He gave me flowers!

It's not what you think...

They're not from Aaron... 

Although I would never put it past him to give me a bouquet this big or beautiful!

 I was down in the teachers room today, which is also our Vice Principal's office.  Today is his last day here, and someone had brought him this gorgeous bouquet of flowers!  I stopped to gawk at them and told him how beautiful I thought they were.  The first thing he said was, "Do you want them for your classroom?!"  I told him I wouldn't dare take his gift... but he insisted!  So, now I have a gorgous bouquet of purple and yellow daisies, red roses, and purple orchids to enjoy on my desk!  Am I not the luckiest girl, ever?!

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Ummm, that's not a deer!

Stamp Happy!

Instead of signing their names, Koreans stamp important documents with their own personal name chops (dojong)!  

I love this about Korea, and have actually had 2 made for myself! The pink one was made by a machine, and the black one was actually tediously hand carved by a 70 something year old Korean man in Gukje market!

Nowadays the practice of stamping is being replaced by actual signatures... but when I go to the bank, I always have my stamp kit in hand!

  Traditionally, the name stamps used the Chinese characters (Hanja) of the person's name, but Korean characters (Hangul) have become more common now. 

This is the stamp that was made by a machine.  It says "Jill Anderson" (Or, actually, phonetically, it actually says: Jeel Un duh sun - close enough!)

... and this is the hand carved one!  It just says "Anderson" (En Dul Son)  haha

You can actually order your own personal Korean name stamp, on-line, from this online Gift Shop, or you can tell me you want one, and I'll have one made here for 1/5 of the price!  They're awesome, and now that I found the right kind of stamp pad for it, for the equivalent of 50 cents, I'm gonna start stamping everything!  :)

Saturday at Beomeosa Temple!

I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Beomeosa Buddhist Temple today!   It's one of the most famous temples in Busan, and I had yet to see it for some reason!  So, I jumped on the subway and rode 28 stops to Beomeosa!  When I got off the train, I looked at the map and realized I had a trek in front of me!  (3 kilometers to be exact - up hill!)  eeeehhh!  I started to walk up the hill and realized that this was going to be a long and hot climb!  (It was about 85 degrees and VERY humid!)  I stopped to snap this picture...

... and as I was taking it, a korean woman stopped her car next to me and asked, "Where are you from?"  I thought it was really funny that she stopped in the middle of the road to ask me where I was from!  After talking for about 45 seconds or so, her teenage daughter asked, "Can we give you a ride to the temple?" in the most perfect English I'd heard a Korean teenager ever speak!  Turns out, they lived in Malaysia for 2 years, and she became fluent during that time!  They totally made my day, and my legs were very thankful for their generosity! :)

There's a gorgeous river that runs down the mountainside, alongside the temple!  There were lots of families playing in the river and picnicing along it's shore!

I finally made it to Beomeosa after a year and a half of living in Busan!  

I loved these!  They are roof and wall tiles that patrons are allowed to purchase and write their own personal messages on.  They are on display for now, but will soon be used in the construction of future temples throughout the complex!

I just can't get enough of the temple drinking fountains!  They're all so creative in their own ways!

One of the small prayer rooms...

I have NO IDEA what this says... but I loved it!  I love carvings and writings on trees... There's something so country about!  

A lonely lantern hung in the trees near a prayer room...

Can you believe I live in a place where I can take a subway to a place this beautiful, old, and with this much history?!   If you can... Congratulations, because I still can't believe it!

He's supposed to be protecting the temple... but I'm pretty sure, by the look on his face, that I terrified him with my tiger impersonation!  I can be pretty realistic sometimes!  I've had a lot of practice, after teaching animals to elementary kids for almost 2 years!

I spent a couple hours, walking through the temple complex!  It was such a nice way to spend my Saturday afternoon!
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RESCUE 911

My apartment sits on the corner of one of the most dangerous neighborhood intersections in Busan, as far as car accidents go!  Since living here, I have seen 7 car accidents in this intersection... and those happened to have been on the days when I was actually at home.  Who knows how many more have occurred while I've been at work or away somewhere else!  Today's was one of the worst though!  I was cooking a couple minutes ago and heard a huge CRASH sound outside!  I ran to my window and saw that a woman drove right into this building, across from my apartment!  

What's worse is she was holding her infant son in her lap as she was driving...  eeeehhh!  I don't know why Koreans do this!  It's sooo dangerous!  It looked as if he hit his head on the steering wheel...  Poor little guy.

As bad as it may sound... living here is fairly exciting because of this dangerous intersection!  It's like watching RESCUE 911 out my own window!  I just hope no one ever gets hurt!

Dinner with the gambling boys!

Remember this place?  It's the "gambling shack" near my apartment!  

I walk by it every time I go home, and usually wave hello to all the old Korean men, congregating outside, waiting for their turn at the table!  Well, tonight, I waved, as usual, and then thought... Hey, I'm gonna ask if I can come inside!  I've always been intrigued!  

Getting the chance to enter "the gambling shack" was easier than I thought!  They invited me right in, as if I were one of the guys, and even invited me to take a seat and join in on the poker hand!  I kindly refused, and watched for the next 10 minutes or so, until one of the old men asked if I liked Cola!  "Sure" I said.  He then motioned for me to follow him to the tiny neighborhood Korean restaurant next door.  We sat together, sharing a bottle of Coke and speaking Korean to each other... which was pretty limited, considering I'm not quite fluent yet!  I did learn that he was a chef at a Korean restaurant in Hawaii for 10 years!  It was funny, because he thought he was speaking English at points, but he was actually speaking Spanish! haha  

After we finished the Coke, I said, "Okay, Kapshida" (Let's go) and figured we would go back to the gambling shack... but instead, he said, "Ee dee wah," (Come over here) and we went to the makeshift bar next door.  When he opened the door to the bar, I was immediately met, and welcomed, by 6 of his friends:  3 women and 3 men in their 60's, who didn't speak a lick of English either.  I sat and hung out with them, eating raw fish, cooked fish, boiled peanuts, garlic, corn, peppers, and cucumber, while they indulged themselves in the unending bottles of soju and beer on the table!  By the time I left, they were VERY tipsy, and had been feeding me right and left (a very common act done between friends in Korea) for the last hour!

I feel like I'm always saying, "It was the coolest experience!"  Having dinner and drinks with the gambling men and their cougar girlfriends was definitely one of those experiences!  It's funny where a simple Hello, Can I come inside your gambling shack will get you!  I love this country!

Every mom's nightmare!

Last night, Aaron and Sam both crashed, on their rented scooters... :(

They were driving on a 1/2 gravel and 1/2 newly paved road n Vietnam.  Sam was driviig in front of Aaron and swirved to miss hitting a stray dog and his scooter basically slipped in the gravel, sending Sam, chin first, into the street.  Ouch!  Aaron said he had about .05 seconds to decide whether to run right into Sam's crashed scooter, or bail!  So, he jumped off the scooter and landed on his elbow, rolling through the tar!  They were able to ride the bikes back to the hostel, but apparently as soon as they arrived there, Sam got off the bike and immediately blacked out. :(  Looks like someone's adrenaline had run out...

Aaron said they are both doing okay today, but had to throw away the clothes they were wearing from the bloodstains and tar... and Aaron has been picking tar off his skin all day!  Luckily they were wearing their helmets though!  Good boys!

Today, they were back in the saddle and riding the scooters up the coast!  That's right... just dust it off boys and get out there and explore the world!  Just don't swirve out of the way for any more animals please!

I love that...

I love that I live in a country, and area, where I can buy a blue wig, a dunkin donut, and a rice hat all in one stop!  Thank you Nampodong for having everything a person needs!  ***

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My mall has a Russian circus!

Tonight, Truchen and I had a dinner date at the food court in the new Lotte Department store (a gigantic, nine story, upscale, flashy store) near my apartment in Nampodong.


This week, a new 4-story section of the store opened,  called "Aqua Mall,"  and it features a huge water fall, coming out of the ceiling!  The water show is set to music, with lights to accompany it!  It's a spectacle, the likes of which I have never seen before and had NO IDEA it was coming!   It was beautiful and mesmerizing and a REALLY awesome surprise!   

I'm not sure if it'll be a regular occurrence or not, but tonight, they had Russian circus performers!  These guys were my favorites!  How can you not like a guy with a mullet like that?! (Insert sarcasm here!) ...and the guy on the right smiled a shaddy smile the entire time, as if he had just escaped jail and was still basking in his newfound freedom!  They were the "trampoline guys!"

Here's the whole trampoline gang in action!  I wish I had videoed the 2 girls!  They basically just jumped on the trampoline with their little rhythmic gymnastic ribbons, doing split jumps and easy back tucks!  Shoot, I could have joined their show!  I have been mistaken for a Russian once or twice since moving here!

Shortly after the trampoline extravaganza, a rope was lowered from the ceiling (which leads me to believe the circus might be here to stay for a while!), and this woman started climbing up it and doing all kinds of amazing spins!  She was my favorite!


This girl was sooooo high up in the air, with no mats!  Props to her!

... and last, but not least, the guy who hung from two strips of material!  This takes some SERIOUS strength!

Truchen and I were so glad we decided to meet at Lotte tonight, because we would have never known about this on our own!  The place was packed with Koreans tonight and people dressed in costumes like these bears!  Everyone needs a bear hug sometimes!  

After sharing a delicious grilled chicken salad (with chopsticks!) and splurging with a Lotteria vanilla ice cream cone, we headed up to the new UNIQLO store and bought something special for each of our boys! (It's Aaron's fav clothing store and I've had my eye on something for him for a while now!)  Then we walked the streets of Nampodong and Gukje until all the stores closed down! Time just flies by when the 2 of us are together!  I love this girl!

Tonight was a perfect example of why I love living in Korea!  You never know what you're going to find on a simple night out with a friend!!

Aaron Update # 6

Sorry Aaron!  I just now noticed that you uploaded these pictures to my blog!

SORRY FOR POSTING THESE LATE!  AARON UPLOADED THESE OVER 48 HOURS AGO!  Enjoy!

Sam and Aaron decided, at the beginning of the trip, that they were going to do jumping high five pictures instead of the typical travel stance!  Apparently they stuck to that plan!

They finally made it to Phu Quoc Island yesterday (Vietnam) at about 11am and are planning to stay there until next Monday!  

Their place is right on the beach and is only $15 a night!  I LOVE ASIA HOTEL RATES!  Today they are going to rent scooters and get out and about to explore the island!  Mom, he promised he'll wear his helmet! :)

5 more days till he comes home!!

Text in the City!

Tonight, I had the girls over for "TEXT IN THE CITY," our Busan Book Club for the girls of the lower west side!  

These girls are so fun to be with, and while we say it's a book club, we actually hardly talk about books at all, but rather life, love, work, travel, boys, food, shopping... whatever comes up is free game!  Today, I gave away two of my beloved books... Eat, Pray, Love, and Committed (both by Elizabeth Gilbert!)  I'll miss them on my bookshelf, but I'll be glad not to be lugging them home when I eventually move back to the US!  After Jenna finishes, The Year of Living Biblically I'm going to steal it from her!  It looks really interesting!

Thank you girls, for letting me play hostess at my place!  I feel so lucky to have met you, and enjoy our time together so much!  May there be many more Text In The City conversations over coffee, tea, cookies, (and popcorn at my place) to come!

Truchen, Me, Annie K, Jenna, and Annie M

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Now that's what I call a public restroom!

These contraptions and gadgets were on the wall of my bathroom stall last night at the Lotte Casino!  

A keypad for the bidae, a button to push for a "toilet sound," incase you don't want anyone to hear what you're doing, and my favorite.. an "Emergency Bell" for all those times you want someone to come rescue you from the toilet!  

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Drink Up!

I just found out my Vice Principal (the one I REALLY like) was just promoted to Principal at another school... So, on September 1st, he will be leaving.

Yesterday, all of the teachers, including myself, left work at 12:00pm to have a congratulatory lunch for him at a traditional Korean restaurant!  At Korean restaurants, the waiters always bring out bottles of all different drinks and set them on your table: coke, sprite, beer, soju, water, etc... then your only responsible for paying for the bottles you open.  Yesterday though, the only drinks they ever set on the table were beer!  hahaha

So, needless to say, most of the male teachers were a bit tipsy by the end, and 1/2 of the teachers went back to work after lunch!  Something that, in America, would get you fired!  

So, for those of you looking for a job, and who enjoy drinking beer while getting paid to work,  APPLY HERE!

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Aaron Update # 5 - Photo Journal!

Aaron had had some trouble sending me pictures to post, because the files were huge and taking too long to send, but we finally got it figured out today!  So, here are some pictures from his adventures in Cambodia this week...  (The ones in previous blogs were found online, just to give a feeling of where he was and what he was seeing...)

The early morning sunrise at Angkor Wat

Bayon Temple at Angkor

Bayon Temple

Marco (Italy), Sam, and Aaron outside of Bayon Temple...

Ta Prohm Temple.

The next few pictures were taken in the floating village on the Sangkor River.  

This one is my FAVORITE picture!  Aaron is so talented!

The bamboo train at 7:30am (Aaron and Sam)

Their bamboo train driver...

Lotus flower in a lake at the bottom of Wat Banan

Wat Banan Temple

Jumping high five picture at Wat Banan.

The view of the countryside from the top of Wat Banan.

They spotted this local boy and his cow on their way to Wat Banan.  They had just missed him bathing his cow in a little pond, hence why he is soaking wet.

 Today they went to the killing fields and the S21 prison... Then they had lunch with 3 mormon kids from Utah who have been living in Cambodia for a year and a half, and then headed over to the Royal Palace where they spent 2 hours walking and talking with a monk from Sri Lanka! 

They're gonna be staying one more night in Phnom Penn and then taking a bus at 7am tomorrow morning to Sihanoukville on the coast for some beach action.  More pics to come!

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