In South Korea, schools tend to have their school outing quite near the beginning of term as the weather gets hotter and hotter into June and July. Most of my friends school’s had already had their school picnic day’s out and I was waiting excitedly for ours. However, Jenny told me one Tuesday that the picnic was that Friday day and that we would have no classes. There was no mention of us attending the picnic. I was disappointed as I really wanted to go on the picnic and spend some time with the kids outside school and get to know them a bit better. Over the next few days I dropped some rather big hints about liking school outings and by the Thursday the other teachers seemed to have picked up on this as a ticket for me appeared on my desk and I was told that I would go to the picnic with a 3rd Grade class. Oh, I thought – I don’t teach 3rd Grade and know none of the children and they speak no English. Anyway, I decided to make the best of it so came to school bright and early the next day all set to go on a school outing! And it was raining. Typical but I have lived in Scotland long enough not to let that put me off (ssshhh, Garry, this is the new Mon).
A million buses arrived in the school playground – 6th Grade were off to a amusement park in daegu, 4th Grade were going to a country park and both 3rd and 5th Grade were going to the amusement park in Gyeongju, originally named “Gyeongju World”. And my spirits were lifted when I boarded my bus with Cass 3-4 as some of the kids in my after school club were in this class and so very excited that I was with them.
A million buses arrived in the school playground – 6th Grade were off to a amusement park in daegu, 4th Grade were going to a country park and both 3rd and 5th Grade were going to the amusement park in Gyeongju, originally named “Gyeongju World”. And my spirits were lifted when I boarded my bus with Cass 3-4 as some of the kids in my after school club were in this class and so very excited that I was with them.
This is Bella, one of my little after school cuties.
And this is Alice, who has the most gold teeth I have ever seen in a 9 year old and is boisterous and brash but I love her so, she is my personal favourite.
Gyeongju World in itself is not much different than any small amusement park – it had some big roller-coaster rides and one of the plummet-style tower things but I am not all that keen on rides so just wanted to spend time watching the kids having fun. However, once again my hopes were blighted as my day was to be spent with the other teachers, walking around and sitting about. As these were all Home Room teachers, I think they appreciated the break from the kids and were enjoying some peaceful time.
While the kids were eating lunch, there was a Butlins style show on the main stage consisting of about 12 males and females dancing and miming to K-Pop classics. Some of the kids loved this but one of my after school club boys most certainly did not!
While the kids were eating lunch, there was a Butlins style show on the main stage consisting of about 12 males and females dancing and miming to K-Pop classics. Some of the kids loved this but one of my after school club boys most certainly did not!
Butlins minus the red coats.
He was not amused and stood at the front like this for the full 30 minutes.
Costume change number 4 and they were off again!
Little Jane, another after school club gem who is just the cutest.
Teachers lunch Korea-style - individual little pots of bimimbap and seaweed stew. Yummy!
I did get cajoled into going on two rides – one called a Tambourine which was a big round ride with seat round the edge but nothing to tie you in and it spun around shaking like a tambourine. Not much fun and gave you really sore arms! The other was a river rapids ride which some kids came on with us and was quite good fun.
The queue for the river rapids.
A few of my 5th graders waiting for the rapids.
Actual dinosaur.
One of my favourite 5th Grade girls who is very perceptive and quickly picked up on my British accent and now copies it everytime she says "hulllloooooo" to me.
A group of my after school club kids including Cathy, Julie, Daisy, Bella and Jane. I did not name them.
The two teachers that were my companions for the day and dragged me on the dreaded tambourine.
In the afternoon, the rain came on pretty heavy for a while and the teachers retreated to the only restaurant area there was. Sitting under wooden shelters, we ate Korean pancakes (yum yum) and drank makgeolli (rice wine – yuck yuck).
Before I knew it, the day was over and were loaded back on the buses to return to school. It was 3pm when we got back and I decided to sneaky off home as clearly no work was going to be done in the last 2 hours. I don’t think anyone noticed…………….
Before I knew it, the day was over and were loaded back on the buses to return to school. It was 3pm when we got back and I decided to sneaky off home as clearly no work was going to be done in the last 2 hours. I don’t think anyone noticed…………….
Class 3-4 with their teacher who made my day a whole lot of Korean fun!
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