Rain Rain GO Away!

Sorry about the wierd post: "So we never made it to the mountain"... Hello is causing me a lot of problems... and since it is Monsoon Season, the rain is affecting our wireless internet connection.
OK so here is a recap of what happened this past weekend.....
On Friday night I went to WA BAR... as usual... in Suji. It was alrioght but it was pretty dead and I was so tired that I just wanted to go and sleep. Next weekend is Canada Day Weekend.. so it should be insane on Friday.
Saturday I went out with my students. I know that I was a little nervous.. I mean I was unsure odf how to act and hang out with them and all... but in all honesty.. IT WAS THE BEST NIGHT I HAVE EVER HAD IN KOREA THUS FAR!!!!
I was taken out to dinner at a nearby restaurant. This was my first time sitting on the floor to eat a traditional Korean meal... and though my leg kept falling asleep... the food and conversation were really good. After dinner my students asked me what I wanted to do... and we all went to a Nore (sp?) Bar (aka Kareoke room). OMG! This was absolutely amazing! There you are able to drink and sing and socialize to your hearts little content. I strongly recommend them.
All the feastivities with my students was done at about 11pm... and well needless to say I was still wired... but I knew that if I had anymore alcohol I would be sick and hung over the next morning... so Me, Shallina and Tom went and saw a movie (SAHARA - with Matthew McConoghe and Penelope Cruz). Overall the movie was really good... kinda cheesy.. but hey it was entertaining. It was funny because a lot of the humor in the film was basically sarcastic humor and I think that a lot of the jokes were lost in the translation in the Korean subtitles... because out of the full movie theater, Shallina and I seemed to be the only ones busting a gut laughing... hahah!
Sunday I was planning on going hiking in the mountains with Shallina and Liz. I woke up early that morning and cabbed my way to Suji to meet up with the girls... when we all decided that the weather was too grosse (hot, humid and sticky) to attempt to climb any mountain. So we all decided to go to Dundaemun (a big outlet store area with cheap shops and an open market). Though it was sooo hot and really hard to breathe (the closer you are to downtown Seoul, the worse the pollution is)... we had a lot of fun and managed to get a couple of new shirts.
Around 3pm... we had all decided that we had seen all that there was to see in Dundaemun.. but all agreed that it was too early to call it a night. So we pulled out the trusted tourist map and looked for a bnearby attraction. We finally all agreed upon a nearby Buddhist Temple (near Coex Mall - Samsun Station).
When we got to the temple we were all in awe of it's vast size and beauty. The temple was spread out over the side of the mountain and was covered in luscious green plants and colorful fowers. Needless to say I took a lot of pictures (outside of the buildings as it is not allowed nor is it respectful to photograph inside the monestary). Once Hello is up and working again, i will post those pictures.
Words cannot describe the experience I had inside the temple gates. It was as if, though we were in the middle of the city, the air was sooo much cleaner. I felt a calmness come over my entire body and a deep emotional well opened inside of me (I know that sounds absolutely cheesy... but it was an amazing and respectful experience.. one that I don't believe I have ever had before). Anyways.. we toured the grounds for a couple of hours and then chose to call it a night.
Good timing too... because just as we were leaving the monestary grounds.. the heavens opened up... and well.. it has now been raining for almost 72 hours straight.
OH WELL! At least the rain cools things off a bit.
Anyways I am heading off to my night class.. but thought that I would quickly update my blog as the net is finally up and running.
CHEERS!
PS. This week is going to be a week of newbees.. the new teacher Matt comes tomorrow and Jen (a fellwo blogger) has just arrived in Korea.