An overview of the past 2 weeks...I recognize that I have not written a post for 2 or 3 weeks; thus, I will begin with a summary. In this span of time, I have experienced the following firsts:
2. I attended my first Pre K-12th grade Pep-Rally which reinforced the true uniqueness of this small, community driven, and culturally diverse school. 3. On a Sunday outing, where we once again tried but failed to make it to the top of Jangsan Mountain, we saw some of our first Korean flowers in full bloom and a black butterfly that was the size of a small bird. Here is a view from Jangsan Mountain, approximately 35 minutes from our apartment. 4. I experienced my first Earthquake, which registered 5.4 at its epicenter and was the largest in recorded Korean history (sorry, I have no pic, but here is a link). While some experienced violent shaking which lasted nearly 15 seconds, I was at Jiu Jitsu in a darkly painted and padded room, thus only experienced swinging lamps and swaying walls. I think that my naivety in the face of earthquakes kept me from processing the event or feeling any emotion: negative, positive or otherwise. Yes, Mom, Nana, Papa, Jodi, Pat, Bobo, Dad, and Barb, we are fine and Rosa packed a ¨Go Bag¨ for any future emergency events.
5. Chuseok, Korea´s largest holiday which resembles Thanksgiving mixed with Día de los Muertos, has arrived. We have been given 5 days off of school. Our goal was to take a 2 hour bus ride to the town of Tongyeong, then take an hour ferry ride to an island to traverse the Jagged Ridge Trail. This trail is one of the hardest yet most beautiful in Korea. It summits 5 peaks, traverses an entire island, and contains many sections which are outright bouldering. However, we learned that it can be impossible to make last minute travel plans over a holiday in a country in which everyone is on the move. We will try again at Thanksgiving (with a bit more planning, preparation, and probably training). In honor of this sacred holiday, gift boxes of body care products, fruits, and spam have lined the streets. On Tuesday I was given a box of tea and a black beaded/jeweled necklace from two of my high school students. I was astounded and so very grateful. What do you say when you realize a student has just given you perhaps the most beautiful gift you have every received? Tomorrow boasts a full moon lunar eclipse. How very perfect that we live just a short walk from Dalmaji (Moon View) Hill. Seems like a night for a lunar picnic. |
AuthorHi, I'm Sarah, or Sarita as called by many. In an effort to cultivate multicultural empathy and deep respect in our daughter (Rosa), my husband (Brian) and I sold everything in order to embarked on a journey through life. Archives
November 2018
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