A week of colds and poo..

I know the title sounds a little weird but stick with me here. The beginning of the week was like any other, classes and the gym. I'm down to about 158 -160 lbs here and I like that weight, unfortunately all my clothes don't fit anymore. Classes were all the same, kids being kids and me trying to teach them something. My wildlife background comes in handy here, I teach the children a new animal everyday from the narwhal to the hammerhead shark (ocean unit right now). I try to get them to learn different terms from 'pectoral fin', to 'fluke' and all that and some of them retain the information. I'm so impressed by them. My two new girls, Annie and Rose are just perfect for the class. Rose is sweet and intelligent, a moderator between the children and Annie's brilliant and quite assertive, never backing down from our dominant boys. She's putting them in their places, it's kind of funny to watch. My older students still continue to impress me, it's amazing what children can think of..especially in a foreign language. The children are silly, and I'm silly with them. We have a great laugh and I'm now 'spaghettie hair teacher' or 'ramen head', like the ramen noodles. Annie was calling another student 'ramen head' like she does with me and he started to cry..haha, the little boys and girls here both get perms to give some 'volume' into their hair. So I had to explain to Annie that only I'm 'ramen head'.

How Rose signs her work



Us doing a crossword on whales



Looks pretty right? It's pesticide! Spraying beside a playground....lovely


And now all the students are becoming sick, and most of the teachers. I have a small cold that seems to be fleeting..thanks to my vitamin C!

We made a venture to the Madu Library where we all got our photos taken then went in for a tour and a reading. The library/art gallery was quite nice but the story the woman decided to read to us was quite interesting. She kept repeating the word 'deung' or something like that and I asked Sarah (my teaching partner..who's my life saver here) what she kept saying. Sarah replied...she's saying 'poo'...we giggled and snickered for a few moments. Turns out the story the woman decided to read us was called something like 'Thunder Poo' and it was about a storm that dropped a mountain of poo on this village. Yeah, great choice lady...better yet..who writes that?!



See that mountain? That's poo...



Sarah, my kids and I


Annie


Maple bear, Ilsan



My walk to work



Some folk figures in Seoul.



Some singers

On Friday, I was off to Asim and Etaf's for supper and to do some work for Asims travel photography website. We didn't get any work done on the website but I had a greaaat dinner of South East Asian cooking then watched some slides of Asim's photography. After that Asim introduced me to the herb 'Kava Kava'. This tea, drank in small amounts, helps calms anxiety and gets you ready to sleep. Apparently it causes dry mouth too! Well it really calmed me down and allowed me to sleep, but I think I'm allergic to it.



See those four little specks? That's the amount of Kava you drink in your tea. It packs a punch

On Saturday, Asim and I went off to Namhamsanseong...say that three times fast. It's a village in the mountains south east of Seoul. It's a walled fortress and kind of reminds me of the Great Wall of China..on a smaller scale. It was great weather for the walk, but too bright for photography. So we sat up by a temple and had some great cheese, tomatoe and cucumber sandwiches on baguettes. Then chocolate, crackers and more food! It was like we were going away for days, but it was a welcome lunch! Cheese! Real cheese!
















Sunday, I went to Seoul again trying to keep busy and went into Chungmoro. This is my favourite place in Seoul..camera shops galore! Realy camera shops! With the likes of Leica, Mamiya and Hasselblad...everywhere! Unfortunately, all the places were closed except for one or two. I was able to buy some photo gear this weekend and a girl in one of the shops was trying to ask if she could take my picture for her photography class. She had to get photos of a foreigner, a 'Weguk' (sp?) in Seoul, so I happily obliged. Then back to Asim and Etaf's for more supper, what good food! Spinach and potatoes in a real 'curry like' flavour. They dont actually have curry down there, that's just s blend of spices that westerners have labelled. But I know it was damn good. Asim was toting the power of lentils and I know Shannon's mentioned them a few times to me and how they're nutrional power houses. But apparently spinach and lentils in the same meal is a little too much fibre, and yes..it was hahah



Subway In Seoul, packed tight



Little one playing with the pigeons







Chungmoro, charming no?

me tired...

Well...what another week. I don't know how people do all this here. Work for so long, like 10 hours a day and then go out at night to party. I'm exhausted and I get to bed around 10:30 everynight. Now I get up at like 6 or 7 every morning, but still!



On my walk to work



Red chillis left out in the open to dry, it's all
honour system here.



On the way to work again.

Work was fun this week. I taught my lessons on Canada and knowing me, I have to tie wildlife into everything. So I drew this huge map of Canada on my wall and taught them allll these wild mammals and my kids allwayyys impress me. I teach them how the antlers between a Caribou and Moose are different, that the head of a Beluga is called a melon and all that. They quite sharp, Justin, Annie and Dino especially.

This week I recieved two new students, Annie and Rose. Two strong little girls, Annie's dominant like Sally and there's conflict there and Rose's strength is more subtle. She doesn't care about somethings but she'll resolve what needs resolving. I'm glad to have both in my class. Bruno is still my handful, he gets distracted soo easily but he has a charm about him, he's a sweet kid. Justin is my little genious and needs constant stimulation, I need to get more activities for him to do when he finishes his work early...which is all the time. Dino and Sally both rock, they get along sooo well and they can cheer anyone up at anytime. Then there's Nathen, what a joy to have in the class. I recieved a most welcome letter from his mother saying how much he loves the class and how 'Adam Teacher loves me very much'. It was so sweet to read.



Dino and Justin trying to play with Crazy Hair
Teacher Adam



My map! and you can see me next to Cape Breton
with my afro..the kids love it..



Gingko on the walk home.


We had a long weekend here and we planned on going to a bamboo forest and doign some hiking, but unfortunately the busses here were all booked solid.

On Friday morning we had planned on going to another destination but we couldn't get there either. Lauren and I were both awake 5 though, so at 7 we went for a walk around Lake Park and on our way back we saw a 'disturbance'. This couple and a cab driver were arguing over something but the fight was soooooo non violent. There was yelling and this kind of ritualistic butting of shoulders between the men...but no punches thrown. It reminded me of Giraffes in heat and the males competing for the female. So we lingered around a little bit to watch this..come on..it was better than tv here! Eventually the cops came..with their almighty whistles..and took the couple away in their cars. It was a hoot. Then to Starbucks for a chai tea! MMM



Lotus in Lake Park



A lion in Lake Park

So on Friday, Asim, Lauren and I went into 'Old Seoul' or Bukchong, for some photography. They're both great people and I think I'd be lost without them here. Asim's a photographer, still using film so I'm learning a great deal from him, and I hope he does from me. He has a great eye and I'm genuinely impressed with his work, which says alot. Lauren is the sweeter of all my coworkers, but all are great. It was definetly a good day. We went to a place called Insadong, a street market filled with people, Korean and foreigners. Then to a Buddhist temple, the largest in Korea. There was a collection of lanterns there..soo many. They were arranged to say 'OUT' to the Korean President (or prime minister...whoever) because of his Christian hiring techniques. He basically only hires other Christian Koreans. Korea is mainly Confucious but many Buddhists here.



Orchids at a little Art gallery



More orchids, the owner of the gallery was rather
entertained by my fascination with the flowers
rather than the art work



Shannons heaven, a great tea shop!



Tea shop again



Old Seoul Roofs..or Rooves?



I liked this one..



Old Ladies roasting chestnuts



A Buddhist monk..on his cell



The Lanterns



A huge bell at the temple



Cool flowers


After getting home that night Lauren and I went to Lake Park to try and find some festivities and we found a Chinese orchestra playing...soooo amazing. The music was beautiful. We showed up late becuase we went to the huge musical fountain first. But, when we got there I had my camera out and this realllly nice guy let us in through the barrier. He was either really nice or thought I was press! He gave us up close seats and water and all that. It was lovely and pretty much pushed me up front to go take photos. I'd love to meet that guy again.



Lake Park Fountain..it's huge



The conductor






I loved this guy





Then on Saturday I went on a palace spree. I saw two palaces in Seoul, and the names..are.....umm...hold on while I find them. Oh there we go, Changdeokgung and Gyeonbukchung. Both were very impressive, but as Asim told me...you see one temple..you've seen em all.. It's true tho, the architecture is pretty much the same throughout. Still impressive though. I got free admission to the folk museum as well and then decided to go home after my solo adventure.



Some of the palaces



Japanese Maple..i think





One of the guards, such vibrant reds





The Chinese Zodiak figures

Sunday was a harder day for Lauren and I. We tried to get to a Korean Folk village but we were too late for that and then we went to a Fortress in Suwon which was ok. But I was unfortunately cranky and just decided to go back home..a two hour subway ride ..oy vey..but kudos to Lauren for sticking with me. I wanted to go home because there was a show called 'Hydro Sapiens' that I really wanted to see..we got there a littllle late..barely..if that...and it was PACKED. So we had to go to the edge and push to see something. Unofortunately, they weren't that impressive and our angle was poor so we decided to leave and head back home.



The wall at Hwaeseong Fortress in Suwon







The HydroSapiens..this was the best part..
unfortunately..

From my window on Sunday night was able to see the fireworks for the Korean Foundation Day..which is why I had a long weekend.

So, I wait until next weekend..who knows!