Second Day of Temple Stay

For the second day of the temple stay we had to be up and to the shrine by 4:30 for morning chanting. It would have been difficult if we hadn't been so scared of having to do 3000 bows if we missed it. It was cold and dark and we had to walk halfway up the mountain to get to the shrine. The chanting was really neat in the morning through, the way it reverberated off of everything. Then we sat in meditation for 30 minutes. It's really difficult to sit on the floor for 30 minutes without your knees and legs hurting.

At 5:50 was the ceremonial breakfast. We had to be instructed on how to act before had because there was no talking during it. Food was the same, kimchi, soup, onions in sesame, bean sprouts and rice. Afterwards we had an hour and a half of free time before "Tea and conversation."

Tea and conversation turned out to be really fun and probably my favorite part of the temple stay. All of the participants of the temple stay sat in a half circle and received "peur" tea (I think, it was fermented green tea). Then one of the monks sat with us and told us about being a monk and we were allowed to ask any questions. The monk was just a normal guy wearing robes it turns out. He told us today was his last day in the temple because he has to go serve in the Korean Army for 2 years (all men must do so between the ages of 18 and 25). Someone asked what the hardest part about being a monk was and he said Women. Oh and he also said that Andy looked like Hugh Jackman. Doesn't he look friendly?

That was it for the temple part of the stay. The monks hired a bus driver and there was an optional trip that we could take for 10,000 won (less than $10). We opted for it and it was an excellent choice. The trip took us to three places; 3 stone pagoda, King Munmu's ocean shrine, and Girimsa temple. 3 stone pagoda was fun to see and to just run around and be noisy.

King Munmu's shrine was just a pile of rocks in the ocean, but it was good to be by the water. Last was Girimsa temple which was a nice hike through the woods and lots of temple buildings around.