A fishy day with a fantastic ending

Sunday started with a trip to the fish market in a port town near Pohang (on the East Sea). Driving there we saw towns of squid boats in the harbor, which have rows and rows of huge light bulbs on these arms that they raise up and shine over the water for attracting the squid at night.

Having lived in land-locked states all of my life, the fish market was definitely a trip. So many strange and exotic sights, smells, and sounds. I think the craziest part was seeing the octopus laid out on display, some still alive enough to be trying to climb (do octopus climb?) away. One of the octopus (about the size of an 8-year-old child) had almost gotten itself moved off the seller's tarp, so we pointed it out and she (does "fish monger" apply here?) picked it up and threw it back down in its place. If you've never heard a fresh octopus being slapped against a tarp, I can't quite describe the sound.

Lots of squid also. We ended up picking some tiger shrimp, clams, sea scallops, and tuna to take with us to grill at the beach. So cheap! Less than $30 altogether for a good amount of each. But, not an experience for those with particular olfactory sensitivity.

After I thought our day had ended with plenty of goods times (a barbecue on the beach with fresh seafood isn't shabby at all!) we decided to swing by Bogyeong-sa, a site of natural beauty and ancient Buddhist temples. This was so amazingly beautiful and peaceful. It was the perfect time of day (about 6:00 pm) with virtually no other tourists around and the hazy light of evening putting this enchanting look over everything. These are some of my favorite pictures so far, by far.

Then we decided to try a quick hike (as it gets dark about 8:00 pm) up to some of the waterfalls in the valley nearby, which is actually called Waterfall Kingdom. It's a series of about 12 waterfalls of different sizes winding up through the valley as the elevation gets higher. We were all wearing sandals, not exactly prepared for a hike. In fact, Rachel was wearing a dress and I was wearing a skirt.

Everything aside, this was one of the most amazing places I've ever seen in my life. Maybe THE. I'll have to just share as many of the pictures as possible, get them blown up as large as possible, because I don't even really know what to say or how to describe it. Standing there, all I could think is that this is what I came for, to Asia, to Korea, even though I didn't know it. This is what I was waiting for. It's natural beauty on a scale I've never seen before.

Believe me, if the pictures don't seem like anything all that exciting, all of your jaws would have been falling open with every bend in the hiking path. Just immense, immense, beautiful, and overwhelming. You can feel the age of everything and know that for thousands of years, people have been standing here awestruck, unable to say or do anything that does the sight justice.

Tidbits

On Friday night we went bowling (bring your own socks), a sport I'm terrible at in any country!

On Saturday I got a manicure and a pedicure after my trip to the dentist (See "Fear-free dental" post for more information, or skip it to spare the icky details). Ladies, I'm sure you know that the good stuff isn't cheap, with all the massaging and wonderful smelling lotions, etc.

20,000 won for both (about $20), and look at my pretty toes! And yes, I am aware the second one is slightly longer than the big captain.

Saturday night, Rachel, her husband Andrew, and I drove to the east coast. After dinner we sat on the beach (across the street from our hotel), playing in the sand and watching people light off fireworks.

Sunday includes an afternoon at the beach. I don't really know what to say about beach culture here. I guess there really is none. You wear whatever you want, except, apparently, for real bathing suits. I saw all manner of dress, from children in underwear to men in button-up dress shirts. And I mean in the water, swimming, playing, not just sitting on the beach. This was the hottest day in Korea so far since I've been here, but there were people in the water with jackets, pants, even hooded sweatshirts.

Also, lots of people sit at the water's edge or barely in the water wearing life jackets. You never know... There may be a fire or some other emergency covering the whole beach, in which case you would reasonably have to escape into the water, life jacket coming in mighty handy.

My Poets

Here are some highlights of all different flavors from the poetry (some haiku) that my students wrote this week:

Can love be paid in installments?
I mean, if possible, I'd like to live with you
in 2000-year installment plan.

****

His mind: "I like her.
She is so hot to me.
She approached like a wind."

Her mind: "I hate him.
He is so oily to me.
I felt him like a butter."

****

Man love Jane.
She loves another man.
The sad one sided love.

****

My mother told me
"You're my valuable son
but ... you look like anchovy"

****

I envy that girl
I want to meet mate quickly
But I must study

****

Under the blue sky
We have best time in my car
So, where are my shoes?

****

On the blue ocean
My great villa is sailing.
Mine's bigger than yours!

****

I stand on the road
I want to leave my footprints
In the fresh green world

****

People love money
So they cut wood for money
A forest destroy

****

It smells wonderful.
I'm falling in love with it.
I love you, coffee.

****
And a group poem put together for a class activity:

When I met you,
You came to me, coolly.

When I saw you,
You looked like shiny jewelry.

When I kissed you,
I felt you smelled so sweetly.

When I dropped you,
Opps! Oh my Baskin Robbins!

****

And some reactions when I asked them to write about writing poetry:

"This work is really gratifying and worthwhile. I have not labored in vain."

"I don't like poetry so I hate writing poetry absolutely. Poetry is too difficult to me. I learned America and Britain poetry last semester. At that time, I was so hard. I learned Haiku. I think that Haiku is very interesting. I was so good because I studied with American native teacher. Although poetry is too hard, I love this class! :) Thank you for your teaching! :)"

"I don't like writing poetry. Because I never experience write poetry. I haven't a taste for literature. But I like rhyme of music. Thank you for Kelly."

"Professor Kelly: I like this time. I can think a lot of idea. When I presented my poetry, I'm so brave. I look like I'll become a poet. I read only Korean poetries but now I'm going to see American poetries. It's fresh."

"I like about writing poetry because my mind become peaceful."

"I love music. Music sameness poetry. I love poetry. I'm troublesome choose words and grammar is difficult, the rules of spelling, but I love poetry. Thank you my poetry teacher."

Prizes for your eyes!

One of my favorite things in Korea are the English phrases that stores and restaurants use, ones that don't exactly make sense. The coffee shop that is downhill from campus has on its sign the slogan "All of coffee itself!" Hmm... I don't even know what to say about that one.

I just ate some yummy comfort food for lunch. The lady at our little Italian place made me some mashed potatoes with bacon in it and lots of cheese. Good stuff. Now I might need a potato nap. And yes, if you read my previous entry and are wondering, it did help me somewhat recover from my homesickness. Here are a few more pictures I wanted to share.

A happy Korean cowboy! (Not really. I think this is a traditional Korean hat that only looks something like a cowboy hat. But he is happy to see you!)




A picture of Rachel and me at the entrance to one of the most majestic of the dwellings at the traditional village.




And finally, the sign that is posted along the sidewalk on the way up to campus.

Feelings and Stuff

Today I am quite a bit homesick for the first time so far. I definitely have missed family and friends during the time I've been here, but that feeling reminds me of how much I want to share my experiences with the people I love.

But homesick, that's a different thing. I think there is just such a stark contrast between when I am with my students during the day and when I get back to my room in the evening. They are so lively, warm, energetic, and appreciative of me. Today they asked me what I want to do in life when I'm done with school, so I told them I want to be a full-time literature professor. They said, "You will do well. We support you. We are your fan club!" These students are incredibly uplifting. Even though I know they truly appreciate me and what I try to teach them, I know I get so much more from them than they could possibly get from me.

So when I am not with them, especially on this day for some reason, I feel quite keenly their absence.

I think I am also starting to grow sick of the clothes and items I have brought from home, wishing for other things in my closet. For example, I didn't bring a long-sleeved t-shirt or sweatshirt of any kind. Even in the summer, I like to curl up in the air conditioning in cozy clothes. It still gets cool here in the evenings, so I am thinking about how much I wish I had a familiar sweatshirt from back home.

I've also noticed how easily the male TAs who are here with me from MSU are able to fill their down time with playing soccer. Sports are sports in any language, so they have been playing soccer or jokgu (the name for the tennis/soccer/volleyball fusion sport that I finally remembered to ask my students the name of) every night after class.

I think I also feel like I can't show any vulnerability when I'm here. The students are so happy, so I try to reflect this same attitude back at them.

Alright, enough feeling sorry for myself.

Yesterday one of the students in the program told me, "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life." You can't laugh at that serious face and such an openhearted compliment. I haven't had this student in class yet, so I guess he is a from-a-distance admirer. I know it sounds like the most ambitious pick-up line of all time, but I can't imagine this student has any intention of convincing me to stay in Korea forever and marry him. But, I'm sure he'd be open to the idea.

Thanks, Blog. I feel better now.

And something that is comforting, finding the bookmarks my sisters leave behind in the books we pass between us: a bright pink Post-it note, a Disney World ticket stub, an expired $10 off coupon from Target...

More pictures, less talk

On Saturday, Rachel and I tried to go to a traditional Korean folk village in Andong, but the weather was terrible so we stayed at a cheap but gorgeous hotel there on Saturday night to give it another try on Sunday. Thankfully the weather was beautiful that day.

First we visited Andong Dam, which had amazing views of the Nakong River. Then we walked up (almost straight up) through the Andong Folk Village, which often serves as a set for television and movie productions that need a traditional Korean setting, approximately from the early 1700s. It was amazing to see all the structures, especially what would have been considered a kingly dwelling.

Andong is also home to the Shinsae-dong Pagoda, a 7-story brick pagoda, which is the oldest and largest in Korea. This is from the Shilla Dynasty, so that means it was built sometime between 668 and 935.

Then we drove about 30 minutes more to another traditional village in Hahoe (pronounced ha-hway). Amazing wood carvings here, as well as traditional stuctures from the Joseon Dynasty.Too many pictures and experiences to share, but I will also tell you about the traditional Hahoe Mask Dance performance we attended. Even though it was in Korean, I still found it very funny. It's basically a satire making fun of the different stock types of people in a small village (the busybody, the flirtatious maiden, the drunk guy, etc). When the drunk guy was looking for some people from the audience to come dance with him, I must have looked like a prime choice because I was dragged out there. This is me returning in mild shame from my adventure. They didn't really tell us how they wanted us to dance, so I think I looked like Elaine from Seinfeld dancing, which is far from glamorous.When we ate dinner afterward, the coordinator for this event told me I was very good. I think he was just being polite.

The drive back to Hayang was beautiful. During that short time period of dusk, all I could see were mountains. On the right they were reflected in the water of a rice paddy, and on the left they were giving off smoke and looking like volcanoes. No picture, but I'm not sure it would have done this view justice anyway.

On getting back to campus, this is my attempt to capture the enchanting little forest near my pond...

Tranquil ponds... and sea monsters

This is what I call my pond, which is just a couple steps outside our dorm building. On the rainy mornings when I was waking up like clockwork at 7:25 am I would sit under the little gazebo and read (of course now I can manage to sleep in until my alarm goes off). It has a ton of black, white, and gold fish in it, but these are only really active and jumping in the morning. The pond is most beautiful in the evenings, but I don't think a photograph can quite capture it. Very enchanting.

Please direct your attention to the tall grasses behind the gazebo. I heard some bellowing coming from it on a few occasions early in the morning. It was either a plumbing noise (for the pumps that keep the water flowing into the pond) or, the theory I am most fond of, a sea monster. Maybe I was talking too much about it because yesterday the campus groundskeepers chopped all of that grass down... Mysterious.

Speaking of sea monster related news items, here is a photograph of some artwork my students and I drew on the board. I bet you are pretty impressed with our haiku-writing and drawing skills.

Despite the sea monsters... such a beautiful campus.