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.

Global Family Camp (part 1)

Global Family Camp 2012 or 지구촌 한가족 캠프...here we go. We started off at 동부교육지원청at around Cheongnyangni (well a bit far off). We started the day at around 9 pm where we had to gather with other families before departing.

Off we went to Cheonan NYC (National Youth Center) where we would be having a 2-day event of family camping. Freya and her Mom were on the bus ready to go. ^^ 

After arriving at about 12 and had our lunch, we were ushered into the UN hall--one the so many halls and auditoriums--located within the 42-acre camping ground. 

After changing our clothes into the camping uniform--the one like Freya was wearing--, then ready were we!  

We were teaming up with one Korean family. The committee deliberately planned in such a way that one Korean family would be teaming up with one multicultural or international family. By having so, the two families would end up learning their differences and similarities and creating a sense of togetherness and oneness--which was the goal of this global camp in the first place. 

The first task: each group must create a bulletin on a white paper to describe themselves through pictures, and any other medium:  to express themselves. See other groups over there? 

Oh, I should have mentioned that there were other international families from Iran, Nepal, China, Jeoseonjeok, and of course Indonesia. The rest were those of Korean origins.  

See what happened in the first task? It was quite an amazing experience. First: Eyra started to draw Korean flag 'Taegukki'. It was impressive, I guess. Instead of drawing Indonesian flag, she came across to draw Korean flag, instead. 

Then...of course, eventually she drew the Indonesian flag, too. As for her counterpart, Korean family's kids: they were drawing Eyra's family and her own.

This was pretty much of what came put of the first task ever. We just met and there was somewhat a sense of belonging to one entity or sort of understanding. 

See the kids? They became close and played along well since.  

The first hours but they have become friends.

마난지 2시간이었지만 친한 친구로 되었나 봐요.^^

The background-- I mean the bulletins that we made--became the highlights of the first day afternoon activities. And..if you wondered as to when it was? It was around 2.30 pm. Yup, you guessed it right. 

It was afternoon. But, thankfully, it was an indoor activities.....just before having our first ever outdoor activity under the scorching heat of summer: Treasure Hunting or 보물 찾기^^. (Talk about it in my other entry)

The kids were lining up to take their first map and clues to find the treasure within the 42-acre wide camping ground. Nuts? maybe, but it turned out to be so much fun....

it was just the first day, but we had a lot of fun already. 

It was just the first day이지만..벌써 재미있는 활동들이 많아서 신나게 활동했습니다.

그래서...I think I should thank 교보생명교육문화재단 for having facilitated and coordinated such an event. 

이런 활동을 통해서 우리가 한국에서 사는 것이 색다르게 변하고 있습니다.