Yangsan Tower (양산 타워), Student Recommendations

September 1: My First Saturday in Yangsan

For my first Saturday in Yangsan (양산시), one of my co-teachers offered to take me around Yangsan. She took me to lunch, then to Yangsan Tower (양산 타워), and then to E-mart. I don’t know if this is true or not (I need to do more research), but I’m beginning to think each city has a tower of its own (Busan [부산] has a tower, Seoul [서울] has a tower, Daegu [대구] has a tower, I think Gyeongju [경주] had a tower…). Regardless, Yangsan has a tower, a site highly recommended by my students :D *(see below for my students’ many recommendations).

This ended up being such a blessing! It was Dad’s birthday (the big 5-0!!) and I found myself really missing my family. I’m pretty sure I was choking back tears each time I either tried to call them or even thought about it 😭 who knew I was such a big baby?! (Probably Kathryn, that's who!) Anyway, my co-teacher, 유진 ("Yujin"; English name: Kelly), took me to lunch. We wandered around trying to find a place while getting to know each other. I could sense relief from her that I was so laid back, so that was nice. I think we were both nervous to meet each other outside of school - it's scary meeting brand new people (a) with language/culture barriers and (b) who you work with, so you have to keep in mind all the hierarchical-whats-appropriate-not-appropriate stuff and just hope you understand what they mean and vice versa 😅 Anyway, it went well! She is so very kind! She took me to a place that served duck (a first for me!) and it was delicious. I've decided duck kind of tastes like the bacon of the bird meats, if that makes any sense. Duck menu and Duck Korean BBQ:

As we were finishing lunch, 유진's daughter came to meet us (apparently she really wanted to meet me). She asked me lots of questions and we bonded over BTS (she freakin' went to their concert in Seoul!!!). I seriously had a lot of fun with them. It was so nice just hanging out with 유진 and her daughter. Their relationship and interactions felt a lot like being with my family, exactly what I was missing that very day. I was seriously humbled and thanked the Lord immensely for this tender mercy 💗

After lunch we made our way to Yangsan Tower and saw the sights! A 360° view of beautiful Yangsan:

I really love where I live. It is so beautiful, and I am within walking distance of a lot of things. (I’ll probs do another post just about my love for Yangsan - stay tuned!). And, if you didn’t already know, I love Busan and I’m only 30 minutes - 1 hour away by subway. Also, I had heard that different cities in Korea and Japan have characters or mascots for their cities but I didn’t know know, so… cities have characters?! say whaaaa?! Yangsan’s characters (양산시 캐릭터) are Yangi and Sani (양이 and 산이), a sun and a mountain (as their names indicate, if you didn't know). Fun fact: the Korean language is made up of Natural Korean words and Sino-Korean words (of Chinese origin). I hope to one day know Korean well enough to recognize and appreciate Sino-Korean words and how Chinese influences Korean (like Latin to English, except I'm gathering that Chinese has even more historical influence on the language - just look up 사자성어 and 고사성어, Korean four-character idioms). I also learned that Yangsan's flower is the magnolia (목런) and its tree is the Chionanthus retusus, Chinese Fringetree (이팝나무). The more you know:

Selfies with 유진 and her daughter 😊

Oh, and there's the cutest little book cafe near the top of Yangsan Tower:

More selfies, because of course I need pictures with the official Yangsan characters:

After Yangsan Tower, 유진 took me to E-Mart to help me grocery shop and get anything I might need. Her second daughter met us there, so it turned into a family outing shopping with the waygookin (외국인, "foreigner") 😂 Again, this was such a blessing and just such fun being out-and-about with a family 💗 Oh, and guess who the poster boy is for E-Mart?! GONG YOO!!! (Yes, I take pictures of Korean celebrities/idols I recognize and, of course, send them to Kathryn). If you don't know who Gong Yoo is, do yourself a favor and watch the movie, Train to Busan or the drama, Goblin:

Well, there you have it. Better late than never. More first-month documentation to follow shortly 😊 As always, feeling extremely blessed!

안녕!

Bekah

*Recommendations:

Music	Movies	Food	Places
- 2NE1 - Super Junior - 하드캐리 (GOT7) - BlackPink (6) - A-TEEN (세븐틴) - 너 없인안된다 (BtoB) - BtoB (3) - 두아리파 (Dua Lipa?) - Fake Love (BTS) - Idol (BTS) - The Truth Untold (BTS) - BTS (5) - Beautiful (워너원) - EXO (4) - Seventeen (3) - Big Bang (2) - A-Pink - Highlight - NCT (3) - NU’EST - G Friend - Wanna One (5) - Mamamoo (3) - Red Velvet (4) - Twice (6) - What Is Love? (Twice) - Dance the Night Away (Twice) - Winner - Sam Smith - Lay Me Down - One Call Away (3) - Sia (2) - Stay with me - Jongmyo Jereak - Flex - Korean ballad - Henry Low - Hello - Inuyasha - Troye Sivan - DPRLive - Martini Blue - Never Enough - Way Back Home (Shawn) - Kante Song - 예뻐졌더라 (by Postmen) - 볼빨간사춘기 (BOL4) - Lose Yourself (Eminem) - Dok2 (rapper) - 애국가 - Young Blood - Shape of You - 야생화 (by 박효신) - 서울의 달	- 나의 소녀시대 (2 수니 likes) - 아이 캔 스피크 (2) - Taxi Driver (2) - 신과 함께 (With God) (9) - 캐리비안 해적 (Pirates of Caribbean) - 너의 결혼식 (Your Wedding) (4) - Avengers (4) - Conan - Witness - Deadpool - Spiderman - Real Steel - Bbororo (haha) - 은밀하게 위대하게 - Sun Flower - Harry Potter (2) - 너의 이름은 (2) - Me Before You - About Time - Mamamia! - The Greatest Showman - Coco - Moana - Thieves - High-Q - Ziostom (Geostorm?) - Attack on Titan - 쇼생크 (Shawshank)	- 신라면 - Ramen (6) - jokbal (pig foot) - bundegi - 치긴 (2) - 후라이드 치킨 - 된장국 - 양념치킨 - 치맥 (3) - 뼈다귀해장국 - 닭발 (3) - 곱창 (pig’s tube) (4) - 막창 (3) - 불닭볶음면 (2) - 떡볶이 (7) - 엽기떡볶이 (2) - 닭똥집 (2) - 감자탕 - 국밥 - 샤브샤브 - 자메이카 - 통다리구이 - 한우 - 된장찌개 - green tea ice cream - zol myun - cal noodle - 김밥 - paldo bibim myeon - 삼겹살 (4) - 삼겹살 올린 비빔면 - 돼지국밥 (2) - 김떡순 + 튀김 - 비빔밥 - 상하이 스파이스 치킨 콤보 - fried chicken (2) - cow meat (beef) - sunny side up -  골라 (try coke in Korea) - steak - eel - sushi - 닭갈비 해물파전 - 닭볶음탕 - pizza - Chinese food - 짜장면 - 짬뽕 - 탕수육 - 취두부 - 감자탕 - 삼계탕 - 홍어 - 식혜 (rice juice)	- walk/work (?) - E-mart (5) - CGV (4) - Tongdosa Temple (4) - PC Cook 샹떼 (3) - Come On 2 PC - PC room (4) - Sing Room - Waterpark (2) - Obong Mt. - Wondong Mt. - Sul Bing - Costco - Yangsan Tower (6) - Moda Outlet - Haeundae - Seomyeon - Lotteria - Burger King - KFC - Mom’s Touch - Nambu Open Market - Daiso - GS25 - 에덴밸리 - 시골막창 - 콩나물 국밥 - 동대문 엽기떡볶이 - 고봉민김밥