Fall has finally hit Korea, and its definitely welcome. The weather is now in the mid-twenties, and sunny everyday. Mosquitoes are still out in full force though. Yesterday I killed 7 in the bathroom alone. My immune system is still not used to this particular species, and I'm constantly covered in huge, itchy welts.
My birthday was great, and I got all your presents in the mail just in time. Thank you everyone, so much. Bob and I celebrated with a Pizza Hut pizza, and a Paris Baguette chocolate cake. Bob sang me several songs as well, including Happy Birthday. He also bought me a gorgeous ring. It was different not being with family on my birthday, and not something I'd like to do frequently. All my teachers were really great about my birthday. I had an amazing hat, and was forced to wear a goofy hat while they sang to me. My students were so nice as well, and they shouted and squealed "Happy Birthday" all week whenever they saw me. My kids gave me so many gifts, including an awesome pencil case, a pen, a carton of milk, 2 boiled eggs in a container that said "I love you", and 3 pieces of great cake. One class brought me 2 pieces of cake, with candles, and sang to me before class started. I really love my students.
Blowing out the candles on my cake (which we ate by picking at it with chopsticks!)
Mi-young, quiet Korean girl, Sam, Alicia, Sonya (probably not her actual name), and me!
Mi-young, quiet Korean girl, Sam, Alicia, Sonya (probably not her actual name), and me!
We finally have cell phones. For $10 we got the sweetest phones imaginable. It's a camera phone, it has a subway map, it has a Korean-English dictionary (which is somewhat helpful), and, the best part is, it has free TV, which connects almost anywhere! We signed a contract for 1 year, and its $15.50 a month. I'll send my phone number out when I have a change at school. Canada can call me (I don't know how much), but I can't call Canada. Convenient, I know. Canada has to get on the ball in the technology department. I also bought a portable external hard drive. For $120, I got 320 GB, which I think is a great deal.
Two weekends ago, Bob and I went to Doksu Gu Palace (or something like that). Its close to City Hall in Seoul. We went just at dusk, and the palace was lit up beautifully. We were able to take some great pictures, although I think we need to invest in a tri-pod, as some of the pictures were pretty blurry, without the flash on. We also ventured to the Yongsan Electronics market - which is a blaze of colour and light, and Koreans trying to sell you electronics. Most are pretty cheap there, and this is where I bought my external.
Bob in front of the palace at night.
Maureen in front of the palace at night.
Last weekend, we ventured to the Demilitarized Zone. It was pretty barren and desolate. We went to the Dora Observatory, where our tour guide told us that we could take pictures, but only behind a yellow line. I, of course, forgot, and was promptly spoken to by a Korean guard, in fatigues, who made me delete a bunch of my pictures. Apparently there is top secret stuff going on just over the boarder, but its okay if you look at it, and take pictures 3 feet back from the ledge, but anything closer just doesn't fly. Bob thought my reprimanding was rather amusing, and took pictures of me and the guard - behind the yellow line of course.
Bob, with North Korea in the background.
Bob, pointing out the useless yellow line.
The North Koreans have dug several holes towards Seoul, and the South Koreans have found 4 of these tunnels, the last one being discovered in 1990. We went for a tour of the 3rd tunnel, which consisted of walking straight down the tunnel for 73 m, or 25 floors of a building. The tunnel was very narrow, and just over 5 feet talk. I could walk, barely, but I definitely knocked my head on the granite ceiling several times, and once so hard that it knocked my hard hat off. Bob must have had a bad back after leaving the tunnel. A very cool experience though, unless you're xenophobic or claustrophobic.
The exchange rate is killing me. When we came to South Korea, the won was stronger that the dollar, which meant I spent more $ for less won. Of course, now that we're here, and being paid in the won, our dollar is stronger than the won. So if I get paid 2 million won per month, instead of being over $2000, it is now currently sitting at $1500. Just our luck. Anyone have any ideas of getting around this problem? Should I pay my debt using my Canadian Visa, and then try to pay my Visa from Korean won? Can I keep a bank account here, even after I move home? I need all you accountants and financial advisors on this problem for me, stat.
Teaching so far is fantastic. I get such a kick out of all my kids. They are hilarious, and always filled with energy. I can never stay in a bad mood when I'm teaching these goof balls. I think they enjoy my teaching too.
Bob wants to go to a concert this Friday, which I'll probably attend as well, but I have dinner plans with Lisa first. Hopefully we'll hit up a Korean BBQ. I'm not sure what is in store for Saturday and Sunday. Bob and I have been talking about booking our holidays lately. We're hoping for 2 weeks in February (16-28) to visit Laos, Vitenam, Cambodia, and Thailand, and then another 2 weeks during Summer Break (mid July until late August), to travel to possibly Japan, China, and Hong Kong. Any holiday suggestions or tips would be wonderful, since nothing is set in stone yet (although nothing is ever set in stone in Korea).
Here are some other photos from around Seoul:
Bob appreciating some art work:
That's all for now. Please post some comments and tell us what you're up to!
- Maureen
4 comments:
Hey MOEBOB (haha),
I thought I'd finally fulfill my promise of commenting on your blog. Sounds like you are having a blast over there, and you are finally getting out and seeing all the wonders that korea has to offer. Very groovy pictures in front of the palace. You and bob look very zen-like (perhaps a buddhist, i dont know, haha). I could definitely picture Bob laughing at you as you were being sternly told to delete pictures in the demilitarized zone. I as well would have laughed or quite possibly got us thrown in jail if i was there (You know I never know when to shut up or not say the right things). All is well with me here in Canada. Mike and I are saving to visit you guys soon, we have a plan to make lots of money fast, so be prepared for us sometime haha. Anywho hope you enjoy my comments on here (I kept it clean for ya) and I said I would call Bob's cell phone this weekend sometime, so I might talk to ya or I might call yours. Ciao you too. Miss ya love ya
Can you show us what your apartment looks like one of your videos Maureen
I decided to add a little more to my last comment. Was checking out one of your blogger friends and noted that between the 2 of you - I'd like to see more for sure definitely that massive apartment and Bob take some pictures of Maureen and her ring too.Leyna enjoyed your blog.
Hey Angus I think BOMO sounds better. Looks like BOMO are having fun out there. As far as the exchange rate don't worry charge everything. Run up a huge debt then leave! What are they going to do come all the way over here?I checked there is no Korean Mafia that break knee caps. Anyway when you two are out taking pictures try and get some shots of some different cars or motorcycles for me.Just kidding about the running up of debts. Don't do that you know I don't fly so I can't come over and help bail you out.
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