Learning lots!

I have a bit more time tonight to write so I thought I would fill in a few details from a few other things that have happened since we arrived last week.

I guess the first adventure was heading to the hospital for HIV and drug testing. We were a group of about 50 foreigners and so the education office organized a group trip to the hospital rather than leaving it up to us to do on our own, which was a really good idea b/c it was a bit of a process. We arrived in one building where we sat and waited to be called in alphabetical order to go in and see a doctor. He asked a few questions (are you healthy? do you have allergies? etc) and then printed us our bill. We then headed to another area of the hospital to pay our 36 000 won for the blood and urine tests we were about to do. We then headed to a completely different building and had to find our way to a second floor area where they would do the blood test. Once we found the spot, we had to wait in line to get a number, then wait again for our number to be called. They had about 6 nurses all set up behind a counter waiting to take our blood - picture the passport office where you get your number and wait to be called but instead of going to a counter and handing over documents, you throw your arm on the table and they stick a huge needle in your arm. Once the blood was taken they gave you a little plastic bottle to pee in. The bathroom was conveniently located right next to the blood taking area. You needed to give at least 30 ml which for some people seemed to be a problem and the Koran's were very strict on this and made people head back to the washroom for more pee. Once you had the required amount you walked back to the blood taking area to hand in your sample. This was the most embarrassing part because unlike home where they give you a little brown bag to put your sample in, you had no privacy and had to do the walk of shame across the waiting area with your pee perfectly exposed. We all saw who was well hydrated and who wasn't! Other than the part where you had to wait in line at 4 different places to get everything done, the whole thing was pretty painless and fairly efficient. A few Canadians were a bit disappointed to find out that the drug test was mostly for methamphetamine and hardcore drugs - not THC. It turns out that a few years ago all the Canadians were failing the drug test b/c of their smoking habits so they eliminated that drug from the list.

I'm also posting a few photos that we took since we got here. These first few were taken on our field trip day to the folk village and to the Songgwang (?) temple. We also had two traditional Korean meals that day -- i suffered a bit and only ate the rice!

Folk village

Milton with his co-teacher Mirah and her son, and me with my co-teacher Seul Gi

Me struggling to find veggies and food that has not touched seafood. The second course was a communal bowl of soup that had whole brown shrimp (heads, eyes, and all) floating around in it.

The table looks great but what was in the bowls was less appetizing...

Milton actually ate these little fish-eew!!!

The work that went into painting these temples in unbelievable!

It was crazy hot walking around all day in the sun so this is me stylin' in my new Korean straw hat that I picked up for 5 bucks!

Some more lovely Korean artwork...

instructions on how to use the washroom:

Not sure what this carving's significance was at the historic folk village?!

My own beautiful artwork...a traditional Korean fan that members of the higher class would normally carry around. Made this fan on Thursday at the National museum in Gwangju, but we really could have used them earlier in the week when we were melting in the extreme heat!

In the streets of Gwangju - no clue where I am or which direction I should go in!

And one last pic for my family... does this look at all familiar??? the smaller Korean version of the old family vehicle.

So that's it for photos for now. If you check Milton's blog I think he posted the pictures of our apt. I've been typing and adding photos for an hour now and don't have the patience to add anymore! so check out his blog if you want to see our new pad.

Today was a pretty good day... My teacher actually showed up at noon and took me to our school. I met the principal and vice principal and we all went out for lunch. My co-teacher told the principal that I'm not big on seafood but that i love chicken so the meal was a nice surprise ( i had prepared myself for the worst!). we sat on the floor Korean style and had a whole chicken each (tell them what you like and you'll get it!). Its a small whole chicken boiled in broth and then they add rice that is then served to you exactly that way. So its like chicken soup but with a whole chicken! The meal was good and then we were back at school were i picked up my teacher's editions of the English textbooks, had a look at what my schedule will be like, and found out that someone will be picking me up each day to get to school. It was a much better day than Friday was and I am feeling much better about my job now. I also found out that, like Milton, I don't have to go to school this week -YAY, one more week off!

One more last little bit before i log off. A few things I've learned so far in Korea:

1- everything in Korea is completely backwards to what common sense would tell you. For example: red lights you drive right through, just honk your horn before you do it; things that should be salty are sweet, think sweet garlic bread and sweet spaghetti sauce; and things that should be sweet, like cookies, aren't that sweet.

2- its OK to hit apparently - i had my first hitting experience yesterday while on the payphone with my mom. A Korean woman apparently didn't want to wait for me to get off the phone, she just slapped me on the shoulder a few times and pointer at herself to let me know it was her turn! I've been warned to avoid the staff room too b/c teachers will hit each other to solve problems at school.

and much, much more... but I'll save it for another day b/c you must be sick of reading by now!

So that's it for now. still no Internet or phone at home, but i found out today that we need our alien registration cards to set that up so hopefully we will get those Friday and by next week we will be back in touch with the world!