Wednesday 25 July 2012

Text me, whatever.

So I returned from afternoon classes to find a delightful gift awaiting my return. I. E -My delivery had arrived early. C:

So after hapy squealing I tore the box to ribbons in order to investigate.






So I received - already set up- a Galaxy S III. To be perfectly honest I thought I was getting the SII but as there's precisely 2'000Won in difference I'm not too fussed.

It's really far too good for me though, I'm fumbling through each step of the way. D:


As for the plastic cover - everyone and their mother puts one on their phones. It's slightly scandalous NOT to protect your investment in such a way.


....................Plus my phone was delivered with one enclosed so I might as well us it no matter how much it "ruins the sleek lines of the design"


EDIT: [ For interest: Here is the relevant site. Apparantly I couldn't get a contract in store]

Monday 23 July 2012

Blatant Bribery

So, although I haven't seen too much of it yet, gifts are a pretty big thing here. (My cultural education is being neglected!! Quick, someone give me something!!)



Eh, wait, erm thank you......................................?

Note the pretty packaging sitting on top of the report book I am industriously working on.

(Your child is a delight except for the unfortunate tendency to gnaw on the nearest visible appendage. Enclosed are the medical bills for all of their teachers and seatmates.)

U.C. Berkeley are one of my homeroom classes and the mother of *name censored to protect myself* sent in a gift for myself and Alex-Teacher (The Korean co-teacher)

It earned them my best 'Wait, what?' face for their troubles but still, a lovely gift is a lovely gift and much appreciated.


It's not, as many assumed, chocolates but instead a rather nice brand of fragance free, dermatologist SPF 50 Daily Uv Defense.

It's a good job Ben is gone. He simply would not appreciate it like I do. XD

Sunday 8 July 2012

Deep within the walls - casing the joint



Our target. We entered through one set of walls already, this is the inner section we need special permission as commoners and foreigners to enter. Only one thing for it then.

Ticket acquired for a princely sum (Pfffffffft I can't even type that with a straight face)





Something important now, to prove that I did not simply take these from the internet. One unflattering portrait (courtesy of Helen) coming right up! Wow, you can actually see that I don't feel great that day! XD Still better than the shot on the school website.





 Right anyways, so we were late to the tour but our tickets were to really get us in and pay for the upkeep and hanboks of the place anyway.

We (Myself, Helen and Karen) sauntered around and took lots of photos. Some buildings you can actually go inside but you had to take your shoes off. Not the throne room though.




 Swanky - but kings get all the best stuff.


 Like this adorable little guy. We debated it because he looks like a cat/owl/fat hybrid but it seems most likely that he's the white tiger. No, not that sort. Baekho. What is termed 'Chinese Astrology' is very influential culturally.  (In Vietnam, it's the Four Saint Beasts) So statues like this are all over the place. Fascinating and rather fetching.




We didn't explore the gardens too much (It was getting late  and hotter here) but there's lots of trees and it was really quite nice.  Plus, in the shadows of the mountains like constantly.



I believe this area was for hosting foreign hostages dignitaries. Lots of indifferent fish swimming near the surface- pets/convenient lunch.



Now, this is interesting. These appear on almost every buidling and what they are is representations of Saiyuki. Journey to the west. Famous adventure and fictionalisation of the travel of a buddhist scholar.

Although you'd probably remember this: Monkey Magic



 It turns out that I am the eldest by a few weeks but we're all tiger ladies. XD So here I am with Sir Tiger of the zodiac animals.

After a full day we wandered over to the tourist district for some shopping and food off the carts. I'd just snagged a hotdog with a really nice mild spicy sausage when we discovered a Taekwondo competition.



Young men kicking each other in the face, a great way to end the day. I particularly like how they do a little exhibition dance as the musicians drum them on before they fight.

Saturday 7 July 2012

Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul

The first thing you should realise is that the weather the day before was absolutely hideous. It hasn't rained particularly hard yet but it does rain for a long time. Friday it rained and rained heavy - ruining a pair of shoes. (€3-wasted!!) We were fully expecting it to lash again but the was unexpectedly brilliant. In fact, it was ridiculously hot with clear blue skys and we were sweating like anything.

The large open areas paved with stone did not help. I'll admit to contemplating a parasol like the natives - my sunburn agrees. It wouldn't have helped my bug bites though. My calves are practicallu polka dot now. I guess some insects around the folk museum disapproved of me poking about the exhibits. (As an aside, suncream is ludricously expensive as is aftersun lotion. Unfortunately, a large parcentage of the stuff is 'whitening' with absolutely ZERO SPF protection. I guess they're suggesting visors and parasols.)

Seoul is quite large of course but this is the are we travelled to. We hopped a bus intowards the city and took a subway the rest of the way. (Hurrah for T-cards.)

The stop drops us just by the museum shop so we walked down further into Gyeongbokbung grounds.

There are other historical buildings (more palaces) to see but this is the biggest. I'm pretty sure we didn't see it it all and we went to the folk museum in the afternoon. We also left Songdo comparatively late in the day -after 12- and didn't 'start' (I'll explain later) the tour until well after 3.



When we say the palace is in Seoul, we mean it is deep in Seoul, the city sort of expanded around it - the American embassy is right beside it along with many important buildings- such as Samsung headquarters and TV stations. XD The gates open onto a very busy road.  Considering the huge amounts of open spaces the palace grounds have it's all the more interesting.

This is one of the palaces that didn't get completely destroyed at some stage -damaged and in need of refurbishment, yes. Annihilated? no. - Still there's plenty of refurbishment going on which isn't really too surprising.




What is interesting is noting all of the Chinese and Japanese (Long and torrid histories, geographical neighbours, perfect sense) influences but how the design and development is still different enough to be uniquely Korean.

The eaves of the gate, as you can see above, are lavishly decorated in bright colours. All of the gates we passed through that day  were painted underneath in such a fashion.




This is the main gate that you leave through into modern Seoul. It's enormous!! The walls around the entire compound are all really high but within there are vast open areas. I know some of this space was used as staging areas and tents were set up sometimes. Actually this area strikes me as a place for horses, their trainers and executing horse thieves but that's mostly the sandy floor.

As I promised, also lavishly decorated in traditional style. C:

Outside this gate is the busy road and the changing of the guard with stuck-on beards.



Nice hats guys.

Outside the gates we took a good look around, Seoul is really mountainous (There's quite a problem with landslides you know.)





You see the mountain, you walk towards it to get to the palace. We headed further into town to get something to eat and meandered through ther farmers market where I stare at everything and wonder....Dude, what? (I think it's some kind of root and that, that there just might have tentacles.)

We missed the beginning of the tour though, we were a little late heading back and got sidetracked by sexy drummers.

Damn you drummers, You may have music rhythm, style and muscular arms but we have places to be!!  Onwards!

Friday 6 July 2012

Stickers, Stickers Oh-gods STICKERS

Children are distracted by stickers. FACT.

They will jump through hoops, skip dance and recite damn near anything for them. Thus, bribes reward systems! :D


You can laugh but gods it works so well on kids of all ages. The happy face stickers do well and they really like the shiny stars I have too. C:

Pastry Dumplings

As I have mentioned before, Korea has embraced cafe culture (god bless them I always knew they were a good sort.) and while like anywhere else cakes and 'nicey-niceys' vary from place to place there is a pressing and urgent need for korean delicacies!!! [read: cake] 




Don't you dare accuse me of eating the whole damn box. That thing is about the size of a good sized box of cornflakes. Someone bought one for the staffroom (upon which a doezn people suddenly converged upon it.)


Roughly the size of a walnut - and with large chunks of walnut just within the cakey shell it is delicious.



Barely a mouthful fortunately but still plenty filling. I think I'll smuggle a box home next year. >:3