http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , South Korea , Gyeongsangbuk do en-us Sat, 05 Dec 09 15:24:34 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 09 15:24:34 +0000 I wanted to revamp an old entry I did about coming to South Korea.There are many factors that affect what one should bring to SoKo when coming over to live for an extended period of time.If you are working for a private academy hagwon it is pretty safe to say that you will not be in the deep in the countryside. If you are headed to Seoul you will be able to find just about everything you need t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-452792.html I never thought I would see a second Chusok weekend in South Korea but there I was 13 months in and so happy that we had a long weekend Since staying in the city for Chusok was not at all what any of us had in mind we enlisted the services of Jusinersquos very awesome Korean Coteacher Sophia to help organise us a little get away to Gyeongju so see the cultural centre of South Korea. Naturall http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongju/blog-452005.html Mike and I spent this past weekend exploring the city of Gyeongju regarded by many Koreans as one of the most important cities in the country. Gyeongju is about an hour northwest of Yangsan and we got there by bus the ticket for which cost a mere 3700W. During the Silla Dynasty 57 BC 935 AD Gyeongju was the capital of the country so it holds many important remains of that period so lo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongju/blog-451876.html H1N1 has resurged in Korea... 10 of my students have gone home with either the potentiality of it or fullblown H1N1. This weekend should be cool. On Saturday I am going to the yoga leadership class for the first time since I graduated. It will be awesome to be back in the space. I am hoping that my Korean comprehension beefs up by then.Recently I have been having such a tough time understanding http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-447337.html Greetings from a distant space... I seem to only be a ldquogoodrdquo blogger sometimes. I guess that is the flow and rhythm of my life though so I accept it. Life here is acutely chaos right now. I am hungrily devouring novels as I simultaneously walk to school. I have been lesson planning and planning my winter trip to India. I am missing my recently departed American friends while trying t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-445060.html Yesterday was a blur. I have been awake but asleep or like a robot. It has been a mad rush to get information. Information about India information about Gyeongju Samcheok and Palgong Mountainhellip On Tuesday I rocked it at school and then around lunch time my friends came. We walked around and saw some of the students. We told them that we were going to have a free talk time. A group of abo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-443094.html As you know From Oct. 2nd 2009 to Oct. 4th 2009 was Korean traditional holidayChoosoek Aug.15. on lunar month the full moon's day. I worshiped my ancestors with my all family. On Choosoek day Confucianabout a quarter of national total population set a table for their ancestors in the morning Choosoek. and pray for thier ancestors and thanks for good harvest this year. This Choosoek http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gunwi-County/blog-442519.html This week I stopped shaving my armpits. The scary thing is that I have no idea what it will look like. Society has us so conditioned. The moment I had some peach fuzz I was all over my mom to let me shave it so that I didnrsquot stand out. Irsquom actually kind of excited to see what it will look like.For something innate it is insane that I am so disconnected from it. It makes me think abou http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-441120.html This week is just making me giddy. Yesterday was Kathleen's birthday and Friday at 1am I get to welcome Jamie and co. to SoKo. Sooo good.I got my Korean driver's license today It was so much easier than expected. I think it is because I read some blogs of people from Seoul going and getting theirs. In Daegu at least in the morning the people traffic at the DLA was so minimal. It was incredibl http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-440910.html In case I have not said it yet WELCOME FALL The leaves are changing colors... There is a bite to the air... The rain cools the skin... All signs of Fall are making their appreance. I stand here looking out at the black night and am so greatful to be alive. To be witnesses so much life and to have the capacity to love. The awareness to know that I love. To feel with all of my senses and witness http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-440433.html I was handed a stack of essays to judge today. They made for an interesting read. The topic was mass media and the question was whether or not younger generations are effected more by mass media. Students unanimously stated that they believed younger people were more affected. The students cited examples such as the prevalence of cyber culture how young people arenrsquot given the tools to crit http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-439039.html Had to say goodbye to Shine today... Very sad. The teachers I work with here in Jang Jung or Yang Jung Dong at GnB are really fantastic Such a friendly bunch of people they have really gone out of their way to help me here. Very sad to see Shine go... she spent some time in Australia and could actually understand my English despite my South African accentManaged to quickly snap a pic of 3 of http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/blog-438974.html Kimchee If the look of this thrills you then Korea is the place for you. Add in the smell of fermenting cabbage and you have the full Korean gourmet experienceSorry for the sarcasm... But I really cannot get this stuff down. And the smell of it... Well you have to be here to know the true extent of it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/blog-438964.html Accommodation for the next year...My bed with empty biscuit tin that was given to me by director The blue bitof material you see is the small towel that I happened to bring with methank heavens. It is slightly larger than their towels and I dry it onthe floor because the bathroom is too wet. I think the floor is thecleanest place in a Korean homeThe view from my window. There is church direc http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/blog-438960.html I arrived in Korea safely last night I got to Ulsan at about 7.15pm That was after being thoroughly searched in Dubai airport and having my suitcase unpacked and searched in both of the Seoul airports It must be something about being South African I had a very sweet Korean man in Dubai behind me in the queue and he followed me with the guards and waited so that he could give me my shoes http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/blog-438957.html Good morningOK so this morning I was very brave... After waking up a bit late 8am I thought I would just scratch together all the energy I could muster and go for a 20min walk up the mountain. Where all the old men were already trekking too. So I strategically had to time it from my front door so that I didn't end up in front of an old man huffing and puffing because I was so unfit. I've be http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/blog-438954.html It is a rainy day and the great thing about a rainy day is that it forced everyone to slow downhellip I am teaching tonight at my high school. That means no studio. I have to guide myself today through yoga. It is great practice of self discipline but I love the energy heavy in the air at the studio.Last night I had a dream that I went back to the United States and was rehired at the coffee sho http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-438900.html How to describe todayRebirth Today was graduation day for the yoga leadership course that I have been a part of for over 10 months now. I spent a decent part of today laughing to myself about how interesting life is. I along with my classmates who were also graduating crawled through a canal of white spandex that was lined on both sides by nongraduating and previously graduated members. They http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-437920.html Today I graduate from the leadership course... After 10 12 months in a 6 month program I am spreading my winds and joining the ranks of the other 10 graduating classes. Magical. We are having a party which I am really excited about because it has been too long since we the yoga studio have let lose and celebrated in an official way. I am bringing a bunch of little yogurt packs. It should be g http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-437746.html I enjoy experiencing yoga with every ounce of my being. It is so encredible how even unintentionally yoga is transmitted through people. I was at a cafe drinking coffee last night with two friends. I had just come from the Leadership course where we spent the day talking about breathing fear of deathfear of life and therapy. One of the guys I knew and one of the guys I had never met. He had http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Gyeongsangbuk-do/Gyeongsan/blog-436090.html