Makin' Hippies

Well, it's fieldtrip time again and this month we thought we would teach the kids a little bit about a nice little slice of alternative culture...we took them to a natural fabric dying co-op. I didn't really know what to expect, but was really pleasantly surprised, not only by the fact that this little guy, we'll call him T, sat absolutely and completely still during the entire bus ride...

but also by the actual coolness of the place. It had all the charm of an old commune full of people chomping on organic, home grown vegetables and washing their clothes in the stream combined with the weirdness of Korea... This is our host who told the kids in English to call him Uncle Jonas. If I forced to pick a Western hippy name, I think Jonas is a pretty good bet.

And these are the fruits of our labor. Bandanas. Soaked in all kinds of roots and flower extracts and beautifully diverse. The kids had lots of fun sticking their hands in the dye and I'm sure their parents are going to LOVE the splotches of yellow, red and blue all over their clothes. Why they didn't give us little smocks, I will never know.

This is one of my favorite students. She did the babushka thing all by herself and with her cute missing teeth, she reminds me of an ajuma. When I have kids, I will pray night and day that they are 1/2 as cool as this grinning little imp. I don't know WHY I am drawn to the overly dramatic ones???? Ahhhhhhhhh. This is my interpreter, "I" with his artwork on his head. This kid is so amazing. He can't stop talking and playing, so I asked him to be my interpreter when Uncle Jonas was talking. He concentrated so hard and did such a good job of telling me what was going on that I kind of wished all of our classes required translation...then maybe he could keep himself out of Time Out for the full 45 minutes. I'm learning that it's a real challenge to teach to each child....especially the gifted ones. Maybe that's why I spent the bulk of my lunchtimes in Jr. High in detention???? naw.....

Making organic ttak (boiled rice cakes) that evidently have some sort of green root in them. I was grateful that they boiled them at high temperatures since the kids manhandled them before I was forced to eat them for snack that day. mmmmmmmmmm...boiled green roots and rice snacks! Eat em up!

So the fieldtrip was fun and though I came home utterly exhausted as I am wont to do after herding children all day, I was really grateful when I walked in the door...

My house smelled like LILIES!!!! That's because I was able to buy 2 bunches of my favorite flowers for 6,000 won (= 6-7 bucks US). Add that to the delightful green hanging plant that I bought for 5 bucks last saturday and I think you can see that I am finally feeling settled. Plants to kill and flowers that I bought for myself. Life is so good.

PS. please note that Yo on which the plant is sitting...that is a bed for guests who may or may not ever visit me in korea...If that doesn't entice you to come see me, may I interest you in some organic bandana tiedying???