FAST TIME IN SOKO

wow....its been far too long since a posting! I don't even really quite know how I manage to write and work 10 hours 5 days a week. It seems as though I am always on the go! I have not one complaint about that other than not having the time I want to stay in touch with everyone back home. This is my biggest quam being far from friends and fam and working my arse off! I am loving the life over here...now more than ever. Summer is at its ultimate peak over here and though we just went through Korea's rainy season for over 2 weeks I am pretty sure it rained maybe 4 times. I have no complaints there. I have become involved in a new sport...surfing. I think I have had my butt kicked more by the board and waves than actually riding a wave but it comes with time. Each time we are out on the waves I improve. It is such an overwhelmingly amazing sport. Everything about it. The exercise...the view...the people...its great...great rush! I just returned last weekend from a town out in the country called Boryeong not too far outside of Seoul. They had their annual mud festival that draws in a million people each July. It is such a beauiful town on the water..the mountains are beautiful and it was nice to be away from the city for a couple days. Anyways the festival is pretty much an excuse to party in the 'cosmetic' mud. I find nothing cosmetic about it...nor do i care all that much. I had a great time...and seeing even a few familar faces from Canada; University and highschool was super rad! There were mud slides, mud wrestling, concerts, tons going on and tons to do. There were 14 of us that went up both Korean and foreign friends. we jam packed ourselves in 2 very small korean style sleeping accomodations; no beds just blankets on the floor. 20 bucks...you can't really complain..especialy since we were a hop skip and a jump from the action. The fireworks were beautiful...and it was phenomenal to watch because the tide went WAY out in the evening and people were sprawled way way out where the water was all day. It was a sight to be seen...and although I dont have a picture...a picture could not have depicted how beautiful it truly was being there. Work continues to keep me busy as ever and my writing is starting to pick up as well. I was writing for a local publication here however the editor quit so it is currently on hiatus. It is called the Ulsanpear. Next weekend starts our summer vacation. It is for 6 days and I will be going out to the Pentaport Rock Festival in Seoul. I have been given press passes and will be doing some reporting and interviews for Canada Social. I am soooooo stoked about that and a teensy bit nervous but it's going to be a trip! I will let you all know how it goes! More to come on my fast times in Korea!!!

Living Abroad in Busan, South Korea

There is something to be said about not just traveling to a foreign country but actually living and being immersed in the culture and customs. Living the every day life as almost a true Korean begins to feel eerily natural after residing here for a short two months. My second month into living and working in Busan, I ventured to my very first tourist attraction. Beomeo-sa Temple, the beautifully constructed Buddhist temple of Busan. It was by far the most fascinating thing I had ever seen. Beomeo-sa Temple is one of the largest temples in South Korea with sculptures and statues dating back to the 9th century. It is unknown as to when the main gates were built however it has been recorded that they were reconstructed around 1619. The intricately detailed carvings on each temple and gate, colorful flowers adorning the trails, and the remains of Buddhist sermons and doctrines were a rare sight to be seen. The site casts such a powerful and serene vibe with Buddhist monks chanting prayers in the temples, gongs echoing in the distance, and the unbelievable view at the top of the Beomeo-sa Mountain in the centre of the temple. The hike to the top of the mountain was unforgettable and truly an epic experience. To put it as eloquently as possible Busan looked glorious from up above filled with vast greenery, traditional Korean architecture, and wrapped in a sheet of clouds. It was so fitting to be present at the temple as Buddhist’s birthday is quickly approaching. In celebration, all the streets are draped with colorful paper lanterns to welcome the celebratory day. The beauty of Busan, even tourist attractions that can be mundane seem to never get tiresome here. It is far too beautiful to not appreciate the sites and sounds of this city. The beaches are filling up with vengeance. I find myself lying on Haeundae beach, the most popular beach in the country with already 28-degree weather in May, surrounded by heaps of locals and foreigners from all over the world. The exotic sailboats and small islands off in a distance are incredible over a dark blue glistening backdrop of the ocean. This and so much more I have to look forward to over the next four months of South Korea’s scorching hot summer.

Haeundae Beach: The Land of Sea and Clouds

I will never forget the first day I was introduced to beautiful Haeundae Beach, South Korea’s most popular beach. The first time I ever set foot on the sand and I saw the view of Busan at night in all its glory. The beach lit up from the city lights shining down. The reflection in the water was beautiful and, not only was the sight breathtaking, but it was so serene, peaceful, and quiet.

Now fast-forward two months and my initial impression of Haeundae Beach has changed a slight bit. It is just mid May and Haeundae beach, haeun meaning sea and clouds, is jam packed with people from the wee hours of the morning on the weekends through to the evening. The beach itself is almost like a city within a city as it is so packed with people from all over.

It has been quite the cultural experience spending the few afternoons that I have at Haeundae beach. People flock from all over South Korea; you have your foreigners working as English teachers looking for some down time from teaching the Korean rugrats, backpackers and travel connoisseurs, and then you have locals in search of soaking up some rays…or rather some shade under monstrous umbrellas.

The one thing I first noticed to be drastically different from western culture’s idea of a day at the beach was the bathing or beach attire. As a Canadian growing up spending each warm day at the beach in a bathing suit with the option of waterskiing and swimming, I found it different to notice many Koreans fully clothed on the beach huddled under large umbrellas. The so-called relaxing strolls or lounge on the beach that I look forward to in Canada during the summer months is not so common here. There are heaps of people from the west craving to meet fellow foreigners and natives of the English language to share their travel stories and daily lives as English teachers.

There are also people from various other areas of the world such as Australia and Europe who are teaching, on business, or permanently residing in Busan. There has not been a day on the beach on which I have not struck up a conversation with at least a handful of people living in the area. Though Busan may not be the most diverse city in the world, the beach is definitely a multi-cultural venue. The coastline remains gorgeous with islets in the distance peaking through in the daytime. The vast variety of food and snacks available on the beach is out of this world. However, if you miss and crave home fries out of the chip wagon parked near the beach like back in the western world, you will be sadly disappointed.

The typical snacks served at the vendors on the boardwalk include everything from marinated critters called bundaegi to seaweed-dipped cookies and a smorgasbord of different coffees and teas. The experience of spending a day at Haeundae Beach is nothing short of unique. The overall experience of both vacationing and living in South Korea truly is not complete until you make a trip to Haeundae Beach.

1 Month has already passed me by...

I can proudly say that a month has passed since I have been in Busan. It was quite possibly the fastest month of my life! I don't know where to begin as this month was not only fast yet so many things have happened! Lets see I am getting a little better at shopping and knowing where things are around the city...finding my way instinctivly now rather than feeling lost and wandering the streets. I am still always wanting to stop and look at things and meet people and the initial excitement is still live and well! Oh yes...the fire...this was the only alarming thing that really happened here..it just after my second week here. I worked fairly late and after work headed up to my apartment which is ever so conveniently located 2 floors above the school. I stepped in the door to settle down after a long day of rug rats hanging off of me and wash the glue...glitter...and marker from me since it was craft day. I turned the televison on and no more than 10 minutes passed and my power went off...my coworker and neighbor called me up to say hers was out too. I told her I would meet her out in the hall and we would check out the fuse boxes to see what was the problem. Well neither of us got that far...as a matter a fact I could hardly get out of my room...there was smoke thick and black engulfing the halls and stairways. I of course freaked out along with Karina and after grabbing our most prized and expensive possessions..our lap tops we staggered our way down the stairs. It was scary to say the least. It turned out to be an electrical fire and after 4 days of them repairing the damage to the one floor it was on we were back in business. I was out of my apartment for those 4 days needless to say...yet i was just so glad it was not anything more severe. Wow what a first few weeks in korea..."so everyone...korea is fantastic...working lots....but my school caught on fire,"...yes not the most comforting thing to tell friends and family back home. Since then everything has been smooth sailing. St. Patties day was wild here...hard to believe since I was in Korea...but almost topped some of my greatest st. patties days...not the same without the crew back home tho! I work like a mad woman...and its finally starting to hit me...I work so much and breaks fly by...the weeks seem like one huge long day. The kids are keeping me in shape! haha..although I am joining yoga next week to keep up with them. I went to so some market shopping last weekend for fruits and veggies near the beach and met some pretty cool foreigners that have lived and taught here for 4 years! Checked out the prices for sea dooing and boat cruising as they have a beautiful boat cruise around busan on the weekends. I am not sure if i have mentioned yet but I have booked a trip to one of the close by islands for may 24th..JeJu island, and I will be going to Thailand at the end of July. I am looking forward to it like you will never know! It is really getting me exciting to travel... I am already thinking about where I will travel to when I am done my contract. A whole group of us also went to a Muay Thai fight this past weekend and it was incredible!...very similar to UFC fighting and I tell ya those Korean dudes..and girls can really put up a fight! I miss everyone as always back home...and hope you all have a great easter....it will be missed greatly in Korea as they do not celebrate. Hugs and Kisses!

Working to Travel...Travel to Work

I have survived my first month in Busan, South Korea! I have learned much in these first weeks and not simply different cultural customs and etiquette, though I embrace each and every trait with open arms...yet it is that I feel comfortable in my skin for the first time in a while. I feel content and although with each day there comes more to know and remember I feel that these challenges are endearing and inspiring. My first trip to the grocery store...or as it is better known in Korea as Home Plus, was probably one of the most entertaining events in my every day life here in South Korea...not for myself but for fellow customers in the store. You see when we are in our home town...or our native speaking country we don't have to think twice about going to purchase garbage bags...how to find them or how to ask a store clerk for them. This my friends is one thing I feel I may have taken for granted back in Canada. I found myself in the middle of the store being stared down by several other customers as I...the only blonde white girl in the store did my best attempt at miming to the sales lady what I was looking for. I was impressioning tying up a garbage bag...saying out loud "throw away" and jumping around with my arms flailing about. I know that someone in that Home Plus store that night left a happier person...laughing at the white girl dancing around. Crazy waegooks..as they call us foreigners. I am definitly enjoying the challenges I am put to every day...exploring new areas of the town with beautifully lined market stands along narrow streets...walking into restaurants and not being able to read the menu so just resorting to pointing at the most appealing meal in the picture. I am happy to finally be learning names of some meals and every day terms to get around...but I hope to soon get hangul down pat. I left out the fire incident at the school...also where I live...i will include that in my next post....to bed my waegook butt goes.