Kickin in in Hanam...where?... In Hanam!

Trip Start Nov 20, 2008

Trip End Nov 2009

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Flag of Korea Rep. Hanam-si, Gyeonggi, Korea Rep.
Monday, September 28, 2009

After we got home from Jeju and I worked a really long Monday, I decided to show Justin the sport of screen golfing. Justin hadn't really known what to think all those times that I told him I was playing screen golf. For those of you that haven't had the pleasure, its way more than a computer simulated game. Its about the closest you can get to real golfing without going to the golf course. There is a large screen in the front of the room with the "golf course" projected onto it. You have a tee and clubs and have to adjust for wind and ball placement. In soem rooms they even change the platform you stand on to change your angle if your ball is lying down in a bunker or in the rough. Now I've played a few times since I've been here, so I felt pretty good going in, but Justin proved to be far superior and he actually taught me a lot. I was so proud when, on the last hole, I finally got on the green in few enough shots to be allowed to putt and put the ball in the hole.
The next day Justin went into Seoul to see a palace and that evening we went to the gym and then went to Lenny's flat to play some wii bowling

Seoul Olympic Park

. We had to get ready for the real thing, which we did the next day!
Wednesday morning we went into Seoul to the Olympic park from the 1988 Summer Olypics held in Seoul. The park was a blast from the past with all of the best technology from the late 80s. Justin took me to Starbucks, which I haven't been to in months. It was like a little trip home to be there with him and even though I know it sounds silly, it was great.
That afternoon, Justin did several of his TEFL units while I worked, and then met up with me and some friends outside of my school when we got off. We went to a local bowling alley and ended up having to take over 4 lanes for the 20 or so foreigners that showed up for what I had advertised as the 1st Annual Justin Knoff Hanam-si Bowling Tourney. I guess we'll have to come back next year for the second one...maybe I shouldn't have specified Hanam-si in the title...hmmm...
I had some great games and in the 4th game of the night I thought I may have finally beaten Justin!! He needed a miracle in his 10th frame to get me, but in my experience with him, he's pretty good at getting those miracles. So with his first ball he knocked down all 10 pins, but I was still ahead of him. That is until the second ball he knocked down 10 more. I think he'd passed me at that point, but just to show off, he went ahead and bowled one more strike with his last ball

Bowling!!

. So I will have to be satisfied with beating everyone else we bowled with, and keep training for the day that I will beat Justin again!!
Thursday morning we got up way too early to go into Seoul to Insadong, which is a traditional shopping market. We wanted to make it there while it was open and didn't know how things were going to be over the weekend because Saturday was Cheusok, which is like Korean Thanksgiving. So we got to Insadong at 9am when the shops are supposed to open, but only a few had their doors up, so we walked around for a while and looked in a few shops. After a while one of the teahouses opened up, so we went in for traditional Korean tea. I loved the shop and the bathroom even more. Its good that Justin didn't have to go, because his 6'4" frame couldn't have made it. I had to duck to get through the door and the ceiling wasn't far above my head. The floor was covered with rocks and I was wearing the slippers provided because we had to take our shoes off at the door. Its just one of those things that makes Korea charming. After tea we walked around and got some things my mom wanted and some gifts for Justin's friends and family too. We got stamps made too, hand carved with our names in Korean. The stamps are made of stone and they use a red clay as ink. In Korea I can actually use mine to sign things, like when I'm at the bank, but it will always be a great reminder of Korea for me. That night two of my co-workers, Peter and Jasmine (plus Jasmine's friend, who might be a boyfriend, but maybe not...) went to dinner at a traditional place in Hanam

Tea?

. The food was great and we had a really fun time. Justin and Peter bonded, maybe a little too well, and I think if he ever leaves me it might be for Peter. Its probably the Australian accent that did it. Anyway, Thursday was my last day of work, because we had Friday off for Cheusok! On Friday we went to COEX mall and watched a movie. Most of the big movies come in English with Korean subtitles, so we were able to enjoy it. We got some coffee and then went home to drink the wine I had brought home from Australia and paint. I've done a lot of painting here, it helps me pass the time and makes a cheap decor for my appartment too. I loved painting with Justin, but unfortunately, we both got a little drunk, so more of my paint ended up on the table than on my paper. We both pained scenes from Halla-san. I love Justin's because he put me in it, so I have it up by my mirror to see every day.
Saturday morning we played some basketball on the courts near my house and went for a run. Its been amazing having Justin here to run with. I forgot how great it is to have someone to run with!! I loved it because I thought he was trying to push me, so I'd speed up, but it was really pushing him, so we made pretty good time!
Saturday we also went to Itaewon, the place for foreigners in Seoul. Justin took me for Thai, my first Thai food, and I loved it. I also loved listening to him order in Thai. The ladies at the restaurant loved him for speaking their language and it was a great meal. We walked around a while and talked to some other foreigners, but then it started to rain, so we headed home for Justin's last night in Hanam-si.

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