Neither Rain Nor Rain

Don't let the snazzy background fool you. I was annoyed.

That right there is the face of a survivor. Much like the USPS, neither rain, nor wind, nor rain, nor more rain...so much rain...was able to stop me. But really guys. There was so much rain.

It's been a busy couple of months, between 9 hours of Korean class every week and piles of lessons to plan for winter camp, so recently I decided to get out of Wonju for a bit and actually see those beautiful fall leaves everyone's been talking about it. So, on a Saturday, after 6 grueling hours studying Korea, I hopped in my car and set off for the lovely seaside town of Sokcho.

Naturally, I managed to choose the worst possible weekend on which to take a spontaneous trip. As I drove along the highway, the rain started to get heavier and heavier. Did I worry? Nah. I'm Pacific Northwest born and raised, so it takes something more than rain to ruin my nice drive. What kind of something?

My windshield wiper breaking. There I was, zooming along the foggy and rain-drenched highway at full speed when, in a matter of seconds, I was down to one functioning wiper. Because I'm blessed with the worst luck in the universe, that one, still-moving wiper was...of course...on the passenger side. Joy.

Fortunately, I was only a couple kilometers from a rest stop. So, I moved over into the righthand lane, leaning over to see through the half of the windshield that was still being wiped and trying not to have a panic attack.

Once safely in the parking lot, I just sat for a few minutes trying to collect myself. At this point I was more than an hour away from home, so I couldn't exactly phone-a-friend. Luckily, my windshield wiper hadn't entirely broken off and gone flying into the void as I'd previously suspected. It just had a screw...bolt...well something was loose, so at that point I figured all I needed was a wrench. In what felt like a stroke of genius, I got back into my car, wet as a drowned rat, and carefully maneuvered the car over the the gas station. Gas stations have wrenches, right?

Wrong. I pulled up and, rolling down my window, tried to explain to the perplexed 20-something manning the pumps that no, I didn't need gas, but that I was a damsel in distressing need of a wrench. He responded by telling me I needed to drive over to the next town to get it fixed at a car center. No matter how many times I explained to him how impossible that would be, the turnip-head didn't even think to look in the office for a wrench.

Finally, as I was trying to decide whether to start crying or wring his neck, a middle-aged couple pulled up next to me, so I went up to the man and showed him the issue. He spoke to the manager, and lo and behold, a wrench was found, and the offending wiper was fixed. All in all, it could have been much worse, but I was paranoid about the thing for the rest of the drive. 

I stayed the night in a cute little hotel right near the beach, with the most dramatic wallpaper, as you can see in my first picture. I was finally able to relax, eat some dinner, and hang my wet clothes up to dry.

The next day dawned...wet and rainy. Bit surprise. But I was determined! Armed with raincoat and umbrella, I braved the stormy coastline.

There's actually something enjoyable about the beach during a storm. The waves were crashing onto the beach, the wind sending spray to mix with the rain until my cheeks were salty--though the seagulls had the good sense to stay home.

A lonely spectator.

If I looked at the water through my umbrella I could almost pretend the sky was blue. Further along the beach I came across a secret little garden, and I wanted to explore, but my shoes were already soaked through at that point, so I didn't want to tramp around the wet grass.

Secret farm.

Rain and spray-soaked, I trudged up the road to get some lunch and hopefully give my shoes and chance to dry out. I always feel awkward eating alone in Korea, but the lady was really nice, and there was a hiker-gang of grandmas at the next table singing and chatting up a storm, so I got in some quality eavesdropping in while I ate.

Originally I'd planned to take a short hike on Seoraksan after lunch, but as the rain showed no sign of letting up, I elected instead to take a scenic drive. Much warmer and a lot less wetter. 

If you ever have a chance to visit Seoraksan, it's well worth your time. It does get pretty icy in winter, though, so be sure to wear correct footwear! I nearly slid off the edge of a cliff the first time I hiked there. At least I got to keep a fantastically large bruise as a souvenir!

I think it's important to get out of routines every once in a while. I get so caught up in day to day living, studying and working and stressing. Just one day away can make such a difference. A change is as good as a rest, or so they say.

Disappointing Hike, Amazing Dinner

Thanks to midterms this week, the students get to leave school around 12:30, and yesterday, my school took advantage of that absence to go on a short trip out to the countryside. Attracted by the lure of hiking and a free meal, I signed up happily. Plus, I like seeing my coworkers outside of the work setting. It's easier to talk to people and actually get to know them, and while I don't like to admit it, the more I get people to like me, the safer my job is. In the game of NETs...

So, after lunch, we all piled onto the bus for the ride out to Inje, up in the northeast corner of Gangwondo. It's always pretty funny to see everyone in their hiking clothes. People who you always see in formal or at least business-casual clothes seem so different in baseball caps and athletic pants. I felt woefully underprepared, having just worn jeans and a t-shirt. Some of my coworkers looked reading to go mountain climbing up a sheer rock face!

Our bus dropped us off at the foot of the mountain, where we transferred to a shuttle bus that would take us up to the temple we were slated to visit. Unfortunately I lost at bus roulette and had to stand, as there weren't quite enough seats for all of us. So began quite possibly the most harrowing bus ride of my life to date. As the bus wound it's way up a terrifyingly narrow road, hugging a cliffside, I clung to the nearby seats and prayed to any gods listening to bring me safely to the top. I tried not to look out the window. However, seeing as I'm alive to write this, I must have survived. 

The temple itself was nice. Nothing special, but I always enjoy visiting temples. They do start to all look the same after a while, though. I did enjoy the colorful paper lanterns strung up everywhere, though. It was a unique touch.

Leading the way.

I loved the way they fluttered in the wind. So whimsical!

My favorite temples are always the ones with a spring to drink from, or refill your water bottle, so I was quite satisfied by my visit. However, I think the most striking thing about the area was the mostly-dry riverbed full of stacked stones. The stark monochromes against the lush forest background created a beautiful contrast.

The sweet taste of dragon spit.

Whites and colors.

Sadly, I'm not an earthbender.

Sadly, I never got the hike I was expecting. Instead, we took a walk of interminable slowness along an almost entirely flat trail. I'm not kidding. I didn't know it was possible to walk so slowly. I was barely able to keep pace with the group, and had to keep reminding myself to slow down. However, I saw about 10 chipmunks, so it wasn't a complete waste. 

We also visited a farm and watched a bit of a presentation on all the school trip packages it offers, but as the Korean was way above my level, I mostly zoned out for that part. They did, however, give each of us a kilo (A KILO) of mushrooms for free. So yeah, if you want some mushrooms, call me. I'll hook you up.

Dinner made up for the sad lack of hiking, at least. I was too busy eating to take any pictures, but believe me, it was delicious. Grilled fish, some kind of simple fish soup, and some of the best vegetable side dishes I've ever had. I can't remember what anything was, but it was all so fresh and healthy; I could feel the vitamins making me stronger. We also had some locally made makeolli, which is one of my favorite Spring and Summer drinks. So refreshing!

The best part? When they found out I loved makkeolli, I got a free bottle to take home. Best. Field trip. Ever.