Email from a former student

The unfortunate thing about being a teacher: leaving students behind.  I recently got this email from one of my favorites (now that I'm gone, I can pick favorites- right?)

ninateachar!
my name is mary
ninateacher finished go home America april classroom friendeverysad.
newteachar name is staveteachar.
ninateachar&staveteachar is very different
game different learning different anyway I miss you……
good-bye

I could criticize her punctuation and spelling... but it's just TOO CUTE.  Glad to know I'm missed!

Moving Day and Seoraksan

On September 23rd, after a year in Eunpyeong, Seoul, my contract was up and I was ready to move on.  I felt sentimental for about one second about leaving my adopted hometown.. then I remembered I had about a million things to look forward to: staying with Matt in Dong Song, being close to my friends, going to Italy, visiting with family in the US, a trip to Vietnam and Laos in the winter, etc.

I was leaving the best mondu-guk restaurant in Korea behind, and had some tears in my eyes while saying good-bye to my favorite co-workers.  I was especially upset having to say goodbye to Eva, my favorite Korean co-teacher.. we had a lot of fun together and also made a great teaching team.  She was the one I turned to whenever I had a question about something "Korean".  She definitely made my life in Seoul much better! 

Eva and I on my birthday

Other than that, there was not much else to be sad about.  I was honestly pretty sick of my school and had been counting down the days until it would be over.  We had a strict curriculum that the teachers had to follow, and it was the same old thing every day.  After a year, it got tiresome and I could tell that the kids were bored of it- but it was frowned upon to stray even a little bit from the book.  I was also tired of working national holidays.  I know it sounds like a petty complaint, but those extra vacation days really make a big difference.  And last of all, I got really irritated by bureaucracy of the private academy.  I don't want to go into it on a public blog, but the business/school was run inefficiently and I had no power to make suggestions or change it.  So, when moving day came, my amazing boyfriend and friends came into Seoul to help me pack up, clean up, and move out.  And that was that.

I spent 10 days after the end of my contract in Cheorwon.  It was supposed to be a relaxing 10 days of hiking, biking, and cooking.. but it turned into a lot of job-coordinating, paperwork, unpacking and repacking.  I think it's a sign you're getting old- when you spend your whole vacation doing work.   I did get a few hikes in and made it to Seoraksan (a national park/ mountain range in Sokcho) for a long weekend with Matt, Scott, and Jerusha.  We had a really good hike to a peak that none of us really knew the name of.. but it was stunning none-the-less.  I had been to Seoraksan the year before to hike Ulsambawi with friends, but I really enjoyed this new peak because it was "off the beaten path," so to say.  The only other people up there with us were intense hikers and rock climbers.  My 10 day vacation in Korea was a whirlwind, but it was great to spend some time with Matt and the gang before I left on my big solo-journey.

View from the top.. that's the sea out there

The boys at the start of the hike

Matt and I at the top. Doesn't it look like lord of the rings?

View from outside the cave

da big buddha

Seodaemun Prison

During my last week in Seoul, I finally found some time to do something touristy and learn a bit more about my area.  So I got on the bus 702A and headed to Dongnimmun Station (독립공원) (subway line 3) to check out Seodaemun Prison- it sounded interesting and gory (always a good combination).

Dongnimmun Park and Independence Gate

The prison itself was located in a gorgeous park (a rarity in Seoul) with great memorials, fountains and a view of Namsan Tower.   In the park is the historical Independence Gate (독립문).  The gate was built to represent Korea's movement away from Korea's dependency of China.  Independence Gate actually replaced another gate (Yeongeunmun Gate), which was used by Korean officials to welcome Chinese diplomats to Korea.  Yeongeunmun also means "welcome gate for obligation"- so building Independence Gate holds a lot of significance in Korean Independence (hence, the name).

Independence Gate

Seodaemun Prison
The prison itself was built in 1908 by the Koreans and was originally named Gyeongseong Gamok.  When Japan entered Korea and started to take away national sovereignty, many patriotic Koreans started an Independence movement against the Japanese.   In 1923, the name was changed to Seodaemun Prison.  It was used by the Japanese to imprison the many Korean freedom fighters, and the conditions were terrible.  The prisoners were beaten, tortured, cramped, underfed, overworked- you name it.

The prison grounds are actually quite beautiful with the bright red brick and groomed grass.  Despite their beauty, they hold an ugly history.

Prison grounds

Before going the prison, I was actually expecting a lot more anti-Japanese sentiment.  It would have been only appropriate considering the prison's history.  This would have been awkward though.. because.. I like Japan.  However, the museum was really tasteful and gave a lot of information without condemning the Japanese too much.  It definitely inspired Korean pride.. if I was one of the many Korean students there on a class trip, it would make me proud to have such heroic ancestors.

The prison is comprised of many different buildings.  The first part of the prison walk is through a museum giving information on the history of the prison.  It had a large room with the pictures of the many freedom fighters (over 500) that died in the prison from the terrible conditions.  The museum had old authentic uniforms, handcuffs and chains.  Apparently, the prison was also used as a factory where the prisoners were forced to work day and night making clothes, weapons and other materials for the Japanese to use.

Heading down into the basement is where it got scary.  It was the "torture section" of the prison and the curators made life-sized mannequins displaying the different torture techniques.

ouch

interrogation

They had displays of people (mannequins) hanging upside down with their head in a bucket of water... "people" having their finger nails removed, etc.  They had a box with spikes inside where they would put people and shake it.  There were also closet-type things that made were impossible to sit down in but also built in a way that you couldn't stand up straight, either.  They actually left those opens so that you could try it out yourself.  I went into one and some brat on a class trip tried locking me in!! It was like being in an upright coffin.

The prison also had the rows of prison cells open (with mannequin guards, of course, which kept startling me).

very creepy

solitary confinement cell for the "extra patriotic" fighters

There were multiple buildings with rows and rows of cells.  They were usually over-cramped without toilets, heat, or aircon (obviously).  They also had the execution building open for viewing but there you weren't allowed to take pictures.  There were also tunnels for the disposal of bodies that weren't even found until recently. 

Overall, I really enjoyed seeing the prison.  Before I went, I saw on other peoples' blogs that the museum was about cultivating anger and hatred towards Japan.  I was expecting to see anti-Japanese graffiti and such, but I didn't see any of that.  I think the museum encouraged visitors to have respect for the patriotic ancestors that fought for their beliefs and sacrificed themselves for independence.

Getting to Seodaemun Prison:

Dongnimmun Station- Orange Line 3 OR bus 702A/702B
Enter the park.

Japan

Japan was, to say the least, AMAZING.  It was everything I've ever wanted and more.  The sushi was awesome, the sake was fresh, the people in kimonos were adorable, and there was hello kitty/anime everywhere.

We went from Tokyo to Kyoto to Nara to Osaka.  We packed a lot into 9 days but it was worth it.   I went with a good group- Matt (boyfriend), Andrew (co-worker/Seoul buddy), Claire (friend), and Megan (friend from U of R).  You'll see their faces throughout the pictures on this blog.  Below is a bit of a summary of what we did on the trip.  I didn't go into too much detail about the little things, but they were just as memorable as some of the big sights.  I loved the vending machine restaurants, the green tea ice cream, the tatami mats and interior design, the monkeys walking down the streets of Harajuku, the gyoza and tempura, the sensory-overload of almost every store, the Engrish signs, the arcades, the fresh soba and udon noodles, the parks, the fashion, the accidental Shinkansen ride to the airport (most awesome train ever), the green tea... everything!

Tokyo

Tokyo was really interesting.  It's an awesome mix of east and west.  They've maintained their sense of Japanese identity while adopting Western culture where it fit.  They've done a really good job keeping the balance between modernization and tradition.  It is definitely an international city- a hub of business and politics- but there are still shrines, parks, and an imperial palace that the emperor's family still lives in.  We stayed in the area called Asakusa, which was a great spot.  It's considered an "older" part of the city and hasn't been modernized like the areas around Tokyo station or Shinjuku.  

The famous golden sweet potato, or "terd" as some may call it, of Asakusa

Asakusa

The first night we got there, we spent our time exploring Asakusa and acting like Japanese teenagers.  Check out the stickers we made..

double date

sticker booth

We spent out days touring the city.  Each day, we saw a whole lot from morning till night.  Here's some of the highlights...

Harajuku and the Meiji shrine
We unfortunately missed seeing any funky "Harajuku girls" dressed in ridiculous outfits.. I think we got to Harajuku a bit too early on a Sunday morning.   But, we did get to see the Meiji shrine.  Emperor Meiji and his wife ended Japan's isolation to the outside world.  In other words, they opened Japan to the West, which is why the country is where it is now.  It's really great he did, because globalization has made it so now you can get sushi in new jersey- and use a non-squatty toilet in Tokyo.  A great exchange, if you ask me. They built a gorgeous shrine for him and his wife in Tokyo.

Meiji shrine

My favorite part of the shrine- wishes and prayers in many languages

The Imperial Palace East Garden
Most of the palace isn't open to the public because it's actually someone's house (which is pretty cool in itself), but the east gardens are open to see.  I loved the koi fish ponds.

Looked like a real-life thomas kinkade painting

East gardens

Towards dusk, we headed to Tokyo Tower.... which looked familiar...

Tsukiji Fish Market
The next morning, we woke up at the crack of dawn to head to the Tsukiji fish market for the freshest of fresh sushi.  The auction was closed to the public but we were able to walk around the fish market and see the day's catches.  The market was busy-busy and we were constantly dodging to get out of the way of motorbikes and forklifts.  We saw some big fish.. and ate some delicious sushi!

The fish market

fresh fish

fish heads

sushi for breakfast

best. sushi. ever.

  
Since we had to wake up at 6 AM to go to the fish market, we were pretty beat and spent the rest of the day going shopping in Ueno, which actually wound up being a gambler's dream with it's numerous pachinko halls and digital horse-racing rooms.  That night was our big Tokyo party night, and Andrew returned from climbing Mount Fuji, so we hit the town.  We went out dancing in Roppongi- clubbing in Tokyo was definitely all it cracked up to be.  We ended the night at 8 AM, back at the fish market for round 2.  We couldn't leave Tokyo without having melt-in-your-mouth sushi one last time!  At around 10 AM, we hopped on an 8 hour bus to Kyoto.

Kyoto

Kyoto is possibly my favorite city in the world that I've been to (besides Savannah, but that will never be matched).  They kept a lot of traditional Japanese architecture and there are still famous shrines and temples everywhere.  Everyone rides bikes around.. so naturally, we did the same!  We rented bikes for two days and rode around the city seeing the sights.

The Golden Pavilion

Kyoto at Night

boyfriend and I by the lake

Megan and I at the path of philosophy

Megan and I

our bikes

Cooking Class
One night in Kyoto, Matt and I took a cooking class at a man named Taro's house.  It was a lot of fun and it was really neat learning how to make Asian cuisines- definitely a change from the baked zitis and eggplant parms that an Italian girl like me would usually make.  We made a dashi-basd soup, tomago, sushi rolls, japanese spinach salad, and kobe beef.  It was a lot of fun!

Matt and I with our home-cooked meal

Matt making tomago

From Kyoto we headed to Osaka/ Nara.

Nara

Nara was a really cool place.  It was the ancient capital of Japan and still has a lot of traditional temples and historical buildings.  The best thing about Nara is that there are deer EVERYWHERE.  Like... Venice has it's pigeons (which are gross rats with wings), Bangkok has it's straydogs, some places have their stray cats, and Nara has it's deer.  They're actually considered pests (one took a chomp out of a map that Matt was reading) but they make the whole place look magical.

going in for a bite of the map

We saw some amazing things in Nara.  Here is Todaji temple, the largest wooden building in the world with one of the largest brass buddahs inside.

Claire and Matt at Toda-ji temple

We also climbed up Wakakusayama Foothill- one of my favorite places we saw.  It gave a great view of the entire city.

walking up the foothill

Megan inside a window's desktop

Here I am in front of the city

Nara

To end the day right, we went to a sake brewery and did a sake testing of their fresh sake (sake sake sake).  It was a lot of fun and, of course, we all left a little tipsy.

Osaka

Capsule Hotel
We stayed one night in Osaka at a capsule hotel.  I was really excited to do this because I have seen pictures of capsule hotels ever since I was little and never believed they could be so small.  I understand why they're convenient for businessmen but I can't say I really enjoyed the experience.  It was a pain in the ass and kind of uncomfortable.  Since you have no space besides your cell, you have to keep your stuff in lockers, which are in a separate room. And that's in a separate area from the bathroom.  And you need certain keys to get in certain places.  So I kept losing things between my cell, the bathroom, and my locker.  Maybe I could contribute that to my own scatter-brain but either way, the setup wasn't ideal for travelers.  It was a good experience but I don't think I'd like to stay again.

my capsule

The Sugiokas
One of the highlights of my trip was in Osaka.  I got to see some old friends- the Sugioka family.  Toshi (the father) works for Johnson and Johnson, a company that has it's headquarters close to my house in New Jersey.  So, for a year when I was in first grade, the Sugiokas lived on my street.  Misa and I became friends the first day that she moved in.  She didn't speak English, and I didn't speak Japanese, but we played all day and became best friends as the year went on.  My first-grade self heartbroken when she left and we stayed pen pals for years- drawing pictures of the two of us under rainbows and that kind of thing.  We sort of lost touch as we got older but reconnected about a week before I came to Japan.  They invited Matt and I over to their house for tea and snacks.  Yoshi and Toshi (the parents) are doing well and Misa and Maki (the girls) are beautiful!  We also got to meet their boyfriends.  It was so great seeing them after 15 years!

Sushi, Beers, and Karaoke
The gang and I spent out last night in Osaka eating sushi off a conveyor belt, drinking beers by the Dotombori stream, and doing karaoke.  I really liked Osaka and wish I could have spent some more time there.  It was definitely the "city of lights."  It is sort of what I imagined what Tokyo would have been like- with the neon signs and chaos.   

Andrew scanning the conveyor belt.. check out that stack of plates

conveyor belt sushi

Beers on the Dotombori

The Dotombori- lined with a crazy, multi-story arcade/ ferris wheel

Matt and I on the Dotombori

all-you-can-drink karaoke

i really got a kick out of this.. it's the words to semi-charmed life

So that about sums it up!  There was a whole lot more and I have 2 full facebook albums so feel free to check them out!  I really enjoyed Japan and am already looking for a chance to go back!