Chooja Island
Last Sunday Doug, Woody, Lucy, Mr. Moon, Mr. Jo and me all took the Ferry to Chooja island -- which is a small island half-way between Jeju-do and Pusan. The island is actually two islands, joined together by a man-made bridge (which incidently collapsed recently and has been rebuilt) and is a small fishing community. During peak season the Koreans hire Phillipino's to help them work the nets.
Truth be told, I wasn't happy about having to go to this island as they made us leave on a Sunday and I hate going to the schools on outreach programs in general. It's all a bunch of publicity crap where the kids learn jack. Surprisingly, I did enjoy it starting straight off with the ferry ride; you could sit inside or out on the deck and since the day was a little cold, the only people on the deck besides us were two drunk Ajashi's (old Korean men) and the security wathing them making sure they didn't fall off the boat.
We sat at the table outside on the deck, the boys drinking beer and eating dried squid (what were they thinking?), Lucy with her head down cause she was feeling sea sick.
By the time we pulled into the small port in the scenic fishing harbour, I was in a good mood. The bosses drove with the boxes filled with markers and papers and Yut for tomorrow's school visit, up to the hotel and we walked the ten minuites, following the street around the bay and all the sea front shops and restaurants catering to their small village -- there are only 3,000 people living on the entire island!
The hotel was quaint and comfortable, looking nothing special from the outside, it had heated wooden floors, tall ceilings, generous rooms, double beds and hot water inside. We barely unpacked when Mr. Jo asked if we wanted to come hiking, I hummed and haued since it was around four int he afternoon and it wouldn't be long before dark, got talked into it though. then Mr. Joe announces that hiking is cancelled because it'll rain, so we go into Jeremy's room and begin to play 500 (a certain version of Yuker). Just as we sit down, Mr. Jo says: "let's go hiking. C'mon!"
I look outside and say: "it's raining now."
"It's just light rain." He says back. The only one who goes with him and Mr. Moon is Lucy. About ten minuites into our card game we see lightning flashes, peels of thunder that sound like they went right through you and bloated rain drops whip against the window.
We all laugh, Doug says: "They'll be back any minuite now."
After cards we went to a sushimi restaruant (what else on fish island?) just minuites walk down the hill. I have no idea what kind of raw fish it was, but it was white and tasted pretty good dipped in the soy and wasabi. Woody was in heaven with all that sushi and Doug was in hell as he can't stand it. He ordered a pork soup for himself, but it was a while in coming.
Mr. Jo and Mr. Moon went to drink with some of their friends on the island and the rest of us went back to Jeremy's room to play 500. We played for hours, drinking beer and smoking and getting annoyed at Doug for telling everyone how to play their cards. At one point he said to me: "Amanda, do you mind if I give you some advice?"
Fed up and out of diplomatic responses I look him in the eye and say: "yes." The other guys crack up and Doug just shrugs it off and, unable to help himself, tells me anyway. He's a good guy but he annoyed the hell out of me that night.
We all left and Jeremy sat in his room listening to music, drinking and singing, until I went in and said: "Shhh." He thanked me the next day for it so I didn't feel too bad.
Next morning, I awake at 7 am. Take a shower and go to the main room for breakfast which consists of rice, seaweed wrap, fish soup, a fried egg, the usual kimchi sidedishes none of which are appealing to me, and thankfully, instant coffee.
We drive down to the middle school and spend the next three hours teaching kids the Months and seasons and then having them colour their own 2008 Calendars; after that we played Yoot.
An interesting game; There are two teams and four wooden sticks (like a small log cut lengthwise). Two people from one team take two sticks, throw them, and however they land determines how many points they get. A cloth gameboard lays on the ground with rocks holding it down against the wind at the four corners.
We had a good lunch of barbequed beef, went to another school and did the same thing in the afternoon. After that, Mr. Jo wanted to show us his home so we went for a "little jaunt" (my ass), through the mountains. Finally, came to his parents home, bowed and said hello, looked at family photographs of Mr. Jo at university graduation and his wedding and then said good-bye. Interesting though, that his mother is a "Hanna" diver, famous for diving for fishes and holding their breath for 10 minuites at a time. It was early december and her lips were still blue from her morning dive.
We proceed to walk another hour to the other side of the island (no one aske me!) almost all of it uphill. It was really, super windy and my head was freezing. Alas, the scenery was georgeous; wish I could've taken photos but phone battery died as I didn't bring my charger. Lucy has a few and hopefully I'll get them soon and put them up.
Back at the hotel we rest for a bit and then go back to the same restaurant for dinner and the same thing is ordered only this time the white fish has a tinge of red on the side and I know it's expensive. Also, there are a lot more people at this dinner, maybe 20 in all. The principle and other higher-ups and teachers from both schools we taught at that day. Our table is really long and we're sitting on the floor.
So, the dinner goes like all the Korean dinners, filled with "thank-you's" and "Bravo's" for the days work, "Gambe's!(cheers)" with lots and lots of soju. Even Lucy got into it. The principle gives his speach at the end and abruptly everyone rises and leaves; the end of the evenging being signaled by his speech.
Not nearly finished with the evening, Jeremy, Lucy, Woody and Mr. Moon and I go to a Soju Hof for more drinking as it is only around 9pm. Short version, everyone gets right pissed except me (as I was the only one smart enough not to indulge in the soju). Lucy couldn't speak the next morning and threw up on the ferry as did Woody (numerous times). Then he called in sick for the next two days due to a "Kink in the neck", which we said was due to his impact vomiting.
So, that's the low-down on Chooja Island. This week of work was alright, fairly uneventful save for some horrible 2 hour sim labs. But they're all over for a little while. Weekend we went to the pubs as usual, Saturday night stayed up till 430 with Anne-Marie dancing to Justin Timberlakes: "What Goes Around". Slept 5 hours, ate McDonalds and then played tennis at the university again. Was a beautiful day. Sunny, blue sky, just a little cool, but hot when playing tennis in the sun. I wore only a t-shirt and was sweating and hot. Wanted to go lift weights afterwards but I was too tired and just crashed for a couple of hours. Cooked hotpot for myself in my apartment and then watched "Crash" before I did crash for the evening.
And now it's Monday again.
