A Korean Wedding

The singles club is nonexistent now. Two of the members have gotten married in the past two months and another is getting married in February. The singles at are school are now few and far between. This is probably a good representation of Korea since being married is so important. 

I was excited to be invited to one of the weddings since I was so curious as to what happens in Korean weddings. Before the wedding, I have very minimal knowledge about weddings. I knew that there were wedding halls and that everything took place there, but I was not ready for what I experience. 

When we got to the wedding hall there was chaos everywhere. The wedding hall was a three story building and there were multiple weddings happening in the different rooms. 

This is outside

and the inside

Once we were directed to the correct location we were guided to a table. At the table there were two men who was recording everything they received. In Korea they do not give presents for weddings but rather just give cash. We were lucky to have gotten that memo prior to the wedding, but being foreigners we could not just give cash we also wanted to give a card, which they refused. They would also not take the cash from our hands. The school nurse was so kind as to jump in and take the money from us, take an envelope from the table, put the money in the envelope, gave the money to the man, and told the man our names, which I later found out she forgot and she told them it was from the foreigners. Once our money was received, we were given a meal ticket. 

We then went to the room were the ceremony was taken place. The bride was in a white and very sparkly wedding dress. I later learned that they do not purchase the gown, but instead rent it from the wedding hall, which has a huge selection. 

No real bridesmaids. They are actually staff that comes in the package deal

They are blowing out a candle on a cake

The streamers shot out of the the flower arrangement 

The wedding was different then back at home mostly because people were talking, on their cell phones, and constantly walking in and out of the hall. It also seemed very impersonal since everyone gets the same kind of wedding. There was also some Karaoking at the end, which was very Korean.

A very cutesy Korean photo of the couple 

After the ceremony we headed to the second floor for our meal. It was a very large cafeteria style room and the meal was buffet style. Tables were found everywhere and instead of center pieces they had soda and beer. There was staff just walking around and cleaning all the empty tables and replenishing the drinks. The people in the room were from different weddings and didn't know each other. There were also TVs showing live footage of the weddings that were currently going on so we could have just ate and watched from that room. 

A very wide selection of food

One of my plates 

Just cleaned table

The whole wedding was very short. It started at noon and we where out an hour and forty five minuets later.

Half Way Done!

I have been in South Korea now for a little over 6 months! I can’t believe how fast it has gone by. I’ve experienced so much since I’ve been here from miraculously surviving summer with no AC; traveling to Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong; my parents visiting me; my sister coming to live and teach in Korea; and all the people I have met along the way.

I just want to provide an update on things that have happened since I’ve been out here that I’ve haven’t mentioned in my previous posts.

My Apartment
I did mention that I moved apartments, but I haven’t posted any pictures of my new apartment. Here is a short video I made recently:

Weather
As I said before I survived the extremely hot and rainy summer. I really didn’t think I would with my small fan that I had pointed at me at all times but I did and looking back now it doesn’t seem so bad. Coming from Southern California I know a thing or two about heat but the summer here was different. Not only because of the rain that accompanied the heat but the lack of air conditioning everywhere. Back at home we really don’t spend that much time outside and when we are indoors the air is sure to be on. That was not the case here. Not only did I spend more time outside because of walking or taking public transportations but the AC was never turned on in expected places like restaurants and shops making the experience that much hotter and I was excited for the cold to come.

Sometime in late August or early September temperatures started to cool and the afternoon started to actually get chilly. Then in October the temperature drastically dropped 20 degrees and we were in the 70 degrees, which was difficult to adjust. And just like that, the leaves on the trees started to change and the cold started to come in. Now most leafs on the trees are gone and there is hardly any green to be seen outside.

Fall Leafs

I have to admit that my perception of cold has change and I now think that 50 degrees is warm! I did have a hard time adjusting and the first time I had to walk to school in 30 degree temperatures I was literally on the verge of tears because I was so cold, but now I am kind of enjoying it. I like the fact that it feels like fall/winter. I do wish I could do something about the way I dress. I am wearing multiple layers in an attempt to stay warm and I look so random sometimes since all fashion is out the door.

I also experience my first snow, which was beautiful. I wish it could snow everyday and all day but it only lasts a few hours at most. Everyone says that this is nothing and it’s going to get worse but I can’t even imagine that. Next week the temperature will range from the low 20’s to the mid to high 30’s.

School

Since we got our new principle there has been some changes. I first noticed that the quality of our lunch started to decrease and before I knew it I found my lunch to be inedible, which was unfortunate since I use to look forward to lunch and I would get to try a lot of different Korean food. Now for those who know me, know that I am not a picky eater, but what they were serving for lunch was just disgusting and I would get nauseated at the smell of lunch sometimes. As bad as the food got I still had to contemplate about opting out of the lunch program and bringing my own lunch. The decision was difficult mostly because I was lazy to make my lunch, but also because I didn’t know how to cook, and it was much cheaper buying the school lunch at $2.50 a day. One day I was not able to eat lunch anymore and ended up eating a bag of chips that's when I decided I would stop purchasing lunch at school.

Now I bring my lunch to school every day. I mostly make vegetarian Thai curry for lunch or leftovers from dinners that I host. I also started to buy burritos from Gringos Burritos. Surprisingly their burritos are delicious and they even have a chorizo burrito.

The other big change at our school was that they stopped buying us toilet paper! That’s right toilet paper! There were a few weeks without it but ultimately the English department bought some with their budget. During this time my co teacher gave me a box of Kleenex Tissue to use, which I have to say is just not the same.

So with that being said it is obvious the new principle and vice principal are trying to reduce the school's spending. I was worried that they wouldn’t turn the heater on during winter but luckily they didn’t go that far. They are however, turning the heater off daily from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm for energy conservation, and we also have to set the heater on 20 degrees celsius, which is 68 degrees ferinheight. My classroom does not hold the heat in very well and the heater has to be blasting in order to keep me warm, which means I am very bundled up most of the day when I'm at school.

Students

This is the first and only semester I will teach all the way through and I was having a hard time saying goodbye to my kids. The kids graduate in winter instead of spring in Korea, so that means all my kids will be moving on to the next grade this winter. Here are pictures of all my after school classes on their last day of school:


First Graders:

I can't believe how serious everyone looks since they are very active kids

Second Graders:

Oh boys... not sure what is going on in that corner

Third Graders:

I love this picture! There is so much going on and look at Sara on the right

Fourth Graders:

Winter Vacation

I was trying to have my winter vacation during Christmas but I was unable to get two consecutive weeks off during that time, so instead I will be on vacation at the end of January into the first week of February. We have purchased our tickets and have booked our hotels. Our destinations are Cambodia and Thailand, which will give us a nice break from Korea’s cold winter. I am going with the other foreign teachers at my school and my sister. I am most excited about everything being cheap and cheap massages! I can’t wait to eat some delicious food which will be a nice change from my diet in Korea.

Let It Snow!!!

I experienced my first snow a day before Thanksgiving. I have to say that it was a bit of a disappointment. I only had Disneyland’s Christmas snow to compare it to but it wasn't even close to as good. The snow practically melted when it reached the floor.

Then, on Friday, December 9^th Pyeongtaek had its first real snow and I am choosing this to be my first snow. As and adult I don’t get to have too many firsts anymore, but being from Southern California I have never experience any snowfall. I was excited when I discovered it was snowing that morning. Luckily I remembered to grab my camera before I ran out the door to experience my first snow.

I practically took a picture a second trying to capture it snowing. It was truly beautiful and I have to admit it was better then Disney’s snow.  It was almost like being inside a snow globe. Truly magical.

Here are my pictures from my walk to school: 

Thanksgiving Day

I actually had three Thanksgiving Day dinners this year in order to compensate for not being at home haha. The first dinner was a few weeks before the actual holiday and was hosted by a very gracious couple who are affiliated with the military, which meant TURKEY!

The second dinner was on the Friday after thanksgiving and we were supposed to have a Korean stuffed duck but due to some unforeseen circumstances dinner got changed to shabu shabu. I can’t complain about that since I love shabu! Even though Korean shabu is a little different than the kind I am used to eating at home, which is Japanese style.

The last dinner, I hosted at my home.  Everyone brought traditional thanksgiving sides and we even had homemade pumpkin pie thanks to my amazing neighbors. The only thing that was missing was the turkey. The original plan was to purchase a cooked turkey from an online website, but we found another place that was cheaper. When we called the restaurant I was advised they were not delivering this year and it was too late to place an order online so we had to settle on chicken. Turkey or no turkey it was delicious and I couldn’t have asked more then to spend the day with good friends.

The works: Stuffing, vegetables, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rolls, and chicken

Seoul Lantern Festival

I went to the Seoul Lantern Festival that was during the month of November. I couldn't believe how pack it was. I went on a Monday night after work and there were so many people. I did hear the weekends were worse, so I guess it worked out that we went on a weekday. Unfortunately, we took too much time at dinner before we headed to the festival and our visit was a little rushed. I was amazed how beautiful all of the lanterns were. At the time, the weather was chilly but nothing compared to what it is now.

USO DMZ Tour

I am finally able to cross off the DMZ, which is on the top of my Korea To Do List. I had heard that the USO tour was the best. After several attempts to book a tour, I was finally able to secure a reservation for November 5th. In preparation of the tour I read Somewhere Inside by Lisa and Laura Ling and was super hyped for the tour. The tour started at 9:00 am in Seoul, which meant I had to take the first train to Seoul, which was at 7:07 am.

When we arrived at Camp Kim USO, we checked in, boarded the bus at 8:45, and we departed at 9:00. It took about an hour to get the DMZ. The whole time to the DMZ I was looking at the clouds in hopes it would clear as there was a strong chance of rain. Luck was on our side and we actually experienced wonderful weather once we arrived to our destination.

The first stop was the Third Infiltration Tunnel. This tunnel was discovered by South Korea in 1978 with help from a defector. When North Korea was confronted about the tunnel, they blamed the South of making the tunnel to get into the North. However, the evidence suggests otherwise. There where drill marks found in the tunnel used to put dynamite into the walls; all the drill marks are coming from the north and are pointing south. Then North Korea stated that they where making the tunnels for coal mining and painted the the inside of the tunnel black.

Pictures were strictly prohibited and we had to put our belongings in a locker before we went down to the tunnel. We had to get a hard hat, which I honestly thought would be unnecessary. We then had to walk down a steep walkway. Once we got to the bottom we proceeded into the tunnel. The tunnel was not as narrow as I imagine. There was enough space for people to be walking of both side. The tunnel was a lot shorter then I expected and discovered there was a use for the hard hat after all. After walking to the end of the tunnel, which I did bent down most of the way we saw the 3rd wall that was built by South Korea on the DMZ boarder. I was also able to look into a window and see the 2nd wall.

After the tunnel, we were given time to shop at the souvenir shop.

Our next stop was the Dora Observatory. At the Dora Observatory we got our first glimpse of the North. With 500 won I was able to use the binoculars get a closer look. I did not see any cars, but I did see a person on a motorcycle and three people on bicycles. I was also able to see the huge North Korean flag and the huge flag pole that accompanied it. We latter learned that the flag actually weighs 600 pounds! I was  not able to get any good pictures at the observatory because we where not able to take pictures past the yellow line.

Gabriela and Lisa trying to get a good picture of the North

My first view of North Korea

After the Observatory we went to the Dorasan Train Station. This station is now an abandon station, which had an empty feeling to it. The Station was built on donated money and the trains were designed  to take raw materials to the Kaesong Industrial Region and returned them as finished goods. The Kaesong Industrial Region is an area with factories in North Korea. At some point, relations between North and South were good and they came to an agreement that would benefit both sides. By the South participating in this agreement, they where able to get cheap labor by North Korea and as a result be able to get cheap finished goods. North Korea benefited by the new jobs that were created. According to our tour guide, Bok Choy (her real name) relations went sour after a South Korean tourist, who was visiting North Korea was shot and killed by a 16-year-old soldier because she went in an area she was not supposed to be at.

At 12:00 it was time for lunch, and we headed to the only Restaurant in town which was designed to accommodate all the tourist who visit the DMZ. There were only two options: bibimbap and bulgogi. I must note that I really enjoyed the timing of the tour. The whole time it seemed like we were ahead of the crowd and was never bombarded with crowds. Every time we were leaving a location tons of tourist would just be getting there. Lunch was no different. It was just perfect timing for the whole day. 

 After lunch, we headed to the grand finale of the tour. I must say this was my favorite part of the tour and is what made the tour for me. We arrived at Camp BONIFAS and had to present our passports to a soldier, we latter found out was going to also be guide for this part of the tour.

Specialist BLOOD 

There were two tour groups and two soldiers to escort us. First we received a tour brief at the JSA Visitor's Center. Immediately we were told we would not be able to take pictures unless they told us we could. In the briefing we got an introduction of where we were going to go and what we were going to see. When we finished with the briefing we had to get on a bus that was not our tour bus. 

Our first stop was the Freedom House. We got out of the bus and lined up inside. We then walked to the other side that lead to the Conference Row. We were able to go into the conference building T 2. Inside there were two South Korean Soldiers who held a Tae Kwon Do stance the whole time they are there. 

Here is one of the guards. They guy in the red is actually standing in North Korea.

Here we are in North Korea

We were then lead outside and we were allowed to take pictures but only pointing north. 

A North Korean Soldier

After our time was up we proceeded through the Freedom House again and back on to the bus. We then drove past the 1978 Ax Murder site. 

There was  once a tree here that needed to be trimmed since it was blocking the view of a South Korean Post. When the trimming began, North Korean soldiers used the axe from the trimming company and attacked U.S. and South Korean soldiers. 

Then we were taken to a location where we were surrounded by three sides by North Korea. 

Here is a better look at the huge flag.

It was such a pretty day and it was almost peaceful being out here. The DMZ has turned into a natural preserve. I saw the most wild life here then I've seen anywhere in Korea. So many different birds and bugs. Specialist Blood informed us that this is also home to a rare kind of deer called vampire deer. This deer does not grow antlers, but rather grows fangs and are also blind. He said that instead of running away from noise they run straight to it. Soldiers have several encounters with the deer when they are exercising outside. 

There was no cell phone reception from this point since North Korea has towers to block anything coming into from the South. 

We then got back on the bus and drove past the bridge of no return. 

This bridge goes to North Korea and was used for prisoner exchanges. During the war, the U.S. captured a lot of North Koreans and they were brought here and told they had to choose where they wanted to live. If they crossed the bridge to go back to the North they would not be allowed to return and that is how the bridge got its name. 

On our way back to where the tour started we passed a telephone area that was set up for any North Koreans who did get through and wanted to pass safely. 

Once we got back to the visitor's center we were given time to shop at the souvenir shop and see the museum located on the second floor, and then we where on our way back to Camp Kim USO. 

I loved this tour and I would definitely recommend it to others. I would have not liked to do anything longer since I was exhausted when I got home. I was able to experience everything I hoped for. I am now a little obsessed with North Korea and after the tour I went to straight to What the Book in Itaewon and purchased The Aquariums of Pyongyan a Memoir of life in North Korean labor camp. I am excited to continue learning/reading about the so called hermit kingdom.