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(note: obviously jason has now come and gone but i wanted to post this to update on everything to date....more on Jason's lovely visit to come)
DECEMBER 08
So right now I am on my way to pick up Jason at the airport and I cannot even begin to describe how darn excited I am. It’s been almost 8 months of being apart…he is for sure getting one of those running hugs like in the movies. He has never been outside of N. America so it should be quite the experience for him too. When I first came out here he didn’t think he was going to be able to visit because of his new job, but because this time of year isn’t that busy, his boss offered to give him the time because he knew that I was over here and he must have been missing me. J Either way, I am really happy that he is going to get to experience my life with me over here…even if it is just for 10 days.
Anyway I thought I would take advantage of the 5 hour bus ride to get all updated on my blog entries since I have been a HUGE slacker since the summer. I still have to update you on Lauren’s visit, Japan, my weekend adventures around the country with the ‘fab 5 “dibby dibby dip” crew’ (I totally just made that name up right now, but it pretty much sums us up – some fellow tomato or fish towners aka. Leamington/Wheatley folk Katie Omstead and Matt Olewski have recently joined the living in Korea band wagon and we have had some amazing weekend trips with my student Rose and her boyfriend Job -like in the bible) and just my life in general here in lovely S. Korea!
LAUREN’S VISIT:
So as for Lauren's visit, man did we have some adventures!
-We did a slightly crazy thing called "Sky Jump" which was a type of beginner bungee jumping. It was a 400-ft controlled drop (no free fall) but you do hang there for a while which at that height could scare ANYONE! ...i was pretty close to chickening out and I was once again a foreign nut-case putting on a show for the Koreans as they watched and took pictures of me being a lunatic.
-We visited the 2008 International Body Painting Festival at the Daegu World Cup Stadium . That was really cool to see as there were many talented artists putting their heart and soul into a piece of art on the human body. Just amazing!
-We went traveling a couple weekends to check out some amazing sights...including Boseong Green Tea fields which were absolutely breathtaking and went White Water Rafting through the mountainous landscapes of the northeast countryside
-We brought Lauren to see the many markets of Daegu that have amazing things to browse, purchase and taste test!
-We trekked up several mountains to enjoy the view of the city and mountainside. Going up Palgong Mountain was the second time for me, but the first time going to Donghwasa Temple which was once home the headquarters of the monk troops who fought against Hideyoshi’s Invasion (the first Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592). It was built in 439 A.D.
The newly built temples were beautiful, and the largest (33m) Standing Buddha in Korea that symbolizes Unification was breathtaking. Even just the strong sense of spirituality alone made the surrounds incredible to take in. We went with my Korean friend and her mother, and she showed us how to bow to the Buddha. Definitely up there on top experiences that’s for sure.
-Elyse and Laur also went on a day trip to Busan to see the famous beach
Other than that, Lauren pretty much lived here with us, so we just did everyday kinda things: trying new restaurants, doing the downtown scene including Noraebangs, DVD-bangs (singing rooms/private DVD rooms) and bars, exploring things and of course SHOPPING!
She actually spent her birthday here with us too and she definitely had an amazing one! It was a little hard saying bye to her but we had an amazing time having her out here and will remember it forever.
THANKSGIVING IN JAPAN:
After her visit, I was also lucky enough to book a trip to Japan.
Korean thanksgiving was that weekend and a couple of my friends that I knew from Guelph (that I volunteered with at SSN) were heading to Japan and I totally invited myself along. But I am sure glad I did. There were three of us that went and we had an amazing time.
This sums up a couple highlights from Japan:
-took a hydrofoil ferry (i think that’s what you call it...when the ferry lifts up and is on ski's practically) over from the south eastern coast of Korea to Fukuoka, Japan (only took 3 hours)
-realized some differences from Korea right when we arrived:
it was a more relaxed atmosphere, the fashion was much more unique, the cities were immaculate, the modern look along with chic architecture made the cities seem to sparkle, there was NO excessive honking which was a nice change and there were houses
-our hotel was located near the ocean which gave it a Mediterranean/tropical feeling because of its palm trees and the architecture along the coast was very European and vintage…just stunning
-we went to many temples and shines that were beautifully decorated because of the Thanksgiving holiday they were celebrating...you just don't see that type of stuff every day...amazing...they are such a religiously rich culture, yet never seem to make you feel out of place if you are of different beliefs – we even accidentally walked in on a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony that they allowed us to watch. The traditional outfits were beautiful and the wedding gown was like nothing I had ever seen before
-the temples are mostly red which is much different than the Korean temples that are multicoloured … really neat to see
-saw the biggest wooden Buddha in all of ASIA - it simply took my breath away
-rode the largest Ferris wheel in Japan that had an amazing view of Fukuoka
-we went to a crazy festival that was going on for the harvest season...tried some crazy but delicious food (including pig tongue)
-watched a random banana auction/monkey show
-ate some amazing sushi
-ate skewers at a restaurant where they cook it right in front of you and you can choose what you want on your skewer…DELICIOUS
-enjoyed seeing all of the Yatais (street food stalls) – they are a specialty of Fukuoka and serve ramen (Chinese noodles), oden (hot put dish), yakitori (grilled chicken), tempura (deep friend seafood & veggies, gyoza (potstickers) and even French cuisine – it is said there are about 180 yatais in the downtown area
-tried Japanese beer and Japanese SAKE (their famous alcohol)
-had drinks in a bar that was dedicated to a Japanese wrestler that had a bar in the center that had a bit fighting ring around it...and saw some crazy Japanese drunkards passing out under the table to have a nap without even getting kicked out....ASIA is crazy for drinking by the way...especially Korea...there is a drink called SOJU which is similar to vodka but dirt cheap and not as strong, but they LOVE it here...drinking is such a huge part of their social, business and everyday lives here...it is not uncommon to see men in their business suits passed out on the sidewalk in the middle of the afternoon (using a brick as a pillow ...no joke...i wouldn't lie) oh and there is no last call here ...they serve until you leave...which definitely causes many late late or should i say VERY early mornings...
-saw some really handsome Japanese men!
-found out they drive on the other side of the road: who knew, I thought England were the only crazies who did that
-also…cab doors open automatically there…I thought the first cab we got into was possessed or something. I looked around in confusion and asked the girls if they opened it, or if there was a little Japanese man that jumped out and opened it without being seen. Haha
-anther thing about the traffic/transportation. When you are on a public bus in Japan and you are at a red light, they turn off the bus engine. It is the strangest thing when you first experience it because you are talking like normal on a bus in the volume that you would normally need to use when talking over the sound of the engine, and when they turn it off it goes SUPER silent so you get caught in one of those embarrassing yelling when everyone else is silent kind of situations. Haha…too funny.
-had Wendy’s for the first time in 5 months – korea only has BK and McD’s
-went to Canal City which was a city-block size complex with a canal running through its centre that housed hotels, theatres, cinemas, specialty shops and restaurants.
-got pictures with beautiful women dressed in kimonos and saw the summer kimonos (called ukata) that were absolutely gorgeous
I loved Japan and was so happy to have the experience to travel there!~
Andong Mask Festival
Every year there is a traditional dance and mask festival in a city about an hour from Daegu called Andong. I went with one of my Korean friends and we decided to stay in a traditional homestay type of accommodation. What a great experience. We had our own little room where we slept on the heated floor, which is called Ondol style rooms. We made our very own masks, watched some amazing Japanese, Russian, and Korean dance and mask performances and looked around at the vendors and exhibits.
We met up with one of my students Rose and as Andong is her hometown, she wanted to take us around the city and show us some sites. She took us for one of my favourite Korean meals – Andong Jim Dak which is really spicy chicken in a stew type dish that has thin glass noodles, carrots, potatoes and hot peppers. AMAZING! We watched a traditional performance where a man walks across blades and believes that spirits are helping him not get cut. It was pretty crazy to see and the blades were sharp…they tested them in front of us by cutting things. CRAZY! Oh and I also entered a singing contest in front of a couple hundred people to make Rose and Sunny laugh…I obviously sang “build me up buttercup” and the Koreans LOVED it! They then brought us to the Andong dam, a place that gives a spectacular night view of the city and a tv drama set that has traditional houses (straw roof and all), a jail, courtroom and a palace from years ago in Korea.
The next day they brought us to an amazing traditional village and that is quite popular throughout Korea. Because fall was starting, the flowers and colours were beautiful. While we were walking through the village someone asked if I (the foreigner who stands out just a bit..) would like to get dressed in traditional hanbok; clothing. I said I would love to and was lucky enough to try on a traditional wedding dress and another type of dress as well. I took a lot of photos (surprise surprise) and felt like a Korean princess.
Rose then brought us to one of the oldest traditional schools in Korea. It was out in the middle of the mountains surrounded my breathtaking scenery and a peaceful river that flowed around the mountainside. That place could encourage anyone to study…even me! So amazing. We then went for by far, THE BEST food I have ever eaten to this day – Andong Bulgogi – a beef stew with mushrooms and rice that you cook at your table that has the most amazing side dishes. The weekend was the start to my amazing weekends of exploring with Rose that was filled with lots of TRADITION and amazing food…my kinda weekend!
Gyeongju
Gyeongju, which is the old capital city in a previous Silla Dynasty, is filled with historical sites and tourist attractions. It is sometimes called the museum without walls because of all of the ‘must-sees’ around the city. I went with my two Korean friends who I used to car-pool to work with – as they were Japanese teachers. We had a great time and saw only a portion of the many sites to see.
We were sure to visit the 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
First we went to the Seokguram Grotto where there is a seated Buddha that overlooks the Sea of Japan. It exemplifies some of the best Buddhist sculptures in the world and had been threatened during the invasion of the Japanese, but has since been preserved with careful watch by the Koreans.
We also visited a famous temple called Bulguksa that was home to seven national treasures of South Korea including the famous stone pagodas that are on the 100won coin, home to many legendary monks and built in 751. This temple was especially interesting because the King who lived there had the entire quarters surrounded by water to ensure his safety and although the water is not there today, the remnants of the original temple make it easy to picture what it must have been like back then.
We also visited a pottery section of town that had some amazing work on display and being sculpted in front of us. Before I leave Korea I definitely want to buy a set to bring home. I will be going to Gyeongju again soon just because one day is not enough there! There is so much to see and do that it may even take a week!
Road trip to Naejang Mountain (near Gwangju) and Andong
This was a first of many road trips with the ‘fab 5 “dibby dibby dip” crew.’ Korea has a really beautiful fall and I had heard from some of my students that Mt. Naejang was the best place to visit for the various colours of fall so I suggested to do the 4 hour drive…Katie, Matt and I met Rose and Job BRIGHT and early for our long trek to Naejang National Park. It was worth it though because it was absolutely beautiful! It’s really famous specifically for its 7 different types of maple trees so it was packed with people. After taking a million and one pictures of the green, orange, yellow and red trees, we visited a Buddhist temple before heading back down for lunch.
We then drove another 300 km to Andong where Job and Rose are from. After a great dinner of Andong Jim Dab (sp) – spicy chicken/noodle/carrot/potato goodness - (my second time having this…and just as amazing) we decided to show Katie and Matt what a noraebang (karaoke room) was all about. We belted out some good tunes and then went to Job’s parents house, which was a two-story home. (The first I’ve been in since being in Korea…apartments are very common here so this was very unique and prestigious for Korean standards). Katie, Matt and I got to experience sleeping on a heated floor again (ondol style room)…but of course Matt got to sleep in the “guys” room with Job. Haha.
Breakfast the next morning was Job’s mother’s homemade chicken soup with ginseng and rice as well as a side of pumpkin soup. The chicken soup is one of my favourite dishes and I couldn’t believe that I got some HOMEmade for breakfast!
Before heading back to Daegu we decided to check out a really famous 400 year old Confucian school called Songyong Seowan. It’s so popular that there is a picture of it on the back of the Korea’s 1000 won bill. The school was also home to Yi Hwang who was Korea’s most famous Confucian scholar and we were actually able to see some of his writings (his picture is on the front on the 1000 won bill- who knew?). This was actually one of my favourite places I’ve visited because of its history and beauty. Everything was so well preserved that you could actually imagine what it had been like to attend the school many years ago. The surroundings were ideal for this type of school as it was among mountains, valleys, fields and a river. Again…I feel like I could even study here ;)
Guelph Reunion
One random weekend we decided to have a bit of a Guelph reunion in Daegu. First there was Jen and Lisa (from SSN) who came from Seoul; a friend of theirs Sara from Daegu (also now a good friend of mine); Xan, Ryan, Dickie and Daniela (that I’ve known since first year) from Daejeon; and Sheri – a great friend I met out here who also attended Moo U! 9 flippin’ Guelph Grads. Then there was Elyse who went to Laurier…BOO…haha. Just kidding…she was close to Guelph so I guess we can call her an honourary Guelph Grad.
We had a bit of a cultural afternoon spent in a park with many traditional performances including a parade; that showed what it was like for prisoners many years ago…ie. paraded behind the king (me) and queen (sheri) - through town in a jail cart where citizens could throw stones at the prisoners…(we sure did get Elyse in there ...and sure did throw rocks at her) haha, as well as a traditional sword fighting performance, a routine of traditional dancing, a display of what courthouses were like along with punishment tactics and a traditional bell ringing ceremony that we got to participate in.
After the fun-filled afternoon of Korean culture, we decided to keep going Korean style therefore bar hopping, staying out till dawn, drinking in public and norebanging. (of course I didn’t drink Grama…I only watched)
Either way, it was nice to be around people from home and great to see everyone!
Palgong Mountain Climb in Stiletto’s
This was the second ‘Fav 5’ day trip to Mt. Palgong Provincial Park (not too far outside of Daegu). We went to Donghwasa Temple (my second visit there) – but first for Katie and Matt, which was amazing even the second time. It was very quiet and peaceful that morning so it was nice.
And then…this is where the stiletto part of the story comes in…we decided to also hike up to see Gatbawi again (since Kate and Matt hadn’t seen it and we were already in the area). Well last time I went to see this stone hat Buddha was when Sarah and George were here and we took a route that only took 30 minutes of uphill hiking…but this route…well let’s just say I was not a quiet complain-free hiker. When I am not expecting stuff like this I may or may not get a little grumpy about a 2 hour – what felt like 99,999 step trek. I kept apologizing for using the language I was using in such a spiritual environment but I couldn’t help myself. It was difficult. Stilettos …right…so Rose was unaware of the big hike as well and decided to be the pretty little petite Korean she is and dress all fancy and designer and wear high freaking heels…not only heels …STILETTOS! Well after she couldn’t take it any longer, she decided to just sit at a rest pavilion and wait for us…but sweet Matt would not let that happen. Before we knew it he was barefoot running up ahead of us so we couldn’t take no for an answer. So Rose carried her Gucci heels in one hand and held Job’s hand in the other so she didn’t trip over Matt’s 8 sizes too big runners that she finished the hike wearing. HAHA!
Needless to say, I was happy to make it to the top in one piece to yet again witness the amazing Buddhists who bow 108 times in hopes that if their prayers are prayed with ones whole heart, they will be answered.
Girly Seoul Weekend
When I first arrived to Korea in May it was mostly guys here, and now it is mostly girls. That’s one of the good & bad things of contracts starting and finishing ALL the time. Lots of change, but also saying bye to really nice people. Either way, Elyse and I ended up lucking out and meeting two lovely individuals from Canada named Sara Black and Sheri Sager. (they were the ones I talked about earlier that also attended UofG). They are fantastic. Sara is the loud, outgoing, party-girl who has a cute sensitive side that I love to get talking about her feelings, and Sheri is a fellow scrap-booker who loves wine and euchre and is very very sweet.
Well the 4 of us decided to go on a little train ride to do some exploring in Seoul. We went to some palaces, which were absolutely beautiful due to the fall colours. Of course I was on top of capturing the moment all weekend and got many great photos of the highlights:
-leaves, leaves and more leaves
-posing at the palace like guards after seeing the ‘actual’ changing of the guards
-playing some euchre in the palace garden
-posing with the heart hand sign that Koreans LOVE with a toothless old man who the girls were calling my boyfriend – I have a thing for cute old men – but they MUST have teeth
-going for some thai food in the foreigner district with one of Elyse’s friends from La Vie in Guelph that is working in Seoul
-me and the biggest leaf I have ever seen
-going to some random cave bar that made Sheri fall asleep due to the fact that you had to take off your shoes & sit on the ground in the warm and cozy Flintstone looking cave
-shopping at “FOREVER 21” – as if they have it in Korea!! What a great store
-oh and me throwing leaves in the air and letting them fall on my head like a child haha what can I say…I love fall…Elyse makes fun of my all the time for my leaf obsession.
Haeinsa Temple Stay
A group of 8 of us decided that before leaving Korea we wanted to experience a temple stay…live the life of a monk…well for a weekend at least…let’s not get carried away.
We decided to go to Haeinsa because of its English speaking guide and its many sights to see. Hitting two birds with one stone…seeing the tourist attractions and getting a temple stay in there. Haeinsa was a good choice because it is one of the most well known Buddhist Monasteries on the peninsula. It specializes in Zen Buddhism and is home to over 500 monks. Also on the temple grounds the famous UNESCO World Heritage site - “Tripitaka Korean” – a complete composition of Buddhist scriptures carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks – original version of their ‘bible’) and safely kept. Actually surprisingly not all that safely kept considering they are exposed to the wind and cold temperatures of the winter and the hot hot heat and sun of Korean summers as they are only stored behind wooden bars in a ‘as traditionally Korean as you can get’ type of barn. (barn is not the right word but because you could look in from the outside it kinda made me think that cows should be in there). I mean that in the most non-insulting way to anyone who is Buddhist considering they are all vegetarians. I am just trying to explain the building.
Anyway here are some high-lights
-got to wear monk outfits that we all looked very stylish in
-got walked in on by a monk while I was changing…I was sporting my hot long-johns so I am sure that made him want to change his faith (no high heels though sarah or jess…don’t worry)
-the girls slept in a HUGE shared room on heated floors and the guys in another – where we went to bed at 9pm and woke up at 3am!
-experienced a 3am drumming ceremony to wake up your heart beat and inner Buddha as well as a 3:30am worship in the main temple
-fell in love with an old monk…he was the cutest man probably somewhere in his 80’s and still does bows
-got a tour of the temple grounds and learned about some really interesting facts about the temple…there are really old trees on the grounds – some over 1000 years old, the temple has the special number of 108 steps around the grounds, the square maze (Haeindo) is believed to help you accomplish your desires if you pray as your circle it and a recently built $5 million temple that housed old Buddha statues that was designed to fall 5 stories down with an censored elevator in case of a fire
Learned:
-monks try and talk as little as possible in order to free their minds
-some monks are almost mute
-some monks meditate for up to 9 years
-how to properly bow 108 times – (to help you get through the 108 hardships in life)
-how to properly eat a traditional meal – to not leave a single grain of rice, recite a poem that says you do not deserve the food therefore you are grateful for it, drink the water you clean the bowls with, eat at the same pace as the head monk, cover your moth while you eat and eat QUIETLY
-how to have a proper green tea ceremony
-that monks would be good Student Support Networkers. We went around while we were having tea and talked about our problems and the monk gave advice…I liked this part…talking about feelings is my favourite J
-during the drumming ceremony an “empty – to be empty of greed, foolishness etc.” fish is used to strike the bell because fish sleep with their eyes open which reminds Buddists to always be aware.
-there are many types of Buddha statues – one for wisdom, one for good fortune etc.
-how to properly meditate and free your mind of everything
It is quite the life and I must send a huge kudos to all of those Buddhist monks who have devoted their entire lives to living this way, but a day was good for us. Were we ever TIRED! It was an amazing experience that we’ll never forget I’m sure, but let’s just say it was a quiet bus ride home.
‘Pension’ing in Powerful Pohang
One lovely weekend the “fab 5 DDD crew” decided that we had better get a pension (cottage/cabin) on the East coast of Korea to watch the sunrise and enjoy some time on the East Sea beaches. Well when Rose and Job said cottage, we expected something a little more rustic and cabin-like. Well it was absolutely gorgeous and exceeded all our expectations. It had an ocean-view and right in the middle of a cute little fishing village – much like Wheatley. Katie and Matt were rather excited!
This was also a photo frenzy weekend as Job has a Nikon D-40 SLR and I am getting one similar from my parents for Christmas so he was showing me how its done. Because the weather was amazing both days – a little cold, but beautiful skies – fluffy marshmallow clouds the first day, and brilliant blue skies the next – made for spectacular shots.
We decided to keep it low key and just enjoy the pension so we relaxed, talked, played Korea games (this is where Dibby-Dibby Dip comes from..it’s part of a game), laughed a LOT due to these crazy crazy games and ate amazing food (Bulgogi – beef goodness & Kimchijigae – spicy cabbage with mushrooms). We had a HUGE slumber party Korean style on the heated floors so we just had to roll over to see the sunrise out our sliding door windows that faced the Sea. Such a beautiful thing to wake up to! – and to fall back asleep to J
After brunch and a brisk walk along the fishing docks we said good-bye to our lovely beach home for the weekend and stopped in the town of Pohang to see Bogyeongsa Temple, which was built 602A.D and was absolutely stunning. On our walk to the temple we witnessed probably the biggest kimchi prep of ALL times! There were ladies preparing heads of cabbage to be fermented for the years supply of their fave side dish – served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. There were well over 300 head of cabbage! CRAZY - although I do enjoy it now. Its delicious and I am going to have to learn how to make it because I will miss it once I get back to Canada.
Christmas Concert, Go-carting in Gyeongju and Ulsan Visit
Well December was full of excitement!
-we had our first (and only) SNOWFALL!! It was so exciting… Elyse woke me up at 8:00am yelling “carly wake up, its snowingggg!!” so I obviously grabbed the camera and took some shots! It melted later that afternoon but it was nice while it lasted
-A group of 18 of us decided to go go-carting for the day in Gyeongju. It was so much fun. There were 4 of us girls (Sheri, Elyse, Sara and I) and the rest DUDES! So of course we had to makes teams and make it fair to only have 1 girl on each team. It was an absolute BLAST and I just need to note that we beat Elyse’s team. (and by we I mean both Alec and I – because we were on the same team) – I had to rub it in because of just how competitive she gets sometimes ;)
-Went to visit Katie and Matt in Ulsan to see their apartment, relax and eat good food (as they have a REAL oven), possibly use them for their bath-tub (haven’t had one in 8 months and was in need) – they brought up the idea first so its not as bad as it sounds…I didn’t invite myself over just for their bath or anything…this time at least …they even lit candles for me and asked if I wanted a glass of wine. It was a nice little night away and we always have fun when we are together. Matt really reminds me of my brother so it’s nice to be around someone like him when he’s so far away. He’s a great guy. And Katie is an amazing girl who’s done so much with her life. She is very inspiring and we love talking about development and what we eventually want to do with our lives – all of the lovely places in the world we want to go.
I took the train back to Daegu, which was actually really comfortable and relaxing. And I felt like I was on one of those old movies taking the train through the mountains.
-Elyse and I went to our work Christmas party that we invited ourselves too. We both aren’t in the office all that often so when I went in they were talking about it and I said “are we invited – can we come?” I am glad we did cause we had a lovely time with great food, beer and tunes.
-We also went out for dinner with some other people that were recruited by the same company as us. The recruiter Dan wasn’t even there, as he lives in Canada, but paid for the meal. And it was at one of our favourite restaurants so it was a bonus.
-went to an amazing orchestral concert of gifted children with Rose and Job...just amazing
-oh and also a fun thing that we did in Decmeber was go to Spa Valley. It was super relaxing – swimming in the heated pools, soaking in the outdoor hot tubs that overlooked the mountains, doing a little dr. fish – with the option of whole body treatment (elyse and sara did it – I did NOT) and catching some waves in the wave pool! All for $13! Our Korean friend got us a discount! Gotta love the discounts!
So that’s that…
Jason is in the air right now about to spend 10 amazing days with us. Elyse & I have planned a lot and have made our apartment REALLY Christmassy so it will actually feel like Christmas. We are having a dinner at our place with 7 of us and just having our other friends stop by throughout the day.
More on Jason’s visit to come!
Hope you all had great holidays…
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
(if anyone reads this anymore)
