Blogs from South Korea, Asia - page 335

Day 2 Waking up refreshed in our beautiful motel we planned our day around the many palaces that are dispersed throughout the city. With clear blue skies, we decided to forego the metro for now and just start walking. This is always the best way to navigate an unfamiliar city and we were soon exploring. Seoul is a large metropolis with seemingly many actual downtown's. We first walked past "beautiful" Seoul Tower, perhaps one of the ugliest landmarks I have seen. I do appreciate the CN Tower more, lol. Seoul is quite a beautiful city with many trees (we were there at the perfect time, as all the trees were a marvellous yellow) as well as palaces. The city has essentially developed around these palaces, so a walk will lead you past several skyscrapers but also ... read more

Yesterday was the first day of teaching at a school in one of Busan's most run down districts. I have now nicknamed the students the 'Bronx brats' as they tried their up most to intimidate me! The day started ok, 'how hard can teaching really be?' I thought. My first class consisted of 17 students aged 9 years old all crammed into a classroom the size of your average kitchen at home in UK. Children obviously find it fascinating to see a new face so I gave them the opportunity to ask me some questions..Name? How old? Where are you from? Are you married? Why come to Korea? What’s your boyfriend called? When I answer that he is called Andy they all fall on the floor laughing. Not wanting to miss out on the joke I ... read more

This is just a quick update on my time in South Korea. Since our trip to Busan it’s been back to the daily grind. We’ve gone through Autumn (or fall - as my gradual AmericaniZation transfiguration device corrects me). Autumn was beautiful; the foliage turned from greens to the most striking reds and yellows I have ever been privileged enough to encounter. Whole mountainsides would look unreal; too colourful to be real almost? In Yeoju we spent some time admiring these colours with Miaie and her son Shaun one Saturday afternoon. We’ve found ourselves in the Korean countryside assisting Miaie’s Mother picking chilli peppers and walking their dogs (and kids) around the farms. Then a few weeks later assisted in the making of Kim Jang with another teacher, and her family. Kim Jang is the annual ... read more

The first time we went into Seoul was with Jim and Tia (the couple who's job we've taken over) and Ryan and I were in overload of stimulation. Everywhere you look there are signs, lights, people, shops and they all go up up up so you walk around starring up to the sky and inevitably you run into someone. We have some favourite areas in Seoul, one of them being Hongik where there is a university in the area, lots of shopping and lots of clubs and pubs and classy wine bars. Here you will find the streets still busy and alive way into the morning as nothing shuts down until 9:00am. Whatever feel you're looking for from an establishment you can find there!! Another popular place is Itawon which is near the American military base ... read more

We’ve heard Mo’vember is a widespread phenomenon…a little word play that produces some fairly disturbing results…especially when done en masse as it was here at the Village. In case you’ve not heard of it, the month of November becomes moustache-growing month, and a sporting air of competition imbues every interaction of the men involved. So, on November 1, all participants shaved to baby-faced smoothness and assembled on the steps of City Hall for a “before” photo. Over the next 30 days, the men folk propagated as intently as they could…secretly intimidated by the growing ability of certain Kiwis, and giggling like little schoolgirls at the measly efforts of other competitors. There were to be awards for a variety of categories. Some sculpted their creations from the beginning; others let it all hang out until the final ... read more