I look at leaves.
- Posted : 09/11/2003
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The cultural village of Ha-Hoe and the city of Andong host a festival every year. Here are the highlights.
My first posting from my new school. The kindergarten sports day. Lots of fun for all the family.
Reportedly the lastfrontier of the cold war, this bizarre place would be fun if it weren't so serious, or perhaps it's fun despite being serious - I couldn't make up my mind. The place where the Republic of Korea meets the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Two pictures taken from the top of Bomunsan on a tranquil evening.
Nothing special, just the woman across the road hanging out her laundry on the building roof. I really like the picture, despite the banality of the task.
Korean childrenseem to treat bookstores like libraries. They sprawl out on the floor, grab a book and read, oblivious to the fact that they should really pay for it.
Volley Football is played enthusiastically by men all over Korea. All you need is a football and a tennis court. Youcan even play on the side of a mountain, as long as you don't kick the ball too high.
I spotted this pair on the Busan subway. Mothers in Korea don't use pushchairs. They carry their children on their backs.
Busan, located on the southern tip of the peninsula, has a largeport, home to a large number of fishing vessels.
Located on the side of a mountain on the outskirts of Busan, Korea's second largest city, Beomeosa temple oozes beauty, tranquility and culture.
In the park just around the corner from my apartment, there's a large rectangular pagoda. Passing by it one day I head music coming from it. On investigation, I discovered a large number of housewives taking a music lesson.
Daejon is like a forest of apartments. They're still springing up all over the city. Their monotonous regularity are part of what it is to be in an expanding Korean city.
Osaka, Nara and Kyoto, three extremely historic cities that captivated me over a period of six days. Japan is extremely interesting because of the dichotomy between old Japan with its rich history and new Japan with its salarymen and skyscrapers.
The band formerly known as the Nomadz played in a concert at the Daejon World Cup Stadium.
My neighbour found a great place to drink. So, predictably, we went there and drank.
Check out what I have for dinner most days of the week. My favourite Korean street food.
When I don't have Mandu, I usually end up eating Dakbokee. Rice noodles and other things smothered in spicy red sauce.
As the sun becomes harsher, the parasols come out of the woodwork. And believe you me, the sun does get harsh out here.
ECC was being spruced up, and every teacher had to do their bit to beautify a classroom. Strawberry, one of the newest Korean teachers at ECC, and I were assigned the board in Banana class (the classes are all fruits). We decided on a space theme, and this is what happens when a sci-fi nut (me) teams up with an art major (Strawberry).
This is one of my silliest students. He was playing peek-a-boo with the camera, trying to annoy me by uncovering his face for mere moments, poking his tongue out at me, then re-covering his face with his hands. I managed to get mytiming right though.
I bumped into this guy while out buying a battery for my Camera. He spoke a little English, and was eager to engage me in conversation. I dashed home to get my camera, and he was quite happy to have me take some shots of him. When I asked what he was doing, he grabbed my hand, poked it a few times, then told me that my life was long, my head was, ummmmmm, long and I was rich. Itseems odd for a prognosticator not to mention love, that being one of their staples. Perhaps if I had paid him.....
I went to a Korean wedding. I arrived on time for this one.
We check out a religious place on a religious holiday, and see religious people and religious lights. All rather religious, really. Very beautiful too, in a religious kind of way.
Football in the World CupStadium.
Every month I have to grade and comment on all my kids. This usually goes on into the small hours of themorning. It's the most hated part of teaching. Keeping focus after the 60th report card is the most difficult part of the task. This month I've got 80 or 90 to do as I've just been told I have to do cards for my Saturday classes aswell.
Katy invited us to her wedding, and she was looking more beautiful than ever. The wedding took place in the Opera Wedding and Convention Halls. Bubbles, fog and streamers accompanied the couple up the isle following theceremony.
Three days in the nearest thing Korea has to a tropical paradise.
Every day I take a shortcut across the car park outside ECC. This is the guy who rules this particular patch of earth. I bow and greet him ever time I walk through.
The trees are blossoming, filling the air with a wonderful fragrance, and making the city look wonderfully pink. It doesn't stop the Koreans from sending text messages though.
