Head in a bucket: Part 2

These last three days I went to Tabeak, a different town up in the mountains. It was about 5 hours away from Seoul. Angie and two of her friends invited me to go along with them to this retreat center called Jesus Abbey. It was awesome to say the least! Our first adventure was the train ride. We were too late to get seats, so we had to go in the standing area. We were able to just sit on our bags, but it was so cramped in there! Here is a picture of us riding on the train. We felt like we were train-hopping, but I promise it was legal!

When we arrived, we took a walk outside because it had been so long since we'd seen stars! They were beautiful! The girls had a room and the boys had a room where we slept on the floor on these mat type things. There was a Korean girl in the room with us. She snored SO loud. Angie and I didn't get much sleep, but like the snoring girl slept great! ;)

Each morning we had to wake up at 5:30 to go to the 6:00 prayer meeting. The first day was the actual Lunar New Year's day, so there were special activities, special foods and clothes. After breakfast they celebrated the New Year by bowing to the elders to show their respect. This is the Korean tradition, and then in a family, the elders give the children lots of money. When we did it, we got the equivalent of $1 because there were so many people.

Even the baby bowed! This community is made up of a bunch of families who live here year round and during the week they open it up to visitors like us who wanted to come and just experience a quiet, peaceful time away.

After the bowing we were invited to play many of their traditional Korean games for the holiday. Some of those Korean men got so rowdy! It was so funny to watch them act so goofy, just dancing, shouting and having fun. They really just accepted us like family. It's like they didn't even notice we didn't speak their language or look like them. They accepted us just as we were. Many of them even wore the special Korean clothes. The kids looked so cute in theirs!

At meal times we all ate on the floor, around in a circle. The food was really good!

They had a piano, so after lunch yesterday and today, once everyone had left the eating room, I was able to play for about an hour each time. Man, I forgot how much I miss playing the piano! Last night the four of us met and I found a guitar, so we sang. It was so nice to have time to really do whatever we wanted.

There were three prayer meetings a day and here is a picture of the set up. We sat on the floor to listen. All of it was in Korean though, so we did our fair share of daydreaming :) There was a bell that they rang whenever it was prayer time or meal time.

The old missionary woman who started this place turned 90 today and she invited the 4 of us yesterday to her place for "afternoon tea." She was so sweet to want to get to know us.

Today the lady in charge took Angie and I on a hike to the top of a mountain to see "the ridge." I wish my pictures could show how beautiful it really was! Above are some pictures of the mountains from the top.

Last night I went to take a shower and discovered it would be a repeat of China's shower experience. There was only a hose and a bucket. I'm sure there is probably some sophisticated way to take a "shower" this way, but all I could think to do was fill up the bucket and dunk my head in! At least there weren't cockroaches like last time in China!!

It was SUCH a cool experience. The four of us were really the only visitors there, so I think we got the royal treatment! I really got to see a different, more traditional side of Korea. It was so cool to be a part of their Lunar New Year activities.

What an unexpected way to spend my vacation! But I am so thankful it worked out. It was nice to get away and see the country and mountains of Korea. We had no phones, no computer and really no distractions there. I feel completely rested...