In Connecticut - Wish You Were Here!

Hi First Graders,

This is the first time this year that I took a trip in an envelope. The mail carrier brought me to Mrs. Clarke's house. It took 2 days to get here.

Connecticut is one of the 6 states in the north-east corner of the country known as New England. The people who live here are sometimes called Connecticut Yankees. Maybe that's why the state song is Yankee Doodle Dandy. You can hear it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_BMzqwSdW8


Connecticut's nickname is The Nutmeg State. It is a spice that grows here on trees. It looks like a nut when it is ready to pick. It is ground up into powder and used in baking. The yummy smell of apple pie and pumpkin pie comes partly from nutmeg. Your teacher can let you smell some.



 



It is fall, but colder than in Rock Hill. I went downtown on a shopping trip. The shopkeepers here have made scarecrows to decorate for fall. This one was my favorite. It is made to look like a famous painter, Vincent Van Gogh.

 

After shopping in town, we went to a farm to buy a pumpkin. Thanksgiving is coming, and Mrs. Clarke is planning to bake some pumpkin pies. I helped her pick out just the right one - nice and round, and big but not too big.

 

 

After shopping, our next stop was the park. I had a snack, then I played in the leaves.

 

The trees in Connecticut in the fall are red, yellow and orange. They are beautiful! Do you know what I like to do? I like to jump in them. Do you like to do that, too?

 

My first outing in Connecticut was lots of fun. I will write again after I have had some more adventures.

 

Your friend,

Flat Stanley

 

 

 

 

More Adventures in South Korea

Hi First Graders,

I had another quiet week in my hotel room, while Dr. Kevin worked a lot. On Saturday I got to go out. Let me show you some things.

In the morning, we went to visit some good friends. Everyone dressed up in traditional clothes for a picture. (but not me. I think they didn't have any for someone who is flat!) The traditional clothes are from old times. Now people wear modern clothes just like ours, but dressing up for pictures is something they do for fun or special occasions.

I got to stand in front because I am the shortest!
 

After our picture time, we said good-bye, and went for a hike on a nearby mountain in Bukhansan Park.

The trail was hard to climb.  I rode in Dr. Kevin's backpack. It was easy to follow the trail and not get lost, because the stones were like steps, and along the way were many gates like this one.

The mountain was so steep that a building that we passed was built into the side of the mountain. The front had windows and a door, but the back did not. It was right against the mountain.

Even if you can't read Korean,
I think you can figure out what this sign says!

 

We were careful, and no rocks fell on us. Another thing that we saw along the trail was a HUGE bell.

It is used to call people to pray. The log swings on chains. If you pull it back, and let it go, it hits the bell to ring it. I didn't hear it, because it wasn't the right time for prayers, but I think it would be VERY loud!

 

The last picture we took on the hike is this one.

There are many statues outside in the park. They are there to welcome hikers. I thought that was very friendly.

After our long hike, we were tired, and went back to the hotel to rest before dinner. Then we went out at night to see a Tae Kwon Do show. Tae Kwan Do is a bit like karate. It is a way of fighting with hands and feet to protect yourself. Tae Kwan Do started in Korea long ago. Now people practice it all around the world.

The show was on a stage. There was music, and many people performed together, doing kicks and chops. It was almost like watching a dance, except sometimes they broke boards with their feet and hands!

 

That was the end of an exciting day for me. Our trip is at an end. On Tuesday we will leave South Korea, and fly back home. I will see you soon at school.

 

Your friend,

 

Flat Stanley

 

 

Anyong Haseyo from South Korea

Hi First Graders,

I just said hello to you in the Korean language. It sounds like (ahn-yo   ha-say-yoh).  It was a long trip to get here. We were in the airplane for almost 15 hours. I rode in the suitcase with socks and shirts and pants. It was dark, but very comfortable and cozy.

We have been here in for a week, but Dr. Kevin had to work a lot, so I stayed in the hotel room. On Saturday, we went out and about to see the city. Our first stop was to get gas for the rental car. I was surprised that the gas hoses come down from the ceiling. There were no pumps like we have at our gas stations. You reach up and pull it down to fill the tank.

 

 

What can you see that is like you classroom?
And what is different?

Our next stop was a history museum that showed how people lived long ago. They had many rooms full of old things to look at. I thought you might like to see this old-fashioned schoolroom.




                                          

                                     

Can you recognize something on the wall?
And what is that on the chalkboard?

Today classrooms don't look like this at all. Now they have computers and smartboards and many more things like you have in your room.

    

 

After a morning at the museum, we went to a restaurant for lunch. Look at our food. Where are the fork and spoon?

 

You can see the menu.
It names the food with Korean characters
and English words. That made it easier to order food!

A yummy salad.
Can you name some of the veggies?

 

That's right! people here eat with chopsticks instead!  The first dish is Kim Chee. It is spicy, but very good. Kim Chee is served with almost every meal. People like it a lot!

 

Look at the second dish. The tan cubes are fried tofu. The tan slices with holes are lotus root. The holes were not cut. It grows that way. Isn't it pretty?

 

In the afternoon, we walked around the city. This is one of the most famous and fancy buildings. It is the Emperor's palace. A long time ago, Korea had an emperor (that is like a king) who lived here.

There is no more emperor, so now the palace is a place for everyone to come and visit.

 

I took a selfie in front of the palace!
Does this look a little bit like a building I saw in Japan?

 

Next we drove down to the river to walk. The Han River flows through the city, and families were out having fun at the river park. People bring tents and set them up for shade. Kids were walking and playing in water. It looked like fun to me!

You can see the city skyscrapers across the river.

 

That's it for my fun Saturday being a tourist in Seoul, South Korea. I will write again before I come back home next week.

 

Your Friend,

Flat Stanley