Last Wednesday at school we had Market Day. All the kids brought in old clothing, toys, and books, and we set up the classrooms like different shops. We taught them conversation and vocubulary related to a marketplace. Each class took a turn as shopper and vendor. It was so cute to hear the 5-year-olds asking the 7-year-olds "How much is it?" Some of those kids drive a hard bargain!
My days off last week were well spent. Thursday I started my day with a run, and the rest of the day I lounged at central park with some friends, along with the entire population of Anyang and their goats, enjoy the summer-like Children's Day. Friday I took Elly out for lunch for her birthday. We went for tea after, and I had brought her a mini dessert. The people at the shop gave us candles, a match, two forks, and a knife. It was really sweet of them. Then we did a little shopping, and her sister (Selina) and boyfriend met up with us, too. Yey!
I have to say that I had two VERY different experiences that past two weekends. Both tired me out in different ways. I am currently quite exhausted because I've been up since 3am! I was at Magoksa Temple for the weekend, for a twenty-four hour temple stay. We arrived Saturday around noon and had a bit of time to explore the area. Then we had to change into our temple garbs - very comfortable and roomy. Lots of big pockets too! We were introduced to the different types of bows and the chanting that we would perform for the early morning ceremony on Sunday. After a tour of the site, we participated in a "caring hearts" exercise. Each of us had a partner, and in turn, we had to guide our blind-folded partner across the river on stepping rocks.
I was SO nervous and shaking when we first started, but very soon after my partner started leading me and using her words to explain my each and every move, I relaxed and just trusted her. She did a good job and I felt safe in her hands. I think she felt the same way when I lead her!
The next portion of the program was arts and crafts. We made beaded prayer bracelets, and lanterns. Making those lanterns made me wonder how I am actually qualified to teach arts and crafts classes twice a week to half the students at my school! Hahah In the end, I think my lantern turned out quite well and I ended up being very proud of it. The girls I was sitting with were feeling the same way as me, so we were very good at cheering each other on, and complimenting each other's projects. Every one turned out so differently...all very beautiful!
Dinner was modest but delicious - rice, soup, and some typical side dishes (kimchi, radish, spinach, sprouts). Of course, there was the red chili paste that is so popular here, so when it was put all together, it was practically bibimbap, without the egg, one of my favourite staple meals here. I had read somewhere that we weren't supposed to talk during meals, so I didn't. I felt so rude as others conversed, because we are so used to meals being the centre of a social gathering, a time to be chatty. It's not that I didn't want to participate, I was just trying to respect the temple ways.
After dinner we had the chance to bang this GIANT drum. This is a wish to all things living. Then we each had a turn to ring the GIANT bell. This is a wish for the dead. These areas are usually closed off for visitors and tourists, so it was neat that we got to experience it.
Next we had an evening ceremony in the main temple. This involved some chanting and bowing. Afterwards we walked around the five-story pagoda, as a sort of meditation, focusing on a personal wish. The last activity of the day's program was having tea in the tea room with one of the monks. It was an opportunity to ask questions as well. 9pm was bed time...I was pretty fast asleep even before lights out. The males and females were in separate rooms. We slept on the floor. I actually had an amazing sleep!
We were woken up at 3am on the nose, no earlier and no later. It was surprisingly easy to get up. The morning ceremony started in the main temple at 3:30am. This involved some bowing and the chants we had learnt the previous day. After this we did our 108 bows. This took about 45 minutes. In Buddhism, there are supposedly 108 distractions, so we must clear our minds of these, let them go.
We were woken up at 3am on the nose, no earlier and no later. It was surprisingly easy to get up. The morning ceremony started in the main temple at 3:30am. This involved some bowing and the chants we had learnt the previous day. After this we did our 108 bows. This took about 45 minutes. In Buddhism, there are supposedly 108 distractions, so we must clear our minds of these, let them go.
The bowing movement involves standing with your hands in a prayer position, feet together. The the bamboo stick is hit, you bend down on your knees and bow such that you make five points of contact to the floor: your forehead, your two elbows, and your two palms (face down). Your left foot is crossed over your right foot. Then you raise your palms, face up now, to your ears. This symbolizes touching Buddha's feet. When the bamboo stick is hit again, you return your hands to prayer position and stand up, using your leg strength. I definitely got into a rhythm, and it went quicker than I expected, but for the remainder of the day (and now) I can still feel all the work my legs did. That repetitive motion with muscles I am not used to using was a challenge! Not being fully awake helped, I think.
Before breakfast, we did a half hour meditation, focusing on "Who am I?". This also went quickly.
The breakfast ceremony is different from other meals. No speaking is strictly enforced, and there is very specific etiquette. You have four bowls - the biggest is for rice, the next is for soup, the third if for cleaning water, and the fourth is for side dishes. You cannot mix anything in the rice bowl. You must always raise your bowl to cover your mouth while you eat. You must keep one piece of kimchi at the end, to help wash your bowl. Of course, I dropped by bowl as I was drying it, and it made a huge clattering sound. Haha
After breakie, we had free time before our meditation walk. It was still very misty at this point. It cleared into a lovely day though (Saturday was great too). I accompanied a guy on a walk, so we actually got two morning walks in! The site really is beautiful...very lush, fresh, and peaceful.
After our walk, we helped out with some gardening. We planted peppers! We had a final debriefing session with the monk, had some free time, changed out of our monk garbs, and had lunch. (Same food as dinner the night before.)
The weather could not have cooperated more, especially since "they" were calling for rain. Also, Tuesday, May 10 is Buddha's birthday, so there were lots of extra lanterns and special decorations up that usually aren't there. A very cool experience for sure.
There are actually lanterns set up EVERYWHERE in Korea. It's pretty nice!
The PREVIOUS weekend involved a trip to Gwangyang, to visit my friend Laura from high school. We were
Oh! The bus fiasco continues. So the direct bus from Anyang to Gwangyang was sold out, so this meant I had to go into Seoul early Saturday morning (which is north) just to come back south. Anyways, that worked out. I got to Laura's in about three and a half hours, which was two hours faster than the projected time. Perhaps because there were only four of us on the bus? Who knows. RETURNING however, I arrive at the bus station to have everyone tell me the bus is gone, and that I'm actually at the wrong station. I've missed the bus, and there are NO MORE LEFT. Obviously, I panic right away. I call Laura and she calmly reminds of the English tourist phone line. I call it and ask the best solution. Turns out there is a bus (leaving in 10 minutes) back to Seoul, just a different bus station than the one I came from. SOLD! Last ticket. Perfect. So it all worked out. Five and a half hours door to door, including the subway from Seoul to Anyang. Not too shabby!
It's supposed to rain tomorrow. I hope it doesn't, as we have a field trip scheduled to Seoul Grand Park - there's a zoo we;re to see, and then we're having a picnic! Can't it be like the weekend? 24 degrees and sunny? (Yes, Canada, I'm rubbing it in.)
Never again will I leave this much time in between blogs. This took WAY too long to put together! I've just been SO BUSY! I've been going in for work early most days, as I feel there is a constant surplus of things to prepare and get done. It's a very high-paced job, especially since March with only three foreign teachers. I can really feel the absence of a fourth teacher. It makes a huge difference, in terms of numbers of students we are accounted for. Enough. BED TIME!
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