Weeks 17 & 18: Thanksgiving and Pottery Village (Nov 21-Dec 3, 2023)

Fall leaves outside of Asan Medical Center on Thanksgiving Day 2023

Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Korea but since SIS is an American school, we got a four-day weekend. I spent Thanksgiving morning at Asan Medical Center near Olympic Park. I went to see the dermatologist (I have a mole I wanted to get checked and I have been suffering from an outbreak of shingles on my right hand) but I also got a flu shot and had a check up in the international clinic. It had been about 7 years since I had seen a doctor so this was a good chance for me to make use of the excellent health insurance from my contract. 

When I left the building I was walking back towards the subway and I realized that there was quite a nice little park across the street. So I stopped in and took a few photos of the vibrantly colored fall leaves. 

 

For most of my wander back to the apartment I was encountering fantastic fall foliage. It was such a nice day to be outside. I also encountered a magpie in a tree. Magpies are considered birds of good fortune here so I am always happy to come across them. They are the Oriental variety so they are black and white and blue. Quite eye-catching. 

 

Asan medical center is the building on the right. It is a very big place but they have an entire floor that is for international patients. It was nice to get to know the place. 

For Thanksgiving dinner I made tortilla soup and took it over to my neighbors's place. Mark and Kevin have been excellent next door neighbors. They made some amazing mac and cheese, some deviled eggs, veggies, chicken, and pecan pie. My contribution was soup and a pumpkin pie that came from Costco but I bought it from students as a school fundraiser. We had a huge feast and a fantastic time together. 

 

On Friday after Thanksgiving I went to the Korean version of the DMV and got my Driver's license! This time I was there early enough to accomplish the task. I had a celebratory cheeseburger from a place that is similar to In n Out burger. Just as popular here. 

  

I am really not sure why the place is called Cry Cheese Burger. But it was packed at lunch time. 

I had some lovely food with friends at a new cafe in the neighborhood, just a 5-minute walk away,  called On the Bread. It is a two-story cafe so I like to get my hot chocolate and take it to the second floor, which has a pretty view of the elementary school and the neighborhood. I think this is where I will hang out to do grading next semester. Look at the salads they make here! And the pasta. The bread is also very good. Beverages are hot chocolate and a grapefruit and hibiscus drink (that is the house specialty). 

The pasta carbonara was served in a bread bowl. We ate until we couldn't eat anymore and there was a lot leftover. That is one nice thing about food in Korea, it is excellent quality and pretty inexpensive compared to the USA.

The last week of November was busy with exams and concerts. All of the grade levels did performances and I was able to attend most of the high school winter concert. One of my students was the student conductor for the band! And they sounded phenomenal. The current band director is leaving with his wife at the end of this year. They have been at this school for about 12 years I think. Maybe more. I am slightly worried about how this change will affect the program and very glad to have been able to listen to them perform. 

  

The photo on the left is my student conducting. On the right is the symphonic orchestra and they played a piece by Dvorak. It was fantastic. The stage is too small for all of them! It looked like just about every kid in the high school was on the stage. 

At the beginning of December I decked the halls in my apartment: 

And on Dec. 2, I went with about 15 other people on a school-sponsored trip to Icheon, a village that lies 50 miles to the southeast of the school where about 300 pottery shops are located, all in a cluster in a section of the town. Talk about shopping heaven! I am sure I went into 40 shops. We were only there for 4 hours but I made excellent use of the time. 

  

The pottery shops all include access to a kiln. They are studio and workshop. There are all kinds of styles and traditions represented. Its a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Arts, and the goal of putting all of these people together in one area is to preserve the craft. Traditional skills are emphasized. Here is a photo of the kiln: 

I went a little nuts. But I regret nothing. The cup and saucer combo lower right should look familiar to the careful reader of this blog. That is the same one I keep getting when I go to the Old Shin Tea House!

  

  

The woman who made this teapot studies blue and white pottery craft from the Joseon dynasty. Her shop was amazing. I was so happy to help support her craft. And if you are noticing that ALL of the things I purchased have flowers on them, I know this. I am completely enamored of flowers on anything. Cannot pass them up. See below for my empty cinnamon ginger tea cup at Old Shin (from Oct 2). 

And here is the link to the video for this installment: https://youtu.be/e_TNynMm38s