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Seoul Train! (email sent home on Jun. 12, 2008)

Each day here is the Seoul train... busy, rushing from "station to station", and with each of us westerners expected to be doing our signature "lineup dance" at each stop. Mark and Betty are the best at this! I personally tend to fumble along, not knowing what (or how) to say it, how to eat, or what is expected at any given moment of the frenetic day. Meanwhile, Mark is enunciating clearly to a group of clearly captivated Korean men (changing their ideas of tax law forever), whilst Betty is being featured on the national news, singing along with a Korean folk song she just learned, or else scattering ashes of Korean war dead from a podium and thanking the Korean audience for "welcoming us to your beautiful country".

Meanwhile, "Santa Claus" is asking directions to the bathroom, and walking in barefoot! ; NOT wearing the little special bathroom sandals that are the universal size 3, and forgetting to take the toilet paper into the stall, which is conveniently located near the front door of the toilet. While Mark hands out professional "name cards", carefull presenting them with both hands and bowing as expertly as the Buddah himself, the NOT-Bertrang, as I feel I am referred to as, drops his chop stick in the octopus au gratin, and is repeatedly given forks by concerned adults.

Actually, the Folk Song troupe that gave the presentation last night in front of the Art museum (I think that was what it was- it could have been Parliament, actually) was a high mark of this trip. First Mark was singled out by the announcer, then, Mark was singled out by the first performer. Then, audience members handed Betty and Mark bowls of rice wine, or something fermented, and vegetables to munch on. Later, the lady to the left of me handed me some rice cakes, so that I could hand them to Betty and Mark.

At the end of the show, the lead singer of the medley of Korea folk songs RAN to Betty, and had her sing the last folk song into the microphone!

It went like this: (exactly) "Nonny nonny ho! Heeny Hiney Ho! Honny Hey ron, jinny ro!"
(repeat)

Betty got it perfectly, and so they pulled her into the group, where all the traditionally dressed performers and Betty (who had luckily worn a recently purchased Korean traditional outfit that matched her eyes) danced around in a circle, singing the above song in unison, whilst the musicians beat out the rhythmn on drums and citherns. Betty added a few twists that I feel sure will be incorporated into the dance... then, they asked Mark to do the same thing, and he was even better! I tried to sidle away into the crowd, but Mark, miraculously spying my white, bearded head two feet above that of the others, grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into the circle!

It went on and on, and flashes from cameras were on us throughout. Mark & Betty seemed to have an unspoked agreement as to which way to jig, and which way to jog. They swayed, they spun, they Korean flash-danced. I resorted to walking as if I was in marching band, but tripped on the speaker wire every time I got near the front. I think the crowd liked it.

Korean Mission trip photos- more photos of OUMC people!

Teacher Chong and the girls at his place....

Pastor Kim's favorite tea room

Korean hidden temple!

This might seem like a strange photo to upload to this blog. BUT, it was a highlight for me- everyone else was stuck on a low level, after leaving the bus...

But I ran UP a series of stairs, and saw LOTS of transplanted, ancient artifacts that needed to be transplanted, since a damn was being put in, that would destroy old things that were not moved.
(Like myself!)

So, given my interest in things of my own vintage, I was propelled into exploring this ancient Korean site. It seemed very AZTECian...

There were temples, and amazing views from on high.

I thought the bus would leave me behind, as I had RUN up many levels, and NO ONE was in sight! (an EXTREME raritie in Korea!!!!) So, I RAN down many more levels of stairs...

When I made it back to the bus, I saw everyone casually munching on squid snacks, and octopus tentacle appetizers... so, I knew I should have spent more time snapping photos. But, too late now!

Pass me a dried squid brain, please!!

Pastor Hyun Suk Kim relaxes in a bamboo "forest"

Here is Pastor Kim, aka "PK" relaxing in Korea, in a bamboo "forest". I think, to "PK", sitting within a forest of bamboo shoots, has much the effect that a forest of white pines has on me...

I hope he finds his bamboo forest!

Korean drum club movie, and other photos

Sue Weber & Santa teach their first class in Korea

Ward and June Bertrang eat out in Korea

The OUMC Korean group looks for a death worm...

I am sample, here me roar!

Most photogenic Americans contest winner!

Here is the grade school drum club- wish I had the whole performance! (About 5 minutes long, at LEAST).

Korean trip-more photos!

Sue Weber in native garb.
The boys enjoy some Korean dessert...
More photos of our recent Korean trip with the Onalaska United Methodist Church group- Mark Bertrang and Deb Bohde eat a Korean dessert.

Koreans and other kids enjoy Korea.

Here they all are... Kind of a nice picture! We were at the King's palace- trust me, you don't want me to find the spelling. It would be like this: the Gickambungum palace.

I'm sure that it was burnt down by the Japanese, in the 7th century, the 15th century, and then in the 1940's again...

If I am Korean, I have real issues with the Japanese...

Dinner party at the Chong's!

Here are a few of the prestigious dinner guests at Teacher Chong's place.Many Koreans and Americans were present, some of which are pictured above. Mrs. Chong and daughter Heyrim went all out in the preparation of MANY great dishes, of which there was so much that it was impossible to do more than sample some of each.

Holly and I (and the rest of our OUMC group, of course) are home now, as of yesterday, Jyly 15. What a trip! (And what a lot of mowing last night!) Now, I will post some of our many photos, and I may even add a comment or two...
Here are the fabulous Kimtones on Jeju Island

Dream Boy Amusement Park

Yesterday, we went to the Dream boy Amusement Park, after teaching English for two separate hours to the same classes of 5th graders- 40 per class. Wow- those classes remind me of when I went to school as a kid- very crowded classes, every resource stretched to the limit, but the priorities are right- the Korean culture is ALL about the kids!

We also went to the National Cemetery; Korea's version of our Arlington National Cemetery. Very impressive!

We also ate Korean bibim bop at the Haan Baat Elementary school where we taught, before going to the Dream Boy park. RIGHT from the park, we were whisked a LONG way away, to a VIP Korean restaurant. Man, there is so much food served, we can barely handle it! Oh, we also went to the Korean mint exhibit.

Today, we leave at 7AM for Seoul, and I'm sure another very full day. Perhaps my laptop will work there, and I can post some of our many photos!

One thing that we have difficulty with, is sitting on the floor to eat- our legs are just not that flexible, and go to sleep as our stomachs are filled to capacity.

Pete Klitzke and myself got a little ill at the Dream boy park yesterday... hope that is all done with!

At Teacher Chong's home

I believe we are in Daejeon City, on the 16th floor of Teacher Chong's apartment. I say "believe" because we have been moving so fast that it is hard to keep track!

No Wi-FI access for my laptop yet, so I'm using Teacher Chong's computer in his office, which was my bedroom last night! Finally figured out how to change from Korean Script on the screen, to English (via AOL!) Wow- I feel like an infant here; unable to do the simplest things, (like bring food to my mouth with steel chopsticks), or even run a computer. Even the toilets are high tech!

Taught English classes at the Hongdo elementary school yesterday in Incheon. Sue Weber and I did 3rd Grade, and went through the ABC's- fortunately, SHE had flash cards!

Very small class- small school; but we're told they'll build several tall apartments there this year that will hold thousands of people each. We saw cranes and construction everywhere!

Teacher Chong and his wife Pokee's (sp?) apartment is very nice- very large, spacious, and with a wonderful view of the city and the surrounding mountains. She spent all of last night making breakfast for us for today- I'm sure it will have:
meat
noodles
egg
vegetables
kim chee on the side, several variaties
fruit
and more vegetables and noodles

But maybe not...

I teach about 80 5th grade students today, with the help of Tess and Christina, Pastor Kim's daughters.

I hope they know what they're doing!

I'll try to add some photos now, but I'm not promising anything. And if this typing shows up as Korean woodcuts, well, go eat your kimchee!

The Korean Group takes off from O'Hare

We leave from O'Hare at 1PM today flying Korean Air. It's a 14 hour
flight, and we hear we get a choice of Korean or American meals on the
flight.

Trip Itinerary July 1- July 15 2008

Tues July 1- Leaving La Crosse, WI Depart 6:50 American Airlines to Chicago, then Korean Air

Wed. July 2- Arrival in Incheon - Arrive 4:50 PM

Move to Daejeon by bus (2 & 1/2 hrs.)
Stay at "Spatel"

Thurs. July 3- English Camp & Welcome Dinner

Fri. 4- English Camp

Sat. 5- Seoul: Christian Martyr Place/Missionaries' Cemetery

Sun. 6- Seoul: Worship at Mapo/Insadong (Traditional Korean Marketplace)

Mon. 7- Seoul: Kkyeongbok Palace/National Museum)

Tues. 8- Jeju Island (Very like Hawaii!)

Wed. 9- Jeju

Thurs. 10- Jeju

Fri. 11- Jeju

Sat. 12 With Host Families

Sun. 13 W/ host families. Worship at Chungnam

Mon. 14- Farewell Dinner

Tues. 15- Leaving Depart 12:00pm

Tues. 15 - Arrive in La Crosse 2:20 PM