Travel Guide For Enjoyable Holiday: WWOOF

Showing posts with label WWOOF. Show all posts

Reviews on Wwoofing in Korea

Despite some uncomfortable experiences that I encountered during wwoofing in Korea, I can't stress enough how wwoofing has taught me about Korean culture and their lifestyle. The farming is unquestionably tiring but self-redeeming at the end of the day.

As I'll be going to Korea again, I can't resist to wwoof. Definitely. :) this time? It's gonna none other than *drum roll* Jeju Island! The people speak unfathomable dialect compared to the standard spoken Seoul dialect. I wonder how much can I comprehend?

If you think about wwoofing in Korea, I stumbled upon this great site at Daum cafe which contains reviews of wwoofer's experiences. Bear in mind that wwoofing is not all glitters and bling bling so it might not be your cup of tea.

Picture courtesy of Joy's Farm at http://mybonghwa.com/

As per the Daum cafe's description in here; 'Zarina Zani from Malaysia sieves millet in Nov. 2009.' Cool..isn't it zany when my father's name has become Zani instead of Jani? hehehe..^^

For more info about wwoofing in Korea- http://koreawwoof.com/

Read More …

Ratana's 100 Day Birthday

In Korea, 100 days always means something special. A feast is prepared for 100 day's baby, a toast is shared between a couple, a family or colleagues gathered to congratulate an employee for being in the office for 100 days and etc. The 100 day is considered as surviving period of the baby/couple/employee.

I had an experience of one while I was in Santisuk because of the cute baby Ratana. That day was her 100th day Birthday. My happiness was that I was served with my favourite delicacies such as rice cakes, red bean, jabchae. Yummy...

Read more about 100 days birthday here.

Min Young, Casper, Dag and me had our breakfast

before preparing Ratana's party.

Mr Lee, the chef preparing rice cake covered

with mashed red bean

The rice cake in mashed red bean

Fried fish. This fish is really popular among korean family. I

couldn't remember the name but Bun Sok told me that because

it's cheap if it is that size. If it is bigger, it will be very much

expensive.

This is the 100 days rice cake.

Japchae. - a special one for me, without meat.

Injeolmi - the kind of rice cake that I like.

Twigim - fried vegetables and fish fillet

All the glorious banchan - side dishes that I miss now.

The main course for the baby party.

Mi Hyeon's husband, Mi Hyeon, Min Young, Casper,

Nandida and Ratana

Me, holding Ratana with the global family around me.

This was my last day in Santisuk. T_T

Ratana cried because she didn't want me to go. Hehe..

2 pinky girls.

Read More …

Container house and Tulip

Bun Sok, Joy and me visited a container house near Jaesan Village. The owner was an English teacher graduated from Canada. I had met him when I was in Joy Farm for the first time but I couldn't remember his face at all. Aigoo..my memory is getting weaker and weaker. I wish I could upgrade just like a computer. ^_^

Initially, the teacher worked in Seoul but because he wanted to take care his old mother, he moved to the village. Bun Sok told me that for Korean who wanted to move to village, they will receive a sort of compensation. Some what like farming subsidy.

The teacher was so creative, he built his house from a container. I was so surprised because the house was so pretty!! The mother who was around 80 years old didn't look old at all. I was so envious of the house, the garden and the owner. I wish I could lead a sustainable life just like them.

The container house

The mother burning some woods to warm the house.

The entrance

The kitchen

The mother gave me yanggeng - red bean jelly. Those
who are TOP's fans (Big Bang); he really loves yanggeng.
You could check on TOP facts here.
It is really sweet.I couldn't understand how he could
eat the yanggeng with spicy pepper paste (gochujang)
in Manwon Haengbok. Ackkk!!

Dried sunflower

Flowers on spring

The mother grew tulips around the house.

I wish that it hasn't bloomed.

Fully bloomed

Later, we visited Bun Sok's student and ate jjajangmyun

and jjampong there.

Me with Bun Sok's student.

Read More …

Chongyang-sa Temple

I visited the Joy Farm again for the third time. We sow the pepper plant at a new plot. This time they aimed at double the amount of last year which was 2,000 plants. I am glad that I could help them even though my back was killing me.

I stayed there only 5 days this time because I had to return to Santisuk to celebrate Ratana's 100 day party.
They had another friend helping them when I was there but I totally forgot his name. Korean name is pretty hard to remember..haha or maybe I'm getting older?

Joy sent me and the ahjusshi to visit a nearby temple called Chongyang-sa Temple. It was about 1 hour drive from Bonghwa. The view was amazing and weather was cool. Nothing over the top, just nice. However, as expected this temple was situated on top of a hill; a pretty steep road ahead of us. Aigoo..I hate hiking but the ahjusshi really love hiking so I had to suffer for a while. He laughed at me all the way up to the temple.

Chongyang-sa information.

Aigoo..my back!!

Water from the earth, good for health

and full with minerals.

It was drizzling when we arrived, so the sky was still

cloudy.

Could you see that steep staircase? Good for that ahjusshi

but not for me T_T

This ahjushhi has been to many Asian countries

when he was younger. I love hearing his stories

eventhough he couldn't speak any English. Arghh..

I really want to be fluent in Korean faster!!

The temple view from above.

Hmm..I don't know whether a bell is a must or not at

a temple in Korea. Why there were a lot of bells all around Korea?

A Korean friend told me that during thekingdom period,

the bell was used for the commoners. The King wanted the

commoners to request help directly from King by hitting the bell.

I was here around 15th May and the Buddha's

Birthday celebration was coming on May 21st;

hence the lantern. The date changes every year

based on lunar calendar.

A small Buddha statue

Pine

Flowers around the temple

We thought of visiting a korean painter here but the

house was locked and we just wandered around

the house.

The gate keeper. Spooky..

A locked rest room

Read More …

Lee Seung Bok Memorial with Seoul kids

Su Hyeon; Haein's best friend and Jun Su from Seoul came to visit us but now they brought another family with them. The other family has a small son called Kit Chan. He was so cute and amazingly funny. A 4D kid with a world of his own..hahaha.