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A YEAR IN SOUTH KOREA - CARRUTHERS
AUGUST
At the start of December Carruthers flew out to South Korea to start a one year contract teaching English, these are a selection of emails conveying his experiences.
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Saturday 2nd August
As you may or may not know, I am currently enjoying the child-free bliss that is a five day break from school. Now, given the weather (hot, sunny, sticky, balmy, tropical etc ) I could have used this as an opportunity to spend five days lounging around on the roof, drinking beer and getting a suntan, however, when you live a stone's throw from two National Parks, you really have to be a bit more proactive than that.
Thus, I decided that I would make use of Friday to get myself up a mountain. I headed for Bukhansan N.P. which has a choice of two mountains and numerous individual peaks. For those of you who have seen my photos on Yahoo, the spiky mountain in sillhouette is the one this story relates to.
Having arrived at the nearest station to the park, I followed the hoardes of other hikers (it's a very popular pastime in these parts) towards the frontier. As we neared the park itself, two things struck me. Firstly, how grossly over-equipped Korean hikers are. They have EVERYTHING. If you're familiar, imagine the 'fully experienced rambling hiker' from the Fast Show, give him a tonne of extra gear, and you'll be getting close. Just in case they did happen to forget their ice axe, rope, or crampons in mid summer, the approach to the park is lined with outdoor gear shops. The second thing was the noise of the insects. From within the forest that dominates the majority of the lower areas of the park, came a cacophony of whirring, chirping, buzzing and whistling. It was more like the jungle than a temperate forest. Having entered the park, I followed the trail up past a beautiful babbling river, possessed of numerous waterfalls and cascades. It didn't take too long to escape the majority of the crowds, most of whom restrict their activities to the lower areas. Once I got onto the trails leading to the high peaks, it was only the hardcore Koreans who were still in evidence. It was a lovely hike, leading up through the dense woodland, clinging to the steep sides of the mountain. Although I can't deny it took effort, by far the most draining thing was the humidity. Not only was I sweating from the exercise itself, but also from the still, moisture laden air, hanging thickly beneath the canopy. Indeed, if I closed my eyes, the bugs, the heat, and the humidity were just like the jungle. It was strange to be so hot, sticky, and surrounded by the constant symphony of insects, whilst walking among mixed deciduous/coniferous woodland.
As I got higher, the trail turned into a boulder strewn climbing frame. It was like the Martian Falls at Alderley,only the boulders were bigger, and it was mountain sized! This didn't stop the Koreans though. It must be said that they're not speedy, but they've got stamina, and the sure-footedness of mountain goats. Many were the old men and women I saw scrambling over seven foot boulders as if they weren't there. I even saw, at the summit, a couple who must have been in their sixties, shinning about twenty-five feet down an almost vertical rockface. If they'd lost their footing, they would have fallen....a terminal distance.
Anyway, as I continued, I suddenly heard, emerging from the bird and insect song, the sound of drumming and chanting. Perplexed, I headed down a side trail, and found myself at a hermitage! A set of rock cut steps led up to a small house, carved out of a solid lump of granite. Inside sat an old monk, chanting and striking a single drum. The melody of his chant was mesmerising. I found out that the place was called Gwaneuman Hermitage, and had been there for about 400 years. It was a great experience - my first mountain hermitage!
About an hour of trekking later, I broke through the upper edge of the forest, and found myself upon a massive granite outcrop, the highest of about five which rose above the treetops to crown the mountain. This was the summit of Dobongsan, the peak itself being called Manjangbong. The view was spectacular. Mists drifted across the forest below, and the peaks could be clearly seen, rising implacable and eternal, high islands of rock in an ocean of green. In the distance, the mountain peaks at the other end of the park stood silent in outline. Far, far below, the apartment blocks of the real world appeared as tiny building blocks, standing in a different reality, quite apart from this high, quiet place. As I ate my lunch, black squirrels and things that looked very much like chipmunks scampered fearlessly around, taking advantage of the fragments of various hiker's lunches.
After an hour or so of sheer joy at the summit, I began the long journey back down. I took a different route for the descent, which led first along a ridgeline, emerging on a rocky promontary commanding great views of the peaks from whence I had come. From there, a winding, crooked path snaked down through the forest, dappled in the early evening sunlight. Eventually it joined up with the river, and following the example of many of the locals, I took off my boots, and enjoyed the cool, clear, refreshing water, in one of the many quiet pools that lay between the cascades. It was glorious! A chance to wash off some of the accumulated dirt and sweat. I paddled, I stood in the rushing water, I clambered around on submerged rocks. Fun!!
The last part of my descent followed the river, leading across some really picturesque oriental bridges, and past inumerable waterfalls. As I crossed the last bridge, I was suddenly confronted by the sight of the face of Buddha. This was in fact the uppermost part of a thirty foot white marble statue, standing in the courtyard of a small temple. The building itself was accessed through an ornamental gate, and was as ornately carved and intricately painted as any I've seen. Slow, melodic chanting emanated from the dark, candlelit interior, and the intensely spiritual nature of the place, was enhanced and augmented by it's location amidst the thick forest. The chanting seemed to blend perfectly with the sounds of the river, the birds, and the insects. A beautiful light was cast in the courtyard by the evening sun, and the whole thing was, to be honest - idyllic.
Soon afterwards, having left the park, I was wandering through a labyrinthine assortment of open-air cafes and restaurants, small pokey shops, and carts from which were purveyed any number of strange foodstuffs. I bought a beer, sat outside a little store, and drank it gazing up at the lofty peaks, from which I had gazed down earlier. The perfect end to a perfect day.
Sunday 3rd August
I love Korea.........I've just seen an advert for gel bra inserts called......wait for it...........'Nonce'.
Aaaaaah.....Korea!
Wednesday 6th August
Sometimes, when they're not being a major pain in the arse, the kids can be quite amusing. In one class today, composed of six 11/12 year old girls, they kept me talking for the entire 40 mins. The conversation was diverse and bizarre, ranging from Greek Mythology ( about which they are VERY knowledgeable) to who I would marry if I could choose anyone, to what they did for their vacation, to diaries, to friends of mine that they know from another school, to insisting that I let my hair down for them to see on friday!
In the next class, the kids were learning 'boy', 'girl', 'man, 'woman'. As part of this I had to get them to draw themselves as they are now, and then as they think they'll be as adults. This took a lot of explaining, being a fairly abstract concept to convey to kids who don't speak much English. we got there in the end through a lot of hand gestures and wild gesticulation. The results were....humerous. A lad called John drew his adult self with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I was quick to convey to him how bad this was, and make him erase it. A lad called Steve imagined his adult self as looking pretty much identical to the way he does now, the only difference being that he apparently envisages himself shouting, "EGGS!" when he's older (!?!) Don't ask.....I have no idea! Then there was Peter. His drawing was fine....facial hair, glasses etc. Then I looked more closely, and at just below waist height, there appeared to be what looked terrifyingly like a large penis. Not a little concerned, I asked him what it was. I cannot describe the relief of discovereing that it was supposed to be a design on his T-Shirt. God alone knows what of however. I was too afraid to ask.
Kids....they're in a world of their own.
Andy.
Tuesday 12th August
We took the kindergarten kids to the swimming pool today...........picture the scene, an open air pool, nestled beneath pine covered mountains (that serve as a ski resort in winter). Hoardes of little Korean kids are splashing around in rubber rings, beneath a cloudless blue sky and blazing sunshine. Music drifts across the pools from a PA. Is it harmless innocent Korean pop? Is it a medley of children's songs? No...................It's Linkin Park , Machine Head and Sepultura! I kid you not. I couldn't even begin to make this up. Just imagine watching a load of little kids and toddlers, splashing around with expressions of childhood joy and innocence, to a background of "Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal", and, "We're dead embryonic cells", and I think best of all, "The bullet connects at last - let freedom ring with a shotgun blast." The juxtaposition was............interesting.
I got to loaf around in the sun all morning though, and now I'm back at school for one lesson before I go home! Not a bad day all in all.
Thursday 14th August
I realise there isn't much I can tell all of you in the UK about heat right now, but BUGGER ME it's hot here today!! I reckon it's got to be the hottest day so far. I went for a walk at lunchtime, and it was more like being on the Equator. The sky is a deep blue, save for a few high, ethereal whisps of cloud. The sun is blazing down gloriously, and the atmosphere is sticky. Very sticky. There isn't even the slightest hint of anything you could legitimately call a breeze. The air is as still and moist as a drowned dog in a sauna, and moderately less refreshing. Still, let's hope it lasts because tomorrow is a public holiday, and I've got a three day weekend to look forward too. I anticipate a few beers on the roof tonight, whilst revelling in what I hope will be a magnificent sunset.
I hope all is well with all of you, and that no-one has gone down with heatstroke, or pith helmet-loss-related blindness. Enjoy the weather, enjoy life, and I'll see you when the cold settles in.
Time for a beer and Bob Marley....
Thursday 28th August
Names of businesses I have encountered..............
Dump - department store
Nob Bar
Athlete's Foot - sports footwear shop
Baby Hunt - nappies, prams etc
Hen Cock - a chicken restaurant
Morning Wood - pine furniture
Sweet Buns - bakery
The Beer Hunter - bar
I think for sheer innappropriacy, Baby Hunt has to be a winner.
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