Yangyang and Provincial Orientation

Our provinical orientation was heaven. Not a lot of people had it good, but we were treated like royalty. It all began with our closing ceremony and lunch at Jochiwon. The lunch there was exquisite! We all said our rushed goodbye's to the friends we had made. Personally, I was very sad to be leaving them. I had made some very strong bonds with my fellow TaLK scholars and now I was forced to leave them!? For the most part, I think I handeled it well.

Then we piled all of our suitcases into the buses and headed off. Of course, my bus was late because we had tried to pack everyone's suitcase into the bottom of the bus. Somehow, the driver thought that would have worked. Nope. Instead, it looked something like this.

Of course it was the men who had to pack that tetris game of a wall. :P Honestly, it wasn't too bad. Working together helped us all have something in common. Yes, we did all know each other from Jochiwon orientation, but a majority of us still didn't really know each other well. It was like restarting orientation all over again.



The view from the bus was awesome. We knew it as soon as we reached Gangwon-do. As soon as I saw the country side I let out all of my, "Fuck yeah"'s for my excitement at my own genious for picking Gangwon-do as my province. Yeah, it's close to North Korea, but it's cooler weather and effing beautiful landscape. There's mountains, the ocean, forests and rivers. This place rules!

As soon as we arrived we had dinner. That too, was extravagant. There was so much fresh sushimi and nagmyun and bulgogi! It was fantastic. Regrettibly, I didn't bring my camera to dinner. :/

Then we got to see the rooms! :D





Compared to Jochiwon, our rooms were gigantic! That, and my roomie was awesome! He was the best roommate I've ever had...not that I've had a plethora of them. He was the first roommate I ever had good talks with. Thumbs up Jonathan Lee.

That night we were supposed to play soccer. :/ Luckily, they switched our activity last minute to going to the stream/river. Now that was a fantastic idea!




It was very pretty there! There was even a natural spring near that had naturally carbonated water! It tasted like rust :P, but you got over it. It was really healthy soooo :P.

We also got the chance to make rice cake in the traditional manner. Let me tell you, if you ever have any pent up anger while you're here in Korea about the fact that everyone around you speaks another language and that they put poopie toilet paper in trash cans and stink up the bathroom and that everyone eats squid like no one's business, then you need to try this out. You litterally take Thor's fuckin' hammer and beat the shit out of some rice. I felt so manly!

Then afterwards we got to roll up the rice cake and eat it! It was delicious, especially the ones with red bean paste in the middle. Mmmm :).


Jonathan (my roomie!) holding some rice cake. What does that look like to you?

Red bean pastein the middle. So efftastic good!

We also went to a Buddhist temple. I went once already. The first time sucked so much penis. But the second time, it was ballin' (thanks Pat for allowing me the chance to pick up Canadian slang :P)! It was right next to the water. This Buddha statue used to be the biggest in Asia, but then someone else decided to say "eff you" and build a bigger one. :P

Of course, I left out the other rather boring things we did. We made pottery at a pottery museum, we went to a dam museum and GILI (pointless). If you want to know about it, look it up yourself :D.

Then we had our closing banquet with our co-scholars and tons and tons of soju. In Korean culture, if you want to be good friends with someone, you offer them a shot of soju in your own shot glass. I had 16 or so shots of soju that night. So plastered O.o. I'll have to be more carful at Hweyshik (company dinner were there is comparibly as much soju as there is food...and there's lots of food).

And now I'm in Chuncheon, trying to get used to the town and transit system. I missed by bus (AGAIN!) today. I found out later that I was standing at the bus stop but I actually had to flag the dude down. I had no idea. Hopefully tomorrow I will actually be able to take it and not be a re-re about it. Fuckin' Korean bus system! :D

I'm kidding. I think I'll enjoy my time here.

Edit: Oh man! I almost forgot to share this. This was the poster for the Order of Ceremony for provincial orientation. Oh Korea. :P