Cultural field trip

Yesterday rocked. I joined the 3rd grade middle school students on their field trip to Buyeo, a small cultural city. I wish there was a field trip every week because I don't have to teach and can just hang out with the students and the teachers. The kids didn't have to wear uniforms, and got to act like kids. Which means I also get to act like more of a kid, as if I need an excuse.

First we went to a pottery place, and one of the potters did a demonstration, spinning the wet clay on a round surface with one hand and shaping it with the other. I couldn't understand anything because it was in Korean, but at the end I think he asked for volunteers because all the students started saying my name. So I gave it a try, and the kids and I laughed as the pot soon became pretty disfigured.

Next everyone got to make cups or bowls or whatever you wanted out of clay. I sat down with the students because I didn't want to miss this. My cup came out better than the pot.

After pottery it was lunch time. And on a Korean field trip, that means Soju time. After the pottery place we went to a museum, but after taking pictures with the students, I joined some of the teachers for makoli (rice wine). Then we went to the set of a famous old drama TV show, where I was feeling pretty good because of the alcohol, great weather, and all around good time.

I think I played my cultural cards right, because today I was invited to go to lunch with some of the male teachers, and there weren't any English teachers there to help with the language barrier. We attacked our kalguksu (noodle) dish like only Korean men can. I try not to think how soon this experience will be ending, because I'm going to miss days like these.