A Trip to Incheon's China Town

It's been a while since I last posted about my adventures here in Korea. Things are still going well with work and I am really getting settled in here and used to the way things work. I had a little spell where I had a funky virus for a week or so, but it went away and now I feel like my old self again. Being a "teacher" is fun. I say "teacher" because I did not go to college and major in secondary education, therefore I don't think of myself as a true teacher. The kids are a lot of fun and they each have unique personalities that make every day more interesting. I am looking forward to teaching them all year.

 Other than work, I have been out and about with Soojeong and Goeun quite often, eating a different restaurants, exploring, and going out for drinks to kick start the weekend. My first pay day is this upcoming Thursday, so I am quite excited. It will be nice to be able to save a good amount of money this year. I still plan to have some fun though, and go to Japan in August and many other places within Korea. Since my academy is a private institution, we do not get the luxurious month long break for summer that most schools do. I can't really complain though, I will get some time off and be able to travel and see new places. I came to work and so I work. Life can't always be long vacations like it was during my school years.

 Today, Soojeong, Goeun, and I took a day trip to the city of Incheon to get out and explore for a bit. None of us had been to the China Town there, so that was our mission today. We caught a train in Seoul and headed towards Incheon which took us about 35 minutes. Once we got there, we explored a market that was famous for the chicken they cook there, grabbed some ice cream, and then set off towards China Town. The weather was nice and being close to the sea, there was a nice breeze too. It must be hot in Oklahoma already, but here it is just right for spring.

China town was really interesting and it was neat to see all of the little shops selling little trinkets and jewelry. There were many different restaurants and stores that lined the streets. I love seeing all of the vendors and the different foods that they have. The smells in air are enough to drive a man crazy with hungry. We did grab a snack, and continued to explore the little streets. There was a really cool mural that lined on of the streets that told the history of China when it was separated into three different countries. There was so much to see!

Not far from China Town, in a park, is a statue of General MacArthur. During the Korean War, his landing at Incheon helped to turn the tide of the war. We didn't get the chance to go see it today, but I know that I will make a trip there sometime when I go visit my twin and his wife who will be moving to near Incheon to work in July. After our China Town exploring ended, we caught a bus and headed towards the sea. There wasn't a beach that you could swim at, but we went to an area that was like a board walk in the US, that had an amusement park with lots of little rides and games. There was a lot to see and do there, but we caught a cab back to the train station to Seoul to grab dinner and rest our tired feet. It was a very fun day.