Teachers Day

Well, Erik and I haven't been doing anything that is to exciting lately. The weather is getting hot so it is nice to just relax. Here is Erik after getting a package from his mom. She made my day with the girl scout cookies she sent, and Erik got some books so he was very happy as well. She also sent him his hair clippers.....so I got to test my hair dresser skills...you can see the results at the end of this post.  

Last week was teacher's day so we had little ceremony outside. As usual I had no  idea what was being said so I just stood outside and baked in the sun.

This the principal of out school. 

Here is me trying to be patient and pick out as many Korean words as I can.

This is the Vice principal of our school. The students made little carnations pins out of paper for all the teachers to wear. 

Can you see me in the back? I stick out even from far away hehe

The parents sent flowers to the teachers office so it looked really nice that day. We are all eating some rice cakes after the ceremony. My co-teacher Ally is on the left and one of the first grade teachers on the right. 

All the teacher's got these little flower baskets. I now have a nice center piece on my table! 

The six grade class is learning the months so we made birthday cakes. Ally is decorating  the board  with the help of the 5th graders.

Everything is really green now. Erik and I went for  a walk to find the library, but it was closed =(. Too bad we can't read or we would have seen when the hours were. 

We did stumble upon the Gumi Folklore Museum. It was kinda boring because once again we couldn't read the signs lol.  I can pick out a few words, so I am getting a little better. 

Here is the end result of the hair cut. I think I did a decent job haha. This is the food court at Home Plus. We went there to find another basketball because the one we bought popped. It was too cheap. Well not the most exciting post, but that is what we have been up to.  

Buddha's Birthday at Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto in Gyeongju

This is the view from the train window as we headed toward Gyeongju on Buddha's Birthday. It was another rainy weekend in the mountains. Even though a nice sunny day is better for pictures, I really like the feeling of being in the mountains when everything is damp and wet.   

Despite almost missing the train in Gumi, we arrived with ease to Bulguksa Temple. It was another 40 min bus ride from the train station in Gyeongju to the temple. We picked a good day to go because we didn't have to pay an admission fee because of the holiday!

The quality of this picture doesn't really do this scene justice, but I really liked how the colorful umbrellas juxtaposed with the lanterns. It made the gray day seem a little brighter. This is the path that leads up to the temple.  We were smarter on this trip because we brought extra dry cloths and put our paper things into plastic bags so everything didn't get wet like it did at the tea bowl festival.  

Bulguksa Temple was constructed in 751 during the Shilla Period. Gyeongju was the capital during the Shilla Dynasty and the temple was the center of Shilla Buddhism. This is the entrance to the temple complex. Around the complex lanterns were strung with people's prayers and wishes for their family and friends.

Here is Erik reading a sign.

Here is the interior courtyard. On the left is the base of Dabotap Pagoda. The pagoda is unique because of the four pillars that support the first section, instead of a solid base like you see in the pagoda in the picture below.

This is the Three Storied Stone Pagoda of Bulguksa, and is considered a more typical style during the Shilla period.

Back to the Dabotap Pagoda. Can you see how different they look? Ok I will stop being an art history nerd now.... Haha

There was a mass going inside this building (Daeungjeon

) so we didn't really get to have a good look inside.

And here is Erik looking out at something...I don't know what. I just think it is funny to take pictures of him when he is not paying attention.

Lining the walls of the walkways was art work done by kids who visited the temple. in this one.

This is an image of the Golden Buddha in one of the temples. We couldn't take a picture of it, but I think this artist has created a nice representation! I put a Google image of the real one at the end of this post. 

Here are some lanterns waiting to be added to the hundreds of others around the complex.

A view as I was coming down some very steep steps.

Remember one of the first posts when we went to the lake by Geumo Mt and there were those big rock piles? Well here are more rock piles behind the temple. You can say a prayer than then add a rock to a pile.

I really love these so I wanted my picture in front of them. It looks like it isn't raining, but it is. I'm not hiding from the sun!

Just as we were starting to get hungry for lunch, we ended following a crowd to the lunch site. They were serving bibimbap, soup, and a rice cake. We were able to sit on the front "porch??" of the monks living quarters while we ate. 

Here is me....I have no comment for this picture lol sorry

And I have no comment for this one either.... (nonplussed as always)

This is the pond at the entrance of the temple complex. We actually came in the exit and left thorough the entrance!

After touring Bulguksa, we decided to climb the mountain to go to Seokguram Grotto. We didn't really know how far we had to go, but we decided to go anyway. Even though I was almost dead by time time we reached the top, it was well worth it so see the huge stone seated Buddha.

The top of the mountain was really foggy, and we could hardly see anything. below you can see all the colored lanterns.

The entrance to one of the temple buildings. It was really crowded and there were people worshiping so we didn't really go in. Plus we weren't suppose to take pictures. I found some pictures on Google though so you can see the seated Buddhas.

On the way back down the mountain we took a detour to the spring. This is a really creepy picture of me drinking from the spring. I look like a ghost! A tourist ghost hehe. The water was almost as good as the water in Argonne.

This is a painting of a god on the wooden door that goes to the monks living quarters. I don't know who he is, but if someone does they should let me know!

I didn't take this picture , but I found it on Google so you could see what was inside the temples.

This  is not my picture either, but you can  see how the temple is built into the hill. When you enter into the temple it looks really big actually because the hill is hollowed out into a dome. This is where the huge stone Buddha lives.

My favorite thing on the trip was seeing this Buddha. When you walk around it your head almost reaches the base of the platform he is sitting on. Thanks to Google you can see a picture, but we weren't allowed cameras.

Sports Day

Last Monday our school had sports day. We have been practicing for two months now so everyone was excited. The school even rented  dj to make it more fun. Many of the students parents came to watch, and each grade did numerous activities with their class and with their parents.  

In the morning the whole school made lines and sung all kinds of school and national songs.Then they did the Taekwondo warm up routine which we practiced after second period a couple times a week.

The teachers and staff all got purple shirts to wear. We also had to wear black pants with a white cap. I had none of these things so I had to go buy a hat, pants, and some new shoes.

Here are a few 6th grade girls lining up to start some of the activities. The school was split into the blue team and the white team. The classes had to compete to earn scores for their team. 

6th grade boys

Here are are some 4th graders lining up to race.

The younger students had to role one of the big balls around a cone with their parents.Some of the students' parents couldn't attend so I had to help a couple kids.

These guys were in charge of setting up different activities.

First place!

For those who didn't want to run, we had less active games. Prizes were given according to what it said on the paper they caught.  Some of the people at the event didn't even have kids who went to the school, but were just neighbors who came to join the fun.

The taekwando teacher helping his students get ready to their performance.

The students received wood boards that they would have to kick and break in half.

Taekwondo team

Parents of the blue and white team competing at tug'o war

You can see me on the left int he background sporting my huge white hat and purple polo  =)

Some of the first graders in my after school class

I had to run a lap with this girl and we had to pretend like we were conducting music while we ran so she is trying to explain to me what to do.

This rather dangerous game is similar to a pinata. Each team had to throw bean bags to try and break open the basket. It was not a good place to stand and take pictures.

By now it is afternoon and time for lunch. The parents packed a lunch and ate with their kids. Some people had enough sun and decided to have their picnic in the hall.

The teacher had bibimbap in the cafeteria

After lunch the girls dance team had a performance.

These guys are showing off their first place stamps

The girls are giving stamps to the winners

The best part of the  day was the moms doing a dance performance.