Beaches, soju, & octopus oh my!

On Saturday night a bunch of teachers went out to City Hall area for some drinks and Noraebang! Always a good time. On Sunday I went with Jerich and Amy to Jeju Stone Park. This was quite interesting and very peaceful! Check out some of the pictures and read below for more details:

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1056555

 Mount Halla in the background there!

 Traditional cemetery surrounded by the rocks and a raised hill on top of the coffin from my understanding.

 At the entrance to Stone Park

These little heads were EVERYWHERE and slightly on the creepy side. I wouldnt want to be there at night time. haha!

My main school, Sinchon, was pretty great Monday-Wednesday. Some of the 5th and 6th graders always act up but I suppose they are beginning the "rebellious stage". However, as I've said before, I've very surprised at the lack of discipline I was very much not anticipating. My 3rd and 4th graders are simply the best! So cute, they listen, laugh, have fun, and sometimes...only sometimes act up. For example, I gave the students new assigned seats for the month of October. I like keeping the students in groups of 4 as I believe its the best setup for my classroom and for the students to learn more efficiently. I put out a whiteboard on each group of tables labeling "Team A...Team B..."and so forth. Some students whine and literally cry over their seat arrangement. (I highly doubt I ever cried over an assigned seat in school! -hehehe) Anyways, while I was giving instructions for a game, one boy decided to erase my "Team A"label and draw with some highlighters and another marker (nearly impossible to remove) and then he noticed the marker wasn't coming off so he decided to use his pencil eraser to remove the marker from the whiteboard...I noticed this and gave a lecture on not ruining or touching the teachers classroom materials. In my head I was thinking "what the heck kid!" haha! Needless to say, no student messed with the whiteboards for the rest of the day.

This week I experienced my first dentist checkup and teeth cleaning. I was quite nervous! I went to a reputable place that has been recommended by other foreigners. I walked in and was greeted by the dentist and the front desk staff where I filled out a short form. I was immediately taken back for xrays and then sat down in the dental chair. There were only about 4 chairs in the office and it was all in an open room with no curtains like in the states usually. The dentist explained the cleaning process in Korea to me which was very nice. He basically told me that they use one tool that is chip and crack proof. (well...thats a good thing!) He acknowledged my xrays stating my lack of wisdom teeth was a good thing and that based on my xrays I have no issues. The dentist introduced the hygienist and she put this mesh mask over my face. The process took about 30min and I admit hurt a bit! The hygienist kept asking if I was okay and what not but I just sat it out like a big girl. The tool reminded me of a polisher with an odd water spouting vibration. Makes sense right? Anywhos, I paid my 14,000won and went on my way! I ended up getting lost in Shin-Jeju for about 30min but somehow I have a great sense of direction and found my way to a bus stop where I headed home. 

On Tuesday, I visited an eyeglass store which are on every corner here! I was taken to the back where I had a vision test completed. This took about 10min and I didnt have to wait. There were no eyedrops!!!!! There was a machine that red my eyes for about 1minute and then I did some short alphbet reading tests. I was told my vision had not changed much but my old glasses were scratched up causing me not to see as well of course. I picked out a nice frame that was 55,000won and the lenses were 30,000won. I waited 15min and my glasses were fitted on me, I paid, and went on my merry way. WHAT AN AMAZING PROCESS!!!! In the states it takes forever! (given my older coach glasses are better quality-still new glasses are new glasses right?)

I should've stopped after getting glasses on Tuesday but I felt I should go for a full change up and get my hair done. This is where I went wrong and have learned a valuable lesson here in Korea! Hopefully someone will read this and know for the future too! I decided to hop into a small single owner type hair and nail salon. I ended up getting just a basic manicure and having my hair colored with highlights. Someone there was no haircut...There was a big communication barrier but I thought everything was going well...my hair and nails looked nice but when I went to pay I was shocked...213,000won!!!!!! The next day I asked my fellow Korean teacher and she spoke with other teachers...a few minutes later I had four female teachers in my office discussing the mater and telling me that I was charged way too much. They tried calling the owners but the owners kept saying that this was the price for the color...anyways, if this is the biggest mistake I've made in Korea so far I'm happy! My hair looks good and I'll never get my hair done again while here! I found a pair of scissors in my room I'll use for the cut! ;) 

 Red Bean buns that Im obsessed with and need to stop eating! ha!

 Random parade I found on a Wednesday evening near the Market! Not sure what was happening but it was entertaining.

On Thursday I flew out to Busan for the weekend! Let me start by saying this was one of the best weekends in Korea so far! I took a flight from Jeju with Kim, Ellie, Ben, and Nas to Busan. We took the subway to our hostel located in Seomyeon which is a great central downtown area.  We stayed at the Blue Backpackers Hostel which I would highly recommend! The owners were super sweet and very helpful. The hostel was clean and provided shampoo/conditioner, towels, toothpaste, comfy beds, and best of all a rooftop breakfast in the morning! The breakfast was basically an open kitchen with everything you need to make coffee, tea, toast/jam, and all the eggs in the world. The hostel was 20,000won a night too! You can either stay in a dorm style or a single room. Anyways, after we checked in and met with a bunch of other friends from orientation! I met up with Brandon, Jess, and Kelsea Thursday night along with a bunch other "cool kids"! We went out to a few different bars and took a nice walk through the downtown area of Seomyeon. It was so nice to see everyone and I got more excited for the Thailand trip too!

 My friend Jess from Busan! I will be traveling with her and Kelsea to Thailand!

The whole main crew on the first night out!

On Friday we made a yummy breakfast at the hostel and set out for the Jagalchi Fish Festival! Read more below: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=697390
The subway was a bit confusing for me to understand but when you travel with 5 others theres plenty of brain work to get us to the right location. Jagalchi was one of my favorite spots! The market was massive with just so many different types of sea life! It was quite overwhelming! Brandon, Ellie, and I tried some live octopus for the first time! This was such a neat experience. It actually tasted pretty decent and the octopus just suctions to the inside of your mouth so you just keep chewing and chewing! The girls and I then took a quick peek into the biggest shopping mall where I found and bought Asics that are $130 in the states but I bought for 39,000won! Afterwards, everyone went to the Busan Tower where we got such a nice view of the city! All around the tower along the fence people place a lock with a heart and write down their wish. It was so colorful! Finally, we made our way back to the hostel to change and head to gwangalli beach where we met with other teachers for a grand night on the beach! Soju, fireworks, beautiful bridge, and great company for the night!

 Each building had so many different places inside...and these building were everywhere!!!!

 Busan Tower- along the fence are the locks with hearts

 The main group!

 View from the top of Busan Tower

 Locks on the fence

 Had a nice coffee break at a small cafe place where we were served coffee in nice china, saw a cute owl clock, and were then stared at by 4 women while we drank our coffee. haha!

 Live octopus!!!
Click the link below to see me eating the octopus!!!

https://youtu.be/Rs05OA5lCH0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs05OA5lCH0&feature=youtu.be


Click the video below for a pretty gruesome video of a hag fish being cleaned...alive.

https://youtu.be/I-FiZVHTD_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-FiZVHTD_c&feature=youtu.be

 Brandon going for it!

 This little lady appeared to be the shop owner

 Kakao shop!

 Jagalchi Fish Festival!

 You think theres enough crab in these tanks?

 I really wanted to buy one of these and cook it! I'll keep my eyes open in Jeju!

 Fish everywhere!!!

At the beach Friday night!

On Saturday we made another yummy breakfast at the hostel and then set out for the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. This was such a pretty temple located along the coast but it was so overcrowded! Read below for more info: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264404
After walking around the temple we ate at TGIF on the water at Haeundae Beach! It was nice to have an American burger for a change! We then grabbed a drink in the Haeundae area and went back to change at the hostel. We then went out in Seomyeon to a noraebang where we met with a bunch other teachers for a nice night of singing! 

This kid had a mini selfie-stick! haha! He also looked drunk on milk haha!

On Sunday we took a quick trip to H&M store before getting the airport. We were in a bit of a rush but I figured I'd take a look at the clearance rack of course...I found a double pack of camis for 6,000won in my size with a black and white one and figured I'd get this and use one for Halloween costume. Heres where the story gets funny...I bought these and put them in my bag and we went to the airport and took our flight back to Jeju. I grabbed some nice Indian food with Kim and Ben then went back to my apartment. I decided to try on the cami tops...and after a bit more reading and understanding, found out that I had bought maternity cami's also equipped with the easy ability to boob juice! HAHAHAHA!!!! I think everyone got a good laugh out of this but on another note, perhaps good yet sad note, the cami tops ended up fitting me alright. 

I'm back to school Monday and I wont have a long weekend off until Christmas and New Years! :o This was quite the long blog post but I hope you enjoyed the pictures and videos! There was so much for me to share and some pictures got a bit out of order. Anyways, thanks for reading and mail me love letters!!!

Look at this stuff, isn't it neat!

What a week it has been! I spent Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) in Daegu and Mungyeong. On Friday night I took a flight through Asiana airlines to Daegu and was delayed by about an hour. I've had two great experiences with Asiana Airlines and would highly recommend it. Absolutely take Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines, or Korean Air if flying from the states. The Airline really treats you well in comparison to American Airlines from what I have heard and experienced. As another side note, do not order the tomato juice on Asiana airlines...its sugary and I find pretty nasty tasting. Anyways, I met my friend Brandon at the airport in Daegu where we hopped on a bus (thinking it was going to downtown Daegu) that took us about 35min in the opposite direction! haha! We just circled back around and made it into Daegu where it was nuts! There were people everywhere! So many shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs. We met up with Brandon's friend where we grabbed a few drinks and food downtown. We then found what is called "The Green Motel" in a side alley. We were told that this was the place to stay for the night from other teachers. The Green Motel looks incredibly sketchy from the outside and when you enter a nice couple greets you. It is 30,000won cash a night and you are just given a key. So easy and sketchy right?! The rooms are pretty decent and come with a mini fridge, dryer, private bathroom/shower, shampoo/conditioner, iced coffee/water in the fridge, and AC. Saturday morning, we went for a really nice American styled breakfast in Daegu. We spent the morning and afternoon in Daegu mostly just walking around the city, seeing shops and eating snacks. Daegu is the fourth largest city in Korea. It seemed as though Daegu is simply multiple universities, restaurants, and bars though. After Daegu we drove to the city of Mungyeong which took a little while since there was alot of traffic from Chuseok. Mungyeong is a nice small mountain-side town. We explored this town during the weekend and had a nice shovel dinner too one night. On Monday we explored the town of Sangju which is know for the omija berries and apples! It was such a cute little town and I really liked the omija berries! On Tuesday, Brandon was nice enough to take me back to the airport by bus and we had lunch in Daegu before my flight. We literally just pointed to two things on the menu and hoped for the best. We ended up being served the large part of a pig intestine and the bottom part of a pig belly. While this was tasty I wouldnt recommend it since it mostly pure fat. Needless to say, sometimes its just a guessing game on what you order! My flight back was nice and I ordered a coke instead of tomato juice. The line for taxes in Jeju looked to be hours long so I figured I was going to try and figure out which bus to take. I'm proud to say I took the right bus! The bus driver thought I was lost since I was the last person on the bus even though I kept showing him my address and map to show I knew where to get off at. The bus driver ended up personally dropping me off right in front of my apartment! He was so kind!

 It's Kasper!! On a hat! with bananas!! What a lovely hat!

 This guy and his dog were awesome! We watched this dog follow the guy till he got to the street...and then the dog just hopped right on with his owner! Notice the dog is wearing sunglasses and a bow tie! hahaa!!!

 Cheap and yummy iced coffee with a nice view

 Check out the price of these mushrooms!! Some of them were over 100,000won!

I only worked Wednesday and Friday since my students at Sehwa were off on Thursday. I used my day off on Thursday to get so much done. I first walked to the NongHyup bank to try and get online banking again (3rd times a charm right?!). The ladies were very nice to me in helping me complete the paperwork in Korean. Somehow, even with the language barrier, we were able to complete the paperwork in about 30min. I then walked to through Dongmun Market and bought a few things to add to my packages that I was going to mail out. I spent about an hour at the post office trying to figure out how to mail a few small packages. Once again, people were very helpful to me but it was still quite confusing. There were no envelopes like we have in the states only boxes. The price was rather expensive as well. In conclusion, I will likely only be sending out cards from Korea. Please email me your address if you'd like a love letter! (I will try and write neatly) After the post office I caught a taxi to Shin-Jeju which is kind of on the other side of the main city I'd say. I haven't explored this area too much but I researched and found a nice dental office that had good reviews and an English speaking Dentist. My taxi ride was about 8,000won so I will learn the bus route next time and save a few bucks! Anyways, I found the dental office and greeted the Dentist and his front desk staff. They were very kind to me and booked me a teeth cleaning (scaling) for Monday at 6pm. They scanned my ARC card and told me the price would be 14,000won. 14,000won!!! Lets hope my appointment goes well and I'll be getting my teeth often for sure! After the dentist I admit to trying out the Korean Burger King. In my opinion, I thought it was a slight step up from the American Burger King but still not worth getting again. I then went to the Emart next door since I had a 50,000won gift card for subscribing to internet in my apartment. Emart is basically like Target or Walmart back at home but bigger. I just some Korean shampoo/conditioner, body wash, face wash (nervous about this one!). olive oil, vegetables, chicken, and some other random items. Once I got home put my chicken that I had marinated over night in the oven! I put lemon, garlic, onion, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, and some seasoning with the chicken and it turned out great! I was also on the phone with my bank to finalize internet banking for 45min. Also, I received confirmation about my winter vacation at the end of January. I'm so excited for this!!! I am planning to travel with two friends that I met at orientation that live in Busan. Now that we all have the same winter vacation time, we can plan! We are looking at going to Thailand and Cambodia during our two weeks time. Finally, I booked a flight to Busan for next Thursday night with a few other Jeju folks! We have a 3 day weekend so we will make use of it. I'm excited to see Busan!

 The tags aren't too visible, but these huge seedless yummy grapes were around 9,000won...but I got them discounted at around 2,300 won! hehehe

 Okay...I admit I tried Korean burger kind...don't try it!

 I bought this neat honey stuff at the market...its great in tea!

For a few days I had an awful dry cough but didn't feel sick. This was the cough medicine I took from the clinic that cleared my cough quickly!

On Friday I taught at Ara Elementary. In the morning, there was an odd alarm sounding. The other English teachers said that this was the fire drill the POE requires them to do. The alarm was nothing like what we have in the states! In the states the alarm and near deafening while at Ara Elementary the alarm is half as loud. Upon going outside to the field, one of the male school workers was holding a hose and spraying in front of the school as part of the demonstration. This was interested and slightly humorous. The teachers all wear a yellow sash so that the students can see them better. A few students were then selected to test out the fire extinguisher. All of the kids were so excited! haha! On a more serious note, I thought this was a great demonstration done by the school. In the states, we have a deafening alarm and are told to go outside on a field only to come back in shortly after. How many people have actually used a fire extinguisher? I haven't and most people likely haven't either. Even though its made to be a simple tool to use, I still think this was a great idea to demonstrate to the students.

After school on Friday night Amy and I had dinner in Shin-Jeju and I figured out the bus route. This was a fun night! Oddly enough, there was also a belly dancing performance happening. On Saturday, a few of us took an hour and half bus ride to Sunrise Peak which is located on the East coast of the island near Udo island. This was such a beautiful hike! I was huffing and puffing for about 20minutes but then we were at the top with such pretty views! We hiked along Olle Trail number 1 for some time. Jeju Olle is a series of walking trails that for the most part are along the coastline of Jeju Island. Please see the following link for more information about the Olle Trail.
http://english.jeju.go.kr/index.php/contents/Tour/MasterpieceJeju/walking_hiking/jeju_olle_trails

Jason informed us that this duck boat was used in the Korean film "Castaway on the Moon"!

 Check out those beautiful teeth!

 At the top of Sunrise Peak!

 the Korean couples seem to wear matching clothes pretty often and use these selfy sticks

 Udo Island

 some random ladies shirt haha!

 We walked down there where we took a boat ride for about 10min around the peak. It was a short but nice ride!

 On the boat!

 After the hike we had these ice cream cones!

 Look at this stuff, isn't it neat!

EWWW!!!!!!!

Tonight (Saturday night) we are planning on going to city hall for some noraebang! woooo! Thanks for reading :)