Hapkido

This morning was Luc's first test in Hapkido. I went along to capture the moment with my camera and to be supportive. We walked to the Hapkido studio in the pouring rain. it did not make for a pleasant walk, as I have no water repellant shoes, so my feet were drenched. There was one other foreigner testing today, Lee, who is the foreign teacher manager of MoonKkang branches outside of Daegu. Luc was testing with a bunch of really young kids and there was one other who was a little older. Unfortunately, all the kids got to test in groups of three, except for Lucas. They kept looking at each other to see if what they were doing was right, and Lucas never had that. That's okay though, Lucas did great being in the spotlight all by himself with everyone watching :D Luc did kicks, punches, take downs...it was quite well done. He's been practicing on me for the past while because he's been really nervous about today. There were these guys who were using nunchucks and it was awesome. Lee did them too. That's something that Lucas, I think, is looking forward to. They didn't award belts today though, which makes me sad, I would have liked to see that. He'll be getting it on Monday, though he's not sure if he passed (but I'm sure he did). Then we had to walk back in the rain, which decided to come down harder, making even bigger puddles in my shoes. I wonder how long it's going to take for them to dry out in this humidity. I'm going to have no shoes by the end of the rainy season!!

Tomorrow is the baseball tourney, though we're not sure if it's still going to be on because of the weather. The field is going to be a mudbath, as it is all dirt. nasty. Who knows what is going to happen.

I've been making myself sick. Now I have a cold. I haven't been sleeping much and I've been eating really unhealthy. I know I should do better, but I've been lazy. It's so much easier to eat junk food than to find something decently healthy. And the temperature outside has either been nasty rain or nasty humidity and heat. So I do nothing.

Monsoons

Yesterday gave Lucas and I a taste of what a monsoon is like, and apparently, we haven't seen anything yet. It had been raining all day, and of course, our air conditioner leaks. It now leaks onto our curtains, which is nice.

At work, it is fine, there is air conditioning. So you think, outside is like this. As soon as you leave the floor where the school is, you are slapped in the face with such an incredible humidity, it's hard to believe. In an instant you are clammy and the air is thick. It was weird. I had to walk into that everytime I went to the bathroom.

When we got off work, we were going for dinner at an American style chinese restaurant. It was a torrential downpour!! I loved it of course, and wanted to go splashing in the puddles. When I walked out, it felt like it was raining from the ground up, it didn't seem like my plastic umbrella was doing much. Within two minutes, my Vans were soaked through and through, so I went splashing in the lake sized puddles anyway to my delight. We didn't exactly know where the restaurant was, so it was fun trying to tell the taxi driver where to go. Luckily, we had a rad taxi driver who was enjoying himself having a carfull of foreigners. We got there and gave him a tip. There was shuch a short distance between the restaurant and taxi that i decided to run for it. My umbrella is a bit of a hassle to get back down. But in someplaces, there is marble on the sidewalk, as decoration. As I ran over it, because it was so slippery, I fell butt over heels. It was pretty funny, and I sat there for a moment laughing. Also, this marble bit was in a puddle. So I'm not completely soaked in my jeans. It was quite uncomfortable for sitting in a restaurant. I just wanted to be home and take it all off. The food was pretty good, expensive though (being foreign). I ate a really really spicy pepper though, and was not able to get the burning out of my mouth for the life of me, so I couldn't finish.

Gum Boots Fantasy

So I went to work yesterday, and when I got to my building, I went to go up the stairs. But there was something in the way of the stairs. I thought to myself, "This is interesting". I wondered if I should do something to move what was in front of the stairs. But I nixed that idea. I looked around. AHA! There's the culprit!

There was a man passed out at the bottom of the stairs in my building lying next to a bottle of soju.

Korean buildings are open to anyone pretty much. You can go into a building and use their washrooms, unless they have it locked like if there is a restaurant or something that uses it. There are rarely security measures in the buldings. So this man decided to come in to our building and pass out. I mean he was OUT. But one question: why did he pick a school to do so?

The Korean teachers said nothing about it. When I brought up the issue, they just said that they knew. Isn't that NOT a good thing to have a school, where there are many young children. And parents are coming in to pay for next month's lesson.....bad impression perhaps? Nope, no one did anything about it. hmmm....

P.S. Yesterday was the start of the rainy season, and rain it did starting last night. Our airconditioner fan is on the roof, so rain gets in it, and that water travels down down down into our bedroom, where it makes it's final departure to my floor. But now, it also leaks onto the curtain, so the curtain is soaked and we have two big bowls under the conditioner which are filling up. *sigh* It's going to be a long rainy season. Today my task is to find some gum boots :D And then to find some big puddles and jump in them with my new gum boots.

Goodbye Mom and Dad

Well, Mom and Dad are off on their way to Seoul and then to Thailand. I tried to stay strong as they were leaving, and as soon as they got into the car, I turned my back and cried all the way home. I'm feeling low now. I even tried to watch a scary movie to cheer me up, but everything is so blase. Now there are no more parents visits to look forward to. Before, after saying goodbye to the parents, there was so much new stuff here in Korea to keep me distracted. I don't have that anymore. I've been feeling pretty frustrated lately, dealing with Korean everything. I don't want to have to deal with the cab driver who doesn't understand my tryings of Korean. I want to know what I'm buying at the grocery store. Things like that, gets really tiresome. I know it's part of the experience and all, but just some times...*sigh*

Yesterday, we made a day trip out to Gyeong Ju, which is the historical capital of Korea during the Shilla Dynasty. We took them to Bulguksa Temple, which is somewhere Lucas and I had never been. It's apparently one of the best temples in Korea, and it was pretty impressive. Many places where you weren't allowed to take photos though, I think Dad was a little saddened by that. We also went to Anapji Pond and the Tumulus Park. We had the tour down to a science after Lucas' parents :) That night we had to go back to Galbi for dinner, because I think that was Dad's favorite part of Korea. BBQ on the table :) Both Mom and Dad thought that the city we live in, Daegu, was the best one of all, and that's what Lucas and I think too. The people are friendly, everything is fairly easy to access, and we have a good round of friends and support here. I'm glad that Lucas and I decided to come here instead of Seoul. Good thing Bev pointed us this way.....only to disappear too early, but at least we got here ;) Now it's back to work today. I don't want to go. I don't feel like it's time to go back.

Whirlwind Trip

I know, I know, it's been awhile since anything has happened on here. Lucas and I have been so incredibly busy with Mom and Dad. Their tuckered out, and are looking forward to sitting on a beach in Thailand not having to worry about where their daughter is going to herd them off to next. Today, we got back from an overnighter in Busan. It may be the second largest in Korea, but there really wasn't much to do other than sit on the beach and go to the aquarium. But man, that beach was NICE. There were some stupid guys in g-strings who were on ski-doos coming within a few feet of the swimmers (me included). They were just driving everyone out of the water. I did not want to get out of the water though. It was the most perfect temperature. Lucas, of course, thought it was cold, but that's because he's so skinny, he has nothing to keep him warm. It was ocean water so incredibly salty, but it was heaven. I love the ocean, I miss it after living in Victoria, even though you never want to go swimming in Victoria water :D We also went to a lovely aquarium, where we waited for awhile as some old man and woman were doing something at the ticket office. While it was our turn, they seemed to have decided that something was wrong, so they were trying to get in and talk to the ticket lady while we were there. They didn't understand the waving off and dirty looks I was giving them. Korean elderly have a talent for cutting in line, and doing basically anything they want. They could probably get

away with murder, and people will know, and curse them in their heads, yet do nothing about them.

This week we have done Mt. Palgongsan, which Mom and Dad really enjoyed. This is the place where there is Dongwhasa Temple, and the largest standing Buddha in Korea/Asia. That I think was the one place that mom wanted to go. It was a beautiful day too, so clear. It has been real stuffy and smoggy here for the last while, and then you wake up one morning and there is nothing. We've taken them downtown and to the local museum. Shopping and history: what could be better?

Mom and Dad have been enjoying the bad English on signs and the incredibly polite and helpful people around. We've eaten at a lot of Western places since they've been here. I don't think in my whole time in Korea, I've eaten in as many western places as I have while they were here. It's been so nice having them here, even if it has been exhausting for everyone involved. Now I just have to hold out until Christmas. I have a China and Japan trip, as well as Southeast Asia, and then I'm home; 5 more months.

I want to try something: try this link to see if it connects you to a facebook page that has a photoalbum on it that you can view the pictures. Let me know if that works, because that would make this whole posting thing of pictures A LOT easier on us.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2086589&l=f0940&id=122502180

Alive and Well

Don't worry, mom and dad have made it to South Korea. Its been pretty whirlwind the last couple of days, so I haven't had a chance to do much. I should be sleeping right now in preparation of waking up earlier than my usual time to take the parents around. Mom and Dad were supposed to get here Thursday night, but due to sold out trains (it was a long weekend, and so people were getting an early start) they were unable to make it. So we picked them up Friday morning, dropped off their bags at our apartment and headed out to Seomun Market where we picked up some fabric and random other little things. Seomun is Seomun, it wears you out becuase there is so much in every direction you turn. Saturday, we headed to Seoul for another whirlwind tour. We saw Insadong, did some rad shopping there. I got my name in Korean put on a wooden stamp. I'm super excited about it! And I got a couple more scroll pictures to go with my big one. Unfortunately, i got them in a smaller size because they didn't have them bigger. We also went to Itaewon for dinner (foreign district) and then to Namdaemun Market. While on our way home from Namdaemun, we came across protesters who were protesting about Mad Cow (surprise surprise) and along with that the ousting of the president Lee Myung Baek. Mom and Dad were getting all freaked out. Where's the excitement? The next day we breakfasted at McDonalds and then went to a palace. Mom and Dad were awed by the size of the place in the middle of the city. Then to Seoul Tower, and YES! Luc and my lock is still there! There is a lot more locks around it then there was a month ago! But that was really neat to see that it was still there. At this point, Dad and Lucas, Mom and I separated. Dad wanted to see the war museum, and mom and I went shopping in MyeongDong. There were so many people out shopping, but as we were doing so, the skies opened up, and it just started to pour! We had to buy an umbrella, which is now going to be my work umbrella. We had a lot of fun in Seoul, but we were sooooo pooped after going going going. We got home and slept like the dead. Today was a chill day, just Emart and coffees. Tomorrow is going to be the museum and maybe a quick trip to Woobang Tower to over look the city, depending on the clearness of the day. Lucas is working in Hapkido towards getting a higher belt, so he's going to be working extra hard in the next two weeks. He'll spend a little bit in the morning with us, but then he'll head over to Hapkido. I hope he makes it for the belt. Apparently I get to watch, so I'll be there :)

Crazy Cow

As one of our friend's put it, Korea is a trend obsessed culture. We have seen that with weird fashions and the music. One song comes out, becomes a huge hit, and it is played over and over and over. You think songs get overplayed in North America? Come to Korea, you'll change your mind. When we first got here, there was a song called "Tell Me" and the kids would go one and on singing whenever you asked them to tell you something in English. Right now, it's "Baby One More Time" and the kids will even do the dance for you. Anyways, the Korean president just opened up to allow US cows back to Korea. They stopped for awhile becuase of the Mad Cow outbreak. But now, there are ridiculous protests against it. It's completely media driven and it seems that the whole of Korea is enraged and freaked out about Mad Cow. The kids in class are all "crazy cow! crazy cow! Chang Yeon has crazy cow teacher!". (They call it crazy cow, becuase thats the translation). Tonight, after our baseball game, we were on our way to see Iron Man (totally a wicked movie!!), when we pass a candlelight vigil. We were curious what it was for...China Earthquake victims? Myanmar? NO; MAD COW!!! are you serious? Aparently it passed by some friends, as it turned into a march, and the people were protesting down the streets! C'mon guys. Give it a rest.

Paintballs and Birthday Balls

Yesterday, Lucas, Neal and I went paintballing with some of the Korean teachers at Bummeo 1. Turns out, we were the only foreigners going. We ended up paying a lot more than I was expecting, but oh well, just go do it. We were heading the Gyeong Ju, where Jae Won took us with Diana and Mike. It was a hot hot day, and when you're paintballing, you have to wear full coveralls, and they happen to be black. This place was a little different than the one in Pohang that we went to in March. You could do head or body shots, and it was in quite an open space. The losing team had to buy everyone's lunch, that was the bet of the day. But thanks to ME, our team won! That's right. Some of the teachers were cheaters though. I hit some in the head a couple times, and they just wiped it away, pretending like they weren't hit. I just had to hit them again, or three times before they gave up. It was a good time with the teachers, even though they were speaking mostly Korean, and we had no idea what was going on.

Then we came home to shower (which was desperately needed, phew!) before heading out to our next social event, Tyler's Birthday. We were going to a restaurant called Dijon, which is a french place that was supposed to be very delicious. We got there, and the atmosphere is so great, and one of the waiters looked like Guy Pierce, Korean style. His hair was peanut butter coloured, and there was just something odd about him. Anyways, I ordered sirloin (it would be my first steak in 6 months, i had been dreaming of it all day) and a margarita. I got my margarita (8$) and it came in a liqueur glass. Like two sips of margarita for 8$? I was a little sad. It better have been some mighty fine tequila in that dinky little drink I tell ya. Then I got my steak. It was a watery looking steak with a grilled bit of zucchini, mushroom, and tomato. That was it. The steak wasn't anything special either. i could have just gone to outback and had a waaaaaaay better one for cheaper! I was somewhat saddened by this. I should have just ordered the pasta which would have been more than half the price. *sigh* It was an experience anyway, right? The night in the end was pretty fun, we headed to a jazz bar, and a live band was playing when we came in. THen to another bar just to chill out. It was lovely.