New Year's in Jirisan

Our last school break for some time, Lunar New Year's, was 2 days at the end of January. We figured this might be our only chance to hike the whole ridge in Jirisan National Park. Jirisan (지리산) is close to Jinju and straddles 2 provinces. It has Korea's third highest mountain, Cheonhwangbong, which is 6,283'. The ridge has about a dozen different shelters which you can reserve online (in English!) and you have to stay in them, no tent camping allowed. We had been to the Hwaemsa temple and the park entrance before and the weather was mild and the ridge was free of snow. So for our vacation we made reservations in 3 different shelters and imagined a leisurely stroll along a flat ridge, basking in the winter sun. We did not prepare for snow, and Kevin was even wearing jeans, one of his few pair of pants. We did not pack much cold weather clothing (as we don't have much period). The plan was to wake up early Saturday morning and bus to Hadong, then Gurye, the the Hwaesma temple entrance. As we had just worked 3 long weeks, along with hapkido classes, Saturday we slept in late and contemplated not even going. Let's just be lazy in Jinju all weekend. But once up and out of bed the antsiness kicked in and we packed. We didn't leave our apartment until 1pm, so I figured there was no way we would make it to the park before sunset. I was adamant about not hiking at night. I pictured hopping from huge slippery boulders and that, coupled with my crappy headlamp and general woosiness, led me to believe we would just stay in a motel at the base of the mountain and hike extra far the next day. Thank god we didn't do that.
So when we finally got to Gurye, this tiny town in a valley surrounded by mountains, the weather had turned nasty. Our view of the mountains was obscured in fog and it was even snowing in the town. I still refused the idea of hiking in the dark. Kevin got very frustrated and we argued about this. Finally while separating in the bus station for a moment, a young Korean came up to Kevin and he was studying the wall map and started asking questions. He told Kevin that you could not hike at night and he was due at a farther shelter that night. So I, smug in my haha we can't even hike at night attitude, was quite content on passing the evening in a warm minbak. So we jumped on the next little bus to the temple where 2 other men had big backpacks. They were hiking to Nogodan, the first shelter, that night no matter what. our new friend, Lee, said he was going to join them. So a crew of 3 Koreans was hiking in the night. I relented and said okay let's go too.
So before we started I bought a new headlamp and the Koreans convinced us to be "izon" they are like mini-crampons, little metal spikes that strap to your shoes. I was wearing my trail running shoes, Kevin his new Timberland boots which are hardly water proof. The other guys had gore-tex pants, gaiters, hiking poles, all the hi-tech stuff, and they almost scoffed at Kevin's jeans. However we started up the road to the temple, and as we attempting to find the trailhead and truck drove buy and told our companions that we were going the wrong way. This added to all the confusion so we headed back down to the town. After more discussion with a restaurant proprietor, our crew decided we could take a taxi around the backside of the mountain and do the short cheaters-hike to the shelter. But alas, the windy mountain road was closed, due to snow! Okay it is winter, we are starting to realize. We are frustrated and Kevin and I said we were going to stay in town until the morning. The other guys deliberated, smoked cigarettes, and said they were still going. But they were not speedy about it. We sat there for like 20 minutes and the restaurant man drove us back up the road to the temple and pointed out the trailhead. About 7:15 pm, pitch black, and we were finally on our way!
Now in good weather a fit person can do this hike in about 2 1/2 hours. It is straight up. No switch backs. There are stone steps (Koreans have been hiking in these mountains for thousands of years) that seem to climb forever. There was a light dusting of snow as we started which only increased with elevation. I think we climbed almost 4000' feet.

Kevin and I did pretty well considering we are not in top shape. We kept getting ahead of the other guys toward the end, but it was nice because they were so insistent about staying in a group. I think they had one smoke break on the way up. They were beat at the end.


So by 10pm we finally stopped climbing and had gained the ridge hooray!

Kevin and Lee on the ridge

We still had 1 km to walk on the road which had about a foot of snow on it. Thankfully there was a shortcut and we rounded a bend and saw the blessed shelter. The wind was raging and it was -13 degrees Celsius. We stumbled into the kitchen which was in a separate building from the shelter where 2 guys were attempting to sleep. The kitchen was not heated but it was much nicer than outside. We all commenced boiling water and we all ate ramen noodles for dinner. The shelter employees were not too pleased with our late arrival but we actually had reservations. I got really confused because he told me that women slept on the second floor so I stepped over a rope on the staircase and was wandering around the second floor where every door was locked. Turned out he meant the upper loft in the main sleeping room. We tried as best as we could to be quiet and settled down into an (un) fitful sleep. Thank god I brought earplugs. I have never slept in a room with that many people, I don't think, especially with numerous older men who can cut down huge forests while they snooze.

TO BE CONTNUED

guys always fixing in their hair

This struck me as quite funny and I just noticed it but Kevin said he always sees it. Now we knew people here in Korea and concerned about their appearances; they are terrified of getting even any sort of weight on their bones and good skin seems to be essential. Lots of women completely cover their faces with white foundation which to us looks kinda creepy. And peoples' hair always looks good. While walking with Joe in Seoul on New Years it was freezing and he said, "Look at all these people. And not one of them is wearing a hat because they are too worried about static." I looked at our group and we all had nice warm winter hats on, oblivious to how we looked. We are about functionability I guess, if that is a word. Plus we really don't give a damn about how we look. Kevin and I brought so few clothes that we wear the same pants in a row or don't really do much with our hair. Here, however, they must view us as barbarians. Or worse.
So yesterday in the subway and bus stations I observed no fewer than four guys approach the mirrors that our everywhere and sit there and fix their hair. Now I am not talked about a quick glance and a little sweeping action, I am talking full-fledged standing there for a bout 4 minutes moving the hair into place. A lot of guys have these haircuts which must be like gelled into place, it's hard to describe but they have varying lengths of hair arrayed around their face. So these guys sit at the mirror adjusting the most minor detail from the front, sides, and backs. One guy I watched for a while completely amused. He was about to walk away when he began adjusting his pants then stepped forward again to adjust his mop more. Then I saw 2 other guys doing the same thing, but no girls! It was just funny to me because most guys I know (my brother excluded) would never be caught dead looking in mirror like that in public, or don't even look at mirrors periods. And guys doing that in the states are risking being though of as, let's say, fruity. I don't know why it was so funny but it was so that is that.

Acupuncture and Hapkido

So I have not written in a while because it seems the initial shock of being here is wearing off and we are getting quite used to things. We are both learning some basic Korean vocabulary, the essentials, like numbers and such, and we are starting to feel like we know our way around town.
Last week I bought a Samick guitar, which is a supposedly Korean brand but mine was made in China. Figures. And I got a Kevin a small bass amp to go with his free bass. So at the store the lady not only lowered the price for both objects, she threw in an amp cord, guitar strings, a case, and a capo, which the capo alone in the States is like 20$ and I am always losing mine. So now we have bikes and instrument. I also got a yoga mat and have been attempting in the mornings to follow some basic youtube videos because my right shoulder has been bothering me a ton since we have been here.
About that- I have always felt some tightness in that right shoulder blade, and when we got massages in Lava Hot Springs last fall the woman really hit the sweet spot. But since I have been here it has grown into a near constant pain, and times it feels like it is burning. The yoga should help eventually but I wanted something else.
Enter acupuncture. Yes, the needles sticking into your body. I have never thought about doing it because I have always felt pretty healthy and plus at home I would assume it is very very pricey.
The teachers who were here 1 year before us, a Canadian couple, apparently got acupuncture done quite often. Kevin messaged one of them who told us where they went. It is on the other side of the river and the directions were pretty vague. We knew the neighborhood but not where to go, at all. We were supposed to find Oxford Academy (hopefully the sign was in English) and the Oriental Medicine Clinic would be nearby.
So yesterday morning we took the bus over to said neighborhood, Juyakdong, and started pretty much wandering around looking for this academy. We walked both ways for a while and figured, whatever we'll find it later. Then Kevin happened to ask a younger teenager, in English, if he knew where Oxford Academy was. The kid spoke very good English and he said he could see the school from his house, about a 10 minute walk away. He let us follow him and showed us the school and we found the clinic.
It was on the second floor and we took our shoes off upon entering and slipped into the "health feet" sandals provided. Two women came out smiling and we tried explaining acupuncture. Then we mentioned the names of the Canadians and they both smiled and nodded and everything was good. Next however she asked for our insurance cards which we have not yet received. Nope. How about alien registration cards? They are in the mail. We figured we were defeated but the woman called our school and apparently go the okay. We waited a moment then were ushered into the actually doctors office who spoke a little English. I told him where it hurt and I laid down on a bed in his office and he started rubbing my shoulder until he found the sweet spot. He was good. So then off into the little patient area with several beds with curtains. I laid on my stomach and the woman came and pulled up my shirt. I couldn't see anything that was going on. She then stuck four different little suction cups around my shoulder, turned on a heating lamp, and then this weird machine began to send heat and pulsate around my shoulder. This was the "physical therapy" part and it was niiiice. So this for a while and I can't see anything still. Then off came the cups and the doctor was back there. He stuck about 6 needles along my shoulder blade. Only 2 of them even registered any feeling, a slight pain, and I think that was because they hit the sweet spot. "10 minutes," he said. Kevin meanwhile was on another bed undergoing the same procedure except for his neck was his problem area. So we laid there on our stomachs then out came the needles and now times for "suction" which I have since failed to understand but all I know is that they stuck a device on us which took blood and left a hickey-like mark.
So we didn't have our insurance cards yet and I talked to our director Erica who informed us that we would be reimbursed later. And guess how much this fantastic treatment cost? With the brief doctor consultation . . .In the States I would imagine like 200$ and most insurance companies would probably not cover treatments 6such as this. Here, it was about about 37$ for both of us. We went back in the morning for a repeat of the same deal and since we had no consultation it about about 25$ total. Ridiculous. I didn't care about insurance coverage.
So that was acupuncture. My shoulder feels better but it is definitely not perfect so I will return probably after I get my insurance.
Now Hapkido. What is it exactly? Everyone knows about karate and maybe taekwondo, hapkido is in the same family and geared towards self-defense seemingly, as well as almost gymnastic like flips and jumps. We watched some videos on youtube of guys jumping over 10 other people. Kevin joined hapkido last Wednesday and was given the white outfit (with a white belt) and a rec order-type flute called a "danso." Every hapkido session starts with playing the danso for about 10 minutes. It is hard to play at first since you blow into the end which has a notch; it's not like a recorder here you just blow into a hole but you have to find the exact spot and blow over and through the little notch. Kevin came home with these objects and we suddenly felt very Asian. So he went to two classes, coming home with tales of somersaults, different kicks, and breakfalls which is when you fall flat forward or backward and spread the impact throughout your body, tucking your chin to your chest, so it doesn't hurt. He also jumped and then tucked in a shoulder to roll into a somersault and learned a few of the different kicks. Aside from you this you do some warmups, push ups and leg lifts and stretches and just sounded like fun so Friday I tagged along. The instructor spoke enough English from teaching the Canadians before and he went out of his way to make sure we understood what was going on. First we entered his office and sat on some cushions and he gave me my uniform, we changed then I had my danso lesson. The irony is that we played
"arirang" the most famous traditional Korean song. In my college years of illegal music downloading I had downloaded some traditional and, what I thought was, Japanese music and I had had this song on my computer for years and never knew what it was. Then I started hearing it everywhere, this traditional melody, and it turns out it is Arirang and we practice this song on our danso. The fluting came easily to me enough but at times it just wouldn't come out. But we both tried. For about ten minutes we did this then the hapkido started. Monday through Friday I think they do different activities, and Friday happened to be pretty easy. We warmed up, ran around some, then piggy-backed different people back and forth. The female instructor, a tiny and veeery flexible girl named Min-young, had to carry me three times. She was tough. Then he did some kicks onto this pad the main teacher was holding and I was too busy concentrating about where and how my feet and knees were. Then for the rest of the class we just worked on stretching with a partner. We would attempt splits or backbends and have the other person push or pull on us until it was almost unbearable. Most people in the class could almost do splits while Kevin and I had our legs at just over 90 degrees. Stiff. So we pushed and pulled and groaned and stretched. Then at the the end we stand and do these little salutes, I had to introduce myself, which I tried in Korean and failed miserably, then we stand in a circle and close our eyes and say the motto : Justice, Love, Promise, I believe. And class was over. It was a great way to end the day, thought of school just beaded off us like water, and the workout felt awesome. We changed and bowed to our instructor who informed us that on Monday they were going to have a "beer party" after class. We are excited, a very authentic experience and hopefully new friends outside the school and foreigner realm.