The verdict is in, I've found out where I'm going to be teaching. The Fulbright ppl make a HUGE deal out of placements; it's this big ordeal where everyone's name is announced on at a time and when you find out where you'll be you have to go up to the board and put a little sticky with your name on it onto a map of Korea.
So...I'm going to be in Gumi, a city that when encountered in guidebooks is usually described as "industrial." It was home to former Korean president Park Chung-hee, and during his administration the city was chosen as the site for some of the major economic initiatives in the country. BUT, according to Aimee (one of the orientation coordinators), who taught there two years ago, the city is pretty spread out and the school I'll be in is on the opposite side of most of the factories.
More interestingly: I'm going to be teaching at Gumi High School, a public boys' school. The school has a website, which is all in Korean, but you can see what it looks like and the boys in their matching crimson blazers at www.kumigo.com. Very adorable. The other perk (in addition to the blazers) to Gumi is that it's home to Samsungwon, an orphanage that Fulbright has a pretty long-standing relationship with, so I'll be able to volunteer there in addition to teaching, which I'm really happy about.


Tomorrow is my first day teaching. I'm so nervous. I think I might die.

On the other hand, I have pictures from Songnisan! (as usual, i stole pics from someone else's camera)


Monks during prayer ceremony preparing to bang on the big drum.


I actually took this picture. The thing on the left is a fish.


Temple and big Buddha


One form of prayer at Songnisan is to stack rocks, so these sorts of piles (most of them much smaller) are all over the park. The one in the back looks worthy of Andy Goldsworthy.


View from bridge.


yo!