Every month the kiddos go on field trips around Seoul, and we foreign teachers don't get left behind. We get the pleasure of going with them on their adventures. Now I say "pleasure" with a light tone here, because spending a full six hours with a large group of first graders starts out well but later ends up differently.

Despite that omen I would say our trip to Children's Grand Park (near Konkuk University) yesterday went pretty well.

The day's events started with a few hours watching a play (in Korean) that was similar to The Sound of Music.






I liked the play and found some of the male actors to be quite good. After the play the kiddos were hungry. I recall this clearly because one girl insisted on reminding me quite often. We headed towards the fountain area of the park, took some pictures then headed to a picnic area.



I was quite impressed with the lunches these kids had packed away. Certainly a lot healthier and more diverse than the ones I recall as a kid. Also I know must of their food tasted good as a lot of the kids handed me pieces of kim bop and fruit.
 Every kid had their own little mat that they unfolded and laid out to sit on. When they saw that I didn't have one they pointed at me and asked, "Why?" I suppose I am going have to gear up for next time.



Lunch was relaxing and filling, which was good since our next activity consisted of going through the zoo at lightning speed. The poor kids had barely enough time to look at the animals. I don't know how they could have anyways, since the park was full of other packs of school kids. At one point I was worried the kids would get mixed up with another group since their uniforms looked the same.







Finally, after our jolt through the zoo we headed back to the buses via the garden scenic route.





Who knows where we are going next time, as they don't tell us till the week before. I am hoping it is some kind of museum where the kids can be more contained, or at least have more time to look at the displays.

Anyways, I definitely know now what it means to go on a field trip in Korea.