Spring Field Trip: Mokpo

This April, the students and faculty at Daebul Elementary School took their Spring field trip to Yudalsan (Yudal Mountain), the Mokpo Natural History Museum, the Mokpo Ceramic Livingware Museum, and the Mokpo Maritime Museum. I finally experienced the historical and cultural side of Mokpo that I've neglected to seek out for myself. I lucked out!

Good morning, Mokpo!

I arrived at school early and puttered around until we departed at 9:30am.

Students lining up for the school trip

Daebul Elementary School

Buses loaded and ready to roll

Cherry blossoms blooming on the school perimeters

We first drove for 20-30 minutes to Yudalsan. I sat at the front of bus #8 with Vicky (the other English teacher) and Min Jeong, the new PE teacher. She is the same age as me, but we don't talk because neither of us can speak the other's language. I'm glad she's here, though; I'm pretty sure that the last PE teacher didn't like me -- At least this one says "hi!"

heaps of students on the trip

4th graders

Me + Vicky

Panoramic view of Mokpo

I spy with my little eye: a bird's nest

We took our time walking around the park and following a few paths. The weather was warm, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The air smelled fresh. T'was a nice day to explore Mokpo.

more 4th graders

Me + Min Jeong (the new PE teacher)

waiting to get back onto the bus

I picked some cherry blossoms to put in my hair   :)

Korean picnics are serious business. No sandwiches here!

Rice, meat, heaps of side dishes, rice cakes, fresh oranges & strawberries

The oranges tasted so sweet & delicious. I thought, "Wow, Korean oranges are awesome!"

Then I read the sticker: USA.

Picnic by the Mokpo Shores

Assembling the kids to go into the Mokpo Natural History Museum

Life-size statues of animals scattered across the park

a humpback whale skeleton

koi pond ♥ 

Spring flowers!

More flowers

Mokpo Ceramic Livingware Museum

Ceramic model squatter toilet

Ceramic model toilet

Chillin' with some 3rd graders

Kangaroo, take me back to Aus!

Maritime Museum by the Mokpo Shores

The frame of this ship took up an entire room / hall!

The trip essentially took all day, and I was pretty exhausted by the end. Working with kids is tiring! But I learned that Mokpo has a lot more to offer than Emart, which makes it seem like a pretty neat place after all.