In my last blog, the question was posed by an anonymous source: Seeing as how Korea is so rough on you, why are you staying another 6 months....
or something like that.
These are my main reasons:
1. The school season in America starts in August
2. I don't finish my original contract with Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education until Aug. 24th
3. I need time to adjust back to American culture before I jump into another serious job
4. I am very comfortable at my school here in Korea
5. The financial situation for me in Korea is good right now and will only continue to get better
6. I don't want to work at Target
7. I just don't feel done here.... does that make sense?
I will, however, be returning to the U.S. at the end of July to visit until around the end of August. I'm SO excited to be coming home! I can't wait to see my Dad... and, you know the rest of my family.... and my dog!
AND TO EAT BLUEBERRIES!!!! Along with other delicious home-grown delicacies!
I love my home in the summer. Maybe I'll even go on extra long bike rides, scout out ponds and go swimming! I'll resume my illegal, pond jumping hobby.
Anyways, in other news, my school won the second round in the volleyball tournament we're participating in! YAY GASAN!!!!
Korean Lesson #527: Sharing a common language with the people around you is important! However, if this is not possible; day-dreaming is a convenient escape from one's current surroundings!
I've concluded that I live about 80% of my life in my head.
That's why (Korean lesson #590) it's important to think good thoughts!
Love you!
Hil
May 15, 2008
Brokenness... Bustedness
This is a copy of a chat I just had with one of my good friends. Something about it struck me as rather profound... I think because God was flowing through the conversation. I want to share it with you...
Jessica: how are you doing? korea treating you any better?
me: no
Jessica: booooo korea
me: but, i'm trying to look beyond my nose
so, things are better....
Jessica: im so jaded...korea has made me this way!!!!
me: well, living here is not easy
having that knowledge helps
Jessica: yes
its hard to remember that sometimes
that this is, once again, NOT normal
me: exactly
we forget that life... the simple act of living in a surrounding that is familiar and doable to us is...
challenging because of EXTRAORDINARY circumstances
Jessica: i hope home life isnt hard
me: it will be
Jessica: i mean, i know the transition will be
me: in different ways
Jessica: but i hope...i remember a time when my life wasnt this hard...hopefully someday ill be able to revisit that feeling for 5 minutes or so
me: yes, me too.. i had a pretty ok day today, but, at the end of the day, after most teachers had gone home... i went and saw Chang Misook teacher
she's the lady who used ot be in my row of teachers but moved to be the head disciplinarian...
Jessica: mhmm
me: she's probably the nicest lady in the entire effing school and she's the head discipline teacher
and, no matter when i see her, no matter what's going on.... she always has this warm, welcoming tender attitude about her
and, because she likes me so much, she pours this lovely attitude all over me
it's like walking into moms kitchen after she's just baked you cookies
Jessica: awwwwwwwwww
me: and, today, for no particular reason, i went up to where her office is...
Lee Kyeonghee and she were the only teachers there
she doesn't speak the greatest English, but... i don't know... maybe because she's a Korean teacher and I'm an English teacher...
we have this connection... a bond and we can communicate
it's been getting more poignant recently
and today, i just told her, in a really simple way.... that i'm 23 years old... and i'm so young
and it's hard living here without a mom or a dad to help me
and, she asked "What about Changok teacher?"
i said.... yes, for the first semester, Changok was mom
but now, she's not and, i'm ok... really.... but just sometimes it's hard
i have no idea why i felt possessed to tell her this and i felt like an idiot but i was almost crying throughout this whole conversation... barely held the tears back
i think if we could bottle this woman's compassion for other people, we could solve all of the worlds problems...
she gave me an honest to goodness hug
Jessica: awwwwww
its nice you have people to show you that kind of warmth and love
appreciate it!!! i know you do
me: i do, but, it's also one of the reasons i can't go around at my school expecting nothing from some of the people around me...
it's just learning that those certain people... those ones that are manipulative... need to be handled with care
Jessica: mhmm
and you're gonna get blindsided and dropped on your face
thats how God keeps us in check with our reliance on other people
me: but, i also think that He sometimes just blesses us
i am not very attached to this woman... i can't be
our lives are too busy and there's not enough of a common language
Jessica: and so her light breath of love is enough to stand out
me: i really think God led me up those stairs to that office because her love was a good reminder for me of how blessed i am in my current situation
Jessica: definitely
you should read my blog
i talk about that sort of kind of
some small act of love seems to carry the most meaning in the world
10 minute break in chatting while I read Jessica's blog... you should read it too!(www.jessinsokorea.blogspot.com)
me: when your book comes out, can i write a forward in it or something??
you're an amazing writer!
Jessica: sure, the forward is all yours!
haha
me: lol thanks
Jessica: ive been dealing with expectations lately
and still fighting feelings of deserving things and resenting unmet desires
and it seems as though if (i should say when) I give God the chance to make me look like a fool He always takes it...and I'm learning a lot through it
me: amen
i don't think God is looking for an opportunity for us to be foolish
just broken
Jessica: well its like i put myself in a position to fall
me: which, i truly believe is the only time we let Him get through to us
Jessica: and then i do
inevitably
and at the bottom He picks me up and dusts me off and says welcome back
me: brokenness
Jessica: bustedness
me: somehow we all hang onto that stupid pride and arrogance that says..
"Wah! Stand back, God! I've got this one covered!"
Jessica: or like "k God, thanks for the seminar training, let me try this one on my own"
me: and then we walk right into a tree
because that's how competent we are at leading our own lives
and, it's amazing to think that i'm not capable of living my own life successfully
again, arrogance, but still... i wonder how i've managed to live so long
Jessica: haha
me: because i steal my life back from God all the effing time!
Jessica: i mean, we went to college...we live on our own, we have jobs we do well at...we are completely competent
SMACK
me: this is all we talked about last night at bible study
Jessica: for me, Korea has been one big slap in the face
me: really?
because it's made you aware of all of this that much more??
Jessica: oh yeah
and im so glad it has been
i mean...how much have i learned?
how much have i experienced to tell me that the world is not as i thought it was, or even more importantly, that i am not who i thought i was!
how much has God shown me about my true self, about my war with depravity
about His faithfulness, His presence
i could go on and on ...i could write a book!
korea hit me hard, and it was just what i needed
my life will never be the same...i will never bee the same
and how fortunate to have experienced this at 22???
most people never have this opportunity to get down and dirty with their barest self
to strip away everything and to live by God's grace?
FULLY by God's grace
when i think about my time here I cant help but tear up
because i know how much God is with me now
and through His discipline I feel His love a hundredfold
I feel like a baby who is learning to walk, i feel every lesson and instruction profoundly as though i was being hit over the head
me: that' a great place to be
Jessica: and to lay prostrate on the foundation of CHrist that I always knew in my head was there but never was in full contact with is something i cant forget
though i wish for an easy life...i dont want to give this brokenness up
me: yeah
it's a rough road getting there isn't it?
Jessica: so rough
me: it's like sand paper on the skin
Jessica: i felt every layer ripping away
me: lol
i think it's so weird how we're going through almost the same thing at the same time
but with different surroundings and circumstances
God is so weird... but awesome i mean hearing this from you means so much more to me because i'm going through it too
Jessica: by different roads we have come to the same place
me: yeah
i think God wants us all to come there
again and again... this is not my first trip and not my hardest either... but, i think i'm going to be learning this lesson in different ways all throughout my life because i am so human and insist on taking my life back
but, i think that's why this second time around for me... wasn't as hard as the first
and why this first time around for you.... is so hard!
Jessica: today Yusun told me that she's scared for me to leave
and i said i was scared to leave too
and then she said, its okay, thats not today's problem
but she wants to be an English teacher now...she said she'll do it again next year if she can
me: look what you've already done
the mark you've left
there is fruit
Jessica: God is good, there is no argument about that
im happy we can go through this together :)
me: me too
hey, i want to tell you something going back a little bit
just a stupid analogy, but i'm proud of it
when i was in 6th grade, all of the 6th graders in the building (except for the really bad ones) got to go on this field trip with the 6th grade teachers for like... 2 nights and 3 days
we went to this little camp that did a bunch of dumb things with us like tell ghost stories....
well, one thing they did have us do was this little exercise about how it would be to live blind....
they blindfolded us and had us walk in this single file line around this little maze thing holding onto this rope
well, most people in my class (i remember notably Michael Hess because he was right in front of me) cheated and peeked
but i didn't
and at first as i was walking around hanging onto this dumb rope, i was pretty scared
i was afraid of falling and i was completely disoriented
but then, after a while... i was doing ok
and i became more acclimated to my surroundings and i gained more confidence
and then i ran right into a tree
like... full on
smacked my face and everything
it really hurt!
i think i had a headache for the rest of the day
Jessica: BWAAAAHAHAHA
me: yes
Jessica: oh snap
me: i'm sure if you had been looking on it would have been one of the most hilarious things you've ever seen
i don't know why i remember this so vividly, but i think i can find a parallel in my life here
i had been blind for 5 minutes and i was SURE! i had this "blindness" thing down
i think God looks at us and says....
maybe first of all BWAAAHHAHAAHAHAHA
Jessica: hahaha
me: and then... "You've been human for about 5 minutes and you think you've got this thing down????"
"HA!!"
and then HE has us walk into a tree
or you know... THE tree
Jessica: its funny because as humans we will always want to be better, be good at life, be more prepared, be proficient
its the opposite of humility and brokenness
me: yeah
it sure is
Please excuse it's lengthiness... but I really believe it's worth reading.
Jessica: how are you doing? korea treating you any better?
me: no
Jessica: booooo korea
me: but, i'm trying to look beyond my nose
so, things are better....
Jessica: im so jaded...korea has made me this way!!!!
me: well, living here is not easy
having that knowledge helps
Jessica: yes
its hard to remember that sometimes
that this is, once again, NOT normal
me: exactly
we forget that life... the simple act of living in a surrounding that is familiar and doable to us is...
challenging because of EXTRAORDINARY circumstances
Jessica: i hope home life isnt hard
me: it will be
Jessica: i mean, i know the transition will be
me: in different ways
Jessica: but i hope...i remember a time when my life wasnt this hard...hopefully someday ill be able to revisit that feeling for 5 minutes or so
me: yes, me too.. i had a pretty ok day today, but, at the end of the day, after most teachers had gone home... i went and saw Chang Misook teacher
she's the lady who used ot be in my row of teachers but moved to be the head disciplinarian...
Jessica: mhmm
me: she's probably the nicest lady in the entire effing school and she's the head discipline teacher
and, no matter when i see her, no matter what's going on.... she always has this warm, welcoming tender attitude about her
and, because she likes me so much, she pours this lovely attitude all over me
it's like walking into moms kitchen after she's just baked you cookies
Jessica: awwwwwwwwww
me: and, today, for no particular reason, i went up to where her office is...
Lee Kyeonghee and she were the only teachers there
she doesn't speak the greatest English, but... i don't know... maybe because she's a Korean teacher and I'm an English teacher...
we have this connection... a bond and we can communicate
it's been getting more poignant recently
and today, i just told her, in a really simple way.... that i'm 23 years old... and i'm so young
and it's hard living here without a mom or a dad to help me
and, she asked "What about Changok teacher?"
i said.... yes, for the first semester, Changok was mom
but now, she's not and, i'm ok... really.... but just sometimes it's hard
i have no idea why i felt possessed to tell her this and i felt like an idiot but i was almost crying throughout this whole conversation... barely held the tears back
i think if we could bottle this woman's compassion for other people, we could solve all of the worlds problems...
she gave me an honest to goodness hug
Jessica: awwwwww
its nice you have people to show you that kind of warmth and love
appreciate it!!! i know you do
me: i do, but, it's also one of the reasons i can't go around at my school expecting nothing from some of the people around me...
it's just learning that those certain people... those ones that are manipulative... need to be handled with care
Jessica: mhmm
and you're gonna get blindsided and dropped on your face
thats how God keeps us in check with our reliance on other people
me: but, i also think that He sometimes just blesses us
i am not very attached to this woman... i can't be
our lives are too busy and there's not enough of a common language
Jessica: and so her light breath of love is enough to stand out
me: i really think God led me up those stairs to that office because her love was a good reminder for me of how blessed i am in my current situation
Jessica: definitely
you should read my blog
i talk about that sort of kind of
some small act of love seems to carry the most meaning in the world
10 minute break in chatting while I read Jessica's blog... you should read it too!(www.jessinsokorea.blogspot.com)
me: when your book comes out, can i write a forward in it or something??
you're an amazing writer!
Jessica: sure, the forward is all yours!
haha
me: lol thanks
Jessica: ive been dealing with expectations lately
and still fighting feelings of deserving things and resenting unmet desires
and it seems as though if (i should say when) I give God the chance to make me look like a fool He always takes it...and I'm learning a lot through it
me: amen
i don't think God is looking for an opportunity for us to be foolish
just broken
Jessica: well its like i put myself in a position to fall
me: which, i truly believe is the only time we let Him get through to us
Jessica: and then i do
inevitably
and at the bottom He picks me up and dusts me off and says welcome back
me: brokenness
Jessica: bustedness
me: somehow we all hang onto that stupid pride and arrogance that says..
"Wah! Stand back, God! I've got this one covered!"
Jessica: or like "k God, thanks for the seminar training, let me try this one on my own"
me: and then we walk right into a tree
because that's how competent we are at leading our own lives
and, it's amazing to think that i'm not capable of living my own life successfully
again, arrogance, but still... i wonder how i've managed to live so long
Jessica: haha
me: because i steal my life back from God all the effing time!
Jessica: i mean, we went to college...we live on our own, we have jobs we do well at...we are completely competent
SMACK
me: this is all we talked about last night at bible study
Jessica: for me, Korea has been one big slap in the face
me: really?
because it's made you aware of all of this that much more??
Jessica: oh yeah
and im so glad it has been
i mean...how much have i learned?
how much have i experienced to tell me that the world is not as i thought it was, or even more importantly, that i am not who i thought i was!
how much has God shown me about my true self, about my war with depravity
about His faithfulness, His presence
i could go on and on ...i could write a book!
korea hit me hard, and it was just what i needed
my life will never be the same...i will never bee the same
and how fortunate to have experienced this at 22???
most people never have this opportunity to get down and dirty with their barest self
to strip away everything and to live by God's grace?
FULLY by God's grace
when i think about my time here I cant help but tear up
because i know how much God is with me now
and through His discipline I feel His love a hundredfold
I feel like a baby who is learning to walk, i feel every lesson and instruction profoundly as though i was being hit over the head
me: that' a great place to be
Jessica: and to lay prostrate on the foundation of CHrist that I always knew in my head was there but never was in full contact with is something i cant forget
though i wish for an easy life...i dont want to give this brokenness up
me: yeah
it's a rough road getting there isn't it?
Jessica: so rough
me: it's like sand paper on the skin
Jessica: i felt every layer ripping away
me: lol
i think it's so weird how we're going through almost the same thing at the same time
but with different surroundings and circumstances
God is so weird... but awesome i mean hearing this from you means so much more to me because i'm going through it too
Jessica: by different roads we have come to the same place
me: yeah
i think God wants us all to come there
again and again... this is not my first trip and not my hardest either... but, i think i'm going to be learning this lesson in different ways all throughout my life because i am so human and insist on taking my life back
but, i think that's why this second time around for me... wasn't as hard as the first
and why this first time around for you.... is so hard!
Jessica: today Yusun told me that she's scared for me to leave
and i said i was scared to leave too
and then she said, its okay, thats not today's problem
but she wants to be an English teacher now...she said she'll do it again next year if she can
me: look what you've already done
the mark you've left
there is fruit
Jessica: God is good, there is no argument about that
im happy we can go through this together :)
me: me too
hey, i want to tell you something going back a little bit
just a stupid analogy, but i'm proud of it
when i was in 6th grade, all of the 6th graders in the building (except for the really bad ones) got to go on this field trip with the 6th grade teachers for like... 2 nights and 3 days
we went to this little camp that did a bunch of dumb things with us like tell ghost stories....
well, one thing they did have us do was this little exercise about how it would be to live blind....
they blindfolded us and had us walk in this single file line around this little maze thing holding onto this rope
well, most people in my class (i remember notably Michael Hess because he was right in front of me) cheated and peeked
but i didn't
and at first as i was walking around hanging onto this dumb rope, i was pretty scared
i was afraid of falling and i was completely disoriented
but then, after a while... i was doing ok
and i became more acclimated to my surroundings and i gained more confidence
and then i ran right into a tree
like... full on
smacked my face and everything
it really hurt!
i think i had a headache for the rest of the day
Jessica: BWAAAAHAHAHA
me: yes
Jessica: oh snap
me: i'm sure if you had been looking on it would have been one of the most hilarious things you've ever seen
i don't know why i remember this so vividly, but i think i can find a parallel in my life here
i had been blind for 5 minutes and i was SURE! i had this "blindness" thing down
i think God looks at us and says....
maybe first of all BWAAAHHAHAAHAHAHA
Jessica: hahaha
me: and then... "You've been human for about 5 minutes and you think you've got this thing down????"
"HA!!"
and then HE has us walk into a tree
or you know... THE tree
Jessica: its funny because as humans we will always want to be better, be good at life, be more prepared, be proficient
its the opposite of humility and brokenness
me: yeah
it sure is
May 14, 2008
Mom and Haley Part II
Ok, here's the picture post for part II of Mom and Haley's stay here in Korea...
Taking a brief rest before our long trek up Namsan tower... Mom actually wanted to stay and count Trev and Rachel's change.... I have no idea why this was so appealing to her... but whatever!
Haley and I pausing to take a rest on our way up to Namsan tower! It was a beautiful day for a hike!
Now we're having dessert. They have these waffles that they fill with syrup and icing. They like the Korean version of an elephant ear... but more substantial.
Day 4... Monday
Taking a brief rest before our long trek up Namsan tower... Mom actually wanted to stay and count Trev and Rachel's change.... I have no idea why this was so appealing to her... but whatever!
Haley and I pausing to take a rest on our way up to Namsan tower! It was a beautiful day for a hike!
Mom and Hales in front of the tower... I couldn't get the whole thing in there.
Haley found the only spot that didn't have tons of people crawling all over it and was bright and full of colorful trees... I think it's a pretty cool shot... you can see the tower in the back ground too!
Day 5
Sadly, I don't have any pictures of Namdaemoon, the market where Mom and Haley found so many neat things.
We're ate street food on Tuesday. Everyone thought it was delicious!
We're ate street food on Tuesday. Everyone thought it was delicious!
A great picture of some of the various street food available. The big red round things are called Kimchi pajong.... it's a kind of kimchi pancake/pizza type thing. SOOO good!
Now we're having dessert. They have these waffles that they fill with syrup and icing. They like the Korean version of an elephant ear... but more substantial.
Then, we went to this show called Jump. It's a Martial Arts Theater and it is AMAZING! Haley even got to be a part of the act a little bit! This old man made her help him up the stage... he wanted her to give him a boost by shoving him on the butt up the stage... she helped him with his feet! Then the cutest Korean man I've ever seen grabbed her hand and tried to flirt with her until his girl friend came and pulled him away! It was hilarious!
Day 6 was spent at my school and at Bible study and there are no pictures to show for it!
I'll finish this series off with a part III....
Until next time,
Hil
May 9, 2008
Mom and Haley
Mom and Haley came to Korea... what a trip! Literally! I realized so many things about myself and about how Korea has changed me since I've been here. Some of these things have been good, some have been bad!
Haley thought it kind of stunk in Korea..... I.... don't know what I'm doing...
Haley, Me, Myeongsook (my co-teacher) and Mom eating Dokgalbi. I like our bibs!
On the whole, I think everyone had a great time! We did SO many things, but I'll give you the condensed version with pictures!!!
Day 1
Haley, Mom and I at Chongaechong stream. It was a beautiful day!
Hales and I violating probably every Korean tradition and propriety law by sitting in this little monument or piece of art.... but whatever!
Day 2
Haley thought it kind of stunk in Korea..... I.... don't know what I'm doing...
The 3 of us in Insadong.... we're pretty cute!
Haley liked Insadong... so did Mom... you can see her checking out more stuff in the left corner of the picture.
Day 3
Myeong-dong and the side dish place!
Myeong-dong and the side dish place!
The side dishes.
Myeong-dong at night.
Day 3 continued...
Haley, Me, Myeongsook (my co-teacher) and Mom eating Dokgalbi. I like our bibs!
Wow.. ok, there are so many more pictures for each day! I think I'm going to have to make this a 2 parter!
For now, enjoy!
Hil
May 4, 2008
Food and Fun over the weekend
Hello all! This is Haley!!! I am guest blogging to let you know about our weekend experience from my point of view...
Yesterday (Sunday), we went to lunch at this side dish place. It was a very traditional style eating - basically you get a bunch of little dishes of different types of veggies and share it with everyone at the table. I took some pictures. It was a tiny little place that had like five tables (almost every restaurant here has that), and you could either sit on the floor, or on benches - always on a pillow. The walls had Korean writing and the ceilings were old wooden beams that looked like tree branches.
Then we went to a coffee place (we go to a coffee shop at least twice a day), then to Hil's church. After church, we went to Meyeondong, which is a huge area with a bunch of shops. Unfortunately, it was raining, and was extremely crowded, so we kept getting poked in the face with umbrellas, because our faces were at the level of everyone's umbrella!
After that we went to a restaurant with a bunch of Hilary's friends - whom are VERY cool. Very nice, friendly and easy going people. We had to wear bibs! This was another family style seating where they cook the meals in front of you. They made us a sort of pizza type thing. It tasted like spicy spaghetti without the pasta. There was sauce, spices, chicken, sauce, peppers, onions, sauce and cheese. VERY saucy :).
Then we all went to Doctor Fish. This place was CRAZY! We went up to the seventh floor of this crappy building and when we walked into the spa, it seemed like we walked into a different world. It was so nice and had an instant relaxing atmosphere. Everything here has either wooden or bamboo floors, and this entire place was covered in bamboo. We took our shoes and socks off as soon as we walked in the door and put them in lockers. There were beautiful ficus trees with lights everywhere, an L shaped pool in the middle - raised above the normal floor - and chairs and tables for seating. We ordered some tea and smoothies (I got a mango smoothie- mmm) and then went over to these sinks in the ground to wash our feet off. After we finished washing our feet, we went up to the pool. You look in and there are little fish swimming around. You stick your feet in these pools and the fish EAT the dead skin off of your feet. They come up and swarm around your feet and legs and just start munching away. It felt SO WEIRD. It tickled and pinched and ... I don't know all at once! We kept our feet in there for as long as we could, took them out, wiped them off and sat down for our drinks. We talked for a while and then went back again! This time I put my hands in the pool along with my feet. I could really feel them biting on my hands. When they were eating your feet, it just tickled, but on your hands, you could almost feel their little fish lips rubbing your hands. WEIRD! Then we put our feet back in the sinks in the floor in hot water with some lavender oil. This was called aromatherapy. I felt very relaxed after this! Once we were done with this, our feet felt sooooo soft!
Then we went for ice cream at this little cafe at a neighboring building. It had bananas, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple jello, ice cream and ice in it.
Today (Monday), we got up and met one of Hilary's former co-teachers for coffee. After coffee, we met Hil's friend Jessica for lunch at a place where you get something called shabu shabu. This style of eating takes over an hour and has three stages. Once again, they cook the food right on your table, but this time it had broth instead of sauce. I guess shabu shabu is actually Japanese food. It had very thin slices of beef, broth, cabbage, onions, bokchoy, dandelion leave looking things, fish dough balls nuggets EW (we didn't eat those) and sprouts. You dip some of the food in some hot sauce that reminded me of tobasco, but thicker, mixed with garlic and hot peppers and then mmm eat it! After we cooked and ate the veggies, we got noodles to put in the broth. It thickened. After we were done eating the noodles, we get rice and egg put in the remaining broth and cook it up. It turns into a kind of porridge or risotto. I mixed that together with my spicy broth and ate it! YUM!
Now we are resting at one of Hil's friends' houses before we go hiking. We are going up to Namsan Tower. nam = south, san = mountain. Hil and I are hiking up to the tower and mom and jess are going to take a cable car up. I'll take lots of pictures!
After that, we're meeting some more of her friends for dinner. Every meal is an experience, so I'm pretty excited.
I hope you are all doing well! Mom and I are having a blast here experiencing new cultures and experiences! Some of the sights are WONDERFUL and amazing and some are downright weird!
We still have four and a half more days of great times, and will keep you all updated!
:)
Haley
Yesterday (Sunday), we went to lunch at this side dish place. It was a very traditional style eating - basically you get a bunch of little dishes of different types of veggies and share it with everyone at the table. I took some pictures. It was a tiny little place that had like five tables (almost every restaurant here has that), and you could either sit on the floor, or on benches - always on a pillow. The walls had Korean writing and the ceilings were old wooden beams that looked like tree branches.
Then we went to a coffee place (we go to a coffee shop at least twice a day), then to Hil's church. After church, we went to Meyeondong, which is a huge area with a bunch of shops. Unfortunately, it was raining, and was extremely crowded, so we kept getting poked in the face with umbrellas, because our faces were at the level of everyone's umbrella!
After that we went to a restaurant with a bunch of Hilary's friends - whom are VERY cool. Very nice, friendly and easy going people. We had to wear bibs! This was another family style seating where they cook the meals in front of you. They made us a sort of pizza type thing. It tasted like spicy spaghetti without the pasta. There was sauce, spices, chicken, sauce, peppers, onions, sauce and cheese. VERY saucy :).
Then we all went to Doctor Fish. This place was CRAZY! We went up to the seventh floor of this crappy building and when we walked into the spa, it seemed like we walked into a different world. It was so nice and had an instant relaxing atmosphere. Everything here has either wooden or bamboo floors, and this entire place was covered in bamboo. We took our shoes and socks off as soon as we walked in the door and put them in lockers. There were beautiful ficus trees with lights everywhere, an L shaped pool in the middle - raised above the normal floor - and chairs and tables for seating. We ordered some tea and smoothies (I got a mango smoothie- mmm) and then went over to these sinks in the ground to wash our feet off. After we finished washing our feet, we went up to the pool. You look in and there are little fish swimming around. You stick your feet in these pools and the fish EAT the dead skin off of your feet. They come up and swarm around your feet and legs and just start munching away. It felt SO WEIRD. It tickled and pinched and ... I don't know all at once! We kept our feet in there for as long as we could, took them out, wiped them off and sat down for our drinks. We talked for a while and then went back again! This time I put my hands in the pool along with my feet. I could really feel them biting on my hands. When they were eating your feet, it just tickled, but on your hands, you could almost feel their little fish lips rubbing your hands. WEIRD! Then we put our feet back in the sinks in the floor in hot water with some lavender oil. This was called aromatherapy. I felt very relaxed after this! Once we were done with this, our feet felt sooooo soft!
Then we went for ice cream at this little cafe at a neighboring building. It had bananas, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple jello, ice cream and ice in it.
Today (Monday), we got up and met one of Hilary's former co-teachers for coffee. After coffee, we met Hil's friend Jessica for lunch at a place where you get something called shabu shabu. This style of eating takes over an hour and has three stages. Once again, they cook the food right on your table, but this time it had broth instead of sauce. I guess shabu shabu is actually Japanese food. It had very thin slices of beef, broth, cabbage, onions, bokchoy, dandelion leave looking things, fish dough balls nuggets EW (we didn't eat those) and sprouts. You dip some of the food in some hot sauce that reminded me of tobasco, but thicker, mixed with garlic and hot peppers and then mmm eat it! After we cooked and ate the veggies, we got noodles to put in the broth. It thickened. After we were done eating the noodles, we get rice and egg put in the remaining broth and cook it up. It turns into a kind of porridge or risotto. I mixed that together with my spicy broth and ate it! YUM!
Now we are resting at one of Hil's friends' houses before we go hiking. We are going up to Namsan Tower. nam = south, san = mountain. Hil and I are hiking up to the tower and mom and jess are going to take a cable car up. I'll take lots of pictures!
After that, we're meeting some more of her friends for dinner. Every meal is an experience, so I'm pretty excited.
I hope you are all doing well! Mom and I are having a blast here experiencing new cultures and experiences! Some of the sights are WONDERFUL and amazing and some are downright weird!
We still have four and a half more days of great times, and will keep you all updated!
:)
Haley
May 2, 2008
Haley and Mom are HEEEEERRRREEEEE!!!! And, they say I smell like Kimchi....
It's been so exciting having my family here, but also extremely weird! Living in the same space with my mother and sister for the first time since I was about 17 is a very trippy experience. Trying to decide who sleeps where and who does what... very surreal. I've never had an experience where people where "overnight" guests at "my place!" Weird!
But, what's even more weird is how STRANGE Haley and Mom find everything here. They're flabbergasted by the fish being sold out on the sidewalk, alternately disgusted and delighted by the dishes (the food) and, frankly, sickened by the smell of the city!
I don't blame them. I was a newbie once too. Everything was so strange and intimidating. Everything was so surreal... now it's just old hat.
But, seeing everything through the eyes of my mom and sisters has reminded me about how strange this country really is! I mean, really; who eats acorn jelly anyways? Really!
Now, my precious mother and sister are both fast asleep (it's 9:30p.m.) after a long and eventful day! I can't wait for tomorrow when they'll experience the more traditional aspects of Korea along with the more... ridiculous.
We're going Noribanging!
Oh yeah!
We'll see what happens tomorrow! Until then.. Annyeonghekasayo!
Hil
It's been so exciting having my family here, but also extremely weird! Living in the same space with my mother and sister for the first time since I was about 17 is a very trippy experience. Trying to decide who sleeps where and who does what... very surreal. I've never had an experience where people where "overnight" guests at "my place!" Weird!
But, what's even more weird is how STRANGE Haley and Mom find everything here. They're flabbergasted by the fish being sold out on the sidewalk, alternately disgusted and delighted by the dishes (the food) and, frankly, sickened by the smell of the city!
I don't blame them. I was a newbie once too. Everything was so strange and intimidating. Everything was so surreal... now it's just old hat.
But, seeing everything through the eyes of my mom and sisters has reminded me about how strange this country really is! I mean, really; who eats acorn jelly anyways? Really!
Now, my precious mother and sister are both fast asleep (it's 9:30p.m.) after a long and eventful day! I can't wait for tomorrow when they'll experience the more traditional aspects of Korea along with the more... ridiculous.
We're going Noribanging!
Oh yeah!
We'll see what happens tomorrow! Until then.. Annyeonghekasayo!
Hil
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