Hi all!
Well, I have realised, yet again, that my Korean experience is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. So, I had a bit of a crappy (Korean: clappy) day on Wednesday. And then, yesterday, was totally opposite. The mountain hike was absolutely beautiful. It was extremely hot in town, but the higher we climbed the cooler it became. Being surrounded by green forest on all sides was a most breathtaking experience. And, yes, there was a lesson in the hike.....perseverance truly holds a wonderful reward. The view and the cool breeze from the mountain top was worth the effort. (I had wanted to stop along the way so many times, thinking these people would make great torturers!)
What's more, besides the benches at regular intervals along the way, there's also gym equipment. Is the uphill exertion not sufficient exercise, I ask you?
It has been very hot here, like a Cape Town February, almost. Hopefully, it'll rain soon.
Anyway, so after the hike, a few of us were quite exhausted enough. But then it was off to dinner. Dinner was, wait for it....fish broth! And, rice, of course. Don't pull up your noses at the fish soup just yet. These people know how to make fish soup taste good! My vice-principal decided to announce to EVERYONE that Andrea likes SOJU. Now allow me to explain.... on my arrival, when he and my main co-teacher took me out for dinner, they asked what I liked to drink. Me, trying to be culturally aware, said that I tried soju in Seoul and that it tastes like vodka. Of course, out came the soju!
So last night, he got up from his table, which is quite an honour, as he has the status of king around here. Came to my table with a cup/glass 3x the size of the normal shot glass that soju is served in. He filled my cup to the brim for me, and laughing like a maniac went back to his table. The women, of course, were quite perturbed, as soju is supposed to be dangerous...hmmm. in which way, I can only wonder. Anyway, I managed to finish almost all of it. And then got up to go and pour for him. (One never pours soju for oneself. It is always poured for you and you in turn pour for someone else.) So, at the urging of those at my table...I had to provide the foreign entertainment again....so I went to pour for him, and got him back a little bit...causing tremedous guffaws when I tried to fill his - actually my - cup to the brim! All good sport!
And after dinner....we all walked to a Noraebang (Karaoke singing room). And yes, I had to sing a song! With the usual disco lights and tambourines, pitchers of beer and dried fish etc etc. Oh but did I have fun! What a wonderful bunch of people. They sang along to the English songs, which I know is very difficult for most of them. I got my 2 English co-teachers to sing a duet in English. One of the admin guys took me for a weird kind of dancing spin. There was much singing, and performing, and dancing.... What a wonderful team-building experience!
As we parted for the night, the older ladies cautioned me against drinking soju, saying it's not good...they are very concerned for my well-being. Bless them! (I must just assure you here....I was neither drunk, nor behaving in any inappropriate manner.) It's just the way they are....the same ladies who stuff me with biscuits and rice cake.
And, today, it's back to school. Ah well, I will be spending the weekend as a tourist (finally) in Daegu, visiting the tourist attractions in the surrounding areas outside the city.
Have a great weekend, all...
Lots of love, as always
Andrea
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