Ms. Shellyian

Korean Musical Instruments

2009-04-19T05:03:00.000-07:00

These instruments were on display and I thought they were interesting...

Korean Sraditional Show

2009-04-19T04:54:00.000-07:00

This posting is also out of order but I guess it is better late than never. I went to a music show with Daniel, one of our previous students, and two of my co-workers Andrea and Nivard. In the show we were not allowed to take pictures but of course I turned off my flash and took some pictures.

Shine's baby shower and Andi's farewell

2009-04-19T04:45:00.001-07:00

Ok, so these pictures are a little out of order. This party was at the end of Feb. and this what...April and I am now writing about them.

Shine is one of our Korean teachers...she teaches the pre-level class. Since the shower she has had a healthy baby boy two weeks ago. His name is currentlly Sul Ho, but they are planning to change it since his uncle doesn't like it. Go figure!!!!

2009-04-19T04:26:00.000-07:00

Some other co workers and church members came to visit and brought real food for her.

2009-04-19T04:24:00.000-07:00

The meals were also very interesting...she had rice and kimchi with every meal as usual

2009-04-19T04:20:00.000-07:00

During her stay she had to get some injections and had to have her IV changed...notice all of this was done with out gloves, also the photo with all the gloves hanging on the rack was the RE-USABLE gloves from surgery....yes i said reusable. "very interesting"

2009-04-19T04:16:00.000-07:00

This is Niva just before surgery and just after..i was standing right outside the surgical room that was wide open for all to see inside.

Nivard at the hospital

2009-04-19T03:55:00.000-07:00

One of my co-workers Nivard had to go to the hospital to have surgery done. She spent three days and two nights in hospital and I stayed with her the first night. It was a very interesting experience, I think the pictures will say it all. The first picture is of Niva in her room with me. By the way this was an 'expensive' room.

Andrea's birthday

2009-04-19T03:48:00.000-07:00

We went to a very tasty fish restaurant for one of my co-workers birthday. The meal was delicious as well as the cake afterward.

English village cont'

2009-04-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

English Village is very picturesque...It is owned by the Korean government but run by the SDAs. One of the famous Korean soap operas is filmed there "Ggot poda namja" (Boys over flowers) dont ask me why the weird title. While we were there there were filming a scene and the korean guy is one of the actors in that movie. The other people are friends

English Village

2009-04-19T03:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend over 300 hundred foreign teachers that are teaching for SDA Language Institiutes all over Korea got together at Yangpyeong English Village for a weekend retreat. It was great fun although the days were long with training sessions. The talent show was awesome!!!

2009-01-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

These were the grounds of the Kyoungbuk Palace, and the Folk Museum. We couldn't take pictures inside so these are some of the interesting things outside. This first one is kind of an altar, people pass by and add stones big or small to the mound. They then pray and hope that it is granted. The poles next to it is to keep away evil spirits. Since I was born in the year of the rooster, I took a pic with one, isn't it cute.

Insadong...traditional korean shopping area

2009-01-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

After shopping in this really cool area we wer hungry and decided to find a restaurant to eat lunch. You don't get much more traditional than this. We were walking through some really tiny alleys that I would have never gone by myself. I was just following my students. While walking I spotted some fish heads hanging and greens drying outside one of the restaurants to be used later in soups and stews. When we got to our restaurant I had to ask if this was it, because it seemed like someones house and we were entering her kitchen. Apparently people do this all the time, open their houses for this kind of thing. I was hoping that it was at least not going to make me sick. It actually turned out to be a very delicious meal, we had lots of side dishes, and all was well. Another interesting day in Korea.

Interesting foods

2009-01-03T20:32:00.000-08:00

Some other intersting dishes...this first one is some kind of shellfish in soy sauce, the next supposed to be chicken curry with rice(korean/indian style), the third is beef being cooked at our table, then another curry dish and other side dishes. I wish you all were here to see, smell and try these different foods. Of course those of you that know my eating habits know I don't try very many of them.

Narunge

2009-01-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Ok heres to the strangest thing yet. I went to a restaurant with some of my students the other day, and the meal included rice..not unusual, but what they did with the rice was unusual. First i had to take the rice from that black bowl you see and place it into a smaller bowl where I add other side dishes. This black bowl is very hot so some of the rice sticks to the bottom, rather than wasting it they add hot water to the bowl and cover it. At the end of the meal that hard burnt rice is now soft and watery and they eat/drink it as soup. Yes my friends, burnt rice and water....hhhhmmmm mashesyo (delicious)!!!

2009-01-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

All of this kimchi will be kept and eaten throughout the year. Kimchi is only made once a year around christmas time and it is a process done by mom and the two oldest daughters so they can learn to make it for their families when they get maried. It does not spoil and can be kept and eaten for many years as long as it is kept cool. That my friends is how kimchi is made and stored. It is eaten at every meal along with rice and other side dishes.

2009-01-03T20:17:00.000-08:00

THe other kinds of kimci were them made and placed in storage containers.

2009-01-03T20:13:00.000-08:00

Once it was verified that the taste was ok, all hands on deck. the radish mixture was then rubbed inside each of the cabbage leaves. Then it was folded over and placed in a container. They had 8 of these containers with the cabbage kimchi to put in the kimchi refridegerator.

2009-01-03T20:11:00.001-08:00

Lunch consitted of bulgogi(grilled beef) chap chae (noodles with vegetables mixed in, kimchi, rice, miso soup, tofu and some other side dishes.

2009-01-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

The mixing takes time because they have to get the taste just right. After it was mixed, we broke for lunch so they could have some for lunch to make sure the taste went well, and the process continued.

2009-01-03T20:04:00.000-08:00

Then the other ingredients were added, anchovies, cayenne pepper, chili powder, boiled rice, and fish sauce. These are then mixed together with the grated radishes.

2009-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

We then grated and chopped the radishes, they were about 50 radishes to be grated and chopped.

Making kimchi the new way

2009-01-03T19:55:00.001-08:00

By the way they don't only make cabbage kimchi, they made radish, green onion, sesame leaves and some other kinds of kimchi. the garlic and ginger are ground together for later use.

I took these pics at my student's house. Thanks Roatecia for inviting me!!!

First they wash all the chinese cabbage. I think they had about 60 heads, then they soak it in salt water overnight so that it wilts and has some flavor.

Making kimchi the old way

2009-01-03T19:50:00.001-08:00

In years past the Koreans would make kimchi and place it in the earthen jars in the pics below, they would then bury these jars in the ground and have the hut to keep it dry. This was a natural refridgerator. They could keep this kimchi for years. Nowadays the process of making kimchi is long but the storage is diferent.

Julia's wedding

2009-01-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I attended a Korean wedding. She is an junior teacher at our institute. He is a church member. It was a very beautiful but short wedding. Most weddings in korea are held in wedding halls, and because these halls are booked by the hour you only have a short time to have the ceremony and take pictures. The actual ceremony was about 15 mins long, she had two solos then they took pictures for the other 40-45 mins. There was no you may kiss the bride (shocking)!! In this first pic is the bride and groom and out pastor, the second pic is of them two and their parents....by the way after the western wedding and while the guests are eating there is another wedding ceremony in a different room. This time it is a traditional ceremony where they are wearing hanboks(traditional korean clothes) so they actually get married twice in one day.

Lunch at Ashley's

2008-12-06T19:08:00.000-08:00

The foreign and junior teachers went to Ashley's for lunch after mission day. Ashley's is a buffet with both Korean and American food. It was actuallyquite good.

Friends

2008-12-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the friends that I met while in Seoul...they are pretty cool. The first few are from South Africa. The group pic is of all of the members of my orientation group. The couple in the centre are Mbali and Pmblani, and at the end is Tshenolo. In the pic with three of us is Myself, Mbali and Sinnette

2008-12-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

Others stayed in the funeral home. It was really weird at first to be visitng friends in a funeral home. Surprising enough it was really nice in there. They had a 40inch plasma tv, beds and the rooms were beautiful. At the publishing house we had to sleep on yohs (the floor) a yoh is just a thick blanket placed on the floor.

2008-12-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

While at orientation some of us stayed at the Sijosa(publishing house) I was one of those

Orientation

2008-12-06T18:54:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I was going to Seoul for orientation. I finally got around to posting the pics....sorry it took so long. The first couple were of interesting things I saw in the city, for example the gas station was called an oil bank, there was a shanty town close to the subway station, and the wedding hall at night was really beautiful

dinner and a smile

2008-12-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

The all day club members and some of the foreign teachers went out to dinner. My meal was bulgogi(beef) and rice and you will see that is exactly what I got. It was really funny when my meal showed up. All I could do is smile and enjoy it. The others seemed to enjoy their meal.

Catherine's birthday bash

2008-12-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Kang and a couple other teachers bought a birthday cake for my roomie on her b-day. It was a great thought until the the cake fell and we couldn't eat it. Although the cake was a disaster, we still had a great time talking and laughing about it afterward.

2008-11-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

Oops i forgot to include these Sonia and Ju, I hope you are still online to see them.

2008-11-11T19:54:00.000-08:00

These last few pics are misc. just some random shots that were taken on that same evening.

2008-11-11T19:50:00.000-08:00

The next two pics are of our junior pastor (Jeloveme) and John. This apparently was how they were flogged long ago. I would not want to be in John's position...look how big that stick is!

2008-11-11T19:31:00.000-08:00

In the next coupe of pictures I was sitting in a traditional Korean hut, and an old jail made of tree trunks and twine...these people are very inventive and don't waste very much.

2008-11-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

This next pic was made of different color lanterns...it was awesome to see. There was also a parade down the street, because the children were moving it was difficult to get a good picture. I however managed to get a few of then to take a picture with me after they were finished performing.

2008-11-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

These first two pics were in rooms, one with tons of masks all over the walls, and the other was of a traditional korea village.

Bucheon Expo

2008-11-11T19:09:00.000-08:00

ok back to the expo, it was on an old movie set, the landscape was awesome...

2008-11-11T18:47:00.000-08:00

Ok people forgive me, I know i have been quite lazy in writing recently, but here I am again. I hope you are all in good health despite the cold. I complain everyday about the cold, but the quicker it goes by the faster summer will come, although i've heard that summer is blistering hot.

2008-10-19T03:17:00.000-07:00

I gotta go so I will post the pictures from the expo later this week.

Have a wonderful week

Tiger World

2008-10-19T03:09:00.001-07:00

This is a pretty famous Sports complex. I was pretty impressed seeing the outside. It is pretty expensive to enter, but hopefully I get the chance to go before I leave here. You can see the slope on the top of the building, that is a down hill indoor ski slope, there is also a swimming pool, a horse racing track and a golf course in that building. It is pretty cool, each of the rooms are obviously heat and cold controlled depending on the sport. Ingenious is the word that comes to my, like my roomate says they are spatial geniuses. They don't let space go to waste since there is so little of it here.

2008-10-19T03:04:00.000-07:00

some other pics including the junior pastor and the other students and teachers...

Sabbath (Saturday) Afternoon

2008-10-19T03:00:00.001-07:00

After the baptism we decided to to go the Bucheon Expo, but there was an entrance fee so we decided since it was still the sabbath we would go to the park instead and then after sunset we would then go to the expo...also after 8pm it was free to enter. These pics were from the park.

2008-10-19T02:57:00.001-07:00

Brian....getting ready to present Emma with a bouquet of flowers and he also sang You Raise me up to both of the candidates

2008-10-19T02:55:00.000-07:00

Jennifer my roomate, Debra and I

Other pictures from baptism.

2008-10-19T02:54:00.001-07:00

Emma and I...

Emma's baptism

2008-10-19T02:50:00.000-07:00

Here is Emma's baptism, before and after. By the way the students all choose an english name to go by to make it easier for us to remember their names.

John's baptism

2008-10-19T02:47:00.000-07:00

This is John as he is being baptized, before and after.

Baptism

2008-10-19T02:38:00.001-07:00

On sabbath two students were baptized. Emma who is a level 3 english student and John is a level 2. The school is based on 6 levels and the students are separated according to their english ability. I can communicate easily with these two students so it was wonderful to see them make the decision to get baptized. They are a part of the All Day English Club, which means they are at the institute all day from 8am-6pm M-F and on Saturday they are a part of the church activities in the morning and then they have a sabbath afternoon activity. So pretty much they are there 6 days a week. To us foreign teachers it is a really long time, but these students are committed to learing English. Ok back to the baptism...this is the baptismal pool. We used the SDA church that is not far from the institute. As you can see everyone was making sure it did not overflow.

This week

2008-10-19T02:35:00.000-07:00

This week I'm feeling much better. Thank you for all your support and remedies. Cathy thanks a million for the books, they will keep me going for a couple of months, as I only get to read at night just before bed, or in the afternoon if I take a nap. I will try to spread them out over time.

Walkway

2008-10-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

The walk to and from our apartment is very beautiful. I decided to take pictures now that the leaves are still green. In a few weeks they will turn color and I will take pictures again from the same place show the season changes. I thought that was a pretty cool idea!!!

Korean food

2008-10-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

In this picture you can see my roomate Catherine (Korean name-Lee Hye Jin) eating some Korean side dishes. She hates taking pictures but I managed to get this one. She is eating sweet potato stems...yes stems, sesame leaves which she wraps in rice, the stems from garlic and onion, pickled radish and cabbage also known as kimchi. Koreans don't waste anything when it comes to food. She also had these peppers that were not hot along with the leaves. She seemed to enjoy it all.

Cooking class

2008-10-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

This week I didn't do too much because I was sick...actually I still am sick. The teachers were supposed to teach the students in the english club how to make easy american recepies. Connie did popcorn, Jennifer did a vegetarian hotdog spread, Harry did deviled eggs and I was supposed to do nachos, with salsa. I was at home in bed while my roomate did my food. She said it was a great hit. They cleaned the bowls.

Dinner

2008-10-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

After we returned from Daebong we decided to go have dinner. We went to a traditional Korean restaurant to have "shabu shabu" that just means everyone is eating from the same pot. The vegetarians had their own pot and the meat eaters had theirs. The pot was very hot and spicy. They first put in a bunch of vegetables for a few minutes to cook, then they eat the veggies. After that they put in the meat and noodles eat that course, and the final course is rice with vegetables and egg. I really enjoyed it except for the fact that not only do you take off your shoes and leave them at the door of the restaurant but you also have to sit low down crossed legged....I can't sit that way so it was very difficult for me to find a comfortable position. I still enjoyed it nevertheless.

2008-10-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Twice a day the water recedes and leaves only mud. The Koreans go into ankle deep mud to collect shell crabs, oysters and little tiny fish that live in the pools of water. We were walking on this bridge at about 4pm and they told us the water will return at 5. Of course we were very worried because we did not know how fast this water would be returning; we did not know if it would come in as fast as a tsunami or just a trickle. I was curious but very worried at the same time. We walked for about 45mins to a light house on the other side of the island, took some pictures and made our way back before the water covered the walkway that we were on. The walkway in the pictures that you see gets totally covered by this water. It reminds me of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea. It was really cool to see.

First day trip

2008-10-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

Today we went to a really cool place called Daebong. It is on the western coast of south Korea. I was told that twice a day the water recedes and you can walk along a walkway. I of course did not believe it,I thought they were not explaining it correctly due to the language barrier; but I actually saw it with my eyes. when we got there the water was out to sea. The koreans have built this long walk way so you can go from one side of the island to the next

The apt.

2008-10-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

So this is where I live. The living room, kitchen, my room, a lucky for me I hae my own bathroom; although it is nothing to scream about. Notice the shower head in the top left hand corner? yes, this is my shower, everything gets wet including the toilet seat etc. strange, but at least the bathroom gets a washing down everyday. The first day I got here the bathroom was very moldy, I guess from the last missionary that was here, she kept the door closed so it would not dry between showers. I have however remedied that situation by buying some bleach and a spray bottle and spraying all the moldy areas. The mold is now gone and I keep the door open to let it dry between use.