Wednesdays are official hiking days. I have the afternoon off—it’s time for teachers to catch up on work/”play volleyball”/eat a lot, so naturally I dart away as soon as possible. I need a midweek pickup and more time at school does not cut it, especially since I have two of my most difficult classes on Wednesdays—2-1 and 3-2. Today was especially horrible. I actually fantasized about slapping half the kids. I restrained myself to loud noises—banging on desks, raised voice, etc. Yeah, I’m a great teacher. But when they can’t/won’t understand me, what else can I do? To do my job, I need the students to put in a little effort, too. Oh, it’s trying.
This week I decided to go to Chilgapsan Provincial Park, a little north of Buyeo. I didn’t realize it would be so difficult to reach—my guidebook said I could catch a bus from Buyeo, but everyone there told me I couldn’t. I had to wait an hour for the next bus to Cheongyang, a town north of the park, and then catch another bus to the park itself. I was questioning my decision—and in retrospect, perhaps it was a bad one—but I decided in favor of adventure. I knew I’d regret it if I gave up. Two hours after I started out, I finally arrived at the park. I didn’t know where I was or where to go, but it was nice to be out in the crisp fall air, climbing. It was a good thing I can read Korean now…the park was definitely not foreigner-friendly. I walked across the entire ridgeline in two and a half hours, ending up near a temple (the area where I originally wanted to go, which supposedly had buses to Buyeo). It was a nice walk—not too strenuous, with a good view of the surrounding area. I’m glad I went, if only to know that I probably don’t want to go back…unless I have a day to dedicate to buses. Anyway, I was still hopeful I could get to Buyeo from there, but the man in the park information office told me that not only were there no buses to Buyeo, there were no buses ANYWHERE. Fortunately, he offered me a ride to Cheongyang and we conversed—sort of—in Korean the whole way. Sometimes I feel so capable here! From what I could gather, he found it very odd I was single and kept checking to make sure, but I could only catch the one word—alone. My ability to understand Korean is largely limited to anticipating what people might want to ask, based on a few verbal cues. I get by. He took me to the bus station, where I learned the Buyeo-bound bus had left ten minutes before and I would have to wait another hour and a half. I picked a GREAT day to leave my book at home.
So, three hours of moderate exercise, two and a half hours of waiting, and two hours of bus rides after I left, I was back in Hongsan. And much worse for the wear, too, because I’d skinned both my knees klutzing around the Buyeo bus terminal. I don’t think I’ve skinned my knees since I was a kid—thought I’d grown out of that clumsy stage of my life—but now I have two skinned knees, courtesy of an unanticipated step. They burn and one of them is still oozing pus. I also hurt my arm in a fall on the trail. Gravity certainly got the best of me today.
What I learned today:
1. ALWAYS bring a book.
2. Chilgapsan is not worth a return visit…unless I’m REALLY bored.
3. Rely on the kindness of Korean strangers…they’ll always come through!