Cherry blossom season

Several countries on this side of the world are enjoying the awakening of the cherry blossom trees! Last weekend, people swarmed the streets and parks in order to gaze and these lovely creations.

The trees bloom white and then slowly turn pink.

A clump of cherry blossoms add interest and beauty for residents of these high-rise apartments.

Many cars drive underneath this canopy of cheerful, delicate trees.

I enhanced the colors for a more vibrant effect.

Ready to kiss this ICE goodbye

You're never really prepared for the bitter cold until it hits you in the face with ruthless, unforgiving force. Sweaty summers and friendly fall temperatures annually wipe away all memories of frigid cold. Gradually, winter creeps upon us, masked by cheery Santa hats and decorated Christmas trees.

The "THE POLONECK FACE." Hmm. I suppose this is suited for a
strict budgeting North Face and Polo Ralph Lauren enthusiast?

"Cold weather is a MUST during Christmas" you might argue. Sure, we want cold weather during the holidays. With all the North Pole stories and snowy Christmas movies on TV, icy air just seems appropriate. Then, dreaded January-February happens, and suddenly, you're wishfully reminiscing on a summer vacation you had 6 months ago and wondering why in the world you were excited to purchase that brand new winter coat. If you're like me and you've grown up with mild winters, you probably view cold weather with an expression of utter disdain.

To put it plainly, South Korea is a lot colder that expected. Both Pepper and I have purchased new coats and sweaters and haven't stopped wearing them since early November. The cold temperatures would be more bearable if our workplaces were properly heated, but alas, another drastic difference from our previous working places to now: our buildings have no central heat. 

Many Korean businesses staunchly believe in "saving power." What better way to do this than to have zero heat pumping during the winter months? Somehow, small space heaters are expected to do the same job as a regulated heating system, but trust me: it's not the same. Students at my school are accustomed to wearing their goose-down puffy coats all day long, and surprisingly complain very little. I've lost count of how many times I've walked into a classroom at my school and was struck by a blast of stale, cold air. My next move is to coax a kid out of his seat so I can step up onto it and reach the electric heater mounted high on the wall, precariously held by a couple of screws. Sometimes they work, but often, I fail to make anything happen. I love heaters, but when they refuse to pump heat, my trust wavers. Also, all of the buttons are in Korean, so pressing them is guesswork.

We've been told that Seoul is quite a bit colder than Busan, so I suppose we're fortunate to be in the southeast region of the country. We haven't seen any snow this year; we've only experienced cold temperatures and icy winds......SO MUCH WIND. This winter will make us appreciate the summertime humidity all the more.

Heart and Seoul

Being away from our families and friends over the cozy, festive Christmas holidays was heart-wrenching. To ease the homesickness, Pepper and I visited the bustling capital city of South Korea: Seoul. The city where we currently reside, Busan, is about a 5-hour car ride away from this international hub, and having no car overseas, we selected a terrific option: the KTX, or (Korea Express Train). This bullet train has been channeling people across the country for many years, and I admit that we NEED one of these in the U.S. The train is so efficient that we departed at 10:00 a.m and arrived at exactly 12:36 p.m. Train tickets were just under 60 Korean won, which is nearly the same in U.S dollars. Like many people, we prefer traveling when the weather is comfortably warm, but being in a foreign country (and basically having to work nonstop) means we have to see the sights whenever opportunity arises. South Korea is surprisingly cold, and Seoul is quite a bit colder than Busan. So, we avoid Georgia's unseasonably warm Christmas...well, this year at least ;)

While in Seoul, we decided to tour some of the traditional tourists spots that Seoul has to offer.

Perhaps Pepper is taller than the ancient rulers of Korea.

There's something special about these houses. Personally, I believe these "hanok" homes are way more fun than your standard high rise apartment. Due to lack of space, most Koreans live in apartment buildings. Thus, traditional homes are just that: traditional, old-fashioned, yet respectable. 

I found a tiny door! Aw!

Strolling through Bukcheon Hanok Village.

Gyeongbokgung Palace! This was just a few subway stops away from our hotel.

While strolling through Bukcheon Hanok Village, I hopped inside and snapped a quick photo of this traditional Korean house (called a hanoks). There's something so peaceful about this entryway.

Pretty coloring on the palace structures.

Though much of the surrounding foliage is asleep for winter, the lake, along with this unique Korean building, still looks quite pretty. Welcome to Seoul, where traditional history and modern high rise buildings reside a few feet from each other. Can you see Seoul Tower peeking up from the right-hand side? It's a pointy white structure behind one of the skinny tree limbs.

Palace tours.

Posing in traditional Korean garb is a cutesy thing to do at many of the special, historical sights in Seoul. This type of women's clothing is called a hanbok. You can buy one from one of the many stores in any Korean city!

Hands in pockets. It's cold out.

After touring the traditional Korean village in the Bukcheon area, we stumbled upon a Japanese restaurant. Dinnertime!!

Buildings with fancy lights help to enhance Korea's night sky.

This was one of the many structures in the Changdeokgung Palace area.

Winter is coming

Things have taken an upswing lately. We'd initially fretted over upcoming holidays because we assumed hallowed times like Thanksgiving and Christmas just wouldn't FEEL the same in South Korea as they do back home. Fortunately for us, a work friend of mine planned a huge spread of yummy food and invited a bunch of friends over to dine together. I must say, it was nice to have real turkey meat. I haven't had turkey meat since we left the states, so it was a treat to have it again.

We also learned an interesting thing: A lot of American food/snacks/paraphernalia can be purchased at the army bases over here. Apparently, the nearest one is an hour or two away in a city called Daegu. My work friend frequently goes here to buy items like Doritos (real Doritos, not the sweetened kind that I find at the local shops here) Smart Popcorn, and so much more. In a way, that makes us happier about living here. When your food options change, your entire life changes. You have to ADAPT to whatever food is available. Cola-Cola is easily available here, much to my happiness. However, deli meat, such as my thinly sliced Boar's Head cajun turkey meat, just isn't a thing here. No longer can I make lazy sandwiches and take them to work. However, I will say that like other U.S schools I've taught and attended, there is no lack of edible items. Somebody is always bringing some kind of food item to share, whether it's a homemade cake, McDonalds (of course that's here, and they deliver to your door, wow!) oranges, persimmons, or little rice cakes that have some sticky sweet stuff lodged inside. Also, my co-workers are always ordering food, and the pungent smell of spicy kimchi, noodles, and other highly flavored vegetables, meat, and rice wafts through the air and hangs in my nose for a long time, firmly encasing memories in my mind.

We once talked of visiting the states over Christmas, but the vast time difference, lack of time off and flight costs are keeping us here. However, don't think we're marooned in Busan to sing Christmas songs alone. Pepper and I have planned a trip to the capital city of South Korea: the dynamic, modern, and yet wildly historic city of Seoul. This will be the furthest we've traveled since arriving here back in July. More pictures and words to follow.

P.S It's getting COLD here....as in, puffy-coat wearing, turn on the space heater, light the imaginary fireplace...COLD. Brrr! I'm kinda glad though.

Jirisan National Park

A three-hour bus ride from Busan can take you into Jirisan National Park, a mountainous region that has been dubbed "Korea's first national park."  The autumn leaves drew us to this place. The air was crisp, the sights were gorgeous, and the hike was strenuous but well worth the effort. Enjoy!

Bright lights, big stress

The fireworks festival at Gwangali Beach was an amazing sight to behold.

Pepper and I love seeing all the cool sights of South Korea. We enjoy talking to all the different people here, Koreans and foreigners included. We even have a bit of fun hopping onto the buses and subways and traveling to where we want to go without having to fret over parking. However, we are both in agreement that visiting another place is much dreamier than actually living in it. Before flying all the way to South Korea, I'd longed to travel nearly all parts of the world and to experience, photograph, and write about them. After being abroad for over three months, I've discovered that we both crave more comfort than we previously thought.

In Busan, we've met foreigners who have lived in Korea for multiple years and/or have lived here for a while, gone back to their home countries, and then returned to Korea for yet another job. Sometimes, I'm boggled by this mindset because I just cannot relate.

One of my co-workers jokingly commented that a lot of foreigners who reside in South Korea are people who couldn't "make it" or fit in at their home countries. If you go to any

restaurant/pub/eatery that is foreigner-owned, the majority of its patrons are non-Koreans. Granted, some are just regular people who want a change of pace from Korean food, but after considerable observation, one notices a particular type of person: bearded white guys sporting hiking backpacks and slouchy, well-worn clothing. Then, there are the types who come here for love...or seemed to have found it regardless of previous intentions. Foreign guys with Korean girlfriends is a super common sight here.

Believe it or not, spotting other foreigners on the street can invoke feelings of awkwardness. Thoughts such as, "Ooh, are they American? Are they here to teach English too? Do I say hi? Or, are they Russian, which means they may not speak English at all? (A couple months ago, I was approached by a Russian girl, and once she realized I didn't speak the Russian language, that conversation was immediately over. I thought....I'd make small talk if only we spoke the same language)!

As of right now, this is how we feel: when Pepper and I return to the states, we probably won't want to travel outside the United States for a while, and definitely not to another country whose primary language isn't English. Learning new words and miming gestures is fun for a while, but sometimes, the stress just becomes too much.

It's Not What You Think...

 When walking around Busan, you will see some things that cause you to do a double take.Take this first picture for example. When someone from America sees the words "black face" you can't help but think about the historically racist portrayals of black people by white actors. Immediately you think to yourself: "Ok, I know these people aren't racist, at least not racist enough to make a store dedicated to creating "black face actors," so what's going on here?"

What's a foreigner to do? Investigate of course! As many of you readers know from our previous posts, hiking is a huge pastime here. There are hiking stores all over the place. Like back home, the brand North Face is pretty popular (not that Americans hike all that much or strictly wear that particular brand for hiking). Like many Americans who grab their favorite North Face jacket when the winter weather rolls in, Koreans love to wear mountain clothes wherever they may be going (this includes the beach).  Well, I guess you could call this place the off-brand North Face because it is just a hiking store that sells apparel for a bit cheaper than the real North Face brand. So that's mystery number one solved, although I don't think I'll ever tell my friends at home that I'm wearing Black Face. Something tells me that might not go over too well.....


As for mystery number two, I know what comes to mind when you first look at this picture because it is the first thing that came to my mind too. But you have to look carefully at the symbol. Notice anything? It's actually a reflection of the symbol that probably first came into your mind. So what is it? What is this symbol for? Well, whenever you see this, this means that there is a Buddhist church nearby.

I remember from many years ago (either from high school or one of my many conversation with

my history buff of a father) that the Nazi symbol was taken from another culture. After seeing this symbol here many times, I did some investigating and learned that this symbol means "good fortune." It is a symbol that can be found in many Asian religions and spiritual doctrines primarily in Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. So during the time when Germany was completely broken as a country following the first world war, the savvy Adolf Hitler needed a symbol for his followers to rally behind with their new found party. Since these Asian religions have been around for many years, I suppose he was inspired to borrow from them. However, being the egomaniac and devout "Christian" that he was, he reversed the symbol to make it his own. If given the opportunity, he probably would have wiped out the very people that he got the symbol from and claim he was actually the one who created it.

So there you have it. No racism. No fascism. Just a country with people of love to hike (or just wear the hiking clothes) and practice Buddhism whenever they find the time during their seven-day work week. Like Jessica has said in many of her posts, this whole experience has been an exciting adventure and I am grateful for each new thing I learn while teaching here. And we're only a quarter of the way through!