Since we don’t want to spend time in our small apartment box, we explore as much as possible. Sometimes we feel like we are living college life again. We spend many late nights in bars or dance clubs hanging out with friends until 3am. Last weekend we ventured to Busan. After enjoying a delicious Mexican meal we followed our friends through the subway system to foreigner row. Ok, not really foreigner row, but once we arrived there were so many English speakin folk, that it didn’t feel like we were in a foreign country. We were able to share our teaching experiences withe each other and then we got our dance on! I love my space to dance and I get a little crazy sometimes. The few Koreans that were there didn’t know what to think. Their dance club style involves bouncing and step tapping. It was fun!
Once we were tired we wanted to take a taxi adventure back to Ulsan (little did we know how adventuress it would be). Ulsan is about 45 minutes away from Busan. At 3am there are no buses or trains running. So, we bargained with a taxi driver to drive us home for about $60. Everything was fine until he missed the exit! Apparently, highways in Korea have no turn offs once you’re on them. For miles we were stuck on this highway with no exits. Then we turned around, had to pay a toll booth. The taxi driver asked how to get to our location. He got directions and went. Then he got lost again. We ended up turing around 4 times, hitting 4 toll booths and adding 25 minutes to our 3am adventure. Once, we were on the correct road, the taxi driver was running red lights and kept on saying “sorry.” We were so happy to see our apartment and no to mention our toilet (boy did we have to pee).
Although our weekends can be crazy, we also take time to enjoy the outdoors. We love our bikes. We biked along the Taehwa River. We enjoyed a peaceful ride with beautiful flowers surrounding us. I also attended a wedding last weekend. Korean weddings are very different from American weddings. The wedding was at this huge facility where many weddings are held in huge decorated conference rooms. They just shuffle the weddings through. When we first arrived we entered a room where we took pictures with the bride. After 20 minutes the wedding began. The room was generically decorated for any wedding. People were talking during the ceremony. I had no idea what was said, but it was pretty short. There were two dressed up kids that walked down the aisle in the middle of the ceremony. I don’t know the purpose. There were no bridesmaids or groomsmen. There was an announcer and a priest. It was very cute when the groom sang to the bride. Lets just say he will not be a singer when he grows up, but his effort was very adorable. After the ceremony we went to a buffet. The bride and the groom did not attend because they had their traditional wedding with immediate family. There are no presents or cards, just money. I decided to exercise my American and I gave the bride and groom a good ‘ol fashioned hand written card. They liked it!
During the week we teach, teach, teach and go to the gym. Last week I only went to the gym twice and they freaked out. I have made friends in my K pop aerobics class and now they expect me to attend class everyday. Well, at least they keep me motivated. K pop is really fun. There’s no instruction, they just turn on the music and go. The ladies know all the dances and I am stumbling two counts behind. After a few weeks, I finally have a few down.The ladies (all ages) come decked out in disco outfits. I mean neon, bellbottoms, booty shorts, fishnet, you name it. I just wear my given gym outfit and call it good. This weekend I went out with my new K pop friends. They do not speak English except for one girl. Except her Spanish is better then her English, so we speak spanish to each other. The instructor made sure my glass was full. We were hugging and laughing and taking pictures. We can’t speak to each other, but who needs language when you can dance;)
Although we miss home ALOT!!!!! This is an experience we will never forget and we challenge ourselves to go on as many adventures as we can. Seize the moment!
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