... but the outside sure was beautiful!

All in all another wonderful weekend adventure :) I can hardly wait to go back!

Abba tribute band

I had a heart warming teaching moment this week with my little ones- oh they are sweet!

I've volunteered to help out with "English Club" here at Yun Hyang once a week, where I work with about 9 grade 3-4 students who are well above their peers when it comes to English. The kids have even given themselves English names: Steve, Chris, Leo, Alexander, Hanna, Annie, Sarah, Eva and Ellie. This is above my regular teaching hours, and I'm told that I should absolutely not do it if I'm not getting paid- but so far this is the highlight of my week. Who am I kidding, they're too cute to resist.

As it turns out this week, all of the public schools in the area have to participate in an English Presentation on December 16th; and send a small group of students to present a song, skit or story. Naturally my co-teacher only tells me this the day before- apologetically asking if I know anything that's easy for them to learn. I thought it might be fun to do something Canadian- so I printed off a few songs, figuring we could run through them and let them decide. I came up with Land of the Silver Birch (my favourite from Brownies), Canada in my Pocket (from McKay Public), and The Cat Came Back- because who doesn't love a little Fred Penner? Of the 3 the Cat Came Back was the winner... well, kind of.

What they really love, is Abba and the Beatles. Elementary kids in Korea love Abba and the Beatles?? Yes, now you know! They insisted I put on "Thank you for the Music", from Mamma Mia. http://youtube.com/watch?v=rZnBI8j_6JI I didn't have the lyrics or anything prepared, but I played it anyway because they seemed to love it so much- and did they ever blow me away! If you've ever been to see your favourite singer, and hear them play your favourite song that just moves you to tears- this was it. They had everything: enthusiasm, passion, good looks... I think I could make a little Abba tribute band out of them! Ellie especially- she could belt out that song like she really was the girl with the golden hair. So listen to the song if you don't know it- and picture little Korean kids singing with all their heart. It just touches you deep down inside!


The rest of the week was especially productive- I was busy doing something just about every night. Dinner with Ali and Lisa; Lizzie's Birthday party (Fun Korean cake fact: You know how at home, tomatoes walk that fine line between fruit and vegetable? Well in Korea, they're fruit. They are so fruity in fact, that they put little cherry tomatos on birthday cakes, right beside the strawberries and kiwis.); Fantasty Movie night, and a little bit of February vacation planning kept me on my toes.
I had some big accomplishments too: I got my internet hooked up, activated a cell phone, and bought a used keyboard to keep my beginner piano skills growing. It was not an easy process- but I'm very thankful to my co-teacher for helping me out in getting everything signed and activated- it's so nice to be connected to the world again!

Today's English translation gone wrong:
On a dog-bone shaped pencil case: "The delicious bone smell made our mouth water"
mmmm Not incorrect, so much as very odd.

Gwangju-si

Gwangju-si: My first official outing away from Suncheon. It's so nice to explore!

Last week was another good one- although it was hard to top my crazy Tuesday of hiking and karaoke. I mostly had some down time Wednesday, and was very much looking forward to a short week. On Friday all of the public school teachers in the provice had to go to the education office for a meeting, which meant that about 150 elementary, and another 150 high school would be congregating in Gwangju for one whole day! I lucked out to be a part of the morning crew, so I took the bus up the night before with Jen to have my first "Love Motel" experience. Love motels can be found in most every city- and exist for very obvious reasons. If you're not sure what to look for- well, you'll know it when you see it. Tall building, usually white with greek goddess-like figures on the side. The particular one we stayed in, The Windmill, was great because it's cheap- less than $15 each for a night, it's very clean, and close to everything we could need downtown. They also have great water pressure in the showers, which is a treat, cable TV, and a very extensive selection of movies in the hall- if you catch my drift. Only Korea! Your other options for an overnight in most cities would be a jimjilbang, where you can enjoy a spa, shower, and a mat to sleep on the floor! So love motel it is. It's funny, they even have strips of fabric hanging down over the door to the parking garage, so people can meet up there in secret. So scandalous!

Since coming in November meant that I missed out on the big August orientation, it was nice to have some sort of workshop/lecture event to give tips on teaching, share concerns, ask questions and all that. It was interesting seeing so many other teachers too- it sure is a mixed bag here! I find there are a lot of people like myself, not really sure what to do with themselves, but still out looking for an exciting change. There are some who want to make a career of teaching, then you have others that are a little odd, and seem to looking for a place to fit in. Maybe I'm a little big of column A, little bit of column B- haha!

Gwanju was a great city though- it's a little over an hour away by bus, and has tons of things to see. So much, that I opted to stay an extra night. Friday night I met some new people from Gwangyang, a city very close to Suncheon, and we all went to the German Bar. The owner spent some years in Munich and got a licence to make beer- so we went to drink and sample some quality brew. The only things besides the beer that really made it feel German were the German flag banners running around the room- but regardless it was a great place to hang out, and very popular with the foreigners. Who doesn't love Germany? ;) I found some tasty foods from home while in Gwangju- treating myself to nachos, which are hard to come by, and I bought a brick of cheese from a foreign food import store. Oh cheese! Very overpriced, but SO worth it.

Wandering the city streets is quite an experience in itself. The streets are all very narrow, seeming like pedestrian-only zones where cars can legally drive through. Similarly, most of the stores are small: countless boutiques and street vendors basking in the glow of glaring neon lights which make you forget the sun went down. Sensory overload is what is is. There was just so much to look at and so much to take in that you forget where you're going- making it easy to bump into or step on people as you try to get your bearings. So needless to say shopping there is great- the array of random trinkets and Korean treasures is endless. I won't make it for Christmas gifts this year, but some of you back home can count on some entertaining birthday gifts coming your way ;)
There are tons of little offshoot alleyways that hold more shops and restaurants too. Walking with Kate we happened upon a little tea shop tucked away down an alley and up 3 flights of stairs. Curiousity got the best of us, and we wandered up to find a cosy little loft that looked like it belonged in the UK. Although we couldn't read the menu, we managed to order a spot of peppermint tea and cookies :) Other random things I saw Friday night: a few guys dressed up as spiderman, a man selling roasted sweet potatos in a wood-burning oven on a cart, cornflakes and yogurt on a salad, and pizza in a cup- which was delicious.

Saturday night back in Suncheon had more fun in store. Lindsay and Jon held a UFC night- not my cup of tea, I know- but it did turn out to be a lot of fun. A night of betting on fighters with shots of a nasty cocktail delt out to the losers; followed by another night of nore-bang made for a great evening that lasted until 4am. It's nice falling into such a great group of people here. Much like university, there's always something going on- you just have to pick and choose what you're into. I've been jumping into most everything- maybe I'll hit the wall in a few weeks and need some space. After the trip to Seoul this weekend perhaps? Can't wait!

This Week's English Translation Gone Wrong:
On a Journey. I see the happiness of coincidence where I stopped by chance.


My thoughts exactly.

So Much Soju!

This week I've been actively scouting for a hobby. Something I can do in the evenings to meet people and keep myself busy in some other way besides writing endless blog posts ;) So on Monday I went to check out Gum-do, a Korean sword fighting (yep, that's right, sword fighting) martial art that some of the other waygooks in my building participate in. Getting involved in a martial art while I'm here is high on the priority list, but I'm also not thrilled about chancing a repeat of my knee dislocation from this spring. Gum-do is a potential since it's low contact- orr maybe some tai-chi. We'll see what I can find. I'm very much looking forward to getting back into my piano lessons too, and have found a few used keyboards at a used furniture store. I just need to find someone with decent Korean skills who can haggle the price down for me!

At school on Monday I was told that all the teachers were going hiking Tuesday afternoon- as in tomorrow. Not much warning, but that's ok with me, because that's generally how I plan my life ;) Naturally Tuesday turned out to be a crazy day. Not in an absurd way, but in an, "I can't believe I'm really in Korea right now" kind of way.

I taught my morning classes as usual, and then the rest of the day's classes were cancelled and the kids went home for the day. Turns out the hiking was for the teachers only, and is something they all do together about twice a year for a special holiday. So we all loaded onto a bus and drove to Gwangyang, a town about half an hour from Suncheon. It's great driving through the country. That's where you see more traditional-looking Korean homes, farmers fields of rice, orchards, and many many mountains. About half the teachers were dressed in their die-hard hiker outfits, but there were still a good number who don't like hiking at all and were happy to lag behind. The hiking was great, and the scenery was beautiful- of course. The principal was happy with me too- When I got back on the bus he shook my hand and said, "good hike". Charging ahead near the front makes for good brownie points I suppose :) I'm not trying to be a keener, I promise!

The day wasn't over with hiking.. After our half hour drive back to Suncheon, we drove right through the city to hit up a 'traditional' Korean restaurant in the country. Sitting surrounded by the teachers on the bus, I could hear them chattering away talking about me- not that I could understand what they're saying, but I just hear "Aminda" thrown in every once in a while. (They're talking about how you don't eat meat), Hae Jin told me... ohhh gossip!

Many of the restaurants are obviously anti-veggie. Walking up to this particular one, all the pictures are of plates of raw beef, and fields of cows- no question what they serve here! The traditional dish was pul-goki, different cuts of beef (including a small bowl of intestines) that you cook yourself of the skillet on the table. There's all the typical sidedishes to go along with it too- kimchi, beansprouts, soup, garlic, onions, etc etc. And they really do share everything here: at a table for 8 people there are only 2 soups- everyone just shares. What looked like a different darker variety of tofu in the soup turned out to be cubes of condensed pig's blood. mmmm, my favourite. I did get to have some rice and another kind of soup, and was ok with sampling everything else on the table rolled in cabbage leaves.

Drinking is also a big part of the meal, and do they ever like to liquor you up! The Korean drink of choice is Soju, which can be compared to vodka. Rules of thumb at the table: you never pour your own drink, you always hold your glass up with both hands when someone is pouring, and you always ‘toast’ before drinking your Soju. Even a teacher at one of the other tables would sometimes come over and make sure we were always topped up.

Another common trait of Koreans is that they are not shy about commenting on flaws. Over dinner I got multiple comments on my very red face. Really now, what do you think is going to happen to my face after sitting in front of a steaming skillet and the table and drinking multiple rounds of soju? Although it did get irritating having teachers repeatedly point out my bad skin through the week (the change in water was not kind to me), it could be worse. Other English teachers have told me about their coworkers pointing out their big noses, or asking why they are so fat. Guess you have to have thick skin- but it's all part of the norm here.
Back to dinner... So afterwards on the bus, some teachers stood up to thank those who planned the day, and the principal said a few words. And then we got to listen to some excellent 'in-flight' entertainment- karaoke! Yes- there is karaoke on the buses. Some of the teachers wanted me to sing a song, but since it was a short ride I weaseled my way out of it. But not for long!

When we got dropped off at school, they asked if I'd like to go to nore-bong, which is very popular here. It's karaoke, only you have your own room with friends, it's not wide open in the bar like back home. In true Korean style, of course Im Seong meant, NOW- not some other time. So somehow I ended up getting whisked away to nore-bong with 10 other teachers, to listen to some classic Korean music and enjoy some more rounds of Hyte beer and Soju. I had my time to shine too- and my bad singing didn't even seem to matter.
The night wasn't over for them after norebong, but I finally cut myself out and headed home, thank goodness. Im Seong shoved some money in my hand for a cab ride back, and then.... I had a lightbulb moment. You see, at this point I am still in my hiking clothes, with only a small pack on my back- wallet, water and camera. Oh God, my keys are in my backpack. At school. Which is locked. Crap! Thank goodness for nice neighbours- because Jen down the hall put me up at her place for the night- spare toothbrush and all :)

It was a great time overall, but also very strange. From school to hiking to dinner to soju to karaoke to forgotten keys: it's just one thing after another here! Even though you never know what's going to be thrown your way, the best thing you can do is roll with it and enjoy the ride.

Survived my First Week

Where does the time go?

It's hard to believe my first week has already come and gone, it's been such a blur! I feel I've made some serious progress though- just look at all of my accomplishments:

- finished my first week as an English teacher
- put my foot down in the classroom- taking away notes and splitting up kids who were talking :) - successfully went grocery shopping, despite my illiteracy of the Korean language
- ate lots of "authentic" Korean food
- went to Yeosu
- climbed a mountain
- got over my jetlag
- most importantly- made new friends!

It's all about the little things isn't it? ;) This is going to be a long one folks.

My first week of teaching was definately a learning process, and each day an improvement. The lessons are pretty well planned out by the textbook, and I make up my own 'fun' part to the lesson where we all apply what we've learned. How each class responds of course, is never the same. I've learned some tips in keeping them undercontrol, and I feel more and more confident in being head the class as each day passes. A glare is universally understood, and walking around the room will make students be quiet when I get close. At the same time, I understand how they can be easily bored by the lessons: watching the same CD each class, mimicking the characters in random dialogues where they talk about what they did at the park or being invited over for Thanksgiving dinner. Not always stimulating.

I try to add in little anecdotes or stimulate somekind of conversation throughout, and I really have to be conscious of simplifying my words and slowing my speech right down. It's all about the repetition! Through these little conversations, I've found out the popular bands among 9-12 years olds are Shinhwa, Big Bang, Shiny and Wondergirls. Typical pop bands! I also found out that they don't have turkeys in Korea, unless you go to the zoo, and they also (tragically) don't have pie! So I told them how it's my favourite dessert and that my grandma made the best pie you could eat in your life. I also played some fun games with them, and gave out Canadian flag stickers as prizes. Overall though- my favourite classes are my grade 4s, hands down. They're super cute and so enthusiastic! They're not yet at the awkward pre-teen age, so they're less obnoxious and self-conscious.

My time at my other school where I spend Thursday and Friday was also pretty good. Turns out it's not a country school after all, but just another school on the outskirts of the city. I'm told to consider myself lucky though, since there are other teachers who have to bus up to 2 hrs to their country schools. I can't help but be a little disappointed, as I was looking forward to the potential 'rural' experience, but I'm happy for a 15 min commute! The school is only a year old, so I get my own tech savy classroom with all kinds of multimedia equipment, and it's nice having the classes come to me.

On Wednesday I went for dinner with my co-teacher Im Seong, and 4 other teachers from school. A real Korean dining experience! When you come into any restaurant you take off your shoes and sit crosslegged on the floor at a small table. Koreans are all about the sharing! We had Golgi jo rim, which was pieces of fish in a spicy red sauce with beans and onion. Everyone gets a small bowl of rice, and another bowl you can scoop your fish into (which the eldest at the table traditionally scoops into your bowl). Good thing I'm getting better with the chopsticks, because picking around the bones was not something you could do with a fork. Besides the fish there are an array of small bowls of different foods at the table, which everyone just picks from with their chopsticks- seaweed, leaves of cabbage, beansprouts, kimchi , other pickled vegetables, and some unknowns. The conversation was pretty well all in Korean, as the other teachers speak only a smattering of English. They were also asking me what I thought of the vice principal, who talked my ear off for a few hours in the staff room that day. "He boring isn't he?!". I wasn't sure what to say- you don't want anything to come back to haunt you, but they're all typical chattery women who like to talk about coworkers. And he was a little boring... haha. But it was a really great dinner! Everyone is so generous, and just wonderful to be around.

Thursday I went with Im Seong and Hae Jin to Yeosu, a port city half an hour from Suncheon. Yes, finally another city! We had to go to the immigration office, so I could drop off my passport for them to process my Alien Registration card. This card is my key to getting a phone hooked up- I can hardly wait until it comes! We picked up my physical, which was all good, except they listed my hair colour as black and my eye colour as dark brown (I guess they never have to change that part of the form?) and headed out. After getting paperwork done, Im Seong took us down to the water, which was beeeeautiful!

There were all kinds of sheds lining the water where the fish are processed, and many boats far out on the water. The bay was a really nice taste of the Korean landscape- thousands of small islands, smells of fish, and a hazy sky shielding the ridges of mountains that rise up in every direction. I can hardly wait to get out and see more of this beautiful country!

That night Hae Jin took us for dinner for Western food. I was feeling pretty whooped getting back into Suncheon, and when they at first asked if I wanted to go for dinner the last thing I wanted was more spicy or fishy food, so the suggestion of speggehti really got me excited. Sadly the buffet was not all I hoped it would be. We all know that back home Chinese food is not really Chinese food. Well this was no different. Almost everything on the buffet was Koreanized, except for the mash potatoes and wedgies. When I took a forkfull of speggehti the red sauce was not in any way tomato- but more spicy bean paste. Ohhh Korea. Over dinner we got talking about Korean and Canadian foods, and it occured to me that it was pretty hard to say what Cdn food really was! All I really could tell them was what I ate growing up back home: sausage, swiss steak, saurkraut, goulash, pies, apple pancakes, chives and all that good stuff. Oh would I love some chives right now. So it all depends where you come from. I found out that in Korea they eat kimchi for every meal: spicy pickled cabbage for breakfast? Really?

At long last Friday! It's funny to be working a 9-5 job, already I'm looking forward to weekends . It was a fun day with the grade 6s learning about turkeys and all things Canadian. My first class that day started out with the typical questions- how old are you and all that stuff. I've started asking them, how old do you think I am, just to spice it up, and I've almost internalized my Korean age, which is 24. Joanna very happily pointed out that this means I'm going to turn 25 before she is!! Augh it's not fair! So as it turns out this class' teacher is also 24- which got a big rise out of all of them. In Korea, it is only proper to marry someone who is the same age as you, give or take a year, so who knows, maybe once one of us learns the other's language, we'll get hooked up ;) I also went exploring at lunch time and met a random Korean man who wanted me to tutor him in English... no thanks! Getting caught for doing any work outside of your contract can get you deported, and I later found out that people in the government will sometimes pose as interested students to catch teachers in the act, yikes.

My weekend was a definate highlight this week, and full of all things social! Friday night I went with some other people in my building to hang out in Dean's apartment, the coordinator for the public schools. It's great hearing all the stories from people who've been here multiple years, there's just so much to absorbe. Yesterday I went with 5 other people on a my first hike up the mountain. Well, one of them. Passing Koreans on the trails, or should I say, Koreans passing US on the trail- are very serious about their hiking. It's a whole industry here, and any department store will have a large section of clothes and gear devoted to it. So us Canadians stick out like sore thumbs in our tshirts and old pants while the Koreans go by in matching pullover jackets with hiking poles. They're so ambitious in fact, that if hiking an hour up a mountain wasn't enough, they also have exercise equipment at the top. How's that for making you feel innadequate? We however, opted for the ice cream and milkshakes in a bag. ohhh yeah :)

The view from the top was great though. We could see Suncheon Bay in the distance, and the rows and rows of apartments below that wrap around the mountain. It's funny to think what Korea would look like if all of those people lived in subdivsions like so many do back home- there wouldn't be an inch of green space left. Canada really needs to wake up and start building UP not OUT. We walked along the ridge for a bit, and came down on the other side into Si dae, the old downtown. It was neat seeing the old traditional homes with tiled roofs, wall murals lining the riverside path, a busy market and so many vendors.

A teacher in my building held a Ladies Night last night, which had me meeting a ton of new people from around Canada, the US and the UK. It was a crammed little apartment, but it was wonderful to meet so many new faces- people at all stages of their stay- many who've been here for years, but some other newbies like myself too. Topping it off with some dancing at Elvis, the foreigner bar, was just what I needed :) The timing couldn't be better- a night out after a whirlwind of everything new. What a week!

Last but not least,
Today's English translation gone wrong comes to you from the cover of a notebook:

"With coffee... It keeps me warm as life grows older"

Happy Peppero Day!

Oh yes- that's right folks, today is a very special day- Peppero Day!

For those of you who may not know *gasp!* what PEPPERO is- let me tell you. Peppero is something like Pocky. A long skinny cookie stick covered in chocolate or whatever. And why would this tasty treat have it's own day every 11/11? Because the Peppero company decided to declare November 11th Peppero day- that's why! So to celebrate all the kids come to school and give boxes of Peppero to each other, and to their teachers and whoever else... including me- which means I now have a big bag full of Peppero... that as you know, will take me months to eat :) Ahh corporate holidays.

But I digress. So much has happened the last few days!

I had a pretty good weekend here in Suncheon, and am meeting more and more "waygooks" (foreigners) all the time. It makes a world of difference to not feel so lonesome here in this faraway land. On Sunday I met a wonderful lady named Jodi from NB, who took me on a tour of the (new) downtown, Yun Hyang. There are many sights to take in here, with the old and the new existing side by side. Walking the narrow streets surrounded by neon signs and stores carrying designer labels, you can find rows of vendors on the sidewalk selling vegetables and fresh fish, most of which I've never laid eyes on before. The fish are everywhere really, it's in most everything that you eat, and you smell it when you walk by every other restaurant. If you're not in an area with sidewalk vendors with fish laid out on display, then you can see them swimming in a small tanks outside the stores. All of which means that I have unwillingly reverted back to my "flexitarian" self, and now once again include fish in my diet. Resistance is futile.

Something that I found especially hilarious in my explorations of downtown were the English translations found on various things for sale- particularly in the dollar/discount stores. So entertaining in fact, that I'm going to make this a regular part of my blog-

"English Translations Gone Wrong!"

Today's bad translation was found on the cover of a notebook:

"Hello my friend! I want to protect and love with your side." lol

That night I went with Jodi and bunch of other waygooks to Shi dae, which is the old downtown, to grab a bite to eat and catch a movie. It was James Bond- not my favourite, but I wasn't about to turn down a chance to socialize. My new dining experience that day was at a little hole in the wall, which sold fries, chicken and shrimp nuggets. Not exotic, I know- but they have the most brilliant way of selling it! Korean people are always rushing around and don't like to take much time eating, so this restaurant has cleverly combined your drink and food into one. For about $2.00, they sell you a cup of Coke with a straw, and sitting inside on the top part of the cup is another small cup which holds your nuggets! It's great really. You only need one hand to eat and drink all at the same time. Now that is a tasty snack on the go if I ever heard of one!

All in all, the weekend was a success. My spirits were most definately boosted :)

Next hurdle- my first day of school! Monday I taught four grade 5 classes, and today I taught some grade 4 as well. The classes are all very different, and have a very wide range of English abilities. In an nutshell, Korean English classes can be likened to Canadian French class. Enough said. Just because English is taught from grade 3, does not mean that all the students can understand it in grade 5. Or even middle school for that matter. So you have some students who have no clue what I'm saying, others that are just terribly shy, others that are keeners and pay attention, and the handful who go to 'English academy' in the evenings, and are so advanced that they're bored stiff by the lesson.

Korean children have an enormous amount of pressure on them to get ahead. Most kids spend their free hours after school going to different 'academies'- English, science, music, tae kwan do, you name it, and then go home to homework. This pressure continues throughout school, acculminating in a test they write at the end of highschool to get into university. This test essentially determines their whole future- successful or not in an equally competitive job market. yikes!

Another unique thing about the schools is that they don't even have much of a break over lunch, since before they go down to eat all of the students have to clean the school. Yep, sweep the floors, do the bathrooms and all the rest- there are no janitors!

Lunch time for me is pretty good for the most part- the food is all very different, although it is going to take some time to get used to. As I sit with the other teachers, I'm also made to feel very self conscious over my chopstick skills. Some of them seem especially judgemental, and will point at the spoon for me to use to eat instead! I'm really not that bad- I guess I just don't look natural ;)

The kids themselves have been great though. I feel it's kind of hard to keep them under control if their teacher leaves the room- it's no different than how we used to act with a music or french teacher in charge. Some of the classes were lots of fun though- one spent 10 minutes asking me different questions about myself before class started- how old are you? do you have a boyfriend? do you speak Korean? did you pick Obama? aww they're great ;) They also like to say hello to me... all of them, all the time. I can't walk anywhere in the school without being greeted by little kids bowing saying hi, hello, or hello teacher- which means I say hi about 100 times a day. This happens in public sometimes too! It sure keeps a smile on your face.

Tomorrow I'm on to grade 6, and then Thurs-Fri I'll be at the country school, Pungduk Elementary.

In other news- I got Skype internet phone working!

Till soon.....

Intro to Yun Hyang Elementary

Yesterday was my first day at Suncheon Yeon Hyang Elementary School. Kim In Seong, my co-teacher picked me up bright at early at 8:20 on Friday, after my long 5 hr sleep ;) Nothing like being thrown right into the thick of things.

The school was a short 10 minute drive from my apartment, not too bad- but Kim says a cab will be my best bet getting there, the bus is too confusing and I'd have to transfer... maybe a challenge for another month! I asked her about biking, and she flinched when I said I meant a bicycle, not a motorbike. "You can, but very dangerous"- not the reassuring words I was looking for, gee thanks Kim. Now that I look around I see almost no bikes- must be for good reason I suppose!

When I got there I was introduced to the principal in his very swanky office, and then to some of the other teachers- none of whom speak much, if any English. Mostly Kim does all the talking, and I stand there and smile and nod, then bow, ka ham sam nida (hello), and goodbye. I sat in the staff room with some of the teachers and Kim for half an hr, listening to them all chatting away while I read my orientation book. I would clue into the conversation once in a while when I heard my name to answer a question like where I was from or how old I was- but aside from that the conversation quickly reverts back to Korean.
When the bell rang at 9, Kim was out the door and left me there in the staff room, saying she'd be back. Apparently everyone was getting ready for a big presentation that day, so I just entertained myself on the computer, listening to kids run the halls, catching the occasional glimpse of a brightly coloured costume or the sounds of bells jingling away.

All the kids were running around like crazy getting ready for a 'festival'- presentation thing going on that day. What a nice intro to the school! Kim came to find me at 11, and led me away by the arm down the halls and through seas of little kids. Many of them all seem very sweet, and say hello with big smiles on their faces, saying "very buertiful!". Aww ;)

I sat in the gym beside some rambunctious boys that were kicking and smacking each other around through most of the presentation, while one of them kept the others in check to avoid falling on top of me. What darlings. The presentations were sooo wonderful though! They all had the most colourful costumes- and they did a whole range of things. Dances, choirs, plays, and even a song in English. One of my favourites was a little international presentation, where they came out in pairs dressed in different international dress. They had American cowboys, Japanese kimonos, and yes- German durndels and ladehosen! I was thoroughly impressed though- I thought they blew any play we did in elementary school out of the water!

All the students eat in the cafeteria, where they line up with a metal tray to get whatever is being served that day. No PB and J for them! I got to eat lunch in the cafeteria with the other teachers, where we all sit and serve ourselves. They were telling me some of the names of whatever I was eating- I'm going to have to start taking notes! Looks like avoiding meat altogether is going to be a challenge.. well, avoiding seafood at least. There's fish in most everything! I had some kimchi- a spicy pickled vegetable, kimchi soup with tofu, and shrimp noodles, and some other green stuff. Pretty tasty over all- not having to pack a lunch is a bonus :)

The rest of the day Kim took me around running errands. I had to have a physical done at the hospital, which was very modern and had virtually no wait times. Kim tells me that all Korean hospitals are like that- wow must be nice! I opened up a bank account at 'Farmer Bank'. I don't know what makes it for farmers, but their slogan is "Human and Nature"- teehee. And I even ventured out on my first shopping trip! If you know how I can doddle in a store- picture me in one where I can't read the labels! I found Kim Plus, and department/grocery store which is apparently cheaper than the competition, Lotto Mart. I pretty much found all the basics, and treated myself to some luxery items like cream cheese, which is more expensive since it's clearly an import. Other treats were pomegranate juice, Jolly Pong- some mystery snack food, green tea flavoured cereal, and Choco Flaki, a rice chocolate snack. :)

As for today- I officially met some fellow foreigners! Halleluliah! The school year starts in August here, so I'm at a disadvantage coming part way through the year. Everyone's got their circle of friends, some I'm left to imposing myself on any white person I see. "Hi, my name is Amanda! I just came to Suncheon a few days ago and am wondering what fun things there are to do in this place!" Translation? "I don't know anyone and am feeling totally lost. Will you be my friend?" Well my charm worked on someone today- Norm from New Brunswick. :) He was visiting some friends in my building and took up along to meet them. So I landed myself some phone numbers and an invitation to dinner tonight! One of them is the public teacher coordinator for the area- thank goodness I found him, because I didn't even know he existed!

They were quite helpful in the short time I spent in the apartment:
Tips from the pros? Do not accept to do any extra classes or work at school outside of your 20 hrs- if you give an inch they take a mile. There aren't any good places to take Korean lessons- they're too sporadic, so I'm better off learning from my co-teacher. And being a teacher makes you feel like a celebrety. Best of all? I'm going to be even cooler since I have 'yellow' hair. :)

Monday is my first class- holy smokes! On the agenda for tomorrow? My first lesson plan: "What did you do yesterday?"

"Aha! Suncheon"

An-nyong ha se-yo! Greeting from South Korea!

So it has finally happened. After years of anticipation, months of planning and some very tearful goodbyes, yours truly has arrived at her new home for the next 364 days- Suncheon, South Korea :)

My final days in Canada were some most memorable ones- a fantastic good-bye party at my place Sunday, a crazy day of packing Monday, and one last night out with the girls went by in a blur. Before I knew it there I was: on a connecting flight bound for Chicago wondering what the heck I've got myself in to!

I found one other teacher on the flight- Gabrielle, who is one of the other teachers from Canadian Connection teaching in the province. So nice to have found someone equally muddled as I am :) And good news to those of you wondering- all my luggage made it! I had packed 2 bags- one of which was a duffle bag big enough to put a few bodies into. Since it was $120 dollars for overweight luggage, I opted to split it up and put half of it into a huge plastic bag provided by the airline... sketchy? yes. pathetic looking? definately! As we were about to board Korean Air flight from Chicago, I hear Amanda Jade Ammon called over the loud speaker, only to go over and see my sad 3rd new piece of luggage with big holes in it and tag-less. The only one unaccounted for, thank goodness they found it! haha!

The flight here was a good one for the most part. A very impressive airline if I must say so myself. After leaving Chicago at 11:30am Nov. 5th, the 14 hr flight took us west up and over Canada and Russia, all in perpetual daylight, to arrive in Seoul at 4:00pm, November 6th! My poor body is so confused as to when I should be sleeping.. Last night I was lying there awake until 3:00am, which is 1:00pm back home.

Although I've been here for almost a full day, so far I haven't seen too too much. The first glimpses I caught of Korea out the window were foggy ones- rice fields and small houses on the islands surrounding Incheon airport, on the Yellow Sea. It's cloudy there most of the time being right on the ocean. From there Gabrielle and I found the other 2 Canadians, Danielle and Elliot, and caught a shuttle bus to Gimpo domestic airport, where we caught a 40min flight to Gwangju, the capital of Jeollanamdo province. By now the very humid weather and sleep deprivation was taking it's toll, and all I could look forward to was bed and a shower.

We were met at the airport by an entourage of Koreans and one Canadian, Alicia, who is the coordinator for the area. After bowing hello and making our introductions, I was quickly saying my goodbyes to my travelling buddies and being whisked away by Kim Im Seong and Hae-Jin, two female teachers at the school I'll be working at. Their English is pretty minimal, but much better than my all but non-existant Korean skills, and so we chatted for some of the way to Suncheon. They're both really great, very very friendly and helpful, and they laugh a lot! What else can you do when you can barely understand someone? Kim-seong's driving can be compared to me navigating Toronto - "not 1 1/2 but 3 hour to Suncheon!" very funny- luckily we weren't so turned around as she thought.

And so they asked me where I was from, and how old I was, (a very common question asked so people know how to address you in a respectful way). Fun fact: in Korea, the day you're born you're already one year old. So guess what! For the next year I'm no longer 23, but 24! :) When in Rome.... haha! They were also eager to learn what I thought of Korea- very nice so far, but hard to gauge when it was 7:00 by now and completely dark. Whenever I would ask something that they didn't really understand, they just giggle and say, uh oh- and look to each other for translation. hmmm those Korean lessons can't start soon enough!

And at long last! the moment I've been waiting for- my apartment! Tucked away at the base of a small tree covered hillside we drove up to a cluster of apartment blocks. Not that it was easy- cars park wherever they please here. Up on the curbs, infront of other parking spaces- it was all Kim-seong could do to navigate the road to the door. I don't know what happens if you want to leave and there's someone blocking your way... just wait?

But great news- the apartment was better than I expected! A lot was left there by the other teacher who I'm replacing- nice bedding, some decorations, even blinky white lights strung around the room. Nice bonus- I get a double bed! Other than that there's a small plastic orange couch, tv, small kitchen with a 2 burner stove, and a bathroom that has the shower drain in the middle of the floor. And you have to boil the water here before you drink it unfortunately. It was torture waiting for the water to cool down last night before I could have some! All in all, the place is pretty tiny, but it has everything I could need. I will post some pics soon :) Once I get internet set up in the apartment that is... At least the unpacking is done!

ahh home sweet home. Looking forward to getting to know ya Suncheon!

As for today, I'm off to school! More to come, stay tuned!