For the end of the term, we took a mandatory optional field trip to Chuncheon.
We took a bus there. Of course, we needed to drink beer and soju on the way...it was past noon afterall. The driver gave us the 'drink em if you got em' announcement. I did my best to abstain, but the soju pressure was put on, followed by somek (beer with soju).
Our first stop was the home of a famous writer, Kim You-jeong, who died in poverty in the late 30's. There was a lecture, which I did not stay for (it was in Korean, mandatory for the Korean teachers and, apparently, interesting/long-and-boring). After touring the small complex, I found a bench and read a book.
Our next stop was a restaurant to eat Dak Galbi, a Chuncheon specialty. The hostess said the magic words: "Dong Dong Ju"...and all was lost. In occasions like these, it is difficult, especially for a male, to drink in moderation. I was fine after the soju and somek on the bus, but the Dong Dong kept coming, then the principal brought his drink of choice, soju, and did shots with every table.
Afterwards, I distinctly remember thanking a stranger outside for the food that he did not prepare for me then greeted people as they walked by-they seemed to appreciate this. Lupina hovered over me like a mother bear to make sure the other men didn't give me any more drinks. We went to our rooms which was at a national park. It was still early, but I took an aspirin and a drank some water, and attempted to sleep. As I was laying down, the school's security guard tapped me a number of times..."Joe, whiskey, let's go." I'm pretty sure I said "Whiskey, 맛 없어 (not delicious) but he later claimed I said "죽을거야" (I'm going to die)...a phrase I do not know. Anyway, I went back to sleep, woke up fine, but a bit dehydrated.
The next day there was supposed to be "forest crafts", hiking and skeet shooting, but the rainy weather prevented these. Instead we want to a plant park and saw, uh, plants.
Grace, Lupina and I were trailed by my new best friend, the bus driver, who told me his name was Bruce Willis.
Next, traveled to a Korean movie studio. There were a number of movie sets, some from movies I had seen. One was was a DMZ set from the movie JSA. Not one of my favorites, but I do really like the director's later films, so it was a bit exciting.
I also got a picture with a poster from the movie "The Host". Also not my favorite, but It's starring my favorite Korean actor and is a pretty fun giant-monster movie.
Everyone was tired and ready to go home...they weren't particularly jazzed about this trip being overnight in the first place. I was dropped me off close to my home, where the bus driver got up to give me a hug; finally, I went home to sleep. Later, the trip organizer thanked me for trying to being one of the school's teachers and not just a native teacher, which was pretty flattering to me. The end.
We took a bus there. Of course, we needed to drink beer and soju on the way...it was past noon afterall. The driver gave us the 'drink em if you got em' announcement. I did my best to abstain, but the soju pressure was put on, followed by somek (beer with soju).
Our first stop was the home of a famous writer, Kim You-jeong, who died in poverty in the late 30's. There was a lecture, which I did not stay for (it was in Korean, mandatory for the Korean teachers and, apparently, interesting/long-and-boring). After touring the small complex, I found a bench and read a book.
Our next stop was a restaurant to eat Dak Galbi, a Chuncheon specialty. The hostess said the magic words: "Dong Dong Ju"...and all was lost. In occasions like these, it is difficult, especially for a male, to drink in moderation. I was fine after the soju and somek on the bus, but the Dong Dong kept coming, then the principal brought his drink of choice, soju, and did shots with every table.
The next day there was supposed to be "forest crafts", hiking and skeet shooting, but the rainy weather prevented these. Instead we want to a plant park and saw, uh, plants.
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