This update is going to run a bit differently than its predecessors, for a few reasons. I feel like I leave a lot out as to what goes on here. I'm always saying to myself, usually on my walks to or from work, that I need to remember to put this little tidbit or that interesting fact in the next email, and yet somehow it doesn't make it in. So perhaps by typing up a bit here and a bit there, I will catch a few more random morsels to throw your way. Also, I am rapidly approaching the two month mark and I am beginning to feel the same way about my counting of weeks of being in Korea as I do about parents keeping track of their children's age in months after the one year mark, or god forbid the TWO year mark! They are TWO! Just own it and move on already! So, I am owning the fact that I now LIVE in Korea and will continue to live here for 10 more months give or take a week, so we can all stop counting already, right? Right. Good. Glad we're all on the same page here.
Ok--it seems that a lot of the things I find humorous or interesting deals with cars or vehicular differences in some way. I'm not sure if I need to apologize for this or what it means exactly, but I suppose the first step to recovery is admitting you have an obsession--ooo, wait, I don't think that's right. Maybe it's because I don't have a car here (or anymore for that matter) that I find them so interesting. Let's not read too much into this shall we. Again, let's just own that I have a weird hang up about cars and keep right on truckin.
So, I find it interesting that everyone here, especially the cabbies, drive as if they are on the Autobahn! It's crazy! In reality I'm sure they're not really going THAT fast, but with the curves and the hills, and the lack of shoulders, the skimpy size of the lanes, and the general lack of traffic marker obedience, it makes a passenger a bit nervous at times. I have learned to just sit back in the backseat and "enjoy the ride" but it's taken many a taxi ride to get me to this point. Also, on the subject of taxis--I will admit that I have not been a taxicab frequenter in the first 26 years of my life, but I'm starting to add a nice tally in the last year. As of now, Korea is the only country in which the cabbies have a tv in the cab--so that THEY can watch it! I've been in many that have the news or ads or the like on tv's built into the backseat for the fare to watch, but NEVER seen one that was mounted like the GPS or touch screen of most new cars that was playing the drives favorite drama or movie! Unreal! Like there's not enough going on with all the above mentioned issues, let's throw a distracted driver watching tv into the mix! Don't worry mom, I swear I'm making it sound worse than it is (anyone who knows any different, don't tell her, she'll never sleep another wink while I'm away!).
I have never been in one of the smart cars back home so I can't say without certainty but I'm hoping they've got a bit more goose than the ones here. Their very Thomas the Train engines scarcely generate more power than a hamster in it's squeaky wheel when it's at its fastest and loudest at 3:15 in the morning on a Wednesday when you have the biggest test or presentation the next day. I always get a nice little chuckle out of them. If I were a male riding in (or god forbid driving) one I could not help but feel extremely emasculated. However I don't think the country in which I was located in would have a whole heap of a lot of effect on that to make me feel any less so. But the point is, there's nothing manly or hardcore about these cars. But, they are tight space friendly and fuel efficient (I can only assume, since I don't own one, but given that they are powered by either a rodent in its wheel or a tiny pony chasing an even tinier carrot on a string in the engine compartment, it can't cost too much to fed such a small energy source) and cute as a button. So perhaps they are like a puppy for a guy. Perhaps. I will do some research on this idea, but for me, I can say, a guy rolling up next to me in his teeny tiny ride isn't going to turn my head--except to continue chuckling at him without him being able to see me.
It is said that nearly half of Koreans don't proclaim a faith of any sort, almost 30% are Christian, and almost 23% are Buddhist with small percentages representing some traditional religious beliefs as well as Confucianism. Also, seeming unrelated (but you will see the full circle momentarily, I assure you) is the fact that Korean architecture can be described as nothing short of hastily built with poor materials therefore lacking in general amazingness or striking details as the building will surely be crumbling in a matter of only just a few years from its construction date. So, the churches that are around are anything but impressive structures, sadly. I like a good cathedral just as much as the next guy. In fact, St. Paul's Cathedral in London was one of the highlights of my trip there! But there are no such cathedrals or beautiful churches here--that I have seen. I think this is due to the fact that even though there are many Christians here in need of a church, the construction of such structures is just the same as all other buildings--quick and with poor materials--therefore there is not a lot of effort put into making it beautiful because the sad truth is they will be rebuilding it in a few years time anyway. (Clearly we can all offer remedies to this problem, but that is not the point of this ramble, so I digress.) However, the Buddhist temples I have seen, though meager, are very beautiful. And there is no shortage of Buddhist statues. So I would just like to point out that it's for no other reason than the fact that these things are actually quite beautiful that I have taken a prevalent amount of photos of them and none of anything else architecturally speaking. It is my conclusion that what Korea has to offer is nature and it's beauty rather than the manmade beauties of architecture and design that are generally easy to find while traveling the world. Which is fine by me, as I tend toward the appreciation of nature more so than architecture on any given day.
So, that sums up the random info portion and I would like to share with you now a little about my seventh week and the ideas of the present eighth week, and thereby the turning point of no more weeks of counting my time here!
Last week was a bit of a blur as the weekend leading up to it was spent in Busan, therefore making me feel like I missed my weekend and was not prepared to go back to work on Monday. But don't you worry as there was plenty to keep me on track with the arrival of a new group of elementary students on Monday. It's possible they were the lowest comprehension and speaking ability group that has come to GEV since my arrival, which was good because it got me thinking outside the box and expanding, shrinking, modifying, and adjusting my lessons to fit their needs. Thanks for keepin Tamera Teacher on her toes guys! I needed that! And just when I was getting a cramp in my big toe from ballerina like tippy-toe-turns of Monday to Wednesday, the kiddos were gone and we were ushering in a national holiday and a day off for teachers and students alike. Happy Children's Day! I spent the day as I would have my weekend if I were in town-just relaxing and enjoying the day! It was beautiful weather and there was an influx of visitors to the beach by my house--including mi amiga mejor aqui y un amigo nuevo and myself for a picnic at said beach. It was very nice. Then it was time for work again on Friday which consisted of a half day of kindergarden kiddos! I love when it's a kinder day for SO many reasons! Half days, adorable children, and lunch brought in for us! What's not to love? Only to be topped by the fact that we were able to leave after the kids (which is not usually the case, we have to stay till 5 even though they leave around 12:30 0r 1:30 depending) so it was a really nice short day and then *poof* it was the weekend again! Saturday passed with little excitement (unless you count laundry and stringing a new clothesline on the roof exciting, then there was heaps of excitement!) and Sunday held the promise of another relaxing day with beautiful weather to be enjoyed outdoors! And boy did I! I went for a lovely run followed by a nice little swim in the sea. Yep, that's right! Swimming in the ocean in the beginning of May-This is my life folks! Unfortunately I cut the swim a bit short for fear that while I was not cold at the moment that if I got all the way out to my destination of the buoy and THEN became cold, I would still have to swim the rather lengthy distance back, while fighting off early stages of hypothermia. Better safe than...dead in the sea just a block from my house. I summed up my afternoon with more time outdoors, taking in the peace and beauty of a new friend's temple and its surroundings. It was a lovely weekend!
Despite the rain forecasted for every day and so as to not be out done by last week, this week is promising to turn out quite nicely itself! A half day today as we had another kinder school in. This group was from an English intensive kindergarden and their comprehension and speaking abilities where astounding! They were so cute and tiny yet could speak better English than some of the kids that come through that are twice their age! It was a wonderful day! I got a ride home from work so I didn't have to walk in the rain (and get my shoes all wet) only to get home, change, and head out on a 4 and a quarter mile run in the rain! Lovely! Tomorrow is another national holiday-Buddha's birthday-so I get another day off and another three and a half day work week! Sweet!! Despite the rain, there will be festivals (including free food, so you know I'm in!) at various temples in town, so that should prove to be an interesting experience. The remainder of the week will hold another three days of elementary students, but a small group coming in which means more periods that are open for teachers to have off, so a lax three days ahead after the holiday! And then, whaddayaknow! It's the weekend again and the Geoje Marathon/half/10&5K races are on Saturday which I am going to participate in! My first international road race. I'm not ready for the 10K, but I'm gonna give it a go and just see how I do. Will be a good time regardless of whether my time is good or not. So, that sums up week eight and I'll be officially into my second month in Korea. So here's to 10 more just like the first two--full of fun, excitement, learning, and peace, love, and joy!
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