Sport? Nah, what's that?

When I imagine a school athletics day, I see track and field, hurdles and baton relays, designated areas for high jump and long jump, war cries and cheerleading teams, each 'house' team divided by the colour they wear, whistles and starting guns, stopwatches and scoreboards, trophies and prizegivings. When I was at school, I looked forward to sports day and dreaded it all at the same time. I loved wearing sporty clothes, eating frozen lollipops, supporting my team mates, screaming my voice hoarse and I liked running the sprints. I did not enjoy picking up the litter at the end of the day or high jump or shotput trials or the 800m race, which I inevitably ran because no one else would. The 800m was a tough race because you had to kind of sprint the whole distance anyway.

When I was told that it was sports day at my all-girls' high school in Korea, I knew to expect something different. Whereas the boys' schools in this country generally follow the 'traditional' athletic sports day, very little emphasis is placed on physical education or sport in girls' schools. I thought there would be a bit of running but little else to do with athletics. I could not have dreamed what it would be like.

I arrived at school in the morning to find over 900 girls assembled on the school field. Each and every class in the school was dressed in different costumes; some in long, flowing skirts and others in luminous or hospital overalls. There was a class dressed in leopard print and another two classes in baseball and soccer uniforms. I battled to recognise some of my students because they had so much make-up on and looked as old as me in some cases. The latest pop music was blaring, the MC was roaring, and the girls were having an absolute ball.  

Apart from some very loud music, singing and jumping around, there was not much actual sporting activity, the most strenuous class contest involving passing a large, soft ball up and down the line. But it was such fun; the students took lots of photos and it was wonderful to see them taking a break from their jam-packed study schedule.

Just as the morning was drawing to a close, the MC announced a baton relay race for combined teacher-student teams. One class didn't have two teachers to run. After much incessant pleading, I agreed to running in the race. I kept insisting that someone else do it, however, as I hadn't sprinted since high school (a very long time ago). "Oh, but you play tennis. You will be the best!" Occasional social tennis versus the 100m sprint? Mmmm...

Naturally, I had been assured several times the day before not to worry about bringing sports clothes and fortunately, I have lived in Korea long enough to know that nothing happens quite as planned. Before leaving my apartment, I packed a pair of trackpants, a T-shirt and a much-needed sports bra. I managed to borrow some ill-fitting shoes from another student (yes, they were much too small) and headed for the starting line. Because I am a foreign teacher, I was made to do a little dance in front of the whole school to earn my place in the race, even though I had in fact been 'forced' to run.

At this point, I wish I'd still had my camera. The 'baton' was in fact a huge cylindrical-shaped stuffed cushion over a metre long. Even if you are a fast runner, you will lose time running with that thing under your arm.  Nevertheless, I ran the 100m well, leaving all the men in my dust.  Our eight-man team came second overall. For a few minutes, I was enjoying the adrenalin, when I was told I would have to run in the final. Final? There were only two races, for goodness sake! The second time, I made sure I ran faster and put more distance between me and my competition. We ended up winning the relay. Suddenly, I was the coolest teacher alive. It was still worth it the next day, when I awoke stiff and sore and coughing up a lung, because the students showed me new-found respect in English class...for one day.

After a well-earned lunch, we all headed to the back of the school, where there is an outside auditorium of sorts. This was undoubtedly the highlight of the day for students and teachers alike: the talent contest. There was amazing dancing, excellent choreography, creative costumes, beautiful singing and much loud sing along music. The girls went absolutely wild. And, I was once again welcomed onto the stage to dance like a fool.

By the end of the day, my mouth was actually exhausted from all the smiling and I could feel muscles I didn't know existed. Okay, I admit, I missed the athletics and the competition a little bit. But otherwise, seriously, who knew 'sports' day could be so darn cool?! 

My Travel ABCs

A: Age you went on your first international trip
I believe I was just four years old when my stepdad, mom, baby brother and I moved to Simunye, Swaziland for two years. It was a magical two years of real life, real people and freedom. A few years later, my stepdad commuted to and from Durban, South Africa, for a while in my early high school years. He was working near Maputo, Mozambique. It was incredibly difficult for him but wonderful for us to visit him during the school holidays. That trip still makes me smile. Another northern Mozambican stint followed in my last two years of high school and another glorious vacation in the middle of nowhere on the Zambezi River. I first left the African continent in my last year of school, for Mauritius, and French tour. I had to take a loan from my mom and stepdad for the trip and only finished paying them back last year, some seven years later.

B: Best foreign beer you've had and where
This is easy. It was a Lowenbrau draft beer in the tent of the same name at the Oktoberfest in Munich. It was the first tent we stepped into, I was wearing a ridiculous hat on my head surrounded by people from the world over singing in German, amazing friends by my side and a beautiful litre of beer in my hand. It doesn't get much better! We returned to Lowenbrau several times on that trip.
A close second is a Tiger beer from Cambodia; mainly because it was after a very hot, sticky day of travelling. Ice-cold glass, cold beer, great company, fantastic food and a Tiger beer = bliss.

C: Cuisine
I don't need to think about this one at all. Traditional prawn curry in a back street restaurant in Siem Reap, Cambodia. After six months with "same-same" Korean food, a good curry was a revelation. Every meal we ate in Cambodia was delightful.
Pizza has never been my favourite meal but after walking the streets of Florence for over four hours, we fell upon a tiny pizzeria. We each ordered a ridiculously expensive slice of pizza and a coke. That was the best piece of ham and mushroom pizza in the world. We all thought so. Pizza must have originated in Italy.

D: Destinations - favourite, least favourite and why
To choose a favourite destination is incredibly difficult as each city, place, site has its own allure, something remarkable, a different kind of beauty. If I have to choose, I'd have to say Rome was my favourite all-round destination. It is one of the places I most want to visit properly. Two days in this ancient city was certainly not long enough. Besides the obvious attractions (The Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain), I want to walk the streets until I can't walk anymore. I want to spend a day on the Spanish steps at the Piazza di Spagna and watch the world go by.
The south of France (Maresielles, Avignon, Arles) comes a very close second.
Siem Reap, Cambodia, was a favourite for very different reasons. I simply felt at home there; I loved the people, the food, the vibe and the general atmosphere.
I don't have a least favourite destination. Each and every single place I have been to has exceeded my expectations. I think it is because I believe it is the one and only time I'll get there and so, I make the absolute most of it.

E: Event you experienced abroad that made you say "wow"
My dream came true when I worked at the Wimbledon Championship. It was absolutely magical, almost surreal experience and nothing will quite live up to it.  

Even though our tour group was rushed through like a herd of cattle, the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City made me weep with admiration. I could not believe I actually had the chance to witness something I had only learnt about in history textbooks and art classes. The Sistine Chapel is the best-known of the chapels in the Apostolic Palace. Many artists' works adorn the walls but it is Michaelangelo's ceiling painting, which was the highlight for me. I felt as if I was in a dream world.


F: Favourite mode of transport
On arrival at Siem Reap Airport, Cambodia, the little guesthouse my friends, Helyn, Jinae and I had booked sent someone to pick us up. But it wasn't a taxi or minibus. It was a tuc-tuc; a sort of carriage pulled by a motorbike. A fantastic concept! We only had one day at the Angkor temples and thus, hired a tuc-tuc for the morning to drive us around. It was incredibly bumpy at times but a treat to be in the open air while being 'carried' around. 

G: Greatest feeling while travelling
As an aspiring journalist, any opportunity to travel is one I grab with both hands. I love learning, seeing and experiencing new cultures, writing about them, and reminiscing about them for years to come. I suppose my greatest feeling while travelling was when I had just walked up the 129 metre Montmartre hill in Paris, France. It was the last night of a whirlwind European tour. I had made wonderful friends on the tourbus and we were all dressed up for a Moulin Rouge cabaret and dinner. The Basilique du Sacre Coeur, the Roman Catholic church and familiar landmark, stands at the summit of Montmartre. Facing away from the Basilica, one looks out over the whole of Paris. It was the end of a glorious trip and we all felt like we were on top of the world.   

H: Hottest place you've travelled to
Danang, central Vietnam, was the place I got a good tan along with a nice bout of heat stroke. I  often felt on the point of collapsing on our trip through Vietnam. We covered a lot of country in 7 days and it was so very humid. I didn't bother with face cream, make-up, body lotion, none of it, as it would simply run off. I perspire a lot usually. In Vietnam, I perspired unnaturally much. Helyn often wondered if there was something wrong with me. 

I: Incredible service you've experienced and where
Paris, France. The waiters were dressed in suits or tuxedos in the smallest of cafes and bistros. You paid a healthy sum for the good service, obviously, but it was most worth it.  

J: Journey that took the longest
Travelling anywhere from South Africa is generally long. Travelling to my current home in Pohang, South Korea,  I would have to catch three flights and a long bus ride door-to-door. This journey can take up to 30 hours or more.
I also remember a hair-raising, overnight bus ride from Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. It took close on 17 hours. The bus was in supreme condition, as you can imagine. I think we got the last three tickets on the bus and were squashed into the very back seats. Surprisingly, all three of us slept very well despite the tar/gravel/half tar roads, pit stops in nowhere land, across the border bag carrying and no space. Upon our arrival, we were very ready for a long shower, some good food and lots of bababa (333) beer.

K: Keepsake from your travels
I try to keep a basic scrapbook and journal when I travel anywhere. As difficult as it is to do at the time, it brings great joy when looking back some time later. And I buy something different every place I go; whether it's a bracelet, chopsticks, a funny T-shirt or a magnet for the fridge. But my favourite keepsakes are the photos. Memories are absolutely priceless.

L: Let-down sight, why and where
Mona Lisa, Louvre Museum, Paris. Even though people warned me not to get my hopes up, I was still most excited to see the woman with the following eyes. The Mona Lisa is quite a small painting, covered and protected by several layers of glass, and is impossible to photograph without having several other tourists in the picture.   

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel
I had some glorious and horrendous experiences while living in England. For the first six months, I hardly had any money; it all went to rent, food and transport (living in London is ridiculously expensive). In the October though, a friend and I arranged 3 days off work. We flew to Munich, Germany, for the famous Oktoberfest beer festival. We took only hand luggage with us, camped in a massive camp site with thousands of other like-minded people, showered for a minute a day, and drank the best beer in the world. 
One of the days, I was standing on a table in Hofbrau beer tent surrounded by people from around the world; Italy, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Poland, Scotland and the USA. We were singing a German folk song. I had a stein in my hands and a smile in my heart. It was then that I realised I wanted to go everywhere and see everything; the moment I realised I was absolutely in love with travel. 

N: Nicest hotel you've stayed in
I have always travelled cheaply. I haven't stayed in an sophisticated or expensive hotels, I don't think. As long as there are some sort of ablutions, I am happy.
I suppose the best hotel I stayed in was while playing junior tennis in Umhlanga, KwaZulu Natal. Well, it seemed very 'nice' at the time. We stayed in the lovely hotel for free, food and activities included, and as long as we remained in the draw of the tennis tournament.
Next year, I will make sure I spend at least one night in a five-star hotel on my travels of south-east Asia.

O: Obsession - what you're obsessed with taking pictures of while travelling
People. Sometimes I take so mant pictures of the people, I forgot about the famous sites, museums, churches, temples and beautiful beaches.

P: Passport stamps, how many, from where
I have 40 stamps in my current passport. They come (in order of travel) from Johannesburg - South Africa; Mauritius; London Heathrow - England; Paris - France; Munich - Germany; Calais - France (only one stamp for an 18-day tour of 9 countries); Gatwick - England; Geneva - Switzerland; Cork - Republic of Ireland; Lille - France; Dusseldorf - Germany; Incheon - South Korea; Siem Reap - Cambodia and Hanoi - Vietnam. 

Q: Quirkiest attraction you've visited and where
Sometimes travelling within one's country is just as interesting as travelling abroad. There is a very quirky little town called Kalk Bay in Cape Town. Located on the coast, one can walk along the water, popping now and again into little antique stores, quaint coffee shops and my favourite, The Brass Bell, a favourite on many an international tourist's itinerary.

R: Recommended sight/ event/ experience
Siem Reap's Angkor temples. Some people say Angkor Wat temple is a let-down. With scaffolding and all, I thought it was magnificent. I was in awe from the beginning of the day to the very end.

S: Splurge
Seeing the sites is my number one priority. If I have money left over, it goes towards tasting the finest beer of the region. Food follows in close succession. But I would rather eat and drin nothing and see everything!

T: 'Touristy' thing you've done
I have done the 'jumping' picture in the front of the Eiffel Tower. I have been on a gondola in Venice in the pouring rain (magical) and stepped off with a huge wet patch on my rear. I have walked around Berlin, Germany, with a fanny pack around my waist and a camera hanging around my neck. I have worn tennis shoes (tekkies) with jeans, which my school friends would tell me is a huge fashion blunder. What is great about being a tourist is that no one really cares what you look like, including yourself.  

U: Unforgettable travel memory
Contiki May/June 2010; a whirlwind European tour of nine countries on a bus with fifty other like-minded people. It was eighteen days of amazing sites, food, friends, fun, singing, parties and people. I want to do it all over again.

V: Visas, how many and for where
1x United Kingdom two-year working/ holiday visa (non-existent these days); 2x Schengen visas (for travel in the Schengen countries which includes most of the Eurozone countries); 1x South Korea work visa; 1x Vietnam tourist visa, 1x Cambodia tourist visa.

W: Wine, best glass while travelling and where
The last of my European trips was to the south of France with a great friend, Susan. We went with very little money and ate a lot of dry baguettes in anticipation of the wine. For a few days, we hired a car and drove through the wine routes of Arles and Avignon, stopping at random wineries in amongst the lavender fields. We tasted some glorious wines. In one of my journals in storage, I have the name of my favourite winery, where we met a woman who raved about Johnny Clegg (a well-known South African musician) while we tasted her best merlot. That was a wonderful glass of wine.
To this day, however, Beyerskloof Pinotage, from the good ol' Western Cape winelands, remains my ultimate.

X: Excellent view and where
This is, and will most probably remain, the view of Cape Town city from Signal Hill. There are many people who would agree, I am sure.

Y: Years travelling
This is my fourth year of "travelling"/ working in foreign countries and it will most likely be my last year before hitting the real world. I spent about 18 months in the UK. And 2012 is my second year in Korea. I wish I could travel for a living.

Z: Zealous sports fans and where
Football/ soccer fans anywhere seem to pretty darn zealous. The English supporters are especially infamous for their passion for the game. Often, if I was on the train or the bus on a big match day, I would have to be careful to not upset on the fans as they could be quite aggressive to those who did not agree.
Korean people, fascinatingly, can also be fanatical. I have attended a few soccer and baseball games here. One of the baseball games we watched, it rained the entire length of the game. There was hardly a seat free in the stands, however. It looked like a blanket of white with everyone donning cheap plastic rain jackets. We were sopping wet at the end of it but had a wonderful experience to add to the memory bank.