My New School

Hi all!

I realise some of you have to work....so I won't distract you with too much news. The holiday is over. I'm officially back to work. But am just observing for this week. I'll only begin teaching next week. It's National Test Day today for the students. So I can just sit back and learn.

I have been placed at Gunwi Middle School (Grades 7-9) as well as the High School (Grades 10-12). It's a rural area. But you would never believe it. The little I've seen of the school thus far is extremely modern and comfortable.

The vice-principal and one of my co-teachers fetched me at a nearby town and took me out for a traditional Korean meal last night. Sat on on the floor at a low table, cooking our own meat and drinking Soju (tradtional Korean drink akin to vodka).

My apartment is lovely. I have a nice large kitchen, a laundry room, a study, a lounge, a big bedroom, adequate bathroom, and a big balcony. I am very happy with my accommodation. It's almost 3 times the size of my flat in Claremont! And fully equipped with Korean technology! I still have to get used to operating the UV steriliser (all eating utensils and crockery get sterilised with UV light.)

I am the local celebrity here, of course. The kids can't stop staring. They are curious but friendly and respectful. It takes a bit of getting used to .... having all the children bowing to you all the time. What a change from South Africa!

Wee, I'll have to see how things progress. Till next time...

Bye!

Andrea

Korea Korea!

Hi all!

Well, I didn't go to the movie. Instead, a few friends and I shocked the more conservative Americans by deciding to hop on the tube and see where adventure would lead us. We changed 3 times! But never waited for more than 2 mins. And this at 8pm at night! How cool is this transport system! We ended up in Itaewon, the expat region, which we didn't really want to be in but I'm glad we went, so at least now we know to avoid it like the plague! We ended up in a pub that could have been back home. The only difference was that it was filled with American soldiers on the hunt for young Korean girls. It was a meat market! And they were so snooty and rude!

We eventually found another place, which was a little bit better, but still expat. That entire area, has everything Western - you can find Turkish, Chinese, Arab, etc, etc. There are even clothes for large Western people! We really wanted a Korean experience, so after walking the streets for a long while, we suddenly had to rush back to the subway, as the trains stop runnning at midnight. Well, we ended up back in our university area, and eventually found a little Korean nightclub. There were staff members outside and when they saw us, started shouting and smiling and waving us in. What a completely different reception from the 'homies'. The owner looked like a Japanese Mafia boss. He came in after us, stood at the bar with arms folded across his chest, as if to see how much money we were going to spend. (Whether that was actually the case, I don't know.... I'm just being dramatic, as usual!) Anyway, did we have a fun time! The Koreans all jumped up and started dancing with us! We couldn't really communicate all that well, but dance is the universal language, so no one minded too much. The Koreans are actually very shy people. But they are extremely warmhearted!

Well then: today, we had another long day. Went to the National Museum, which was sooooo smart! After that, the palace, which is like something out of a karate movie...stunning! Saw the changing of the guard, in full traditional costume, with weapons and all! Also saw the first new cherry blossoms! There's a cherry blossom festival next weekend. I'll try to go there, not sure if can still get tickets at this stage but that should not be missed!

After that, was a theatre performance, which should come to SA. It was fantastic. Called the COOKING NANTA. Physical comedy show with live cooking on stage, including ovens and fire! Vegetables being chopped karate-style, with cabbage and carrots, cucumber and onion flying all over the stage. Juggling of plates, Jackie Chan (using kitchen utensils) meets Jamie Oliver! Fight sequences using brooms as fighting sticks and kitchen whisks as nunchakas! Lovely story line, with lots of audience interaction. Cool music, most of which is made by the actors using kitchen utensils and KNIVES! For those of you who saw BOOTMEN or TAPDOGS (the Australian tapdancers), they did the same thing - only much better - with REAL KNIVES! It has already toured 27 countries, playing to something like 3,9 million people. The theatre today was packed! I don't know whether it's been to SA, but it definitely should!!! (Richard, I thought of you today...you would want to watch it everyday!)

Then we were treated to dinner at a very posh seafood restaurant - buffet! Sushi galore! (Arlene, you would have died and gone to heaven with the sushi variety here!) All kinds of local fish! Seafood lovers' heaven! And they had a chocolate fountain at the desserts table! (Again, the Koreans know how to look after people. Then again, family is very important to Koreans, and they adopt guests as family as well. Which is why, they will always be inviting people to dinner, or their homes, etc.) I am feeling EXTREMELY blessed here! Well, tomorrow we pack up and leave for our various regions and schools. I shall be at school on Tuesday, getting back to work. This short little 'holiday' has been great!

Ciao for now!

Love,

Andrea

Korea News Update

Annyongha-se-yoh!

Well, it's the end of a very long day filled with lectures, lectures, lectures! It's been a bit hard trying to stay awake through everything, since a group of us went out on the town last night! Seoul is so cool! We went out for drinks, then afterwards, went to a 'noribang'. 'bang' means 'room'. So you hire a room, which is equipped with karaoke machine, speakers, mics, plush couches, table, decor. We paid $25 to hire the room for an hour. There were 8 of us. And we just had a blast! Oh...and there were even tambourines! We were served free snacks. So we sang and danced and banged our tambourines till early hours of the morning! (It might sound cheesy, but we actually had tons of fun! Seriously!)

I am absolutely LOVING the international environment! Our little group of 8 last night included 4 South Africans, 2 Aussies, 1 Kiwi, 1 Brit and 1 Scot!!!! I've actually made friends with the nicer Americans and even Aussies!!!! I think my accent is even beginning to change a bit! The whole American thang, you know? With the upward inflection at the end of every sentence? Like? You know?.... But never fear... I am being true to Cape Town! I'm teaching the Americans to speak Cape Town slang! (Hoesit, my broer! Lekker!) I mustn't forget to teach them "minute" and "ek se"!

The Koreans are feeding us waaaaay too much food! But at least 75% of it's vegetable. I'm eating some strange things, strange combinations of things we would never do back home, but it's actually delicious! Some of the stuff, I don't know what I'm eating, but so long as it tastes good, Im all good! That reminds me, it's supper time.... yet again!!!! There are constant snacks available! Chocloate and biscuits! They are really spoiling us.

Anyway, tomorrow, we have a field trip planned. Going to the palace and the museum.

Let me go for a bit...... supper, then a Korean movie, then town-trekking again. I saw an elderly couple walking the streets of Seoul last night at midnight! The Koreans work hard all day and most of the night, and then go out and party for the rest of the night! Shops and restaurants and clubs, etc are open almost 24/7. The buildings are lit up with so many neon signs. But it's not distasteful at all. The streets are CLEAN! I saw a group patrolling the streets yesterday evening, wearing gloves and looking for bits of rubbish to pick up! I had been looking at the same stretch of road for at least 10 min before they rocked up. I did not see a scrap but they found something stuck in the drain!!!! It's phenomenal....the pride these people have in their work and living environments!

Anyway, it's only been 2 days here, and already there's so much to talk about! But first, yet more food!

Ciao for now,

love,

Andrea

Korea!

Hi all!

I am safe in Seoul, Korea!

I have a week's worth of orientation lectures ahead of me!!!!

Driving into Seoul was kind of blurry, as I could barely keep my eyes open! But what I managed to see was really kinda promisingly awesome! I can't wait to get out and start shopping. It is really a fast city life here. It looks sooooo exciting. The police are really cool - like something out of a sci fi movie! Shades, long coats, military walk. I'm excited....Can't you tell?

Ok, chat soon!

Love to all

A

Singapore!

Hi all!

Just a quickie to let you know journey going well thus far. The arrival in Singapore was breathtaking! To finally be able to see aerial views of those Indonesian islands that we normally only see on shows like Top Billing, etc! yay! So, I think I am finally starting to allow myself to get excited! I simply had to take advantage of the free superfast internet at Changi Airport here in Singapore.

I am wearing a watch on either arm, one with SA time and the other with local Singapore time!

There are 4 others travelling with me from CT. We hooked up here at the airport and are trying to stay together for moral support. I managed to change SA Rand into Korean Won here in Singapore as well. (I am now almost officially a millionaire!)

The bit of Singapore that we saw from the Skytrain is just simply beautiful! Flowers everywhere! Indoors and out!

It feels weird... i'm a bit zonked from all the farewells and packing up plus it's 02H25 SA time and 08H25 Singapore time. So my eyeballs feel as if they're on fire but its all good.

The service on Singapore Airlines is great! Those attendants are like bigger versions of Duracell bunnies! They do everything FAST! The food was delicious! They were friendly (and stunning, to boot, male and female both!)

Anyhow....I'm gonna try and catch some shuteye...Just have about 30min left before I board the next plane to San Francisco! (Of course, I have to get off on the way, in Seoul, but isn't it just cool to be able to say I'm on a plane to San Franscisco!?) The onboard entertainment is too enticing to sleep through :)

Ok, I'll catch up again when I'm in Seoul.

Liefde vir almal!

Andrea