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 |
Barbed Wire Border |
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 3rd 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