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!  

Unbelievable Ulsan

National Geographic-this one's for you. 

We've been living in Busan, South Korea for three months now. That's three months in the same city, with no car and no prior knowledge of where things are or how to get to them. Learning to get around is only fun after you've figured it out the first time. Sometimes, getting temporarily lost is rewarding, yet rather consuming. Travel is more time-efficient the second, third, or twentieth time. My husband and I decided that with an upcoming 3-day weekend, we'd earned a little vacation. When you work at a Korean academy, it's best to take advantage of EVERY holiday and/or vacation day, because they don't come around too often. So, we reserved a room at a snazzy hotel, bought a couple of bus tickets, and rode the hour-long drive to a city northwest of Busan: Ulsan.

Our journey was actually simple: We walked to our nearest subway station (Gwangali) rode the train six stops away to Haeundae, then made the brief trek to the bus station. At this place, purchasing the tickets was slightly hairy, because English information is so limited. However, I will say that travel by bus is hassle free-no security checks or baggage claim to fuss over. Not to mention the enjoyable window-seat views!

Although Ulsan is another large Korean city, we were able to find a beautiful park by the sea. Named Daewangam Park, this area juts out into the sea, allowing magnificent views from golden colored, craggy cliffs. The sound of the waves crashing, flowing, and churning against the expansive rock was completely captivating. There's no more need for words-the pictures will tell the rest.

UNexpected! That should say "unexpected." Sometimes, I hate touchscreen!

Go ahead and laugh at my casual hiking clothes and ponytail. I dare you! It's not every day you get to sit on a cat bench. Can you see the stone felines adorning each side?

I love lighthouses. Naturally, I found these and took their picture.

High winds made this bridge walk an exciting one. The cliff to the right boasts a family of cats (yes, real cats, seriously) and a narrow tunnel where the water would intermittently bathe tourists in a cool, salty spray. When a wave funnels through the ravine and crashes upon the rock, water particles and sunlight create a beautiful rainbow.

A mighty Dragon resides at the park entrance. His eyes kept changing colors....I promise! It's true! Pepper was skeptical, but I saw his eyes change. Seriously. Really! Honestly. I'm not crazy.....

All showered up and ready to see The Martian! What an amazing movie.

One of the park trails led to this jewel of a scene.

One just doesn't see images like this every day.

We stumbled upon a rather stoic sea captain. Pepper says, "What's with this guy??"

City view from our 10th floor window. This city wasn't quite as lit up and flashy as Busan, but it did seem quieter.