Take a Walk in My Neighborhood

 Bundang-gu is the largest and most populous district of Seongnam, a major city in the Seoul Capital Area, South Korea. Bundang is one of South Korea's wealthiest and highest developed areas, being the nation's first and largest completely artificial city built in the early 1990s. Many high-rise luxury condos moved in the early 2000s. Apartments and the high-rise luxury condos around Sunae Station rival prices in the most expensive areas in the country. Unlike older cities such as Seoul, Bundang has no telephone poles overground, resulting in a clean cityscape with well-designed streets.

Bundang is the headquarters of Korea's leading IT companies such as Naver and KT. Pangyo's Technovalley is home to the country's leading game, entertainment and technology companies such as KakaoTalk, Samsung Techwin, AhnLab, Nexon, NCSOFT and Hancom. Due to its close proximity to Seoul's affluent commercial center, Gangnam District, many residents also commute to Gangnam Station. 

Bundang is home to many Koreans who lived overseas and the European-styled cafe streets serving brunch and pastas reflect their culture. The city has a high percentage of parks and greenspace, most notably Bundang Central Park and Yuldong Park, which is built around the Bundang lake. Bundang's Seoul National University Hospital is among the largest in South Korea.

This is my building, Royal Palace, Housevill. I don't know why they left off the "e" in ville.  I'm on the 16th floor. On the second floor is a doctor's office, fitness center, dry cleaner, playground, restaurant, travel agency, store etc,.

 

Just a block outside of my building is a 25K riverside walk/rideway that has all sorts of opportunities for exercise including bike paths, workout machines, golf, volleyball, dog parks, childrens climbing structures etc,. I try to walk for an hour after school everyday. It is so pleasant and cheerful.

 

Clean bathrooms along the paths.

There's lots of food available in the hood. You can have anything delivered. My goal is to learn enough Koran to be able to call and order a meal delivered to my apartment. On Sunday the recycle area is stacked eight feet high with empty delivery boxes.  Also, no delivery charge and no tipping! As you can see by the above photo they deliver on four wheelers as well as scooters.

Traditional Korean style restaurant. You cook your own meat/veggies. This is the most popular style of dining for the locals.

Some of the signs miss the mark a bit in translation!

This pedestrian boulevard is just steps outside of my building goes along for about five blocks.  It's lined with restaurants, shops, and some street vendors selling socks, hats and food.

Wanna buy a Mini Cooper? You'll have to take this one off the front of the building! 

The local grocery store.

Yeah they're ubiquitous. 

I like to look at pics of the food before I decide.

Guess what they are serving!

Mobile phone stores and coffee houses are on every street.

This is the big department store, Lotte, a block away from my place. It's like a Nordstrom but way more expensive!  My favorite part is the bottom floor that has a huge food court and grocery store.  

There are 700 Starbucks in Seoul, and growing! They do not sell drip coffee, everyone orders sugary latte type drinks. It'll set you back about $7 each.

7-Elevens are huge here.

The Baskin and Robbins is just one of the many ice cream shops. I love a locally made cantaloupe flavored ice cream bar.

Vendor selling hats.  Notice the Dunkin Donuts in the background--they are everywhere.

More School Photos

        My office.  There are five subs all with masters degrees who have desks in this room.

                                      Katie is from Minnesota and Josef is from Denver.

                                                        The performing arts center.

                                  Pre-K classroom. Has a huge playroom next door.

                                                             Raquet ball anyone?

 This is the daily salad bar. Lettuce, tuna fish, veggies, tofu, nuts, seeds and sweet potatoes.
 It's my choice for $2.50.  There is also a full Western menu daily that features your typical meal with meat, potatoes, pasta, veg, bread and dessert.  It's not always gonna taste like home, but pretty close!

 This is what a 9th grade science classroom looks like.  Small groups using serious microscopes, taking photos with their cameras and entering data on their computers. It's cool to watch them learn.

                              Sky bridge and outdoor area for studying or choir concerts.

 These are the students in the second grade Spanish class. They have a choice of four languages and most already speak two or three.

 

                                       Professional development room and conference room.

                                             Staff rooms have eating/lounging areas and supplies.

                                                                More supply rooms.

 When students take quizzes they put barriers up on desks for privacy. Because they test so often,                   there is a rule on how many tests teachers are allowed to administer on each weekday.
           The majority of students attend classes after school into the evening and on weekends.
                                                           Many also have private tutors.

 Yes! Bathrooms for teachers only on every floor! Actually all the restrooms are cleaned around the clock, so it's not even necessary.

View from the outside BB court.  The spherical silver building is called Job World. It offers kids ages 4-11 glimpses at careers in many fields with hands-on learning. It is amazing.  They actually cook,  perform live broadcasts even have a simulated spaceship! It's a day-long field trip for all students in the area.

KIS School Tour

Take a walk around the school with me!

Located in Pangyo, Korea, the school is high up on a hill overlooking

the city and the mountains.

                              Guards welcome you at every entrance and in every building.
                       You'll also be on camera wherever you are, so don't pick your nose in the elevator!

                                     Twenty-five meter pool open to faculty in the morning.

                                                 This is the a la carte part of the cafeteria.

                              One of the art teachers rooms with four pottery wheels.

                                          ATM machine for staff to pay bills and get cash.

 

                             The cafeteria has three lunches serving about 1100 meals daily.

                   Most floors have copiers, laminators, and open, stocked supply rooms, dreamy!!

                                                         Outside recess/practice field.

                                        Fitness Center.  Also has weights and ballet room.

                     Outdoor BB court at the top of the school. There are two inside on the 7th floor.

            PTO runs the store. You can buy a MAC or a T-shirt here and everything in between!

                                                This is the indoor gardening room.

                                                       Play area for the little tots.

                  Cafeteria kitchen.  The catering company works for many of the international schools.

 This is what the daily Korean menu would look like. You'll usually find squid or octopus in            something as well  as a pork dish, rice, kimchi, noodles, veggies, soup and seaweed. $5 unlimited

                                                        More of the fitness center.

                                                          Another outdoor play area.

One of the libraries.  $55K annual budget for the MS/HS library.

More photos on next entry.