Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Jeju!

Last week I started going to a Seon Korean Buddhist Temple in Gimnyeong with some foreign friends. Young Ja, the multi-cultural director, has lived internationally for the last 15 years, speaks wonderful English (with a French accent) and arranges foreigner visits. We've gone for dinner and meditation the past 2 Tuesdays and we're going for a stay overnight this weekend. The Temple is quite peaceful. We're developing a little foreigner community there and we've started studying Korean Buddhism which we intend to continue in the weeks to come.

The visiting Monk preparing our green tea

Halla called my name again last weekend. I can't stay away! My friend Jason and I hiked up the Eurimok trail and down Yeongsil. Well, it isn't so much a hike as it is stairs upon stairs upon stairs and slowly ascending boardwalks. But it's still gorgeous and nice to be out in the mountain forests. The weather is turning chilly, especially above the tree line at the top. We were thankful to have brought extra layers. We indulged in the Jeju tradition of eating hot ramen at the summit.

Yum! Hot Ramen!

Beautiful Hallasan

I'm having a blast teaching about Halloween. I've been given permission to forgo our normal lessons for the "cultural experience" that is Halloween. I carved some pumpkins and you should see the kids' eyes light up when they see them! They've never seen Jack-O-Lanterns before. They are amazed at my strength and dexterity...I guess carved pumpkins look pretty tricky. The teachers are excited about it as well. I've been wearing a $3 witches hat I bought at Lotte Mart and the strange looks I get are bigger than normal. But the candy is a hit. That's a cross-cultural trend: kids like candy. So is "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and "This is Halloween" from Nightmare before Christmas. I must extend a hefty thanks to You Tube, they furnish 90% of the multi-media in my lesson plans.

I mentioned the American tradition of making hand-turkeys on Thanksgiving to my co-teacher and she's very excited to try it. I can do almost anything if I call it an American Tradition. Woohoo!

6th Grade Dioramas:

My scary Jack-o-Lanterns:

The kids love my witch hat!

3rd Grade Halloween masks

Hope your Halloween is as fun as mine!