Hiking at 속리산 (Songnisan) National Park

Over Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving, Kate and I went hiking with some friends at a National Park that is about 3 and a half hours from Gwangyang. We went up Tuesday night so that we could leave early to eat and start hiking. We stayed a hotel in the middle of nowhere and the rooms where 30,000 Won each, which is about $26. That's crazy cheap and the room wasn't even that bad! There were no bugs, except Pete had a spider above his bed haha, and it was clean, except for some dust and cobwebs. Overall, totally worth it. It had a/c and free Internet. The Internet was spotty but still better than some places at home.

Anyway, we left there around 8am and then headed to the village outside the mountain we were going to hike, ate, bought the awesome rain ponchos you see below, and started hiking just after 10am. It cost 3,000 Won to hike all day. We were there for about 7 hours and it was rough. This was my first ever hiking experience and when you see a sign that read "Danger District" you can't help but get nervous.. Haha

Still, it was a lot of fun and I'm really glad I went. We we did get up to the top, were we up in the cloud bank and it was really foggy so we didn't see the view we were supposed to, but it was still a great experience and I want to go again soon because everyone says fall is the best time to go and it's getting much cooler. We hiked about 16km which is almost 10 miles. Special thanks to PETE. I never would have made it if you haven't carried my backpack over half of the way... Thanks :)

This is from the Boyeopsa Temple which we went to visit after hiking. It was in the park on the way out. There was a GIANT Buddha too.

On our way home, we stopped for food at TGI Fridays. We each got a 3 course meal for about $20. Here is the dessert we all picked!

Eel is Delish! :)

So this past Thursday night my boss took us out for dinner. We went to the restaurant in the picture below. While there we ate a lot of different things including kimchi, ginger, radish, rice, shrimp, a spicy soup that I didn't even realize was spicy (see bottom picture), and eel. I was very excited about trying this, ever since seeing it on TV back home. I was a little grossed out at first because when they brought it out, it was still moving. Check out my other pictures and videos of this on Facebook. However, once the shock of this wore off, I really got into it. Plus they gave us some free eel for being American, or at least foreign.

This is our group, minus me. The lady in black is our new secretary lady and we call her Big Mama. In the white is Michelle. She is our cook. She doesn't know a lot of English but she's really sweet. Across from her is our boss, Jasmine. She speaks good English. Next to her is Kate and then Ivy, our Korean co-teacher.

I added this picture just to show how they cut meat. They never use knives, always scissors and tongs or chopsticks. So here Ivy is cutting the eel while its still cooking over the grill. The other picture right before I tried eel for the first time! It was really very good!!

This is said to be the hottest chili pepper in Korea. I ate it. My mouth was on fire for at least 20 minutes! haha Still worth it. Notice the leaf with eel in my right hand ready to ball up and shove in my mouth after eating the pepper! haha After eating that I chugged some Coke, which didn't help at all, and then we served the spicy soup. I didn't even notice the spice because I just thought my mouth was still not happy about the pepper.. Good times :)

Kindergarten Classes

So, not much has happened really in the past few weeks. During the week I am in school from 9:30am until 6:15 or 7pm depending on the night. Classes are going well. For this month, I teach Kindergarten first (at 10am) for a class called Phonics Vowels which is just the name of the book that I teach them with. Then I teach again every day right after lunch. On Monday's I teach Manners. Let me just say, Korean kids do not have very good manners. So far I've taught them how to introduce themselves and how and when to say "thank you" and "I'm sorry." Alongside that, I have to fill out a Manner's Checklist every day on each student's progress. I have the same checklist for a month. Let's just say, they still haven't mastered what to do yet.
On Tuesday's and Thursday I teach a class called Show & Tell. This is not what you think of as Show & Tell at home however. It's really just meant to get the students speaking in front of each other. We've talked about colors, numbers through 10 and body parts so far. On Wednesdays, I teach Art and on Friday's I teach Blocks. The Blocks class is just about using various manipulates with the students to teach them about different concepts. The one I am teaching them now is time and they are learning to use and read an analog clock. Both of these classes are going pretty well. On Monday's and Wednesday I also teach Yoga. As most of you know, I love Yoga, but I've only done it using Wii Fit Plus. Although you make fun of me (and I love you all for it :)) I still think Wii Fit Yoga is real. Haha I teach my kids the poses I've learned from that and also some other ones I found on YouTube. It's a lot of fun and it gets some of the kids to focus better. Others.. Peter.. I'm still working on.
Tonight after work we are going out for eel with our boss. I have been looking forward to trying this ever since I saw a Food Network or Travel Channel show that Andrew saved for me (I think it was Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman?)! The episode I saw focused on Korean foods and at first the eel thing freaked me out but after they cooked it, it looked really delicious. I hope I'm not disappointed! I'll let you know how that goes, hopefully with pictures soon!

Rugby in Changwon

So two weekends ago I went to Changwon with some friends to watch Rugby. A lot of the guys we've met here play so a bunch of us made the trip out to see them and hang out that night. I didn't take that many pictures but you can see some of the guys below.

The trip there took about an hour and half, the farthest we'd travel since getting to Gwang yang. That was an adventure.. Pete drives like a maniac. :) I don't want to give too many pointless details, so let's just say it was a scary drive. Once we got to the field, it was ridiculously HOT! I felt soooo bad for the guys playing. We were sitting under tents in the shade but even that was hot. We were there at least a few hours and then we went to a hotel to shower and nap before dinner.

We ate at this foreigner bar where we had some Indian curry dish. It was spicy but good. We left the bar for a few hours to drink in one of the hotel rooms we got and then we went back down to the bar when it was cheaper. It was a fun night. I discovered that night that McDonald's delivers.. even at 6am, and right to the hotel room. :) Too bad we don't have one in Gwang yang.

Kindergarten and My Birthday

I know it's been a while since my last post, so I'm going to try my best to update everyone on what I've done in the last couple of weeks. As you know, my birthday was on the 18th. It was a Wednesday this year so I worked a full day, 9-7 and taught all of my classes, including Kindergarten. I don't think I've said much about Kindergarten yet so I'll do that now.

For the month of August, our we had 3 students the first week and then 4 the second. So not like home- I know. Anyway, the first week we had two girls, Sarah and Sally, and a boy, Peter. Peter is an asshole. That's all that needs to be said. He's gotten better the more I see and work with him, but... I'll keep you updated. The second week, this past week, we had one other student, May, the bosses daughter.

During August, Ivy, the Korean teacher, would teach Language Arts first thing each day, starting at 10am (for 35 minutes and then a 5 minute break). Then Kate taught Math. I taught Art everyday after that.. why you need art everyday, I don't know. Then it was time for lunch. After lunch, Kate "taught" a class called Board Games. Wonder what that means? Well it means exactly what you think. She literally just played a board game with them for 35 minutes everyday. This next class alternated between the three of us. Monday I taught Manners during this time, Tuesday Kate had P.E., Wednesday I had International Day, And Thursday and Friday were Ivy's classes. After that there was snack time and then I taught Yoga.

I know I know.. "Ashley, you teach yoga?" I've been getting that a lot.. haha I do, or did, everyday and it's AWESOME!! It's my favorite part of each day, aside from lunch when Kate and I eat quickly so we can go in the Teacher's Room for piece and quiet. Yoga even calms down Peter. And where did I learn the moves? Wii Fit Plus, which I played almost every day in the summer before I moved out here and.. YouTube. :D But that's enough about teaching for now..

This post is really about my birthday. Before we sent the Kindergartners home, Ivy called me into the Cook Room... totally oblivious, I sighed and followed her. I step in and the kids are sitting around the table with a lit up cake! It was the cutest thing! The school took pictures and I'll see if I can get a hold of them. My work is pretty great. That night after work Kate and I went back to our apartments and I made dinner and took a nap. Then we went out to String.

We went early, you know with it being a Wednesday and all but there were already quiet a few people there. It was Kerry and Nikki's last night :( So everyone came out to support them and send them off. I'm not really sure what to say about my birthday except that it was pretty great. I knew at that point that I had already met some wonderful people, but I had no idea how sweet everyone was- and I do mean everyone. I drank more than I should have, and was surprised with a yummy birthday cake. Everyone sang to me. It was really fun, but I was responsible, as always, and left my own party first! Haha I worry too much and I wanted to make sure I got back early enough to shower and go to bed at a decent time.

So this is going to sound really corny, but this day made me appreciate everything I have over here and at home much more. I Skyped a lot with friends and family that whole day and was treated very well at work. Then with String and everyone I've met here, I just felt so special. It was an awesome way to spend a birthday. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it!

Norebong and Bars

A few nights ago, Kate and I went out to String, just like every other Friday night here. We got there around 11:30 and stayed until at least 2:30. From there, we went with a bunch of our friends to a norebong. What is norebong, might you ask? Well it's very much like karaoke back in the states, but instead of singing in front of a bunch of strangers in a bar, you rent a room with your friends and sing with them. There are tons of songs to choose from and it plays a video of Koreans singing it with the English lyrics below. They serve you snacks and drinks and there is a bathroom and fun party lights all in your room. It's a blast. I even sang a few songs!! We went home and slept then went out to Suncheon Saturday night. They have a foreigner bar there too called San Antonio's. They have a huge drink selection and I did not try it but I've heard that the food there is delicious and the closest to real Mexican food you'll get in Korea. I put a lot more picture up on Facebook and some video's from the night, so check those out if you want to!

String Bar

Norebong

Kate and I at San Antonio's in Suncheon

My Students

So I've been teaching for a few weeks and I keep forgetting to take the kids picture! I remembered before a couple of my "classes" which I say because they are so small!
In the after school program, the classes start at Basic Stater, then Basic 1, Basic 2, Basic 4, Intermediate 1, Spark 2 and Highest 1. They are placed in a class based on ability, not age and that's why there are so many levels.

This picture is from the Basic 2 class. From left to right it goes, Jacob, Starlyn, Patrick. Jacob says he's 7 years old, but since Korea starts counting at 1 instead of 0, and then adds another year after the first New Year, he is really 5. I'm not sure how old Starlyn is, but I'm guessing 6 or 7. She is adorable :) Then there is Patrick who says he's 11, so 9. I have a lot of fun with them.

For those of you who know about Alex, one of my Kindergartner's from Student Teaching, I have a feeling Jacob will be his replacement. Back home, Alex always got in trouble for being rough with other kids and saying "no" a lot but he was really smart and I loved that kid! Jacob is just like that, so I hope he starts behaving better for me.. He did say "Teacher Ashley pretty" the other day, so I think we might be on the right track! haha

In this picture, you will notice there is only one child. Well, that is because he is the only student I have in my Spark 2/My Writing class. His name is Mike and he is really smart. I think he is Korean 11, so 9. He is still pretty shy with me, which is understandable since it's just us, but he's getting a lot better!

When I'm with him, basically just tutoring, I have him read out loud and write a lot. I even made him stand in front of the class to introduce me to the empty room! :)

We start teaching Kindergarten on Monday. There aren't many kids then either, so we split up the subjects. I'll let you know how that goes!