Hiking at Achasan

Last Sunday, Bobbie, Kara and I hiked up Achasan, a small mountain in the east of Seoul. It was a rare nice day after a week of bad weather. I even checked the concentration of air pollutants at my new favorite site, www.airkorea.or.kr. Heck yeah only moderate level pollution! Let's hike

We made it to the top with no casualties. Seoul looks pretty on clear days. And massive, as always.

On the way down, we walked by a buddhist temple.

Just so you know, should you attempt wrongdoings, a happy Buddhist holding a lotus blossom will watch you serenely as you do them. Possibly while contemplating the sound of one hand clapping.

Yay, Buddhism.

White Day

Unlike in America, Korea (and a few other Asian countries) actually have two Valentine's Days. On February 14th, Valentine's Day, women are supposed to give chocolates to their boyfriends or husbands. On March 14th, White Day, men are supposed to return the favor and give chocolates to their girlfriends or (/and?) wives. So, basically, what this breaks down to is the Korea's Hallmark is even smarter than America's.

I'm told April 14th is Black Day, when singles put on black armbands and go out to...be single together? People are still unclear on that one, so I'll have to let you know.

Look! I have friends. They'll come in handy for Black Day.

I finally went hiking last weekend. Seoul is surrounded on all sides by mountains so there's a lot of good hiking around that I've, until this point, never taken advantage of. Some friends and I hiked up Suraksan in the north of Seoul. Man, even though it rained the last 45 minutes, I've really missed hiking!

 From the top of the mountain (that nice Korean man gave us cucumbers!).

Midterm Hiking Trip

It is midterms this week so the kids take their tests and then leave early. After school yesterday, all the teachers at my school went on a hike to a Buddhist temple on Buksan Mountain.

Kyeong, Yeong Deuk and I hiked up together.

During the hike, we stopped and had kimchi (because it is Korea and every meal must be accompanied by kimchi) and mokolri, which is an unrefined rice wine. It's fizzy, opaque white and very sweet - it's sort of like alcoholic soda.
Traditionally, it is served in a wooden bowl like this, which was how we drank it later for dinner.

But we just used paper cups for the hike (unfortunately, this photo is a little overexposed but we are toasting).

We finally reached the top and took a rest. Sorry, America, I perpetuated unflattering stereotypes about westerners - I was sweating like a dog. (Actually, dogs don't sweat but the point is, I was very sweaty; like, 'kind of looked like I'd gone swimming' sweaty).

The Buddhist temple was very beautiful and it is still in use so it is very well maintained. Some friends wanted to do a temple stay sometime, so on the hike up I was asking Yeon Deuk about it. He told me that if we go, we must eat only vegetarian, go to sleep at nine p.m., then wake up at six a.m. and bow 3000 times to the Buddha. So, I was feeling lukewarm about temple stays but it was so serene and beautiful there that I still might consider it.

Above the main temple is a shrine with a carving in a huge boulder of the Buddha on a lotus. In order to get there, you must a very tall stairway.
I sprinted up the stairs because I like getting painful things out of the way quickly. And I thought I could use the exercise. Mr. Yang, the PE teacher, was very impressed with me.

My principal told me after that the stairway has 108 steps. This is significant in Buddhism because it is said there are 108 fears and anxieties in life. So, as you climb the stairs, with each step you are supposed to release an anxiety. Buddhism is very poetic. Although, after watching Mr. Shin collapse in exhaustion on reaching the top, I wonder if it isn't just that people are too tired to be anxious when they get to the top.

Here is a picture of the Buddha.

The man next to me is my principal. I am kind of scared of him. But he invited me to his daughter's wedding!