last days in jeju, 2009

I'm really going to miss it here in Jeju.

The other day Hanna and I went to a coffeeshop and played Jenga ~





We've climbed the misty mountains,



and made friends with fat fat Buddhas.



Last weekend we went to Udo Island, a small island off the east coast of Jeju. We camped right on the white coral beach, here's our tent!





We could see the sunset from the beach every night.



On the second night we climbed a small volcanic hill in one corner of the island, where they let the horses graze w/ no fences or ropes to restrict them - true island life!



... and of course ramen for breakfast on the beach!



Until we meet again, Jeju Island ... it's getting harder and harder to leave you!

down to 서귀포 for the weekend

Sum up Korea in three things, you ask? Easy - kimchi, hanging out at Family Mart, and lots of green green money. ^^



Hanna and I went down south to Seogwipo this weekend, to walk along the newly built Olle coast road and visit my homestay family.



I realized how much I miss Kyeong-hwan, every time I see him he's taller, but he's still got the same enthusiasm and happy go lucky nature he's always had. I first met him in elementary school and now he's a freshman in high school!



Also, Jeju flowers are glorious. I love this island!

bike trip

I love the joys of the mountains,
wandering completely free,
feeding a crippled body another day,
thinking thoughts that go nowhere.
Sometimes I open an old sutra,
more often I climb a stone tower
and peer down a thousand-foot cliff
or up where clouds curl around
where the windblown winter moon
looks like a lone-flying crane.

- Hanshan (Cold Mountain 寒山)




Ready to start!



I ended up joining the army!



At Hwasun Beach where we spent our first night, with a great view of Sanbangsan.


I met some squid on the coast!



This is how much money I had when I was finished. I made it!

Halla-san!

Last Monday was a beautiful sunny day, so we thought we'd take the time I had between classes (9-4, split shifts like whoa!) to go up Mount Halla, the volcanic center of Jeju Island. We took the Yeongsil course, which is the shortest and perhaps the most beautiful. Here's the Yeongsil rocks between trees:



The path up the mountain (and you can almost see the ocean in the distance...):



There were ice crystals on the vegetation as we climbed to higher altitudes:



Me at the top! This course doesn't lead up to the very top of the mountain (it's closed off), so this is as far as you can get. And there's the peak, just taunting you:



Oh - and here's one from last week, frog's eggs and tiny tadpoles in a local stream. I've never seen anything like this before!



Even though these past couple of weeks have been great, I've been missing home a lot lately. Thinking of you guys!

I'm on vacation! Well, sort of. I'm teaching only one class per day (kids' class at 4) for the next two weeks. Any recommendations on how I should fill my time? I've been doing a lot of hiking lately, and I plan to do more in the mornings this week. Below is from a hike I took last Friday to the oreum (volcanic hill / mountain) right behind the University. It was really hard to find the path up the mountain, I had to go through an army target shooting field. You can actually see my dormitory, its one of the buildings with a reddish roof in the middle to the far right. In the distance you can see Jeju City, on the sea.



The view of Mount Halla from the same oreum.



Butterflies were everywhere.



Easily the winner of this year's "slug on a mushroom" picture award:



Hillside gravesites.



On another oreum, tall grass and Mount Halla: