Little Town . . .

Yesterday was a celebration of France. My friends and I ventured to Gapyeong to see Le Petite France, a cute theme park inspired by the classic children's book The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. 

This area is well known for its cameos in Korean Dramas. It is featured most recently in My Love from the Star, but it has also been in Secret Garden and Beethoven's Virus. They even had a poster with all the Korean Dramas it had been featured in, as well as photo spots that were filmed in Korean Dramas featuring the characters! There was also a TV playing behind the scenes footage of the famous kiss scene in My Love from the Star. I also discovered that you can stay here in a hotel and see the place at night, which I plan to do next weekend, along with a trip to Nami island (another Kdrama hotspot). 

The colorful houses were modeled after common structures in Europe, from Germany to the Mediterranean, and the gardens feature European statues and works of art. There are a few shops and stands, including one that serves Belgian waffles. One of the houses is a museum dedicated to The Little Prince, and it chronicles Antoine de Saint-Exupery's travels with many displays. One room had an entire wall of all the different languages that The Little Prince had been published in. 

The Little Prince is really popular here, perhaps because the story is a reflection of life's travels and what you learn from them. They even made The Little Prince comic book and TV show where the prince travels around the universe helping aliens in need. Other fairytales were displayed in the village including Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Pinocchio. 

We walked around the village and took lots of pictures of the paintings, scenery and gardens. I found a gift shop in the fountain plaza that sold lots of The Little Prince merchandise, but it also sold antique dolls and some Studio Ghibli figurines. 

All in all it was a fun place to see, and just as pretty as I had expected from its cameos in Korean Dramas. 

A note on getting there: According to the website, you can buy a tour that features Petite France (but they're a tad pricy for a backbacker) I recommend taking the subway or ITX to Gapyeong station, then taking the bus (which runs from 8:30 to 5:30 pm) which costs 5,000 won (but you have the ticket for the whole day). The bus can also take you to Nami Island and The Garden of Morning Calm if you want to go to all three. 

The ticket price is 8,000 won for adults and 6,000 won for kids. 

After our tour of Petite France, we decided to watch La Belle et La Bete so it was truly a French experience :) We were just missing actual crepes! 

Adjustments

Hello! I'm still alive, and yes I realize that I haven't blogged in quite awhile. Here's my excuse: adjustments. I've been adjusting to the time difference, my new schedule, a new culture and a new mindset. That's a lot to get used to! But the point is, I'm still enjoying it here. 

I'm trying not to beat myself up when I make mistakes, (I am human after all) and I'm starting to understand the school system. 

So, before I made this blog, I made a rule. No complaining! This rule keeps me focused on the good, and it reminds me to avoid any bad things that would usually haunt my mind. (My new mindset.)

For the past week, I've gotten to know my students better, and I'm getting to know the area. Chuncheon is lovely. It reminds me of Colorado and Kentucky all at once. The mountains surround the city, but there are large rivers and lakes that compliment the tall buildings and highways. I went to the park last weekend, along with many other foreign teachers, and I've decided that I may bike there once I set my schedule straight. The park features a wavy bridge, and they even have swan paddle boats! We went to a pancake place on one of the docks, and we drank rice wine from bowls! 

Most of my schedule revolves around teaching English, and since I have had little teaching experience, it's a process. Like any class, some students are well behaved, while others really test your patience. I'm learning the system, and adjusting to the enviornment of the classroom and the teaching life slowly but surely. I tried explaining smores the other day to one class, because the topic was camping, but it was hard to describe graham crackers.

 I haven't really experienced too much culture shock yet. In fact, I'm enjoying a lot of the day to day details that I wouldn't find in America. 

For example, on the way to work, one shop blasts music that I actually own on my ipod. They play Kpop hits and Kdrama soundtracks. Also, on nearly every corner is a convinent store or CVC. They have really cheap iced coffee, (my new best friend) and they carry many cool Korean snacks, including a dark chocolate version of cocoa puffs shaped like stars. They also have Oreos of every flavor, and really good hamburgers with pinapple slices. Tables and chairs are set up outside, and they stay open really late. If I have a break at work, the CVC is my favorite place to grab a snack and write. 

I'm currently in a language swap with two of my fellow teachers. We meet at Cafe Bene, a cafe that has book shelves, on Fridays at noon and practice speaking. I haven't made a list of all the places I want to go yet, but once I get used to my surroundings, I will start exploring more. 

My most recent find was the bookstore across the street from work. They had many popular US books in Korean, and classics that are famous around the world! I found The Hobbit, Pride and Prejudice, Sherlock Holmes and Jane Eyre. They also sell Disney books, teen books and novels that have inspired Korean drama! I was lucky to find The Moon That Embraces the Sun, a Korean novel that inspired the T.V. drama of the same name. I don't know if my Korean will ever be that advanced, but I plan on buying it while I'm here. 

Aside from my discoveries, I've also noticed that some things that are popular in America are really popular here too! My students love Frozen, to the point where they will burst into one of the songs randomly (usually Let it Go). The Little Prince is a big deal here too. They have a comic book, T.V show and of course the theme park that I plan to visit soon. I've also seen stickers, stationary and toys based on the Little Prince. The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Game of Thrones are also a big deal. They had a display for each in the book store, and they sold several different versions. 

My adventure here has only just begun, but I have much more to do and see before I will feel adjusted. This is my first major step away from home, so my reaction to the time difference is common and normal, still I look forward to the days that I won't feel so tired and I can explore more of this city and country. 

Palace of Wonder and Garden of Dreams

Goong S,Sunkyunkwan Scandal,Queen Inhyeon's Man,Gu Family Book,Chandeokgung Palace,Korean Drama,Goong,Travel,South Korea,Inspiration

The Changdeokgung Palace is a step back in time. From the imperial gate to the secret garden, it has been the movie set for many historical Korean dramas. The picturesque view and the artistic atmosphere draws in tourist after tourist. But for me, it's more than that. Once I arrived, it was like walking in a Korean fairytale. I could see the crown prince running along the game field. I saw the servants walking through the gate quickly with laundry to the great well next to the public garden. And of course, the minute I walked over the Geumcheongyo (stone bridge) I could see the crown princess with her ladies in waiting, and the procession that followed. 

This palace also has a forbidden garden, that we were lucky enough to grab tickets for, right before it sold out. (I reccomend geting them as soon as possible- they sell out fast) The great pavillion was a private resort for the royal family and a few selected noblility. The garden itself was a quiet retreat for tea, and it even has it's own area for the rice only eaten by the royal family. 

The area was beautiful, and reminded me of many Korean myths and legends. 

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find books about Korean folklore, but their history begins with a myth, and slowly turns into facts. The Kingdom of the Four Winds begins Korea's tale, and from then on, the history unfolds. But actually walking around the regal and beautiful buildings gives you a taste of what life was like whne men feared Gumihos, women were chosen to be the crown princess, and the great school of Sungkyunkwan was the most promising school in the country. 

This area of Korea, preserved in the Joseon period is inspirational and its own work of art. 

Some of the Korean Dramas filmed here include The Moon that Embraces the Sun, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Gu Family Book, Goong, Goong S and of course Queen Inhyeon's Man.