Summer update

Hi friends, family, and everyone else.

Life since my last blog post has been full of challenges and discoveries.

June was the calm before the storm. Then, as the end of the first semester approached in July, the stress levels were palpable as students prepared to sit their final exams.

However, it was a quiet time for me. Due to the extra teaching and classes which focus on memorisation and rote learning of concepts, my classes, which focus on speaking and listening practice, were pushed aside, and I had more free time than usual. During this time, I studied more Korean, and completed some online teacher training. 

The extra time also allowed me to start up another teachers' class, this time at the elementary school. I enjoy the conversations and occasional hiking trip with the one teacher who attends the class, and it's great to spend more time at the elementary school.

When the last day of school arrived, the teachers were far more excited than the students about the end of semester. After a short wrap-up with the students, all of the teachers piled into a bus bound for the seaside city of Yeosu (which I also mentioned in my last update). We ate interesting seafood, including crabs and raw fish, took a cable car across the city, and visited an aquarium. By the time we were on the bus back home, several of the teachers were in a state of alcohol-induced cheer, and this prompted the bus to turn into a karaoke room, complete with flashing lights and TV. 

Following this, I had a few days off, which I spent tramping with a teacher from school. We slept in a shelter in Jirisan national park after a day of climbing, and then left early the next morning to summit Cheonwangbong (전왕봉), the highest peak on the South Korean mainland (at 1,915m). 

I spent the following week at school to teach a Summer English camp to a small group of high school students. Many of my students are going away for a few days during their holiday time, but really the teachers have more of a break than the students. Summer vacation just means 'free time to study,' especially for the final-year students, who are under enormous pressure to pass their university entrance exams. 

So I'm trying to make my camp as enjoyable and as varied as possible. Our theme is 'The Olympic Games,' and the students are divided into two teams for the camp - China and America (they were given the choice of any country). I'm teaching another week of the camp from tomorrow.

This last week, I splurged on an overseas trip to Japan. I had an awesome time. Before jetting out of the country, I spent an afternoon looking around Seoul, with a friend who lives there. 

After finding my way to central Tokyo, I met up with a friend (also an English teacher in Namwon), and we visited temples, parks and coffee shops/restaurants together. I was very pleasantly surprised by the politeness and quiet warmth of Japanese people, as well as the efficiency with which everything happens -
from buying a bottle of water, to crossing the at the lights (you'll have to go there to see what I mean). However, it was a relief to be back amongst the bustle of life in Korea: watching and hearing people singing, laughing on the subway, shouting... As overwhelming as Korea can be, coming back made me realise how familiar Korean life has become.

Following this introduction to Japan, I flew (I have superpowers) to Kumamoto, on the island of Kyushu, to visit a good friend from school days back in NZ. We visited sites around the city and shared coffee and meals with other teachers and locals. Borrowing a car, we drove west to Nagasaki, where we stayed a night. We visited the peace memorial, which commemorates the tens of thousands of people killed from the atomic bomb dropped on the city on August the 9th, 1945. Another highlight was Iojima Island, which has great beaches, and great water for swimming, but strictly no camping (much to our disappointment). 

Unfortunately, I missed my flight back to Korea, so my departure from Japan was by ferry. Overall, Japan was heaps of fun, and an interesting experience. I also missed the last bus back to Namwon when I arrived back in Korea, so I called in on some friendly Kiwis in Gwangju to stay the night. The familiarity of spending time with Kiwis was really, really good.

A true Kiwi always mentions the weather, usually before anything else. But here it is as a final remark: too hot, too humid, too long. While I'm waiting for autumn, feel free to get in touch.

Happy Matariki! My students gave out some star cookies to the teachers to celebrate the Māori new year.

So many yolks!

Iojima island

Martyrs' memorial to the 26 Christian missionaries crucified here

New Zealand's sculpture at the Nagasaki peace park - a korowai symbolising peace and coming together. 'Anu anu te takurua, ngaora marire te koanga' - 'remember winter, spring's welcome consolation.'

Kumamoto castle. Severely damaged in the recent earthquake.

Kumamoto

A sign on the subway in Tokyo - showing how to show various expressions. Japan likes uniformity.

Coffee gallery, Kumamoto. The best and freshest place for a brew.

Ueno park, Tokyo

Approaching thunderstorm, Tokyo.

Gyeongbukgung palace, Seoul.

A trip in June to Jeonju, with my Middle/High school teachers' class

Tramping in Jirisan n.p.

Pyeongyang naeng myeon (cold noodles from North Korea), Seoul

Wearing a hanbok (trad. Korean clothes) during my teachers' class trip to Jeonju

Tramping in Jirisan n.p.

Tramping in Jirisan n.p.

Lunch before the start of the tramp!

Floods during monsoon season in Namwon

Namwon

Bushbashing up a random peak in Jirisan n.p.

Teachers' trip to Yeosu

Three and a half months in!

Well, it's been a while since the last update. So here we are.

It's late Spring here in Namwon, South Korea, and that means hot (and sometimes unpredictable) temperatures, high dust levels and itchy feet, as I look for ways to get outside. Everyone is busy. The students are busy as they sit and prepare for tests. The teachers are busy with the extra workload. The farmers are busy planting at the beginning of the rice season. The impression that everyone's busy, all the time, has been given the moniker 빨리빨리 or 'hurry, hurry,' and as interesting as it is to observe this culture, one has to be careful not to be overwhelmed by it.

All in all, living as a foreigner in a culture I'm still largely unfamiliar with keeps life interesting. I'm grateful for the small signs of progress: such as when the student who usually tries to sleep in class is actively engaged with the activity. Such as managing to have a successful (albeit short) conversation with someone in Korean. Such as staying up late to prepare lessons but it being totally worth it.

In recent weeks, I've started to venture further afield. A couple of weeks ago, I cycled to one of several 'literature villages' in Korea. At the centre of this one, in the small village of Seodo, is the 'Honbul,' an epic novel about women living under the Japanese occupation in the 1930's. It took Choi Myeong-hee 17 years to compose, and was finished in 1996. I spent this weekend in Yeosu, on the southern coast of Korea, with friends. We spent the night camping on the beach, and although the rain thwarted the opportunity to go swimming, it was so good to be back on a beach.

Passing through the countryside by bus, train or car, I've noticed how omnipresent the mountains are. They are small in comparison to New Zealand's soaring peaks, scarred by eons of shift and change, but they are everywhere. I've always found that our mountains have shaped my identity as a New Zealander, but I still wonder to what extent Koreans are connected to the land. Maybe it entirely depends on one's level of interaction with the land. But I'm not so sure. In Korea, the cultural emphasis seems to be on people: there seems to be nothing many Koreans enjoy more than sharing food and drink together - in fact, everything seems to be shared. But in New Zealand, perhaps it's not the people around us who define us most significantly, but our history, and our land. Janet Frame thought so. She said that it's not people, but "the land that is our neighbour" (A State of Seige).

My bike finally arrived in April. I've been making the most of the seemingly endless cycle paths along the river.

Maninuichong, or Manin Cemetery of Righteous Fighters, commemorates the thousands killed in Namwon from Japanese invasions.

An afternoon trip with the students to Baemsagol valley in Jirisan national park in April.

Mid-term exams had finished that morning, so the students were happy to be outside.

In mid-May, Mum came to visit on her way to the UK. We hiked up Barebong (1,165m) in Jirisan National Park. The mountain is famous for its azaleas, although we there a bit past their peak blooming time.

Namwon at the beginning of the Chunhyang festival - the city's biggest event every year.

Korean traditional music, which I really enjoyed. Throughout the festival, there were constant musical performances, both modern/K-pop and traditional.

My regular evening run never fails to give stunning views of the city.

Seodo train station.

Cycling around the quiet countryside in Seodo.

Another run-pic

This is taken from just outside Sanseo High School. Every Wednesday, I walk over those fields behind the rice factory to the Elementary school. Stunning.

Eating breakfast in the rain at Mosageum beach, Yeosu.

Keeping dry.

Turtle ship on Odong Island (Odongdo)

Green tea fields in Boseong

April update

Kia ora koutou. Just a short update.

Life in Korea is going well.

The day-to-day teething challenges of living and working here have been smoothed out, and I've settled into the swing of things.

I've now successfully transitioned into being a morning person – up at 6:30 every week day, and even on weekends, I'm up early – there's just so much to do!

I'm trying to take the task of learning Korean pretty seriously, and I try to practice what I learn in the textbook as often as I can.

I received my first paycheck a couple of weeks ago (wahoo!), and one of the first things I did was to order a bike, so I'm looking forward to doing some exploring.

I've made some new friends, and had some pretty cool moments – to mention a few:

-        sharing makgeoli (rice wine) and an exciting array of side dishes with church friends in Jeonju

-        celebrating Easter with a South African family and introducing them to Pavlova

-        baking hot-cross buns and kiwifruit muffins for the staff at school

-        hanging out with new friends in Namwon, and visiting cool places with them

The teaching is going well, and in general, the students are always excited to be in English class. I was asked to run an after-school club for motivated students/to motivate students to learn English, and thus 'Kiwi Club' was born. Each week, we learn something about Aotearoa/NZ. So far, I've introduced NZ from Pākehā and Māori perspectives, we've watched 'The World's Fastest Indian,' made papier-mâché kiwis, and learnt about 'No. 8 wire'/famous Kiwis. We're doing more crafts and watching 'Whale Rider' this week. Any suggestions are welcome.

At this point, I reckon you've done enough reading, so I'll continue the story with pictures. Rural Korea is idyllic at the moment, with blossoming trees everywhere, and warm, sunny weather. The only thing to be wary of is the dust pollution which blows over from China.

Namwon is situated on the banks of the Yocheon river. This cycle path, along the river, goes on for ages, linking villages and towns along the way.

One of the several bridges that cross the Yocheon.

 Looking towards the mountains and Jirisan national park.

Childrens' performance at Gobaek church, Jeonju.

The traditional array of sides that come with makgeoli (rice wine), including crab claws and silkworm larvae (yum!)

A Jeonju market at dusk.

Chunhyang folk village. Amongst other things, Namwon is famous for the story of Chunhyang, a 'true love prevails' story about the son of a governor who, against all odds, marries Chunhyang, the girl of his dreams. Chunhyang festival, held in May, is a big deal here apparently.

Hot Cross buns!

Pavlova.

My classroom.

Blossoming trees are everywhere in Korea at the moment. I've been out and about as much as possible to see them while they last!

On the way to Gokseong after breakfast on Saturday, we stopped to see the petroglyphs carved into the rocks.

Wandering around Gokseong rose garden. It's still too early for the roses, but I'll be back!

Gokseong rose garden.

Gwanghallu garden, in Namwon. One of the main settings for the 'Chunhyang' story.

Gwanghallu.

 I cut through a meadow by the train tracks on the way home.