First Snow!

The first snow of winter has arrived! Yesterday morning it started snowing and snowed for several hours- we probably got 3-4 inches, but most of it didn't stick.  Today there is only a little skiff of snow left on the ground.

We had to change our weekend plans... We were planning on spending Thanksgiving in Seoul with Kate, but decided maybe it would be best to lie low for a little while.  We still had some fun though, and went skiing (and snowboarding!) at Taebeck Mtn. with one of the teachers at Teresa's school. It was fun seeing the first snow while being at a ski resort.  It was awful cold though while riding the ski lifts and the wind would really whip the snow around and blow it in your face, it reminded me of the blizzard last Christmas-while out driving (before the snowdrift ended our drive....)with my brother Perry. 

We also went to the market and bought some cheap snowboots, so bring on the snow!!!  Not really though...we like warm weather....


First Snow in the Little Town of Bonghwa



100 Days in Korea!

Today marks our 100th day in Korea and 3 months of contract completed. To celebrate we have decided to share a few pictures of our time here...

     

                                                

                                                     

                                                       

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Our attempt at Thanksgiving decorations...

Don't Worry...

Korea made the news today, so we thought we'd share the news article. Don't worry though, we're a long ways away from it, in fact we found out about it from friends in the US before we heard it here... It is closer to our friend Kate though and millions of Koreans so say a prayer for them...

N. Korea fires artillery onto S. Korean island; 2 dead -USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-11-23-korea-artillery_N.htm?csp=hf

Adobe!



Eating Ginko Nuts

 Many people in America think that Koreans live in little Adobe houses in the woods.  Well, they
do...well, one family does. Today we literally ate chicken in an adobe house...well, outside the house.  It was a dream come true.

Cooking Dinner



Buseok Ceramic Store



So seriously...We were invited to eat lunch with a Korean teacher who works at one of Teresa's schools.  Her and her husband built their house three years ago, but not out of wood like most people and beavers...they made it out of baked earth! Adobe!  It was beautiful, very unique, very warm and cozy inside, and just plain neat.  The teacher's husband is a scientist/inventor who has worked to make their house as energy efficiant and 'green' as possible.  They use solar energy, rain water collectors, and wood-burning heaters. 

After lunch we went to a ceramic store nearby and bought our first Korean decoration to bring home! It was a fun, fun day and was great spending it with such friendly and interesting people!

A Very Good and Kind Monk

Have you ever had tea with a monk on a mountain? We have! Last weekend we traveled to Soebeck National Park with another English teacher and a Korean teacher we met here. Next thing you know....There we are on top of the mountain at an old Buddhist temple drinking tea and eating ginseng with a monk.  He was 'a very good and kind monk' and thought that I looked like Clint Eastwood and pretended to shoot fake revolvers in the air.  I told him that he was right, I more or less do look like Clint  :)

Then we ate some duck fat.

Quality Teaching

English class today: My students had to make a 6 word sentence using 'hamster'. The result: "Hamster meat is sweet and delicious."

Our Little Mountain Plant!

Our Little Mountain Plant

While hiking up the mountain by our apartment we spotted a fun little mountain plant growing by the path.  We dug it up, planted it in a cup, and moved it into our apartment! It has been doing well and so far it would appear that it isn't poisonous or anything.....