Some Seoul Moments

Living in Seoul these past 6 months is the only time I have lived in a big city. I mean, I love you Burlington, but I don't know if I can call you a "city" and definitely not a "big city." Coming from a rural area, I've grown used to spending a lot of time outside. When the sun is out, my dad trained me that you should play outside. One of my favorite times of the year is early spring when you can finally start laying outside. Of course, if you are in Vermont, if you want to play outside in early spring, it usually involves several layers of clothing...

But, being in a big city, it is a little more difficult to find a play to just lay outside and read a book. Luckily, in Seoul, there are a few really pretty parks in Seoul. My favorite is the Han river that has a huge bike path and many places to play outside. Actually, the Han River is probably my favorite place in Seoul. Now, it is a little too cold to enjoy them, but here are some pictures from fall. 

This is from the "Seoul Dream Forest." Here, they have a few fields, wide open fields, and a deer park. This, obviously, is the deer park. 

 They also have a place where you can check how high you can jump. My jump was embarrassingly low, but Olivier was reaching for the stars.

 Another cool park is the Seoul Children's Park. A few months ago, my school had a field trip day. I went with one of my favorite classes, 2-3, to visit this park. Unfortunately, it was raining, but they were pretty good sports about it. After, we went to an all you can eat meat buffet and a noreabang.

Because it was raining and a weekday, the park was mostly deserted. This park did not have a lot of wide open green areas. Instead, it is basically a zoo. While going with my students was a blast, the zoo was still a little unsettling. There are a lot of animals in not a very large area.

One student gave me her umbrella because I left my at school. They had to share after. Also, one student is wearing a hat that says "Pervert XXX." She's a super sweet girl...

Group Shot in the Green House

The very rare and exotic Canadian Goose!!

The best part of the park is probably that it is Woman Friendly! I don't really know what this means...I mean...I didn't see any kitchens or shopping malls.... 

In all seriousness, Seoul has taken some measures to make it more "Woman Friendly." These measures include special women parking spaces, different toilets, and softer walking streets so walking in heels is more comfortable. You can read about it here. 

Oh, and some more pictures of Changdeokgung. Changdeokgung is really beautiful. Visit there if you have a chance. But, in case this feels like "deja vu" it's because I have so many pictures of this same castle before. This time, featuring my mom, aunt, and Olivier! Oh and some adorable children.

 

Here's a little boy climbing right behind the sign that says, "Do not go on stairs."

Double doorway shot

Yes, I take creepy photos of Korean Children.

Ok...maybe I have a problem. But he was digging with a spoon! How cute is that!

Aaaand the obligatory Secret Garden Shots:

This cat was wandering around. He looks exactly like our cat at home.