Mr Jo and Mrs Lee

Hi everyone!

I hope my friends in Korea are keeping warm...I swear my teachers think I'm crazy, wearing scarves and jackets already but damn, it's cold. This feels like South African Winter and it's only 'Autumn'. Needless to say I am actually beginning to really worry about Winter proper here. Blankets, tea, hot water bottles and anything warm and fluffy being sent my way would be much appreciated (this is not a hint, it's a cry for help).

I've been meaning to write this post for ages, so now that I have absolutely nothing to do at school, let's get to it! Coteachers in Korea are a huge part of your life here. Whether you like it or not, unless you come here speaking fluent Korean and know everything there is to know about your school etc etc, your coteacher is your life-line. Having said this, you never really know who you're going to get. There are young ones who will want to be friends and take you drinking on the weekends, calling you the next day to see if your hangover has killed you. There are older ones who will mother you and make sure you never want for anything. There are ones who speak fluent English and ones that speak none; ones who want to be your friend and ones who barely acknowledge you at school. There are certain things your coteachers HAVE to do for you - most of these are admin, school and apartment related tasks. There are other things, such as helping you find your way around, translating bus times or helping with things that are difficult to do without knowing Korean, that some coteachers will willingly do. You just don't know. I think it's important to be prepared for anything and accept the fact that you may possibly end up with a grumpy non-English speaking 50-something who resents having to 'baby' you. It happens. As we've learned time and time again here - be ready for anything.

I have two very different coteachers - Mrs Lee and Mr Jo. Mrs Lee is my 'real' coteacher in that she is at Hwadang, my main school, and she is in 'charge' of me. She does all the paperwork, clears all my leave, and is the person I go to if I need to know anything. She really is the one who people go through if they need to know anything about me. I teach my favourite and easiest class with her, my precious 4th graders, and she has a way of being stern and loving with them all in one. Her kids really respond to her. We've had a bit of an up-and-down year together: she can be incredibly kind and warm, and borders on 'coddling' me and underestimating me at times but she can be very uptight and controlling in other ways. At the moment, things are very good between us. She speaks very little English and the conversations we share are very limited - how was your weekend, what will you do this weekend, and anything school related (usually told to me 10 minutes after I need to know it). I find her to be a little insensitive to my position as a foreigner here and a bit reluctant to include me in things at school. My first encounter with her was when I was told to go and organise my ARC by myself. Having just arrived in a new country, with no idea how anything worked and knowing full well this was something coteachers were there to help with, it was a slap in the face. But she really pulled through for me when I complained about my internet. I just don't think she has any idea how hard it is to be here and not be able to communicate. She's never traveled and I find those teachers who have, can better understand how difficult it is to get around a place when you don't speak the language. I asked her once if she could help me at the post-office as I wanted to try and send a package home - she dropped me outside. When she's angry, she lets me know by ignoring me and dropping me further away from home than necessary.

There are times this year when I have been at my wits end and actually shed tears over the situation. However, I decided to get over myself and put myself in her position. She is really busy at school, it is intimidating to be put in charge of the English teacher when you speak very little English and bottom line - she didn't ask for this. One thing I hope other teachers in frustrating situations at least consider, is the fact that very often we do not know half of what our coteachers deal with and go through for us. It does not always justify everything but I've found that by being a little more understanding, we have a better relationship and I am a lot more independent for it (at least I'd like to think so). Now, we laugh together often, she is warm towards me and things are just happier. There really is nothing quite like a scorned or sulky coteacher (avoid avoid avoid). We had a good giggle in the car on Friday, as after telling her that Christmas in SA is hot and therefore we often swim on Christmas day, she suggested wearing a 'santa swimsuit'. Only a Korean woman could think of something like that :) I really do like Mrs Lee when she is on my side and hope things continue this way for the rest of the year.

Then there's Mr Jo. He isn't really even a coteacher. He's the guy who gives me a lift to and from school, so is the teacher at Baegun I spend the most time with. I don't actually know all that much about him...I would guess he's in his 40s and it doesn't sound like he's married or has kids - I've always been too embarrassed to ask. He's quite an intimidating teacher to the students although very warm and caring too (showing affection in the standard Korean way - patting the boys on the bum and playing with cheeks - sometimes still weird for me). He's also the manliest of all the male teachers I'm surrounded by. Mr Jo has just gotten a fancy new car (so happy, the seats now have heating - just in time for Winter!!) but before that, he'd pick me up and stick in a cassette for us to listen to. Often it was Dire Straits which I LOVED as it reminds me of my Dad. He makes a real effort to talk to me. He's asked countless questions about my family, my home, why I'm not black (true story kids) and about my experiences here. Although his English is basic, he isn't shy to pull out his phone and Google translate some words so he can get his point across (although lovely of him, this is often done while driving, which scares me a bit haha). We've spoken about music we like, and his taste is very similar to my Dad, enjoying Bryan Adams, Dire Straits, Eric Clapton and Metallica to name a few.

We get on really well and have never had any problems - he may or may not have traveled but I feel he is sensitive to my role as a foreigner here and has asked questions about what I find difficult here and as a foreign teacher etc. He is very quick to back me up at school - if my kids are giving me grief, I can tell him and he will "kill them"...his words, not mine. This is something I feel Mrs Lee lacks - I never really feel supported or included by her. Mr Jo seems to worry about me a lot; he never leaves school on time and I often have to sit around for up to 40 minutes for us to leave which stresses him out and he's taken to stopping on the way home to get us coffee. He always apologises if he's early/late/hasn't cleaned his desk when I come in to teach or if I have a desk warming or 'dull' day as he calls it. He refuses to take money for petrol and drops me off at my doorstep, even though it means negotiating very narrow and awkward roads. Speaking of his driving - this guy is a pro. He actually asked me the other day if his driving "gives me fear" but I really feel safe with him even when he's whipping around town and trying to take all the short cuts (it means we leave later in the mornings so I aint complaining). I just think Mr Jo is a cool kid.

Both of these teachers are very different but I have grown so fond of them. I really hope to be able to command a classroom like either of them someday. I feel it's important to blog about them not just for me to share but also to try and encourage an open mind when it comes to your coteachers. I of all people understand being frustrated and fed up and wishing for a 'young, fun' coteacher but we need to give them a break, accept that they were lumped with us as much as we were stuck with them and try to understand where they come from. It isn't always easy and sometimes there's no silver lining ..but if you've got to be interacting with this person (people) all year - you might as well make the most of it I say. Treat them well and generally they'll return the favour.

Finding our zen

Sometimes, it's good to get away and clear your mind. And what better way to do that than a temple stay! The Provincial Office of Education (POE) in Chungbuk sent out emails  a few weeks ago asking if anyone would want to join on a sponsored temple stay trip. I singed up immediately as it's been something I wanted to do before I leave - and this trip would be free! I won't lie...once I knew I was definitely going and looked at the schedule, I started to regret deciding to go. Who wants to spend their much needed weekend waking up at 3am and doing 108 bows? I did apparently. So with a bit of foot dragging, I woke up on Saturday morning, not really knowing what was lying ahead of me. Awesomeness is what was.

We all (80 odd EPIK teachers) had to meet at the Office of Education by 9:40 on Saturday morning to load onto buses to Songnisan National Park - Boeun. I had been before (read that post here) but this time was different, given we were actually staying at the temple. Jecheon is 2 hours from Cheongju, so we caught the 7:00 (on a SATURDAY) bus and made it to Cheonju in time. It was another 1 hour bus ride to Songnisan, and then a 20 minute walk to the temple. Was great to see people from Orientation and catch up a bit, as we hardly ever get a chance to see everyone! Songnisan at this time of the year is beautiful. Well actually all of Korea in Autumn is beautiful. The leaves are changing, making the landscape full of vibrant reds, oranges, yellows and greens. We were greeted at the temple by our lovely host - this woman was just amazing  So happy, kind, gentle. Guess everything you expect a monk/nun to be like. Her English was great and she had a Korean Military guy there to help translate too, making it easy to communicate. We dropped our bags off at the main hall and were taken for lunch - buffet style, where we had to be careful what we dished up as there was a no-waste policy (completely understandable). I liked it this way because it meant we could eat what and how much we wanted. The food over the weekend was actually pretty good. Vegetarian, rice with different toppings which made a bimimbap vibe, soups...there was pajeon and watermelon one meal. All in all, quite delicious. We were also expected to clean our bowls and utensils till spotless, which made me think of school camps!

After lunch we changed into our gray 'Aladdin' pants and waist coats, or as we were told - our fake monk clothes. They may have looked ridiculous but were actually pretty comfortable.

Cos this looks so zen *eye roll*

We then were taken on a tour of the grounds, having the different buildings, shrines and 'national treasures' explained to us which was quite interesting. I forget when exactly, but we were also taught the proper way to bow, explaining how 2 hands held together in front of you signals you come in peace. There is so much that I learned this weekend, but I can't remember it all right now. One of the most interesting things for me, which I already knew a bit about, was the fact that Buddhists do not worship, or bow down, to Buddha. They see him as a great teacher who reached Enlightenment, the 'goal' I guess of Buddhism but they do not see him as a god and therefore are not worshiping him. The bowing is to your true self, in order to clear your mind and focus on the ills of this world and our role in it all. This is really oversimplified and maybe wrong, but it's how I understood it.

We were then taken on a hike up to a peak over looking the whole temple and surrounding areas. It was beautiful up there!!!

At the top

We sat for a while, chatting and taking in the views. Eventually, we were asked to be quiet for meditation...this was one of the highlights for me. We sat in silence, for around 15 minutes I think, and I was able to completely relax. We heard some Buddhist chanting in the background, the sounds from the temple below and just nature all around us. It sounds silly but really, it's the most 'zen' I've ever felt. From there it was back down for room placements and dinner. We were told to meet at the big drum for the evening chanting ceremony around 6. This was awesome - we stood and watched the monks beat the drum, the big bell, and go through all the rituals of evening meditation and chanting. We were taken to the main temple after this, where 3 huge golden Buddhas stood and where the monks go for chanting and meditation. None of us really knew what we were doing, so was a tad bit awkward, but we followed the lead of the monks, bowing when we had to and looking around nervously when we didn't. The inside of the temple is so pretty, with very intricate designs all over the wood. I spent most of the time just taking it all in.

Beating the drum

After that we went back to the main hall for lotus flower making - this was fun and carefree, with jokes made about how 'original' our different creations were.

Nolo, Cola and me with our finished lanterns 

We then took candles and our flowers and walked around the temple in silence, before being led into the main hall for evening meditation. Here we sat in the dark, and tried to clear our minds. We were told to tell ourselves "I love you", "I'm sorry" and "Thank you" - the same with our loved ones. We then lay down and were taken through a relaxation ritual, before bed. It was only 8.30pm and most of us were a little concerned about how we could ever fall asleep so early. But the meditation helped, as well as the fact that we had to remain in silence until the next morning. Sleep was achieved, at least a little bit was, before our VERY early 3am start.

With sleep still on our faces, it was up and to the temple at 3.30, for morning chanting and meditation. Cue bowing, meditation/sleeping, and early morning grumpiness. We didn't stay in the temple long, but were taken back to the main hall for our own zen meditation. I found this hard. Not only was I tired, sleepy, and therefore restless, but my posture is apparently atrocious, and sitting with a straight back and crossed legs felt like torture. I couldn't believe how calm and very 'zen' our guides looked...I just couldn't keep still! Funniest moment was hearing a faint snore from somewhere/someone - whoever it was, I don't blame you!!! Once we came to, it was time for the 108 bows. I was dreading this part as it sounds very difficult but actually, it was great. Let me try, as simply as I can, explain the reason for the 108 bows.

The bowing is all about prostration - you prostrate yourself in order to purify that which we do wrong in this world, to recommit yourself to the principles of Buddhism and for me it was really just about trying to focus on our role in this world, apologizing for what we do wrong and being thankful for all that we have. Buddhists believe that this act of prostration cleanses you. What I really enjoyed or found helpful, was that we listened to a CD of an American Monk while doing it, and every time we bowed, he explained why we were doing it. He took us through the '108 Delusions' of the mind...things like being sorry for thinking we are right, sorry for taking our parents for granted, praying for world peace and the end of all disease etc. For me, this whole process really just helped me focus on what I can improve on as a person living in a very connected world. A lot of what was said really spoke to me, and I think it's important to acknowledge what we do wrong each day, but not dwell on it either, which I think is the point here. Say sorry, prostrate yourself, and be free of it. Like I said, this is really oversimplified and maybe I misinterpreted it all but this is what I took from it. 108 bows went much quicker than I was expecting  but was happy to be done with it. I know we went on a walk through the forest too - but cannot remember when exactly this was (it was early, okay).

We then ate breakfast, and given the choice between taking a rest or going on another walk, I took rest ;) Was honestly the most life changing nap ever, and felt much more alive after that. It was back to the main hall where we chilled a lot and had the head monk at the temple come and briefly address us (this is all before 8am). They really have a very calming way about them. We had Q&A time with him and our nun, which was very interesting, allowing us to try and understand Buddhism better. I love that it is a religion that is all inclusive; with no one god, it allows for all beliefs to come together and take from it what we can. I can understand why Buddhists choose to live the life they do...the best way to describe it in my eyes is with what Gandhi said: Live simply so that others may simply live. There is nothing I really agree with more than that.

We sat down to a traditional tea ceremony, where we were taught how to pour and drink the tea, and it was all just very relaxed. When asked about heaven, the nun (I really wish I could remember her name) said something along the lines of 'look at us here, laughing, enjoying each others company - this is heaven on earth'. A beautiful way to think of it.

Cue lunch, and the trek back to the buses, and we were on our way home. Honestly, I took way more out of the weekend than I ever expected to, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. I came home feeling relaxed despite the early morning, and am really happy I was given the opportunity to learn more about such a fascinating religion. It should be noted here, as I know a lot of people back home are probably wondering, that just because I went on this experience  does not mean I'm becoming a Buddhist. That's not what it's about. I feel I can take a lot from their teachings, and in today's world, we need to be teaching openness and tolerance, and emphasising our roles as consumers and this is where I think some Buddhist principles can be really helpful.  You don't need to be put in a box and defined as 'either this' 'or that' - at least I don't. And this weekend was about learning more and having a truly Korean experience, which is what I'm here for!

There were plenty cameramen around us, and lots of pictures were taken. Shame, I don't think the small town knew what had hit them with all 80 of us walking down the street.
There was a clip about the weekend on the Korean news, which you can see here.

So all in all, I had a wonderful weekend temple experience, and would really recommend you try it. The one in Boeun is especially beautiful but they are all over Korea! I'm glad I went, and learned above all that sometimes, our assumptions and expectations need to be ignored.

Happy Tuesday everyone!
Peace and love

It is what it is

I was trying to come up with a catchy title but was having no inspiration so really, it is what it is.

This blog has become something I look forward to writing each week, and although I'm not 100% sure if I'm doing what I set out to do in the beginning, it's nice to share my stories and therapeutic to vent sometimes. This is a venting post. It's been a bit of an up and down week. Monday was a wonderful school picnic day with my students, but the rest of the week has been, for lack of a better word and because I've been in Korea too long, so-so. I've been thinking of my role as a teacher here quite a bit this week and it's lead me to become quite frustrated.

In the beginning of the year, at orientation, we were told about desk-warming. Oh it sounded so amazing...all the time you want to sit and watch movies and serf the internet. Bliss. But as we were warned, I soon discovered that in fact, desk warming can be mind numbing. I don't have sound at my main school so series watching is not an option for me. I try as hard as I can to be productive while I'm here but really, there is only so much you can do when you spend at least half your school week in front of a computer. It didn't seem so bad in the beginning...I had just enough down time to make it enjoyable. But this second semester has felt different. To be completely honest, I feel totally useless. My students have just left for the English Contest being held in Jecheon today, and although I asked to please go with, I wasn't invited to go along. Other teachers are able to negotiate these kinds of situations and maybe I could have juggled my class around. Instead, I sit at my desk, doing nothing but thinking. The fact that I was hardly involved in the preparations for the contest seemed odd to me too - why am I being paid all this money to sit at my desk?

I guess I'm just trying to decide what kind of role I have here. All the GET's have different experiences but I'm sure I'm not the only who feels this way. I really just wish I had a teacher who I could sit down and talk about all these things with but unfortunately, my coteacher is sweet but not very interested in discussing anything with me. She can't understand what I say half the time. It's hard to be in a situation where for 95% of any weekday, I have little idea what is going on around me. I'm talked about, in front of my face. I'm pointed at, I hear bits of conversations that I know have to do with my classes but I'm rarely filled in on what's going on. I prepare for classes that are cancelled; I have a 5th grade class that gets cancelled at least once a week but then have to answer to the teacher who wants me to "hurry up" because the students are behind. I feel like I'm in the wrong because I don't know whether anyone has been informed that it is in fact the 5th grade teacher who cancels, not me. I have gotten used to this and in general it doesn't affect me...guess it's just been one of those weeks.

The other thing I've been struggling with is how I'm treated here. My schools are very kind to me; they accept me and include me where they can (this is a different point to my above mentioned lack of information regarding actual class time) but I don't know if I feel like an adult. How can I explain this...Sometimes I feel like I am babied. I'm dropped off here and picked up there, with teachers always worrying about how "Bronin" is getting home if my usual lifts are busy. They make me stand in the lines with the kids and sometimes I feel like a student, not a teacher. There are times I really appreciate it and feel really cared for, but sometimes I just feel like I've been given all this independence by moving to a foreign country...but I actually have little real independence with anything school related. I am young, this is their culture, I accept and embrace it. But it does make me wonder how well I'm finding my feet in this world as an 'adult'.

I guess you can tell from my schizo sounding post that it's just been 'one of those weeks' where the language barrier gets me down and I feel really isolated. It's not always like this and there will be a time when I am SO thankful for no classes. But today, I want a glass of wine with my parents and want to be able to hear them tell me I'm capable and doing a good job, even though I feel completely out of place. But I can't do that - so I will blog. It's therapeutic, so bear with me ;)

What do you do in a situation where you feel helpless to change anything? You deal with it. I love my kids (even the naughty ones, when I'm not the one trying to control them) and love teaching. I'm trying to decide what to do next year when I get home, and a PGCE is on the cards but I have no idea what actual teaching will feel like. Here I may have control over my classes, but everything else is in everyone else's hands. I'm anticipating the moment when all the teachers wake up to the fact that my classes are behind, because maybe cancelling English for soccer practice is NOT the most productive decision. But that's somehow my problem. The communication barrier here is my biggest struggle and most weeks it's easy to shrug it off with a simple 'oh Korea'. But lately I just wish I had a true voice here and was more than the young white South African girl who teaches English.

Is it my fault? Am I doing something wrong? Well that's what I'm trying to figure out really. Maybe writing it down and getting feedback will help me figure this all out.
Until then, we keep on keeping on because that's what we do best! ^^

주섴

For those who are not familiar with Korean, this post is about Chuseok - Korean thanksgiving! I went with 6 friends to the island paradise of Jeju for 5 blissful days and thought I would share!

It really was an awesome little break and I was happy to get to see more of Jeju. I would recommend going there to everyone - make the trip. The beaches are beautiful, the people are friendly and there is SO much to do. Jeju-do, I love you!!

Day 1

We only arrived on Jeju at around 20:00 Saturday evening. It was easy to catch a cab to our hostel for the night - Greenday. It's one of the nicest hostels I've stayed at in Korea and home to the cutest, fattest, big-eyed cat ever. We dropped our bags and went straight out to find food. We ended up at a little place selling bulgogi and sweet and sour pork (which we decided on). Was an average meal, the highlight being me (of all people, come now :P) being told to shut up by the staff. Well, her words were more like...*points at me* "you, go down". At least I think she said something like that. We left in search of beer and back at the hostel sat down to a game of mafia, a group favourite. The hostel has a no-noise policy after 11 so we packed it up and got an early-ish night.

Dinner

Day 2

On the Sunday we woke up and made a nice breakfast of eggs on toast - a little treat for someone who hasn't had a normal breakfast in a while (too lazy to cook in the mornings haha). Esti and Kevin went to pick up our rental car for the weekend (I believe it took Esti's alter-ego, Svetlana, to finally get that right) and by the time they got back we were packed back up and ready to explore. Having our own car gave us the freedom to travel where ever we liked and not worry about luggage, and between you and me, I think Kevin orchestrated this all just so he could drive again ;) Hey, we weren't complaining! We put some road trip tunes in (trying to decide on a play list proved difficult...Will's exclamations of "I'm putting my foot down now" went unanswered :P) and went in search of Love Land. Although I had been before, I went again for pure amusement. It took longer than expected to get there, and after wondering through the world of penises and awkward statues, we were all ready for lunch.

The African Love statue. Cos you know, that's how we roll in the Ap-ri-ca.

Cue another long and windy journey (the motion sickness reached sky high levels for some) and after a bit of a search we decided to eat at a little place overlooking the ocean. We had pork noodles and pajeon, coffee and ice cream and then went off to find out hostel. We were spending 2 nights in Seogwipo which is where Mt Hallasan is located and one of the bigger cities. We found the Hiking Inn with relative ease and were happy to be able to walk around a bit. Hiking Inn was a bit of a dive...out of all the hostels I've stayed in, this one was one of the least impressive but we had our own bathroom which was nice and the roof top was amazing! Stunning views, a really cool place to hang out.
Some of us wanted to check out the Cheonjiyeon Waterfall before it got dark so set off there and took in the natural beauty all around us. We relaxed and had some coffee before stocking up on supplies for day 3 - Hallasan. That night we ordered some chicken and ate up on the roof, keen for an early night ahead of the big hike the next day. It's funny how entertaining 'eye spy with my little eye' can be.

The view from Hiking Inn roof

Day 3

I have decided to throw away my hiking boots so as to never be temped to hike again. Okay no I'm joking and being totally over dramatic.

Day 3 saw us waking up early to make the journey to Mt Hallasan, Korea's highest peak and Jeju's famous volcano. I was apprehensive to say the least. Those of you following my journey here and those who know me understand that hiking in Korea has been a bit of a love/hate thing for me. Love the feeling of being at the top, love coming down, love the feeling of accomplishment and stiff limbs after but hate the process of getting up. Halla was no different. I am beyond chuffed to say I made it all 9.6 km up and 9.6km back down. Can I get a hells yeah. The hike itself wasn't all that difficult; the worst for me were the steps to the top...they seemed to go on forever. I think it was just the length of the hike that made it seem so tough. I struggle to keep myself motivated, and because I'm so slow and fall behind so quickly, I go through a pretty weird thought process whereby I argue with myself the whole way up. "what are you doing? why did you think you could do this? you should turn around now while there is still hope. you'll never make it. yes you will, you can do it. kill me now. nearly there" - these are some of them. As you can see, most are negative, no matter how hard I try to stay positive. And so the way up is not a fun time for me. But we made it, and it was worth it. We sat at the top, drinking in the views, watching some deer on the mountain and having 'snicker sandwiches' made by Cola: bread with peanut butter and nutella. The best has to be the guy who silently came to sit just up from us, and either he didn't see us or didn't realise his own strength but he proceeded to let out the biggest fart ever. We were all so surprised we just burst out laughing and when he noticed, he laughed and apologised before quietly making his exit. Oh Korea.

The way down was much easier and quicker and on jelly legs, we all made it down. It was back into the car and off to get wine and breakfast supplies before we could get home and enjoy hot showers. We went and had dinner at a quaint little place by the sea, but I think we were all too tired to really be enthusiastic. We went back to the hostel to eat a tub of ice cream (don't give us judgey eyes - we deserved it ;) ) before crashing into bed. It was a good day and the aching muscles were worth the experience and sense of achievement. Mt Halla - dominated.

At the summit! FIGHTING!

View from the top

Crater lake at the summit. Photo credit to Su ^^

Day 4

A bit of a late start this morning to give our limbs time to stretch. We cooked bacon and eggs at the hostel before leaving on a mission to U-do Island. Our plan was to rent ATVs and explore the island. Oh haha, but Korea can laugh at out plans. It was easy to catch the 15min ferry to U-do, and the round trip only cost around \5000. Once we got there, we realised, too late, that EVERYONE had the same idea as us and rushed to the ATV places to find that no, we weren't going to do that. First off, it was so busy that there were no quads left to even hire. Secondly,  the staff were all incredibly rude to us and uninterested in even acknowledging us. Thirdly,  you need an international drivers licence to drive one - that was news. A note to anyone attempting this: we think that if you were to be there on a quiet day they might be a little more lax on the licence thing, but there were so many people there that they certainly did not need our business. Disappointment was on all of our faces and despite our best efforts, nothing was working. But we were there and decided to make the most of it. The energetic Esti, Kevin and Nicola hired bikes and set off exploring, while Su, Will, Meabh and myself went for a walk looking for coffee. Instead, we found an amazing beach and delicious burgers. Like these burgers were the best I've had in Korea and pretty high up there with best ever. So that was a win! After our burgers we walked onto the only white beach in Korea - made entirely of shells and choral. It was one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, with crystal clear water that made you really feel like you were in paradise.

Love love

Me with the 'sand' - Su's photo

We spent way too short lapping up the sun and sea before we had to catch our ferry back. I could have sat on that beach for ages. But we wanted to make it to another beach for sunset so off we went, a bit disappointed that we didn't get to ATV but happy we went nonetheless. It really is a lovely island to visit.

One of the highlights of the ferry was when a Korean man sauntered up to us and looked at Kevin, saying something along the lines of "You, you look like Korean, but you speak English. How about that?". It was just unexpected and funny and is one of the main reasons I love Korea so much.

We made it to Hamdeok beach, about 20 minutes outside of Jeju-si, in time to get some snacks and wine ready for the sunset. It was a great way to end the weekend. We watched a couple doing some kind of yoga/who-knows-what in the ocean and it was just an awesome island vibe.

Note the yoga pose

After that we went in search of Black Pork, which Jeju is very famous for and we were not let down. It was a delicious meal over Hallasan soju with awesome company. It was a race to get the car back to the rental place, and after some tipsy shenanigans by Cola and Meabh, it was back to Greenday Hostel and straight into another game of Mafia. This time we had some people who were also staying at the hostel join us, making it much more entertaining. Only a Korean guy can suggest playing rock, paper, scissors to decide on who the mafia is. What a way to end the holiday!

Day 5

After having to wrestle the fat cat for my pillow half the night, we all woke up a little groggy and sad to be leaving :( The weekends always go so quickly and this one had been planned for and anticipated since April, making it fly by that much quicker. We were up and at the airport for our 9.50 flight home. Once back in Seoul, we had a 4 hour wait for our train, and made the most of it by having a delicious meal at Wolfhound - the fish n chips and soup were a welcome distraction from the thought that Jeju was over and done. Will and I also decided that the amount we say 'oh, Korea' pretty much gives those words profanity-status (does that even make sense?). Eg: Oh for Korea's sake!!! Or, alternatively, oh Korea off you twat ;) ㅋㅋㅋ

All in all, we had an amazing few days away. I would jump at the chance to go to Jeju again as I still don't feel like I've seen everything. A HUGE thank you to Kevin for driving us around - I would not like to be responsible for having to negotiate the Korean drivers and roads!

Kevin Driver

Sadly, it was the last weekend away we'll get to spend with the awesome couple known as Weabh, before they head out on their next adventure. Wishing you both the very best for when you leave. Thanks for the memories guys!

That time I tried to fly...

Run, he tells me. Just keep running till you can't anymore. Okay, sounds straightforward enough. We run; it's hard. I can feel the pull of the wing (parachute) but do as told...we reach the end...my feet leave the ground and I wait to feel the wind through my hair and the rush of flying. We lift a bit, then I'm running down the mountain. Through bushes and trees...this cannot be right?!? It wasn't. We were crashing and went tumbling a couple of meters down the mountain before managing to stop ourselves. We're tangled and shaky  and thankfully okay. We hang on for what feels like ages before some staff come down to help us back up. I have bits of trees and dead leaves all up my shirt, which is now ripped...I'm scared and embarrassed and cut and bruised but I still cannot wait to try again.

Forgive the dramatic introduction but I just couldn't resist ;) This past weekend a group of 9 Jecheonians and myself went off to Danyang to try our hands at paragliding before it gets too cold. We were really lucky and arrived on the most beautiful day! We were taken up to the top of the mountain via a van with open back, where 4 of us sat trying not to fall off. Once at the top, the view was amazing and there was little time to sit around and contemplate what we were actually doing. The guy taking our money tried to rip us off but thankfully we had Angela there to help us and  we paid our \80 000 and were being hooked up before we could say "I'm scared of heights".

On the way up

View from the top

Estelle and I were the first to go; she made it look effortless and was in the air in no time. As the introduction suggests, mine did not go according to plan. It was a really scary feeling...falling and knowing that if we didn't stop, we would be at the bottom of the mountain with who knows what injuries in no time. It was kind of surreal and so many thoughts were going through my mind: what are the others thinking - they're probably laughing cos this is kinda funny...crap these are new pants and I hope I don't rip them...oh that hurt...we need to stop before we end up on that road...
But we did stop and I wasn't badly hurt, just a black and blue leg and shoulder and some scratches on my arm. There was no contemplation of not going again - I really wanted to. Once back at the top, I had my friends there to help me and calm me and then they were sent flying. I was second last to go and this time around they had 2 men helping me run. I still don't know what actually happened; I think it was a combination of things. This type of thing apparently never happens. Hey, at least I gave my pilot some impromptu training!

The actual flight was incredible!! That feeling of flying is second to none and although it was only 5 minutes, I felt it was well worth everything I'd been through. My guide was so nice and he made a real effort to make sure I enjoyed myself. Landing was as easy as pie and I now have a video to record my flight. A smart person would try and edit it before I post it but I'm not that smart. So here it is. Forgive the shakiness and sound and everything. Only watch it if you're interested and stop watching after I land and give a peace sign with my pilot - it gets really motion sickness-y after that ;) But it's a cool record of the flight. Enjoy :)  (OK the video isn't loading so will need to try at home)

So that was paragliding - would totally do it again and don't let my experience stop you. It takes a 'special' person to crash if you know what I mean ;)

Take off attempt #1

Looking like a pack horse

Fighting! We made it. My good sport of a pilot and me

After some lunch in Danyang, we were headed back to Jecheon to prepare for Will's 25th Masked Birthday Party! What a fun night that was! Estelle hosted us on her roof, and bar a rude so-and-so who at 20:15 (so late for a Saturday right?) came and told us to shut it all down, the party was a great success. Estelle and Meabh made the MOST delicious food, and we pigged out on that, dessert goodies and home made cocktails. Everyone had to wear a mask (and by everyone I mean the girls and a handful of guys) and it felt like a normal party back home. Except we were drinking soju. It was time for Rock and Roll, a local bar, after that where we spent the rest of the evening downing lemon drops and dancing to Gangnam Style. Was a super evening.

Some pics of the night...

Pretty masked ladies

Some of the delicious food

Gangnam Style 

Birthday Boy!

Su and Myself

A huge thank you to Estelle and Meabh for all their hard work that night!!

I think that's the last of the adventure sports I'll be doing in Korea. May try my hand at skiing and tobogganing during Winter but that's tame...right?

This upcoming weekend is a long one for us, thanks to 추석 (Chuseok - Korean thanksgiving) which gives us 5 days of beautiful weekend!! I'm going to Jeju island with some friends and cannot wait. Will be climbing some old volcanoes, seeing waterfalls and beaches and chilling out to the max. Yes - be jealous ;)

Life in Korea is pretty sweet at the moment. My kids are generally a ball and the weather has cooled down quite a bit which is heavenly. My landlord has actually decided to start putting my underfloor heating on at night which is less than ideal. But it shows - Winter is coming! Temperatures are currently ranging from around 18 degrees at night (sometimes colder out here by my schools) and reaching 23-26 degrees during the day. It's great.

So that is all folks. Just a follow up on my last post about Psy and Gangnam Style - I heard on the news the other morning that it has now made a Guinness Record for 'Most liked video on Youtube', which was previously held by LMFAO 'Party Rock'. So go Psy.

Have a happy Wednesday everyone!

It's catchy 'cos it's Kpop

My feelings about Kpop

Over the past few weeks, I've been noticing countless posts from friends back home about South Korean 'Pop Sensation' Psy and his hit, "Gangnam Style". It had to make me smile because I really never expected my friends back home to be listening to the same songs on the radio that I am. So I decided I would do a little post about Kpop!

Kpop is ridiculously catchy. You may not understand a word of what is being said, but you cannot help bob your heard to the tune. And the music videos are something else. Kpop (an abbreviation of Korean Pop - duh) can be described as the sugary, over-the-top 'electropop' that is so popular with South Korean youth. It blasts from stores and high school cellphones and every child will know the corresponding dance moves to the current Kpop hit. I played Roly Poly by T-ARA to my 3rd and 4th grade class in Summer Camp and had them all dancing along with video like they taught those girls the moves themselves. It's huge here. Kpop stars are the Justin Biebers of Korea and people are drawn to them.

The singers and groups themselves have tried to go mainstream as of late, with bands like Wonder Girls, 2PM, Beast, Kara and now Psy featuring in the US media and on international music charts. One way I think they try to appeal to a more 'Western' market is their use of English catch phrases. Almost every Kpop song has an English title or English word/phrase that features in the chorus. It may just be Psy's use of Gangnam "style" and "heeeeeeeey, sexy lady" or 2PMs use of "put your hands up" but no matter how little you understand of the rest of the song, you can sing along to that one line and therefore feel connected to it. I could spew a whole lot of facts about Kpop to you now (which I've read on the ever-reliable Wikipedia) but this post is really just to give a brief intro to the music and post a few of my favourite songs ;)

Before I post you some of my Kpop gems, let me explain Gangnam style to you briefly. Psy has been around for ages but this is the first song of his that's hit so big abroad and  many Korean people do not understand why a guy who's line is "dress classy, dance cheesy" has made it so big when there are numerous other, more well put together bands that have not caught that wave yet. I think it's because the song is so dam cheesy and catchy, who doesn't love it! And that dance - come now. Gangnam is an area in Seoul, the capital of Korea, much like New York. It's a little more of an affluent and trendy place and the term 'Gangnam style' refers to the lavish lifestyle those in Gangnam lead. "Oppa" in Korean literally means "a male who is older than the female" but can also refer to a boyfriend - and so basically the song is about a boyfriend with lavish style. Maybe. Cos really that's all I understand. Thought I'd try help those less informed than even me to understand a bit more about what they're jamming to.

But enough about that - here are some of my favourite Kpop songs/videos.


This is Big Bang and their hit, "Wow, Fantastic Baby". One of my best - please notice the totally over-the-top make up, dancing and everything.

Next, here's 2PM with "Hands up", making it here purely because it was the first Kpop video I ever saw. And the boys are cute.

Now for some girls. Here's Girls Generation, one of the more popular girl bands, with "Twinkle". Cue typical Korean girl cuteness.

And lastly, here's Kara with the incredibly catchy "Step".

If this interests you, try searching for other bands and artists such as Beast, f(x), B.A.P, GD & TOP (a particularly cool video - 'Knock Out') and Super Junior.

I cannot lie - the Kpop bug has bitten me. You've just gotta chill out and enjoy the craziness of it all. Maybe it'll get you hooked too.

Have a lovely weekend!

Playing Catch Up

Hi all

What a beautiful day it is in Jecheon today. Sun is shining but the force of the Summer heat has faded; there's a cool breeze and the surrounding areas are bright with the contrasting greens of trees, rice paddies and bursts of red apple orchards. Puts you in a good mood :)

I thought I would play catch up a bit and share some of what's been going on lately. Things in general are good. Something about getting half way just helps everything click into place. School this term has been going smoothly - other than trying to get back into a routine, I cannot really complain. The 6th graders are slowly getting to the point where they want nothing to do with Elementary School and are ready to move on, but sorry for them, they still need to sit through English. It's tough on both parties. But I really feel like I'm at the best point I've been at in my relationship with (most of) my students. We joke around and I make a fool of myself - much to their endless delight. And my little 1st and 2nd grade girls - bless their little souls - have taken to hugging me. It's the highlight of every day! Both schools are preparing for Sports Days so classes are a bit mixed up, and I'm pretty sure there's an Orchestra event coming up too.

We've had newbies come to Jecheon - yay! The August intake teachers from EPIK and TALK started arriving about a month ago and it's been really great getting to meet new people and hear all their stories. We have people from New Zealand, Australia, the States and South Africa. The foreigner population seems to have swelled a bit and it's been really nice seeing more Western faces around! We've also managed to meet some lovely Korean girls who are just the sweetest, and has finally made me feel more at home here. They pointed out that they find Koreans in Jecheon to be a little more closed off to foreigners and they decided to try and change that. It's interesting as I also felt that way but wasn't sure if it was just me. We're hopefully being taken to a cultural festival on Seoul on Sunday which should be amazing!

I went to my first Baseball game on Saturday! We've been meaning to go for ages but finally just booked a day, making sure we got a game in before the season ends.

Leanne, Nicola, Adam, myself and Jane at the Baseball

We went to Daegu to see the game - it was the Samsung Lions (Daegu's home team) versus the Doosun Bears. Besides the most obnoxious American men you could hope to encounter not shutting up behind us and none of us really knowing what was going, it was a great time ;) The shopping in Daegu was great - we went to an underground market in Jungangno (red subway line) which had a lot of what we've seen before but in a concentrated area. I am now the proud owner of a Polaroid camera - think it will be perfect for documenting my travels and allowing me to take pictures of people and places and immediately writing the story down with the picture.

I also went Bungee jumping about 2 weeks ago. My goodness. I have always said I will never bungee...give me paragliding and sky diving any day but not a bungee. Well, I somehow got all big talk and before I knew it, we were headed to Cheongpung Lake to do the big swing and bungee. It was Will, Kevin, Nicola, Corey (one of the newbies) and myself. The big swing was scary but a lot of fun. The bungee was terrifying. I was second last to go, and when I got to the edge to jump I just couldn't move. So I asked the nice man if he would push me and he kindly obliged. It's a feeling I cannot describe. Truly breathtaking and such a rush, but not something I will jump at doing again (excuse the pun..ha..ha..).

Nics tried to film the jump but I took too long, so I got this picture instead :)

Other things on the agenda in the next few weeks, before Winter starts to affect us, include: Paragliding on the 22nd, Jeju island for Chuseok, a trip to Busan with Nics, Everland and the DMZ. We also need to start stocking up on Winter survival clothes as I hear it can be brutal!

I've decided that I am definitely not renewing my contact next year. This is a really hard opportunity to give up, and I know I'm going to miss it immensely but I feel a year is enough to have given me what I needed from this experience, and I really want to be in Africa. I'm currently looking at volunteering in Kenya for around 3 months next year so watch this space!! (On that note: if anyone has any advice about good volunteer programs, do share).

I think I've said all there is to say for now. I'm glad I got to write a bit of a general update - it's been too long.

Happy Tuesday people of the interwebs - may it be quick and painless.