Let's go to church together!
This weekend was as expected given that I spent Saturday with Songsu's eccentric (in a good way) family. Songsu's brother is still yellow with Meningitis but is insisting he gets married in November anyway. As a result we all took a trip to downtown Incheon to kit out Songsu, Yongsu and Father in suits for the wedding. After refusing several times I eventually allowed Father to buy me a new skirt, and he would have bought me a handbag too had I not refused flat-out. Afterwards we went to dinner at a kalbi chip where myself and Mother shared a bottle of soju. It was during a pleasant conversation that Mother released the bomb that I had been waiting for her drop for a number of weeks...the subject of CHURCH.
Mother's dream: the whole family together under the holy roof of her local catholic church. A very touchy subject since has been persuading her family almost every weekend for a number of years for them to join her, and everytime Father and the boys refuse. An avid Christian and church-goer she involves herself as much as she can in anything church-related, including being a girl-scout leader, and playing the piano in Church on a sunday. This woman lives and breathes everything that is CHURCH.
Which is fine, except when you are the girlfriend/potential wife of the eldest son, and a non-believer, and she almost begs you to travel 2 1/2 hours on the train from time to time to join her. My explanation of believing in God but not believing in Church did not go down very well. Nor did the idea of having God in my heart whenever I am surrounded by nature and so forth. As the look of deepest disappointment clouded her face I decided to zip it and not dig this particularly dangerous hole any deeper.
As soon as I stopped digging my hole, finding the situation amusing Father started digging his: " I have a bible in my car...where I go God comes with me!" which Mother luckily ignored at the time but maybe he was sent directly to the dog house upon arriving home.
This incident led me to suggest to Songsu that perhaps the family should go, just one time to make her dream to come true, though Songsu thinks that if we do it once she will insist even more. Afterall her efforts and generousity towards me I felt guilty about refusing, but I do not want to lie to her. I hope she will come to understand...
Free Hugs in Myeongdong, Seoul
Free Hugs in KOREAThis Korean dude was hugging random people, both Korean and foreign, to spread the luurrrrve. Such a nice idea, though a few people must have thought he's a weirdo!
This video features Myeongdong, a regular haunt of mine for shopping and meeting friends.
Chusok
Chusok, known as the Korean Thanksgiving, has the same significance as Christmas in the UK...though taken a little more seriously. On this day families gather together to pray to their ancestors, wearing the traditional
hanboks (well, around 50% of families still do) and eat
Songpyeon (and other traditional food).
I mentioned earlier that myself and the boyfriend did not make it in time for the gathering with his family, though I got some of the Chusok experience two weeks ago at hagwon. I got to wear a hanbok, which made me look pregnant, make Songpyeon with Banana class-which looked nothing like how it should look, more like a squishy mess- and make a Jaeggi, a traditonal toy that you can kick. And as if this wasn't enough Glara teacher (the boss' s younger sister) held an etiquette class where we learned how to bow. This was my favourite part, especially as it may come in useful one day.
Despite teaching in a hanbok, it was a really interesting and fun morning for everyone.
Miserable me in a Hanbok
Call me ungrateful, or down-right disrespectful, but I found it difficult to muster a smile wearing a dress that made me look pregnant. All the female Korean teachers said I looked great, even Korean, but I really could not enjoy wearing it.
Hanboked Banana Class
I think that Wendy (second from the left) walks the hanbok rather nicely.
Jessi and Banana Class in Hanboks
Jessi and Banana Class in Hanboks
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Me miserable again
Me miserable again
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Rose and Esther in Hanboks
Rose and Esther in Hanboks
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Playing with the Jaegi
Playing with the Jaegi
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Boss in a Hanbok
Boss in a Hanbok
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Playing with Jaegi's
Playing with Jaegi's
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Lining up for the Etiquette Class
Lining up for the Etiquette Class
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Etiquette Class
My favourite part.
Children's Grand Park (외리니 대 공원)
The September SLP trip took us to Children's grand park in central Seoul, which houses a botanical garden and rides as well as a zoo. It was the zoo that we visited on a suprisingly hot Autumn day. Perhaps due to the weather and the excitement of seeing the animals some of my class were quite difficult to handle, despite half the students being absent. As a result I did not get chance to take many photographs...see below.
Banana Class and the fountain
Wow! A photo of them standing nicely in one place...though not everyone is looking at the camera. From left to right: Wendy, Esther, Wendy, Belle, Rose, Sam and Daniel. We are missing Crissy, Andrew and Jeffrey due to nasty cold. During the September, for around 3 weeks we were almost running a hospital rather than a hagwon, with literally half the students in every class absent, and those present coughing, sneezing and sweating with fevers. Additionally all of the staff got it too, except of course my boss, who does not come into contact with the kids. I was able to survive the first 2 weeks without catching it, and suffered minor symptoms for a week after that.
Anyway, enough about colds...back to the photographs.
Penguin
The penguins...the one on the right had the kids on tenter-hooks as it wriggled its derriere, preparing to slide off the rock and plop into the water. It disappointed everybody by changing it's mind, turning on its flipper and waddling off in the other direction.
Daniel and the Goat
Daniel and the Goat
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Banana Class and the lions
Left to right: Sam, Wendy, Esther, Belle, Joanna and Daniel.
Banana class making their way round the zoo.
Belle is doing the typical V sign that the Koreans and the Japanese frequently do when posing for photos, and Sam is yawning and looking in the opposite direction. Belle and Rose look like mini-ajuma's (*shudders at the thought*).
Banana Daniel
I seem to take lots of photographs of Daniel...he is just so photogenic!
Sleepy Daniel
All this excitement in the hot weather is simply exhausting...as Daniel discovered on the bus on the way back to the hagwon. Sam also fell asleep, though I had some trouble posting his picture the correct way round.
Chusok
At the begining of this month Korea had a holiday (Chusok)...a well-deserved holiday. This meant that I had 6 days of relaxation and recouperation, ready for the next haul until Christmas. I spent it on the east coast with Seongsu, seeing as we failed again to get plane tickets to China, even though we were trying to book 2 1/2 months in advance. Even my colleague was lucky to get his flight to Thailand around the same time. It seems that Koreans are no longer concerned about keeping traditions, and simply want to enjoy one of the few chances in a year(perhaps the only chance) for a holiday. Afterall, it is rare that Koreans get enough days strung together to allow them to travel. Even taking more than a few days off from work using their allocated vacation time is like pulling teeth out of the boss's mouth.
It was not the first time we have been there. We went there last January (see previous archived posts in January) and we went to the top of Seorak mountain via cable car due to the snow. That day we could not see more than a few metres in front of us, so we went back to see the view, and the leaves changing colour (for which Seoraksan is famous). We had a really good day, and saw some magnificent views. The next day Songsu took me to a spa, where there were small pools of different kinds of mountain mineral water, saunas and so forth. After about three hours there I got bored; I don't understand how anyone between the ages of 20-50 can spend all day there.
The rest of the time was spent sleeping, shopping, and reading "Hymn of the Spirit", a Korean novel that has been translated into English. I find it so difficult to find English translations so I whisked it off the shelf as soon as I clapped eyes on it. I cannot find a picture of it on the web, so maybe I should take a photo myself and post it later.
Songsu's parents invited me to their home for Chusok, but there was nowhere for me to sleep. Instead Songsu drove me from Seoul to Incheon (where they live), but what is normally an hour's journey turned out to be 4 hour one due to traffic jams. So we both missed the traditional breakfast and lunch, and met his parents at the hospital instead. Seongsu's younger brother (Yeongsu, 29) has been in hopital for two weeks with Hepatitis, brought on by stress from his impending marriage. Nonetheless he was in good spirits when we arrived, nattering to me in English, and feeling proud that he was able to. He told me that the week before a 42 year old foreigner, a public school teacher was in the same ward as a result of alcohol intoxication. I wonder how this kind of man can be a public school teacher. Anyway, he told me that he had to translate what the doctor said to the foreigner, which boosted his confidence about talking to me. The doctor said "don't drink like this again, it is really bad for your health" and Yeongsu translated it as "if you drink like this again, YOU WILL DIE!!!" Perhaps a better warning than the original.
After our visit to the hospital, Seongsu's father paid for everyone (father, mother, Songsu, auntie, cousin and myself) to eat in a restaurant. I complemented him on his choice in restaurant, which I thought would be a boost to his confidence, after a history of failures in regards to wining and dining Seongsu's mother. Songsu's mother brought up the issue about my Christmas present, an issue that has been kicking around for a couple of weeks. She had her heart set on buying me a hanbok, but even though I would like one, there is no opportunity for me to wear one. Songsu's family is not traditional enough for me to wear it at Chusok or Solal (Chinese New Year), thus I felt that she would be wasting her money. Afterall, she was ready to fork out a lot of money for it. After some persuasion from myself, Songsu, and Seongsu's father she finally conceded.
Anyway, see below for the photographs from Seorak mountain (서락산).
The Waterfall
Songsu and I went for short walk before taking the cable car up to the top of Seoraksan. We walked for about an hour up a hill and along the river to reach the waterfall at the foot of the mountain. I was quite disappointed when we got there...a trickle rather than a gushing waterfall. Still, I needed the exercise, so it was not in vain.
The riverbed
No water here, just like at the waterfall.
The riverbed
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Buddha-front view
Seoraksan is in Seorak National Park. The park is also home to hermitages, temples, and this huge Buddha, the biggest Buddha I have seen in Korea so far.
Buddha-front view
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
From the Cable Car
Seoraksan was a popular choice during Chusok, thus we could not get a cable car to the top until 5.30pm. "So why didn't you walk up?" I hear you cry. Erm...laziness. Despite the cable car being stuffed with people, and everyone competing to get a view out of the window, I was eventually able to press my camera against the glass and take this photograph. Here the sun is starting to set...breath-taking.
From the Cable Car
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
View of ...
well, I am not exactly sure, but I know it is one of the local costal towns. Beyond the town you can see the Sea of Japan. This was taken from the cafe courtyard where the cable car ride terminates.
The Hermitage
At the top we found this hermitage, which we did not notice the last time we came here. This would have been a reasonable photograph if this pabo had not have jumped in the view.
The painting on the Hermitage Building
I think this is a painting of a young Buddha, but I am not really clued-up enough to know what this is supposed to represent.
Leaves changing
This was taken from the hermitage. The leaves are starting to change colour, but not as much as I hoped for. It takes 5 hours to get here from Seoul, so it is unlikely that we will come back again over the next few weeks. Still, it was beautiful sight.
The VERY top
You may recognise this from before (see January's archives) but last time this was blanketed in snow. We actually climbed to the top of the rock despite Songsu's reservations "OOOOooooh, it looks too dangerous...you will fall". It was really easy getting to the top, where I had a short conversation with a Canadian fella, but quite slippery getting down.
Me at the top
Me at the top, with the peaks behind me, just before the sun came down. I took this one myself, but it seems to have turned out fine...No big-nose camera angle. Oh yeah...I had my hair chopped a month ago.
Me at the top
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Songsu at the top
Sengsu looking proud, even though we cheated and took the cable car.
Songsu and I at the top
It's another vomit-inducing one. Trust me, we have far more, but I don't want to make people ill.
Lone Hiker
Lone Hiker
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
The ridges
The ridges
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Sunset from the top
Moments after Songsu and I had taken photographs of ourselves ( and just before we climbed the rock) the sun started to set.
The sunset at the top
The sunset at the top 2
Originally uploaded by Eleruen.
Moon over the rocks
As we descended down the mountain towards the cafe, the moon was visable in the sky.
