Countryside with Min

Last weekend, we were taken by Min (a wonderful tourguide!) to her grandmother's house in the countryside. About an hour and a half outside the city, and way up in the mountains, Min's grandmother lives and works on her farm. Although she lives by herself, the houses in this small and remote area make up a community. They are mostly older people, who have lived here for generations. Min said she feels sad knowing that in a decade this area may very well be deserted.



It was so quiet except for the mooing of a nearby cow, and the air smelled like burning wood.











We took a walk and looked around at everything, and then Min's grandmother made us supper. Afterwards we decided to see if we could find a place to have tea "downtown"; by the time we got there, it was about 8 o'clock, and all the lights were out in all the shops, everyone home for the night, the streets deserted. So we came home and enjoyed the silence instead.



Life seems so simple here, and it's hard to imagine that the city is a drive away.

People pt. 2: ladies

In Korea, older women are referred to as Ajumas. I'm not sure whether there is a specific age when one goes from being an ordinary, middle aged woman, to being an Ajuma. Perhaps it coincides with the birth of a grandchild, or with the retirement of her husband. Once an Ajuma, a woman assumes not only a certain social position, but a particular style of dress. Because of this, Ajumas all look remarkably similar to one another. Visors and perms seem to be hallmark features of the "Ajuma look", but short pantlegs and hiking boots are also common.

I remember when I first arrived, going for a walk and coming across an older lady, smiling politely at her...and receiving an icy stare in return. Since then I've been shoved and pushed and glared at numerous times, by these mysterious and aloof characters. I still don't quite understand the intention, or how such a transformation in personality can happen with age, and on such a large scale. Apparently though, there are exceptions to the rule.



She's not your average Ajuma. I see her often in my neighbourhood, and she always gives me the biggest smile. For the past few weeks I've been saying hello when I see her, and a few days ago I asked if I could take her picture. She is always working when I see her, but seems so happy.
Some of the older people make extra money by picking up cardboard and tin to be recycled. The position is not a coveted one. They are often seen carrying massive loads behind them, on bicycles or carts. I asked my friend Min if there was a title given to these people, and she said they are called gomulsang, but that this term is somewhat disrespectful.





The foreign teachers here have all helped me so much, and are so much fun to be around. Thanks guys.



They hang from a lamp at the YMCA where I take language lessons.

Happy Mother's Day :)

In a week

It seems like a lot has happened this week. A few bits and pieces:



I met a little blue friend on my walk to work Tuesday morning. I think his mom owns a store near my place. He came right over for a snuggle, and let me take a few pictures.



Out for supper after our teachers' seminar on Thursday. I tried lychee, coconut rice, and different kinds of rice cakes.



This is a Korean clown. Today is Children's Day, and so on Friday we celebrated at school. I actually found him to be a little less creepy than our North American clowns. Now, guess what the kids received as a gift on their special day...



You guessed it, giant beetles! I tried not to look their way too much because I felt bad for them stuck in these little jars, but I ended up spending about 15 minutes at lunch time, rolling the jars around, trying to help out the ones who had flipped over on their backs.



Yesterday we made a trip to Busan, a city in the south of Korea. I loved the fresh air, and realized how I miss being near the ocean. It was really nice sitting by the water a few hours.



This was our Beach Snack. Gimbop (rice and a few other things, wrapped in seaweed), sweet potatoes, and some red bean-filled fish treats--my favourite I think.



The life guard, looking spiffy in his speedo.



This poor guy was thrown into the water by his friends. At least they were considerate enough to take his pants off beforehand :)

This week I also learned something, which is that you can ask for help if you get lost. On Saturday after my language class, I decided to to make my way back to the bus stop independently. I took a wrong turn and ended up walking an extra 20 minutes or so before finding it, and when I did find it, I was frustrated to discover that it wasn't in use because of a Buddha parade going on. I was hot and hungry and becoming irritated with the crowds, so I suppose I wasn't thinking straight; I kept walking until I got lost again. I don't have a cell phone, and I didn't have enough cash for a cab, so I started to panic a little... I decided to ask a foreigner if they knew where I could get the bus I needed, and they sent me on a five minute walk in another direction. I found the bus stop they had referred to, but my bus didn't stop there! I was dripping with sweat and shaking because I was so hungry. I stopped to have a few melted Hershey Kisses from my purse, then approached a friendly looking woman. She suggested I cross the street. So I walked another few blocks down the street, looking for a crosswalk, but couldn't find one. So I decided to ask an older man nearby how to cross, and he told me I had to go underground. I was afraid I'd get lost again down there, so he went with me. We emerged on the other side, but still no bus stop in sight. As we walked, the man asked some people on the street if they knew where I could get my bus, but they didn't know, and they asked some girls walking by. So at this point I had a group of 6 or 7 Koreans around me, discussing the situation, and I had my note pad out, trying helplessly to communicate with them. The girls thought they knew where to go, so we all followed them further down the street. We found my bus stop and they made sure I knew where to get off before leaving...how nice is that?