Can You Ski? No, I Can't!

This week the children got to go on a ski trip!! Originally, grades 1-3 were set to go Tuesday and the older grades were set to go on Wednesday. I got a call late Sunday night from my co-teacher saying that due to the impending snow fall Weds, that the older kids would be going Monday...YAY! I dressed super warm Monday morning and headed to school. After saying I was no longer going, then taking it back, I was on my merry way!

I drove to the ski resort with the grade 5 teacher Mr. Gwak. It was about a 40 minute drive and luckily Mr. Gwak can speak some English. It turns out that he teaches Korean to migrant workers in Yeoju every Monday night...the same night that a group of my friends go to Korean class! I explained to him that I have always wanted to go but the classes are too late. They are at 7:30/8pm and my last bus to Gangcheon leaves at 8pm so I would have to take a cab home, which is expensive. He said that he would pick me up and take me and I was so happy!! I have been trying really hard to learn Hangul (the Korean language) lately so this was perfect!

So we arrived at Oak Valley Resort and it was super cute! Originally I was told by my co-teacher that if I wanted to ski I would have to pay. Since I had to buy a really expensive flight home recently and basically sent my whole paycheque to my Canadian bank account, I couldn't really justify it this time around. I was satisfied with just watching and taking pics of the kiddies. When we got there however, I was told that it was free, paid for by the school and the most I would have to pay was $16 dollars. I was PUMPED! I haven't skied in ages so this was gonna be funny.

We got our rentals and some of us got some snow clothes and off we went. While the kids had lessons, 4 of us teachers hit the beginner trail. 3 teachers didn't ski, I think they ate cake and had coffee and chatted. It was so funny watching my fellow teachers get comfortable in their skis! One teacher, Mrs. Park had never skied before so she was super scarred and fell A LOT! 

Mrs. Park, Mr. Gwak, Mr. Kim and myself

intermediate ski hill

where the hills collide

let's get comfortable

ready to rock!

I was actually quite comfortable in my skis...however the lifts are not my favourite, I am terrified of them. So that was the worst part of the day for me...until I went on the intermediate course...

Once we were comfortable on the beginner trail, 3 of us (not Mrs. Park, she was NOT ready!) hit the lift for the intermediate trail...the lift alone was terrifying never mind the hill itself. I was scared to death, it was so steep!! Luckily I made it down without falling but man were my legs and arms shaking like a leaf! Mr. Gwak wanted to go again and also he wanted to go see where Mr. Kim was. I kindly declined and he went to find our fellow teacher. Turns out, Mr. Kim was too scared and was gonna take the lift down...poor guy! He eventually did conquer the hill but said he fell many times!

lift to the big hill

steeper than it looks...

Here goes nothing!

After lunch the kids finally got to ski! Some were scared others fearless, it was pretty funny :) They also had some trouble with the lift. It had to be stopped several times for them to get on and  I even saw one kid lose a pole half way up the lift to the hill...children and ski lifts are a bad combo!

pork cutlet lunch

I can ski!

lift photo. Super cute!

Lessons

uh oh!

It was a lovely day and I am so happy I got to ski! I definitely wanna go back soon :)

1002 views!

WOW, I just hit 1002 views! I am so happy to be able to share my experiences with you all and you all enjoy reading about them. I have gotten nothing but positive and loving support from everyone and that makes me smile. I am 2 months deep, 10 more to go (I will be home all of January so it doesn't count) and I am really excited about what is to come!! I will continue to share my stories, my highs and lows, and my good times with everyone :) If you keep reading, I will keep writing! THANK YOU xo

From Cookies to Popcorn

I have been obsessed with these cookies which is crazy since back home I wasn't really into buying cookies...

But now, I have found a new love for caramel corn! Another thing I never ate back home.

Crazy how your cravings change in another country!

Girl's Day Out!

Wednesday, December 1st was Kangchun Elementary's anniversary/birthday. I have no idea how old the school is and Mr. Jung has this whole week off (well not off, he is at a conference) so I have no way of asking! On this day, the school is closed. For some reason however, I had to use a vacation day. In Korea, you don't ask questions unless they are in some way detremental to your health. I have 25 vacation days so I wasn't too worried about it. I wanted to do something fun, but I was the only one in Yeoju with the day off. BORING. I planned on just going into the city, going to the bank then just maybe getting my nails done or something. Luckily, my friend and fellow co-worker Jin Woo asked me what I was doing on my day off. I said that I didn't have any plans and she decided we were hanging out!

Jin Woo works in the finance room with Mr. Jung and one other woman. I have been working from their office since my English room is under construction. They are my buddies, we eat lunch together, make each other coffee, and share snacks. Jin Woo is probably my closest girl friend at the school, even though she doesn't really speak English. She has 3 grown boys: one in our school (grade 6, smartest kid in the school), one in middle school and one in high school. I bet she doesn't get much girl time so I was happy to hang out with her :) She initially invited me to have lunch at her house but it then changed into a trip to Yeoju for lunch and shopping at E-Mart. I also had to go to the bank so this was perfect.

Jin Woo

First of all, isn't it lovely waking up on your own without an alarm!? I ususally get up at 6:30am but getting up at 7:30am was just fine cause I woke up naturally, not to an annyoing alarm. After Skyping the bf and some friends, I got ready and headed out. It was pretty warm and nice out so I was happy. Jin Woo had shown me her house before so I knew  how to get there. It was beside the post office and probably the biggest and nicest house in all of Gangcheon. It was beautifully made (by her husband, he works in construction I think) and it was beautiful inside! Like a cottage, with stones and wood, I will have to take a pic of it one day to show you all, it's SOOO nice! We had some coffee then headed to Yeoju in her car.

We went to Kimbopnara which is kind of a fast food restaurant, Korean style. They sell super healthy deliciousness like kimbop (Korean sushi), noodle soups, soups that come with rice and other small appetizer-like goodies. My favorite item from there is 'kimchi mandu' which are fresh dumplings with kimchi and glass noodles inside, DELISH! Jin Woo and I both had 'kal guk su" which is a fresh noodle soup with clams. I don't eat clams but I love this soup. The broth is delicious and the noodles are made to order so it is absolutely divine!


After lunch we headed to E-Mart to go shopping. E-Mart is like Walmart sans the cheap prices and child labour made goods. It is kinda like Loblaws is becoming...they sell everything you need. It's a great store. We bought some groceries and then Jin Woo decided she wanted to check out a new place that just opened up in the fall - the Hwanghaksan Arboretum aka tree museum.

E-Mart

It was a beautiful place, even though everything was dead except the evergreens, haha. It was nice and quiet and peaceful and a well spent afternoon.

"kimchi house"

Evergreens

she's so cute :)

After that Jin Woo took me on a tour of Gangcheon, my town. She showed me where the different students live and we even stopped for tea at a fellow teacher's house! Good day all around :)

Temple on our drive through town

Gangcheon hospital

GEPIK Orientation

The Thursday before I was supposed to attend, I found out from my friend Natasha we would be going to an orientation for new GEPIK teachers. Yes, I found out from her, not my school, standard Korean last minute-ness. GEPIK is Gyeonggi English Program in Korea and it is basically what all of us public school teachers work under in the Gyeonggi-do province. I was pumped! I have heard from all the teachers here that it is a blast, like frosh week all over again. AND, I could get away from my children for a few days :)

The Sunday night before we left, I had to stay at Natasha's since the first bus outta little old Gangcheon wasn't until 7am and we had to catch the bus at that time. Natasha, our friend Darshan and I had dinner at Mr. Pizza. It is pretty good, double the price of Pizza School but they have a salad bar, which is all you can eat salad, fruit, and cold pasta salads. It was delish!

We woke up bright and early and headed to the bus station. It was the first time that I was outside in the morning when it was still dark out. We met our fellow teacher Elvira (from South Africa) and got on the bus. The orientation was 3 days in a city called Osan. Monday to Weds was for Elementary teachers and Weds to Friday was for Middle and High school teachers. I didn't know what to expect but my expectations were definitely high.

Look what I found...Korean Metro!

After a 4 hour journey - 3 different buses and a trip on the subway - we arrived at what looked like a work team-building facility. There were ropes courses and such and I thought, we better not be doing any trust falls and cheesy stuff like that!! It was a beautiful place though, and it was secluded in the mountains.

Me and Natasha decided before we even got there that we would be roomies. I was excited to see the rooms. They were cozy and had an enclosed shower with a door and everything, WOW! haha. The beds were super comfy and there was cable tv...something that I haven't seen in ages, it was nice (back home I am a tv whore). Mostly Korean channels but we did get to watch an episode of Sex and the City :)

Highlights:

-The food was pretty great, except the first lunch which was rice and hot dogs, like cut up hot dogs...nasty! My fave was the nachos with salsa and sour cream...very rare in Korea (not the nachos but the sauces).
-There were over 400 teachers there, some new and some who have been teaching a while just not with GEPIK
-Orientation consisted of various lectures and activities including opening and closing ceremonies
-we met our district coordinators, who were really great! Ours is from TORONTO!! They are the ones we go to if anything goes wrong with our contracts etc...or if we need a mediator for a problem with our co-workers.
-It wasn't as "party party" as I expected, mostly because people in the past ruined it for us newbies (MARK LASKA!) ... they got super loud in the past so this time they said no "getting drunk" allowed...but we still got to enjoy some beers at the end of the day.
-There was free coffee...enough said!
-We met so many new friends
-It was here that we found out about the artillery launch by the North, we were kinda freaking out! First off because duh, we got "bombed", secondly because we were in the city that had the largest US military base, the one Obama said all Americans would go to if it got worse. I was more worried in the end about my friends and family finding out back home and over thinking it and worrying about me.

Other than that, it was great to get away for 3 days and it felt good to finally return to my little country house. And what was the most rewarding, was that the children were so happy to see me upon my return! Love those little guys.

Opening ceremony

Delicious Korean dinner

Natasha

Natasha is sad, only beer in the convenience

store :(

I am happy, plenty of Cass!

duh?!

wow...

fun games

The 80's pencil case I made 

Elvira and her beautiful pencil case

mine sucked compared to theirs