The Beachcombers

Vietnam: Day 9

2015-01-01T10:37:00.003+09:00

December 28, 2014

I don't always take pictures of people. And I sometimes wake up earlier than the rest of the family.

This is Wild Beach Resort in the morning...

Vietnam: Day 10

2015-01-01T10:25:00.001+09:00

December 29, 2014

Finally starting to get some sunshine. We've been playing with the Greene family who also teach at KIS and live 4 floors above us in our apartment building. Their children, Owen and Avery, are a bit younger than ours, but they keep Haven busy as she loves to take care of both of them. They are fun to hang out with and we are helping them be more adventurous. They've been adjusting their trip to follow us around and it's been great.

Vietnam: Day 12

2015-01-01T10:15:00.003+09:00

Nha Trang is a bustling city full of tourists. We were just discussing how many tourists we've seen and think there are more here than we've seen anywhere in Korea. The industry is set up for Russians as there are non-stop flights from Moscow to Nha Trang since they built a new airport just out of town. What they'll do with the old one is anyone's guess. We can see it from the hotel rooftop pool and I can make out tiny motorcycles riding across it. Apparently it's a shortcut to the other side.

This is a motorcycle culture here. It makes sense as you can get up to 4 people on them and you don't need a license. And since it's tropical it's pretty warm most of the year. I actually think nobody walks here. They sidewalks are reserved for motorcycle parking it seems.

We enjoyed our last day of 2014 by hitting up the public market and doing a little shopping. Erin found something to try on but was met head-on with a rat in the changing room so she decided that the clothes would not fit her at all and went to cleanse her mind with an ice cream cone and some Beach Boys music.

Vietnam: Day 3

2014-12-28T17:52:00.001+09:00

Eggs anyone? This is the public market in Hoi An Vietnam. So much food. So fresh. Fish are still flopping, beef being carved off the cow as it is milked (not quite) and eggs still being laid by chickens being plucked (not really either).

This cute old woman is selling specialty Cao Lau noodles at the market.

Bananas! We were told that you should buy bananas the way you choose a husband. If you choose a husband that is pretty on the outside, he will turn out to be ugly and mean on the inside. So find a banana that looks ugly because it will be sweet and delicious to eat. We've tried it and it works!

So it started raining and we had these rainjackets/plastic bags to wear. The Greene's and us thought we looked a little like Easter eggs.

Haven and Finlay riding a water buffalo. These guys just hang out in their pasture here, tied up of course, and help farmers with pulling plows and carts. Not so much anymore, but they are worth having. They cost about 20,000,000 VND to purchase ($1000).

Fin hauling seaweed to the farm. This is standard practice here in Vietnam. Doesn't he look like he fits in?

Haven is working the water wheel that would traditionally be used to pull the water up out of the river to irrigate the crops. Now they've got electric pumps to do that work. Haven just sat there and used her feet to step, like riding a bike a bit. It worked pretty well.

Haven's turn to bring some seaweed fertilizer. We dug up the old bed about 10 inches and then threw down the seaweed. After stomping it flat we covered it up with the very sandy soil and planted young Pac Choi plants. Haven is wearing the traditional farmer shirt with her rain hat.

This family can cook a mean Bahn Xeo!

Cooking our shrimp that we marinated.

Megan and Erin performing the tandem flip!

Haven is balancing our lunch on her head all the way to the table.

Spreading the rice flour on the cloth. It is suspended over a boiling pot of water heated by a fire. We all made perfect rice papers for fresh Vietnamese spring rolls. Too bad we ate so much for lunch. We could have enjoyed them right off the fire. I don't think we'll be making them for anyone at home though. You know...it's kind of hard to find good bamboo sticks in the States.

Here fin is making a rice cracker over hot coals that he is fanning himself. Two hands working together.

He did such a great job on the cracker that he didn't want to share it. He went back to grinding the rice into flour using this grinding stone.

Our day at Tra Que Water Wheel farm was so fun. Thanks for the recommendation by the Jenkin family. We highly recommend it to others. It was truly a highlight and our guide, Helen, was a gem!

Vietnam: Day 2

2014-12-21T23:35:00.000+09:00

O.K. Vietnam is amazing, but I keep thinking of all of the war movies that I've ever seen. I literally heard the phrase "anyting you want" from a woman yesterday. I don't quite remember the movie, but I do remember the scene...something like a woman in a brothel-esque, red-light-sporting business in Saigon. This was nothing like that, but she did have a heavy Vietnamese accent.

You can get anything you want made in one of a hundred clothing shops here in Hoi An. I'm not sure why there are so many, but I keep thinking it's because they make so many clothes for people around the world. I'm going to ask someone about it...really. Here you see Erin getting sized up. "Wow, you've got long legs." We got clothes and shoes–something for everyone in the family.

This river, which you only see a channel of here, is one of the many life bloods of culture in Viet Nam. This one is touristy, French-influenced, and muddy. I love the eyes painted on all the boats.

This is the larger, main course of the river, but you still only see less than half way across here. That's an island there.

We couldn't get off and explore beyond the gate as there was a ticket checker table set up just in front of Finlay, and, of course, we didn't have a ticket for the historic old town walking/biking area. Nobody was there, but Fin's a rule follower and we weren't wishing to get thrown in jail today.

The unheated pool means lots of fun...but only for short spurts.

An Banh beach is very quiet these days. You can see why by the look of the surf and the slope of the beach.

The beach erosion made for some cool "cliff's" to surf down and jump off.

Nobody here. Fishing fleet may have been banned from the water.

So far we have been impressed with this country. Well this city at least. We just enjoyed a welcoming dinner from the owner of the hotel for all of the guests. What a treat it was to meet another teaching family from Australia, a couple from India living in Melbourne, an ethnic Iraqi from Sudan living in the U.K., a family traveling for half a year from Switzerland (daughter with a Mariners t-shirt on) and another family from Sweden. It is so interesting to hear from so many different points of view, but really, so similar. We loved it!

Vietnam–Day 1

2014-12-20T21:30:00.000+09:00

After missing out on our airplane lunch, when we got to Hoi An/DaNang we were starving. We checked out our room at Hoi An Garden Villas and hopped on the bikes to find food. This is how we got to the lovely motor free zone on the river:

No big deal. It's just what we do.

Haven's "Lucky" Birthday!

2014-12-07T13:23:00.000+09:00

Haven turns 8 on the 8th of December...

"Fun."

Well that was well put. Simple. That's how Haven described her party. After Saturday Sports her friends Sawa and Shelbe came over and celebrated her birthday by singing at the Norae-bang, playing in the cold wind, opening presents, and sleeping over. (Sawa went home early as she was a bit nervous to stay.)

Shelbe, Haven and Sawa couldn't get their coats off before opening the presents.

Erin's owl cupcakes.

An army of them. So good to look at and to eat!

"Happy Birthday to you..."

Haven's friend Sawa has such a great smile.

Thanks Yaya for the presents!

Our latest videos

2014-11-16T19:53:00.005+09:00

Here is Finlay's Horror movie trailer that he directed and starred in. We walked in the sunshine around our neighborhood and explored some new places.

Link: http://youtu.be/kNPCjFiP8Q4

Haven made a movie trailer too! She focused on the Family Comedy genre. It's called The Curtiss Family On The Loose.

Link: http://youtu.be/uazCuimEtPo

We also made a Bollywood-themed movie trailer when Carol (Yaya) was visiting with us a few weeks ago. This is the one that started it all. I hope you enjoy it.

Link: http://youtu.be/ptSOVlBCUmM

East meets West: Still trying to assimilate

2014-05-06T12:59:00.001+09:00

At lunch today we decided to test the waters with fusion cuisine. Curtiss-style fusion. Kim (seaweed) with everything!

Kim with pretzels and peanut butter, kim with pizza, kim with mac and cheese. There is no end to what kim will cozy up to!

Sometimes it tasted like this.

And others tasted like this!

Nancy and Denys Visit

2014-05-06T10:19:00.003+09:00

You can't visit Korea and not try the exercise equipment located in every park and on all hiking trails!

Namsan Mountain and North Seoul Tower followed by a trip into Itaewon for great Italian food!

A visit to a local outdoor market to try some new things!

A visit to our favorite park, Bundang Central Park. Every time we visit something is going on in the plaza. This time there was a memorial of thanks to the UN Nations that aided Korea in the Korean War.

Baseball in Korea is so much more fun than the MLB in the States. The crowd is super involved, chanting and dancing the entire time. Stadium food barely resembles that in America, beer is cheap, and the mascots are cool!

Spring Break in the Philippines

2014-05-06T10:10:00.000+09:00

Cheap flights, cheaper food, tropical fruits, white beaches...Need I say more? We decided to head to the Philippines for spring break and convinced Nancy and Denys to join us!

Haven's take on Asia and our travels to Koh Pu Thailand, Korea, and Philippines.

Smooth travels right to the Cebu ferry dock. But after waiting in the ticket line for an hour we found out a typhoon blew in and all ferries were cancelled. Long story short we spent the next two days waiting for a ferry. Many hours were spent in the terminal waiting for valid information and wondering who to trust.

Thankfully we found a great hotel to spend our nights in.

The local jeepneys were colorful and always filled with passengers.

FINALLY - we boarded a ferry for the 4 hour crossing to another port where we waited a couple hours to board the next ferry for another 4 hour crossing. Yikes, who planned this vacation anyway?
We just kept telling the kids that sometimes the best places take a long time to get to!

Our view in the ferry boat! Luxury!

I'm not sure I have ever been so happy to arrive at a destination! Talk about adventure. At the Kookoo's Nest we were greeted by Nancy and Denys along with a beautiful bungalow, beach, and warm hospitality. It took us only about 30 minutes before we were in the ocean for a swim.

Beautiful resort! Amazing snorkeling right off the beach, beautiful sunsets, smooth waters, hot sun, lots of relaxation.

Spring Break #2

2014-05-06T09:53:00.005+09:00

The stars aligned this year to give KIS students and staff a second spring break. Back to back holidays gave us 6 days off! Labor day, Children's day, and Buddha's birthday!

#1-Just before the break we enjoyed the Lotus Lantern Festival with our friends, the Cerana family. Such a great family and the festival was fantastic. We started by making paper lotus lanterns and then enjoyed Buddhist food from Korea, Japan, and India. Then we tried a ton of traditional Korean crafts. This has been our favorite festival so far!

In addition to the crafts we were able to write our wishes for the world and watch traditional ceremony. The mood of the festival was a bit subdued this year as many memorials were taking place for the lives lost in the ferry disaster.

#2-We spent a day with our Australian friends hiking and relaxing at the Namhansanseong Fortress. The original fortress wall surrounds a huge area of forest with a cute and busy village in the center. Hundreds of locals were in the village and on the trails enjoying this sunny, gorgeous day.

This gives you a great image of the hiking culture here in Korea. Most Korean hikers are decked out in head to toe gear full of bright colors. Then, after the hike, they sit and drink bottles of soju liquor or makkoli wine and visit. Here was a table full of mature women hikers who gave us a lot of smiles and laughs as we walked by!

#3-I made my first marmalade with kumquats Denys bought during their visit. The marmalade is AWESOME and I foresee many more batches in our future!

#4-Play dates and parks. In the honor of Children's Day we spoiled our sweet ones with tons of friend time over the week. On this day Josh took a morning bike ride to scout out a new park. We later brought friends and a picnic. The park had a great playground, hiking trails all over the hills, and an historical excavation site where ancient pottery and even a burial site were found. Oh, and of course exercise equipment scattered about.

#5-Hiking and Bouncy House - Fin's great friend decided he wanted to spend his birthday day at our place so he could be with Fin and try out the local bounce house. They spent an hour bouncing to their heart's delight. Then we drug them out into the woods for a great hike in our neighborhood hills.

#6-Sleepover!

Island Thailand

2014-02-05T19:25:00.001+09:00

How do I capture such an amazing vacation? How about just the highlights? Oh, but there is so much to show...

Beach swing for two.

Christmas party on the beach with fire show and candle lit lanterns flying into the air for good wishes.

Beach front huts were perfect for relaxing in the shade when we needed a break from the sun.

Our daily view while at Ting Rai Bay Resort. The swimming was excellent except for the occasional little jellyfish. We got stung a few times but they weren't that bad.

Rubber plantations were all over the island. You can see how they slit the tree and catch the resin in a half coconut shell strapped to the tree with wire. There were rubber wringers dotted about the plantations as well.

Cheeky monkeys. Many were much cuter than this exhibitionist!

More than anything the water was the highlight of our trip. I think the whole family would agree that we are the most comfortable and have the most fun when on, in, or near a body of water.

Two motorcycle crashes and the scrapes and bruises that go with them!

We took a private long tail boat to Bamboo Island for a day trip. When I woke up to the wind rushing through the bungalow I knew we were in for a treat. Our boat trip took place on the roughest seas of the week. The first 20 minutes went great. I even had the nerve to say "I don't know why I get so sick on buses when I am fine on boats." Well it wasn't much longer before Haven and I were both puking and had another hour left in the boat.

Once on land I immediately hit the deck and got as cozy as I could with the sand. Eventually we enjoyed waves on gorgeous white sand and turquoise waters.

After a week in this remarkable place we had one more excellent breakfast at the resort and were off to the ferry toward Krabi and the plane bound for Chiang Mai! Part II begins.

Ting Rai Bay Resort, Koh Pu, Thailand

2014-02-05T16:00:00.002+09:00

Part of the adventure is getting there and probably most of the best places take some time getting to them. I think our trip to Koh Pu was pretty easy but the kids aren't as convinced that the travel can be fun too.

From here to there took 2 taxis, 2 planes, 1 bus, and 2 boats as well as many cold drinks.

We saw practically nothing of Krabi on the way from airport to ferry dock. But what we did see was colorful and lively.

We drove through a fabulous street market and were bummed not to get to stop. BUT the island was calling us.

Thank goodness were getting off the ferry at the first stop. We got to stay on the deck of the boat. All of the passengers bound for Koh Lanta were shoved below deck. More and more and more people packed below deck. I was starting to get Titanic flashbacks.

On deck it was glorious. The view was spectacular. Beautiful jungle-covered rocks jutting out of the blue ocean waters. The four of us sat among the mountains of luggage, covered of course by hats and sun shirts.

From over crowded ferry boat to wooden long tail boat. Koh Pu island is VERY small and there is no pier large enough for the ferry so instead the ferry slows down out in front of the island and each resort sends out their long tail boat to pick you up.

The day we arrived a couple from Germany and a family from England arrived with us.

There is the resort, Tin Rai Bay, tucked into the hilly jungle. The kitchen/restaurant is in the center of the property with a u-shaped ring of private bungalows surrounding.

We were greeted by fresh squeezed orange juice with orchids on the edge! Let vacation begin.

Short Stint in Malaysia

2014-02-05T14:56:00.002+09:00

Finally! We made plans for our winter trip to Thailand last March and it is here! We packed light and set off for an adventure in tropical paradise.

It seemed like half of the KIS families went to Thailand for the break. We rode to the airport with one family and were in the plane with another.

Here we are at Incheon Airport.

Arrival in Malaysia. The jeans were a bit hot and sticky. We had forgotten what the humid air felt like.

It was a quick landing. Just long enough to find the hotel (a 5 minute walk from airport) and get a bite to eat before the early AM flight to Krabi, Thailand.

We were all amazed to see an all vegetarian restaurant at the airport! That kind of this is hard to come by in Korea!

The hotel room was barely big enough for the bed. But all we had to do was sleep here.

Palm plantation next to the hotel.

Winter Walk in Bundang Central Park

2014-02-05T14:36:00.002+09:00

The day before we left on our trip to Thailand we took an awesome winter walk at our favorite park, Bundang Central Park. It was a very chilly day but the skies were bright and sunny.

One of the cool things about this park is the giant hill you can climb. Surprising you at the top is an outdoor weight gym. It is more than the regular workout spots you find in every park. Those usually just have workout machines that use your body weight for resistance. This spot, the Rabbit Warren, has all sorts of free weights. Even on this very cold day there were many people working out.

Plus one of the rabbits made an appearance!

The highlight of the day for the kids was the frozen pond. They collected as many rocks and chunks of ice as they could in order to try and smash a hole in the ice.

This is the same pond a couple months earlier when my mom was over for a visit! What a difference the weather makes.

We knew there were hot drinks in this machine but WHAT they were was a mystery. Turned out we got hot cocoa, hot red bean drink and hot soy drink. Pretty yummy.

We couldn't leave for Thailand before the kids wrote a letter to Santa. They decided he should leave presents in Korea rather than try and find us in Thailand.

A tough decision for them to make.

Snow and Winter Fun

2014-02-05T14:12:00.002+09:00

I LOVE the Korean winter. It is a marked difference from the Washington winter. Most different is the level of moisture and the amount of blue sky. Here in Korea we actually have to run a humidifier in the house because the air is SO dry! Back in Olympia we molded and here we are shriveling up!

The sun is out most days and I seem to love it even though temperatures are usually in the 20s. The blue is uplifting.

We have had a few good snow falls in the dong. Enough to build snow men and sled down the awesome hill down the street.

The most difficult part of building the snow man was finding arms! Without a yard we had to scrounge!

The fruit truck still comes through the neighborhood in the winter. Love this guy. He is so happy every time you buy some fruit. Last week we bought apples and strawberries!

Haven sledding with one of her best friends, Shelbe. It is so funny to move so far from Washington to find new friends who are also from Washington! Shelbe moved here from Gig Harbor! It is nice to have friends here in Korea who are also from the PNW.

Santa Visits KIS

2014-02-05T13:50:00.002+09:00

What a treat...Santa came to KIS! We had a fabulous Winter party for all the KIS kids with food, crafts, presents, and the Big Guy himself.

Haven's 7th Birthday

2014-02-05T13:31:00.003+09:00

Haven turned 7 with a Hello Kitty birthday celebration!

Of course Haven helped make the cake and picked out everything! One day the two of us are going to own a bakery together!

Josh took the kids straight from school to a big trampoline park not too far from the house. The place has several large trampolines all attached to each other. What could be more fun?

What party is complete without pizza and FACE PAINTING! Haven has gotten quite good. Thank you Hendrix family for the face painting kit.

Haven's family birthday started off with a special breakfast, presents from Grandparents, and then off to Seoul to try and watch a movie.

I say TRY because pretty much everything you do in Korea is a bit difficult, especially the first time you try it. Here you don't just go up to the counter and buy a ticket. Most often you purchase tickets online prior to going and use a kiosk at the theatre to take care of the rest.

It all worked out great and the birthday movie was a blast!!

Holiday Decorating and "Gingerbread" Houses

2014-02-05T13:04:00.001+09:00

Our first year away from the States and decorating for the holidays was definitely different from usual. We brought with us just a few of our favorite ornaments along with a small fake tree. Small is no exaggeration. I think the tree is about 12 inches tall. BUT that didn't stop the fun.

So, with a fake tree and small to boot, we had to burn a fir scented candle to give us that Christmas feel.

We eventually upgraded our tree and now have one about 4 feet tall. We never thought we would own a fake tree, but when in Korea...

Another one of our traditions is making gingerbread houses each year. We have made them from kits and we have made them from scratch. This year we had to think a bit outside the box!

Here in Korea there are a lot of puffed rice snacks. They are sold in stores and also by vendors on the street. I thought they would make perfect building material for "Gingerbread" houses!

A big batch of royal icing, collection of candies from Daiso, and even the lego guys pitched in!

Naesosa Temple

2014-02-05T12:39:00.003+09:00

During Fall Break we traveled southwest to Buan-gun and stayed at a great waterpark resort. On our trip home we did a bit of sightseeing to the Naesosa Temple. It was a cold day but that did not dissuade the loyal visitors. I could see that this row of trees leading up to the temple would be gorgeous in fall colors or spring blossoms.

These were some of the guards at the entry gate into the temple.

This temple is known for their temple stay program where visitors spend time with the monks learning about their lifestyle.

I was lucky to be approached by one of the monks. He spoke fairly good English and was able to tell me about many of the artifacts making this a special temple.

These gongs and bell are a couple of the treasures along with a small temple up the mountain. This young monk hopes to stay at this temple for a long time and become a master.

West Coast of Korea - Daemyung Resort

2014-02-05T12:10:00.000+09:00

Fall break at KIS (November 2013) meant road trip! We headed southwest of Seongnam caravaning with two other KIS families in search of some fun on the West Coast of Korea.

This was our first road trip and we learned a lot about Korean rest areas, highways, and toll booths! Even though our navigation system showed we were driving in the ocean, we made it to the Daemyung Resort without a hitch!

The resort was awesome. The indoor/outdoor waterpark was almost empty, the room was roomy and had a great view.

Here's a shot back toward the resort from our beach walk.

MOVEMBER! Man I love it when December rolls around and the razor comes out!

The view from our room. It had snowed all night when we arrived but must have warmed up overnight. Beautiful fall colors though, and crisp, sunny skies.

The beach was pretty but the weirdest thing...it didn't smell like the ocean. We still can't figure it out. There was no marine smell even though we were standing right in the froth of the waves.

You know Josh, he loves rocks...

On the way back home we did a bit of sight seeing. Our stop for lunch was in a small village known for its salted fish products. These items are prized gifts to give and receive during holidays such as Chuseok and Lunar New Year.

Lucky for us there was one other group of people in the restaurant and they spoke English! It is always so helpful to rely on the kindness of others. And I dare say necessary as well!

Because of their help we got exactly what we wanted. Homemade noodle soup and abalone porridge!

Hanok Village

2013-11-24T16:51:00.002+09:00

Hanok are the traditional Korean houses with the gorgeous wooden doors, heated ondol floors, and the giwa (tiled) roofs. In Northern Seoul there is a village of Hanok that have been beautifully kept and restored. Many are still used as family homes but others are now tea houses, artisan studios and shops, guest houses, or restaurants.

We started the trip from home on the PACKED 5500 bus. Stuffy, scorching hot, terrible traffic, hurky-jerky driving.........all added up to terrible motion sickness for me. I barely made it across the Han river and to the closest bus stop.
After several minutes and a bubbly drink we took the rest of the way in a cab! Thank goodness.

The day was absolutely gorgeous warm fall weather with lots of sunshine. It was a great day with family in such a beautiful place. I am so glad that some Korean families still live in the traditional Hanok. But, you can see that the rebuilt versions are so out of reach of the ordinary Korean. These are ornate works of art, and expensive to boot!

Delicious Japanese food at a Bento place in the village was the end of a great day.

From here we headed to the subway to avoid a bus ride home. As it turned out it was Yaya's first subway ride!

Yaya enjoys the special seating area her years on this planet have awarded her with. This section is for the elderly, disabled, and the pregnant!

Haven has had many older Korean women offer their lap in this section so she will have a place to sit.

So kind.

Halloween in Korea

2013-11-24T16:17:00.002+09:00

Halloween in Korea!

While not celebrated in Korea the way it is in the States, Halloween is definitely here! You can find Halloween candy and decorations pretty much anywhere.

We got to celebrate Halloween both at school and in the Good Morning Hill apartment complex.

KIS represented Halloween with style! We took over Good Morning Hill and trick or treated in every apartment of a KIS staff member. The kids had a blast and brought home a pile of candy.

It was perfect.

On Halloween we had a BIG celebration at school. Unlike US public schools, our private school makes the holidays a HUGE splash. Most of the school day was a celebration of Halloween. Plus, the moms decorate the classrooms and hallways to the nines.

Finlay dressed as Darth Vader for the weekend and Harry Potter for the KIS celebration. The day started with trick or treating all throughout the Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. Then through the administrative offices turned Haunted House.

Yaya had a chance to help in both Haven and Finlay's classrooms. She helped Haven and the first graders play pin the nose on the Jack 'O Lantern. In Finlay's she made Gak with the fourth graders.

A parade through the schools and class parties rounded out the day. Happy Halloween. At home I made bloody brains with eye balls, vegetable skeletons, and spider deviled eggs. Then we slept!

Bundang Central Park

2013-11-24T15:52:00.002+09:00

This happened a month ago. It was a beautiful fall day in Korea. Sun is out, temperature is mild, and the trees are gorgeous. So, we decided to head to one of our favorite parks to show my mom. We walk along the river for a bit until we came to the central square of Bundang Central Park. We found this park back in August kind of by mistake. It is surrounding by the river on one side and contains an amphitheater, hiking trails, a large pond, gazebos, cultural center, weight lifting park nestled in the woods at the top of the hill, burial grounds, you name it!

Gorgeous, isn't it? This is a very popular park. When we were here in August the grassy areas below the trees were full of families setting up tents and mats for a day at the park. Fathers were playing badminton with kids and bikes were everywhere. Even though the October temperatures are much cooler, the grassy areas were attracting lots a families prepared for picnics and play.

We just randomly happened to pick this park today and were thrilled to discover they were having a free cultural festival. It was the Color Festival celebrating fall and Korean traditional crafts.
Our family was welcomed with open arms and one young lady working for the park spoke English and took us under her wing while we tried everything!

Yaya, Haven, and Josh each learned how to use a traditional Korean technique to bind a book with needle and thread.

Next we were taught a folding and dying technique to make handkerchiefs. The dyes were all made of natural herbs and barks.

After dying the kids tried pounding rice flour into rice cakes. The wooden mallet was heavy and huge. The rice mixture was extremely sticky. In the end we all tried a sample dipped in bean powder. It was not my favorite! I prefer the kind with the sweet sesame paste inside.

These rice cakes (tteok) are made for celebrations and are also found in every grocery store and specialty shop. They can be sweet or spicy. The sweet ones can be filled with sesame or sweet red bean paste.