Today was a nice day thought because I got to go to my second school, the one I teach at on Friday's only. It is technically still in Wonju but it is a 40 minute bus ride from my place. The first 20 of which we pass through the main town of Wonju, the last 20 we are in rural Wonju, were there are farms, rice paddies and very few homes. It was beautiful up in the hills! So green and lush! It was also very gray and raining off and on all day. This second middle school, which I visit on Friday's only, is called JiJeong. It was so cute!! There are only 15 students in grade three, 10 in grade two and five in grade one! That's less students in the entire school than in one normal class at Sangji Girls!!! This made it so super easy to teach them. We basically just talked and I was able to have every student introduce themselves to me. They were like a dream school! I can't believe they staff eight teachers and a principle just to teach 30 kids! The school had to be larger at home time, it was two stories, but they only used three classrooms, one for each grade. I wonder about its fate in years to come... Anyhow, I only had to teach three classes (most days at Sangji I have five, yesterday I had six, which was killer) and all of the teachers are really relaxed. Plus the principle just came and hung out with them all day in the office!
It was a little strange to me, but a lot of the women teachers were giving themselves a "natural manicure" they said. One teacher sat on the side pounding down these bright pink flowers into a pulp. Then they put the pulp on their fingernails!! They left the pulp there for a long time, then washed it off and their nails had this yellow/pink-ish tint to them, thus natural manicure. I asked if this was healthy for their names or something (because I didn't think it looked that great...) but they said no, just for the color! I'm guessing it was some kind of traditional practice, and they didn't take it too seriously, but serious enough.
Like I said I had six classes yesterday, didn't get home until 6pm and then went to a beginning Korean class at the Library at 6:30. The class is free so we figure we need to take advantage, especially since that was one of my goals when I came to Korea! (Now that I'm here I'm realizing how hard it will be to learn since I know NOTHING.) The class was helpful, more on reading the alphabet and sounds. I can read the alphabet but the sounds are really difficult. There are sounds like "eo" and then just "o" or "u" or of "uu" -- all different vowel sounds but super similar! Better do my homework...
Last Saturday was a fun break from everything though! Jason and I made plans to meet up with Scott and Brian in the Lotte Cinema area for dinner and drinks. We managed to find Scott but Brian who was taking a bus in from his place outside of town was no where to be seen. We decided to head towards Scott's area of town where he knew of a famous chicken dish we could try. Of course right when we got to the restaurant Brian called to tell us he was in town. He and Scott managed to meet while Jason and I held down the table at the restaurant. The chicken was really delicious, you cooked it on a large hot plate in the middle of the table with lots of vegetables, but I thought it was so spicy! Everyone else seemed to have a fine time eating it but I was sniffing and my eyes were watering throughout. I kept eating because underneath the spicy it was really good!
After that Scott took us to a gelato shop where we got dessert. It was super cute (and I didn't know gelato was in Korea!) Then we headed to Scott's apartment to check it out (very nice and new! we are all so lucky!) We met his neighbor who is a 20 something Korean girl studying to be an English teacher. We all decided to get drinks at a local place. We were required to order food with our apple soju pitcher, so we went with fruit. Good thing Scott's neighbor (Chi) could read the menu, because we didn't even know fruit was an option because there was no picture! We didn't want to have to get more meat. And the fruit was delicious, all very high quality and sweet. Also in Korea, cherry tomatoes are considered fruits and come on things like fruit platters. (After all they are fruits.) The apple soju was super sweet and tasty!
We wandered over to a batting cage that Scott had been eying and he and Jason swung a few rounds. It was a cool little batting cage right in the middle of town! Scott definitely lives in the newer and hipper part of town as compared to where Jason and I live. It was a nice change from traditional restaurants and older streets! Our last decision of the night was to go norae bang (karaoke!!) It was awesome and ridiculously cheap! 15, 000 won for one hour, flat rate! (So, less than $15 split between five people.) The place was really nice, the room was huge and the song selection was fun and modern! I definitely am hooked and want to go again and again and again!
A fun Saturday night led to a boring Sunday of... lesson planning! I'll be glad when I have the hang of lesson planning because right now it takes me a long time. Hello Sunday. Wednesday was a small "orientation" at the main education office for all EPIK teachers in Wonju. It was pretty short but they did pay for a great dinner for all of us. It was tofu soap with beef and a raw egg cracked on top. I've had it before in Lancaster (of all places!) and its delicious (but, ready for it, spicy!! I was dying again!) After that Brian, Scott, Jason and our friend Amber decided to go out for some beers because it was still early. Three pitchers later Jason, Brian and I were still going strong! Beer is so cheap and we were having such a great time talking we didn't want to stop! We finally called it quits around 10pm so Brian could make his bus home and we could get some sleep.
Tonight I was finally able to laze around and do nothing! Tomorrow we are all supposed to be meeting again for the Wondu International Tatoo Festival (its a music festival! its NOT about tatoos people get on their skin! haha.)
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