Happy Easter

Hello world, you are still celebrating Easter there and I am procrastinating as I should be getting ready for work but writing to all of you is so more interesting than photocopying worksheets.
The last two weeks have been interesting.

Last weekend we had Monday off as it was Arbor Day here and so I went away for the long weekend. I went with a group called Adventure Korea, we ( me and 35 other teachers from all over the place, Ireland, England and the States) met after work on Friday night and drove all night to make the most of our time. We arrived on the southern tip of Korea in time to see the sunrise and go for a hike... no one told me about all the hiking but it was fun. Anyway we wandered up about a million stairs to see a buddhist hermitage and then me and few other daring women climbed to the top of another mountain because you know that one hike at 6 am is not enough! It was a blast. Then we got back on the bus and went back to see Hallyeohaesang National Park which had a lighthouse and botanical garden. It was beautiful. After that we needed some lunch, considering the amount of exercise we had all gotten in the last 5 hours. After lunch we got on the ferry and headed to the islands where we would spend our weekend.

Geomundo and Baekdo were our destination and we spent a great weekend hiking and sight seeing, there were a few other tour groups there but I think we were the only foreigners that they had seen for awhile and we were a bit of a novelty. We spent the next 2 days hiking, seeing the sights, partying and generally having a great time ( the photos will give you a better idea than what I could describe now.

We drove back to Seoul on Monday afternoon and made a pit stop at a Korean Folk Village, it was really cool. Then back on the bus for 7 hours, it was a 4 hour drive but thanks to the traffic it took us forever to get home. We finally did arrive back in the city and got home eventually where we collapsed... literally as we were exhausted.

It was back to work on Tuesday and a busy week it was, monthly report cards were due and so I spent a long week writing and marking. But then Saturday I ran some errands, you know that you are no longer a visitor when you are running errands on a Saturday, it was fun though. After I tutored I went to this great shopping area that is surrounded by universities so there are lots of students with tables set up selling things and it is really cool. It was a beautiful weekend here and the weather was amazing so it was nice to be outside.

Yesterday I decided (after a last minute afternoon work cancellation!) I would head to Yeoudo park and see the cherry trees in bloom, not a big thrill after growing up in Victoria but nice none the less. Well apparent ly everyone else in Seoul had the same idea and the park was packed with people. The park is on an island in the river, it is like central park in New York being that is is about a mile or so in the middle of an office district, people here say it is the Manhattan of Korea... whatever. Anyway it was fun. I worked last night and after that headed on my ever present mission to find a toaster oven with a temperature dial, I finally found one in and needless to say I was quite excited, I have to go back and get it later this week as I was not up to carrying it around with me but I am very excited about the prospect of banana bread and other treats that I can make. Yipee. Now my weekend is over and it back to work very soon... sad but true. The coming week doesn't hold much promise either as I have to go to a teacher meeting and workshop on Saturday, and I work most of Sunday afternoon and evening... oh well I'll live. So this is it for exciting news at the moment. I am in the midst of making another photo album from my weekend away and it should be finished soon, I'l send you all the link as soon as it ready.

It has been lovely to hear from you all lately, keep those emails coming as it nice to hear of news and events back home even though it may not be exciting to you it is great to hear it, honest.
Miss you all
love
J.

PS I got myself in trouble on the subway yesterday when I took a picture of a guy selling band aids, he had this huge laminated sheet of them and it was really funny, well I forgot to turn my flash off and so he noticed adn boy was he annoyed... oh well, mental note to self, when trying to take pictures without being noticed turn the flash off... the picture will get to all of you eventually, in an April album I imagine as I have enough on my plate at the moment.