School Picnic!

So in the high school that I teach in, every grade level goes on what the students and teachers call a 'picnic'.  Which isn't really a picnic at all (they don't pack their lunches and carry them in a basket to a park where they enjoy a beautiful day)... it's what you and I might call a 'field trip'.  And before writing this, I would have said it was really silly to call it a 'picnic', but I realize now that calling it a 'field trip' is equally as unfitting, since we don't go to fields.

At any rate, it's a school function that students like because they don't have to go to class, and teachers like because they don't have to teach.  Kelly, Brittani, and I ended up going with the 3rd grade (seniors) because that's where Mr. Choi was going as well, and it was a pretty swell day (if I do say so).

We started the trip with a tour of Hyundai's auto factory (which I am told is the largest in the world).  Below is a picture I took of the assembly line before I was told to stop (I forgot to take the flash off!):

Then we went to a huge park that was nearby.  It had lots of flowers, and was a really popular spot for younger kids (as seen below) because it had a butterfly garden and a bug museum.  You could also hike around the hills and rent a bicycles to cruise around in.  

The butterfly garden was pretty neat, I got to hang out with the dude below.  I liked him because the tips of his wings were a little ragged, so I assumed he was pretty scrappy and didn't take no funny business from the other butterflies.

The students in 3rd grade were great, and I really enjoyed getting to hang out with them since I only teach 1st and 2nd grade (sophomores and juniors) and never see them.  Mr. Choi hates getting his picture taken, and it was really cute to see the students (who absolutely adore him) beg for just one photo... and then seeing him (literally) running away from a screaming mass of girls at his heels.  Even though he's married with 2 kids and in his 50's, the guy has still got it...

We ended the day by going to another beach that was near the Chinese Consulate, since Kelly needed a tourist visa to China.  Sadly, they were already closed (despite Kelly having called to double check that they would be open)... but we got to eat at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican food place that was actually pretty legit!!  I mean, it was as dang close to 'legit' as you can get in South Korea - I was impressed.  And to end this post, I've chosen another piece of life advice.  As Sammy the Cigarette Sign says, 

DON'T SMOKE.