Friday, April 20
Korean houses are much different from those in America. This is what a typical Korean house looks like. I walk past this house on my way to and from work everyday.
A year in photos – Day 55
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A year in photos – Day 54
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Thursday, April 19
They are in the process of adding doors to all of the subway entrances in Busan. Suicides and accidents have been a problem in the past.
During the process, they have men guarding the tracks to make sure no one gets too close.
A year in photos – Day 53
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Wednesday, April 18
Yesterday was field trip day. All of the students were gone so the kitchen was closed. The school ordered kimbap for everyone (super cheap sushi roll looking things). I don’t eat kimbap so I was really disappointed. JuHye offered to order some delivery for me.
Food delivery in Korea is so fascinating. It’s a big business. The meal comes to you on real plates and they bring you actual cutlery (none of that disposable stuff). They wrap it in plastic wrap, put it in a thermal box, strap it to their scooter and off they go. When you’re done with your meal, you put the dishes outside of the door and they come back later and pick it up.
That meal cost me 6,000 won (about $5.25 US). At the top are my side dishes — radish kimchi and pickled radishes, rice, miso soup, fried pork cutlet (돈까스)/salad/fruit, gravy.
A year in photos – Day 52
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Tuesday, April 17
I took today’s photo on the way home from school. I think it’s interesting when shops pop up on the sidewalk. They just unload the truck and they are in business. I wonder if they actually make any sales.
Scavenger Hunt Busan
October 15, 2011
Back in October, a bunch of the English teachers in Busan got together for a scavenger hunt. The girl who organized it did a really great job and everyone had a lot of fun.
To play, you had to register your 5 member team online prior to the event. Also, each team needed a name and themed dress was encouraged. There was a prize for the best costumes. My team chose to do something simple. We wore red and black and called ourselves the “Red Hots.”
We all met up at HQ Jangsan. In order to get the packet that contained the challenges, you had to participate in a flip cup challenge. I’ve actually never played flip cup so our teammate, Jamie, took the challenge.
It took a few rounds of the game, but once we got our packet, we set out on our 
way to complete the challenges. The packet contained a list of photo and video challenges. Each challenge was given a point value and the top 3 teams with the most points were awarded prizes at the end of the night.
The Red Hots came in second place and our prize was a keg. Basically, we were allowed to go into either of the HQ locations on a night of our choosing and drink a keg’s worth of beer for free.
I’ve posted the photos and video below. Enjoy!
My friends’ team — Noah’s Arc & The Zoo Crew
Take a picture of a local proposing marriage to one team member- 100
Take a picture of your entire team planking- 200 + 100 for most unique location
Take a picture of 2 team members on a scooter-50
Take a picture of a team member humping something inappropriate- 50
Take a picture of a team member holding a baby, making the face that they would make if they’d just found out that it was theirs- 100 + 100 for best face
Take a picture of a team member with a local couple wearing matchies- 50 pts for every piece of their clothing that’s matching
Take a picture of a Korean couple making out- 100
Take a picture of 4 team members with at least one body part in the ocean- 200
Take a picture of one team member with their face painted- 150
Have one team member challenge a local to a game of Dance Dance Revolution (dancing arcade game). Take a picture of them cheating-50
Find a stage of some kind. Take a team airband picture-100
3 team members doing love shots with 3 locals at the same time- 50
Take a picture of all five team members in a taxi taking up all of the seats- including the driver’s- 200
Take a picture of all team members posing like in an old school family photo on the ugliest possible piece of furniture you can find = 140 +50 for best picture
Take a picture of your team handing out samples at a grocery store- 100 +50 if anyone is wearing the salesperson’s white legwarmers
Take a picture of a team member holding a dog that is wearing accessories or has coloured fur- 50
Create an art piece. Take a picture of your team with the piece- 100 +200 for best
Bonus Challenge: Get into a human pyramid and take a shot at the same time
Bonus Challenge – get a photo with as many locals doing the “Kimchi” pose as possible
Before you enjoy the video, here is a list of the video challenges we completed and point values.
Video challenges
1. Create a talk show featuring a team member as the host. Interview a kimbap changook lady, who is ‘on the show’ to explain how to make kimbap- 300 +100 fore most ridiculous interview
2. Play rock, paper, scissors with the largest group of children you can find- 50 +100 for largest group of children
3. Sit with an adjumma (old lady) selling fruits of veggies on the street and videotape your first sale- 100
4. Dance using some kind of pole to teammate-produced music- 100
5. Have one team member give another team member a manicure in a beauty shop. At one point in the video, the ‘manicurist’ must ask a salesperson for advice- 200
6. Purchase a fish (doesn’t matter what kind) from an adjumma (old lady) and set it in the ocean. 2 vids – 150 for purchase, 200 for release
7. Re-enact a famous movie scene in a GS25- 100 +100 for best
8. Have one team member teach a yoga class to at least 5 strangers on a beach. Get a video of at least 1 minute of it- 200
9. Go to a supermarket. Have two team members wheelbarrow through the aisles as if one team member is the cart. Purchase an item-200
10. Have one or more team members serenade a stranger using an instrument of some sort- 150
11. Have at least 3 members of the team crabwalk from one convenience store to another- 150
12. Get an adjumma (old lady) or adjushi (old man) to let a team member give them a piggy-back ride- 150 +200 if you get them to give the team member one
13. Get a business card ninja (the ones on the scooters) to shoot at least 3 cards at a team member while the team member is blindfolded- 200
14. Create a team CASS commercial using at least 4 locals- 300 +50 for best commercial
15. Go into a random group of locals’ noraebang. Get a video of your team singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ with the people who actually paid to be there- 400
A year in photos – Day 51
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Monday, April 16
I’m very easily amused. This is a store in Dongnae Station (one of the subway stops near my apartment). They sell scarves, hose, jewelry and other accessories. The guy who works in the shop is wearing two or three different headbands with with bows attached. It’s simple things like this that make me love Korea so much.
A year in photos – Day 50
Sunday, April 15
I spent Sunday in Ulsan with Dave. We didn’t do much. We slept in, had Turkish food for lunch and then did some furniture shopping. After that, it was time to head back to Busan.
I usually post my daily photo from my iPhone, but I took this photo out of the window of Dave’s apartment with our new camera. It takes really great pictures, but I have a lot to learn about DSLRs.
A year in photos – Day 49
Saturday, April 14
Today, Dave and I went to Gyeongju to see the cherry blossoms. I have been wanting to see Gyeongju for a long time and today I finally did. It was definitely worth it!
The highlight of the day was sitting in this area that was shaded by cherry blossom trees. When the wind blew, the blossoms fell to the ground. It looked like it was snowing. It was gorgeous!
Jinju Lantern Festival
Friday, October 7, 2011
One of my favorite festivals in Korea is the Lantern Festival in Jinju. It is fantastic. They have lanterns floating in the river, and decorating all of the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, I didn’t arrive in Jinju until quite late at night, but I heard it’s really beautiful at dusk and we have plans to go back in 2013 to find out!
Location: 626, Namgang-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
Date: October 1-13, 2013. (It’s around this same time each year)
Website: The official website still has last year’s dates up, but you can use the Visit Korea page about this festival for more details.
A year in photos – Day 48
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Friday, April 13
I have had a really great day. Usually Fridays are my most stressful days because I teach the really young kids in the morning (1st & 2nd grade). The lessons are just really hard to plan and the kids have really short attention spans. Today’s lessons went okay.
I have a Flat Stanley visiting me from the States. A 2nd grade boy in North Carolina made him and sent him to his aunt in Texas who then sent him to me. I took him to school today. I had him visit my 2nd graders (not pictured) and then he spent some time with the 4th graders during lunch and recess.
Tomorrow we are going on a day trip to Gyeongju. We are hoping the cherry blossoms are still in bloom so we can get some good pictures.
Life Outside of Texas 