A month’s catch up #1

Hello readers, and welcome to November! Long time, no write! (My apologies!)

This year is speeding by quickly, and although we all have traveled less, we all remain busy with our daily lives and trying to find our peace in the turmoil.

This post was planned to cover multiple subjects: Korean fall, hair style #2, rice fields, and other miscellaneous happenings. However, I will spread these topics out over the next few days!

Korean Fall

Korea’s fall weather started to hit in mid-October. The air had a crisp, fresh feel to it, as the temperature began to drop slowly. While I was still in my spring/summer attire for school, my colleagues would be donning sweaters and coats, looking at me with big eyes and asking “안 추위요? (Ahn chuwhyo?) You aren’t cold?” To which I would respond, “안 추위요 I’m not cold.”
*It lasted until this week, when fall temperatures dropped quickly, and I was still dressing in my late spring-friendly fashion. My co-teacher laughed when she saw me finally bringing a sweater with me to work. Now, it is indeed 추위요 cold.

I took advantage of my days at the middle school to take afterschool walks discovering the nearby neighborhoods. I loved observing the trees slowly changing their bright green leaves for crisp yellows, golds, oranges and burning reds. The locals would stare at me, as if they had never seen a foreigner before, but only once did I second guess if I was on a public or private street. (Pretty sure it was public, but it was getting dark, and the man didn’t seem too happy that I was making his dog bark, so I awkwardly turned around and headed back down the mountain street.)

2.5 weeks ago, my middle school took their 1st graders on a bike ride, and invited me to participate.
If you know me at all, you’ve probably heard about my literal run-in with a tree in a parking lot (the ONE tree in said parking lot!) while in university. That was about 10 years ago (April/May 2010 to be more precise). Since that hillarious event (I was laughing and crying when it happened) I had ridden only 3 more times: 2 times in Peru, and 1 time in the White Water Center of Charlotte.
My co-teacher asked if I wanted to join the students, since I would not be teaching today.. and I said yes, but clearly stating that it might be a terrible idea.
I was pretty strong that first 25 km… and then my muscles decided I was done. So.. the entire return trip was eye opening to how amazing, patient, and kind my colleagues and my students are. The last 10km all but 1 teacher continued, while the 1 teacher stayed with me and patiently walked/rode by my side. As we made the final uphill turn into the school driveway, all of my students, the teachers, and the videographer were cheering me on as I walked up that very steep climb.

Even today, it still hurts to sit down. I feel like Maria in Sound of Music, when the children place a pinecone on her chair during the first dinner, and she sits on it, and jumps up… startling poor Captain Von Trapp.

The weekend after my bike riding shenanigans, I returned to 팔공산 (Palgong Mountain) where I had gone during the spring. My colleagues at the elementary school had told me I must go to see the maple trees change colors. I took 2 buses, totaling 2 hours one-way, to arrive at the mountain. This time, taking the cable car up to the top of a different peak.

The cable car experience was delightful! For just ₩10,000 (around $9) you can purchase 2-way ticket. The cars were small, and would be convenient for a family, or a young couple, to take up to the top. My ride up was just me, myself, and Belle. Classical music played lightly in the car, as we rose over the bright oranges, reds and yellows.

At the top, there was a restaurant serving Korean noodles and seafood pancakes, and multiple trails you could choose to walk. Just like our beautiful Appalachian mountains, Palgong is very popular for fall foliage viewing.
With this in mind, the caretakers of Palgong Mountain have set up multiple picturesque and selfie-friendly spots near the restaurant, just as you leave the cable car.
Families, old and young couples alike were all out and about, taking selfies and group photos. Everyone wanted pictures in the same spots, so groups would patiently wait their turns.

I walked down one trail, stopping to take pictures along the way, and carefully resting my aching bottom whenever I could.

While waiting for the bus to pick me up in the morning, I had purchased a samgak-gimbap, which is like a triangle’d large sushi, but with no seafood. These are readily available in all convenience stores and are great for hiking. My co-teacher, after watching me butcher the unwrapping process one time, had kindly showed me the proper way. Please follow these steps to avoid embarrassment:

Stay tuned for upcoming posts about my second hair style adventure and rice harvest.

Stay warm, and may you find happiness in something you do today!