Gandering in Gyeongju

Last Sunday, a group of us (Amanda, Derya, Amy, Jo, Sienna and myself) decided to go to the city of Gyeongju to tour and escape city life. The bus ride was fairly short, lasting only about an hour and when we arrived I was greeted with beautiful landscapes with actual GREEN (a colour that’s not very prominent in Busan).

The first thing we did was walk around Tumuli Park which is a beautiful park surrounded by these very high, green hills. I later found out that these hills are actually tombs of the rulers of Silla. One of the tombs was actually open for viewing and various royal artifacts were displayed… very cool!

Walking around was so peaceful. It was nice to see green everywhere and some of the leaves had already started to change. This reminded me of home, but it was a nice feeling.

During our walking, a group of tourists (Chinese maybe) say Sienna and I guess thought that she was famous because they all wanted pictures with her. It was quite humourous.

After leaving the park, we found a bicycle rental shop where we rented bikes for the afternoon. Shortly after getting on my bike, I realized that the breaks were not working (pretty much nonexistent). I asked the owner and he gestured that it was ok and there was nothing to do. Risking my life (maybe a tad dramatic) driving down the streets was quite exhilarating. We saw many different areas of Gyeongju and we stopped at Gyeongju National Park.

This park was also very beautiful. There were large Korean buildings around the river that looked so stunning in the afternoon sun. I had just purchased a new camera, so I took advantage of the sights to test out the special effects.

Of course, we took time to do the circle of heads shots!

Continuing on with our bikes we rode back to the area we purchased them and decided it was time for dinner. Traveling with six females, it’s dangerous to let anybody get too hungry.

We stopped at this cave-like restaurant where I tried Ddak Galbi for the first time. DELICIOUS!!! It’s chicken and veggies with rice cakes that’s cooked up in the middle of your table. It was spicy and sweet at the same time and very tasty. After we were finished the main meal, our server made us fried rice with the leftover sauce and an egg. It was interesting to watch him make it.

Our last stop was a cute little café where we had coffee and cake—the perfect way to end any outing!

On the way home, we took the bus and then got on the subway. We were taking the subway together and I was glad that my Korean friends were with me because I met a very interesting character.

This man was 65 years old and immediately started winking and smiling at me. He later told my friend in Korean that I have a beautiful face and very nice hips. He then proceeded to stand in the subway and make the shape of my hips (and curve of my butt) with his hands)… over and over.

Korean onlookers were starting to laugh because they are typically very reserved people. My Korean friends didn’t quite know what to do and I was in a mixture between turning red and laughing myself.

He continued on (in Korean) and I learned that he has been on TV adventure shows from all over the world doing various athletic things. Then he decided to take his sweater off so that we could see his muscles!

By this time I was laughing pretty hard… so random!

Finally, he posed for these photos. This was definitely a first in Korea.

Why I Love Korea

As some of you know, I’ve been having a little bit of a rough time in Korea lately. I’ve been battling homesickness and frustrations with cultural differences that I can’t seem to fully accept. In the beginning of my contract, Korea was a new, exciting place, full of adventure and awe, and now, 8 months in, I’m realizing that it’s not as exciting, but not quite home either. It’s a routine environment with daily obstacles that need to be overcome, and lately I’ve been struggling with it.

I was having a few days where I was getting weighed down by the daily difficulties of doing simple things and I realized that I don’t want to spend my time in Korea wishing I was somewhere else. I made the decision to come here and now I need to be optimistic and reflect on the blessings and positive aspects of my life here. So that’s what I did… I made a list of everything that I love about this place.

To begin with, I love the young kids that I teach. Although I don’t always have the patience I need for them, they are absolutely adorable. My youngest kids love to sing. I have learned that any negative feelings can be cured by just brusting into random songs. It really helps when the kids fight or are in bad moods. Also it’s cute to watch them all being ‘little teapots’ or the ‘muffin man’.

In another one of my classes, my kids always hide my eraser before I come in. They get so much joy out of watching me find it, that it makes my day. They don’t do it to be cheeky, it’s more of a game that allows them to have a good laugh before we get to work.

When the kids give me their snacks to try, they always watch in anticipation of what my reaction will be. Sometimes it’s weird squid flavored chips or sour candies, but they love to share and watch what ‘Laura Teacher’ thinks of the Korean treats.

Some days when I walk into the doors of the younger campus, my students will be waiting around in the lobby and they’ll run to me “Laura Teacher!” with their arms wide open wanting a hug. It’s the cutest thing and makes you feel good to be so loved by such little people. One of my students, Steven, wears this blue uniform that’s all decked out with a bow tie, vest, jacket… the whole nine yards. When he runs towards me, I can’t help but smile. Like a little blue Pillsbury Doughboy running towards me!

My friends are another huge aspect of my life here in Korea. I can honestly say that if I was living in a remote community and I was the only foreigner, I would definitely be back in Canada now. Having great people who I can relate to, depend on, and be a part of a family with has made a world of difference for me.

One example that I will always remember was when I was feeling a bit low to be away from home for my birthday, but four of my friends came over and surprised me first thing in the morning with a cake and party hats… so nice! Although I miss all of my family and friends back home, the people I’ve met here have definitely been a huge factor in making me feel more comfortable in Korea.

I have also had the pleasure of building relationships with Korean friends as well. In July I attended my friends Sora and Nicolai’s traditional Korean wedding. And I believe we are going to celebrate Christmas together this year. I have met countless friends at the local church I attend.

One person who I feel very blessed to know is Anna. She is an older Korean woman who is so wise and kind. My friend Amy and I meet with her for coffee weekly to chat and get to know one another better. She has enriched my Korean experience hugely and I’m sure I will remember her for my entire life. I liken our weekly meetings to the book “Tuesdays with Morrie” except in my case, it’s “Thursdays with Anna”.

It’s a well known fact that the cost of living in Korea is low, but the cost of going out to eat is especially so. Not only is the tax already in the prices, and there is no tipping, you can go out for dinner for around $5. Although this is something that feels normal to me now, I have to remind myself that this will not be the case when I go back home.

This is a huge blessing since I’m not a huge fan of cooking regularly for myself. Sure I’ll cook a few times a week but when it’s just for one person, it gets a little tedious. Being able to go out for a reasonably priced meal is very nice.

When I first got to Korea, I was a little shocked by the way produce was sold in the country. Typically there are markets set up where you can buy all of your fruits and vegetables. After I got used to the smell (as fish are also sold in these markets) I began to like shopping there. Then I discovered the trucks that drive around selling produce. So, you don’t even have to go to the market—the market will come to you!

This is a picture of what it looks like-- this particular truck is selling different rice snacks.

At first, I thought these trucks were warning of a national disaster of some sort because they have huge speakers on the back that are blaring things in Korea, but at a closer inspection, I discovered that they’re actually selling fruit and veggies. How great! It’s easy, cheap and convenient. And I learned that as long as I point to what I want and am not picky about it, the transaction can be done smoothly without a need for verbal communication.

Another positive aspect of my Korean adventure is the fact that I get to experience living on my own. During my university years, I lived at home so I never got to experience full independence. Although it can sometimes get lonely, I love leaving my apartment one way and coming home finding it the exact same way. I can do what I want, when I want to. It’s definitely a nice experience, and I think adjusting back to home life will be tough in June.

Costco is my life saver. When I first got to Korea I thought I would NEVER want to shop there because I wanted to embrace the culture and ethnicity of Korea. This changed quickly when I wanted a break from the Kimchi and a taste of home cookin’. Since coming to Korea, I have made MANY trips to my local Costco for various North American goodies. It’s such a nice thing to be able to get brands that I’m familiar with and to be able to shop around when I can actually read the labels…. Amazing!

Easy, accessible and cheap transportation is another amazing factor of life here. On my weekends I enjoy going to different areas of the country and this is as simple of hopping onto a bus. The fares are ridiculously cheap and because Korea is such a small country, you arrive relatively fast.

Taxis are also super cheap. A five minute fare will usually be no more than $2 and usually we’re in groups, so it’s very affordable.

It’s really easy to use public transportation in Korea. Also you can get pretty much anything you need by walking around the corner. I’m dreading going back to Canada where a car is required for almost anything.

In my family at home, I am known as the adventurous daughter, which is quite true. Over time though, I am beginning to learn that I am not that adventurous; sometimes I’m pretty boring. I believe that Korea is helping me to expand my horizons and experience new things.

An example of this would be a staff dinner we had a few weeks ago. My boss took us to a seafood restaurant where they grill the seafood on a BBQ right in the middle of your table. Now, I’m not a huge lover of seafood. I’ll eat fish, but I’m not the biggest fan. I usually don’t go near shellfish. This night, shellfish (and various sea creatures) were the only option. I decided to give it a go, since it would be rude not to and because I probably would never have the experience again. I ended up loving it! The food was quite delicious and I was so glad I tried it all.

Probably one of the biggest satisfactions for me is when I found a Korean who can speak English when I need help. Usually I go to a store and I have to play a big game of charades to communicate what I am looking for. On the rare occasion that I find someone who openly says “what are you looking for? Can I help you with something?” it feels like Christmas!

This experience has definitely taught me to be helpful to foreigners back in Canada. Experiencing how difficult life can be when there’s a language barrier has allowed me to recognize what it’s like for people on a daily basis. The people who have gone out of their way to help me have made a world of difference. I hope I can do the same for people in the future.

Thinking about my list reminds me of all the blessings I have here and all the people who have made it such a great place for me. Although I’m very excited to travel and eventually go home, I’m sure it will be difficult to say goodbye to Korea when that time eventually comes.