Teachers Share their Experiences While Living Abroad!

The weather is finally getting warmer and in anticipation of the prime sightseeing and out-of-doors season, I've been revisiting pictures from my past springs and summers in Korea. I can't wait to get out and take full advantage of my upcoming weekends! One of my favorite spots that I'm looking forward to revisiting this springtime is the grandest of the five palaces in Seoul: Gyeongbokgung.  

There is more to experience while living in Korea besides the night life, parties, and Korean BBQ; it’s important to learn about some of the history while teaching in Korea. Changdeokgung (‘gung’ meaning palace) is one of the most unique historical sites in Korea. Changdeokgung was built as a secondary palace to Gyeongbokgung, but later became the main palace after the Japanese invasion (1592-1598) left most of the palaces in ruins. Some say that there was no need for a second palace, but King Taejong was reluctant to live in Gyeongbokgung, the place where he seized the throne after assassinating his half brothers. Entry to the palace is regulated and more strict than the other palaces probably since it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. Neil and I went here on a beautiful sunny day and took many pictures of pavilions other historic architecture. You can observe that many of the roof tops have a similar curve at the end, like a wing spreading towards the sky. This is a sign of the highest nobility in the social heirarchy of Korea.