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My Crazy Life in Korea

7 Apr

It is a quiet cool Sunday evening at English Village.  I recently returned from Seoul where I spent the day at the SGI Buddhism World Peace Chanting followed by a little lunch.  I also did some simple grocery shopping in Seoul at one of my favorite foreign food marts, High Street Market. I am now ready for a peaceful evening before beginning a new work week.

This past week I was thickly immersed in the life of teaching at English Village.  I transitioned off of a weekend shift to a regular Monday – Friday shift and just completed a “long haul” of working 8 days in a row.  We were brimming to the edges with Korean middle school students this past week.  We had one group of about two-hundred students for the first half of the week and a group of about 500 the second half.  Our job as English Village teachers is to ride the wave of the ebb and flow of students and do our best to be kind effective communicators and teachers while still offering a fun time.

Thursday night as I was walking a group of 76 student to the English Village Concert Hall, I couldn’t help but think what a crazy English Village Korean life I am leading right now.  My current “neighborhood” is no ordinary scene.  It is a “mock” English Village in South Korea constructed to host not only English-speaking teachers but students of all ages mostly from Korea, but also sometimes from Japan, Thailand, and Russia.  Who are my neighbors?  Mostly “20 somethings” from English-speaking countries around the world – South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and of course… the USA.  When English Village is in full bloom, it is not unexpected to see a flood of Korean faces, often middle school students, waking up the otherwise quiet streets.  There is likely to be giggling.

For students who participate in our regular weekly programs, the area I am currently working in, their journey begins at Immigration.  It can’t be missed.  When you arrive at English Village you are greeted by the unmistakable yet unexpected replica of Stonehenge.  The students enter through the doors of English Village Immigration and are immediately transported to a land in the midst of Korea where, for the most part, everyone speaks English.  They are met by sometimes enthusiastic sometimes weary English teachers holding their classroom number sign as we begin to organize, receive and make way for the hundreds of students arriving for their stay at English Village.

The journey regularly begins with enthusiastic conversation often from Korean girl students.  Teachers are met with bursts of English phrases that often include “How are you?  I am fine, thank you! ” followed by much laughing and giggling.  The very nature that I and other English-speaking teachers speak English is indeed entertaining and sometimes hilarious to the Korean students.  And so our journey begins.

I have spent my past week practicing being an enthusiastic, compassionate, firm and fun teacher in the throes of teaching hundreds of new Korean faces… some excited to be here, some not.  This balance of attributes is a new game for me as I find ways to keep order in the classrooms with many new faces while still being a fun and kind English-speaking face.  As English Village is an English-only experience, it is not always easy to communicate with our Korean students.  Some students are quite good English speakers and listeners while others are not.  It is not unusual to have a few strong English-speaking students in the class who can translate for other students when needed.  I do my best to simplify my language and clarify my expression in the easiest of terms.

It has been a busy and challenging week for me. I had to laugh Thursday night as I was in my room trying to relax and wind down from the day with some Reiki and yoga.  In the quietness of my room all I could hear were the voices in my own mind of the students calling out  “Teacher, Teacher” — my new name at English Village.

As Friday came to a close I found myself and my energy depleted.  I sat in the teacher “ready room”  about to collapse on my computer after a challenging morning of classes.  At that moment a teacher handed me a few thank-you post cards from students from the week.  After each session our students have the opportunity to write thank-you notes to teachers before leaving English Village.  Here is what  a few of mine said, “I liked you because you like sunshine. You’re kind. Thank you” and “I liked you because you like my mom, warm and you’re angel.”  Reading these words literally lifted my load from the week and had me thinking… maybe it wasn’t so bad…

It’s Sunday night and the new work-week will soon begin.  I’m doing my best to enjoy the extended winter, sort of like spring weather before the impending heat of summer arrives.  I have been at English Village now for almost 4 months.  It’s hard to believe!   I am grateful for the vigor and challenges here as I continue to grow as a person and teacher. But what I want most now is a little more R&R before Monday arrives as I prepare for a new week in my crazy life in Korea.

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A Taste of the Sweet Life

31 Mar

It’s a quiet weekend here at English Village in Paju, South Korea.  It’s Easter Sunday and as I am at work today… and in South Korea…its presence constantly escapes me. I am working my last weekend shift of a two month rotation. It is nearly April in Paju and I am still wearing my long winter coat and scarf.  I am longing for the days when Spring has fully arrived but I am reminded that the heat and humidity of Paju summers are not far behind… and then there’s monsoon season.

Lately conversations can turn to the threats of war from North Korea.  While teachers, myself included, are paying attention to North Korea’s headline making threats and actions, there seems to be a sense of concern but not a feeling of panic or urgency. Recently one of our head teachers at English Village, a Korean man, addressed the issue at a staff meeting.  He wants to help keep us informed and he shared his belief that North Korea is simply reacting and offering threats as is their history in the past.  So for now, I suppose I am like many other English teachers in Korea and South Koreans – paying attention to the situation, but also not getting lost in the fear of it.

Work this weekend is pretty simple for me.  The weekend teaching staff at English Village tends to any special camps or students visiting for the weekend as well as the general visiting public.  The last few weekends, today included, I have been teaching an English game for the general visiting public called “Compound Words”.  It is a simple game.  There are two pictures and each picture represents one word of a compound word.  The first team to guess the correct compound word gets a point and the team with the most correct answers wins.  I have found that children and adults alike enjoy it.  They stay for about 20 or 30 minutes or so and laugh and play and guess.  Sometimes the parents help the children answer in English and… sometimes the children help the parents.  It’s amazing to me sometimes to see a very young reserved Korean child come up with a correct answer much to my and often their parent’s surprise.

Last night I took my first try at gluten-free baking in my new to me Korean toaster/convection oven.  As I can’t eat refined sugar and do my best to stay away from gluten, but still love sweets… my last few months surrounded by the candy, sweets and baked goods among English Village staff and students has been challenging.  Finally an opportunity to make something a little sweet for me.  What was on the menu?  Brownies!  It couldn’t have been easier!  With a base of almond flour and sweetened with honey, they turned out sweet, moist and chocolatey.  Just what the doctor ordered!  Here is the recipe!

I couldn’t wait – I ate one!
Rich and moist!

Earlier this week on my day off I made my way into Seoul.  The mission?  Yoga!  I have been practicing yoga both independently and in classes for over 8 years.  It has become a mainstay in my life and a practice I use to feel at home no matter where I am in the world.  After being in South Korea for over three months, I have found just a handful of yoga studios in Seoul that offer classes in English.  Much of the yoga in this area is what’s known as Hot Yoga, a series of yoga postures done in a heated room.  This type of yoga has not been my practice and does not appeal to me… and so the search continues for a yoga class.

After some persistent google searching and communicating with a studio via email, I finally decided to make the trek to a class this past week in Seoul.  Door to door it was about a two-hour journey.  The commute was longer than I expected and I arrived about 5 minutes late for class.  When I finally arrived I found a Korean teacher with a class full of Korean students.  I was surprised because I sought out this studio and class particularly because they offer classes in English.  Irregardless I made my way in and laid out my mat as I heard the Korean instruction.  The teacher was very friendly and asked me if I spoke Korean.  I shook my head no.  I thought perhaps I could make the best of it. “Perhaps I could follow along?” I asked hesitantly.  The kind teacher looked at me with a less than optimistic look.  She suggested I try another class taught by one of their English teachers.  Respectfully, I rolled up my mat and left the studio.  And so the search for yoga continues.

I am grateful to have my own personal practice of yoga that I can take with me no matter where I am.  Even here in English Village I have had the opportunity to share some basic yoga with the other English teachers.  I was even invited to create a simple yoga lesson that can be done with Korean students in classes at English Village.  Its a Powerpoint guided lesson that has a series of videos showing simple yoga moves that can easily be done in the classroom.  I received some positive feedback on it from a fellow teacher who tried it in his class.  They had some extra time and felt the students needed some physical activity.  He said the yoga lessons met the needs of something physical for the students without getting them too “excited”.  After the class he said they were in a better place to sit down and participate in the rest of the lesson.  That’s great!

And so as this day comes into full play, I find myself in unconventional Easter surroundings.  I will spend my Easter in South Korea teaching young and old alike about compound words.  And later tonight, a little sweet treat and a restful evening as I prepare for the busy work week ahead.  It’s a good Easter in my new surroundings, appreciating the little things that make life sweet.

How about you?  How did you spend your Easter Sunday?  Any sweet memories or recipes to share?

Top Photo – a taste of the sweet life.  Gluten-free honey sweetened brownies prepared in home-sweet-home in Paju City, South Korea.

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A Time to Cook

24 Mar

It’s kind of surprising to me… one of the things that I have enjoyed the most these past few years of travel and new experiences is… food!  As you may have noticed, I have been a super-budget traveler as I’ve made my way in Europe and now South Korea. While I enjoy restaurants and eating out, they haven’t been at the top of my mission.  My true pleasure has been connecting with and making my own meals, on occasion growing and harvesting the food, and often sharing it with other people.  Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to cooking I am still learning the basics.  I keep it simple and take it “one step at a time”.  But in general for me, it has been and continues to be a joy.  Who knew?

When I was in Germany in 2011-2012 living at the Seminar Haus in Wettenbostel I often helped out in the busy weekend kitchen as my host there prepared food for the visiting guests.  My tasks were usually simple ones – fry the onions in some butter, saute the mushrooms in balsamic vinegar (be sure to add plenty of garlic), chop the vegetables and make a salad.  On a good day I was asked to make the salad dressing or perhaps some humus.  During the week I would often prepare lunch for myself and the other staff around.  It was usually something simple like a stir fry using whatever food was left on hand.  Somewhere along the way, watching my host cook, helping him out often on weekends, doing my best not to cut off my finger as I chopped vegetables,  and cooking some myself during the week… my confidence in and appreciation of cooking began to increase.

When I left Europe a year and a half later and returned to the States to prepare my visa to teach in South Korea, I stayed with a family in the northeast for three months.  I did a work exchange with them through the website helpx.net.  The general idea is I do work for them in exchange for room and board.  Initially my new hosts asked me if I cooked.  I shied away from the question as I was hesitant to proclaim with confidence that I could cook a meal for them.  Soon after I arrived, there was a busy day, no dinner yet and they needed me to cook the family meal.  I have to admit I was nervous.  I don’t remember what I made, but it was something simple.  The good news was they loved it!  My confidence in the kitchen continued to grow and it became my mission to prepare the evening family meal.  I soon became the regular weekly shopper at their local co-op grocery, Weavers Way,  and shopped with the intent of preparing healthy, affordable meals for their family.  A new role for me.

Now that I am in South Korea the meal table looks a little different.  I am on my own without a “community” or family to feed.  My “kitchen” is a tiny countertop that came equipped with a sink, some cabinets, a refrigerator and a hot plate.  My kitchen table is my desk.  As I am very sensitive to refined sugar,  I can’t easily eat out in S. Korea. Koreans love to add sugar to nearly EVERYTHING.  And so, the mission continues to make good healthy food… now in a new setting.

After three months, my kitchen has a few added appliances – a rice cooker, a crock pot, and most recently a toaster/convection oven.  I am surprised at the pleasure I get with each new addition.   The excitement of cooking my first batch of rice in the rice cooker, so easily with just the touch of a button.  Then discovering the many exciting things the rice cooker can do – like cook quinoa, oatmeal, and even polenta! Within the limits of my modest living space, it is still my pleasure to prepare meals for myself, search for recipes and try new things.

My latest discovery in South Korea is Veggie Hill.  It is a wonderful web-based business (www.veggiehill.org) that sources organically grown food from an area in S. Korea called Dumulmeori.  All of the food they source is grown chemical free in soil that is high in nutrients.  Keep in mind that in Korea there is no Whole Foods down the street and most grocery stores have very few if any organic items.  Veggie Hill to the rescue! Their website is in English (hooray!) and it’s easy to order and then have your food delivered to your door.  They even have food items like chicken and eggs!  I ordered from them for the first time last week and recently received my order.  Their prices are comparable to regular grocery store items and the produce looks so much better its unbelievable. I unpacked my lovely groceries this week and when I opened my refrigerator door I felt a sigh of relief.  My refrigerator is filled with fresh, lovely food that looks, feels and tastes good.  How wonderful!

Some of my most recent meals this week have included preparing a whole chicken in the crock pot then making my own chicken broth and crock pot lentils accented with Indian spices served over rice.  I track the recipes I have tried or want to try on my Pinterest board “Healthy Eating“.

So it seems on this journey and in my life there is a time for all things.  There is a time to laugh and a time to cry.  A time to work and a time to play.  A time to be still and a time to wander…. and, yes, newly to me… there is a time to cook.

How about you, what time or season is it in your life?  Any interesting flavors or new experiences to share?

Bye for now from the not yet Spring, “still a little chilly for my taste” land of Paju, South Korea!

Top image is a sampling of the fresh fruits sand veggies I received this past week from Veggie Hill.

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Spring not yet Sprung

18 Mar

It’s a quiet Sunday at English Village.  I am working today as I am still on  the “weekend shift” along with a small collection of colleagues.  The promise of Spring it seems was just a tease as a cool winter bite has returned to the air.

There are groups of Korean students visiting English Village this weekend not related to our regular teaching program. Truthfully, I am not sure why they are here or what they are doing.  They wear school uniforms and are lead by Korean teachers.  I just walked out into the hall and stumbled upon a group of them leaving a classroom.  One of the Korean students caught my eye and I smiled and waved.  She giggled in typical Korean girl student fashion and waved back.  I said “hello.”  She said hello back and began to giggle even more.  It’s fun have these brief interactions with students and visitors where even just smiling and saying “hello” can make a difference.

Last night I had the pleasure of having dinner and chanting with some of my friends from the Seoul SGI Buddhist Group.  It was such a treat to see them and chant with them.  We grabbed a bite for dinner just up the street. It was refreshing to be surrounded by the sounds and smells of Korean food and good company.  I ate something called Galbi Tang, which means rib soup.  It was… really good!  It’s a simple soup filled with rice noodles and short ribs cooked in the broth for a VERY LONG TIME… hmmm… not sure how long…  We took the ribs out of the soup and ate the remaining meat on them and then enjoyed the broth with rice noodles, mushrooms and what looked to me like green onions.  Oh it was so good.  One of my dinner companions, originally from Korea but who spent many years in the US, told me that Galbi Tang is good for your health and helps to give you energy!

Earlier this week during my “weekend” (which is Wednesday and Thursday, by the way, and does not feel like a weekend!) I wandered across the street to the neighboring art community called Heyri Artists Village.  It was a bit of a strange visit for me as I entered the village from what must be the “back side” just across the street from English Village.  As I walked past what almost looked like abandoned houses and streets and with no one else in site besides me, I wondered if I had gone the wrong way.  As I followed the road I found some comfort as I moved towards the more central area of the Art Village.  It was a coldish Wednesday afternoon and wasn’t a big day for tourists.  With winter still lingering in the air and the surrounding “dead” hills and trees, there was not much activity.  But still, I saw the “promise” of an interesting place to visit as the weather gets warmer and the area comes back to life.

It appears that artists live on-site and have their own little shop to sell their goods.  There are also different cafes and shops dotted throughout the village.  They even have small motorized bikes that you can rent to weave your way through the streets.  I saw one young Korean couple motoring their way around.  They couldn’t have been cuter with her at the wheel and him sitting behind her, slender and soft wearing his thick-rimmed glasses and reading the Village map.

Hmmm… don’t know what this says…
A cool balcony at one of the artist’s homes in the village.
You can see the light peaks of English Village in the background
Look its an old beattle in the Art Village.

The streets of English Village continue to become more alive, although it does feel like we are trying to will away the edge of winter and invite Spring… even though she is not quite here.  We have more visitors and guests on the weekends.   The “Edutainers”, American performers at English Village, are in the streets singing songs by popular American artists (Billy Joel, Michael Jackson). This week we begin our “busy season” as once again English Village will be flooded with visiting students.

What about your life?  Is there anything new “coming to life” as Spring may be threatening to make an appearance?  It’s always great to hear from you!

Top image of ceramic roses in full bloom on a cool winter/spring day at the Heyri Art Village.

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Spring Outing

10 Mar

I am hearing and seeing new things at English Village.  Birds are flying in v-shapes overhead.  There are more people wandering the streets on weekends.  I notice voices of other teachers outside in the evenings.  The birds are even starting to sing.  It seems the Christmas trees in front of our “City Hall” have even been taken down.  Plus the collection of snow on the English Village campus has shrunk to a minimum. Could it be… is it possible… that Spring is coming?

Talking about Spring in Paju, South Korea automatically strikes up conversation of local weather.  It seems that Paju is in some sort of bad weather vortex on the peninsula of South Korea.  It has long, particularly harsh Winters (we are colder and get more snow than our neighboring Seoul, just an hour away).  Hot, humid Summers (I am told, yes, for some reason Paju is hotter than Seoul too).  And then there is monsoon season.  I don’t know that much about it except for stories of water flooding through the hallways of buildings and being encouraged to buy rain boots. I hear that Spring and Fall here are fabulous… for as long as they last… which is rumored to be comparatively short to Summer and Winter.

As the freezing cold weather appears to finally be breaking away, I can feel myself and the world around me starting to come out of hibernation.  I am beginning to have a desire to do something other than bundle up and stay warm for dear life.

On that note, I took a little outing this week on one of my days off.  As I am working weekends this month, my “weekend” currently is on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  This past Wednesday was such a fresh day I actually felt inspired to go out, take a little walk and explore the area.   I learned recently that the outlet mall that I knew was “somewhere around here” is in fact in walking distance just a straight shot down the road.  So I took a little walk and made my way to the post-office first (so long Flat Stanley!) and then the neighboring “Paju Premium Outlet Mall”.

Now, my first observation is that “Paju Premium Outlet Mall” sounds suspiciously like “… Philadelphia Premium Outlets”.  Before coming to South Korea I stayed in Philadelphia for a few months acquiring my Korean work Visa and preparing for my trip.  How surprising it was to leave the States, travel to the other side of the world, arrive  in the foreign lands of Asia only to find… another Premium Outlet Mall.  Hmmm…  That said, I enjoyed my walk down the street, a beautiful day, and the splendor of just spending some time away from work and “off campus”.

Walking around in Paju is no easy feat – especially for this woman who lived in the flatlands of New Orleans for 13 years.  Paju is what you might call… hilly.  You cannot go any direction outside of English Village without surmounting at least one if not two hills.  This is not a complaint mind you.  But for me and my hamstrings it is… an adjustment.

I arrived at the outlet mall to find a seemingly endless array of shops and restaurants, piled up three stories high.  I ran into some colleagues from work in the food court and joined them for lunch.  Afterwards I continued to peruse the daunting supply of high-end shops including DKNY, Coach, Nike and Calvin Klein.  I bought myself a smoothie at Smoothie King (yes the Premium outlet mall comes complete with Smoothie King and Aunt Annie’s pretzels… sound familiar?).  Despite my periodic moments of deja vu, the outing was a treat and I was glad for the diversion.

I returned home the same way I arrived…on foot. The two hills I easily surmounted on the way there looked a bit more oppressive on the way back.  I considered taking the bus, but my pride got the best of me and I trudged my way back over the hills and made my way home.

I have enjoyed swimming lately as well.  We are lucky to have a gym here on the English Village (EV) campus that is open to the teachers and staff at EV as well as the community.  As I am now off on Wednesdays and Thursdays it gives me a little time to sneak in for a swim when it’s not as busy.  Usually Korean moms and kids start to arrive in the afternoon just about the time that I am leaving.  It’s funny to watch the little girls staring at me – in a friendly way.  I am usually the only foreigner in the locker room and I am sure quite a surprise and literally a “foreign” sight to the young Korean girls.

Our last quiet week of work has nearly come to an end as we will have students again this coming week. I am grateful for the promise of Spring arriving and all that brings.

I am wondering, has Spring sprung wherever you are in the world?  If so, what will you be doing as the lovely Spring days fold in?  Any suggestions for how to spend a spring day in South Korea?  It’s always great to hear from you!

Featured image at top from the second floor of the Paju Premium Outlet Mall.  Clearly a close cousin of the Premium Outlet Malls in the United States.

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Flat Stanley Visits South Korea

3 Mar

He arrived a little over a week ago.  He was in fact my first visitor.  He didn’t arrive by airplane or train or even boat.  Instead he arrive by… US Mail.  His name is Flat Stanley.

Perhaps you have heard of him… if you have children…or grandchildren or even nieces or nephews.  Flat Stanley arrived in South Korea courtesy of one of my nephews in Kansas City.  His class read a story about Flat Stanley and were then invited to send him to visit friends and relatives in other locations.  Perhaps Stanley got more than he bargained for as he was put in an envelope and traveled to South Korea.  It took him over two weeks to arrive, but thankfully he arrived in one piece… seemingly happy… and flat… ready for his week in South Korea.

Admittedly Stanley did not arrive for the busiest or most exciting week at the Paju English Village.  We are having a bit of a break now preparing for the upcoming surge of new students and programs.  But Stanley was welcome to hang around and that he did… spending time with the other English teachers and sometimes just kicking back.

One day Stanley came with me to Seoul, just an easy bus ride away.  Stanley enjoyed the bus and when we arrived in Seoul he was amazed at what a busy city it was.  Seoul as you may know has over ten million people living there.  Stanley and I perused the streets and did a little people watching.

Flat Stanley on the bus to Seoul.
Flat Stanley in the streets of Seoul.
Gusto Taco
Flat Stanley meets Gusto Taco.
Flat Stanley making cinnamon rolls.

Later I sought out a local establishment called Gusto Taco to grab some lunch.  Gusto Taco is a tiny little restaurant in Hongdae, an area of Seoul, and is known for its fabulous tacos and fresh ingredients.  They even make their own corn tortillas from scratch and slow cook all of their imported meats.  I tried the house specialty – pork tacos, and they did not disappoint!  Of course as I don’t eat refined sugar, I had to be sure there was no sugar in anything I was eating.  They assured me that everything was made from scratch and what I got was a delicious healthy and satisfying lunch.  Flat Stanley didn’t eat any tacos.  He said he wasn’t hungry…

The owner of Gusto Taco is an American who is married to a Korean woman.  He used to work on Wallstreet and a few years ago he and his wife headed to South Korea.  They started Gusto Taco to, as he said, “give them something to do.”  It seems they have put great care into the product they have created.  They even have a mascot – “Gusto Taco” himself.  Stanley got to meet Gusto and while he was friendly enough, I am not sure that he and Stanley really hit it off very well.  It was a fun meeting nonetheless.

Just yesterday Stanley had an opportunity to learn to make cinnamon rolls with me and some other English teachers here in Paju.  We were being trained in a new cooking lesson for our Korean students. Stanley had a great time with the other teachers and excelled in baking.  His cinnamon rolls were tasty and looked lovely!

Well, now our week is complete and Stanley’s visit is coming to an end.  I will be sad to see him go.  He was a great houseguest, didn’t take up much room or make a lot of noise.  He also got along great with the other teachers here at Paju English Village.

When will he leave do you ask?  Well his travel plans back to the States are not confirmed just yet.  But likely it will look something like a walk up the street to the local post office on Wednesday, returning flat Stanley to his envelope and then sending him on his way for the adventure back to Kansas City in the United States.

It’s been a pleasant visit here with Flat Stanley.  As he prepares to leave, it has me wondering… who will visit me next in South Korea?

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Shameless Tourism

15 Feb

It was a great day.  The temperature was above freezing (I think it reached a balmy 3 degrees Celsius) and, coincidentally, it was Valentines Day.  It wasn’t a typical day for me here in South Korea.  In the midst of my 5 day Seollal Korean New Year holiday, it was time to explore.  And so with the company of two fellow teachers at English Village,  it was off to Seoul for some sightseeing.

It was a day of shameless tourism…. without a doubt.  We boarded the Seoul City Bus Tour and within minutes we were whisked to various locations throughout the city.  We even had our own headphones to listen to recordings of information about each site in English (or if we chose Korean or Japanese).  Headphones on head, nestled in the seat of our bright red tour bus, one of my travel companions said “I have never felt more like a tourist then right now.”  And so it was true.

But for the day, being a tourist, well… it suited me.  The bus was a great price, only 10,000 Korean won (about $10 American) and for that basic rate we were toured to many of the highlights and tourist destinations of the city.  We could get on and off the bus as we liked and every 30 minutes a new bus would come.  It was a great overview and introduction to Seoul. There was even a tour guide on the bus and while admittedly, some tour guides were more helpful than others (one tour guide fell asleep in between stops) it was generally helpful to have an English-speaking guide on the bus.

There were a total of 36 stops on the tour. The first three stops spun by before we could get our bearings.  We took a quick diversion and departed the bus at Itaewan, known as the ‘foreigners area” of Seoul and close to the American military base.  We grabbed a bite to eat at Petras Palace enjoying a satisfying lunch of mediterranean food complete with delicious hummus!  Then we hopped back on our tour bus and once again we were on our way.

We enjoyed seeing many sights and destinations from the window of our ride, but didn’t depart the bus again until we reached the Namsangol Traditional Korean Village.  We took a quick stroll through the village, happy to find traditional Korean homes.  We even stumbled upon a traditional Korean dancer!  As it was just the Korean New Year, there also was an opportunity to write down a wish for the New Year on a piece of tissue-like paper and tie it onto a string decorated with many other wishes.

Our next stop was Seoul Tower.  As we approached the tower, our bus drove up a windy road and dropped us off nearly at the top of the “mountain”.  Still there was one more steep hill to walk up until we found ourselves at the base of the tower.  There was a spectacular view of the city from there as well as the Seoul Tower itself looming even higher on top of Namsan Mountain.  This is not just an ordinary tower, but actually a radio wave tower broadcasting television and radio to Korea since 1969.

Of course, you can go up in the Seoul Tower.  The friendly Korean staff load you on the elevator and then shoot you up into the sky over 700 ft to an elevation of more than 1500 ft.  While you ascend, the roof of the elevator plays a video that simulates looking out the top of the tower into the sky and the music sounds like a modern-day rocket.  Me, well, I chose to look down at the ground during that part.  We departed the escalator and was greeted by an inviting space, spectacular view and… gratefully on my part, nicely protected glass windows.

Looking at Seoul from the tower was just another reminder of the size of the city.  Seoul has a population of more than 10 million people and is flooded with apartment high rises filled with the massive population.  From the observation deck of the tower all you could see from any view were buildings, high rises and apartments outstretched far and wide. We took our time there, enjoyed the view as well as  a cup of tea from the little coffee stand.  Then in no time at all, we were on the ground and quickly found our way back to our tour bus.

By now the day had nearly slipped away from us.  The palaces that remained on the tour were now closed.  So we chose to enjoy the rest of our tour from the comfort of our coach, peering out the window as the city of Seoul slipped by. For me this tour was a great introduction leaving me with a wish list of things to do in the future and a sense of where I’d like to go and spend more time.

We hopped back on bus 2200 Paju-bound and in no time at all (just under an hour) we were back on the steps of the English Village.  As were were approaching the gate, one of my fellow teachers/travelers  said, “It’s good to be home.”  I agreed.  Seoul is an interesting and stimulating city, but after a day noodling through its streets it felt good to return to the peace and tranquility of Paju and English Village.  There was a sliver of a moon in the sky and the fresh cool air was invigorating as we made our way back to our apartments.

Today is a quiet day as I prepare to return to work tomorrow after my 5 day break.  I am switching to a weekend shift starting Saturday and will work weekends for two months, with two days off during the week.  All staff take a turn on the weekend shift and I am looking forward to a little change in my schedule, classes and students.

As I sit in the comfort of my little EV apartment, I am grateful for the balance of this new adventures – time to explore new places, time to work and time to rest.  It’s good to be in South Korea!

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My Serene Seollal Celebration

10 Feb

It’s Sunday.  Just an ordinary day for most Americans.  But for Korea it is the celebration of the Lunar New Year called Seollal.  I can’t say that I really know that much about it.  I know it is an important holiday for Koreans and that traditionally people travel to be with their families and prepare and eat traditional foods.  I have heard that Seoul is a ghost town during Seollal since so many people depart to go be with their families.

According to Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_New_Year), the Korean New Year is traditionally celebrated by eating Tteokguk , a soup with sliced rice cakes. It says the Korean New Year is similar to a birthday for Koreans, and eating tteokguk is part of the birthday celebration. Once you finish eating your tteokguk, you are one year older.  But for me, mostly, it’s just another day.

I went to Seoul yesterday for a meeting with my SGI Buddhist group.  It was great!  The chapter I participate in is a small group of mostly foreigners (remember, that’s me!) but also a few Korean folks too.  We had a study group together yesterday and then a potluck to celebrate the New Year.  I brought a fresh spinach dip to the celebration.  Here is the recipe if you’re curious.  I used soy sauce instead of the Worcestershire sauce and didn’t use any mayonnaise.  Next time I think I’ll use greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  At any rate, it was a hit and it was a nice gathering among friends new to me.

After the meeting the leaders of the SGI group traveled with me back to Paju to “enshrine” my Gohonzon.  For those of you not familiar with SGI Buddhism, the Gohonzon is a scroll with Sanscrit writing and is the object of devotion in the practice.  I received my Gohonzon when I became a member of SGI two years ago, but as I have been traveling for most of the past two years, it is just now that I am a little more “settled” and I am able have and use and practice with my Gohonzon again.

It was fun for me to lead them from Seoul to my new “home” in Paju.  They had no idea what to expect from English Village.  They were tickled and delighted to discover English Village is like a small theme park, complete with a giant mock Stonehenge at the entrance!  “So you live in there?”  they asked referring to behind the gates entering English Village.  “Yep” I said.  Not your typical Korean abode! They were like kids in a candy store as we entered through the gates and I began to lead them through the campus to my room.

They were generous in their description of my little “home” in English Village.  “It’s cute”  they said.  “So cozy” and “It’s like a little hotel room.”  All little affirmations that were nice to hear and in fact, for me it is cozy!  We spent a little time together in my room, hung my Gohonzon in its new cabinet and did a little chanting together.  It was really sweet for me to have them all there and to spend that time together.

As it is the New Years holiday, we have fives days vacation this week at English Village.  This is time that many staff use to travel to near-by (and not so near-by) destinations – Thailand, Japan.  As I am a recent arrival I was not yet prepared to take a trip but look forward to having a nice low-key week and doing a little sightseeing in Seoul.

I am not alone in my New Years respite at English Village.  We have a staff potluck/New Years celebration tomorrow night and it will be fun to share food and time together in the midst of the slow-paced holiday break.

And today, the day of  Korea’s New Years celebration, I find I have time to rest, relax and have time with myself.  I have indulged in a little on-line video streaming, plucked around on the internet, as well as my typical respite of Reiki and yoga.

A fresh coat of snow in last week... about a foot. Not a Blizzard or anything... just regular winter life in Paju South Korea.

A fresh thick coat of snow last week.  It wasn’t a blizzard or anything – just regular winter life in Paju South Korea.

I was told not too long ago by a young Korean man I met on the subway (who was excited to see a “foreigner” so he could practice his English)  that according to Korean tradition, I am 44 years old.  Now I don’t know exactly how that works… but somehow in that process I gained two years! (I am 42 in American years)  And so it is.

The sun is starting to set and the quiet evening is making itself known.  It is so peaceful here right now that the only sound I can here is the hum of my heater blowing overhead.  We remain cold  here with a hearty blanket of snow on the ground unwilling yet to go away.  And so, this is the context and the landscape of my Korean New Year.  My only question is… with this New Year, am I now 45?

Top Photo:  Toto, we’re not in Korea anymore!  Stonehenge?  The unexpected welcome at the entrance to Gyeonggi English Village in Paju City, South Korea.

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Being at Ease

2 Feb

It’s been a great Saturday for me.  Nothing too exciting.  It’s the weekend and I spent the day taking it easy.  Cleaning my apartment, sorting things, going to the grocery store.  I gave myself a Reiki treatment, did some yoga and put some black beans in the crock pot.  Tonight I will watch a movie.  I have to say it has been a great day!  Just what I needed.

I realized today as I was walking to the grocery store that I am starting to move out of  “survival phase” in my integration to life at the English Village in South Korea.  I have been here long enough that I am now fairly content that my basic needs will be met.  I have a kitchen full of foods that are healthy and satisfying.  I have a fluffy pillow and warm blankets.  I order regularly from iherb.com to get the healthy foods I want and need but can’t get in South Korea (delivery only a flat fee of $4.00!).  I have some basic spices and seasonings in my cupboard and with the assistance of my lovely crock pot I am able to cook some yummy meals for myself.

I can also get myself to Seoul without too much distress and make my way around a bit on the subway.  I have overcome some simple, but necessary challenges of traveling by myself to and from Seoul… like making sure I exit the subway at the exit number where the bus stop for the bus home is located (this is very important!  A few times I exited at random exit numbers and emerged on the streets of Seoul and had no idea where I was, let alone where my bus was!) And I am now confident that I know my bus stop well enough that I won’t accidentally miss it or pass it by, even at night.  It’s the little things!  So I am starting to feel a more… relaxed… and at home.

I am very grateful for my connection to the SGI Buddhist group in Seoul!  They have been a wonderful respite and a place to connect and meet new people when I want on the weekends.  This weekend on Sunday I will be traveling to Seoul to join them for their monthly world peace chanting.  Afterwards I will join a few members to go grab a bite to eat.  Really nice.

It’s a quiet winter day here on the English Village campus.  The snow has mostly melted and today this sun is shining.  While it is warmer, there is still a descent bite of cold in the air.  Our busy month of January programming and teaching is complete.  We have had a few days of light teaching this week and I am told a light week to come before our upcoming 5 day holiday (It is the Korean New Year).

As you may know, I am in Paju, south Korea which is a small community of about 250,000 just an hour north of Seoul.  The surrounding area is pretty spacious… much wide open land with little clusters of business – stores, restaurants and other things I can’t tell what they are since I don’t read Korean.  I am told this area is agricultural  and has a Korean military base not far away.  Paju Premium Outlet mall is just a short bus ride away (shockingly similar name to the outlet chains in the United States) with American movies and some familiar brand names and shops.  We’ve had a few days of weather here where it’s not so cold that I am huddled into my own being like a turtle seeking its shell. I am actually starting to look around and notice my surroundings a bit more.

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A quick look at the area surrounding the English Village in Paju, South Korea, the land still barren in the dead of winter.

The English Village campus is somewhat remote.  While we are located in the city of Paju, we are surrounded by much land and are a 5 or ten minute walk from the grocery store and a fifteen or twenty-minute walk to nearby restaurants, post office and other commerce.

We have pretty easy access to “getting around” with the bus stop just outside the English Village grounds and a bus that goes directly to Seoul.  There are other buses that take you to nearby shopping areas and cities and with the assistance of our friendly security staff, we can easily catch a cab when needed.

I was at a clothing swap earlier this week.  A staff member is leaving and she hosted a swap as an opportunity for her to give away clothes and other items that she won’t be taking with her when she leaves Korea.  When we were chatting she mentioned that living at English Village is like “Korea light”… which is true.  Nestled in the comfort of our English-speaking environment, we get to experience many of the comforts and ease of home.

That said, we don’t have to go far to be immediately immersed in the world and culture of  South Korea – just beyond the Hollywood-like sign of the English Village.  For me, I find it’s a nice balance… as I continue to ease my way into life and work in South Korea.

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Egg-citing times

24 Jan

Hello everyone!  Well it’s been a great week here in South Korea!  I happily made it through the big flu and cold epidemic among students and staff at English Village with just a few days of sniffles and fatigue.  Now we are practically in a heat wave with three days in a row of weather above freezing.  Amazing!

I made my way to Seoul again last weekend and was so grateful to connect with a local  Soka Gokkai International chapter, a buddhist group of which I am a member.  It was so much fun!  I joined the International group of SGI in Seoul.  There were members from the United States, Japan, and South Korea.  The nice thing for me is that everyone speaks English and it felt like a little taste of home.  It was comforting to connect with a new group of people who were so welcoming and open.

I learned about this SGI group through a connection from a friend and great  SGI supporter back in New Orleans.  She heard that there was an SGI member who used to live in New Orleans who now lives in Seoul.  So she reached out to him and let him know I was here and within a day I was connected by email with other SGI members in the area and within a week I was directed to the meeting closest to me.

We met in the private home of one of the members who lives on a US Residential base for the military in Seoul.  Their spacious apartment had all the comforts of “home”… a kitchen stocked with American food, a dishwasher, and plenty of good company.  What was on the menu that day?  Good ol’ American chilli!  What a treat.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting every member of the SGI group and look forward to attending regularly.   They could not have been more generous, supportive and welcoming with their time, energy and attention.  I am so grateful and it will be nice to have connections in Seoul outside of my English Village life in Paju.

This week of teaching has been good, but has felt busy to me. At English Village we get new students every week, therefore my schedule changes very much from week to week.  This week I have taught elementary students and high school students from South Korea.

Here at the English Village our curriculum is developed for us and our job is to teach it.   Many of the classes here are created to be fun and engaging for the students with topics like Drama and Cooking.  This week I assisted with a class that learned about gravity.  They were given a piece of newspaper, string, tape and straws to create a “home” for an egg.  At the end of the class they drop it from a second story and hope it lands safely on the ground… in one piece… (some do… some don’t…)  We teach all classes only in English and students are encouraged to only speak English and not Korean (or whatever their native language is)…  This, as you can imagine, can be challenging for some students.

It is Thursday and it has been a full week for me and I must say I am looking forward to the weekend.  Friday is a light day for us as our students have classes just in the morning and then leave in the afternoon for home. This weekend I will be heading to Seoul again.  It is nice to teach and work during the week… and then satisfying to have a few days off to do something different!

Thanks for reading and for staying connected!  As always, I would love to hear from you!

Top photo is a truly foreign sight in Seoul – Girl Scouts!  And Girl Scout cookies!  Yes it’s Girl Scout cookie time, even in South Korea!  Here are a few Girl Scouts I spotted selling cookies on a US Military base in Seoul.

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