Yes family and friends, May can be a wonderful time of the year just when taking into consideration the change of weather (especially for everyone in MN and WI). But in Korea there's an added bonus; national holidays. Aside from Parent's Day (Mother's Day and Father's Day combined), Teacher's Day, and Children's Day (yes, we get all of these days off at work), Buddha's Birthday also happens in May this year. Happy Birthday Buddha, and welcome to Korea, Mom and Chris! They will be here over Buddha's Birthday, and we'll be visiting some ancient Buddhist Temples and Statues during the celebration.
Parent's Day was this week, so my students were busy making English Letters/Cards for their parents. There were plenty of impressive handmade cards, and I managed to persuade a few classes to sing me the Parent's Day Song. Glorious. It was nice to do a hands-on activity in class because not all the students are able to understand me when I speak in class. They definitely go into the card construction.
In other happenings, last weekend I visited Suwon's old town and fortress. The fortress and its walls surround the old area of Suwon, and are impressive enough to be listed as a UNESCO site. On one side of the fortress is a mountain, and at the top you can find some impressive views of the surrounding area. The picture in the previous post is at what remains of the Palace. I think the ceremonial guards were surprised to see someone taller than them when we took this picture (they're some big dudes).
I did some other sightseeing on Children's Day at nearby Kyung Hee University. Word on the street is Kyung Hee is one of the top 3 universities in Korea, and the campus definitely made it seem so. Kyung Hee is completely obsessed with making its campus look like a replica of Ancient Rome. Most of the campus buildings had giant marble columns, there are statues of 'The Thinker' everywhere, giant obelisks, and latin written on almost everything. Very strange, but the campus is worth the walk around. It's one of the few places in Suwon with a lot of green space and nature.
Nothing else to report as of now. I've got another full week of school, and as I mentioned, the family is coming to visit. I'll be making final preparations for their arrival for the next few days. Thanks for following...
Pictures
Long before the Egyptians built their pyramids, the Koreans at Kyung Hee created the Ancient obelisk.
The Ancient Roman-Korean Ampitheatre
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