Foiled Again By Korean Cinemas (11 June)

It’s an easy Saturday afternoon as Catfish and I meet at the Gal-B for lunch followed by a mid-afternoon movie.  We’re both excited to watch the new instalment of the X-Men series: X-Men: First Class.  We settle in happily for our movie, knowing that it will in English with Korean subtitles.  As the movie starts with the introduction of Magneto’s character as a young boy during World War II and we hear the German dialogue, we realise that, once again, we’ve been foiled by cinemas in Korean.  Throughout the movie, there are scenes with German, French, Spanish and Russian dialogue – all of which is translated, via the subtitles, into Korean only.  Chalk up another learning experience in Korea as we rely on common sense, our knowledge of the series and ability to read body language to fill in the missing pieces of the story.

Yonsei International Health Clinic (10 June)

With a day off from school, and in absolutely frustration with ongoing stomach pain, I decide to make an appointment with the American doctor at Yonsei’s International Health Clinic in Seoul.  I’m hoping that a more western approach at this clinic will reassure me and finally rid me of the gastritis that I’ve apparently had since mid-March.

While the approach is more western and all of the doctors and nurses speak good English, I can’t honestly say that the appointment is worth the trip or even the expense.  The staff are all friendly and helpful but, at the end of the day, I’m told to get an endoscopy and ultrasound done in Gunsan since I’m unable to come back to the clinic the following week before being given a script for more medication.

If I were to have surgery, I would definitely choose to have it done at Yonsei but for regular doctor’s visits, apart from being more convenient to go to doctor in Gunsan or Jeonju, the quality of the visit seems to be pretty much the same.  

Consequences (6 June)

We awake just in time to get ready for the ferry at 9:30am the next morning.  Following our drinking of the previous night, we decide to take motion-sickness medicine for the ferry ride back to the mainland and we’re grateful that we do after the events of the previous night.

Back on the mainland, we head to Suncheon’s Traditional Folk Village where we have about 90 minutes to look around.  Although the village is impressive and interesting, I feel awful and impatient to get home.  Catfish thinks it’s rather funny that I’m so grouchy after last night’s drinking session.  We’re soon delivered to the Suncheon Bus Terminal and fortunately, we’re just in time for the next bus to Jeonju where we head to T.G.I. Friday’s for a proper dinner at 19:30 before getting on our final bus back to Gunsan.

Ridge Walking and “My Seokjin” (5 June)

Every time we go on an AK trip, we have every intention of waking up early to see the sunrise.  To date, we have yet to get up in time for sunrise and this trip does not change that.  Instead, we wake up in time for breakfast and then rent bikes to go for a 2 hour bike ride around the islands.  We also chat for a while on the concrete stairs at the beach since the tide is in, and we can’t help but reflect on the different tide patterns that Korean beaches seem to have. 

It's an Easy Climb?

All too soon, it’s time to return the bikes and head back to our hotel for a delicious lunch of kimchi jigae.  After lunch, it’s time to hike.  Seokjin assures us that it’s more ridge walking than hiking and that it’ll be easy.  Sold on the fact that I can probably keep up, I soon discover the first kilometre involves an extremely steep incline to get to the actual ridge.  Thinking that I may pass out before I reach the ridge, Catfish and ByungMin point out that I’m not actually the last person and somehow I find myself atop of the ridge.  The ridge walking itself is actually very pleasant but the weather is rather humid this afternoon and the brief respites of shade are insufficient.  I’m starting to wish that I’d chosen to stay on the beach with the roaches but the view from the top is worthwhile as we make our way towards one of the oldest lighthouses in Korea. 

My Seokjin

After a humid afternoon on the ridge, we’re more than ready to cool off in the cold waters before heading back to our room for a refreshing shower.  We’re still hungry after a dinner of fish and side dishes and we decide that we will find the chicken restaurant that everyone has mentioned.  We spend another evening relaxing in front of the same convenience store of the night before, eating fried chicken and just generally chatting, before deciding to call it a night just before midnight.  We’ve no sooner changed and got into bed when ByungMin phones Catfish to tell her, “My Seokjin wants you to come drink.”  I wish her fun as I assume that only she has been invited down.  She barely makes it downstairs before I hear Seokjin say something to her and I hear her calling me down.  A few seconds later, she’s back in the room telling me that she’s been told to fetch me to drink and, as I dress, I can’t help but realise that this is going to be a long night of drinking with the boys and I’m right:  We don’t get back to bed until 2:00am when we simply pass out much to our roommates’ disgust.

Geomundo (4 June)

After a long and fairly sleepless bus ride, we arrive at the harbour at 6:00am and scrounge around for somewhere to buy breakfast.  With limited options, we settle on the breakfast of champions at the GS25: a packet of cookies and coffee.  When the time comes to board the ferry at 8:00am, we scramble for and manage to secure seats on the upper deck where we promptly fall asleep.

100 Islands

We arrive on Geomundo at 9:45am, which is earlier than anticipated.  We leave our bags at our hotel and Seokjin guides us on a walk to the British Memorial Cemetery where, for some reason, there are several British soldiers buried.  It’s a beautiful location on a hill overlooking the bay, and a good chance for us to orientate ourselves.  At 11:00am, we take a ferry to see the famous Baek (100) Islands.  Apparently this is considered one of the most beautiful areas in Korea and one that many Koreans aspire to see in their lives.  Catfish’s description is that it’s a pile of rocks in the middle of the sea and once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.  The ferry ride is extremely windy but we’re also offered rice cake by a couple of friend Koreans sitting near us.

A Dip For the Brave...Or the Stupid

Back on the island, we have a quick lunch and change into our swim suits to head down to the beach.   This is not the type of beach we had in mind though!  It’s small, the sand is covered in seawood and other brick-a-brack from the ocean including disgusting sea roaches that creep up on us and the cold water is extremely salty.  Determined to make the most of the situation, Catfish, ByungMin and I head out into the water where we horse around for nearly an hour.  Seokjin seems pleased so see that some people are willing to brave the waters. 

Happy Birthday, Catfish!

After an eventful dinner back at our hotel and a refreshing shower, we relax outside of the local convenience store overlooking the harbour where Catfish and I drink lousy beer with our two roommates.  Suddenly, Seokjin, the bus driver and ByungMin arrive with a chocopie birthday ‘cake’ for Catfish – surrounding a huge white candle. 

With the birthday celebrations over, the four of us decide that we would like to go to the noryaebang across the road.  Unfortunately, all of the rooms are full.  However, while enquiring about the availability of a room, some ajeoshi’s invite us to join them in their large room.  As we enter, two of them promptly leave and return a few minutes later with several ice creams, which they insist we eat.  Unfortunately, the next 30 minutes are not as much fun as we’d hoped as the ajeoshi’s are a little too touchy-feely for our liking and have clearly had too much to drink.  We eventually manage to escape and Catfish and I decide that we’re probably better off just going straight to bed.

Happy Birthday, Catfish (3 June)

Today is Catfish’s birthday and we’ve signed up for another great AK trip for the long weekend in order to celebrate her 24^th birthday.  After a regular school day, I head to the Gunsan Medical Centre for an acupuncture appointment.  I’m excited yet nervous as I’ve found a great English phrase book for Cute Doctor.  Last week he showed me his English language book, which I think is too easy for him and having recently been in an ELT Bookstore this week, I have found a great book that I think will be very useful for him.  When I give him the book, he seems very surprised and at a loss for words.  I leave the GMC wondering if, perhaps, I’ve overstepped a line and doubting myself as to whether or not I made the right decision.  I don’t dwell on it too much though as I head to my apartment to pack a bag quickly and meet Catfish at the Express Bus Terminal.

We take an 20:30 bus to Seoul and arrive at 23:00.  We have approximately an hour before the AK bus arrives and so, famished, we decide to have bagels for dinner before heading to the meeting place.  We’re delighted to see the AK staff again whom we greet like long-lost friends.  We leave Seoul’s EBT at around midnight on an overnight bus to Nokyeophang (I think) harbour on the south coast where we’ll catch an 8:00am ferry to Geomun Island.  Although it sounds ridiculous for us to have up to Seoul when the harbour is probably only about 3 hours away from Gunsan, it really is easier since figuring out the bus transfers so late on a Friday night and then finding accommodation near the harbour is just to confusing.

Dinner With the Mayor (1 June)

I often work late at school.  There have been a couple of days where my colleagues have actually had to tell me to go home so that they can lock the office.  Today, I’m given a key to the office and told that I can now stay as late as I like but that I should go home at the end of school.

The Kiwis and I leave school at 16:00 and head to City Hall.  All of the NETs in Gunsan have been invited to a dinner with the Mayor of Gunsan.  The catch is that we first have to attend a “short training” session which turns out to be us all introducing ourselves (although we know most of the EPIK teachers in our city), a short speech by several prominent people, a couples of clips of various foreign teachers introducing their schools and classes, a video clip of the Mayor’s plans for Gunsan and then a Q & A for which we are completely unprepared.  Apparently, the Mayor would like to know how to improve working and living situations for foreigners and is relying on us to give him suggestions.  Although we come up for a few things, the general consensus is that if the Gunsan Office of Education had told us in advance that this is the main purpose of what we were told was a training session, it would have been more beneficial for everyone present. 

Gunsan: The City the Whole World is Watching!

The video clip that we’re shown, however, is quite entertaining.  In the video, the cheesy North American accented voice (because North America is the reference for all English-related things in Korea) informs us that Gunsan is the “new Dubai” and “the city that the whole world is watching”.  There is also a great map of the world with arrows showing planes heading from major countries around the world directly to Gunsan; within Korea, all roads lead to Gunsan and we can’t help but laugh at this video which also reminds of Gunsan’s slogan: The Dreamhub. 

There are a couple of reasons that this video is so entertaining:

1.      Gunsan has a population of approximately 300 000 people.  I’m uncertain as to whether or not this number include the huge US Air Base in Gunsan too, which, if it does, would make the size of the city even smaller.

2.      Gunsan boasts two cinemas, two large market stores, two parks and let’s not forget the Saemangeum Seawall.  Obviously, we also have lots of coffee shops, restaurants and boutique type stores but these are our main sites.  Although I’ve never been to Dubai, I’m fairly certain that is has far more attractions than Gunsan. 

3.      The US Air Base in Gunsan is apparently the second largest in Korea.  Consequently, many of us have heard on numerous occasions that this makes us a prime target for a North Korean attack after wiping out the base in Seoul.  Whether or not there’s any truth to this story remains unclear.  What is clear, however, is that it would seem that only North Korea would be watching Gunsan as many people outside of Gunsan – especially outside of our province – don’t even have a clue where this prime city is!

4.      The arrows showing planes from around the world going straight to Gunsan is a farce.  Gunsan has a small domestic airport – on the air base apparently – that only seems to have daily flights to Jeju. 

One thing you cannot deny, however, is that Koreans dream big and, in all fairness, there has been a lot of development in Gunsan over the last few years.  The section where Catfish lives, for example, and the area around the cinemas, Lotte Mart and where the Arts Centre is being built were rice fields until about six years ago – there weren’t even buses to those areas then because it was just fields.  If Gunsan continues it’s development boom in this manner, it could very well become a major city although it doesn’t have a beach since it’s an industrial port.

Please Take Advantage

We’re shuffled out of City Hall and onto a bus to take us to a samgyeopsal restaurant for dinner.  Here, the conversation turns lively and foreign teachers seem to scramble for seats away from the prominent people.  Catfish and I end up sitting across from Peter Jung, the head of the Gunsan English Learning Centre that is next to my school, and the Mayor’s assistant.  The meat is not yet even on the grill and the alcohol is already flowing.  We’re introduced to Baek Soju, which seems to be even stronger than regular soju.  Shot after shot, our glasses keep being refilled despite our attempts to just sip our soju. 

Suddenly, the Mayor’s assistant is indicating for me to follow him and to bring my shot glass.  He takes me over to the Mayor and motions for me to pour a drink for the Mayor.  One of the interpreters then tells me that the Korean custom is for the Mayor to now pour me a drink in return then we have a brief chat.  The Mayor, via the interpreter, asks me the usual questions: How old am I?  Do I like Korea?  How long have I been here?  Do I have a boyfriend?  He then tells me to “take advantage and find a Korean boyfriend” at which point I excuse myself. 

Towards the end of the evening, Catfish is approached by two of the interpreters who offer to teach her and I Korean – something that Catfish asked about during the earlier Q & A session.  After a short chat and exchange of numbers, we excuse ourselves and tipsily leave with some friends to our Kiwi-mom’s apartment for birthday cake to celebrate Catfish’s upcoming birthday on Friday.