Seoraksan National Park

Seoraksan National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in Korea and it is easy to see why.  Seorak Mountain is the third tallest mountain in Korea at approximately 1700m tall.  The national park is near the eastern coast of Korea and once you get to the top you can see the city of Sokcho, also a popular tourist attraction as well as the Sea of Japan.

The park has amazing hiking trails that are very accessible for most people but if you want a challenge there are several trails that will not disappoint.  It took an 11 hour hike to the summit round trip.

Baseball in Seoul

There are some stark differences between baseball games in Korea and those in the States.  The best part about  the stadiums in Korea is that you can bring in whatever you want, including beer.  The vendors sell KFC chicken and Burger King burgers at almost no mark up.  Decent tickets cost only about $15 dollars which is a big difference to what I am usually used to paying.

From a baseball purists point of view the games in Korea may not be as enjoyable as they are stateside but if you are looking to go out with a few friends and have a good time, baseball games in Korea are definitely one of the places you can go to do that.  The crowd has custom cheers for most of the players and there are cheerleaders, yes cheerleaders in between innings.  The games actually resemble soccer matches in Europe but don't actually get as rowdy.

Seoul from the Top

locks left by newlyweds

Seoul

observation decks of tower

Han River

Namsan Tower or Seoul Tower as it is also known is located on Namsan Mountain near the center of Seoul.  From the top, nearly 1600 feet above sea level, you can see almost all of Seoul which is quite an impressive view.  Many newlyweds come up to the tower and place a lock on one of the railings symbolizing their desire to stay together forever.  All of the locks create a spectacular view but not as spectacular as the sprawling city itself.  Populating the valley's of the surrounding mountains Seoul is one of the world's megacities with a population of 12.5 million and nearly 25 million with the surrounding areas making it the world's second largest metro area.

Poly School Ansan Campus

Jay carrying my backpack at a field trip

So about 6 weeks in I think I am beginning to feel right at home at my new job and although it can get quite stressful sometimes, especially when you have to work with large numbers of elementary schoolchildren who have all the energy in the world, I am liking it so far.  My co-workers are very helpful and always help in explaining the logistics of the program.  There is never a shortage of things to laugh about in the teacher's office as the kids can come up or do some pretty silly things.

intruders in the teacher's office

Despite the long hours (9am to 7pm M to F) the time goes by fairly quickly although as I mentioned earlier the kids get squirmy after sitting in a classroom for long periods of time and sometimes drive me crazy, but its all part of the job.  The class sizes are not very large so that is definitely a plus as you can really get a feel for how every student is progressing, or not, in which case you can give that student more attention.

The preschool and kindergarten kids come to school in the morning from 10am to 3pm and then the elementary school students come in after Korean school at 3 and stay until 730pm.

Stickers are the rule of law, the kids are very competitive and they have sticker charts in the hallway to which they try to add as many stickers as they can to win various prizes.

The students call all of the teachers by their first name and then add "teacher" to the end of it.  Its kind of strange at first but you get used to it.  I was told that is how it is done in Korean school so they translate it over, although I am not 100 percent on that.  I am "Adam Teacher" ha ha.

Bad Grammar

The kiddies at school try really hard and I applaud their efforts, every once in a while you will get quite a laugh from what they write. 

My Apartment

kitchen/entryway

Like many English language teachers in Korea I live in a studio apartment; an all-in-one living quarter with a washing machine and built in furniture.  Koreans don't really bake much so there is no oven and the fridge is very different from what I am used to but nevertheless it is designed for maximum space efficiency and most importantly: it works.  The floor is heated in the winter and I have a remote control air con to provide relief from the endless humidity and heat.  The bathroom is in a separate room but there is no distinction between the bathroom floor and the shower, this is also common.  All in all my place is bigger that a lot of the teachers that I have met so I am most happy with it.  Just another example of Korean efficiency.

Hiking

outdoor gym on a hilltop

Mt. Surisan

Hiking is the national past-time and for good reason.  Korea is a country with lots of mountains with cities hugging the valleys.  This makes a perfect equation for hiking.  You will see people on the Subways as early at 5am decked out in their hiking gear heading to trails surrounding Seoul and other cities.  Most people have really eccentric hiking gear with bright colors and many accessories.  It almost seems like there is dress code because almost everyone has quality equipment.  

a friend we made hiking 

Behind my apartment there is a outdoor gym on top of a hill.  These are quite popular and one can find them on almost every trail.  They are not like the gyms we are used to in the States and since they are outdoor they only rely on resistance and body weight.  Regardless, I have come to really appreciate these trails and gyms as they make it really easy to exercise.  Many older Koreans are in great shape and I am almost certain it is because of the availability of these machines and spaces.