Thursday, November 20, 2008

Did you go to the hospital?


"So did you go to the hospital?" asks the Korean. (Julie just taught direct speech and knew exactly how to punctuate that.) And also Julie just remarked how our room is starting to look like a slum again, but fortunately I have a wife that also sees the four fingers pointing back at her and so she doesn't get on my nerves :). Anyway... ... ... ... ... I went to the doctor today, ... not the 'hospital' as Koreans call everything medical... and I received a prescription that I conveniently filled on the bottom floor of the same building. I left the building with seven dollars less than when I entered, which is a small but excellent testament to socialized medicine. I wish it would be like this when I return home. High hopes I guess. I am on a thorough regiment of pills... about 7 to be exact, that I take 3 times a day. These koreans like to add all of the symptomatic stuff in with the prescription so you don't have to go out and buy advil cold and sinus etc. ( I just figured this out today). So Dan (me ) is on the up n up and I love all you whom I have left on the right side of the world... as opposed to the wrong side. I drank some soju to help the pills go down well and now I feel a bit sleepy so I will sign off give good morning to you and a nite nite to those that are on my wrong side of the world. love you all..

dan

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Hiking and Halloween

At the close of October and the onset of November, Dan and I find ourselves enjoying life in Korea more and more. It has become more than a routine and I know that I have settled into a very content attitude here (one I feel is hard to come by when living away from home). I hope it lasts a while. Last weekend, we hiked up to the peak of a nearby mountain with our friends who are teaching in Sanbon (Seoul), which is a 1.5 hour subway ride away. The sunshine and freshness of nature cured me from the week's weariness.

The last few pictures are from last Friday (Halloween). It isn't celebrated here, so it's hard to come by a costume, and that's my excuse for not dressing up. That didn't stop one class I had, who were beyond excited to come to academy that day! We watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" and had snacks, drew and colored Jack-o-laterns, and made origami ghosts. Pretty good for a 50-min class! (I confess, we did the drawings earlier that week...)

Here you are, more pictures than you could ever ask for:

Not the most comforting way to start a hike...



Dobongsan Peak, Bukhansan National Park



Hiking is super popular in Korea - so we bravely faced the crowds on the mountain,
remember we're the tourists, we're the tourists... this type of reminder helps to keep the sanity on the mountain.

Meditation?


Christina and me at the top.

The building with the blue top right in the middle is the hospital across the street from our apartment in Nowon!

Jared and Tina

Korea would not be Korea without its cute trail mascots!






Seoul/Namsan Tower in the distance.




The perfect place to rest one's legs after a long hike. >_<

I was definitely underdressed for one of my classes on Halloween!



The reason I go to work sometimes (besides the money): these kids.
Rose, Berry, Iris, Bruno (aka alien), Harry, Veronica, Julie