the accidental weekend.

Part 1: The concert. 

Last weekend was a busy one for the teachers of Corem. 

Since early November, all Kindergarten classes (and their teachers) have been practicing for the annual English concert which involves songs, dances, and dramatic numbers performed by each class.  Scripts are written, revised, written and revised, songs are added, scratched, added and dances are choreographed and practiced until the moves are burned into the children’s minds.  This Saturday was the day that all of the kids would put their skills to the test. After doing two dress rehearsals in the morning, the actual concert went on at 3:00pm for family and friends of the students. 

in kindergarten, cute = immunity against punishment. 

 The kids worked incessantly hard, as did their teachers... sometimes resorting to brute force to get kids to learn their moves, lines, positions, or correct voice volume.  This part of practicing was a little hard to accept for us foreign teachers, knowing that even looking at a student wrong at home can land you without a job.  But, this is Korea, and we spent the day in a dressing room with small children running around in their underwear while they were often slapped by their Korean teachers, who would then play  and laugh with them 2 minutes later.   The ‘corporal punishment’ aspect of the job is never something we are expected to do and honestly, not something we see a whole lot,  but something that just feels normal in this culture. Something else that is apparently normal is for the kids (boys and girls both) to all wear the exact same white tights underneath their clothes.  

Kevin, who seems to be in a perpetual time-out.

After going through the entire performance two times, it was finally showtime for the kids - and us.  Most of the English teachers also had parts in their kids’ plays, and we donned our wireless microphones to speak lines that most of the audience wouldn’t really understand, while standing awkwardly facing the crowd, hands on hips.  

we all get our 15 minutes, right?

Though we didn’t really get to see the fruits of our labour (as we were stuck backstage with the kids), the smiles of adoration on the parents’ faces when we sang the final closing song as a full school pretty much made it worth it. Yes, I know that’s pretty cheesy. 

Because our school has a kindergarten program, which some kids spend 3 years in, there is somewhat of an elementary school atmosphere at work which creates a more cohesive environment than I think many hagwons (private afterschool schools) have.  

Overall, I was pretty proud of our little ones.

Because the concert was held on a Saturday, we missed out on most of the day and ended up with only half of a weekend..... or so we THOUGHT!

surprise snow day!!

On Monday morning, during Tim’s third annual Valentine’s scavenger hunt, we happened to peek out the window at about 7:00am and were shocked to see all of the dong covered in snow!  We went about our normal morning routine, just in case, but all the while were hoping to get a phone call dismissing us from work, at least for the morning.  My prayers were answered and at about 9:00am I got a call telling me classes would be off.  Though I had planned to sleep all morning if we got so lucky, I ended up being so excited to not have work, that I couldn’t settle down enough to sleep and actually ended up doing school work all morning anyways (isn’t that how it goes, teachers?)

a valentine... right in the face. boyfriend of the year.

After lunch, when we heard that afternoon school would be cancelled too (yaaaay! goodbye 830am-700pm workday!) we ventured out in the white and searched for an appropriate snowman making location.  Things we found along the way:

Though not a 'dump' by Canadian standards... for a place that doesn't get snow, it's a miracle!!

Bank employees having a noon-hour snowball fight. 

Bank employees clearing the parking lot with piece of plywood. 

A Korean salt spreader.

A Korean woman who we found with an umbrella in one hand and a shovel in the other. As good CDNs we tried to help... until some more aggressive Korean men came along and did a better job.

An empty field, perfect for the birth of a humble snowman - and 2 Korean kids to help.

All in all, a pretty memorable Valentines Day in the Dong <3

Arrested for fraud.

Sajik Subway Station, Busan, South Korea. 

  A 28 year-old man was interrogated on Thursday for allegedly making use of a subway pass meant for youth under the age of 12.  Mr. Hemmerick was escorted to the information office by a transit police officer after exiting the subway turnstile at approximately 5:20 pm. 


  On his way to the Sajik track for an early evening workout, the foreign English teacher was held in the office for over 15 minutes while officials attempted to discover the nature of his fraud.  Hemmerick was eventually forced to pay a 35,000 won fee to replace the savings he incurred over the 6 month period he had been using the youth subway pass. 


  " I didn't mind paying the difference," stated a humbled Mr Hemmerick, " I had gained the benefits so it was fair that I had to pay it back".  


  The pass itself was not confiscated, but Mr Hemmerick has stated he will be using an adult pass from now on. 

I'm in love I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!

.... and her name is Sajik.
She is 400m long, with an oval shape and likes to be outdoors. 


WARNING: this is a running post. 


Yes, folks, it's time for me to come out of the closet:  I'm tracksexual.


Explanation? Fine. 


I had my first Korean track workout today and it was an amazing experience. 


Tim and I took the subway to "Sajik Stadium" where there is a 400m outdoor track which is open to the public early mornings and evenings.  It was about a 40 minute trip from our place, which is not bad at all for the size of the city.  


It was a rainy, foggy, kind of miserable day and it would have been really easy to give in and just take a nap, but we sucked it up, packed 8 changes of clothes, bought an umbrella, and made the trek to Sajik. 

why.

Though there was nothing spectacular about the workout itself (3x1200m plus 3x1000m), being at a track again brought back a lot of great memories from last year in Ottawa... including sprinting for the bus  - just when you thought you couldn't run another step. 


It was a pretty awesome feeling to be running under the lights, with a little rain and in the company of about 10 ajummas and ajashis.  


It's kind of bittersweet with a mix of guilt and pleasure, every time I find something here that I like because it's familiar.... it kind of feels like cheating, as if I should be only looking for new, foreign things to start to like, instead of trying to recreate things from home that I am already comfortable with.  It's a common feeling I have, this 'culture guilt' - but that's a whole other posting, isn't it? 


Anyways, just had to express my newfound love for a new location that I hope to be spending a lot more time with, real soon. 

no, i'm not a ballerina. no, i'm not trying to flex. it's a heart.

Seoul'd.

What follows is my account of our (Tim's and my) trip to Seoul this past week for the Lunar New Year Holiday.  Various Asian countries, including Korea, celebrate this event which gives Koreans 3 days of national holiday off of work (the day of, as well as the days before and after).  Though I have tried to spell place names right and get history as correct as possible, I'm sure half of it is wrong, misspelled, or incomplete. Forgive my editorial and researching skills, just this once? 

A small warning: it's a long one, so put your feet up and enjoy the words.  

(thoughts, asides, and tangents have been italicized for no reason other than to italicize the word italicize)

Day 1 (Wednesday, February 1st, 2011)

We left Busan yesterday from the Gimhae airport on a 9o 'clock flight and got into Seoul just before 10pm.  Against the advice of the information desk girl at the airport (who suggested the subway), we decided to take a cab from the airport to our hotel which only cost about 15,000 won... not bad for the convenience it provided. 

I had really been hoping/expecting a hotel that did not resemble ‘The Shining’ in any way, as our last Korean hotel experiences had. This place did NOT let me down.  It was a huge relief to open the door and find a modern, CLEAN room complete with a kitchenette, new bathroom and spotless bed, floor and furniture- furniture that was not purchased in 1974. There was also a  fully functional rice cooker AND an electronic bidet - thank goodness.

so many options. the electric bidet.

On our first day in the capital city, we rose early enough to take advantage of the FREE breakfast in the lobby and while doing so, were fortunate to take in some excellent people watching during the meal.  There were lots of international flavours trickling through the restaurant, and I mean people, not food. (I like to play a little game called "who are they, and what are they doing here?" when placed in situations such as this.  Sometimes if I see a group of seemingly random people together, I decide that they must all be cast members of a play that is being performed in the city.)

the bustling streets of seoul.

 We left the hotel around noon to take in some sightseeing (buildings, instead of people this time) in the northern part of the metro area where the Gyeongbokgung Palace stands.  The subway system in Seoul is nearly identical to Busan, and both are extremely easy to use.  Seoul, however, has over 12 subway lines, many more than Busan.  

The Palace is located on huge grounds, with several buildings on it.  Most are pretty typical of what we’ve already seen at temples, but it is impressive that the palace is still there considering the many times it’s been ‘ravaged’ in the past.  

a bit scarier than the guards at Officer's square.

on the palace grounds. 

In the middle of the palace, we came across what first looked like a skating rink but turned out to be a frozen pond where two different traditional Korean games were being played.  The first was a sled on metal skate-like blades that was pulled around by a friend and a rope.

friend. rope. 

the games rink

The second involved a wooden top and a whip, the object being to whip the top and keep it spinning. Tim got slightly addicted to this one and worked up a little sweat. 

After crossing the grounds, we made it to the ‘Blue House’ - the president’s residence and were lucky to see 2 helicopters overhead, which we of course believe were carrying the Korean president to some very important meetings.

the 'blue house'. so creative.

can you spot the president?

After the palace, we walked along the Cheonggyecheon stream (a 6km stream with several bridges that runs through downtown Seoul). Where we paid a little ajashi (older Korean man) to take a picture and print it for us on his little portable photo printer.  When we were finished with the stream, we found ourselves in Insadong-gil, a Nampodong-like market with lots of souvenir and scarf stands.  

the Cheonggyecheon stream.

this crossing is as good as any.

scouting out the park for the next day's run. seems to be ample space.

In the midst of the market was a storespace that was filled with an exhibit on North Korea. Inside there were line drawings with small stories about prisoner camps in North Korea and also portraits of people who have ‘disappeared’ into North Korea as recently as a few years ago.  The one that stuck out to me was a story of the North Korean girls cheerleading team who came to South Korea for a competition and when they returned home to NK, broke the law by telling others about what they saw in the South.  The entire team was sent to prison camp where they remain today.  Propoganda? Maybe.

North Korea:  What IS this place? I am so amazed and interested in this ‘country’ where they are allowed to do things such as have cheerleading teams, make movies and compete in international sporting competitions, but are imprisoned for even speaking about what they saw on a trip to another country.  Going to North Korea is off-limits for anyone living in S. Korea right now, but it is definitely on my list if/when it becomes possible. 

Inspired by our trip to the gallery, I am now reading a book called 'Nothing to Envy' by Barbara Demick, and have purchased one called 'Eating with the Enemy', about an American restaurant owner who went to N. Korea and was drugged because they believed he was a spy.  

That night, we took the subway out to Itaewon, an area of Seoul common with foreigners, and dined at a Mexican restaurant called ‘Los Amigos’.  Most Mexican food is basically the same:  beans, chicken/beef, lettuce and cheese and this was not much different, but a nice change from ramyeon.  The atmosphere was a bit depressing in the restaurant: giant floor space with only a handful of people, and a sad, overdue Christmas tree in the corner. Food was medium and service was pretty good.  Prices were reasonable, but overall food is more pricey here than Busan. 

looks like it's already been eaten. but oh so good.

Day 2 (Thursday, February 3)

We woke up early and took the subway once again to a riverside park (called Yeouido park) on a small island near the south side of the Han river which runs through Seoul.  After reading about the paths along the river I wanted to try them out for a morning run.  The park was nearly empty - maybe due to it being Lunar New Years Day and the biggest holiday in Korea - and it was a peaceful, flat, albeit foggy/smoggy run. 

empty subway... bad sign?

In the afternoon, we set out for Namsan, a mountain with Seoul Tower at the top.  Though we figured we would only be gone an hour or so, we ended up taking the cable car to the top of the mountain, eating supper, and riding a virtual reality ride.   The smog was so thick that we almost forgot to look at the view of the city from the top of the mountain.  We could barely see the streets below, but once the sun set and the city lights lit up, it made for a much more pleasant view. 

on the way up by foot....

.... and crowded cable car.

We took part in a third traditional Korean game, a fairly simple one that was pretty much throwing giant rubber darts into a metal canister with a 4 inch wide mouth.  Though Tim tried 3 times to walk away from it, he kept going back for more.

Seoul tower. 

smoggy seeeeoul.

Tim's new hobby.

We also got to see the famous lock wall at the top of the mountain, which is a fence that is covered in padlocks with Korean writing.  Locks are put up by couples who want ‘everlasting love’ and are symbolically locking themselves together with the padlock.  There is fair warning to ‘not throw away your key’, however.  

love lockdown.

x 6 more of these.

don't say you weren't warned.

After eating at a restaurant which was also at the top of the mountain ( Italian food this time), we opted against the kilometer long line for the cable car, and took the 15 minute walk down the mountain. 

italian mountain top meal. 

Though we had planned to cab back to our hotel, we ended up walking around and were lured into a bustling street by the giant H&M clothing store sign.  Open stores were kind of hit or miss, with some areas of the city packed with people,  and some looking like deserted ghost towns.  

not so ghost-towny Myeongdong. 

Day 3 (Friday, February 4)

Day 3 began with a workout in the hotel gym and free hotel breakfast and continued with a walk to Myeongdong where I spent a good 3 hours trying and buying at good ol’ H&M.  Many monies later we walked back to our ‘hood and stopped in for some Samgetang, a bowl of broth with a small rice-stuffed chicken in it.  

rice in a chicken in a soup in a bowl.

In the early evening we ventured back to Itaewon to check out the shops and grabbed some food at ‘Ali Baba’, a middle-eastern restaurant on the main strip.  Feeling nostalgic for Ottawa, Tim and I both had shawarma sandwiches which were ‘tasty’, but staggeringly overpriced at 8,000won (about 7.50$ CDN) for a small sized pita. 

most expensive SHA warma SHA eva. 

On a customer service note, I found Seoul to be kind of lacking in the majority of places we went. Although it was very convenient and much more comfortable to have so many people speak English ( many more than what I’ve experience in Busan ), I felt slightly resented and a little unwelcome in the city.  Maybe it’s just a big, big city thing.  

Day 4 (Saturday, February 5)

Today I once again woke up earlier than I wanted to so that I could run and be back in time for the buffet.  This time there were many more people out on the riverside path, but I was the only whitey, once again.  It was a beautiful morning, probably about 5 degrees, and I could easily have run in shorts and a t-shirt.  I had the pleasure of breezing by a group of Korean runners who gave me some inevitable shocked/awed looks and ‘gahhhahheahhh!!!’ s - which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

NY day run.

After checking out of the hotel, Tim and I ventured down to Dongdaemun market just to kill some time before our flight.  We didn’t find much besides some dirty pigeons (which Tim maintains were ‘not’ dirty) but did come across a couple of streets of the market that happened to be open.  I assume that the Lunar NY holiday had a lot of people taking the weekend off as well as the 3 days of national holiday last week.

seeds for sale. 

dirty pigeon.

On our walk back to the hotel, we stumbled into a ‘culture park’ where there was a very interesting sculpture of a Haechi (a ‘mythical beast that once guarded the palaces of Seoul’) made entirely of recycled plastic.  I thought he was pretty cute.  

Hiiii Haechi!

On the other side of the park, I spotted the first Mizuno store that I had seen in Seoul and had to go in to check for a pair of shoes I’d been looking for.  Of course, they had them in my size and I ended up paying a small fortune for a pair of socks with laces.  Having a pair of ‘racing flats’ this expensive means I better start having some amazing times to back them up..... PRESSURE!

We got to the airport a couple of hours early and were lucky to be bumped up to an earlier flight, getting us back to Busan by late afternoon.  

seems appropriate for a cab-time snack.

And now we are home again, home again jiggety jig.  It’s good to be back in the Bu, our Korean hometown, where the air feels cleaner, the mountains more numerous and there is almost always a waterway within view.