Zoo Zoo - ECC Kindy Field Trip

Last week on Friday we had a field trip to the Zoo. Two bus loads of 5, 6 and 7 year olds. (remember they are a year younger to us) It was quite exciting to do something outside the classroom. It was great weather too - no dust or rain!

We were lucky enough to have our own bus while the Korean teachers were on the buses with the kids for an hour. We earned our wages by being the white folk in the class pictures with sad donkeys in the back ground.

The Zoo itself was quite disappointing - there were house cats on display, 4 sad looking donkeys in a tiny pen etc. Hence, I did take any photo's of the animals.

The kids got to make their own soap to take away with them. On the left there is a photo of Clare teacher and Curie class and their soaps. Curie are first year 7 year olds.

On the right is Columbus Class. These monsters are 6 years old and it is their first year at ECC as well. The woman in the photo is my partner teacher Kate. She helps me one lesson a day. The kids get so much more work done when someone is telling them off in Korean! We had just sung "Do your ears hang low" prior to taking the photo so they are pretty smiley.

The Zoo was flooded with school groups all in different coloured uniforms and everyone marching around 2 by 2 at high speed to get everything seen.

We were only needed for two hours to drag the kids around the Zoo past a million kinds of monkeys. I didn't see any snakes though.

Everyone ate lunch at the zoo in a tree covered park. The kids parents supplied the teachers with lunch. There was beautifully made Kimbap, Salads and even fried chicken.

The pic above is of a typical kids lunch in Korea. Kimbap -which is a lot like Sushi but more tasty. It sometimes has kimchi and nice sauces in it and then seaweed is coated with a little sesame oil.

Aren't their little yellow tracksuits precious?

The kids usually have one field trip a month. I won't always get to go on this type of trip- instead I will get a sleep in.

It's Spring. Flowers are out and I have to say it can be quite pretty. Not all the trees have leaves but there are pretty purple, yellow and white flowers everywhere. It's like we had 3 warm days and all the plants are waking up.

It's Spring!

After Dinner

These guys are mostly teachers at ECC. We were walking home after havng Shabu Shabu in our neighbourhood.

From the left is Reg, Kelly, Rachel (glowing shoe girl) Grant, Whatshisface and Amy.
Crazy Foreigners!

Kezia in Insa Dong 

Kimbap for lunch again 

Flying Pigs!!

How many piggy banks can you carry on your motorbike? Pretty cool aye?
Crazy piggy bank courier.

This is a shot of a typical soccer field in Uijongbu. There is no grass just a big dusty area. These boys are playing soccer at the school next door to our apartment. Grass is a luxury you get with low population and good rainfall! I have played soccer at the Yongsan Army base and they have a turf which is pretty special.
Soccer field

This is the building which houses our school in Shingok 2 (ee) Dong. Shingok ECC. We are on the fourth floor. In the back ground are the Shinmyeon Aparte- as they say here in Korea. A couple of teachers live there so it is really handy for them. We live about a 20 minute walk from this area in Shingok 1 (il) Dong. The little blue bus you can see is the "Dashy" 206-1 which we catch to go to Homeplus and but it also can take us home.
ECC and Shinmyeon in background.

View from our apartment.

This is a snap out from our window. The river is in the foreground and you can see people walking beside it. There is a path that goes all the way to Seoul- apparently you can cycle to Seoul if you are keen. Sometimes when the mood takes me I run along that way. A bunch of apartment buildings in the shot too. They similar to ones you'll see all through out Seoul and Uijongbu.

I don't know what those hills are called.

Namsan Hike/Seoul Tower

Here are some pics from a little hike that we did up to the Seoul Tower. We walked from the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul to the top of the hill. It was organised by the Seoul Sisters and was a really nice way to meet some of the other women in the group.



It was a cold dusty day but it was nice to walk through the wintery trees for an hour or so. You can see from the picture on the right that it wasn't a very good day to view the city. We didn't bother going up the tower, but maybe on a clearer day it would be worth it.

After the hike we had a meal at a Thai place and then hung out at Starbucks in Itaewon. We got to know Alice from the UK and Nic from New Zealand.

Itaewon is pretty fun. There is good shopping an loads of Western restaurants. Except you will pay for it! I'm scoping out a leather jacket in Itaewon for when I can afford it.