BerAdel is a really swanky horse club. The owner runs a specialty elevator business and on the side became interested in horseback riding. He opened BerAdel as part of his passion for horses. The clubhouse does include a really fancy elevator, of course. The club itself is large, there are many fields and even guesthouses. There is also access to a beach, but it rained most of the day so there was no way we could ride there. Jamie told me many Korean TV shows and movies have been filmed a BerAdel. It was originally a training ground for Korean knights.

My own experience with horses is minimal. I rode a couple time in Texas for fun before I left. Though I rode on people’s ranches out in the Hill Country. Very informal. Very Western. The riding at BerAdel is all English horseback riding. It’s much more formal. Fortunately Jimmy gave me a lesson. The video below shows him explaining to me the basics of mounting the horse.

Here’s a picture of me actually riding the horse.

After riding we shuffled into this little wooden room within the stables. It was filled with “Pegasus 501″s for our horseback riding simulation pleasure. We’re all so silly. And Jamie’s dog Twinkle makes a special guest appearance!

Result of the trip…my inner thighs were SORE SORE SORE for three days. But it was worth it!

EDIT: The peanut butter cookies are so SO delicious. The gum sucks, flavor doesn’t last at all. Made a *majestic* egg sandwich for dinner. Cooking eggs in the microwave is totally genius. :) Total cost of groceries was about 30,000KRW…a little under $30USD.

2. High heels everywhere. So many band-aids covering blistered heels.

3. I’d heard of soju, but makgeolli tastes much better. It’s like a sweet, milky wine made from rice. Instead of the vodka-like flavor of soju, which is made from sweet potatoes.

4. Everyone watches TV on the subway. Cell phones have long antennas sticking out of them.

5. I can’t say enough how impressed I am with Seoul’s subway system. I always notice how clean it is.

6. Cars never yield to pedestrians! I witnessed someone get hit this weekend. (It was minor.)

7. Drunk business men. I thought it was just a joke. Nope.

8. Kimchi. The whole city smells like it.

9. Most women carry expensive looking bags. Sometimes men carry expensive man-bags. Also see many men carrying their girlfriend’s purse (and shopping bags).

10. So many restaurants where you grill meat at the table. It’s a novelty in the USA, but here almost every other place I go to has a grill at the table. Pork is common so you’ll see many signs with cartoon pigs wearing chef hats or something.

I had no idea, but it’s more proof that Koreans are crazy about learning to speak English. So many people have asked me why I decided to come to Korea. It can be an overlooked country. Initially, I dreamed of teaching English in Europe or South America. After some research I realized it’s much more difficult and hardly as lucrative to teach in, for example, Spain or Argentina. Koreans are serious about education (it’s already QUITE clear to me) and an important part of education for Koreans right now is English. They know how important the language is for globalization and they’re willing to employ hundreds, if not thousands, of teachers in their country just to educate kids in English.

The other weekend I was talking to a teacher at a different school who claims the hagwons here are an education revolution. He thought there would be pages in the history books describing the blooming business of English education in South Korea. Revolution or not, it’s definitely seen as a business. Administrators and teachers at my school view the parents as our clients and we’re expected to work hard to impress and please them. It’s a much different mindset after attending public school my whole life. But these families are paying a pretty penny to send their kids to the schools. The children do deserve a top notch English education if that’s what they seek.

The bathrooms here are different than in the USA. Mine is extra small, kind of like an airplane bathroom. Instead of a tub and shower, the shower head comes out of the sink. You take a shower in the bathroom. Water goes everywhere. I’m beginning to enjoy it. The first time I drenched the roll of toilet paper and shaved off part of my fingernail. Things have improved since then.

My kitchen is also small and contained in a closet. There’s a sink and hot plate. Most teachers say that they do very little cooking. I will most likely do the same.

This weekend I also explored more of the city with friends. I continue to be impressed with the subway. It’s so easy to use and CLEAN. I rarely see dirt anywhere. No one speaks very much. People that ride are well dressed and polite. An old lady even offered me a seat and picked lint off my skirt! My favorite part is crossing the Han River. I live south of the river, but most of the “downtown” destinations are north. The subway comes above ground (obviously) to cross and you see a wonderful skyline and cityscape. Night or day it’s amazing.

Briefly:

-Friday evening visited a restaurant with flowing Makgeolli river (Korean rice wine)

-antics in Hongdae, club on top of a building, interior with fake rivers and grottoes, exterior Gaudi-esque rooftop that made me nostalgic for Barcelona

-stuck outside in downpour on Saturday afternoon while going to the subway, should ALWAYS bring an umbrella during monsoon season, but I still don’t do it

-visit popular English bookstore in Itaewon (part of town that targets foreigners, close to military base)

-go to obnoxious bar close to Itaewon with lots of foreigners, DNW

-night improves when I eat Cookies’n'Cream ice cream bar from convenience store :)

-Sunday visit Insadong area, stroll along outdoor market that reminds of of Las Ramblas

-towards evening catch subway to Namnaemun with lots of shopping, street food, outdoor stages and a violent carnival ride

-explore further into city center with friends and pass tons of stores selling motorcycles/scooters and then tons of stores selling pets

***PS: (what I have noticed) cars NEVER yield to pedestrians, everyone on the subway watches TV on their cell phone, at least 80% women wear high heels everywhere

Tomorrow will update about teaching adventures!

I’m still getting used to Seoul. I feel somewhat debilitated and intimidated because I can’t communicate very well. I don’t live in a touristy area of the city so very few people speak any English. My neighborhood, Bangbae, is a peaceful, residential area…not as bustling as other parts of the city but still dense and urban. I like it here because it’s safe and quiet.

So far I feel lucky to be working at Alphabet Street. They have been quite accommodating and friendly. My first night in Seoul the principal of the school took me out for dinner, then bought me breakfast and water for the next morning. She drove me around in her car to make sure I understood the layout of our neighborhood. Some of the other teachers were surprised I had to come to work the morning after arriving in Seoul but that evening the school had a Welcome/Goodbye party. They served dinner, gave speeches and gave the departing teachers presents. They gave me a bouquet…so sweet!

The children are ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE. At my school we teach a class of kindergartens from the morning until early afternoon, then some random elementary classes in the later afternoon and evening. My kindergartners are called “Evergreens”. I teach seven 7-year-olds, but Korean ages are different so they’re really about six. They’re incredibly bright, attentive, eager and funny. Some of them have already latched on and constantly try to hold my hand, hug me and sit next to me. They notice everything! My earrings, my makeup, how I do my hair…they noticed my hairy arms the other morning. One little boy claimed I was a boy after he noticed. I told him he must be a girl because he didn’t have ANY hair on his arms.

I haven’t seen too much of the city yet. I’ve been working a lot and going out for dinner, but mostly in my own neighborhood. I saw some different areas of the city via car when I had to go to the hospital to get my medical check. That was a fiasco. I had blood drawn and wasn’t given a band-aid. The next step was to provide a urine sample. So I walked into the bathroom with blood dripping down my arm. Then I get into the stall and notice it’s a squatting toilet. I am bloody and trying not to pee all over the floor while aiming for this cup. Ugh. I was appalled at myself.

So, from the window of a car I saw some awesome buildings in the downtown area. There are tons of apartment buildings all over the place. Lots of signage and brands. I can’t understand most of it. Flashing lights. The subway is very clean and efficient. Tonight I ate a filling dinner for $3-4 at a local spot with a couple other teachers. I have little hope for ever cooking here. Neighborhood joints are cheap and filling. The outside smells like Korean food and sometimes garbage. Seoul has a distinct scent that I know I’ll never forget. It’s really humid here and has been raining a lot. Cars never yield to pedestrians. I’ve heard old Korean ladies can be really mean to foreigners, haha. The bathrooms are hard for me to deal with. They’re always wet because the shower head comes out of the sink faucet. There’s no stall or shower curtain. I never feel like my hair is clean. Right now I am living in another teacher’s spare bedroom in an older townhouse type arrangement. This weekend I’m moving into my own place. It’s a newer building but very very small.

I haven’t taken many pictures yet because I’ve been too busy and it’s rainy outside. I usually work from 9-9:30AM until 5-7:00PM with multiple breaks throughout the day. Jet lag hasn’t been terrible or anything. I get tired a little earlier than normal. The worst is that I keep waking up at 6:00AM every morning! I feel grateful for the people I know here. The teachers at my school have been completely friendly and helpful and the American friends I have here have made the transition so much better. I don’t feel “at home” here yet but I’m definitely comfortable and happy. I have many people who will help me and take care of me if I need it. I’m hoping for a fantastic year ahead.