Trekking day in Seoraksan forest, Korean style

So, when Kel mentioned that we were going hiking I figured it would be a nice little trek out in nature. You know the kind where you hike in a lunch and sit by some serene pond. I couldn't have been more wrong.
After taking a taxi to the trailhead, Kel, Charissa and I began with some asian style stretching. (You know the kind that those of considerable years do before they start water aerobics or tai chi.) The first bit of the trail was next to a river for all of about 5 minutes, then the stairs started. Now I am not talking one flight of stairs, I am talking dozens (this is no exaggeration) so you can ascend straight up the mountain. Koreans waste no time, remember? (And being as how hiking is a national pasttime, one must hike with gusto! This is also why you will see Koreans wearing full REI gear as if they were going mountaineering, one gentleman even had a rope! No, it wasn't for rockclimbing.)
Once we had hiked the first dozen or so stairs we came to a landing overlooking one of the highest falls in Korea. It was beautiful and reminded me of Bridal Veil Falls in Valdez Alaska.
At least two dozen more stairs and we came to a lookout. You could see clear down into the valley and across to the other ridges.
Now at this point, I was quite happy with the effort put out. I would not have cried if we turned around and were through. Only my two adventuresome friends decided that we should continue onto the top of the ridge. (Mind you I have not had hearty exercise since, well, since Thailand.) What the heck, I came all this way, I figured I should finish. We ventured on, breathlessly.
Truly I thought the stairs, would never end. Corner after corner they came. Until, I saw blue sky. I knew this was a good sign. Joy doubled the pace of my pulsing veins. The end! The end! Well to be honest this new vantage was little different than the previous one, oh about an hour ago.
C: Well lets continue on.
K: Yeah!
N: uhm... sure?
I was ready for a bit more, so long as the view was worth it and this second part was to be downhill. Or so we thought.
Nope. Still up, and up and up and up. By now I felt as though we should have reached heaven, for I was already asking God how it was possible we had come all this way and not yet seen Him.
Finally, we all agreed either whither away on this trail or turn around.
With jello legs and over stressed knees, we headed down the stairs... and stairs... and more stairs. Stairs of stone, stairs of rubber, stairs of wood.
When we reached flat land, I could have cried. It may have even been more beautiful than the waterfall.
Though this was a challenge, I do not regret it. Dare I say I even had fun. More importantly though I learned two things:
1.) Working to ge to the top makes the view 10 times better.
2.) I need to get into better shape.

TGIF and the halfs!

As I have meantioned, Koreans waste no time. Thus my second full day in Korea would also be the day I start my new job.
Friday classes are all fifth grade classes. Six periods of 5th grade classes to be exact, with the same material covered for every one. My co-teacher for these classes is Hyo Jin. She is quite sweet and allowed me just to observe the first day.
For lunch... we had kimchi. Mind you this is the stuff that everyone has warned me about. To be exact it is pickled cabbage with Korean chili on top for flavor. The smell is, well to be polite, quite unique; and most Americans are not big fans of the stuff. I figured I should get it over with sooner rather than later, so I tried it. Though not quite enjoyable, I found it to be a lot more fresh and spicy than I anticipated. (I found out later that school kimchi is rather fresh, and actually one of the more palatable ones.)
After two more 5th grade classes, I was home free. Well, home for about five minutes to pack; and then off again to meet up with Kelly and Charissa for some weekend adventures.
A brief walk took me to the main road where I was to hail a cab to the substation. Easier said then done. Traffic was getting worse, as everyone was getting off of work, and a blonde haired foreigner is really not one a cabbie hopes to pickup. But after about 10 minutes, one cab finally stopped. Not knowing any Korean, I mumble the words Kelly has told me to say "Yatap yuk" and hope it turns out ok.
15 minutes later I am on the subway, after being bumped and jostled a few hundred times. (Did I meantion this country is crowded?) After a few stops Kel hops on the sub with me in Bundang and we meet Charissa, who has purchased our bus tickets. (30% off too!)
We board the bus, steal the back row, munch on some pizza & melon pops (yes, girls they have changed my life) and began our trek to Inje.
The bus was supposed to take two or so hours, we got there in half the time and got off the bus (thanks only to the young Korean guy who kindly told us that was our stop) to ponder why it was so quick. Check the map. Yup, right place. Hmm...
Kel: This is not what I expected.
Nik: Did you think it would be more rural?
Kel: No, its just not what I expected.
Cha: Yeah, i pictured somethin else.
Kel: Uhm... its just... yeah I thought it would be more like country.

We searched for lodging and found some suitable quarters in a nice hotel. (The only setback was the creepy desk clerks who merely stared at Kelly while she would ask them questions. At least it was better then the place across the street that smelled like pot and looked like it hadn't been used since the 70's. The colledtion of VHS' was pretty incredible though.)
Next we snagged some more ice cream at the local store (1/2 off) and j-walked to the river. Cha and I relaxed while Kel played her guitar...
Hmm... maybe Korea won't be all that bad.

My first full day and still runnin....

After an early morning wake up (thank you jet lag), Kel and I head off to snag some coffee. My initial impressions of this new land are: cleanliness, Korean signage, and its busyness. Everyone seems to be scurrying off somewhere accomplishing some highly imprtant business. It is lovely that time is not wasted, however coming from the Thailand mentality of sabai, sabai (relax, relax), this is going to take some getting used to.
Kel and I part, for she must journey to schoo. A few prescious moments of serenity and some time with Jah is graciously embraced before I am off to meet Soojung. Soojung, 22, works in partnership with Adventure Teaching; she also has her own business as a recruiter. We arrive at the hospital where I am to get my health physical. (Anyone who is working with children or the elderly in Korea must get a physical before commencing at a new post.) The hospital is just as busy as outside. Scads of patients in seafoam green attire mill the floors alongside crisply clad nurses in pale yellow. Yes, it has that aroma of hospital bleach and presence of bad memories. But we are quickly through with the place after the usual dental, weight/height/bust (huh?). urine analysis and chest x-ray (what is this going to help?).
Next Soojung takes me to my school. Of course the time would happen to be lunchtime and the menu is Korean food! Now after all of the stories I have heard I am quite skeptical, however it was good! (Although nothing is ever truly bad compared to the intestine, eye, and coagulated blood soup that Tori, Brad and I had in Ecuador.)
After lunch we headed to the principals office (this time I wasn't in trouble), with my coteacher Emma. The principal is a kindly older woman who has a great heart. She translated through Emmat that our school, Mabuk Elementary is to be an example of distinguished students. She waxed eloquent for quite some time and then stated that i was simply too skinny. She informed Soojung to make sure that I can prepare my own meals so that I may "become more healthy". We kindly thanked her for her time and made our way to my new place.
Now when I say new place, I really mean "gently used" (for years) place. Sure the garbage from the last tennant, the expired food in the fridge and the dead plants were easy enough to get out but the mold... Well that is another story. It was quite for lack thereof a better word, DISGUSTING. Even Soojung was taken back by how dirty it was and called the school staff asap. By the time we returned from supply shopping the staff had arrived to help clean up. (I am forever grateful to them.)
When all was a bit more spruced up, we said our goodbyes and I was left to enjoy my new buttercup yellow apt.

Hit the ground running...

My first few hours in Korea went something like this:
-Hop off the plane and jump into the loo. It is here I am kindly reminded that I am no longer in America. The toilet is a Korean style squattie pottie with a nice little button to push that makes rushing water sounds (if you are too embarrassed to poop infront of others).
-Meet Soojung at 6:30 and sit through hours of Seoul rush-hour traffic. Finally arrive at Kelly's and drop off my bags.
-Go to the Adventure Teaching gang's Wednesday night dinners. Here I met a number of other foreign teachers in Korea, yes they are all very lovely ladies.
-Drive home by moto (here they call them scooters) and crash for the night.
When they say Korea is fast paced they mean it... and this was only my first few hours.