Gajisan

Yesterday, my director and I went for our last hiking adventure together as employer and employee, as he will be retiring from the hagwon next week. Hopefully, we will be able to go hiking more in the future; he has introduced me to so many of Korea's beautiful mountains and to the outdoor adventuring culture that is so popular here. But this was a nice coda to our time together this year. He took me and two of his friends to Gajisan, the highest peak in the Yeongnam alps and one of the 12 scenic areas of Ulsan. I am always amazed by his stamina and the pace with which he hikes. Here is a 48 year old man who runs marathons and thinks nothing of attacking a 60 degree ascent! Initially, he wanted to take us on an eight-hour excursion, but at lunch it became evident that I was going to be a drag on the team as my body was giving way. I was coming down with a cold and suffering from exhaustion and even though I was willing to take on the Korean "Fighting!!" mentality and persevere, he took pity on me and changed our plan and instead took us to Sari-am, a small temple tucked away in the side of a mountain that is one of the three most famous temples in Korea where people visit to pray for their dreams to come true. Of course, not being a Buddhist, I didn't offer any prayers, but the view was incredible, even through the fog that had settled over the valley and the peaks. I am very thankful to have met my director; unlike many hagwon directors that I hear horror stories about, he is a truly generous and kind man who wants me to have a great experience in Korea, both in and out of the classroom.