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Published: March 12th 2008
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Coming back form the warm humidity of Vietnam to the icy winter of Korea was a real shock to the system. When we signed up for this job we had thought that Korea was one of those nice warm asian countries. Shows how naive we were. WE got the first snow of the year on the day that I got back from Vietnam, and the temperature stayed below freezing for the next three months.
At first it was fantastic. All the South Africans in the village were out playing in the snow, throwing snowballs and taking photos, while the other teachers watched us from behind their windows as if we were nuts. But after a couple of weeks of having to get out of the bed on freezing mornings and sliding on the ice-covered bricks around the village, it was starting to just be winter.
When we heard from another couple teaching here, Natasha and Julian, that they had bought season passes to a nearby ski resort we had to try it out. I say nearby, but it takes about 2 hrs to get from the nearest town to the resort. Fortunately the resort has a free shuttle. Soon
we found ourselves riding that bus with Tash and Jules early every Monday morning (Mondays are our off days). It was not such a problem, because the we only had to wake up to get to the bus stop and then could sleep on the bus.
Since winter is too cold to go camping all over the country like we did in summer, this was a perfect alternative. It was great to get away from the city and out into the mountains with their fresh air. Although I was a bit rusty, I knew how to snowboard from a few months spent working at a Colorado ski resort a few years back. Cathy had never been to a ski slope before, but that was hardly a problem. After the first day on a snowboard she was trying out all of the runs and by the second time she was carving nicely from heel to toe side. It's amazing how quickly she pick these things up. I think it must be a balance thing.
We would rent our gear and be on the slopes before 10am. Then we'd be out until lunch at around 1pm. Lunch was usually some
Me, Cathy, Julian, Tash, Chad
Heading to the top of the slopes hot Korean food that goes down fantastically when your fingers are tingling from the cold and the snow from your last wipe-out is melting and running down your back. After lunch we'd always be feeling really sleepy. But the sight of huge white slopes outside is the one thing that got us strapping on goggles and gloves every time.
By the time we had to take our last lift up the mountain at 4:30, in time to catch the shuttle back home, we were never ready to go home. It was actually really funny how Cathy would get really upset at having to leave, every time. But what a way to spend a day. We would always bring books to read on the bus on the way home, but it never happened. Within about 15 minutes of leaving the resort, the four of us were inevitably fast asleep. A solid day of exercise will do that to you.
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mom/anne
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not jealous
not at all not in the slightest. aaaaaaaaaaaaagh