So I finally joined a gym last night, after a couple of months sitting around eating and drinking myself silly. I was a little apprehensive, because joining a gym can be intimidating even in your own country, and there's a few extra things to worry about here. For example, nobody runs on the treadmill. Or pedals fast on the bikes. Or does anything that involves sweating. So here I am, a big tall blonde woman pounding away on the treadmill, sweat pouring off me, going beet red in the face and huffing and puffing like there's no tomorrow. To say I got a bit of attention is definitely an understatement. Two people came and asked me if I was in a soccer team, which I thought was a bit weird, but not terribly unflattering if they thought I looked co-ordinated enough for that. I have pretty much gotten used to being stared at in the streets wherever I go, but when I work out at a gym I very much like to fade into the background - not gonna happen here! And then there's the group shower situation to look forward to afterwards - so after being stared at for 45 minutes whilst I work out I have to strip off and be the big tall naked white woman. Very white, I might add. But I have to say that I think about 2 months of stored up endorphins got released from all that exercise, so I am feeling great today and will have to drum up the courage to return asap.
On another note, I have given myself a rather strange project for the month of November. Ever heard of the National Novel Writing Month? It's an international thing where people register with a website to write their own 50,000 word novel - and it has to be done in one month, November. The theory is that you're made to just write down anything you've got, and not focus on being perfect, so it motivates you to finally write that story you've always been thinking about. There's a group doing it in Seoul, so I'm joining up for a bit of fun. Mostly it seems to be a good way to mix with other nerdy people like me, but it's also a good chance to get some of the crap floating around in my head down on paper, so here goes! I'm strangely excited about it now, but this may change once I grasp just how much 50,000 words is - I'm definitely not expecting anything readable either!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Lake Soyangho
So I managed to drag my lazy butt on another hike this weekend, and I'm happy to say that it didn't kill me quite so much as the last one did so there's hope for me yet. I'm glad I did because it was a really beautiful spot I went to, about 3 hours drive out of Seoul. The autumn colours were amazing, my camera really doesn't do them justice unfortunately. These hikes are organized by a facebook group called Seoul Hiking Group, and it's a really great way to get out and do stuff and meet people. I don't know what I'd be doing without it - probably going on more traditional tours, which are way more expensive. So I had a great day of hiking and meeting other English teachers, plus a yummy dinner afterwards, tukgolgi, which is basically some sort of fried chicken, mmm... The 3 hours of karaoke on the bus home however was a bit extreme; one Korean tradition I have yet to embrace!
Friday, October 15, 2010
English Song Contest
We had an English Song Contest at our school this week for all the 40 or so schools in our region. Luckily for me I didn't have to judge, which I was originally supposed to do but I got bumped by an even blonder English teacher :-) I did watch however, and nearly overdosed on the cuteness of it all - not even Sarah could have watched these girls sing do-ray-me in their little pink outfits without thinking awww.... at least once. Maybe. The kids from my school were totally the best, but strangely didn't come anywhere near the top.
On another note I got my wonderful care package from the library this week - what can I say, wow! After weeks of deprivation I am positively jittering from the caffeine kick, and I am so looking forward to curling up with a book tonight with some chocolate to munch on. You guys really know how to make me miss the library!
On another note I got my wonderful care package from the library this week - what can I say, wow! After weeks of deprivation I am positively jittering from the caffeine kick, and I am so looking forward to curling up with a book tonight with some chocolate to munch on. You guys really know how to make me miss the library!
Korean medicine
So I guess as a result of my recent culinary adventures it was inevitable that I should get some sort of stomach bug - that's probably the most delicate way of putting it anyway. This meant that I got to visit my first Korean doctor, which was interesting - at least he spoke a little bit of English, 'cause I really didn't want to have to use charades to describe my symptoms! But this is how they give medicine in Korea - multiple pills all separately packaged in bags for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I guess the theory is that if one type of tablet doesn't work then one of the other 4 or five might. Whatever it was it worked so I'm not complaining!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Fish market
Okay so this photo was taken at the dinner I was talking about below; if I look a little stiff it's probably because I just watched my dinner die a slow death...
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Namdaemum Market
So I was loitering around Naemdaemum Market again this weekend and risked taking a few photos. Naemdaemum is a lot of fun to explore, although I tend to spend a lot of time wandering around in circles. It's also great for buying T-shirts and jumpers printed with nonsensical English sayings, which I am developing a strange fondness for. There is no way however that I am squeezing into the jeans, or, unfortunately, the shoes, thanks to my enormous (by that I mean average) sized feet :-( The street food alone however makes it worth the trip.
I have had quite the culinary exploits of late, including a shrimp restaurant on Friday night where they put a pot of live shrimp on a camp stove in front of you on the table and you watch them cook. They jump around so much the whole pot is rocking, at least at first; then there's just a lot of sizzling. I was a little disconcerted, mostly I think by the fact that they smelt delicious as they cooked. They were in fact amazingly delicious, and I don't normally like shrimp even when I don't have to watch them cook. I drew the line however at the silkworms, which are considered a bit of a delicacy here in Korea. I have promised myself that I will eat one while I'm here, but only if there's someone to take a photo so I can prove I've done it. My co-teacher was a little bemused by my emphatic refusals, as she thought she was offering me a treat :-)
I have had quite the culinary exploits of late, including a shrimp restaurant on Friday night where they put a pot of live shrimp on a camp stove in front of you on the table and you watch them cook. They jump around so much the whole pot is rocking, at least at first; then there's just a lot of sizzling. I was a little disconcerted, mostly I think by the fact that they smelt delicious as they cooked. They were in fact amazingly delicious, and I don't normally like shrimp even when I don't have to watch them cook. I drew the line however at the silkworms, which are considered a bit of a delicacy here in Korea. I have promised myself that I will eat one while I'm here, but only if there's someone to take a photo so I can prove I've done it. My co-teacher was a little bemused by my emphatic refusals, as she thought she was offering me a treat :-)
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Second attempt
Hopefully this works; it's the second half of my apartment! Wow, to think I live in a flat so big that it needed two videos... ;-)
Friday, October 1, 2010
Orientation
So I had my orientation this week - 3 weeks after I've started teaching, but since I didn't know I was actually getting any orientation I'm not complaining. It was rather surprisingly a lot of fun, and I learnt a lot - even came back a little inspired! I also got to meet a lot of other newly arrived English teachers which was great, as my social life was looking a little sparse. Can a social life be sparse? Anyway, you get the idea. So I'm feeling pretty happy about life in Korea this week - not that I wasn't before, but now it's starting to be fun and I'm liking my job more and more so all is well. I even came up with some games for class yesterday, and even better, the kids loved them! Sure there was an awful moment when I was explaining the game and a sea of blank faces looked back at me, but I persevered. We played a lot of games at the orientation - in fact it was like being back at school again. There was also a lot of the obligatory Korean enthusiasm for photos where we all do something stupid or make peace signs, but I'm adjusting - to my shame I actually made the peace sign without thinking about it the last time someone pointed a camera at me - nooooo!
This weekend, despite an intense desire to curl up on the couch and watch dvd's I am going to the Andong International Mask Festival, which should be fun - and at least I'm doing something cultural rather than just visiting another shopping centre. Oh and tonight I will try and post another video of the second half of my flat, seeing as only the first half of the original video successfully made it on here :-)
This weekend, despite an intense desire to curl up on the couch and watch dvd's I am going to the Andong International Mask Festival, which should be fun - and at least I'm doing something cultural rather than just visiting another shopping centre. Oh and tonight I will try and post another video of the second half of my flat, seeing as only the first half of the original video successfully made it on here :-)
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