Pusan: City by the Sea

The perfect song to capture the days mood. Enjoy.

A week ago we took a trip to Pusan, Korea's second largest city and the fifth largest port in the world.

Haeundae Beach

One of the nicest spots in Pusan and the location of the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF).

The city is similar to 'Surfers Paradise, Australia and strangely doesn't have an Asian but rather a Western feel to it.

It was a fantastic day, very mild for late November so we enjoyed most of the day on the beach.

And so did everyone else.

Some people were drawn to the water

In Korea it is very normal for girls in high heels to wander onto the beach in order to get a perfect background for their picture.

Pusan International Film Festival 2009

I would like to think that these were a good old fashioned gang of hooligans but suspect that they are training for a martial art, who knows?

Down by the docks there are some pretty impressive buildings, Korea's answer to Dubai.

Fishermen congregating at sunset

Photographic fun.

As the sun set on the day, we headed to Nampo-dong for some retail therapy.

There was a maze of markets each with stalls selling every item you can think of and then many more.

The array of food is incredible and often the star of the show.

Three boys, a boat, some missiles and 40 cans of tuna.

Uncle Kim

In a week that missiles were exchanged between the North and South, the tension that is rising here has somewhat dominated events.  I know that everyone back home will be keenly interested in other 'Ashes' though which in many respects also have started ominously. 
  It has been my intention to write about life here in Korea, although after tuesdays events, I am sure many of you will know exactly what is going on here if not more than me.  I want to reassure my grandparents that we are fine and safe as their copy of the 'daily mail' will have no doubt mentioned world war 3, the apocalypse and god knows what else. 
  In fact I have just spent the last 3 hours digging an underground bunker and Cassandra is down at the store buying 40 cans of tuna and as much bottled water as she can carry. 

The important thing is that life here is good and yet again it is astonishing how quickly this week has flown by.  I want to point you in the direction of this story if you haven't already seen it and hope to update more over the weekend.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11845746

Underground in Kwangju



A store in Kwangju which stocks imported foods that are difficult to find in Korea like cheese and sausages.



It is strange how being in a different country changes one's mindset and increases the spirit of adventure.  Thinking back to when I was in England, I rarely thought too much about travelling to other cities just to see, explore and learn.  However, being away on holiday for instance, everything is new, exciting and different.  After 15 months in Korea you might think that my outlook has changed but I am glad to say that any opportunity to travel and see more of this country is still every bit as exciting, particularly as nowadays I am trying to capture what life is like here through my lens. 

It was my first time exploring the streets of Kwangju, the sixth largest city in Korea.  After having a western style lunch, we headed to the main street - Chungmuro.  From the moment we arrived in this area, I loved it. There is an energy and vibrancy which heightens the senses, so many things happening, the sights, sounds and smells are almost overwhelming.

There is a never-ending conveyor belt of street side food merchants, some tempting but others just bizarre.

Towards the evening time, the neon signs become more prominent against the night sky, lighting the streets and leading the way.

Personally I really enjoyed everything Kwangju had to offer.  It was everything that is good about Korea - the energy and spirit which only an Asian city seems to offer late into the night.  Plus where else could you buy a good cup of coffee for 30p and eat pizza from a cup?!!

I wasn't joking about the pizza in a cup, it could be the future?

Fighting in the North

Was midway through writing the latest blog when the television was switched on for the second time in the past week.  I could only wonder what the latest news might be - had Korea had another Kimchi shortage? Perhaps they had beaten China or Japan in another minor sporting event or was it the neighours from the North causing trouble again?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11818005

From the images I saw on the television it is quite clear that it is the latter of the three and to be honest burning houses is never a good sign - particularly when they are caused by a bordering country who have a long running dispute.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/11/23/world/asia/AP-AS-Koreas-Tension.html?_r=2

'Illegal firing'
South Korean officials said artillery rounds landed on Yeonpyeong island, near the disputed inter-Korean maritime border to the west of the Korean Peninsula.

"A North Korean artillery unit staged an illegal firing provocation at 1434 PM (0534 GMT) and South Korean troops fired back immediately in self-defence," a defence ministry spokesman told AFP.
A resident on the island told the agency that dozens of houses were damaged, while television pictures reportedly showed plumes of smoke rising above the island.
"Houses and mountains are on fire and people are evacuating. You can't see very well because of plumes of smoke," a witness on the island told YTN television station.
"People are frightened to death and shelling continues as we speak," the witness said.
South Korea had deployed fighter jets to the island, Yonhap news agency said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/southkorea/8153000/North-Korea-bombs-South-Korean-island.html

North Korea's conflict with the South: timeline

North and South Korea have been involved in a number of skirmishes since the 1950-1953 war, which ended in an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty:

January 21, 1968: North Korean commandos stage a raid on Seoul's presidential Blue House in an attempt to assassinate President Park Chung-Hee. They are stopped just 800 metres (yards) away. All 32 are killed or captured in subsequent days.

August 15, 1974: North Korean agent fires at Park during a speech. He misses but the shot kills the president's wife. Park continues his speech.

October 9, 1983: The North's agents blow up a landmark in Burma (now Myanmar) just before the visiting South Korean President Chun Hoo-Hwan is set to arrive. Four South Korean cabinet ministers and 16 others are killed.

November 29, 1987: All 115 people on board are killed when a bomb planted by the North's agents explodes on a South Korean airliner.

September 1996: A North Korean submarine lands commandos on the South Korean coast, prompting a huge manhunt. Twenty-four infiltrators are shot dead including 11 by their own hand, one is captured and one unaccounted for.

June 15, 1999: A clash breaks out along the Yellow Sea border, the first naval battle since the Korean War. A North Korean boat with an estimated 20 sailors aboard is sunk.

June 29, 2002: A South Korean ship is sunk and six sailors killed in another Yellow Sea clash, while Seoul is co-hosting the football World Cup. An estimated 13 North Koreans die.

November 10, 2009: Navies of the two sides exchange fire near the Yellow Sea border. Seoul officials say a North Korean patrol boat retreated in flames but its casualties are unknown. No South Koreans are hurt.

March 26, 2010: An unexplained explosion hits the Cheonan, a 1,200-tonne South Korean corvette, near the disputed border and the warship breaks in two. A total of 58 sailors are rescued but 46 die.

May 20, 2010: A report by a multinational investigation team says the Cheonan was sunk by a torpedo launched from a North Korean submarine.

May 24, 2010: South Korea suspends trade with the North and bans its ships from Seoul's waters. The White House says the sanctions are "entirely appropriate" as President Barack Obama orders the US military to work closely with South Korea.

Oct 29, 2010: North and South Korean troops exchange fire across their border, cranking up tensions before the G20 summit of world leaders in Seoul.

Nov 23, 2010: North Korea fires artillery shells onto a South Korean border island, prompting an exchange of fire with southern troops along with casualties and property damage, officials and reports said.

There is somewhat of a panic from some people here as is so often the case when an event like this happens.  Having said this, I was told at lunch that the soup we were eating was North Korean style, so I sincerely hope that isn't a portent of things to come.
 Other foreign teachers have also been looking at the evacuation plans and contacting their embassies.  Purely out of interest, I thought I would see what advice the British consulate were offering and they didn't dissapoint, they provided the following information.
"This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Travel Summary (artillery shells fired across western inter-Korean maritime border). The overall level of the advice has changed; we advise against travel to Yeonpyeong".

Excellent, so I guess we should make adjustments to this weekends trip then and think about some other ideas.

Recently EPIK wrote the following mail to all foreign teachers living in Korea:

"Dear Guest English Teachers,

In regard to the North Korean shells dropped on Yeonpyeong Island, which sits two miles from the Northern Limit Line(NLL), the EPIK Office would like to inform that the situation is under control and there has been no more exchange of fire since 16:00, November 23rd, Tuesday.

President Lee ordered the authorities concerned to respond firmly but make the best efforts not to worsen the situation.

The North Korean fire occurred yesterday afternoon during a routine military drill conducted by the South Korean Army, known as the Hoguk exercise, which began on November 22, 2010. North Korea criticized the drill and untruthfully called the drill an invasion. By North Korean provocation, two soldiers died and nineteen people including three civilians were injured.

However, apart from the residents of Yeonpyeong Island, the rest of South Korea is still very safe. All citizens of South Korea are calm and are continuing their normal life as usual.

We, the EPIK Office, will continually update information regarding the current situation and would like to advise you to let your family members at home know that you are safe, and that you manage your daily routine as usual."

Sincerely yours,

The EPIK Team"

A Day at the Zoo

Upon arriving in Yeosu this year, I found out that I would actually be teaching in two elementary schools.  So I teach four days at Sung-san Elementary School which is a 2 minute walk from the apartment and then on thursdays, I take a 5 minute car ride to Gwangi Elementary School. 
   It is unbelievable how a 5 minute car journey can take you out of the town and right into the country.  Cars and apartment blocks give way to the odd dwelling but you can almost see the pace of life slow to a grinding halt by the time you reach the school gates at gwangi.
  Sung-san isn't a big school and there are around 500 students - last year I taught twice as many students as my school was the second largest elementary school in town.  So in Sung-san, I teach the 4th, 5th and 6th Grade, there are three classes in each grade.  In a normal class there are somewhere between 32-36 students.  The reason I am telling you this is so that you can put into perspective how small Gwangi school is as the 5th grade consists of 8 students and the 6th grade has 10.  So when I got to this school, I thought it would be a breeze, but the principal had other ideas!! 
  I liked the principal from the start, his big smile and warm demeanour put me at ease despite his inability to speak any English whatsoever.  Actually I am doing him a disservice as he did greet me "Good Morning" although it was 5.30pm so not sure that really counts.  However, he has some excellent ideas and when he asked me if I wanted to teach the kindergarten and 1st grade, I put my fear of young children to one side - knowing that it would be an excellent experience which would stretch far beyond the realms of teaching.
  The kindergarten is actually quite big and there are a mixture of 15 boys and girls who sat wide-eyed on their tiny little wooden stools on the first day that I entered the classroom.  In hindsight, it may have been my own personal hesitation and wonder that I saw reflected in their eyes but after singing a few songs we were well on the road to a new friendship and understanding. Now several weeks later I can't wait to spend time with them, their brains are so absorbent like little sponges soaking up everything I tell them.  That is with the exception of one small boy who normally decides that around 1.54pm it would be a good idea to take off his shoe and test how good his aim is by launching it towards my head.  I don't want to take anything away from him seeing as he is only 6 but hitting me with a plimsoll from less than a metre away seems far too easy even for a boy of his age.  
  

However, next door in the connecting classroom a far more daunting prospect is awaiting me and I am blissfully unaware of what is about to become.  Since my meeting and talk with the principal, some wise souls have decided that it would be a good idea to take 18 1st grade boys and have them taught by a foreign teacher with no assistance or even a Korean teacher in the classroom.  With the benefit of hindsight, I can now confirm for you that this is in fact, a recipe for disaster.
  Upon entering the classroom for the first time, the smell permeating my nostrils can only be likened to that familiar odour which one experiences upon entering the zoo.  Perhaps my brain is confused because it seems that I am lost and have ended up in the monkey enclosure, it is pure mayhem.  Suddenly my PowerPoint's and worksheets seem far too civilised, so I am forced to shuffle things about and come up with some new ideas.  As the lesson is based on parts of the body it is somewhat ironic that one student has put his friend into a headlock and as I pan to the left, two other students are having a boxing match - with the added excitement of fighting on desks - it's like gladiators for midgets.  Eventually I instill as much calm as is possible to a room full of energetic 8 year olds and decide that we should start by playing 'Simon says' followed by singing 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'.  Rather than expand any further, I will let you watch the video and decide for yourself..... 

For a clearer video please follow this link, it's worth it to see the kids facial expressions!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wanderlustontheroad/page2/

Under Pressure

Last year my house was tucked away in a small suburb of town, and with the exception of the odd car alarm, it was extremely peaceful in the evening.  My girlfriend wasn't quite so lucky however as her apartment was located directly above a noraebang (a korean karaoke shop) which seemed to operate around the clock peaking from about 9pm through to 4am most days.  Whilst I am sure it was fun to be lulled asleep by various pop artists, she assures me that she is happier living in a more quieter and less lively area of town.  This year we find our apartments located in Musan which is on the outskirts of town and one of the first neighbourhoods you would pass on the way into Yeosu.
  However, we do not find ourselves in perfect silence as our neighbours seem to be the only Koreans who have decided to keep a rooster for a pet.  Not only that, but this particular rooster must have been shipped from abroad as he isn't running on normal time and cock-a-doodle-do's when ever he pleases. 
  This morning it was neither Korean popstar wannabees or the rooster that woke me up but instead a chanting with enough aggression to make me think there was a protest, perhaps even a riot.  It also seemed to be right outside and grew louder and louder until I decided it was time to inspect what all the commotion was about. 
  Reaching the street corner on which the apartment is located, it became apparent that there actually was a rally as an ever-growing group of people continued to shout and chant, and it was still only 7am.  It is precisely times like this that make me wish my Korean was better so I could understand what was going on. By now Cassandra was even more interested than I was and already had made a beeline for two korean women who were standing a little way back from the main crowd.    My mind is in another place and I am staring up at the rooster, the usual culprit of my morning wake-ups.  As I am doing a mental countdown to Christmas and working out my feathered friend's fate, Cassandra informs me that the crowd are actually cheering on their sons and daughters as today they will sit exams.  In fact it is a huge day for both students and their parents as years of hard work from elementary to high school hinge upon this one day of exams.  Today is the day that 3rd grade high school students take an exam to qualify for a university place. 
  I have since spoken with a teacher in my school to ask more about these tests and she begins by explaining how much pressure there is on Korean students nowadays, something which I am only too aware of.  As if to reitterate her point, she continues by telling me that every year there are suicides as a result of dissapointed students who feel they have disgraced their parents and underachieved, by not gaining a place in university.  Education in South Korea is of the utmost importance as many Korean families see their children as the people responsible for elevating the family name.  Therefore a student who gets good grades and goes to university has a far better chance of gaining a good job afterwards which will result in the family progressing or so it is thought.  It is not uncommon for parents to spend up to 30% of their income on their children's education.  This is why Hagwons (private schools for advanced learning) exist in Korea so that students can partake in further study after school and at weekends as well as many students also having private tutoring on top.
  A story which perfectly reflects this point is from last year when I was teaching an elementary third grade class about routines.  I asked one of my brightest students "what time do you go to bed?" to which she replied, without hesitating "12.30".  I smiled and repeated the question a little slower than the first time, thinking that she had misheard or misunderstood me.  She gave me the same answer, so I looked across to my co-teacher who smiled and told me that this was quite normal.  After asking the whole class I later realised that many of my students didn't go to bed before 12pm and quite often get up around 5.30am or 6am.  There is a saying in Korea that translates roughly as you only need 5 hours sleep if you want to make it to university. 
  This outlines quite clearly the intense work ethic as well as the pressures students face from such an early age and explains why many classes in the morning, are filled with students who can barely stay awake.
  It's now 10.30am which means it's break time at school and immediately the television is turned on at lightening speed.  Teachers start filtering into the classroom and congregating, staring in a hypnotic manner at the screen.  Whatever they are watching is clearly important, particularly as the Asian games are on right now and the Koreans are doing very well in the swimming.  One teacher spots my quizzical look and shuffles closer, his gaze still firmly set on the broadcast that everyone is watching.  He starts translating telling me that there are 700,000 students throughout South Korea who are sitting exams today.  His english is very good, so I take the oppportunity to ask him more.  He continues by telling me that today planes will not take off during the exams and cars and taxis are under strict ordes not to use their horns.  Basically anything which could distract the students is strictly prohibited, showing that in Asia, they leave nothing to chance.
 

Poppy Day / Pepero Day

Last week November 11th came and passed leaving with it, two very different emotions.  My natural thoughts were the numerous remembrance services which I have attended in memory of the soldiers who have died fighting since World War 1.  My thoughts take me straight back to a year 8 English lesson where we are studying the war poems and how the poppy became an emblem for all those who died fighting for their country.  I believe that the poppy resembles the blood spilt during war and derives from the poem 'In Flanders Fields'.

                                  In Flanders fields the poppies blow
                                                  Between the crosses, row on row,
                                                  That mark our place; and in the sky
                                                  The larks, still bravely singing, fly
                                                  Scarce heard amid the guns below.

                                                 We are the Dead. Short days ago
                                                 We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
                                                 Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
                                                 In Flanders fields.

                                                 Take up our quarrel with the foe:
                                                 To you from failing hands we throw
                                                 The torch; be yours to hold it high.
                                                 If ye break faith with us who die
                                                 We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
                                                 In Flanders fields.

I am sure that in many commonwealth countries around the world there would be similar thoughts although in Asia there is a completely different mood altogether. 

  For any small child and I'm sure some older kids too, November 11th marks 'Pepero Day'.  There are many of you outside of Korea who won't have a clue what a 'pepero' is, so I will tell you about the frenzy that took place last Thursday.

 

A pepero is a long, thin biscuit covered in chocolate and they normally come packaged in a box containing around 10 peperos.  There are numerous stories as to the origins of these snacks - one being that it started back in 1994 when some middle school students in Busan were exchanging gifts.  The second story and probably the more likely is that the company who markets these treats 'Lotte' noticed an increase in sales which peaked on November 11th so they decided to introduce a national holiday.

  From what I can gather this holiday has taken flight and is now competing with Christmas to see which can excite and inspire young minds as well as persuade them to hand over their pocket money. 

So 11/11 is meant to represent four peperos and on this day, children bring boxes, packets, bags of peperos to exchange with their friends, give to their loved ones and to their favourite members of staff.  

  Putting an obvious marketing ploy to one side for the moment, it is fantastic to see so much happiness on the kids faces and their was a real buzz as they handed out, shared and fought for this snack which is actually available in every shop all year round!!

  I had a particularly lucrative day as I'm sure most foreign teachers do....

but on closer inspection realised that there are some strangely intimate phrases on the boxes which I'm sure my elementary students won't know the meaning of - to be honest I'm not sure I do completely....

hmmmmm?!! and.....

Wow. Quite a profound statement to be found on a box containing chocolate covored biscuits.

Falling Palace

Last week, some of Cassandra's friends offered to take us on a trip and although the details of where exactly we would be going were a little fuzzy, it only added to the intrigue and excitement.  A two hour car journey climaxed with a long winding climb high into the Korean mountains.  The autumnal colours against the bright blue sky were dazzling, so as we rose higher and higher into the hills, passing orchards, traditional homes and constantly improving our view of the stunning panoramic landscape, I had high hopes for this sunday afternoon.

By the time we arrived, I couldn't wait to explore and we began to make our way up a wooded incline, with boulders that surrounded the path.  As we continued, we negotiated narrow passages in the rocks leading to a tunnel which had been carved out of one of the boulders before finding ourselves walking through a forest.  Eventually we arrived at a doorway which was being manned by a more traditional looking Korean man who instantly looked friendly if a little serious.

Behind him was a wooden door which I presumed we would pass through eventually, although I later learned that we were waiting for people who were already inside the palace to leave first. Once they started to leave, the guard ushered some of the bystanders to hit a drum three times which would allow for us to see what was waiting for us on the other side of this mysterious passageway.  Yet again, our passageway was a dark tunnel which cut through another segment of mountain and finally lead us into the light.  As my eyes adjusted, I began to take in the sights which above all else, seemed surreal.

We walked further into a circular area that was surrounded by stone walls containing water and eventually began to climb steps leading to a small temple at the top of a hill.

Samseong Palace in Cheonghakdong traditional village

I am constantly fascinated not only by Asian culture but how their culture, philosophy and general mannerisms oppose and differ from everything that we know and do in the western world.  As I got to grips with my surroundings and the sheer audacity of the work that is a sign of respect to three spirits the Korean people believe in, I couldn't compare it to anything that I have seen outside of Korea.
  We followed the path which bent and weaved itself up around another small hillside before veering off to a small path which led directly to a traditional Korean building.

Inside was another traditional Korean man who stood almost angelic, infront of a doorway, playing the danso (a traditional Korean instrument similar to the flute).



After sitting and listening for a short while, we continued to explore.  

Planked alleyways and stepping stones leading us through the tranquil setting of this remarkable land.

The colours of the maple leaves at this time of year are incredible providing a dazzling array of colours.

Backtracking a little, a forked path leads to firstly a small lake....

and secondly via a monument where traditionally people leave coins in return for their wishes...

ending up back to where we had started....

For anybody interested in visiting this palace - http://san-shin.net/Jiri-Cheonghak-2.html