Brennan Visitors

FAMILY

Two blog posts in two weeks?.. WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

I'm sick, that's what's happening. I was told to “take a rest” which is all that's possible really because even though I think I might have tonsillitis, in the 7 months I've been here I haven't worked out where the doctor is or what I need to take with me if I needed to visit.. So I guess I’m just going to have to ride it out. *cough, splutter, sneeze*

Mum at School

One week after returning from Shanghai I made my way to Incheon airport once again but this time I wasn't leaving the country. I went to meet my mum and sister who were on their way to Korea for a 10 day visit! It was a Tuesday evening when they finally appeared out of the arrival gate. We made our way back to my apartment, talked and ate, and those two quickly passed out. Mum can deny it all she wants but jet lag exists and she was feeling it!

At the Palace

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had to be at school as normal but my schedule was light as it was the very last week of the school year – mostly watching movies and rehearsing the Graduation Ceremony where I was due to play the hand bells to Edelweiss and a Korean song. Naomi and mum spent Wednesday and Thursday recovering from jet lag and hitting the sites at the top of every Seoul visitor’s to-do list – Gyeongbokgung Palace and a couple of big city museums. In the evenings I showed them around some of my favourite areas, Hongdae where we ate Korean BBQ and found a little jazz bar, Itaewon where I got interviewed for a radio show (these things tend to happen to foreigners here), and Namsan Tower where we took in the sights over nighttime Seoul.

On Friday, the last day of the school year, mum and Naomi came to Yongdu Elementary School and met some of my colleagues. I took them on a little tour of the school and showed them my classroom. They were able to sit in the back of the assembly hall during the Graduation Ceremony and watch me absolutely NAIL the hand bell playing! I went for leaving lunch with the teachers and mum and Naomi braved a Korean restaurant all on their own…with huge success!

Temple Prayer Beads

Buddha

I had planned lots of things to do with my week off – starting with an overnight visit to a nearby temple, Myogaksa. On Saturday morning we made our way to the temple and met our monk. She was with us for each session over the next 24 hours. We learned a lot about Korean Buddhism, practiced meditation and chanting at 5am, and did 108 prostrations (with hilarious consequences which I can tell you about in person some day). The next morning we left in a hurry, desperate for a nap after our 4.30am wake-up. Later on Sunday afternoon we explored Myeongdong before going to watch a performance of Nanta - it was brilliant!

On Monday we headed out of Seoul to Yongpyong Ski Resort in Pyeongchang for a day of skiing. Pyeongchang is where the 2018 Winter Olympic Games will be held and the resorts in the area look like they’re almost set to host it! I was really impressed with the facilities – Korea does good skiing! It was mum’s first time on the slopes so we started with the basics on the nursery slope and before I knew it we were on the chair lift to the top of the blue slope! Only a minor chair lift exit incident later and mum was snowploughing her way down the mountain. GO MUM!

Climb to Suwon Fortress

Tuesday saw us journey to Suwon. Whilst Suwon is on the same subway line as the nearest stop to my apartment, it is still an 80 minute ride away. We explored Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and rode the Suwon City Tourist Trolley around for a while. Afterwards we caught the subway up to Gangnam for some dinner and to try and find Psy. We failed on the Psy front but the 삼겹살 was delicious.

JSA

On Wednesday, we WENT TO NORTH KOREA. Well, the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at least. We got to see one of the tunnels that the North Koreans were digging 250 feet below ground towards Seoul before it was discovered in October 1978 and the famous Joint Security Area (JSA). We were also taken to Dorasan train station – the last station on the South Korean side of the boarder. The station opened in 2002 and not a single train has gone through the station so far. The whole station is completely weird and a little pointless but the guide was oddly proud of it. The whole day was creepy really but interesting to hear the timeline of events and how everyone still seems confident of a reunion one day.

Barbed Wire Border

On the last full day of their visit, I took mum and Naomi to Insadong. Insadong has lots of shops selling traditional Korean things. They were able to get a few souvenirs and I was able to introduce them to Korea’s fascination with poo. It’s weird and disgusting and I don’t understand it but this whole country is obsessed with poo. This café was called 똥카페 (Google Translate it.......) and everything was poo/toilet themed. Weird. Korea.

Sadly the time had come for airport goodbyes. 10 days flew by way too quickly. I was so pleased that they were able to come see what I’ve been doing here and where I’ve been living. They got to meet some of my friends and now they know what I’m talking about while I’m rambling away about whatever via Skype.

After they left I had one week of Spring English Camp (playing games and eating snacks) before the new school year started again on 3^rd March. It’s now 3 weeks into the school year and everyone has settled into their new routines.

And that’s it; you’re pretty much up to date.

Until next time (which most definitely wont be next week, don’t get used to this)

Bren