From Batman to Bat Caves

Monday
 I celebrated Halloween with my students. Halloween is not a holiday that is celebrated in Taiwan. However, most English schools here do celebrate it, so my students got a little taste of Halloween. The Thursday before Halloween Teacher Tyler and I co-taught a science lesson to 5th and 6th grade. The students made predictions and then tested out which candy they thought would sink or float. Afterwards, they watched "The Haunted Mask" episode of Goosebumps. On Halloween I met with both classes. Both grades went through a very scary haunted house in the basement of our school created by the Chinese staff. It was the first haunted house I have ever been in and I was scared. Both classes also decorated pumpkins. It is very hard to find pumpkins in Taiwan, so the pumpkins we decorated were quite small (see picture). The students used hair dryers to to melt crayons on the pumpkins. The students really enjoyed the process of it. For the rest of class, we played bingo and other games to get in the Halloween spirit. It was Fried Chicken Monday that night. We watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and some other Halloween episodes to celebrate. 

Clockwise from the left: Three of my 3rd grade students in our "photo booth," the foreign teachers all dressed up, Teacher Tyler and I co-teaching a science lesson to our 5th/6th grade students, two of my 3rd grade students decorating our pumpkin, and my 3rd grade class on Halloween. 

Tyler and I protecting the streets of Taichung. 

Thursday
 I tend to go back to the same restaurants to eat every week. Josilin and I decided to once a week take turns picking out a new restaurant and trying it. Since getting back from South Korea, I have been craving Korean BBQ. This week was my pick, so I chose a Korean BBQ place close to our school. Everyone in my apartment building came out to eat. It obviously wasn't as authentic as the Korean BBQ I had in Korea, but it was still good. The restaurant was called Stand Up, and as you might guess you stood up around the barbeques. Our waitress was very friendly and helped us order and cook everything. It was a fun meal with friends.  

Friday
Every other Friday there is a diner that holds a pub quiz. Josilin, Tyler, and I go almost every time. We have gotten close to winning, but have never taken home the prize. This week I was feeling good, because the theme was the 90s. We did very well on a couple of rounds (Friends, toys and electronics, 90s cartoons), but did not do so well on some other rounds (sports). Scott was the only person on our team who knew much about sports. I did know about the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding incident (thanks Weird Al). The following is my only other not-so helpful contribution. 
Host: What basketball team did Muggsy Bogues play for?
Me: Was he on the Harlem Globetrotters? I am pretty sure he was on a Scooby-Doo episode with the Harlem Globetrotters. (He wasn't)
Scott: No, he wasn't on the Globetrotters.
Me: Did he play for the Bulls? I remember him playing with Michael Jordan in Space Jam. 
Scott: He did play with Michael Jordan in Space Jam, but not in real life. 

Scott got that question right, without any help from me. We were two points off from winning. We will get it one of these days! 

Saturday
Tyler, Josilin, and I scooted to see a cave. As Josilin says, "caves are the best part of nature." It was my first longer scooter ride, so I was a little nervous. It was not bad though. It was short enough to not be uncomfortable. We were unsure whether or not the cave was okay to go inside at first. There were signs around it in Chinese, which of course we could not read. Thanks to Google Translate, we deemed that it was okay to go inside the cave. The passage inside was very narrow. We could only go in one person at a time. The floor also filled with about an inch of water. So with the flashlight on our phones turned on, we went into the cave one at a time. We didn't get very far when Josilin told us to turn around and go back because she had seen a bat. We turned around and went back outside the cave. Because the cave was so narrow, Josilin was worried that the bat would fly into her face. We stood outside the cave for a little bit deciding what to do. Tyler decided to go first and we decided to try again. We did not get very far when Tyler told us to turn around, because he had seen a giant spider. He was worried the spider was going to crawl on him and lay eggs. Once again we left the cave. We stood outside the cave once again deciding what to do. A family came with some younger children. We tried to get them to go into the cave, so we could go behind them. Some people around our age also came and stood outside the cave with us. We tried to get them to go in. One of them had a very large flashlight. We tried to communicate through English and miming that we had seen a giant spider. They just laughed at us. 

Tyler inside the cave. 

Eventually we found out that there was an exit to the cave a little bit down the way. We decided to start at the exit. Two men, including the one with the big flashlight, went in first. We got farther than we did on the other side without seeing any creepy crawlies. The two men stopped at an intersection and said that they would not go any farther because they were wearing shoes. We discussed whether or not to continue on. I said that I would go first, because I had not gone first yet. I wasn't scared of bats or spiders. I didn't get very far, when I saw the hugest spider I had ever seen. It was at least 2-3 times bigger than a tarantula with a huge body (I think it might be called a Huntsman Spider. Look it up, it is terrifying.) I turned around. I told Josilin and Tyler I had seen a huge spider. They told me that they had already told me that earlier. I did not think it would be that big though. We left the cave and visited a nearby temple. I fell asleep early Saturday night from all the day's excitement. 

We have evidence we actually made it inside the cave. 

Gnomeo training dragons. 

Sunday
I did Fitness Marshall workout videos with Tyler and Michael. Then I went to lunch with Michael and Josilin. Every so often, Josilin will host a Sunday night dinner. I had volunteered to cook this time. Josilin made queso and I made quesadillas. Cooking can be a challenge in Taiwan for a variety of reasons. Most apartments do not have ovens. It is hard to find the ingredients that you need, and it is also expensive. It is much cheaper to just eat out. I hadn't cooked in awhile though, so I was looking forward to it. Michael, Jacob, and Tyler came over for dinner and it was fun to share that community building. Afterwards, Michael, Jacob, and I went to yoga. It was a fun weekend! 

South Korea Trip

One of the advantages of living in Asia is that there is a lot to see, and you can get fairly cheap flights. My bucket list of places to see started with places where I have friends currently living. My first place I chose to visit was South Korea to visit my friend Amanda. I got approved for the vacation days and very quickly purchased tickets. The tickets were far cheaper than the flights I would buy from Minneapolis to Seattle. My plan was to spend two days exploring Seoul by myself, then I would take the train to Busan to see Amanda for the weekend. I consider myself fairly well traveled, but this was my first trip where I did some traveling on my own. I definitely made some mistakes and learned some things about myself as a traveller. 

The day before I left for my trip, I was feeling very stressed. I still had not received my new debit card from Minnesota. Thankfully, earlier in the week I had gotten a Taiwanese debit card. I had one month's pay in my account. I hoped it would be enough. I went into work very early to finish all my sub plans and tie up loose ends before I left. My roommate Josilin asked if I was ready for my trip. I told her that I did not feel prepared. I had done very little research. I had a three-day weekend the week before. Why hadn't I done more research? I wasn't packed. I hadn't even figured out when I needed to catch the bus to the airport, let alone any other transportation while I was there. Josilin had just gotten back from South Korea a few weeks earlier, so thankfully later that night she walked me through some things that momentarily calmed me down. That night I decided and figured out what time I needed to leave. I also wasn't leaving until the next evening, so I had some time in the morning to pack. 

I scooted to the bus station, took the bus, and then caught my flight to Seoul. The Incheon Airport is on an island, but there is a subway that goes directly to Seoul. Josilin had told me the night before which stop to get off on. She told me to use Google Maps once I got off the subway to find the hostel. For some reason, my Google Maps was not working. I just started walking hoping I was going in the right direction. It hit me for a moment that I was in a foreign country and I had no idea where I was. I went back and forth with trying to use Google Maps and trying to connect to Wi-Fi. Eventually I was able to connect to Wi-Fi and found out that I was walking in the wrong direction. My Google Maps started working and I was able to make my way to the hostel. By the time I got to the hostel, it was 11 pm. My flight was scheduled to land at 8:00 pm. When booking it, I had assumed I would be able to do something that night. Two of the other teachers at my school also happened to be in South Korea the same time as me, so I planned to meet up with them at the hostel. They were both asleep by the time I got there. I researched how to get the DMZ tour for the next day on my phone, then I went to bed. I did not sleep well that night. This was partly because of stress and partly because I am not used to sharing a room with five other people. 

The next morning I woke up and checked my phone. It would not turn on. I tried plugging it in, but it still would not turn on or charge. I had downloaded the Seoul Subway app on my phone to be able to get us to the DMZ tour. My friend Michael woke up and together we were able to use his phone to get to where we needed for the DMZ. My phone was very hot and still would not turn on. I questioned whether or not I would be able to go down to Busan the next day. At the DMZ tour (the demilitarized zone), we made several stops exploring the border between North and South Korea. We stopped at a lookout, where we could see North Korea. We also stopped at the last train station stop before it would enter North Korea. What I found most interesting and unnerving was going into the third infiltration tunnel. South Korea has found tunnels from North Korea underground through the south. The tunnel that we went into was big enough for 30,000 soldiers to go through in one hour. They have found four tunnels, but suspect that there are more that have not been found yet. Our tour guide was very energetic and funny. While at the observatory she told us, "North Korea is watching us with telescopes right now, please do not do anything to make them angry." Even though there is tension between North and South Korea, people still talk about when Korea will be reunited as one country again. It is somthing that Koreans hope will happen in the future. 

Michael and I went back to the hostel to have a quick rest. I tried to get my phone to work using a variety of things that the internet told me to do. I still could not get it to work. Michael, very graciously, said that I could use his Ipad for when I went to Busan. Busan was back on! The rest of the day in Seoul, Michael, Scott, and I walked around and went to see Miss. Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children as a 4D movie. In a 4D movie, the seats would move to go along with the movie. Everything that the characters touched or felt, we would also feel. For example, in one scene it was raining, so we felt a mist of rain. I enjoyed the movie for the 4D effects. 

The next morning I used the hostel computer to try and figure out how to take the KTX (high speed rail) down to Busan. I bought my ticket and thought I could print it at the hostel. The printer at the hostel was not working, so I figured I would just show them my confirmation number at the ticket place. I had really wanted to go to a dog cafe, but found that they opened too late for me to be able to catch my train. Also, because my phone was not working I did not have a way to figure out the navigation. I had to check out of the hostel by 11, so Michael, Scott, and I started exploring after I checked out. We walked to Bukchon Hanok Village to see a more traditional village in Seoul. It is still a residential area, so there were signs all over reminding visitors of this and to keep quiet voices. We found a place to eat lunch. 

I had calculated the time I would need to make it to the station to catch my train. I checked the time and realized that it was going to be close. I said goodbye to Michael and Scott and used Michael's Ipad to find the closest subway station. I could only find the subway I needed going in the opposite direction. I tried to find a different entrance, but still could not find the right subway. The station that I was supposed to transfer to wasn't that far away, so I started walking there. Again, I had a hard time finding the right entrance. Eventually, a man asked if I needed help and pointed me in the right direction for the subway I needed. While waiting in line, another man also waiting to get on the subway approached me. He asked if I spoke English. We chatted the whole subway ride and he walked me through what I needed to do to catch the KTX. He was a theology professor who had had several sabbaticals in the United States. Right when I was about to get off, I asked him what his name was. His answer: Moses. 

I arrived at the train station an hour after my train departed. I got in line to buy another train ticket. I got to the train station at 4:00 and got a ticket for the 4:20 train. It was very easy buying my ticket and finding my train. I slept for quite a bit of my 3.5 hour train ride. Finally, I made it to Busan and found Amanda. We dropped my stuff off at her apartment and headed for the beach. At the beach, we watched a light show on the bridge. After I had purchased my tickets to come to South Korea, I had found out that my friends Makara and Patrick were moving to South Korea in September. I let them know I was around and they came to Busan to the weekend to see me. All of us met up at a very good pizza place and then we moved to a bar called Thursday Party. There, we played darts, talked, and I finally felt like I was able to relax. 

Amanda, Makara, Patrick, and I at Thursday Party. It felt a little bit like a cross-over episode with a friend from my hometown meeting friends from university. 

The next day, Amanda took me to a temple. It was actually the first temple that I have been to while in Asia (I know, shame on me). There was a festival going on at the temple, where there were various free stations that you could go to with a stamp card. Amanda and I had our names written in Korean, made a bracelet, and got a rice cake. There was also a station where people could try on a traditional Hanbok. We were hesitant, being two white girls from the Midwest who are aware of cultural appropriation. At the urging of the people at the booth, we tried on the Hanboks. "Picture by tree," the man helping us said. We moved over by a tree and he took our picture along with several other people nearby. 

For lunch, Amanda took me to a restaurant by her house and I had noodle soup. She wanted to try something new, with help from the internet she made her order. She described it as "earthy" and said I should try some."  While she was still eating, she messaged her friend to ask what she had ordered. It was clotted pig and cow blood. We went back to Amanda's apartment and I tried to figure out the best way to get to the airport. I also plugged in my phone and it finally started to charge! I needed to get back to Incheon airport for my flight the next morning. There was an airport in Busan, but again I did not research enough to know this. I could take the KTX, but the only problem was that the last one was 11:00 pm and it did not start until morning, which would not get me to the airport in time. Amanda helped me find a slow train to take me to Seoul that left at 11:00 pm. I dropped my baggage a locker in a subway station. 

Amanda and I met up with Makara and Patrick to go to Gamcheon Cultural Village. It was fun to walk around and see all of the colorful houses. There were also lots of little fun, artistic shops to walk around and see. The view wasn't too bad either. 

Gamcheon Cultural Village in Busan, South Korea.

Gnomeo enjoyed the view too!

After exploring the cultural village, we explored the downtown area of Busan. Amanda described it as the "Times Square of Busan." There were lots of people walking around and the street was buzzing. We walked around for awhile, and found a Korean BBQ place. Everyone showed me the ins and outs of eating Korean BBQ and I had my first experience trying soju. I would highly recommend mixing soju with something else. 

All the good fixing at the Korean BBQ. 

After BBQ, we went to an arcade which had noraebang (karaoke) rooms. The rooms were very small and just fit the four of us. We belted out songs and the machine in the room would give us a score on how we did. Our final song, fittingly, was "Bye Bye Bye" by NSYNC, which we got 100 on. We rode the subway back to get my luggage. Then, I bought my train ticket for the ride back to Seoul. I was early for my train, mostly because I was paranoid about missing it again. There were chairs left out by the train station because they had had a Chinese culture fest. We all sat around and talked and it was wonderful. Amanda, Makara, and Patrick walked me to my train and we said our goodbyes. Although Seoul had been stressful to me, Busan had been a blast. I really enjoyed seeing and visiting with my friends. 

My train left at 11 pm. I slept the majority of the 5.5 hour ride. I arrived at Seoul Station at 4:30. Subways did not start until 5:30, so I waited around a bit at the station. I caught the Subway to the airport. I was very early for my flight, but that was okay. I met up with Michael and Scott who happened to be on the same flight home as me. As much fun as I had in South Korea, I was excited to go back home and see my Taiwan family. 

Almost home!

Initial impressions of South Korea:

• The weather was much cooler than in Taiwan. I really enjoyed it, because to me it felt like fall weather. 
• The public transportation system is fantastic! Despite having issues finding that one subway, the subway system is easy to use and very convenient. The trains were also very easy to use. It was fairly easy to figure out. 
• Fashion was on-point. I think I could have just sat around and people watched to see the clothes that people wore. 
• There is much more of a drinking culture in South Korea than Taiwan. 
• It is a place that I would definitely go back to and explore more! 

Lessons learned:

• You should take into account all travel time, including how long it will take you to get to the airport to where ever you are going. 
• Know where you are going and how to get there with at least a general sense. 
• I need a private room to be able to sleep. 
• Phones are really useful when traveling. 
• I am not the type of person who can go to a country and spontaneously figure out how to do things. I need to do lots of research before I go otherwise it will give me stressness. 
• It is wonderful to meet up with friends abroad. Also, it is so helpful to have friends to show you around.