Birthday paragliding!

Today is my birthday. I am officially 27 years old..... For my birthday, two friends and I went paragliding at Yongin Mountain, about an hour south of Seoul. Basically, you are strapped to an instructor and a parachute and run off the edge of a mountain and then glide to the bottom. I was scared, but it was sooo much fun. I want to do it again already. After paragliding, we went to Outback Steakhouse for a delicious, and expensive, birthday dinner. Outback is more expensive here, obviously, because it is a foreign restaurant, but it was worth every penny.

Enjoy the videos and pictures of my experience!























Yummy food!!

mmm.. salad.

mmm... ribs.

mmm.. steak and french fries and onion rings.

all done. mmm... left overs!

Enjoy these videos from my paragliding.... if they don't play at first, try clicking a few seconds within the timer bar to see if it starts.


introduction to my paragliding experience.


my take off!!!


paragliding.


more paragliding.

Cherry Blossom festival

This weekend I went to the Cherry Blossom Festival with Amanda and Phil. In the city, there were streets lined with hundreds of cherry blossom tress. It was really pretty and the weather was finally nice enough to be outside without completely freezing. Apparently all the Koreans thought so too, because the streets were filled with hundreds of Koreans also.



As always... an overcrowded subway.


Arriving at the festival. This was just a neat building.


This nice officer was directing traffic. I don't actually know if he is nice, but I'm sure he was.


The street was lined with cherry blossoms.


Amanda and I under the trees.


For 4000 won, you could buy a coconut that the vendor punched a hole and stuck a straw in. Turns out I don't like straight coconut milk.


Pretty tulips. Koreans love taking pictures. I had to fight my way in get a chance to pose with this pot. They are very aggressive and I lost my turn a few times until I finally just squatted next to it and forced them wait their turn.


More pretty flowers.


The men's bathroom. The door was just wide open for everyone to see. A few men even came out with pants still unbuttoned. I guess this helps with the efficiency of getting in and out quicker.


A ship made of empty cookie boxes.


I don't know what this was, but it was on display and I liked it.


Korea has the fanciest crossing guards I have ever seen.


The festival had a lot of art on display. The following are come examples of what I saw.









This is view of Seoul across the river.... ahhh.. what lovely smoke stacks.


Me and a tree.



Slim and Healthy... the sign advertised no fat, no sugar, no butter, no preservatives, low calories, etc... it was a soup, gelato, coffee shop. I didn't try anything. I had just eaten a doughnut from Dunkin Donuts....


A street performance at the festival. I don't quite understand what was going on, but tons of people had stopped to watch.

Flossboy anyone?

A local pastry shop is now offering a new treat. I mean, with a name like that, who wouldn't want a Flossboy??


In other news, my school is starting to put the pressure on for my decision to stay or go. I have 4 1/2 months left, and I can honestly say that I have NO idea what I want to do. It doesn't appear that there are many teaching jobs back home, but do I want to stay longer here? Emotionally, this can be a trying place. People come and go all the time. You meet great people, and just as easily as you met, they may be leaving soon. This will happen in any teaching abroad job, though. I am not sure where I want to go from here.... I need suggestions.