Doors, opened and closed. These doors captured my imagination.

Well, its been quite a while since I updated my poor, neglected blog! So much has happened that I haven't made blogging a priority. I'd like to say that I'm sorry to all those who were looking for more frequent updates. I'll do better :)

Well, as you can see in the photo, my mom came for a visit. We had a ball traveling around Seoul. She came during October and stayed a week and a half. Every day was packed with activities. We enjoyed shopping in Isadong, a favorite spot for picking up traditional Korean gifts. We also enjoyed a performance by the Gongdong Theater group. You have to check out the video clip of mom and another teacher, Mareen, dancing after the formal production. It was a blast!

We also visited one of the palaces that happened to escape complete destruction by invading forces in years past. It was a nice experience and I particularly enjoyed looking at the architecture. There was also a "secret garden" where the king and his counselors talked. You get story after story on these tours. All in all it was a great time.

Street Arcade

Graveyard Panorama

Chusok Treat

Chusok

Chusok is next Tuesday. It is the biggest holiday of the year here in Korea. I have heard that over 30 million people will be traveling to visit family during this time. This is nearly half the population of Korea. Chusok is similar to the American Thanksgiving holiday. It is tied to the lunar calendar and harvest time. Part of the holiday involves giving gifts to family members, eating traditional foods and visiting the graves of ancestors.

I have the week off and am so excited about having the opportunity to spend Chusok with great friends and my Korean family :) . I'm looking forward to eating traditional foods, and learning more about the culture and traditions of this holiday. We will travel to my friends family home and then travel to a retreat center for some R and R. I can't wait!

Juicy Pig Feet

Don't let the knuckles through you off. These are a real treat for some. They are also a favorite photo shoot for foreigners according to the ladies selling these savory snacks.

Not Fast Enough

You never know what is around the next turn. This guy is running up the wall in Namdaemun. He wasn't fast enough to escape the wrath of Fido.

Lost in Namdaemun

This fellow looks as if wandered in from Wyoming. I think he may be lost. I really love the skirt though! :)

Shopping in Namdaemun

Namdaemun (I hope thats the correct spelling) means South Big Gate...Market (also I think?) Anyway, I went shopping there today with a friend and enjoyed the sights and bargins.

Yodeling in the Subway

The subway is great transportation. It is also good entertainment ;) If you're into yodeling!

This photo was taken in the subway station. Not only do people set up little stands and sell their wares in the subway, but there are also underground entrances to shopping malls in the subway station.

Waiting in the Subway

Here is a shot of the best subway system in the world...as far as I know. It's a great way to get from here to there!

Street Food

Sold on streets! Calamari anyone?

High in the Sky

Sidways

The Side View

This is the view from side of my apartment building

Great Team

Here is yet another shot of the best BBQ place ever!

Best Korean Beef Stew Ever!

We ate together last week at this restaurant. It was the most delicious Korean food I've eaten since I've been here. The Beef stew and barbecue (Korean style)was fabulous!

The Old and the New

In Grandpa Park there was this Pagoda. In the background you can see the city looming around it. Korea is a mixture of old and new.

Grandpa Park

Here is a shot of "Grandpa Park". No it is not really called that, but the girls I was walking with told me that this is where the grandpas go to hang out. It is a war memorial. Remembering Korea's struggle to gain Independence from occupying forces.

Korean Baseball game

It was a lot of fun to go out to the ball park. There was an American pitcher for the home team and there was a lot of action. One bat cracked, a home run and a couple of times a runner got caught between bases and was chased back and forth. Fun time! A couple of differences were that there are professional cheerleaders for baseball games here and the food that was sold outside the gate consisted of various forms of squid and kim bop. No nachos or hotdogs that I could see. :)

Yummy Chinese food

Here is a shot of the yummy Chinese food we ate together at the party :) I've enjoyed trying many different dishes.

House Warming Party

The third week I was here, my precious friends gave me a house warming party. We ate chinese food and had a great time hanging out together. They worked so hard to make me feel a part of the group. About a week later we went to a baseball game together. It was also a lot of fun. I'm uploading some pictures from the past several weeks. More to come!

Night Views

Here is the view from my place in the clouds.

First Pot of Coffee

This coffee maker was the first item on my shopping list! It was so nice to have my first cup of coffee! Simple accomplishments like getting a coffee maker in a new country feel like huge accomplishments!

Bird's Eye View

This is a view out of my apartment window. It's a great view of the city. My ears pop twice on the way up and down the elevator each day. At night it's also quite a sight to see.

National Flower

On my first day out and about I saw this beautiful flower. I later discovered it is the national flower of Korea. It is the "Rose of Sharon" or "Mugunghwa" in Korean.

Korea's basic stats: Thanks to the CIA Factbook!

"Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. Background:Korea was an independent kingdom for much of the past millennium. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the Korean War (1950-53), US and other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young Sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il.

Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winterTerrain:mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west

Religions: no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1% "
draft