The Beach, the Mountain and Toro Y Moi

The first weekend of June was a long weekend and I spent most of it outdoors in the sun. We rented a pension right on Sockcho Beach on the east coast. Pensions are small basic apartments that are usually owned by older Koreans and rent out. If you get enough people together it's pretty cheap. We bought enough food to cook for the whole weekend. It took was a bit of a trek to get there, about four hours on the bus...and then about 30 minutes of going around in circles in a taxi because apparently addresses in Korea don't really mean much. We eventually made it and the weather was perfect for the entire weekend! The first day we hung out at the beach. The water was freezing so there wasn't much swimming going on...but the sun was hot and that was enough for me.

Outside our pension

The beach!

The second day we took a bus into Seoraksan National Park which is one of those places you have to see while you are in Korea, or so I was told. I would probably agree, it was really beautiful. First we did a 2 km hike up to a waterfall and then we took a cable car up to a higher peak. I was too scared to climb to the top because I knew the way down would be terrifying...so I took some pictures instead.

Hiking to the waterfall

We made it

Waiting around to take the cable car

The cable car brought us to this

Everyone hiked up to the top

I stopped here

The next day we spent lazying on the beach. We took the bus back to Seoul around 6pm and that took 4 hours...and then I had to take the subway for a half hour and another bus for about 40 minutes back to Suji so I got back pretty late (for a school night) but it was all worth it. I got to see more of Korea and got a sweet tan. Oh we also stopped in at a fish market/restaurant to eat some raw fish...I of course did not partake, being a vegetarian, but I was still entertained.

Koreans like to swim fully clothed

Pick your own live fish

Yeah, they're what you think they are

On a different note, this past Thursday my friend Max and I went to see Toro Y Moi in Seoul. Both him and I are pretty big fans, and I know we both really appreciated being able to see a familiar band live in Korea. We got pretty rowdy for a Thursday night and I wish I could remember more details but I know we talked to the band for a bit after and went to another bar for the afterparty. Here are some pictures that I obviously did not take. It was definitely worth being hung over at work on Friday.

Max and I

The photographer and I

Chaz and I

Did I mention that I love Korea?

A Month of Fun

This is my first post in a month - maybe I am not cut out for the blogging world. Regardless, I've been having a lot of fun and loving Korea more and more. I can't believe it's been three months already! The weeks fly by because work has finally become easy. I really love my Pooh class and I've become really comfortable teaching them and just teaching in general. When I leave the class at the end of the day the kids run up to me and latch onto my legs, it's super cute.

The rest of my classes are great also - with the exception of the 6 year old Supsok kids. Their progress has been so minimal and I really dislike teaching them. But there's not much I can do about that except keep try to stay positive and cheerful when that's not what I am feeling at all. But maybe with time it will get better...and really, no job is perfect. So here are some fun things I've done this month.

One of the teachers from my school, Brian, introduced the new teachers to his friend Seowoo (aka Steven). It's great to finally have a Korean friend because I do feel like there is generally a big divide between foreigners and Koreans. The first thing we did together was the Cherry Blossom Festival, which was really beautiful.

Katie, Brian, Me and Seowoo

At the beginning of May we had a long weekend, it was Children's Day. So the day before that was Green Day (made up by our school)...which was just a day of fun activities for the kids. Which was also perfect for us because it meant we didn't have to teach!

Pooh Class

Probably the most fun thing I did this month was World DJ Festival in Seoul. Katie, Bill and I shared a tent and made many great memories :) But really, it was an awesome time and we even though it rained the first night it was sunny and hot and amazing the second day.

Katie, Me, Bill and Max

I found this wig at the market/shopping area below the Express Bus Terminal in Seoul and fell in love with it. I wore it for most of the day on Saturday and so many Koreans wanted to take a picture with me, haha . I had fun :)

And of course there have been many amazing nights in Seoul and other things I haven't taken pictures of. Even when I bring my camera places I find that I don't take many pictures, if any. Also with the whole blog thing...I work long hours every day, then yoga 5 nights a week and gym 3 so when I get home I just want to relax :)

But yeah, I love Korea!!!

Pooh Class!

I am excited to finally post pictures of my kids, Pooh class! There are 18 of them in total and they are all together when my Korean co-teacher Katie and I are together. Otherwise, they are divided into two teams - pink and blue. When I am with them alone, I am with one team at a time. But nine 4 year-olds is still so many. These pictures are from the school website. It was P.E day when most were taken, so they are wearing their funny uniforms. Plenty more pictures to come!

Pink Team

Bosco: A newly emerging favourite. Bosco is always smiling, giggling and having a great time! He is fun to be around, we build blocks together. Also he is super smart.

Brian: Super sweet and shy, gives me daily hugs. Really smart and very trendy. Usually  rocking Levis, flannels and cardigans. Was and instant favourite and still is! Jenny Star's bff. PS That's a perm...

Caleb: Can you see the evil in his face? This kid gives me so much trouble! Likes to throw tantrums and chairs when I threaten not to give him stickers.

Lewis: Natalie's crush/bff. He is a neutral kid I guess, smart and happy. Not much to report...which isn't a bad thing!

Sean: The strangest one by far! I often see him licking the air, dancing, and poking other kids. Avid nose picker.

Linda: Doesn't like to share her legos with me, or much else for that matter. But her mom told me that she pretends to be me at home and talks about me a lot so I guess she likes me!

Jenny Star: Favourite!!! Jenny is the happiest, most mature and probably smartest kid in the class. She is always in a good mood and is so considerate of others. Head and shoulders, knees and toes is her favourite song. Also, she is super trendy and usually wears cute leggings, skirts, knit cardigans and scarves. Her and Brian are bffs.

Hera: Does she look like a bit of a space case in this picture? Because that's sort of what she's like. Doesn't pay much attention in class and is shy. But still cute of course. Favourite book: Brown Bear. Favourite classroom activity: bathroom breaks.

Natalie: Class flirt! She loves Lewis and is always calling his name and following him around. Her mom complained that I don't play with Natalie enough so her and I have become better friends since, ha :)

Blue Team

Mickey: Gives me hugs constantly. He is definitely full of love. Is a bit of a crier when he doesn't get his way though. What a cutie, I can't hold that against him. 

Jerry: Will scribble on his book the whole class, throw it when he is finished, get me all worked up, and then wanna hold my hand as we walk downstairs. Caleb's blue team twin. Good thing he is is smart and cute!

Eric: Such a cutie!! One of my favourites! He is the most excited one to see me in the morning. He is the youngest and is a bit slow, but he makes up for it with this love. LOVES dinosaurs!

Alan: Very smart, mature and serious. Likes to tell other kids to sit nicely and be quiet. Will probably grow up to be that guy in class who always puts up his hand and loves to talk until the professor has to cut him off. You know the one...

Vickie: A really happy and outgoing kid, but also kind of neutral. She has a lot of potential though and I could see her becoming a favourite in the near future..

Grace: The smallest one in the class (along with Eric). But don't let her size fool you! She is really smart and outgoing and is always, always smiling. She rocks some great hairstyles. So cute!

Chloe: I don't really use this word but it's a good one for Chloe, cheeky. She is so funny! She's got more facial expressions than many adults, and is pretty stubborn when she doesn't get her way. Class tattletale. When a kid is being bad, she gives me the look and says, 'Stefany, Katie Teacher', meaning she will tell my Korean co-teacher about it.

Jenny Heart: Jenny is pretty mischievous. She gets in trouble a lot, but has the most genuine apologetic face, so you can never stay mad at her. She's got the best laugh too, so childlike and unreserved. She is really growing on me!

Annie: One of the smartest kids, she remembers more words and song lyrics than anyone else. Is really eager and I can definitely see her becoming and overachiever. Anyway, she is cute and she listens, and if all kids were like Annie then wow, I could probably teach for a very long time.

Coachella Dreaming

If I wasn't living in Korea I would definitely be visiting Planet Coachella this weekend. It is one of the most amazing places I have been to. Last year was my second Coachella and it felt even more complete than the first. If you've never been to a music festival, you might not know what I am talking about. If you've been to other festivals, you might have an understanding of where I am coming from. And if you've been to Coachella, this post is for you!

Planet Coachella

We had to wait in line for 3 hours but it worked to our advantage. We made friends with people from England, Australia, Canada and California before we even got into the festival. We sprawled across about 5 campsites and for those 4 nights we partied, danced and loved life together. 

 Waterloo crew

We shared not only great times but also Cheez-Its <3, Sparkz, Goon and Tecate!

 We spent our days running around from band to beer tent to Camp Shred to band to beer tent to Camp Shred and somehow managed to mostly stick together and find each other amongst the 75,000 people at the festival.

"Every festival needs a Mawby"

Camp Shred mess!

Luckily the party didn't end there! We spent 3 nights in LA and were able to meet up with the different groups of friends we made at the festival. Amongst the best memories are bonfires on LA beaches, doing yoga with Natalie, Joe and Jimmy in their rented Venice Beach Apartment, running into Jeremy and dancing with him to Steve Aoki (the surprise guest) at Cinespace and getting tattooed at High Voltage, where LA Ink is filmed.

Haha, look at those tired faces!

LA

Jeremy and I looking our best

I really wasn't in that much pain

Goodbye breakfast at Ihop. So tired. 

 I don't know if these pictures captured the moments that we all experienced on Planet Coachella in April 2010 but pictures rarely do. I hope everyone who makes it to Coachella this weekend has the best time and I know I will make it back there someday in the near future. If you've got some extra money laying around next spring, make good decisions and travel to Planet Coachella!!