Glorious Autumn

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus


Mr. and Mrs. Hwang

Fall season is such a pleasent time here in Korea with the most beautiful colors and perfect temperature. I haven't experienced a true fall season that lasts a few months before coming to Korea. It is such a lovely season and a perfect time to go hiking up in the mountains to wittness the vibrant maple tree colors. Mr. and Mrs. Hwang were kind enough to take me up to Pek Am San for a wonderful hike.

The Kimchi Festival

Jang Sa Ik, famous Korean folk singer

Enthusiastic Opening Ceremony Performers

This picture was in the Gwangju newspaper.

LET'S MAKE KIMCHI!

This man, dressed in the traditional hanbok, loved Jenni!

Various dishes of kimchi

Gwangju is such a fantastic city. Not only does it have great transportation, inexpensive dining/nightlife, easy access to neighboring mountains, but it a place where modern life and traditional culture co-exist. Korea seems so developed, but it isn't uncommon to see a tractor holding up traffic on a busy street, hanbok (traditional clothing), and nothing, not even fried CHICKEN, can dethrone the beloved kimchi and other traditional foods.

A few weeks ago, I made spaghetti for the church I worship at on Sundays. It is small and intimate with less than twenty members so after mass we always eat lunch together. Not many people stray from sticky white rice, which is eaten at every meal including breakfast, and Korean side dishes. Therefore, the church was excited for me to cook something. My spaghetti turned out pretty good (thank goodness! I definitely don't consider myself a good cook and it was hard to find certain ingredients at a decent price!). But regardless of my western influence, it was humorous to see some individuals mix kimchi and rice to their own spaghetti. :-)

Gwangju is famous for the Kimchi festival. There are various types of kimchi, but basically it is seasoned, pickled vegetables (most commonly made with white cabbage) that is stored underground or in refrigerators to keep from fermenting during the winter months. It can be traced back to ancient times. It also helped Korea during extreme poverty, especially during the winter months. It is a huge source of fiber and Vitamin C. Today, it is still the most important component to every meal, even breakfast. Koreans believe its the cure-all food and that it brings good health. Often times I hear messages of how eating kimchi prevents the swine flu. :-) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi

At the Kimchi festival, there was traditional music during the opening ceremony and we had the chance to season cabbage for kimchi production. I was excited to hear Jang Sa Ik sing live. Dad and I listened to him sing "Arirang," one of the best-known Korean folk songs, on youtube before I came here to teach. This song is powerful for many Koreans and Dad remembers listening to it live when he was in Korea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1MDBeCCpX4&feature=related

Making kimchi was a bit overwhelming, because of all the cameras that swarmed around the tables with foreigners. At one point I could have counted more than ten cameras! Not only was that a bit uncomfortable, but this woman kept hand feeding me bits of kimchi so that the camera men could get a good shot of westerners experiencing "the healthiest food on earth." This was such a strange ordeal, but it was a huge realization of how much Korea and Korean culture wants to be recognized in other parts of the world.

My little Comedians

"I am glad you are having a great experience! Don't be afraid to let it change your life." Dr Strode

Meet Sun Chung Hoon and Pak Chi Sung! They are two of my students who come to my class every day in their taekwondo outfits and they are some of the funniest little munchkins I have ever met! Even their facial expressions crack me up and it so hard to keep them and myself focused sometimes.

My students are all wonderful. I have learned so much from teaching thus far and having so many challenges, number one being the language barrier. It can be frustrating, but the rewards have surpassed all the complications.

Bowing in Korea is similar to a handshake in Western Cultures or a kiss on the cheek in the Spanish and Latin American Cultures. It is how Koreans greet one another and it is what students or younger people do to adults and teachers. Normally, I don't get many student's bowing to me because I am a foreigner and I don't expect the students to be formal with me. But last Friday, four students that normally don't bow, bowed to me when leaving the classroom. I was so amazed, because I was told that that is a great compliment. I always hope that I have an impact on the students and that they are learning. They are surely teaching me so much in this experience.

Lady's Night: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Last Thursday, I met up with a bunch for wonderful gal English teachers from all over Gwangju for a lady's night. Our theme was pink because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and my friend, Katie, from South Africa made us ribbons. She told everyone that this month reminded her a lot of home because of all the activities her and her mom would do for Breast Cancer Awareness programs.

We met at a delicious Indian Restaurant downtown called First Nepal. The food was excellent and the company of about twenty women was even better! It is so nice to have nights like this one. These women are outstanding people with such huge hearts and passionate spirits. After our fill of Naan bread, Indian rice, and several scrumptious dishes we all pitched in money for the Susan G. Komen foundation. http://ww5.komen.org/

"We are just women who admire and really know each other. We allow each other to have weaknesses the public doesn't allow us to have." Lisa Minelli

Mudeungsan and Temple

Hiking is my favorite passtime. Most Koreans love it and they are always so happy up in the mountains. It isn't unusually to pick up friends along they way or have people offer you food. Mudeungsan is one of the largest mountains in Korea and it is so beautiful.

A view from Mudeunsan looking towards Gwangju. You can kind of see buildings between the mountains.

I had the greatest experience at this little Buddhist temple. It is very small in comparison to most in Korea with only five monks living here. When Jenni, my good gal friend, and I walked in we were greeted right away and offered tasty green tea. Tea time was a great opportunity to ask several questions about the temple and the monk's lifestyle. The monk, Do-myung had actually lived in Philadelphia so he spoke very good English. They start their mornings at 4:30am with the prayer bell and then they gather at ten to meditate. The first and fifteenth of every month, they have darma readings. He welcomed us to come sometime and said whenever we visited the mountain, we need to stop in for some green tea. Most people I have met so far have been so hospitable and friendly. I definitely want to visit him more and also learn more about the temples and Buddhist culture here in Korea.

A colorful Korean dragon in the entrance way to the temple. This traditional art is typical for temples. Dragons are found everywhere, especially at temples, and they serve as protectors.

Bits from here and there

Here is my lovely, new plant that Sadie gave me! She is so kind and she thinks everyone should have a plant because of the happiness and comfort they bring. :-)
Adjimas, grandmothers, selling produce on the street. This picture is special, because normally people here refuse having thier picture taken. Adjimas all wear huge duckbilled visors like the women in the red. It is so darn cute! Mom, I will bring you one to wear outside in your garden!

My appartment complex. I'm on the top floor. I really lucked out getting a "room" as they call these smaller appartments. There is a craft store on the first floor. Everything inside is pink!

A swing in the park near my house where I like to run.

Chuseok Weekend

"At times I feel I could die from an overdose of satisfaction." -Salvador Dali
Songpyeon (rice cake)
Mrs. Hwang and I are making songpyeon. Korean can sit crosslegged for hours! During meal time everyone sits crosslegged on mats next to a short, decorative coffee tables. It is hard to get used to!!

Grave sites (grassy hills)

Traditional hanbok clothes worn for weddings and holidays. Many Korean people, especially the elderly, don't like their pictures taken so I didn't take very many during the holiday.

Chuseok is a huge Korean Harvest Holiday, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th month on the Lunar calendar. Korean families get together and have a "thanksgiving" type festival in which they eat a lot of traditional foods, visit and tend to ancestral grave sites, and play games. There is also a full moon on this holiday, which makes nighttime walks and games common. Also, many people wear the colorful, traditional hanbok, especially the elderly on this day. Since most Koreans live in the city now, for Chuseok everyone travels to the country side where their parents and grandparents still live.

Thursday, the day before Chuseok, I had a party day with all my classes. I started out a bit frustrated because I walked in to find myself locked out of my classroom! But Sophia and I somehow managed to open the door with metal chopsticks! I was then comforted with a nice squeeze and a kiss on the cheek by one of my younger students. The rest of the day was party, party, party!

During Chuseok, the Hwang family invited me to go to Gimje, a small town in the country side just an hour northwest of Gwangju. I had the greatest time, because family gatherings are so special to me and I felt honored being invited to be apart of such a loving celebration. First, we went to Mr. Hwang's parents house where I met his parents, brother, and niece (who was awesome and close to my age). It is tradition for Koreans to make Songpyeon (rice cake) and fried vegetables on Chuseok. We watched popular reality shows, which I found really entertaining because most of the time they were singing, engaging in random competitions, and just being goofy! We played many card games as well, which are hilarious because I don't cheat at all compared to Jin sol, Won tek, and Eun sol. They will steal your cards to look at them if you aren't careful! They fell in love with the games BS (go figure!) and spoons (which we played with the candy you sent, mom!). That night we went on a refreshing walk and stretched under the beautiful full moon!

The next day, I was woken up by several new family members. We had a large breakfast in which I ate rice (I have eaten more rice here in Korean then I have in my whole lifetime!), my new favorite- cam (persimmon), Wali fish, sea weed soup, fried vegetables, different types of mushrooms, and several types of kimchi.

After a long goodbye, we left to Mrs. Hwang's family home. She has a ginormous family (at least 20 people were there) and they all greeted us at the door with handshakes and hugs as soon as we entered. The lunch we had was spectacular with too many foods to name. I did eat octopus for the first time and raw beef dipped in the beloved red pepper sauce. The Korean traditional rice drink is also really good. One of the grandmothers made me sit by her and try EVERYTHING on the table! She was so cute! Their hospitality was so welcoming that every where I turned I was handed more plates of fresh fruit and new foods to try. I wanted to cry because of how much at home I felt with these beautiful people and we could hardly understand each other with my broken Korean! After we stuffed ourselves, we played a Korean stick game, I believe it is called yunnori. It was a blast and everything you did the family laughed and cheered no matter what! Several hours later, I went from being the new one to blending within the family. Even the cutest, most flexible, tyekwando boys, who were four and six I believe, came over to sit next to me! Also, I had a wonderful visit with two extremely nice girls my age. I will never forget these new friends. When it was time to go, all the relatives followed the Hwang family and I out to the van. Mrs. Hwang's mother hugged and kissed me then told me to visit again after saying "Sarang hae yo" (I love you). That was the greatest feeling! I miss my family so much so this experience felt like a gift from heaven. I will never forget this weekend and it will definitely be a highlight in my time here in Korea.