Yes, eating & drinking is the way to see the world. Don't miss the fish sandwiches down by the waterfront. Or (not to eat, but to see) the Turkish museum (one of the 4 best I've seen anywhere) or the underground cistern or the big sultan's palace - Marisa can see where she would have been kept out of site in the harem :-). I'm sure there are things to eat & drink near each of these sites. And it's a real experience to have a smooth talking Turkish man try to sell you a carpet (and serve you tea along the way), especially if he's trying to make you his first sale of the day ("it's not throwing money - it's taking money from your right pocket and putting it in your left; it is an investment for your children" etc.). Not to be missed.
Yea Marisa, noticing the little-acclaimed details of life, as you travel abroad; and thinking of your dad at the same time! I bet that Blue Mosque vacuum man has had few people publicize his work, over his years of service. He probably thinks no one ever noticed. Does he even know of the existence of the internet, and travel blogs? And now people around the world know of his work. If only he could know...
And I don't know, maybe your dad could head out to Istanbul and see if he could get a summer job vacuuming the Blue Mosque. I think it's time for him to put his skills to a real test... :-)
Vacuuming is an acquired and important skill; once learned this skill can take you within the realms of the most powerful and influential. Consider a mosque, when one kneels to pray, one does not want to be distracted by someone's forgotten tidbits.
If you seek to become like the esteemed man in the video, start with small steps young grasshoppers. Sweep thine own entry way, move to the grander regions of thy abode with an eye for that which does not belong. Be swift to remove unwanted objects. Let no speck pass on your watch. Leave no rug unturned, for you know not what lies beneath, lest you look. Be patient, be persistent, endure the naysayers that say "it looks good enough." Set a high standard, and may that standard redefine clean and make Mr. Hoover and Mr. Kirby proud.
Proud owner of a Sears Kenmore 250MG Upright,
A vacuum cleaner that really sucks
Thank you! Right at the end of that video, you finally provided me with the proof I need when I tell people that departing and arriving Korean trains play a Koreanized instrumental version of "Let it Be." Those underseat heaters can be a bloody nuisance for the heat-sensitive, and sometimes for everyone; I was on one train with a malfunctioning heater that was putting out enough energy to cook a turkey (I admit that it was slightly amusing to watch people sit down, utter a small shriek, and quickly stand up again.)
Anyway, the trip looked great (I also need to check Seoul out properly, but I think that Japan has left me with no money.) Um, maybe I missed it, but how many days did you spend there? (Two? Three?) Did you see the ruins of Namdaemun (boy, we had great timing there)?
To clear the air, what I was doing this last week was not really Vacation School. While it was a week of school in the middle of vacation, they were real days of school. They count towards the end number of whatever is necessary to make a full year (180 in America, here who know? 300 perhaps...). Vacation School is when we come in during actual vacation and have school for the lucky few. And now I'm on vacation, for real.
Every time I read about your school I feel like it is a fantasy world. You could write a book about it and people would be surprised that it was non-fiction.
On a side note, I wish I could have a bouquet full of candy...I feel like I sort of missed out somehow - how did those bouquets not reach HK?
The flowers certainly look fun! Lots of color - maybe that is a reaction to the gray weather. And is vacation school finished now that graduation happened?
Sounds like perhaps the govt. knows that by this time in the vacation, parents are pulling out their hair from having their kids at home, and are in need of a vacation themselves. Thus, the govt. organizes vacation school, a kind of child-sitting exercise to give the parents a break, and make sure the teachers are alive and active, not vegging somewhere and becoming rusty and unable to teach... That's my theory, based on the evidence you shared.
I look forward to a visit. Be best to time it between my graduate school semeseters. my contact info is on my facebook info page. we are facebook friends. Peace
The hostel was $13 per night per person, for a 4 person mixed room. As for the train, there are various speeds you can get, but overall it's fairly comparable to the bus (in general you pay less to get somewhere in the same amount of time by train).
Ive been here two years now and have seen more of Seoul through your pictures than I have in person. If you ever head to Ulsan, ill be happy to show you the great industrial factories filling the sky with pollution. peace
Great video. I like the Soho hat. I like the Dunkin Donuts. I like the drinking fountain. I like the snow (wish I were there). I like the electronics market. I like the hostel (how much did that cost?). I like the fast train (how much did that cost, compared to the bus?).
You guys are great adventurers ("an adventurer is never lost!" "this is an experience I refuse to be denied!"). You will have a great time in Turkey.
Well, it was 73 degrees in Kuwait today and I was only THINKING about sandals. You were looking very Minnesotan with your down vest and sandals combo. I'm sure everybody else thought you were nuts. I remember some of the little Korean girls wearing those dresses in HK for International day - they really are beautiful.
So, it's suppose to be 74 degrees tomorrow . . . sandals or covered toes?
Mabrouk on wearing sandals (I think it's been in the 60s here - feels like spring not winter; it's even up to almost 60 degrees in our bedroom (without heat)!).
That's a nice dress in the window - have you tried it on? :-)
Sounds like you enjoyed the food in Seoul! The pics were great as always. I'm still trying to figure out the Wii, but since I've never even played Nintendo it will probably remain a mystery.
What adventure are you on now? Are you just enjoying your "sweet home"?
Thanks, too, for documenting Marisa's thoughts about the workshop, through providing audio-video evidence. I'm not sure I would want to teach English (or anything), if I had to sit through workshops like that (though the beach looked inviting.
Yup, that's exactly like the "orientation" I had in Seoul (and I mean exactly---I recognize those hats!) except that mine was three days long, and instead of being on the beach it was in a featureless but dirty hotel in a featureless but dirty district of the city (and we didn't get to go to a temple). You should really be feeling sorry for the EPIK teachers who arrived on time; the official orientation is eight days of this, and yes the people in my building were still complaining about it when I got here.
OK, I'm going to bed now and then to Japan. I'll see you next month...
Apparently all the people who did your workshops need our "Learning that Lasts" training, on how to do training that is interesting and engaging and actually helps adult learners learn (rather than boring them to death).
How was the octopus, by the way? Was it dead and cooked, just dead, or alive?
And how did the golf and scrapbooking go?
We are on the edges of our seats (actually, I'm sitting on the bed), waiting for more exciting news.
jealous
but happy for you.
I'm glad you're having such a great time.
Yes, eating & drinking is the way to see the world. Don't miss the fish sandwiches down by the waterfront. Or (not to eat, but to see) the Turkish museum (one of the 4 best I've seen anywhere) or the underground cistern or the big sultan's palace - Marisa can see where she would have been kept out of site in the harem :-). I'm sure there are things to eat & drink near each of these sites. And it's a real experience to have a smooth talking Turkish man try to sell you a carpet (and serve you tea along the way), especially if he's trying to make you his first sale of the day ("it's not throwing money - it's taking money from your right pocket and putting it in your left; it is an investment for your children" etc.). Not to be missed.
See you soon!
Yea Marisa, noticing the little-acclaimed details of life, as you travel abroad; and thinking of your dad at the same time! I bet that Blue Mosque vacuum man has had few people publicize his work, over his years of service. He probably thinks no one ever noticed. Does he even know of the existence of the internet, and travel blogs? And now people around the world know of his work. If only he could know...
And I don't know, maybe your dad could head out to Istanbul and see if he could get a summer job vacuuming the Blue Mosque. I think it's time for him to put his skills to a real test... :-)
Marisa, Jordan, and aspiring neat freaks,
Vacuuming is an acquired and important skill; once learned this skill can take you within the realms of the most powerful and influential. Consider a mosque, when one kneels to pray, one does not want to be distracted by someone's forgotten tidbits.
If you seek to become like the esteemed man in the video, start with small steps young grasshoppers. Sweep thine own entry way, move to the grander regions of thy abode with an eye for that which does not belong. Be swift to remove unwanted objects. Let no speck pass on your watch. Leave no rug unturned, for you know not what lies beneath, lest you look. Be patient, be persistent, endure the naysayers that say "it looks good enough." Set a high standard, and may that standard redefine clean and make Mr. Hoover and Mr. Kirby proud.
Proud owner of a Sears Kenmore 250MG Upright,
A vacuum cleaner that really sucks
That would be ideal.
Thank you! Right at the end of that video, you finally provided me with the proof I need when I tell people that departing and arriving Korean trains play a Koreanized instrumental version of "Let it Be." Those underseat heaters can be a bloody nuisance for the heat-sensitive, and sometimes for everyone; I was on one train with a malfunctioning heater that was putting out enough energy to cook a turkey (I admit that it was slightly amusing to watch people sit down, utter a small shriek, and quickly stand up again.)
Anyway, the trip looked great (I also need to check Seoul out properly, but I think that Japan has left me with no money.) Um, maybe I missed it, but how many days did you spend there? (Two? Three?) Did you see the ruins of Namdaemun (boy, we had great timing there)?
To clear the air, what I was doing this last week was not really Vacation School. While it was a week of school in the middle of vacation, they were real days of school. They count towards the end number of whatever is necessary to make a full year (180 in America, here who know? 300 perhaps...). Vacation School is when we come in during actual vacation and have school for the lucky few. And now I'm on vacation, for real.
Every time I read about your school I feel like it is a fantasy world. You could write a book about it and people would be surprised that it was non-fiction.
On a side note, I wish I could have a bouquet full of candy...I feel like I sort of missed out somehow - how did those bouquets not reach HK?
The flowers certainly look fun! Lots of color - maybe that is a reaction to the gray weather. And is vacation school finished now that graduation happened?
Sounds like perhaps the govt. knows that by this time in the vacation, parents are pulling out their hair from having their kids at home, and are in need of a vacation themselves. Thus, the govt. organizes vacation school, a kind of child-sitting exercise to give the parents a break, and make sure the teachers are alive and active, not vegging somewhere and becoming rusty and unable to teach... That's my theory, based on the evidence you shared.
I look forward to a visit. Be best to time it between my graduate school semeseters. my contact info is on my facebook info page. we are facebook friends. Peace
I hope you all get to meet up while Jordan & Marisa are in Korea. It's so amazing that you're all in the same country.
great cheesecake always available at Paris Baguette if you have that chain of bakeries in your area.
The hostel was $13 per night per person, for a 4 person mixed room. As for the train, there are various speeds you can get, but overall it's fairly comparable to the bus (in general you pay less to get somewhere in the same amount of time by train).
Ben, we'd love to visit some time! Do you have an email address or phone number where we can reach you?
Ive been here two years now and have seen more of Seoul through your pictures than I have in person. If you ever head to Ulsan, ill be happy to show you the great industrial factories filling the sky with pollution. peace
Great video. I like the Soho hat. I like the Dunkin Donuts. I like the drinking fountain. I like the snow (wish I were there). I like the electronics market. I like the hostel (how much did that cost?). I like the fast train (how much did that cost, compared to the bus?).
You guys are great adventurers ("an adventurer is never lost!" "this is an experience I refuse to be denied!"). You will have a great time in Turkey.
Well, it was 73 degrees in Kuwait today and I was only THINKING about sandals. You were looking very Minnesotan with your down vest and sandals combo. I'm sure everybody else thought you were nuts. I remember some of the little Korean girls wearing those dresses in HK for International day - they really are beautiful.
So, it's suppose to be 74 degrees tomorrow . . . sandals or covered toes?
Lucky.
:( I think it is above freezing today.
Mabrouk on wearing sandals (I think it's been in the 60s here - feels like spring not winter; it's even up to almost 60 degrees in our bedroom (without heat)!).
That's a nice dress in the window - have you tried it on? :-)
Sounds like you enjoyed the food in Seoul! The pics were great as always. I'm still trying to figure out the Wii, but since I've never even played Nintendo it will probably remain a mystery.
What adventure are you on now? Are you just enjoying your "sweet home"?
Thanks, too, for documenting Marisa's thoughts about the workshop, through providing audio-video evidence. I'm not sure I would want to teach English (or anything), if I had to sit through workshops like that (though the beach looked inviting.
In case you were wondering (the words on the video said so), we didn't ever feel that way about our children. :-)
Yup, that's exactly like the "orientation" I had in Seoul (and I mean exactly---I recognize those hats!) except that mine was three days long, and instead of being on the beach it was in a featureless but dirty hotel in a featureless but dirty district of the city (and we didn't get to go to a temple). You should really be feeling sorry for the EPIK teachers who arrived on time; the official orientation is eight days of this, and yes the people in my building were still complaining about it when I got here.
OK, I'm going to bed now and then to Japan. I'll see you next month...
Apparently all the people who did your workshops need our "Learning that Lasts" training, on how to do training that is interesting and engaging and actually helps adult learners learn (rather than boring them to death).
How was the octopus, by the way? Was it dead and cooked, just dead, or alive?
And how did the golf and scrapbooking go?
We are on the edges of our seats (actually, I'm sitting on the bed), waiting for more exciting news.