School Festival Day

Today we had a festival at school for the students and their parents. I'd known about it, or at least the idea of it, since last week, but of course the details were fuzzy until the day-of.

All week I've been asking questions. "What will happen?" "What time will it start?" "Until when?" "Do we have class?" My coworkers were frustratingly vague, as is their usual way. Somehow, even after close to 2 years here I never believe them when they say they don't know. Surely they must know something. It makes sense that I don't know what's going on, but don't they get the schedule emailed to them? Don't they want to know?? Even this morning when I asked Ms An if we would have class today, she just deadpanned, "Maybe."

"...So should I prepare the whiteboard?" I wondered.

"No."

Hahahaha. I frantically got my materials together just in case, but in the end she was right.

This morning each class performed dances and songs for their parents. The classrooms were all decorated in balloons and banners and the desks were shoved out into the hall leaving the chairs for audience seating. A few songs were performed as a group but afterwards each classroom held its own talent show to display individual students' special skills. Some of the students did a magic show or played an instrument. Others sang, danced or put on mini plays. Meanwhile, the parents sat in the back taking pictures and shouting words of encouragement. 

After I got my work done in the morning, I walked around peeking into the different classes. It felt like some massive carnival variety show: in this room girls were singing, in this one, a taekwondo performance with students breaking boards, in the next class an elaborate card trick was underway with enthusiastic audience participation. The hallway became the "backstage" area as students ran around changing into costumes and getting their props ready.

I snapped some pictures.

Fifth graders getting ready in the hall.

Sixth grade performance.

Sixth grade rendition of "Gangnam Style." 

Traditional drummers.

Ribbon dancers

Fourth graders: Yu-jun, Ga-eun, Da-yeong, and I can't remember the name of the one in back! 

Later after the shows, we all headed outside to watch a performance by a professional dance troupe. There was traditional drum music and dancers in brightly colored costumes. It was chilly but the sun was out and it was nice to get some fresh air.

The ribbon dancers are always my favorite, though it makes my neck hurt to watch them. Their special headdress has a long ribbon attached to a spinner and when they turn or move their head the ribbon swings around in a big circle. It's hands-free ribbon dancing!

The dancers jump around, drumming, and all the while their head never stops circling, like a never-ending neck warm up. Wow!

All in all the day was great, weather was perfect and I was happy for the mid-week break!

Here's a video of the fifth graders song:

And here's a tiny clip of the swinging-ribbon-head drummers. I ran out of space on my memory card after that!

Chuseok Holiday and visitors

This weekend is Chuseok, a sort of Korean Thanksgiving holiday spent with family. I've got a 5 day weekend and even better, I've got visitors!

Sam and Nick experience the Korean subway system.

Sam and Nick flew in to Korea on Thursday night late and they'll be visiting for close to two weeks! I'm psyched to have the time off and the opportunity to show them around.

This morning we visited Yeonggung Temple, by the sea. 

Big Buddha 

There was a line of Chinese zodiac statues. Here's Nick next to his, the dog. 

Sam is the sheep.  

Dragon! Woo! Go Dragon!

The temple was beautiful and so peaceful. It was nice to get out of the city and take it all in. Later we stopped by the beach and visited the Busan Aquarium.

glowing jellies 

The Great Hammerhead Frozen in TIME!!

Anyway, should be a fun week! Stay tuned!

Summer Hiatus

But I'm back! At least I'm back for a hot second to let you know what you've been missing!

I planned and taught a two week summer English day-camp for some of my students.

The fifth and sixth grade got to make their own superheroes!  

I spent time posing with various cute mascots around Busan and Seoul. This is for the Yeosu World Expo that I never went to. 

These two were advertising for a new Berry Ice Cream shop? 

I ate a lot of ice cream....

Supported the local baseball team. Go Giants!

Appreciated Korean signage. 

What are we selling again? Who cares! It's great!

I played a lot of Gaelic Football. 

This is Sandra and her muscly legs. Look at her race past the opponents!

But most recently, and perhaps most importantly... 

I spent two weeks on a beach in the Philippines...

...with my best friend. 

Still having a great time in the ROK. 

Seoraksan or Get Off That Damn Computer and Go Outside!

Sandra and I spent an amazing weekend hiking around Seoraksan National Park. If you're in Korea, and you get a chance, I highly recommend this trip. I've heard the most popular time to go is in the fall to see the changing leaves but the lush green forests were a sight to see as well. Sandra says, in autumn, all the hikes take twice as long because everyone's constantly stopping to take pictures. 

Traveling from Busan was about a 6 hour bus ride up the coast, so we did it overnight and arrived to Sokcho at 4 am. Then we waited around for an hour and a half, watching the sun come up over the ocean and waiting for the local buses to start running. We caught the first bus of the day out to the park, a 30 minute ride.

It was a 3-day weekend for Buddha's birthday and I expected it to be crowded with Korean hiking enthusiasts (there are many!), but it was refreshingly empty. Living in the city, even in a city full of natural beauty, like Busan, it's easy to get bogged down with work and social activities. I can go weeks running from one obligation to the next, never stopping to appreciate it. Sometimes I just need to get away.

Well this is exactly what I did this weekend, and it was fantastic. It felt like a mini-vacation. Walking around, all I could do was gape at the beautiful landscape and climb up rocky trails, focusing on hauling my body up over rockpiles. It was so refreshing to sit out in the sun on a big boulder and eat sandwiches, watching the stream trickle down a nearby rock face. A much needed break at a place I hope to visit again!

There were lanterns up for Buddha's birthday.

Explorers! 

some tiny people for some perspective

We walked all day, and left the park just after sunset. 

Fresh Air and Social Obligations

In public school this year, I've noticed the staff organise a lot of events together. Last year, in the private school, I met my boss and coworkers for lunch only one time for my going away but now it seems like every other week there's some school dinner planned.

Last week, the students had a midterm test and so my classes were canceled. The principal organized a mandatory hike for the school staff following the exams. We worked in the morning, but after lunch gathered in front of the school in comfortable clothing to carpool to the mountain. In Korea, they take hiking seriously, and I was a little nervous about the seriousness of this one. They certainly looked serious about it, in their hiking pants and visors. I wore loose-fitting jeans and a sweatshirt because I don’t own hiking-specific attire and shorts would’ve been inappropriate.

waiting to leave

The mountain was just a short ride away – you can actually see it from our school. We split into two groups planning to meet further up the mountain for a break. I walked along and chatted with my co-teachers. Min-hye and Ms Yang had not been prepared for the trip because they normally taught a class in the afternoon. The class was canceled last minute and they came along reluctantly. It was very warm out and humid and my worries about trekking up a mountain with hiking experts faded as soon as we set off. The pace was a crawl but it was a beautiful day and I was grateful to be outside instead of in front of my computer screen.

When we made it to the meet-up point, the principal and vice principal were drinking makoli (a traditional Korean rice-wine) at a nearby food stand as the others filled up their water bottles. As I chatted with Choi, I heard, “waygookin” [Korean for “foreigner”] and a chuckle and before I knew it I was being pulled away by the arm and led into the foodstand. The principal was sitting down and I was nervous as I always am in front of him because he is greatly respected and there are probably 100 different ways I could be unknowingly offensive. The VP gave me an empty makoli bowl and I held it politely with two hands and avoided eye-contact as he poured me a drink. Then it was full to the brim and they all waited expectantly for me to drink. I took a sip and smiled politely. “It’s good?” they all wanted to know. “Yes, yes, it’s delicious,” I said. But of course they’d all finished and I was encouraged to drink quickly. I chugged the bowl of fizzy fermented rice wine and tried not to let my eyes water too much.

the foodstand

a fourth grade teacher downs the last of his makoli

We were off again! My coteachers laughed at me having drunk the wine and Choi said good naturedly that I would have a headache afterward and that I should drink plenty of water and “Breathe in, breathe out.” I was fine and the slow plod up the hill wasn’t difficult. My coteachers let me in on a secret, “The first strategy is to stay at the back of the group,” they said. “The principal is going to the top, but we don’t want to.” We hung back and let about 15 teachers who were walking with the principal pull ahead. We reached a fork in the trail and let the them round the corner headed for the peak… and then we took the other route! “We’ll meet them at the restaurant,” Ms An said. I didn’t mind one bit!

Min-hye and Choi. We took a non-traditional path back down.

It was a really nice hike and we got to see a lot of flowers and trees. I mostly appreciated the time to get to know my coteachers a little better. Min-hye said we were lucky because last year the trip was a lot harder and everyone was sweating. Two hours later we were back down and ready to eat at the restaurant. I was informed that it was a “duck barbecue” restaurant, a detail that delighted me. Always happy to try something new!

We arrived to find a few others had already made it back but the principal had yet to join us. We would have to wait. Even on a normal school day, everyone must wait for the principal to start eating first, which is why we usually arrive late! It was only 4:45 but my stomach was growling. Everyone looked tired. He finally arrived a little after 5 and the waitstaff started bringing out the food. We had endless amounts of side dishes and finally big plates of raw duck slices. We cooked the meat on the little grill set into our table. Ms Yang added raw cloves of [peeled] garlic and kimchi to the fire as well. We all helped turn the meat and then helped ourselves. I watched the others to see how to eat. Duck, kimchi, onion and soybean paste were wrapped in lettuce making little green packages. (The chipmunk-cheek effect is a normal part of eating Korean barbeque.) We ate and ate and just when I thought we couldn’t possibly eat more, they brought out fresh trays of meat! When finally even that was finished, a waiter came by to take our orders for soup so Min-hye and I split a bowl of Naengmyeon, which is a cold wheat noodle soup. The noodles are long and chewy and need to be cut with scissors before eating to make them manageable. When it’s served, some of the tangy broth is still frozen in a sort of slush and there’s usually half of a hard-boiled egg sitting on top of the noodles. Delish! When that was finished, I felt I was going to explode, but luckily the dinner had come to an end.

Duck Barbecue restaurant!

our spread

However, there was still a matter of leaving, which for some reason always poses problems! As I said before, the principal commands a great deal of respect as the leader of the school. When Ms An led a group of women to stand up and head for the door, a loud “EAHHH!” was heard from the principal’s table and they all rushed to sit down smiling sheepishly. They all wanted to leave. It was 6:30 afterall- 2 hours later than we normally leave work. But the principal wouldn’t allow it. I joked to Ms An that she should sneak out on her hands and knees, and the next thing I knew she was crawling away from the table toward the door. The principal shouted something at her, and she stood up bowing a few times and murmuring lots of polite things I didn’t understand before slipping out. The other teachers looked longingly after her but didn’t dare move. A few minutes later, the principal and vice principal stood up to give closing speeches and release us from our obligations. Of course, our table felt too guilty to attempt another escape until after another table made it successfully. During the speeches, Choi leaned over to me and said, “Alice, we need another strategy.” I was confused but she explained that the vice principal wanted us to continue socializing at a nearby Norebang, or Karaoke room. What?! “I’m not going to that!” I said, and she agreed. She and Min-hye said we’d have to make an escape after dinner.

Me, Min-hye and Choi

Ms Yang and Ms An, post meal.

I thought they were joking but as soon as we left the room, they quickly put their shoes on and rushed outside. In the parkinglot Choi half ran to the street and I noticed about 10 other teachers giggling nervously as they raced to their cars. I asked Min-hye, “If he sees you, will you have to go?” and she just nodded and looked back toward the restaurant. Oh the social obligations of the Korean worker! I wanted to wait for Ms Jung, who would have been headed my direction, but decided I couldn’t risk being spotted by the principal and getting roped into another few hours of alcohol and karaoke! I ran away with Min-hye and Choi. As their bus approached, they asked what I’d do, and I said I might hide in my hood. Choi, joked, “You’ll be too obvious!” Luckily my bus was right behind and I didn’t have to test that strategy. 

Cherry Blossom Season!

I've been outside every chance I get to take pictures of the trees while they're in bloom. Last year I missed them while I was in the hospital and I want to make up for what I missed! 

Sandra has humored me and we've been out to see them at multiple "viewing spots" around the city. She jokes that they're everywhere and it's true, but I feel somehow it's different if I see them in a different neighborhood. 

I love the way they soften the trees, like pink clouds of cotton candy. It makes me feel like I'm living in a fairy land and has definitely enhanced my love of Spring. 

Now the flowers are starting to fall off the branches and they come down in big shimmery clouds of petals. 

The path up to my school.

Two of my co-teachers walking back to school after a lunch out.

Cherry tree lined street near some apartments.

Sandra and me.

latest attempt at watercolor. (not a cherry-blossom!) Flower  outside my apartment. 

Friendly Faces

I ride the bus to school every day with a woman from school, Mrs. Jung. She works in the administration office, and lives in a massive 30-story apartment complex near my building. Apparently, she was the one who recommended my apartment to the school board when they were thinking of changing it from last year’s. I’m grateful every day that she did, because it’s a brand-new little studio in an excellent location. Not to mention that the previous English teacher said the old apartment was a bit of a dive.

From the beginning, Mrs. Jung has been especially friendly to me. Koreans are quite reserved in general, but I must have a free pass for being foreign, or else I stumbled on an exception to the rule! I lost my bus card last week and she paid for me even when I showed her I had the cash. This week she took me out for dinner after work and made me take home the leftovers. I asked her where the post-office was one day on my way home from school and she walked with me to find it even though it was far out of her way. We ride the bus to school, but generally carpool home with the vice-principal and a few other teachers. Yesterday she treated the 5 of us to a delicious dinner of 쌈밥 [ssam-bap], a dish of rice and marinated meat wrapped in greens.

Vice-Principal (back left) and Mrs Jung (front right). That's my backpack on the floor!

And she isn’t the only one who’s been helpful. The entire school staff, it seems, is overjoyed to see me everyday. They smile so wide their eyes disappear and bow as we cross paths. Some of them greet me in Korean and bow, while others will hazard a “Hello.” I try to mimic whoever approaches me but sometimes get confused and end up doing everything at once. “Hello-annyeonghaseo-hi!” Bow-wave-bow-smile. The students, likewise, bow mid-run or just shout “Hello teacher!!!” as they thunder past. When I was first introduced to the students the principal used my full name and now murmurs of “Al-EE-ss Oh-lee-buh!” travel across the playground when I arrive and really anywhere I go. Practically a celebrity!

A Korean English teacher working with a private company to put on afterschool programs, stopped me in the hall one day and gave me an iced-coffee! Did I mention my vice-principal gives me a ride home daily? Two of my 6^th grade students gave me a CD full of Korean pop music! And chocolate!

I’ve never felt more accepted in a new place, and I’m so thankful for the teacher who made a good impression before me, and for all the staff here who have been so warm and welcoming! I lucked out again!