Hong Kong + Vietnam Pictures

Check out the pics on picasa web albums using the link below. Annecdotes to come (if I can convince Jake to write some ; )

Hong Kong skyline from Victoria Peak

My Khe (China) Beach near DaNang, Vietnam

Web Album Link: http://picasaweb.google.com/kaadalac/HKVietnamSept2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCKG4x6fjncmQwAE&feat=directlink

Incheon - more than just an airport!

Incheon offers numerous sights beyond the obvious "international airport." The city is actually split between Yeongjong or airport island and the mainland. From Incheon Terminal to Ganseok Station, meandor a strip of park blocks with bubbling fountains and winding walkways. Head to the open port streets near Incheon Station to discover a host of historic buildings dating back to the late 1890's, when Korea was opened up to foreign companies. Three Japanese bank buildings line the narrow avenue.

A cruise thru China town awakens the senses and feels like a minature get-away from Korea. Golden dragons guard the monumental towers.

Traditional red lanterns line the alleys, brightening up the streets.

Wooden thatched houses vend traditional chinese goods along the way.

Bountiful bakeries offer endless sweet breads to delight the palate. Check out this crumbly moon cake, chuck-full of sweet potatoe.

Folks on a dinner mission will delight in menus, from plentiful shrimp fried rice to the popular ja jang myeon (sweet potatoe noodles coated in a homey black-bean sauce).

A stroll through Jayu Park, 1888, reveals a striking view above the port city. A statue of General MacArthur recalls the struggles and feats of the Korean War. Around the corner, a monument dedicated to Korean-US Amity illustrates the ties our countries have built through the years.

A 45 minute trip to airport island provides an escape to the west sea beaches. With low tides and muddy shores, be advised to wear footgear in the waters.

Barnicles can really mess ya up ; )

BAR SIGNS YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

Lately we've stumbled across some stellar bar signs that deserve a spotlight. How can you not be tempted to peek your head in?

Korean Kiddies bounce to Soulja Boy!

Talent shows in Korea are no joke. With two weeks of prep, my sixth grade smooth talkers performed a jazzy dance to Abba's "Dancing Queen." The boys spun one another with glee while the girls rocked their glitzy crowns and belted the beloved tune.

Another highlight included a hysterically accurate rendition of the "Fresh Prince" theme song. A boy in oversized sports gear "shooting some bball outside of the school" ran into some boys "up to no good, started making trouble in the neighborhood."

Jake's troublemakers retooled several "Annoying Orange" skits. Their comedic genius peeked with a pun on Lady Gaga when five girls dressed as Lady Pasta screamed, "Pa-pa-astaaaaaaaaa, ro-ma, to-ma-ta."

The best performance came from an awe inspiring class who rocked a drum and flag show to the Fifa World Cup Anthem. The comradery felt when waving national flags to the pounding beat of plastic bottle drums united the crowd.

Following the two week camp, Jake and I coached a joint talent show class for the one week camp. We happened to have two classes that didn't know too much English, but man were they a quirky group. When we initially played a youtube video of "Crank That" by Soulja Boy the kids couldn't stop laughing. We were a bit confused until one lil' guy blurted out, "Teacher, SOJU BOY dance????" ke ke ke. After 4 days of corraling them together, this was the outcome....

Attention all shoppers - PET LOCKERS at the store near you!

Little dogs are the craze-du-jour in Korea. This is logical given that the majority of the population lives in endless stacks of apartment complexes sprawling across the city. Nevertheless, Jake and I were a bit shocked to encounter "PET LOCKERS"  at the entrance of Lotte Mart (the local jewel or super K).  Go ahead, shove that puppy in next to your backpack. There are breather holes.

FUNFOODFEATURE

It is no secret that Korea is making great strides to integrate English. We find this both convenient and entertaining. Why you may ask? Well, mispelled signs often contain simple errors that drastically alter their meaning. Let it be noted, that I'm not trying to be offensive-- I can't even imagine what bullox I would write when translating information. But these minor details give us a chuckle and remind us that are jobs here are not quite finished.

Some common examples:

Enjoy Kimchi Fried Lice!

Forget lozengers, ease that throat itch with Rozengers.

Thirsty? How about a cafe Ratte?

Tonight, the the craP salad is succulent.

While mispellings are common, sometimes the mere layout makes English seem like a foreign language. Check out these SPAMCHESSESANDWICHES!

BACK TO KOREA

Ah yes, we've returned. It appears that this year will be a lot busier and we apologize in advance for lack of communication. We essentially wake up and go straight to work around 830am. At lunch time it is nearly 1030pm in Chicago and 830pm in Portland. By the time we finish work at 530pm, it is the middle of the night in the states. So while we love you, expect less talk time ; (

Work is picking up quickly. We did a week and a half of observations that got tedious, but the next three weeks are jam packed with camp. The camps are entirely created by teachers and focus on new content than the other weeks of the year. Lots of the kids are returnees who are coming on their summer vacation for enrichment learning.

Jake hit the jackpot when it comes to camp lessons. He will spend his days extracting dna from strawberries and making lava lamps in science club. Meanwhile, I'll be teaching the "nurture" section which focuses on saving our planet and the occupations that coincide. Luckily, in the afternoon I have cooking club - tortilla pizzas here I come.

We snapped some pictures of our neighborhood and le petite dorm. Get excited....ha, ha.

For the extremely curious, here are links to our city and school.

Bundang: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundang

SNET: www.snet.or.kr/english