I Live In Korea

My name is Ben Gwynne. I USED to teach English in Incheon, South Korea. Here's some photos, stories, videos, etc.

What a way to return from a vacation…

- About 24 hours after being on the beach, I look out the window of my plane to see a snowstorm, and realize we are about to land despite the runway not being plowed. Less than 100 feet from the ground, the pilot pulled up and made a move that Maverick did in Top Gun when deciding to not land last minute despite being low on fuel so he could save Cougar. Twenty minutes later, we land on the snow…somehow.

- Then I was heading home in jeans and a t-shirt despite it being a near blizzard outside. It was tough getting a cab (I think a lot of them take the day off in the snow?) leaving the buses crowded and in turmoil.

- Incheon (Korea maybe in general) is not equipped to deal with snow. They don’t get much of it where I am, and in Seoul they reported it was the heaviest recorded snowfall amount EVER!! Not many people have SUVs, I didn't see any snowplows on the highway today, and people were “shoveling” their stores and cars with BROOMS, STICKS AND PIECES OF PLYWOOD.

- After finally making it home, I find it impossible school will be open today, then I remembered one thing: Koreans work/study too much. I texted my head teacher and sure enough, school was open.

- Sitting in my room, cold, tired from a red-eye flight, and unmotivated beyond belief, I was about to walk out the door and then I got a text…school was canceled.

What a way to return from a vacation!

This is the first snow day I’ve had in ages, and I had to take advantage. I spent the day walking around my town, taking pictures, playing with kids in the park, building a snowman, helping the lady who owns the restaurant I eat at shovel her sidewalk, and carrying some ladies wagon up a 400 meter hill (despite her insane refusal for assistance) and doing all sorts of other good deeds to make up for the wrongs of my past.

What a way to return from a vacation. Normally I tout the efficiency of Korea here and to my family and friends, but this is a case where their labor and efforts were lacking to say the least, but it helped me. I guess I win either way. Pictures….






Back to school tomorrow, but this was a great way to start of 2010.

5 comments:

Kallandra said...

wow! what a return in deed! I can't believe the weather Korea (and the world) is having lately! Hasn't it been super-cold there lately? Oh wait... you weren't there haha!

Awesome job on the good deeds though ^^

Ben Gwynne said...

my body was in shock on monday and tuesday from the weather change, finally getting used to it

classrooms here are pretty cold though, Korea doesn't seem to be too big on insulation

Ben Gwynne said...

and sorry, i can't read what that says, is it Chinese?

Anonymous said...

You always did like the cold. not too much snow in NY, but definitely cold. Supposed to be warmer this week though

bg said...

who is this anonymous poster who knows my weather preferences?