Korea's Next Top Models

This past weekend, three friends and I went to a Plum Festival (Gwangyang Maehwa Festival).  The following is a description of the festival from the Official Site of Korea Tourism website: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=700153

This festival takes place at Maehwa Village near Gwangyang city in the Daap-myeon region of Jeollanam-do province. The area is famous for having the largest amount of Japanese apricot trees in Korea, and in fact the village takes its name from these trees. When the maehwa trees bloom they produce beautiful white flowers, known as ume flowers. The sight of these trees blooming throughout Maehwa Village and the surrounding Baegum Mountain is very picturesque, and every year people come from all around to walk beneath the blossoming trees and to purchase the organic maehwa (apricot) products that are produced in the region.

You can also visit the actual Plum Festival website at: http://www.gwangyang.go.kr/maehwa/.  Though the website is in Korean, you can click on the 4th section of the banner to see professional pictures from the festival.

Here are a few pictures that I took.

So, why the title of Korea's Next Top Models?  My friend, Anna, and I were the only foreigners at the festival as far as I could tell.  As we were looking at a traditional Korean home, a photographer stopped the two of us and asked us to pose at the house.  He had us do several different poses.  Other people were polite and stayed out of the way so that he could take our picture.  One kid who probably spoke limited English even told us to "smile".

As we were leaving the house area, we had to climb a relatively steep hill.  At the top of the hill were more people with cameras.  Not wanting to be in the scene and ruin their pictures, Anna and I stepped to the side.  Oh, but that wasn't what they wanted.  They wanted us to be in the picture.  They had us go half-way down the hill 3-4 times so they could get some good shots of us talking up the hill and talking to each other.  Again, people stayed out of our way in order for the men to take our picture.  We felt like celebrities!  haha!  Anna and I both agreed that we are going to have to start working on our runway walks!  lol!

Curing the Flu

Most of this will be background information that may or may not be relevant to the story.

On Friday, Zach and I went out for dinner and a movie.  It was supposed to be an early night because the next morning I had to get up at 5:00am to meet the bus that would take me to the mountain so I could go skiing.  Well, that early night did not happen.  First, I just couldn't fall asleep.  I've gotten used to going to bed at 1:00am or 2:00am every night.  Second, I felt a little sick.  Once I fell asleep (for about 4 hours), I felt fine and couldn't wait to go skiing!

The bus ride to the mountain took about 2 hours.  Not a big deal except I get motion sickness and the driver kept speeding up then breaking.  Let me tell you, it was a long ride!  But, we finally got to the mountain and breathing in the fresh air made everything better!  Since I'm talking about skiing, I will show you some pictures....

It was a great day!  Then, I had to get back on the bus.  :(   I felt just as sick as before!  This time, however, I fell asleep for part of the ride which helped!  That evening at home, I still didn't feel much better.  I thought food would help but it really didn't.  I went to bed feeling a little sick again.

It rained all day on Sunday so we stayed in and pretty much did nothing except for laundry.  That night I went to bed feeling even worse.  Early Monday morning I got sick (sorry).  I had to be in at work at 2:30pm.  I wasn't sure how I was going to survive.  I took a shower and got ready for work which took all of my energy.  There is a grocery store below our school so I decided that I would pick up some Cider (Sprite) and take my Saltines into work.

The walk to school wasn't that bad.  I think the fresh air helped.  I got to school and ate some Saltines and drank Cider.  Two of the teachers (the two that speak English) asked what was wrong and I told them.  About 15 minutes later, one of the teachers came over and asked to shake my hand.  I thought that was weird but whatever!  She started to massage my hand and doing the pressure point thing.  Ok!  I get the pressure point thing.  Then, the other teacher came over and started hitting me on the back telling me it was ok if I burped.  I wasn't afraid of burping.  I was afraid of getting sick all over the teacher massaging my hand.  I was feeling a little better until she whacked me on the back.

I just don't understand.  I am not saying that what they did was wrong, I was just not expecting it!!  haha!

Anyway, I'm feeling much better today!

One more funny story.  Zach and I went to the pharmacy to pick me up some antacids because when I start to worry about things, my stomach starts acting up.  Tums were my friends in the U.S.  Anyway, we went to the pharmacist to ask for antacids.  He asked me what my symptoms were and then recommended that I get antacids....  Duh!  That's what I asked for in the first place!  haha!

Oh well, they mean the best and I am grateful for that, but...well, you understand, right?!