INdian Food After all...

After all the hard work that most of us showed during the Korea Brand Communicator's OT, I almost forgot to jot down what happened to the rest of us after we separated that day.

This is the picture we took with the Content Group. I love the fact that we did pretty good stuffs in solidifying the uniqueness as well as our so-called oneness thanks to the OT itself. 

We arrived in Seoul at about two or so...and we hadn't had lunch, yet. Since Chinmi and Kumar love Indian food^^ (Suray....pls. ....sure, they do...check out where they are from^^) and I also wanted to have biryani rice....(my favorite), we ended up going to one Indian restaurant in Myeongdong.

KUmar, Nandar, Chinmi and me...

What a feast to they eyes. I love the varieties of rice served in biryani style..the one that I love was the one with no meat on it. Well, vegetarian meal is the staple food for me. As for others, they enjoyed it, too. See that there were three different rice with its own special characteristics and tastes...

A closer look to the one I had...

It was totally worth the price^^

with Chinmi and we were like taking turn to take picture. Oh, the beverage I had was...a lychee juice or something like that with some milk mixed within. It's yogurt-like flavor....

and...Roti Pratta...one of my faves, too.

Been such a long time since the last time I had one back home in Jogjakarta, Indonesia. So, having a chance to be in Indian restaurant again right here in Seoul was like a dream comes true.

Zapped in the spell ...

Another angle and look and nuance of restaurant...

School Work Eyra's works

It was weekend and we just realized that Eyra got a homework from school she had to finish. She showed me a book entitled 즐거운 생확 ' Exciting Life' where kids learn to have the most of their time through activities as shown on the book. So, this week's theme is to make mask. Kids can choose to make any kinds of masks out of card box, shopping bags, papers, flour wrappings, or any other materials suitable to make masks. They could just imitate the ones shown on the book.

And..this is what Eyra made. Well, of course with my help. She insisted on making a flower. 

To prepare: we used a paper plate and cut some fancy papers and cut them in such a way so as to resemble the flowers.

It took us about 2 straight hours to make the one like this. 

She helped cutting the edges and putting them piece by piece until it was all finished.

Nice work, Eyra.

I wonder what would your classmates say to this huge mask you made. ^^

T-express Roller coaster in Everland, Korea

에버랜드에 가본 적이 있다고 하는 사람들이 많다. 그런데 나는 사람들이 T-익스프레스를 탔다고 하면 느낌이 좀 달라진다. ㅇ[버랜드에 갈 기회가 있어서 한국에서 제일 유명하다고하는 최고의 롤러코스터를 탔다. 그 것을 탄 후에는 롤러코스터라면 T-익스플스만 한 것이 없다는 사실을 인정한다.

I uploaded a picture of what T-Express is like. I do not own the video. 

The credit goes to the one making this video. 

Well, 솔직히... 에버랜드에 가지 전에 그 유명한 롤러코스터가 있다는 것을 몰랐다. 방문시간이 3시간밖에 없어 가지고 제일 무서운 놀이 기구를 꼭 타야 겠다는 생각이 들었다. 테마파크의 팸플릿을 보자마자 T-익스프레스를 선택했다(?)...골랐다(?) ^^....
가보니까 줄을 서 있는 사람들이 얼마나 많은지 모른다. 좀 망설였지만 그 것을 너무 타고 싶어서 줄을 서서 기다리기 시작했다. 생각보다.....한 시간이 넘었는데 아직도 입구근처에도 못 갔다. 몰론 포기할 생각이 들었지만 좋은 기회를 놓치지 않으려고 노력했다. 기다리면서 얘기도 하고 사진도 찍었다. (사실....FB와 KakaoTalk만 보고 있었다).^^
...드디어 탈 시간이 되었다. 앞선 사람들이 지르는 소리를 듣고 도망갈 생각이 다시 있었다. 그런데...우리 뒤에 서 있는 사람들이 많았기 때문에 어쩔 수 없이 타야 했다.
T-익스프레스가 어떤 것인지 미리 알았더라면 탈 생각도 없었을 것 같았다. 너무 무서워서 더 이상 생각하고  싶지 않았다. 그 최고의 롤러코스터를 타고 난 다음에 다른 걸 탈 필요가 없다고 했다. 세계에서 6번째로 제일 높은 롤러코스터를 타 보아서 기분이 좋았다. 그 것은 진짜 잊을래야 잊을 수가 없는 추억이 되었다.

Global Family Camp 2012 (Part 6): We are Happy to be a part of it

Once again, we would like to thank the 교보생명교육문화재단 for having facilitated and coordinated such an event. 

이런 활동을 통해서 우리가 한국에서 사는 것이 색다르게 변하고 있습니다.

After having finished our Archery activity, what left for us was......finding back all of the arrows we shot earlier. It would not be a big problem if the arrows hit the target. We just pluck them out of the target board. But what about the missing ones? We got no choice but to search for them in the bushes behind the target board.

Now: searching time! The kids loved it. As for the adults, we got no choice but to go further beyond the perimeter to find any missing arrows. 

-----it was about 10.30 when we finished having our first activity.

Then, off we went to make organic soap. Eyra and her Korean family friends were busy looking at how the soaps were being made.

Then, we made these cute little family out of pins and nuts.^^

We were making a family dolls out of cloth-pin and nuts. We drew our family members' faces and glued them on the pins. See the picture?

Then, we made a book out of some paper and some fancy papers. We could decorate and write anything we liked. Each family got a pack of fancy cards, some posters, pictures, and other prearranged information on each country. 

We cut and pasted the pictures onto our books eventually so as to make them look like the ones shown above.

It took some coordination and cooperation to make this simple design. Yet, creativity was what we needed. Finally, though, a 30-minute task given to each family turned out to be a hard-driven spirit and challenge for us. After all, we would not have finished making it, had we not cooperated. Right?

The final remarks from the committee, National Youth Center, Kyobo Life, and 동부교육지원청. And of course, we thank them for inviting us to participate in the program.

We said goodbyes to our doumi or liaison officer during the events. Till we meet again...^^

Now, I want to write down the reason as to why we were chosen as the participants of this program: our daughter, Eyra, is now attending Cheongryang Elementary School. As one of the families whose children attend Korean Elementary School, we were given an opportunity by the school to participate in the program. After submitting our application form, we were happy to know that we were among 24 families selected to participate in the Global Family Camp 2012. 

That's pretty much the reason as to why we were chosen to be the participants.

We were so happy to be able to meet multicultural families and Korean families along the way. 

A worth-it trip. 

Once again...we would like to thanks the 동부뵤육지원청 and 교보생명교육문화재단 for having facilitated and coordinated such an event. 

이런 활동을 통해서 우리가 한국에서 사는 것이 색다르게 변하고 있습니다.

Global Family Camp (part 5): Archery!!!!

Ready to get another experience for the 2nd day at the campsite. Freya and Eyra were walking along the empty--but not deserted--road in the NYC (national youth center). 

It just happened that we no cars or even people were visible at the very moment we took the picture. All I could say was that there might be thousands of people in the camp site that weekend. But, since it was such a huge camp site, we barely saw a whole pack of people within a few yards. The only time we bumped into one another or other groups was when we were having our breakfast or lunch or dinner.^^

Guess what the next activity was! It was archery. Yup, it was archery. It was so cool not all of us were so excited to participate, including the children. 

A lot of families were competing happily to shoot their arrows. Eyra,too, was no exception.

Yep, the instructor really did a good job at introducing and teaching us on how to shoot an arrow from from the seemingly light but turned-out-to-be heavy bow. 

It was 9 in the morning. Yet, it was a bit hot. But, since the archery --the one we never had before-- was so enticing, we barely felt the heat. Eyra and her Mom were preparing....

Looks so easy from this angle. The fact was....Eyra had to be helped out in stretching out her arms so as to make enough stretch of arms to shoot the arrow.

She was trying to do it on her own this time. See the target down there? I think it was about 50 meter or so

Of course I would not miss the golden chance of trying my strength as well as 'luck' in shooting the arrow through the first bow ever. After experiencing it myself, I came to a conclusion that despite the fact of its being irresistibly enchanting, archery is NOT an easy sport, every. 

Hmm, that made me think 'The Hunger Games' actors must've had rigorous training to be on that level--seen on the movie.

Our team from Iran, Korea, and Nepal were seen having their first try-outs. Even the kids were so eager to do their stunts on not-to-be-missed archery. 

** Thanks for Kyobo Life for providing us with such great experience for us.

Global Family Camp (part 4): Great Moments for the kids & families

Camp Fire Night and Talent Show. The first night of the first day at the camp was filled with laughter and joys when all of the participants, including the children, joined hand in hand to show off their talent.

The kids were on stage to dance to the beat....^^. It was hilarious.

All the kids from different countries mingled together and shared the togetherness.

Then, after some shows, all of the groups gathered and made a pack, made some wishes and ....most impressive of all, lighted up a heart-shape balloon.  

First, we had to light a candle slit inside the balloon so as to make it float and then fly away with all the wishes we made...

Then, off it went up up up away into the pitch black of the night. The eerie sound of the forest surrounding us  and the silence within the compound (considering the fact that we were hundreds in number)....showed how mesmerized most of us were by this simple act of being together.

------at around 10 pm, we went to our camp to sleep---

Morning set in.

It was the time to have breakfast. I got a glimpse of Freya tagging along her mother and sister towards the cafetaria where we had our meals.

Inside the cafetaria the National Youth Center...What a great time we did have there.

After having a meal, I took my wife back to our room to prepare for our 2nd day of activities. On our way there, we got a chance to take some shots of what it looked like at the camp site. 

Global Family Camp (part 3)

I know it was hot, Dear. But, pls. put on a smile and take a picture^^

Eyra was so excited and could not be more pleased than having to rush herself into the post of each treasure. So, having to stop our way and enjoy the scenery--in the heat like that particular afternoon--was obviously unbearable to her. But, after all, it was the little extra time we had that mattered most.

Eyra was then busy with herself. So, I grabbed m second daughter--Freya to get the photos session in the midst of yellow flowers (God knows what their names are)^^. 

Cool. I almost forgot that we'd spent probably 30 minutes or our racing time. We saw no one else around ...^^

Yet, one more snapshot to single out the chances of not-being-able to sip into the natural lawn like this n a month or so. ^^  Of course, I would have more chances of coming back to this place, but in the meantime....carpe diem.^^

oh ...no not again, Suray. hey...it was my wife who took the gun to shoot me out in the camera. 

Just when we thought that we just continue the race, the kids started to find something else to play with. 

Oh, swell....ok just let them play along with what they wanted to do. After all, the race could wait; not the chance of playing around like this.

then...just we thought that we would end up continuing our race: another thing captured the kids' attention: the giant swing.....

oh, well.....^^ 

when would the treasure hunting race begin again, then...^^

Global Family Camp (Part 2)

This is the one of the highlights that we loved most.

우리가 가장 기억에 남은 활동은...바로...보물 찾기가 아니었나 싶다.^^

너무 흥미진진해서 그런가? 

We loved Treasure Hunting since it was so thrilling.

Treasure Hunting or 보물 찾기 begun.

Within on hour, each family was tasked to start going around their way and navigate themselves through the map and clues that the committee had provided to find the 14 treasures or marks scattered around the 42-acre wide camping ground^^. What a task. 

As soon as found the post as indicated on the clue-map, we got to clip or mark the stamp on a piece of paper provided. Eyra was doing the clipping and jotting down the puzzle written on each post. We got to solve the puzzle if we were able to collect the 14 stamps. It was so hot. But, since most of the families were having the best time right there...there was literally no time to complain. We just got to move and push ourselves to solve the problems.

During which, what would a race be without any traces of memories as we ventured upon the camping ground. So, we just ended up taking pictures while walking our way through the camping ground.

And...this was EXACTLY what we meant.

We would never miss our chance of being 'flushed down' into the lush green of this beauty. We live in Seoul where what we normally see was building and building. So, upon finding this beautifully and wildly scattered yellow bushes of flowers...we were stunned.

Off we went into it. We then stopped walking. Instead, were were admiring the lush flower beds on the camping ground. 

Had we never dared ourselves to stop from the race, we would never have the chance of enjoying this panoramic view. 

It was like being soaked in the 'House on the Prairie'-kind-of-movie set.^^ If you know what I mean^^

The wooden fence on the right somewhat imbued the Western-flavored sense of the environment---Yet, this was all in Korea. Who would've thought that it would be just around the corner^^

or...I must've been so mindless or clueless as to think that such a beauty would not exist in Korea.

 I was wrong, then.

In fact: this shows how this pretty landscape is within reach from Seoul. 

So, we are so indebted to the committee who have done their best to bring us there.