Lantern festival

My week started out really great on Sunday. Sara (my co-worker and neighbor) cooked a western style breakfast. This is a specialty because breakfast here in Korea is the same as dinner or lunch. For Sara to prepare omlets, potatoes and coffee is really a special treat. Of course I was 15 minutes late, first of all becuase I was on Liz time and second because H called to tell me he was canceling plans AGAIN! After breakfast we headed to Insadong for the festival. The weather was perfect and the people were so friendly. They had a little kids preforming dances


on stage, both tradional and hip hop.
Jen and I got to try on tradional Korean clothing (we are doing tradional Korean faces), we made laterns, I had a tradional water painting made just for me (which they ended up giving to me as a present), and we ate delicious Korean food. Jen's mom was with us and she was fascinated by the fact that everyone wanted to take pictures of Jen and I. I think we had atleast five T.V stations follow us and numerous people asking to take our pictures. We just told her mom, that we are local celeberties, its our little joke. By mid afternoon, the place was packed. It was a sea of black hair and we just blended in with the crowd, well not blended but mixed in. At about 6:30 we decided to look for seats for the latern parade. We got some really great seats and sat behind these ajummas (little old ladies). At first they seemed really unfriendly, and kept staring at us. But then started handing us food and kept making a motion for us to eat. We were so shocked, but it was such a kind jesture, and we ate the snacks. After we were waiting for about 20 minutes, a van pulled up infront of us and parked. We were pissed!! I don't feel like I am really enthnocentric, but I know back home, that this area would have been taped off at the beggining of the day if there was going to be an electric truck parked during the parade. The Ajummas really let the driver have it. They even strted hitting him, not hard of course. This was an all day event and we finally left after 9pm, poor Jen's mom was so tired, it was only her second day in Korea. The subway ride home was actually quite entertaining with Neil and I throwing around your mom jokes. Jen tried to jump in, but she kept saying "my mom", instead of "your mom". It was so funny. Ah I am going to miss Neil when he leaves our school next month.


Just wanted to add this picture because garbage cans are few and far between and then they are usually overly packed like this one. I find this really interesting, because Koreans are neat freaks, yet Korea is not what I would call a clean country and thats coming from me!!!!!