Zing To Oz!

Thailand Part 2: Koh Phi Phi

2012-01-19T16:47:00.000+09:00

Day 2: 12/24/11

After the elephant trekking we enjoyed the last bit of our hotel stay, had a quick swim and hopped a ferry to Ko Phi Phi (pronounced pee, which is a different bodily fluid in English and Korean but presumably not in Thai). In any case we sat on the top of the ferry surrounded by all manner of dirty travelers and one large Thai family with the most adorable baby girl that I think stole everyone's heart. Rains came in and out and we were half under a tarp that got us more wet than the rain itself from water accumulation dripping down as the boat rocked from side to side. Overall it was an enjoyable and beautiful trip, though the smoking, drinking Brits next to us (one of which was talking about wandering Bangkok looking for a contraceptive shot, the other talking of a guy insisting on buying her this and that and paying for hotels, to their band of boys) were annoying Scott and I. Little did we know we were in for an island of that personality type times a million.

In short, Phi Phi is not what either of us had in mind. The shopping was great, little stalls with hippy dresses and fisherman pants galore, as well as amazing and dirt cheap food. Before we even found our hotel we settled in for some coconut soup and pad Thai. We eventually found our "resort" which was a bit off the beaten path but still very much a part of the chaos of Phi Phi that seemed like a never ending outdoor market. I'm sure there are parts of the island free of the tourism, but for most of our trip Scott and I just circled round and round the labryth never quite sure where we were going to turn up. And the stray cats were everywhere! Mostly kittens, and a fair amount missing large portions of the tails, most clean and absolutely adorable.

Our "resort" Maney Bay was passable though we probably wouldn't have booked if we'd read the reviews. As bare bones as it gets but not bugs and the staff was nice enough, we didn't spend much time there anyhow.

Actually we did end up off the beaten path. We took a wrong turn trying to find the north shore (the port was in the south) and ended up going up and down hills on a local road. We walked all the way, passing little homes, kids playing in their yards, a man showering under a hose in his side yard, and of course more stray cats until we hit a dead end at a retention pond, much like the one our room overlooked back at Ma Ney. On the way back a little girl shot at Scott with her toy gun and he feigned injury as the mom watched on smiling, washing something in a bucket. I kept worrying we were being invasive, leaving the confines of the tourist areas and walking among the local houses but the people didn't seem to pay any mind to us. I marveled that they all used a rather simple water catchment system and was really happy to see it. It boggles my mind why more people don't use water catchment to water their gardens and grass.

After that failed trip to the beach the sun was already setting so we went for dinner and got a little tipsy. Wandering around we randomly bought a long boat tour trip for 200 baht (about $7) for the next morning. It seemed so unimaginably cheap, that we thought we'd been had and went to bed wondering if we were drunken dummies...

The only photo from the day I'm bothering to edit. A boat I saw from the ferry:

Day 3: 12/25/11

We awoke early Christmas morning, not to Christmas celebrations of presents and decorated trees, but to go on our unbelievably cheap longboat tour. We went back to the travel agents desk to meet and then were lead to a long boat without a dock. The driver at first tried to have us just jump aboard. He only hopped on himself and attached the ladder after the first girl failed to get on, floundering helplessly on the ledge of the boat even with her boyfriend trying to push her up form her bottom. All aboard and I was immediately glad I preemptively put my camera in it's underwater case. It was a very wet ride.

Our first stop was monkey beach, where the brochure (more like print-out) said we'd have 30 minutes but we had barely enough time to swim ashore, chuck some fruit and them, and swim back. The boat driver called us back before I'd even gotten my camera situated. Perhaps because only 6 of us from the boat jumped out. I get the feeling that despite the trip being cheap as sin, people aboard were already getting pissy and weren't quite prepared for the more rustic experience we had found ourselves on. The photos are frightfully disappointing and I almost would have rather I just enjoyed the monkeys and not bothered had I known. There was a whole family out and with their adorable little baby monkeys as well. The one in the photos was one of the largest and most brazen. Another driver on the island had to scare off a monkey that was getting too aggressive. Luckily ours behaved themselves. :)

So after the much rushed Monkey Beach we headed to "The Beach" from the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. Not a fan at all of the movie, and there was a controversy over the film company clearing out natural vegetation to make the shore larger. Bulldoze paradise? Oh sure, as long as it's for Leo's movie. Aside from being immensely over-crowded, we did have a great time and got the chance to lay around on the beach and eat our "lunch" provided by the tour (tiny box of fried rice). After that we took the boat just across the way to "snorkel". Yes, lots of quotes in this portion of my blog, but what did I expect for 200 baht? There were so many other boats and snorkelers that there were almost no fish, but I had fun regardless. For a time most of the boats had gone and I got a chance to see schools of fish swimming under me.

The trip there and back, there was not a dry body on the boat. Scott and I probably got the worst of it being in the front. For a while we couldn't see for the salt stinging our eyes and just had to buckle down, grab whatever we could hold onto, and enjoy the ocean spray. By the end I was shivering, cold, soaked, and full of goosebumps but absolutely elated. That tour saved Phi Phi for me, 100%. Very glad the woman at the tour booth recommended the morning trip. We could already see storm clouds rolling in, and I couldn't imagine handling the cold and the wind at sundown with clouds like that.

After that we got cleaned up at the hotel and went for a "fancy" Christmas dinner. I insisted on seafood, being nostalgic for family Christmas dinner, but we were pretty disappointed with the results. The mussels were pooping out sand and shell bits and Scott's crab dish was basically all shell laying in a few vegetables. After complaining (which I very rarely do) were were able to at least get our money back for the mussels, but she wouldn't budge on the crab because "I can see the meat right there. There is meat." If this was some back alley local spot, I never would have complained, but as her clientele was tourists, and it was one of the more expensive spots, I expected more. It was honestly the worst food of the hole trip and the most expensive. Christmas for us was an amazing cheap trip and a terrible expensive dinner.

In Thailand apparently you don't get what you pay for.

After this I put the camera away and we went to try and enjoy the party scene for Christmas night. Drunkards with cheap buckets wandered the streets (us being 2 of them) and competing music blared from different bars. After many circles and losing our way we found a bar with bean bag chairs in the sand and settled in for some good people watching. The guys drinking from the beer can towers were getting quite a lot of attention from the skantily clad Mrs. Clauses in the crowd. Eventually we danced a bit and switched to another bar, were there was a pole shooting right of from the ground. Men would climb it and then stand on the platform on top to show their bravery. One guy though just stayed on his belly and danced with his arms and I thought... that's pretty lame.

Day 4: 12/26/11

It was time to leave for Ko Lanta and I had the feeling of, oh my, I didn't take enough photos. Most of these were shot in a literal drive by fashion as we walked to the docks.

Our room, M22.

Some of these were taken in Bangkok, some in Phi Phi

Thailand Part 1: Krabi Town/ Ao Nang

2012-01-12T20:12:00.000+09:00

Scott and I began our trip to Thailand after nearly 24 hours of airplane travel, the worst leg of it spent overnight on the wooden benches of the ticket area at the Bangkok airport. We took a domestic flight and at 8 am, finally arrived at the Krabi airport. We then took a bus to Krabi town (an error we later realized) had a wonderful lunch and our first taste of a young Thai coconut smoothie (of which there would be many more) and boarded another bus to Ao Nang. We walked a bit to find our most luxurious hotel room of the Thailand stay. With help from Scott's friend Brad (a seasoned Thailand vet) we found an amazing half off deal on a fancy schmancy hotel with a porch that walked right into the pool, the Mercure Krabi Deevana, (setting us up for some disappointment at our less than stellar lodgings thereafter.)

We relaxed and swam at the hotel, then walked along the beach and had dinner with Brad at buffet. We attempted to see monkeys on the beach but it was getting dark and they were a no show, despite the girls arriving ahead of us yelling and throwing fruit into the trees. Can't imagine why...

The next morning we got in an "elephant trek" before departing for our ferry to our next stop, Koh Phi Phi. The supposed Elephant trek consisted of going in a well worn loop through a rubber tree plant, with mud holes so deep the elephants feet made loud plunger-like noises with the suction of air as they clomped in and out. The scary one eyed elephant driver who wasn't shy about the use of his hook to clock his elephant on the head was behind us as we went, smoke billowing into the faces of the Japanese tourists riding behind him. Scott and I had acted fast enough to bypass that experience and get the young, kind driver. It's at this point that I should mention the travel agent (the term meaning little more than people working at booths set up on the city streets collecting money and giving out paper reciepts) sold us the wrong elephant trek (despite us double checking the company with her). Perhaps this is incorrect, I'd like to maintain the idea that the one I had specifically chosen would have been a better experience. In any case the elephants seemed fine and taken care of. Most were just standing around batting the bugs off of themselves with palm fronds, though ours did have questionable purple marks behind it's ears and I felt pretty sorry for the baby alone in a pen, elephant babies need constant physical contact, though I'm not sure up til what age...

Scanned image of the proper elephant riding photo (as well as the yet to be developed fisheye shots) pending. Anyway, on with the shots I do have:

Day 1: Krabi December 23, 2011

Playing around with my new underwater case:

Sunset in Ao Nang:

This sign cracked me up:

Log Bridge

Day 2: Krabi December 24, 2011
Our elephant driver:

The driver with the bum eye and bad temper

My favorite shot:

The Idle Elephants... or perhaps they were working on something else? I couldn't tell.
Will finish the trip in a couple more installments. :)

Tuesday morning

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000+09:00

I dreamed of helping men push dead trucks, one black, one white, carrying marijuana up impossible hills. One portly fellow fainted and stole a kiss when I went to help. We then searched for a hotel in this tropical paradise but only found an underground bunker with a particle board trap door. I awoke to remember I slept laid out flat on the heated pipes of the ondol floor, craving heat, craving the tropics to warm me, outside to in, but my little bubble of reality burst. I awoke to remember it was Tuesday in cold gray Seoul where there never is a day now that one needs sunglasses, and I have a meeting to attend to. Frivolous things to write down and pretend are important. More important than stolen kisses and the heat of the sun.

A Day of Firsts (TMI to the max)

2011-12-09T21:27:00.003+09:00

So last night I had a delightful run with Colyte in preparation for today's endoscopy and (gasp) colonoscopy. The latter being news to me upon my arrival to the hospital, I thought it was one or the other. You must take 4 powder packets of Colyte (which is basically like salt and aspartame flavor wise), on every half hour for 2 hours with 500ml of water each time. I couldn't finish the last one, and I had an... entertaining night to put it lightly. Luckily I was so exhausted that falling back asleep in bed after awaking each time was no problem.

This morning Scott (my guardian as necessary) and I headed out to the hospital. It was the first snow of the season. The Floridian that I am, I was pretty excited. Scott less impressed. Pssh. New Yorkers. I reflected on this colonary happenstance, as my first meeting with the doctor was on Thanksgiving. Ah, the colon fairies are wishing me good morrow.

Arrived at the hospital where no one in the endoscopy department spoke much English and called the helpful nurse over from the International clinic to translate the risks of the procedure to me. Let me tell you, risk of heart attack and death seems worse spoken, then the usual skimming of documents. I was going to be sedated and have a camera put down my throat, AND up my bum. A sad state of affairs to be necessary for a fairly healthy living 26 year old, but, c'est la vie.

I changed into a stiff blue gown with a hole in the bum (No no, why would I want buttons or some velcro? Leave it a gaping hole by all means!) and top gown to cover. It was a few minutes of concentrated work to get the crusty draw string to cinch around my waist. The nurse takes me into a room to put the port in a vein on the top of my right hand. I used to have a near phobic fear of needles but after acupuncture, a nose piercing, and 2 tattoo attempts, I've mostly gotten over this. Thankfully, for she failed the first time and left my hand swollen and bruised and had to put the port in my left wrist. She injected meds in me and I went back into the waiting room. I was not told what these meds were.

I began to feel tingly and dizzy, and sat down leaning my head on Scott. I knew the feeling, I was going to black out. A nurse tried to carry me back into the procedure area but I didn't quite make it. I awoke on the floor disoriented, one limb to each of the female nurses crowded around me, and a young kindly male nurse (the chosen English speaker I presumed) was asking me if I was ok. I looked around out of breath like a wild animal, thinking of the oh so many episodes of hospital shows (damn you House) where someone undergoes a routine procedure and all of a sudden they need intubation or defribulation or who knows what. But no I was fine. They lifted me onto a bed and wheeled me into a curtained off area and let me rest a little before the procedure. I lay there, calming myself and began to laugh a bit at the whole scene. Apparently I had a reaction to the meds that were to stop my bowel movements. Maybe my body knows its not supposed to be doing that.

Later I was wheeled in for the procedure and luckily was passed out for the entire ordeal. Like it didn't even happen. I got to rest again on the bed a while and feel just about as calm as can be. Mmm. Sedatives.

After that I was scheduled for a precautionary mammogram of my own accord. I several times had to explain why. "You are so young." "Yes well, a good friend of mine got breast cancer this young and died so... I'm gunna just be safe here." Nods of understanding.

This mammogram was set for 2 weeks, I was taken to prepay for it at the front registration desk. After I had paid and returned to the mammogram center, I was informed I was 10 years too young for the procedure, young breasts are too dense. No big deal, you can get a sonogram instead, and swap the cost after. Sweet. Sonogram was fast and easy, super nice English speaking woman who said I had nothing to worry about, no lumps. All is well. (I must admit the sonogram felt pretty awesome.)

My grand total for the day was around 450 bucks and I was shocked at the price. I got so spoiled by how cheap medical is in Korea with insurance that I forgot to factor in that I had undergone some major procedures today. But still, something didn't seem right. The mammogram that got refunded was supposed to be 30 bucks, I assumed the sonogram to be about the same. But it was a whopping 200.

I nearly began to cry. The same International Clinic nurse was helping me at that time and I went on a rant about how I felt tricked into it. They wouldn't let me have the procedure that was 30 bucks, and didn't inform me that the alternative procedure was many times that cost. That seemed unfair. I reiterated this several times. (At this point it was around 3 pm, several hours after I should have been done, I'd eaten nothing all day, and very little the previous 4 days, I was NOT in the mood to be duped). Eventually she offered to cancel it, even though it was already done. They did it with no bureaucracy, no getting of a manager. Just like that, 200 bucks erased from my bill. Free sonogram for this girl.

I left thankful and confused. The results, my insides look fine. The doc said he thinks I have a low threshold... for what I said? He said pain. I wanted to smack him. Again he told me he thinks I have IBS (as he already concluded after 5 minutes of talking to me on our first meeting). Again I think he's an idiot. I have a sonogram scheduled for them to look at my gallbladder on Tuesday (apparently no one could do it today), which is what I thought it was in the first place. But I guess at least I have piece of mind now. No cancer, no leaky gut, no ulcers. I'm sure the cleanse didn't hurt either. Though they are going to look further and talk with me more about the results in a week or so, it will probably be the same information.

Mmm. Pizza time.

Rainbow Birthday!

2011-09-27T21:53:00.001+09:00

So I know it's been... well over a month but I'm finally getting the photos up. For those of you who don't know, I don't have internet at home any more, by choice. Attempting to be more "productive" and less overstimulated by all that is available via the internet in my bed.

August 20th Maggie and I had a joint birthday party. The theme: Rainbow! Pick one color and wear as much of it as you can.

We met in the park to do photos before going out for the night, but poor planning on my part had us there far too late in the evening. Anyway, here are the photos!

And Hanbok Day. In celebration of the Korean fall harvest festival, Chuseok, the kids wore their traditional Hanbok to school. Pretty adorable, though I made the mistake of letting them have a dance party BEFORE trying to take a photo with them. Pretty chaotic but I love it. :D

The Long and Hard Journey...

2011-09-01T23:15:00.000+09:00

August 13th, Scott and I set out to Samcheok, home of the infamous Penis Park (officially Haesindang Park) and the biggest cave in Korea. Coincidence? Hmmm...

A few days before my student had brought me a farm-picked cucumber and a pepper. It's like he knew...

(tidbit: the slang for penis here is "gochu" which means pepper)

Fair warning: this blog contains numerous penis photos and even more terrible puns. I hope you can leave with your delicate mind fully intact. ;)

We hopped a bus from Seoul and headed East on a 3 day weekend of beach, cave, and dong fun! The journey was meant to be 3 hours but with the holiday traffic (Korea's independence day) It ran closer to 5 or 6. We got off a stop too early but no big deal, they just threw us on the next bus 15 minutes later. All. Cool.

Waiting for the next bus:

It's around 9 when we arrive and start looking for a motel room. The Jasmine Motel has only one room and it's 80 bucks. We scoff at the price (double the normal rates) and leave, not knowing the trouble that awaits us. We check numerous motels, at each in Korean we get, "No rooms, No rooms, No rooms!" We are hopeful though and keep on trekking. They can't ALL be full we think. We walk away from the center of town towards the beach and pass a no mans land of small houses and closed shops. A mangy untethered dog guarded his territory, a gas station lot, baring his teeth and barking. This is not a usual in Korea so it was surprising. Also we notice... bugs! Bugs everywhere. In a good way. Beautiful spider webs and flying moths and butterflies, and of course the summer staple: cicadas. Cicadas are the most life you'll ever see in Seoul(or hear rather, they are mighty shy) and they only come once a year and split your ear drums with their incessant clicking. You don't see many other bugs in Seoul but I didn't realize how bad it was until I was in a place that had them. In Seoul, trucks come by spraying pesticides, which explains part of it though I'm sure there are other factors. Hurray dead streets. A Samcheok resident cicada:

In any case, after much walking we made it to the harbor and still nothing. No life save teenagers huddled, smoking outside a convenience store. We walked along the road that followed the shoreline and found a couple odd motels. No rooms. We walked up a giant hill to an actual fancy hotel, prepared to pay whatever it took to get into a room. No rooms. We took a taxi back to the heart of town and looked in vain some more. No rooms. We ate some meaty soup and then took a taxi to the town we'd originally accidentally gotten off the bus at. The fair looked like only 9 bucks, sweet, but then the taxi driver pressed a button and it leapt to 19. I argued with the driver and Scott explained it was probably a fee for crossing city lines, even though we hadn't gone far at all. I threw the money at the driver and slammed the door. Then I breathed in some new hope. No way this whole town is full too! I thought. We came to an area of 6-7 large motels. All no rooms. Even Don Quixote was full. I was wishing so badly it had a room for a nice poetic ending.

Finally I cried some tears of frustrations at our last attempt. It was 3 am. We'd be walking all that time, Scott graciously carrying my bag full of camera junk. I felt like an idiot for not taking that first room, and for underestimating the overpopulation of this place. We finally gave up and found a jimjilbang (sauna). All the sleep mats were occupied so we laid our tired selves on my towel on the matted floor of a defunct child's playroom, "relaxing" to the stereo sounds of ajushis snoring. I figured it was best we beat ourselves to exhaustion beforehand, or else we wouldn't have been able to sleep.

The next morning (Sunday) we hopped a bus back to Samcheok and booked a room at the first place we walked in to. We couldn't check in until 3 so we left our bags and headed out. On the way to the main road, I saw the motel my coworker had blogged about that we hadn't seen the night before (despite feeling like we'd checked every motel in the city we apparently missed the one we were kinda looking for). "Motel Very 6 Six". The name reminds me of when the kids here say "vvveerrry verrry yesterday" to mean "a long time ago." Like they were shooting to be a Motel 8, but they could only get out "Veeeeerrrry 6". According to my coworker's blog, it had vibrating beds and jacuzzi's in the room. Such an "Oh Dang!" moment. Our place only had a round bed, but I was glad for it.

We went to the beach a little while and just wandered the town. Not much to report from the beach. Typical overcrowded spot with giggling, fully clothed friends, throwing each other into the water.

Beach:

We happened upon this guy at the top of a big hill in front of a church. Look dad, I saw Brazil.

View of Samcheok, a small city by Korean standards:

We arrived back at the hotel around 4 to realize the cave and the penis park both closed too soon to make it that day. We had a bit of a scare thinking we couldn't see the Penis Park at all (one site said it was closed Mondays) but we did have time for that. The Park and the Cave were each 50 minutes away in different directions so we had to make a choice for our Monday. That was an obvious one though no?

Our digs (finally):

Monday morning we started on the 50 minute bus ride to the Penis Park. We passed all kinds of nice, underpopulated beaches with beachfront motels and thought... if we only knew... sigh... We arrived and had a time of walking around the Penis Park. Of most notable hilarity (aside from the obvious) was the "fishing museum's" boat ride simulation. A laughing ajuma (older woman) and her daughter came off of it, insisting in Korean that we check it out, pointing excitedly at the entrance. Scott and I sat in as this old machine jostled us about with a projection of an ocean in front of us. Wooo hoo. I sat there wondering how much it cost them to set this thing up back in in 87 and who thought it was worth it... ah Korea.

The gist of the Penis Park legend I read mostly from other blogs:

In the fishing village, a couple goes out to sea by boat to pick seaweed. The man leaves his maiden on a rock island to go ashore. A storm hits before he can return and she drowns at sea with him looking on. (Oh and what lovely dioramas they had of the whole scene in the museum). The fish dry up and the town is hurting. Later, a man pisses in the sea and the fish come back. They think the site of his winky appeases her and brings the fish back and viola. Penis Park. And on with the pictures!

There is much to contemplate in such a sizable park.

The designs on these penises... it's hard to believe drugs aren't a thing here...

A snake in a bush.

This one's plastic. The Disney-like add-ons made the park really special. ;)

Scott checking out his Chinese zodiac, forever living cast in an erect penis.

LifeDong

I got nothing for this one... suggestions?

The piece de resisdong- the giant wagging phallus atop a trickling stream.

Some people like to ride this one for pictures. We took the classy rout, gawking with a pout and a smile...

He was having a hard day so....

So I decided to help him and his friend look for his lost maiden. Don't worry buddy, we'll find her.

Inside the museum with the dioramas and thrilling simulation there were also displays of other culture's sex art. I finally got to see a vag!

And this guy... don't know what his deal is.

Walked down to the water after we had our fill. Saturation makes the beach look pretty. :)

Farmside bus stop. Waiting to head back to Samcheok. Despite how hard everything was in the beginning, I think the trip ended with a bang. ;)

Pink Hole

2011-08-01T19:33:00.000+09:00

You see the sign and carefully enter down the steps into a basement. From a modest doorway on a small side street, you now find yourself in an immense club, one of the biggest you've ever seen. Stripes of pink neon lights line the back white wall and strobe lights blink on the dance floor. Club music is blasting from the hands of a lanky DJ with braces, bobbing her head and smoking a cigarette. The floor is wet and slippery and sweat is dripping from everyone's faces in the summer heat. Signs line the walls, "No Photos" but you wish you could capture this moment in time. There is a chaos of people, couples, singles, and who knows? dancing, drinking, flirting lounging in corner booths having chats over the din. You look around and marvel at the sensory overload of it all before it really dawns on you, even though you already knew: They are all women.
*~*~*~*~*~*

I went to the club Pink Hole for the first time in over a year on Saturday night. The evening started out as a meeting for the Sappho Korea group, a group of bi and lesbian women that get together from time to time. We watched a lesbian themed romcom at the organizer's art studio then played the usual drinking games. A friend of mine suggested the amazing idea of Makgeolli (Korean rice wine that is milky) and walnut ice cream. Kind of like a beer float. Mmm delicious.

After that I got to go on my first scooter ride, an item that has been on my Korea bucket list since my first year. The wind (and her hair) blew in my face as we raced our way to Pink Hole. Amazing. If I had an extended stay and the ability to cheat death, I'd totally get one.

With my laymen statistical skills, baring no mathematical accuracy I'd say the club was 99% Korean when we arrived, and after our arrival, perhaps 96%. It always amazes me the range of people you see from super fem to androgynous and even a few masculine women. Basically, just people. That's just it. Just people of all sorts who happen to be women that like women. Just like if you had a club of straight people, they'd all be very different as well. Seems obvious to me.

Foreign disease indeed. The more people come out, the more things will change, and people will realize being gay isn't weird or scary or perverse. The ones that won't change their mind will eventually die off anyway. Progress is happening.

Unrelated note: A few new shots with my most recent haircut!

For more information the blog Ask A Korean did a great article addressing the issue of LGBT rights and the perception of gays in Korea. Surely an interesting read!

A Seoul Day in Snarky Review

2011-07-28T14:12:00.001+09:00

This old woman with sand bag titties walked by with a shirt that said “Glacial Greed Pussy.” This is the kind of shit you see from time to time in a country where people put foreign words to print and then spread those words out into the wide world without bothering to check with an English speaker. Or maybe they know exactly what they are doing and they got that old lady good. I’d really like to start manufacturing shirts of my own here. Ones that say things like “I have no idea what my shirt says.” and “I’m wearing this cus Engrish is kitcheny,” or “If you speak English, point to my left tit and laugh wildly until I look at you.” Or maybe make shirts with Korean curse words for myself and then look at people blankly when they get offended and scream Korean at me, pointing to my shirt. Then I can give a look of recognition, flash a smile and say, "Kamsahamnida!" (Thank you).

There is this ad that comes on the subway car TV screens from time to time. An ice cream scoop dives lightly into a bucket of cookies and cream and creates the perfect curl of a wave. Next, a woman’s finger is dipped into the cream and circles round the rim, creating a little mote. Ice cream porn, right before my very eyes. I just saw those Summer's Eve feminine wash commercials that are airing in the states now with the talking hand pretending to be a vagina. Honestly, I’m in the wrong profession. Apparently in marketing you can just do whatever crazy ass thing pops into your head, and show it to the whole world and it’s like, cool ok. That works. Let’s do it! Genius!

I picked a snail up off the sidewalk today to move it to the bushes. I was afraid I was going to rip its shell off the way it suctioned to the ground but eventually the whole thing popped up and I set it gently down in the dirt. I walked away feeling like I’d done a good deed for about half a second until I realized perhaps there was something very important it was trying to get to on the other side and I just set it back in progress a whole hour or two. I don’t know how fast snails move. (One site says about 0.03 mph, good lord, I'm a monster!) There I was trying to save it from getting smashed but really... wow. What an ego the human mind has. I can imagine myself just crawling along and all of a sudden, pop, I’m lifted a million snail heights into the air by an unknown force, and put back right where I started from. Monica Snail writes “FML” in snail goo on her wall over the course of 3 hours and starts off again. Reminds me of how I feel like after every hard break up. What? I gotta start back at the beginning again? Screw this. I’ll just camp out right here a while. Uh uh. No way. You can’t make me move. Oh what's that over there? Shiny...

Mimosa Pudica

2011-07-22T17:19:00.000+09:00

Mimosa Pudica, the sensitive plant. It's leaves turn down when it's touched as a defense mechanism. I was once compared to this plant, so we have a sort of kinship I suppose. I planted some seeds weeks ago and there was one lone survivor. None of the poppies made it, and most of my vegetables didn't make it either. Maybe that plant is stronger than it looks.

I took my little wisp of a Mimosa plant home for summer vacation today, cradling it in one arm like a baby standing on the jerky city bus. I wondered if I looked funny, taking such care a few down turned fronds sticking out from a bare sprig. The ajuma (old woman) standing next to me offered me a small black grocery bag, holding it out and open as we were stopped at a red light. I didn't want it, but you don't say no to a kind ajuma, so in the plant went. I grabbed the handles of the bag and it toppled over immediately. My heart jumped. She rescued it then had me hold the pot as she tied the ends securing it upright. I held it carefully like this all knotted up, feeling sorry for the it all shut up in the dark. Imaging myself unwittingly being surrounded by a suffocating blackness. At the next red light she insisted on helping me put it in my tote bag, on top of my random vitamin bottles and food items.

I arrived home to find the top of the mimosa mangled, sad, far beyond its normal defeated look after having been touched. I had to take some scissors to the top with hopes of sparing the base.

Sometimes the best of intentions still backfire so tragically.

Light up, strange ones.

2011-07-04T20:08:00.004+09:00

There is a point on the Gangnam main road, where the buses going opposite directions are right next to each other. I sat in the window, looking out, listening to my music on shuffle for a change instead of buried in a book. As bus after bus passed in front of my view I reached one conclusion: No one is happy on a rush hour bus ride. I saw sad faces, tired faces, passed out faces, zoned out faces, a large portion of which were sucked into some gadget or another. Very few books, one woman studying a paper, her lips moving with the words. And one wide-eyed woman doing the same as me, drinking it all up inside. We caught eyes and it was a lightening shock. You pass face after face and even the ones that are looking out avert their eyes. But we caught each other dead. I kept fighting the urge to pick someone to stick my tongue out at. Social rules kept me in check.

I stepped off at my bus stop to see an ad scream at me, "Light Up!" I looked down at the photo beneath it, expecting to see a pack of cigarettes. It was cereal.

Light up. If only all we needed was a box of cereal to do that.

People Are Strange just came on my shuffle. Mmm how apropos.

Photo Source

Solo Adventure to Namdaemun Market

2011-06-17T22:01:00.006+09:00

Tonight I head out solo to finally buy the camera I've had my eye on. It's similar to the 5 year old one I have now, only better and with video capabilities. It's come time for proper video in my life.

So I hopped on subway line 9, and already there was hilarity. As I got off at my transfer point, there were so many people (Friday rush hour) that not everyone could fit on the train. I've seen videos of those white gloved men in Japan that puuuuush crowds onto the subway, but in Korea nothing of the sort that I know of. Anyway, so there were stubborn people at every doorway as I passed that clearly wouldn't fit but did not want to get off. The doors kept beeping to signal they were closing, hitting something (something big, it takes a LOT to stop those doors) and opening again. This must have happened at least 5 times, and I saw the culprits as I passed. One guy had only half his body sticking out, one woman her shopping bag, other odd limbs and items and most notably an older woman's ass. The door kept opening and closing on her ass as she tried to squeeze it in, and it wasn't big by any means.

Anyway, so I get to Namdaemun Market, check a few shops. 2 gave me fair prices, the rest thought I was a dumb foreigner and showed me a price nearly 100 bucks more and I immediately left. Decided on my place and made my purchase. An ahjussi (older man) in the camera shop sitting on a stool in the corner was like my own personal peanut gallery during the whole transaction, randomly throwing out his little bits of English:

ahjussi: "Beautiful. Tattoo."

"Thanks"

"So many. American women. Gansta."

Then as the saleman was cleaning my lens the ahjussi laughed and pointed

"Shoe shine boy," he said.

I got my receipt and headed out to try my new baby out. The road from the camera shops to the subway station is a cute outdoor market with stores on both sides and food cart restaurants? food stalls? in the middle.

I stopped at one of the food stalls to get some noodles and people watch. A western guy and a visiting married couple with him stopped in to experience eating the "live" octopus. The vendor lady grabbed the octopus from the tank and started hacking it apart in preparation much to the delight of her watchers, myself included. The married woman started squealing. After it was done and her husband was eating, she squealed some more as the chopped up tentacles writhed on his plate and hung from his mouth for a photo op. The Korean men next to them goaded him on to put down his chopsticks and just eat it with his hands.

I was eying the marvelous 1,000 won pieces of pineapple on a stick on the cart in front of me while I ate and was all set to get one when the vendor reached deep into her pants to scratch her ass. I'm not to squeamish when it comes to germs and street food, but there are some places where I draw the line. I gave my business to the lady next to her. You can see them both in the video. ;)

And there you have it. A Friday night alone and home by 10pm and I still had a great time! :D

OK wasn't going to but, went ahead and made a video! :D Enjoy!

PS: Accckkk! I spelled Namdaemun wrong in the video. Oh well.

Spring Catch-Up

2011-06-15T23:17:00.002+09:00

So I've been a major slacker! Here are a couple outtings from the Spring. As it is past 11 and I just made yogurt and kefir after meeting with my long time no see Korean friend Anna who moved to Canada last year... what I'm saying is, I've done a lot today! :D

April 16, 2011 - Yeouido Park to see Cherry Blossoms!

A trash can fire broke out in front of one of the park's many convenience stores. This guy busted a hole in the side... maybe trying to get to the fire? But the oxygen just made it grow!

Kids coming to check it out!

Might I say, it was hilarious to see these grown men haphazardly try to put out a fire. They had no idea.

Hannah and Marcus

Some of the famed cherry blossoms.

Sarah and Hannah

April 23rd, 2011- Super Spring Adventure Hike- Yebongsan

Adventurers: KC, Alex, Me, Hannah, Chad, Brendan, and Mike

This bird just made our day.

Competition...

It wasn't til towards the end KC thought to try and get the bird closer. Then we all wanted to redo our photos but alas the little bird was full and bored with us after a few more grabs, so no close shot for me!

The top!!!

Some additional shots courtesy of Brendan! It's nice having another photographer around!

Vendor on the way up.

They took to calling me "flatlander" and also "Gollum" because I was the slowest and most exhausted. I blamed it on being a Floridian so I guess I was asking for it.

Whole group at the top.

The way back down.

Dr. Mulder to the rescue. Chad had a bum knee that day. and the downhill was killing him.

Nonsan Strawberry Festival

2011-04-10T15:11:00.004+09:00

Yesterday, Hannah, Maggie, Alex and I hopped a train to the Nonsan Strawberry Festival. It was about an hour and a half train ride out of Seoul. It was a typical festival seen, tents with food vendors selling corn on a stick, fried goodies, noodles, ice cream, and so on. There were no strawberry fields nearby as we anticipated and it was 10 bucks to take a bus to pick strawberries, but you could only eat there, you weren't allowed to bring any home, so we opted out of that.

There was a strange and alarming section showing off animals in cages. Baby bears in a tiny cage, an assortment of birds, snakes, turtles, rodents, a wolf, and a donkey. The most baffling off all there were the 3 cages of house cats and the single caged area with two rabbits, a tortoise, a skunk and a monkey (which was on a very short leash). It was a pretty sorry sight...

Oh and I dressed in my strawberry skirt from a Halloween costume from 2 years ago, I couldn't resist! Maggie went themed too with her polka dot red dress and green sweater. We already got attention enough for that, but when we founded and added on the strawberry headbands, bring on the laughs, photo taking, and gawking. It was pretty funny in the festival, but in the bathroom at the train station after, I did feel a bit sheepish washing my hands with the line of waiting people's eyes on me. Oh my! haha. SO fun though!

Anyway, on with the photos!

Mushrooms!

Poor little baby bears.

Baking contest!!

Of course, cutesy characters abounded!

Entrance to a weird indoor display, underwhelming to say the least. lol.

Thanks Hannah for the shot!

Mags captured some random college students taking photos with me. hehe.

There was a little concert going on outside the festival. And by that I mean 2 old Korean men in flashy suits dancing and singing karaoke style here behind us.

Fermented Rice Drink and a 3 legged dauschhund

2011-04-08T20:35:00.003+09:00

I just returned home from my 2nd official week of teaching English lessons to North Koreans at the Durihana church. The first week, was pretty shaky. I came unprepared because I didn't know the levels of the students. Turns out, most were beginners but a couple had studied English a year, and one woman had studied for about 8! So it was a hard balance making it interesting for the more advanced students, but not overwhelming for the beginners. There were about 8 students that ended up coming last week, but this week, only 4 (and the last 2 45 minutes late) because there are some serious exams happening for these students right now and they were all studying.

Today, I was somewhat more prepared, having spent 2 hours in Kyobo bookstore last Sunday shifting through shelves and shelves of crappy English books. Books, books everywhere, and not one to teach. I finally settled on one I found in the kid's section, though after becoming so frustrated and bleary-eyes, I can hardly say it was the best. In any case, it works for now until I get more of a feel for what to do with the students. Hopefully going to incorporate more cultural study type things. Songs, kid books (note to self: North Koreans don't know western stories, see idiot moment bellow).

Teaching adults, you realize more than ever just how difficulty and annoying English is. I was asked about glasses being plural and all I could say was... "Maybe it's because there are 2 lenses? English is weird. I'm not sure." Wonderful teacher I am.

Idiot moment of the day: In one of the exercises the name in the sentence was Peter and a student couldn't read it properly. I said "Peter, like Peter Pan." Doh! They probably don't know Peter Pan. In South Korea yes, North Korean, no. Though the more experienced student did laugh, so maybe she knew.

After class the same woman who laughed at my Peter Pan reference, and another woman who doesn't take English class asked the South Korean TA, Suyeon, and I over to try some traditional North Korean drink called 감주 (Gamju). Suyeon used her phone dictionary to find the right words and explained that it was a fermented rice and barley drink, supposedly good for your digestion in the way yogurt is (probiotics, I'm guessing). We felt pretty excited to be experiencing a piece of a culture very few people do. It was pretty yummy, it tastes a little like rice milk with vinegar. It looks like a sweet rice drink they have here called식혜 (Sikhye) that I drink all of the time in the saunas. They seemed so pleased that I liked it they offered to give me a bottle to take home with me, and ladled some into a spare thermos. Will definitely be sharing some with friends tonight!

On the way home I wandered around my neighborhood. Having finally had my first paycheck, I went into a store where I've been eying my favorite shampoo from the states for sale. It cost the equivalent of $15, so I was out the door pretty fast. No thanks... After that I walked by the Dog & Cat grooming place that is right after my apartment. There I saw at least 5 or 6 small dogs through the window, one of which was a white poodle with ears dyed bright pink, not uncommon here. There was a darling little dauschhund hobbling around missing a front leg. I couldn't help imagining some terrible grooming mishap that left the shop the proud owners of their customer's mangled dog. Hmmm... how grotesque. I'm sure it didn't happen like that at all. I wandered past to find a little restaurant called "Green Salad" making wild claims about its "Big American Brunch" now being available. We'll see about that. On the way back, I saw the poodle taking a mondo crap right on the grooming room floor. Big French Crap...

Capoeira is treating me well. I am doing it Monday and Wednesday afternoons and practicing some on my own because truthfully, I suck. And I really hate sucking. Unfortunately capoeira is at the same time as the Korean classes I wanted to take, so dilema. Guess I'll find a tutor. Capoeira is more rare here than Korean lessons, to the question answers itself in my eyes. :)

My attempt at growing veggies in my classroom is not going well, most of the seedlings have died, save the tomatoes. It was finally warm enough to move them to the roof, so on Wednesday I did that hoping more sun would be the solution. Wonderfully after weeks inside, I moved them out just in time for Thursdays bout of toxic rain! We'll see how it goes. This might be a pipe dream I have to let go to the wayside... but I'm trying!

Tomorrow, getting to the train station with friends by 7:00 am for a strawberry festival! My first time leaving Seoul since I've been back! Can't wait.

Sashimi with North Koreans

2011-03-25T19:50:00.003+09:00

Friday nights, starting next week, I'm going to teach English to North Koreans defectors at Durihana Church. A mix of people actually live at the church, mostly adults but a few children as well, perhaps around age 11 and 13, and an adorable toy Yorkie. The church is a modest sized building, that I assume used toe be a small apartment building much like mine. In the basement is the cafeteria and also two study rooms. The main floor has the church mass area (which has a band set up and piano, neat!), the second floor holds the offices and the third floor has a few dorms for the residents. They will have me arrive at 5:30 every Friday to have dinner in with everyone, and then at 6 pm I will begin the English lessons.

Tonight, I met with the organizer who is setting all of this up from the non-profit: HOPE, and a bilingual TA at the closest subway station to the church. The TA is a female student studying English Lit and will be volunteering with me each Friday and is very sweet. This was also her first encounter with any North Koreans. I think we will get along well!

Upon arrival at the church we were whisked off to the cafeteria for dinner which included a spicy radish and fish soup, rice, lettuce fixings (usually used to wrap pork at glabi bbqs in Korea) and, delicious dish of sashimi. I wasn't too hungry, but I don't think there has ever been an occasion where I've turned down raw fish. Wonderful!

The pastor is a South Korean man who knows a little bit of English. I most certainly got the sense of a paternal respect regarding him among everyone there. Not surprising but interesting to me none-the-less, perhaps because I haven't been around a church in a very long time. The manager that was interfacing with us is middle aged North Korean woman. Very proper and poised, she spoke not a word of English but still looked at me when addressing the group, something I appreciate, despite my lack of understanding. Many of the North Koreans eating dinner or working in the kitchen were rather short, I'm assuming from malnutrition. I expected as much, but I suppose I didn't expect the difference to be so dramatic and obvious. A couple of the women had a slight limp as well, though I do not know the cause. They ate quickly, shoveling large lettuce wraps in their mouths and I couldn't help but think about just how much they must appreciate this food. Or perhaps they've already grown accustomed?

Meeting in the offices after dinner, the manager explained, with the help of the HOPE organizer translating, that many of the people living at the church, and who will be attending my class, came without family and are lonely. The goal is to teach English, but really, more importantly they want me to connect and interact with my class. An aspect I am much more excited about than teaching English, though I do love to teach. I asked if there were any cultural differences I should be mindful of. Her reply was that perhaps family is a touchy issue and I shouldn't breach the subject until we are closer. I completely understand. She also warned me that since they had been alone for such a long time, they could be rude. I assured her I'm not easily offended and I think it will be no problem. She gave me a short DVD, an informational video on the camp, laden with Jesus propaganda (such as a clip of the pastor washing someone's feet.). But aside from that, I think they are doing a wonderful, and much needed service, and I feel so happy and privileged to be taking a small part in it.

After the meeting she gave us a small tour of the building and we were on our way. A resident walked us the bus stop and despite the cold, seemed happy to wait and chat, she even tried some English on me. I hope she takes my class.

I have been trying to gain as much knowledge on North Korea as possible. I am mostly through the memoir Aquariums of Pyongyang, written by a North Korean defector who lived 10 years in one of the work camps. I also watched a few documentaries this week. They are indoctrinated very early on to hate Americans and the Japanese, and blame us for many of their woes, including but not limited to: slaughters in the war, the division of the north and south, and the most puzzling: power blackouts. So I think it will be interesting to see how they interact with me.

On the way home, more happy events. I happened upon a flower shop in Nonhyeon subway station that sold hyacinths. I have been wanting some for my kindergarten class since they grow so fast and impressively beautiful. Arbor week is coming up soon and we have a plant project already, but I think this will be a nice addition.

I then found mini garden packets, one containing mimosa seeds, in another store. I was just discussing last night how much I wanted a mimosa plant and how I thought perhaps I wouldn't be able to find them in Seoul and then tada, the very next day! I'm so excited to plant them. Mimosa's are amazing! My kids would flip out if they saw one.

Demonstration for those that are unaware, to the soundtrack of Amelie no less. :)

I was going to make a video blog but my program is acting up so here are a few quick shots. :)

Funny moments...

2011-03-11T17:00:00.003+09:00

On the bus ride home today, I clung to the top bar as I stood trying to keep my balance. Bus drivers, in fact almost all drivers in Korea, are aggressive renegades, running red lights, speeding, changing lanes without blinkers or hardly looking, and trying to beat pedestrians (who have the right of way) to the punch of crossing the street.

In any case, I'm doing the usual, and I see in the double seat behind me, 2 pairs of legs in converse and high school uniforms. My arm, encased in puffy jacket blocks their upper bodies from my view so I can't see their faces. They are sort of tangled up like a romantic couple and it strikes me as odd, considering PDA is not often seen in Korea, esp of that sort. You see hand holding and occasional pecks, but nothing ostentatious. So I'm imagining how funny it is in my head, thinking perhaps this new generation is becoming more bold. Making up a story in my head about these 2 high schoolers in their converses in love. I see one rubbing the others hands and I finally turn to get a look at their faces and... well it's two guys.

Not uncommon really. Same sex friends are often more affectionate than couples. In fact I've read that couples only fairly recently started holding hands in public, it was almost always same-sex friends. But the situation, and my assumptions tickled me nontheless. Afterwards I realized it was obvious they are both guys. The girls have to wear uniform skirts, not pants.

Ah Korea.

Mission Pink Bike

2011-03-06T12:56:00.004+09:00

So today for the first time, I ventured to the French Village. I'd heard about this way before my first year here from a friend, but never went! It was kinda cute with lots of little coffee shops that I haven't seen anywhere else in Seoul, and thin roads, and French signs here and there.

But this was only coincidental. I went there today because I was buying a used bike for 50,000 won (about 45 bucks).

After realizing that I will shoot myself if I have to keep riding a bus that gets me to school as fast as I could walk, I decided a bike was simply not something I could wait til my first paycheck for(April 7th!). So I rode the subway a few stops and walked a bit to pick it up (after getting lost a few times because of some vague directions) and had the task of riding it home using a map from google I printed of the area.

The mission was a tremendous success. Though bike storage is a bit of an issue. I have the perfect sized back room for it but getting it through the gauntlet of fridge, stove, front bathroom door, back bathroom door, was a little daunting.

Settling Into My Nonhyeon Apt.

2011-03-01T20:06:00.006+09:00

"Daiso, we wish you health and relaxation. The unique color of the aluminum makes the kitchen beautiful and practical. Intelligent choice! Practical choice! We believe your best choice."

Thank you kitchen knife package. Korea is marvelous with all kinds of messages and well wishes in English that don't make much sense or seem too dramatic for the purchase. How I love it.

I am currently in my new apartment. Good news, I don't have to bother with cleaning my bathroom sink. Ever. I don't have one.

On the upside, I managed to move my fridge into the kitchen... I mean hallway with a sink and stove top. It makes the space much smaller, but I can close the door to my "bedroom" and not hear it buzzing whilst I sleep. A definite plus.

Today was a holiday in Korea, Independence Movement Day, so I was out and about meeting old friends and completing shopping for the essentials (and some non-essentials) for my new place. Unlike my last apartment, I started with basically nothing now. No, actually nothing (aside from furniture). Nothing but a toaster and a lint roller. Though I did manage to take back some items that were removed by the cleaners and bring them back. Like the very important cooking pot.

Good news worried family. I'm on the new subway line, Line 9. (My stop: Sinnonhyeon Station) Newest means it's the deepest. Ample cover if bombs start dropping. ;)

Just kidding. Though speaking of which, I'm reading Aquariums of Pyongyang and I highly suggest it to just about everyone. I truly had no idea how gruesome the "work camps" (concentration camps) are in North Korea. Chilling.

Back to unpacking my things/new purchases and eventually hanging up photos and such.

Also if you want my address to write me snail mail, email me: mulder.monica@gmail.com. I'd be glad to have some more pen pals.

New Phone, sitting in Cafe Bene:

My Gardern Mug, inside new apartment:

Return to Korea

2011-02-23T17:13:00.001+09:00

So, I arrived back here in Seoul 2 days ago and already, I know its going to be an amazing year.

I'm sitting currently in Caffe Bene using internet and drinking a persimmon yogurt smoothie. It's delicious and its nice to be out of the tiny dark hotel room. There is an automatic door behind me that opens to let people in and out of the smoking room. Bad choice of seating.

Yesterday I went to visit my old school. I was almost giddy with excitement as I climbed the steps out of the subway station. They finally finished the river path I had waited all year for them to complete. I stood on the ledge, smiling at the sight. Finally.

Four out of seven of my favorite kindie class' students (California) were still there (my favorite student was absent but he'll be at graduation on Friday). They were so excited to see me and David kept asking with his wide eyes, "Are you real? Are you a really Monica teacher?" I assured him it was me. Once he got over the shock, he was crawling all over me and full of hugs like old times.

They were all curious about my tattoo and Olivia tried to scratch it off. "Don't get a tattoo, it's not a good idea, it hurts," I said to her. "Then why did you get it?" Olivia is a smart one. :)

New York class, my youngest, took to calling me "Orange teacher" or rather... "Orenjie teacha", and a couple kids said I looked like a boy with my short hair. A few of them were missing as well. Apparently one kid was yanked from the school after an air purifier fell and bonked him on the head. Seems silly, esp so close to the end of a 2 year run, and his older brother still at the school. Ah, parents.

It was lovely to see my old coteachers, and talk about my old students with the new teachers that took over their classes after I left. I was glad to hear that some still talk about me. One day I will probably go visit my after school classes as well, but yesterday I didn't want to stay too long. I had to meet Chad to wander around Myeongdong (one of Seoul's biggest shopping districts) and look at all the stuff we can't yet afford to buy. First on the agenda, athletic shoes! 2011 is a time to get fit!

Today was my first day of training at my new school here in the district of Seocho, which is in the central south of Seoul. The school is 6 stories (5 plus a basement level), in other words, monstrous! The classrooms are all adorable and beautifully decorated (which I will have to help with soon). There is a cafeteria where we get lunch for free every day and eat with the kids. Other special rooms include a gym, a party room, a library, a computer room, music room, and I'm probably missing a few more. The best part: a giant slide that goes from the first floor to the basement. I want to try it!! Lucky kids! Ah! Oh and the other best part, roof access with ample dirt and planters and cute little tables. I already asked the principal if I could grow a vegetable garden up there and she had no problem with it! Honestly, things couldn't be any better! The school is amazing! The work load is a million times lighter than last year, and the staff is super friendly! We really do get off at 4:30 every day, no tricky stuff!

The only slight downside is classes of 20 kids. The most I had at my old school was 12, so that will take some adjustment, and I imagine there is less one on one interaction. Also, the schedule seems to leave less wiggle room, which has its upsides and downsides. On the upside, the kids don't get as fidgety and bored because they are occupied. On the downside, less time for Monica teacher's impromptu games. But, there are 2 free choice periods a week, so I can still squeeze in some goofy games and other such nonsense.

This Friday is the last day before the session ends, and then we have a few days of planning before the new kindie classes start the following Friday. I'm really glad I'm starting with the start of the school year this time instead taking another teacher's classes in the middle. I already met my Korean co-teacher, who I will share the classroom with at all times, and she seems amazingly nice.

All in all, I couldn't be happier with my work situation. Still waiting to find out about my apartment. I was told I'd be moving in sometime this weekend.

Hope to hear from everyone soon! Miss you already!

West to East! A photo update from Nashville!

2010-11-21T16:05:00.000+09:00

Oakland, Ca looking out to San Fran

Wwoofing at Casa Rosa Farms- Madera, Ca (about 2 weeks!)

Megan (fellow wwoofer) in the neighbor's orchard

Sprinklers

Crescent the stick dulcimer

Olive Branch

Me and the farmers, Anthony and Rachel

Miss these olive trees! I was pruning and tying them for days!

San Fran with Sam (a few days)

Golden Gate Bridge

Cool Organics Cool, Ca (only one night in the teepee!)

Humboldt County (Arcata) with cousin Rocco, his partner, Alicia and their dog little Rob (aka Chilly). Adventures abounded!! (about a week)

The Jetty

The Barn

Portland with Hannah! (about a week)

Sauvie Island Corn Maze

I shaved my eyebrows for Halloween!

Twin Peaks Cast

The late Judy Garland

Doing what Judy does best.

Hannah was a marvelous Log Lady

Bike ride around Hood River, Oregon (outside of Portland)

On the way to Washington!

Richland, Washington with Jessica (3 days)

Couchsurfing with Baskett and Vinny- Boise, Idaho (2 nights)

Pickles and Hailey!

Couchsurfing with Carolina, Matthew and Caesar the chihuahua, who ate my whole chocolate bar!! Layton, Utah (2 nights)

The ducks were so coordinated and lovely!

I drove and drove to find a good shot with the mountains. I have conquered!

Big Blue House with Becky and Wes- Fort Collins, Colorado (4 nights)

Becky took these at her birthday party! It was a blast!

Beer Pong!

Barefoot snowball fight with Steve!

Eastern Colorado on the way to Kansas

Couchsurfing with Roshana and her dogs Buddha and Sam Salina, Kansas (1 night) (Sam tried to eat my other chocolate bar!!)

Snow!! On the way from Kansas to Missouri

MMMOOOO!

Tehehe

I then couchsurfed for one night in Springfield, Missouri with a nice gal who was a last minute replacement for the original host I had. I didn't take any photos there cus I was so beat! We ate yummy meatballs and pasta and watched a movie. :)

Nashville Tennessee with Peter and his family! (4 nights and current location!)

Peter Pan!

That's all for now folks! Next stop, Ashville, North Carolina, onto Asheboro and Chapel Hill, NC, Savannah, Georgia and then home sweet home!

Another blog is in the works to talk more about my farming experiences, wild mushroom picking in the woods, and solar dishes. I will get those up at some point!!

A couple new videos

2010-09-28T13:09:00.000+09:00

Hey folks! I did a couple new covers, one is only the audio so I used it as background music for my road trip slide show.

Enjoy!

Across the US of A!

2010-08-21T14:39:00.000+09:00

So it has been a long time since my last blog. I arrived back in the states, transferring in LA and ultimately landing in Miami, to an odd culture shock of being able to understand almost everything everyone said. On top of that, wow, so many dialects and slang and fast talking. No. More. Talking. Like. This. and checking to make sure I use no idioms or large or obscure words. I miss my friends, my kids, and my place dearly.

I saw many people, and didn't see many people. I heard about my little sister Sophia's immaginary friends "Isa" and "Oo Oo" and realized just how much a year means when its from age 2.5 to 3.5. It was nice to see old family and friends but it wasn't long before I hit the road again. Deadlines of Easton and Beth going off to Canada (traitors!!) and Emily soon to go to Ethiopia for the Peace Corps (hard corps!!) I had to get moving.
Where am I now you ask? Well... a tent in the backyard of a friend's NoHo house with Adam, my partner in... bohemianism? Soon to check out some organic farms via wwoofing and start figuring out a more permanent plan for after that. We'll see. In any case, here is how I got from point A to point B:

Twas to be a long, long... loooong journey, but luckily I didn't have to make it alone. Ashley "Chrysanthemum Luna" and I "Nika Traveler" were to embark on the journey together. Her main points of interest along the way were New Orleans and Austin. Mine, Santa Fe, and obviously the end destination of Los Angeles for us both. Couch surfing out (too last minute), we decided to camp. I found us camps just before each major spot. All along the way Ashley stopped to interview folks for her blog "Tell Me a Love Story". Check it out and see some of the interesting folks we met along the way! Feel free to submit your own to her as well!

First stop: Buccaneer State Park Waveland, Mississippi, about an hour from New Orleans.

We thought we were lost several times and were creeped out by going down all the back roads in the dark. Luckily her iphone told us we were going the right way and we made it with little hiccups. This was Ashley's first time camping, she was a little spooked but also excited. Apparently Waveland is a book she likes. :)

The next day we packed up and after a quick interview with a fellow camper for her blog and a quick jump rope.

Ok, and we stopped to check out the super creepy abandoned would-be water park on the way out of the campsite.

Next, we were off to New Orleans, Louisiana.
It was a rainy day in NOLA on and off pouring. We made the best of it though! We had no destination in mind so we searched for vegan food and let the iphone do the guiding. Luckily it took us to the heart of the city and an amazing African food restaurant!

I was still on my search for the perfect lotus necklace to symbolize my growth in Korea, and she was in search of interviews for her blog. Due to this we happened upon some activists in a coffee shop. Kimberly Wolf, a prominent activist actually thought we recognized her from her work but it was just accident. We talked for a long while about just how bad the oil spill was, and all of the things we weren't hearing from the main stream media. Ashley interviewed Kimberly and one other member of the group while I chatted with a fellow who had left his life in Key West to work on the oil crisis. He said, this was his life now. He interviewed me to see what someone from out of the area knew from the media. He said I knew and cared more than most, that some people flat out said they didn't care. Very sad. As you can see, I'm not a journalist as I don't know his name, but I did get a portrait.

The bathroom of the coffee shop:

We stayed in NOLA longer than intended and would have enjoyed staying longer but we had to keep moving (and I DO want to have babies one day, so I heeded Kimberly's warnings to leave).

Our next stop: Bastrop State Park, Bastrop, Texas (an hour from Austin)

This one wasn't too hard to find but there was only one other camper at the site. For the newbie camper on board, this was not ideal. For me... it was ideal. :P

A couple quick shots at the site and we were off.

I'm actually not sure if we found this cool thing before or after Austin so I'll put it here:

Next stop: Austin, Texas!

And now... Austin! Where I didn't really take any photos of the city (psshh... been there, done that). This one however sums up the day. I stopped in Austin nearly 4 years ago on my first cross country trip to LA with Lillie, and stuffed myself so silly on a pizza there that I had to remain in the car for the duration of her sight-seeing with a massive tummy ache. It was just that good! Therefore, without knowing the name or location, I was determined to have that same pizza again. And I succeeded!! No small feet for a person of my directional memory. So here I am, celebrating with an Avocado boba tea the smarts to take a to-go box this time instead of making myself sick:

We chatted with and old friend of Ashley's and an interesting woman she interviewed in the coffee shop and once again were off. We had our sights set on reaching Santa Fe this night but we soon realized, the great state of Texas had us beat. 1 am rolled around and we were still a good 5 hours away. It was time to throw in the towel. We splurged on a hotel. What papered ladies. This portion of the trip contains no photos. We were tired and ready to reach a stopping point. I can't even tell you the town the hotel was in, suffice to say, it was not noteworthy.

Next stop: Santa Fe, New Mexico!

Oh Emmmmmillyyy! I have missed you.

Santa Fe was beautiful. Adobe (or fuax-dobe as the case may be) all around! Emily lives in a lovely little Casita (small house) at the back of an adobe house. She has a vegetable garden that is thriving and beautiful, as well as running a community garden. I was so impressed! I'd definitely live in New Mexico... if only it could be scootched a little closer to the ocean!

We took a little drive and hike to a watering hole. Emily and I delighted in checking out little rocks and the mica that sparkles within them.

Lovely rock overlooking the swimming hole. Yay gas station boxed sangria!

Yay gas station boxed sangria? Hmm...

Post swim. Post sangria. "Let's be like those adds where they are laughing like something is really hilarious." And... in our state, it was.

Upon arriving back at the car we were disgusted at the trash. We collected most of the trash we could find and dumped it in the back, then Ash and Em took to fixing a downed sign...

and then of course it was a prime photo op.

The next day we went on a mission to bath in the the hot springs in Toas, NM. Before we did however we visited 2 farms, first was the farm that Emily used to volunteer for through WWOOF. They have organic vegetables and goats for fur (the fluffy ones) and milk... I think they make soap and cheese from the goat's milk as well.

One of the current wwoofers working on the Clydesdale' dung! That is one hefty job!

The friendliest goat of all:

Most of the youngest kids.

I'm not sure what all is growing here. Looks like I have a lot to learn!

Checking out the garlic. Too early!

Best napping spot on the farm!

This giant dandelion was too cool to pass up!

Doing what nature intended, spreading the seeds!

Then it was off the to the horse farm of Catt and her wonderful mate. Ash is still waiting for her love story for the blog but apparently Catt saw him in dreams first! Can't wait to hear that one! She fed us delightful homemade yogurt and ice cream and provided great conversation. Em met her in a pottery class and we got to eat off of their creations for a lot of our New Mexico stay!

Ok back on track! To the hot springs!!

Oh wait... gotta stop and gather wood. And of course, take photos!

Ok NOW! To the hot springs!!

Oh crap! We're lost and out of gas! Luckily this little roadside stop, litteraly in the middle of nowhere said honk for the store. They so kindly sold us the last of the gas in their personal reserve tank. Phew. The lovely woman told us how they really need teachers in the area. Also her shop was featured on a documentary about the bike route, The Great Divide.

Ok... really... NOW, to the hot springs!

Oh wait... there is a beautiful bridge overlooking a gorge!

Ok seriously. It's getting to be dusk. Let's get to these hot springs! So we headed out. And what did we see on the way but Earthships! The sustainable, off the grid, recycled material houses I've been obsessing about for months, and here they are, right here! With an open visitor's center! OMG OMG OMG! Nope, screw it. Let's get to these damn hot springs already! And so it was, no photos of my dream home. Only memories of the beautiful sight. No photos worth posting of the hot springs either, it was too dark. We met some interesting people in there. Raw milk enthusiasts telling us all about the horrible hormones in a certain type of milk that cause all kinds of health and mental problems. They had just been to see the Earthships. We also met some river tour guides. Oh New Mexico, I love you!

Over the next day or 2 we hung around Santa Fe relaxing and looking at the sights downtown. We visited the Georgia O'keefe museum and I fell in love with her painting, Above the Clouds. We also went to see the glass blowing place where Em's roommate works. A colleague is pictured here:

After a sad farewell Ashley and I were headed to Albuquerque, NM (where I didn't take any photos) and then, Grand Canyon, Arizona! (just when you thought it was over). We arrived at night to full campsites. After checking all the hotels, all over 125/night we were feeling pretty discouraged. The last hotel desk man told Ashley of a little known camping area behind the hotels, totally free. Sounded sketch, but hey, we were desperate. With little map in hand we found said camping area. True enough there were parking pull-ins and fire rings. If Ashley was a little concerned in Bastrop, lets just say, she was extremely oppositional to the prospect of camping out here, but eventually I got her out of the car. We went to the sleep with the sound of coyotes in the distance, a knife and mace under her and I's heads, respectively.

And here we were, the GRAND CANYON. My second time, her first.

Outfit change! Too good of a photo op to waste on simple outfits.

By: Ashley

Got a reflector finally!

Ashley's turn!

The canyon after long time of shooting and sitting, staring into the abyss there were too many tourists coming for my taste so I snuck off to the side and did some self portraits.

After the canyon we headed to Huntington Beach, California to catch up with Val and Dan. This is when I stopped taking photos. I was exhausted from the journey and just enjoying! After a short day there we headed and reached our final destination of Los Angeles, California! Mmm Portos Bakery! California palms! Shoga Sushi! Tans gallore! Home sweet home in a tent! HUURRAAAYYY!!

By: Ashley

You thought it was over but... I was not there for 2 days when... Bonus round! Off to Smith Valley, Nevada, Adam and the gang's home town, with Jordan Savidge "George" to see the Savidges, Adam's brother Easton and his girlfriend Beth, and Mark, Adam's dad. Bonus round 2: Seeing Kevin and Natalie, along with Evan and Sabre and the glorious boxer Wilson (or goofy) formerly known as Mister, formerly known as Paaaayyttooon for some shenanigans in Reno!

First elephant garlic from Dale's garden. Delicious!!

George and his goat friend. All ready to eat some spiced popcorn in Reno.

View from the Harris residence on good old artist view, in Smith Valley.

Ahhh... finally, home sweet home to LA for some normal, calm, stability.

Me and the "family" love the leader. All hail the leader.

The end.

But then.... Yosemite and round 2 of Huntington Beach, Smith Valley and Reno. Maybe next time... ;)

Farewell countdown

2010-06-15T22:56:00.000+09:00

대한민국!!!!

Just finishing up day 13 on the farewell countdown and I started thinking of the oddities I'd miss here. I mean... aside from the obvious friends, students, steady income, apartment, city stuff, what will I miss?

1. Jimjilbangs! Oh beloved Haggye sauna, you stole my heart in the cold winter months. You quickly became one of my favorite spots in the city. Pyramid salt sauna, I'll miss you most of all...

2. Never needing a key for anything ever. (This wouldn't be true if my bike hadn't been stolen but I suppose that's one positive in the situation?) Where is that old Wizard of Oz St. trusty key chain now... I'm gunna need it back for the states! No touchpad entry... pssh. Get with the times US!

3. Hearing and seeing Korean. There isn't much that makes me prouder than realizing I understand something in Korean with my limited knowledge. I also really like when I don't understand any of it and can tune the world out. English everywhere=info overload.

4. Ajumas and Ajushis (esp the mountain climbing, face mask wearing variety) What will I do in a world of people who have no idea the hilarious, sometimes scary, sometimes amazingly sweet class of older folks here in Korea and their kick ass strength and super human ability to sell things on the subway, clean the streets, climb mountains, and straight up rule this place! (run on sentance much?)

5. Bad or unknown translations. Just today I was tempted to by a Barbarian Filled Doughnut. I also had my glasses made in the "Fiction Creation Room" and went to choir practice at the "Cult Center". And how could I ever forget the quiet teenage girl on the subway with the t-shirt that read "Take me to the Strippers"?

6. Couples outfits. What will I do without seeing couples in matching horrid outfits and window displays of the undies they may have underneath?

7. Easy cheap trips with Adventure Korea and others... yes I know, there are probably equivalents elsewhere, but you'll always remember your first!

1st Temple Stay

8. The ease of making friends. Although not true in all cases, since foreigners are constantly coming and going, there is a pretty open and friendly environment here. You're here, you're our friend, let's have fun!

9. Random encounters where I'm treated as a celebrity (or possibly a circus act). The stares can get annoying, mostly I've grown accustomed to not noticing any more, and it's not so bad in Seoul. The times when I was asked for a photo were hilarious though.

Probably my most photographed moment:

Bare Hands Ice Fishing

So you can get a feel of the scene. A ring of icy water full of foreigners being stared at by Koreans (to be fair, we were one group, the rest were Koreans being stared at by Koreans).

10. Everything I took for granted. The hiking and biking trails I barely used, the endless options for new and exciting adventures, the things I didn't blog about when I should have (Ulleungo, Japan, etc, etc, etc.), the nearby mountains (which I climbed for the first time with Adam here), the friends I wish I could have had more time to see amidst the rush of our busy schedules, the photos shoots that never came to be, pretty much everything. You can always juice more out of life...

Ulleungdo -Chusok (Korean thanksgiving) 2009
1st Bridge Jump Ever

The year of 2 Halloweens
Friday- Sally from Nightmare before Christmas
Saturday- Strawberry (turned narcoleptic strawberry due to 6 am subway trekking)

Tokyo- New Years 2010

도봉산 - Dobong Mountain

Gay Pride Parade- June 12, 2010

11. The Kids, the Kids, the Kids. Yea, I said that was obvious, just thought I'd say it again.

I'd like to pop a few more blogs out about Korea before I go (or even after I go) but in case I don't...

It's been a great (sometimes bumpy) ride. I will cherish every minute of it my aging mind can recall. I have learned so much, and met so many genuinely amazing and inspiring people. This was truly one of the best decisions of my life, and I hope to keep making more good decisions like this. If so I'll be a happy woman! (and if not, hey, I can just come back to Korea! :P )

Love you Korea!

-Monica

Main Roads and Election Confusion

2010-05-26T19:29:00.000+09:00

So elections are going on here in Korea. What this consists of I have no idea. I'm not going to claim to be knowledgeable here. Just my observations as a clueless, wide-eyed foreigner that doesn't watch TV or read the papers...

1. Campaign workers are creepy. They wait around subway entrances and exits in lines with matching (almost) neon shirts (I think of them as the blue team and the green team) with Miss America style sashes that say I don't know what (all in Korean of course). They wait for people to pass and then bow very deeply (to show respect) and yell some chant at you. Which of course, with my limited knowledge of Korea, all I can gather is that they are speaking very formally. Sometimes there is a person passing out business cards. It's hilarious that they still try to hand them to me.

2. Campaign truck platforms are scary. The one by school had a picture of a candidate with a child holding a lunch plate on his lap on the back and then inside the platform there was a character wearing a chef head. Come home and there is one on the opposite corner of my building shouting from his into a mike... I think other people are shouting back at him. He sounds angry. Hmm.... Close the window.

I'd go research what these elections are all about but I'm pretty amused by my ignorance.

The joys of living on a main road. Close the the subway, constant light and sound pollution, overhearing fights from the HOFs (beer places) and domestic disputes as old drunk men threaten to get in their cars parked on the main road and drive away, random car horns and bad Korean music blasting from car stereos... and now, loud angry election campaigning. Oh wait... I think only one of those was a good thing. ;) hehe.

I have about 5 trips backlogged I might one day want to write about, but I felt compelled to blog the mundane.

Tentative return date: June 29th. You ready USA?

New Song!

2010-04-27T21:25:00.000+09:00

Here's an original I wrote called "Away from the Concrete"

As you can see I'm still working out the kinks. Comments? Suggestions?

Thanks!

Genocide Awareness Event

2010-04-25T20:50:00.000+09:00

So today and last night my friends Sean and Mel and their friend Molly put on a genocide awareness even hosted by Roofers in Itaewon. What a wonderful time! Last night there was capoeira and belly dancing performances, tons of friends showed up, and it was an all around nice time!

Today for the daytime part of the even there was art for silent auction, all you could eat home baked pastries with the entrance donation, a slideshow of digital photographs being displayed, spoken word poetry performances and one singer as well. The vibes were nice, everyone was so friendly and it was just an all around nice and relaxing Sunday afternoon! A few of my photographs were for sale in the slideshow which I was really excited about as its really the first time my works been out and shown anywhere! I bought a couple prints and Maggie bought one of mine as well! So flattered! :)

Then Maggie and I went at the wonderful Indigos and talked before heading home.

All and all a really nice Sunday. Better than my usual Sunday of being a hobbit indoors these days!

Oh by the way, all the proceeds are going to Doctors without Borders and it would be really great if you would like to contribute as well!

Doctors without Borders Website

Update: The event raised 1,950,000 KRW which is about $1650 for those of you back home. Most excellent!

Cherry Blossom Bike Tour!

2010-04-12T21:16:00.000+09:00

Wow... I haven't posted in 3 months! Yikes I've been slacking!

So this weekend I went with some friends to Gyeong ju "World cultural heritage city rich in thousand-year-long history and tradition" for a bike tour to look at the cherry blossoms. It's about 4 hours by bus south of Seoul. Our first taste of real warmth in many, many months!

Hannah, Maggie and I left our apartment building at about 5:15 am to meet the group at Express Bus Terminal by 6:15 am. Off on the bus and picked up our rental bikes at the bike shop at around 10:30. There were 3 buses full of people for this trip! The first day we mostly biked around. Didn't stop for photos as much as I would have liked but it was beautiful, and I was pretty proud that I'm a lot more confident on a bike these days! When we arrived at the lake it was so crowded we had to walk our bikes. There were kids and adults alike with rented mini motorcycles and quads (none of which were wearing helmets!) Hmm... safety rules are pretty lax in these parts! We stopped to have some Korean food for lunch. After that we decided to go for a swan paddle boat ride. There were 11 of us on 3 boats and we had a fun time singing and racing and playing paddle boat chicken... or swan? Cheesy joke.

After that we had some dinner and then went back to the hotel. Us 3 girls were almost asleep when we got the call to go for a little get together in our friend's room where we drank a little and played Uno. I raced a friend down the hallway after and lost pretty badly. I never was a runner...

The next day we went for a walk near the hotel and through this park area. Vendors were selling silk worms but I opted for a corn dog instead... though I swear I must try the silk worms before I go. I heard they taste just as you'd expect. Yum?

We then hopped on the bus as went to the beach for a little bit. The warmth was gone as it was overcast. We happened upon some Buddhist ceremonies on the sand and people feeding flocks of seagulls. There were people in tents hitting instruments and chanting while others on the beach were bowing and meditating. After some snacks we headed back to return our bikes and head home. We didn't get back to Seoul until after 10! Long weekend but so fun and beautiful.

3 buses full! Can you find me? Nah...

Hannah in front of Cheomseongdae Astronomical Observatory "Visitors come and find it full of scientific surprises and mysteries."

View of the park area

wow... I look stunning

The journey begins here... we're already lost. :)

Riding next to Bomunho Lake!

Right after this we were bombarded by a band of boys attempting to talk to us in broken English.
Always fun being a foreigner in Korea!

Swan paddle boats on Bomunho Lake

Michelle and Maggie riding in the back.

Playing some paddle boat chicken!

They kept trying to capture a kiss!

I think we took more photos of each other on the boats than anywhere else... odd!

Look mom no helmets! This was the safest part though. Big and open. Most of the lake path was really narrow with lots of pedestrians to ram into! :)

The Cheomseongdae Astronomical Observatory (aka the tower) at night.

Day into night.

lost kite

royal tombs

Mr. Red Bean Paste man about to ruin some perfectly good pastries with his monstrous mountain of red bean paste.

Day 2 in the park taking photos!

Just before rubbing her face in the flowers. :) Marvelous.

Maggie, Chad, Anthony, Me, Hannah

Anthony wasn't feeling the 300 jumps.

Where are our instruments?

Steps to the park.

lucky 13

Hannah and Chad. There is a tomb behind them in the rocks.

Hannah telling us about punching waves. Getum!

Amanda, Michelle, Chad, Anthony. I think they are watching Hannah skip stones...

Me and the tomb. So chilly!

The Ajumas 3

Kim (seaweed) vendors

Kim chopper

Buddhist ceremony of some sort. I didn't peek in the tents on the hill next to me and photograph the men making music inside. I really wanted to though...

Some folks feeding the birds. Seagulls seem so out of place after 9 months in Seoul!

Recordings and photos from Messiah!

2010-01-19T22:42:00.001+09:00

2 songs and a photo montage are up now of our performance of Handel's Messiah, check it out!

Contradiction Song

2010-01-06T22:25:00.000+09:00

This is rough... haha. But I'm posting it anyway cus I can't see repeating this performance. It took a very specific mood to create this... not sure what mood that is. Anyway, on with the video.

Oh and I also realized, the mic I bought and thought I was using is fine, but the computer can't seem to use it if I'm recording a video. So the poor sound quality is gunna stay until I figure it out. Cus I did some non-video recordings and not to say it sounded great but it didn't have the buzzing and clicking that's for sure!

Jimjilbang! 찜질방!

2010-01-06T00:24:00.000+09:00

So tonight I went with Lexi and her friend from back home Emily to our first time at a Jimjilbang. Which, in short, is a Korean bathhouse/ spa of sorts. We went to one that was huge! I've heard many a story about these places (many of which much funnier than my experience!) but here's what I got.

First, it took forever to find the place. We are walking through the snow, getting pointed in all kinds of directions and finally go in a big circle before we find the building. Then we go in the elevator, no 7th floor, where its supposed to be. We go to the 6th floor and walk up the stairs... hmmm this isn't right. Storage closets and its all dark. Finally a kind Korean girl shows us to an elevator on the other side of the building.

So we get in, pay out 8,000 won (about 8 bucks) and go to lockers where we change into our flattering pink pajamas (photos soon to come thanks to Lex) and so we wander. Not sure where to go, what to do. All the signs are in Korean save the ones that say "Women's this" and "Men's that" sort of thing... plus at this point I've put my glasses in the locker. After a blind confused trip around the labyrinth we finally decide to go lock our pjs up and venture out in the nude to where all the spas and saunas are.

So in we go. I will describe this scene to you. We hop in a large shallow hot tub that is right next to 2 others in the center of this big room. I'll do a 360 view for you. First on the left I see rows of shower stations. Low sinks with shower heads attached and "stools" which were little more than upside down buckets with a butt shape on top to sit on. Women of all ages are shampooing and scrubbing. On the right, similar scene only over there, there is a woman that looks like she is covered in blood Carry style. I eventually realize its some sort of body scrub as she begins scrubbing it on another woman. Next comes the saunas... nothing too crazy there. And next to that are the cold water tanks. This is where most of the little girls are swimming around and playing. Not shy at all about hugging and running and hanging around nude. Last on my eyes venture around the room I see massage tables with a price list hanging starting at about 15 bucks. A woman is naked, getting a massage from a naked ajuma (older woman). Uh huh... why exactly does the massager have to be naked as well? I've heard many stories about this... apparently that's just how it goes in the Jimjilbang.

So that of course is all the woman's area. We hang around there dipping in the tanks, spas, and saunas. There were about 10 or so total all with different temperatures displayed on digital clock type things. One group of little girls began following us around. Trying to hide it at first and eventually saying hi, giggling, and talking about us in Korean staring right at us. "Amma (mom)," one calls in Korean to her mother, "We said hi to the foreigners!"

After we get too hot and pruney and dehydrated to go one, we wander around the coed pajamaed areas. There is a huge floor to sleep on and watch movies on matts. Though there are also several sleeping areas that are more secluded, and also people pretty much sleeping where ever they pleased, including upstairs near the gym (which was closed for the night). There were snack bars, restaurants, DVD rental to use on one of the many TVs.
We each bought an ice cream and took advantage of the 2,000 won massage chairs. They went for a while and actually did a pretty decent job!

There were 5 little rooms to go in, a few of which had a theme. One was shaped and decorated like an igloo and was really cold inside with 2 fake snowmen. One room was slightly less cold with a TV inside. The next was shaped like a pyramid and had these rocks you could lay in which we later figured out were or included a lot of salt (thanks to the gash in my finger suddenly throbbing in pain). The last 2 were unbearably hot. I felt like Goldilocks trying out all the rooms. Too hot. Too cold. The Eygptian one with the salt rocks was definitely just right. And I felt like a little kid when I used to play in my dad's rock paths in the back yard.

And so it goes. My first time naked in front of people. It wasn't so bad. I want to go back again, especially since its so cold outside! Maybe go early enough to take advantage of the gym next time!

Japan blog soon to come. And one day my Chusok blog from back in October. I swear I'm not letting that one go. It'll get done eventually!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T00:43:00.000+09:00

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

2009-12-20T00:32:00.000+09:00

So tonight was the performance of Handel's Messiah! It went swimmingly well. The church was pretty full, the soloists and orchestra sounded beautiful, and save a few trip ups, the choir totally rocked it. For those of you back home who don't quite get it (as my friends here didn't either) this was a legitimate concert. Orchestra, organist, conductor, professional soloists, and us... the choir. Haha... a couple pros, a couple music majors, and then the rest of us amateurs. :) A few ambassadors came including the ambassadors from America, South Africa, and Ghana. The whole place was buzzing after the concert about how we made the American ambassador cry at the end. Glorious. Ryan, the choir director who put this all together is trying to start a music company and this was the first show to see if he could really make it happen. I think it most certainly can. In fact already has.

Highlight of the night for me, singing Hallelujah. (typical) The lights were up in the whole place, (not even dimmed at all) the whole show so I could see everyone's face in the crowd; something I'm not accustomed to when performing. People were falling asleep, looking like they were dying, bored, etc. (some of the worst ones didn't come back after intermission.) It was rather discouraging so I started this game of searching for the people that were actually enjoying it and that was really nice to find the ones that were. Some just had this pleasant smile the whole show. But after Hallelujah, smiles all around. Big smiles. I almost started crying (I'm such a crier). It all made sense at that moment. I'll admit I thought about quitting a few times. I have very precious time away from work and schelpping myself about an hour by subway to reherse for 4 hours and home again an hour every Saturday (and over 8 hours for our 2 intensive rehersals... though I missed a few rehearsals so I can't complain too much) using my break time at work to study music (and admittedly still not totally learning all of the last song, woops) I was like ahh. Why am I doing this to myself!? But then after Hallelujah... That moment happened where it clicks and you actually make the desensitized masses excited for a moment over music. That is the song they sit through the rest of the show to see.

9 people came on my behalf and I'm so grateful. Wish all of my friends and family back home could have seen it but I was glad to have my Korea family there. :) Much thanks!

There was an audio recording of the show, and probably some photos to come too but I just wanted to write about it now before I forgot. Now I'm going to rest my poor tonsilitis throat (perfect timing huh? started a week and a half ago) and sleep the night and day away. That was fun but I'm so glad it's over! Back to my music stuff (well I didn't stop but more practice now!) and maybe studying some Korean again!

앗싸!!

Teaching Moments

2009-12-01T01:24:00.001+09:00

Just felt compelled to write real quick blog about a couple little moments I've had teaching in the last few weeks. This week and last I've really been trying to slow down, forget about how much I work, and all the stress, and try to enjoy where I am right now. It's easy to get worked up, stressed out, and miss things in life.

In my kindie class the other day one of my students spilled her water on the table while doing her work. I rushed to get tissues to clean it up and scold her for not closing the lid and she begins to play in it with this huge smile on her face and exclaims "Pretty!" It reminded me of all the times and ways I looked at water and how it moved. Especially long car rides in the rain. I could stare forever at the little pellets of water and how they raced off the edges of my view as the car moved. And I thought... wow why is water such a big deal in such the opposite way now? Why is it always such a "mess" or an annoyance when it used to be so fun and beautiful?

I later in a book store I wandered to by following my instincts (a whole nother story) read a good portion of the follow of book to "Who Moved My Cheese?" called "The Present" and in it an old man was trying to explain to this boy as he's growing over the years what the present is. And he asked the child, as an adult, about a task he had performed. The boy described mowing the lawn and how he really enjoyed it being outside and trimming tight corners, and just the overall feeling of success after a job well done. The old man tried to explain that that is why he was happy. He was completely focused on the now and what he was currently doing at that time.

Seems so simple but I'm trying to adapt that to my life now.

The other moment I wanted to talk about came today. Mondays and Fridays are my worst as far as packed schedules, and rowdy classes. Well in my afternoon class of my oldest kids (pre-middle school) I had only 2 out of the 3 girls today (the one missing being the most talkative of the 3). The last 5 minutes or so of class we were done and they got out their books for the next class to study and one of the vocab words was "rude". So I went to grab my notepad of Korean words and phrases to jot it down because its one I always want at hand to explain to a student when they are not being respectful. In any case one girl took an interest (as they do every time I have it in class) in my notepad and flipped through it, correcting mistakes and explaining things here and there about Korean. Then she said "Teacher you are..." and quickly grabbed her phone to use the dictionary. She showed it to me and it said something like "dedicated to study" and a few other definitions. I said yes... and she confided pointing at herself "Me too. With Japanese." I was baffled... "You go to another hagwon (private academy)?" No, she studies by herself, and made a gesture that kind of made me realize that was part of the meaning of the word she had attempted to translate for me.

It didn't really sink in until later what that meant for her to study on her own. She doesn't leave my school until 8:20 MWF, much later than me, and probably starts studying earlier than I go to school and comes home to mountains of homework. Not to mention regular exams to study for. Where does she find the time? Where does she have the passion left to teach herself something on top of the piles of information squashed into her head every day? I think it was a really nice moment. Its good to show the kids that we are kind of the same in some ways. I think the kids that are old enough to get it appreciate the fact that I'm studying and trying to learn a difficult and foreign language too and I'm not just sitting up on a high horse beacuse I know English. I know teachers are not supposed to try and be friends with students, but we are supposed to be humans.

Today was great. It was a coteacher's birthday and we all went to her house for cake and champagne (though I didn't partake in the latter) and talked about life and politics and cultures. We were so invloved it took the clock going to 12:59 for us all to realize... wow. Time to work tomorrow.

anyway. Just wanted to share!

Song and some back woes

2009-11-12T20:00:00.001+09:00

For those that say I haven't written in a while. A big blog is coming up sometime... I'm not sure when... but its coming. Have to write about my island trip and Halloween! Lots of photos.

Fools in Love by Inara George.

I smile cus I mess up... but since you can't even hear the guitar it doesn't much matter hmmm? I bought this external mike so you wouldn't hear all the computer buzzing and I thought it was working but now the buzzing is still there. Oh well, on with the song!

Ok I'll write a bit since the video is taking forever to load...

So I've been having some back issues. I went to an acupuncturist for the first time. Which is a big deal for those of you that know me. I'm scared of needles. It wasn't so bad. I bit my lip for the first 2 and then the rest just kind of pinched a little as I imagined myself floating on that infamous air mattress down on the river... ahhh. But before all that I just layed on this hot bed for a while with suction cups going at my back. The one on my arm tickled and I was just laughing by myself in my little curtain room. I went 3 times and after no improvement decided to try something else.

So off to the orthopedic doctor. Some x-rays and telling him my symptoms and well... he thinks its my neck. I happen to disagree, especially since he didn't even bother to x-ray where my back is hurting because he ALREADY decided it was my neck. He told me to stretch and exercise and prescribed me some pain killers and muscle relaxers (chill out parents its only for 3 days and to be honest I don't feel any different after taking them, perhaps they are sugar...) and phsyical therapy. I did one session and decided it was all bullox. More hot beds only this one had these poundy thingies that shook me up and they put these air boots on my feet to squeeze them up real good. Then more suction cups. I'm beginning to see a pattern. Not my idea of phsycial therapy, seeing as no one ever actually touched me or showed me how to stretch or sit right. McTherapy. A few hot beds are cheaper than a staff that actualy *gasp* works with a patient.

So after all that I just ended up feeling like a baked potato or perhaps tenderized meat, and still no improvement. I'm just gunna stretch and exercise myself. The internet says the leading cause of upper back problems is muscle atrophy in people that sit at computers all day. Check on that one. Also might try a chiropractor or massage, probably both.

First it was my throat. Then my stomach. Back to the throat. Now my back. It seems I have a traveling health issue going on months. Apparently the stress has gotta go somewhere. I can't see there being much improvement until this year is up. I'm trying my best to destress but Korean work ethic isn't really designed for that. In fact quite the opposite...

Dreaming of getting back to the USA having some long tour in my little car stopping at farms and riding my bike, chilling on the beach, seeing friends and family. Ahhh...

Just some self portraits

2009-10-12T00:34:00.000+09:00

Did these today and figured I'd post them.

I have 2 blogs I for sure need to write. One of which is my Chusok Trip blog that will def rival, if not top the Temple Stay blog for massive amounts of photos.

Anywhere here they are:

Oh and here are a couple polaroids from the day I met with photographer Saeho Kim who also cut my hair:

Quick Pre-Chusok Blog

2009-10-01T20:50:00.000+09:00

In other news. I saw an odd occurrence on the subway that was very subtle. See, here there are a lot of young couples here that like to wear matching clothes. It's pretty ridiculous, especially because they are usually awful or really girly. I saw a couple wearing pink shirts with some sort of giant animal face on the front once. Also saw a couple once wearing matching pants... and they were really tight even for the girl. In any case this morning I saw what I thought was an older couple matching on the subway. Like... grandma age and I thought... how odd. The old matching couples are more rare. Then the man caught sight of the woman I think because he walked to the other end of the subway car. They weren't together after all! They just happened to be standing in the same spot of the subway car with the same exact shirt on. I can't imagine the odds of that...

I might be the only one that finds this amusing but that's ok. It's my blog.

Parks: Good. Dentists: Bad

2009-09-29T20:01:00.000+09:00

So I went to the dentist today. I have 4 cavaties, which oddly enough are not the same cavaties the last dentist found. Not sure what to make of that but I'll just leave it alone. Unfortunetely the cleaning and cavaties aren't covered by insurance. I have no idea why the cleaning isn't but the cavaties is because I want white fillings. Bummer. But its still cheaper than back home. I did the cleaning today and the cavaties are next week. They aren't that bad though. One is "small" and the other 2 are "medium". Luckily the clinic is literally around the corner from my school on the same floor and the nurse and doctor speak decent English.

Now on with the fun stuff,

Last night I met up with Hee Jin and 3 of her friends in Hyewa. I can't remember their names for the life of me. They were among some of the most difficult to pronounce Korean names I've encountered yet..\ We attempted the Western naming thing again, as I did with the last friend of Hee Jin's I met, "Summer" (Sun-mi). I named 2 with ease and the other guy, I couldn't quite figure out a name suitable. We ended the night vaguely calling him Kutcher after him saying he should be named Ashton Kutcher (he was quite a joker). Ashton didn't fit. lol. The other 2 are Jordan and Amelia. Amelia didn't speak any English but the boys did. All these photos are shot on Amelia's camera which is a Canon nicer than mine and got my gears a turning in the old head about all the camera stuff I want to buy but shouldn't.... We went to the park after having some coffee (well, I had a green tea frap) and climbed up this steep hill and about a billion stairs to this park with a beautiful view. We each drank a Cass (the Bud Light of Korea) and had dried squid as a snack. I wasn't a fan (too sweet) but I found it wonderful all the same that squid would be a beer snack. Ahhh Korea...

Out side the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf with "Jordan"

with.... Kutcher?

Hee Jin, Kutcher, Amelia and Jordan

Of course I got ahold of the camera and had them do my typical ghostly shots.

Grabbed the camera again and changed the settings to get more of the view in!

And no night of playing with a camera can be complete without jumping photos...

Heading back down.

What can Monica do in a week in Seoul?

2009-09-27T21:36:00.000+09:00

Happy Birthday Jennifer! We need to find a time to skype chat soon!

What can be done in a week in Seoul?

Well a hell of a lot aparently with overtime for phone teaching, going away parites, welcome parties, birthday parties, weddings, and you know... general life. Things just keep on moving...

Here is a rundown of my week:

Monday
-Ate dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant with Marika and saw "The Ugly Truth". The food was good but damn do I miss Little Saigon!

Tuesday
-Went to Julie's going away party at Metro bar.

-My memory won't tell me what happened before the party... Not because I drank (I didn't) but because I had just worked 20 hours in 2 days...

Wednesday
-Was mostly vegging. Possibly ate mandu and kimbap solo for dinner?

-Went for a walk with Jin.

Thursday
-Rode my bike to school and back. Realized the way there makes me want to do it every day, and the way back home makes me want to run people over and throw my bike over the side of a mountain. Can anyone walk in a straight line around here? Or decide which side of the sidewalk each direction should go?

-Studied Korean more than most days (at least an hour or so at school after my work day ended)

-I think this was the night we went to Cheers and welcomed the new girl, Erica, but I might be confusing days...

Friday
-Jin's show/Frank's birthday at 1971 Guitar bar.

-Food afterwards at some random place down a side street

-Used the smallest "bathroom" ever, guided by our waitress who grabbed my hand and ran me there (around the corner from the place)after realizing my perfectly excecuted (yeah right) "Where is the bathroom?" in Korean was followed by blank stares as you see, I have not yet learned to understand the answer...

-Crashed at Jin and Frank's to save on taxi fare

Saturday
-Woke up early to go home not knowing what time the wedding started

-Went to a traditional Korean wedding of my coworker Matt and his wife. Ate way too much at the buffet after and talked to Layne's friend Tim about how he likes living in a small town near the sea and working way less than me. Toyed with the idea of taking his job for my second year! haha...

-Went on a ridiculously long shopping escapade with Lexi where on the way, we happened upon some sort of pet shop row and got super depressed. And saw a cat that did the exact face of Puss in Boots from Shrek. Only it was real and its face was like 2 inches big. And you know things are cuter when smaller. I spent too much money but on the other hand I brought almost no winter clothes so they weren't frivolous purchases.

-Came home long enough to change and record some videos... but all the covers I did sucked cus my voice wasn't warmed up. Jumped the gun and got too excited cus I hadn't played guitar or sang all week!

-Went to Itaewon for drinks and dinner. A woman on the subway told Layne to stop talking so loud and we were all kind of dumbfounded cus she wasn't talking particularly loud! It was kinda funny if it wasn't so rude. We dodged Itaewon pretty quick, too many military folks and girls dressing like they want people to think they are Russian hookers. I felt like I never left Orlando for a minute there. Ugh. Foreigners.

-Hopped over to Hongdae by taxi and fought with the ridiculously large crowds at sensations and Gogos. Encoutnered crazy foriengers dancing with a manequin head. Why?

-HeeJin crashes with me to save on taxi fair

Sunday
-Had Korean "breakfast" or really lunch, with HeeJin. Picked a different restaurant after we tried a sample soup at another restaurant and totally walked out after they brought out all the service sides and water because I didn't like the soup! That would not be tollerated back home. Glorious.

-Met a photographer/hair dresser who took some polaroids of me and gave me a free haircut in the fanciest salon I've ever encountered. He was very cool and there was a whole studio above the salon, and roof access! There was a beautiful assistant, clad with a walkie talkie ear peace by his side at all times whislt cutting my hair. The two jointly combed tangles out of my hair and blow dried it! I felt like a princess. Salons here are quiet. For whatever reason he only tried to make chit chat while I couldn't hear cus I had 2 blowdryers in my ears! I think Dad would prefer that huh? No loud gossip going on. We are going to do portfolio work together!

-Wandered to an unknown mountainous park near the salon alone (and wearing sandals with a slight heal) and had a quiet lunch and watched the Ajumas and Ajashis climbing up and down the hills in their full climbing getups and sneakers. (Older women and men for those unfamiliar with the terms). I must have looked insane sitting on the rocky clay, fresh haircut, skinny jeans, newly bought towel underneath me eating this thing called "Cheese and Cheese" that most definitely DIDN'T have cheese in it, and reading "The World Awaits: How to Travel Far and Well" (which inspired the solo park journey in the first place) as I swated the most giant mosquitos off me ever.

-Home now writing this blog and telling myself "I will go to sleep early and remember to return that late video in the morning!" (Oh and I finally got to watch the season premiere of House)

And over the whole week total I somehow also:

-Worked over 47 hours
-Watched the Little Mermaid in Korean... possibly twice?
-Showered (crazy right?)
-Ate meals (even weirder!)
-Studied Korean

And I'm certain I could have squeezed in more today if I hadn't done the Korean narcoleptic thing and totally passed out at 6 pm on the subway ride home from the park. Hence laying down and watching TV all tonight and listening to my body when it said "CHILL OUT!"

Some photos from Saturday in Hongdae thanks to Lexi:

Upstairs part of Gogos before it got crowded. HeeJin and her friend from school, Lexi, and I.

I know. You thought you'd never see the day I'd be in some sort of sweater dress mutant baby. But here I am.

Only 4 days of work until Lexi and I do our trip for Chusok! (korean thanksgiving). Lame we only get 3 days off but they are gunna rock! I know the Monday after is gunna whip around and hit me in the dead before I know it and it will be off to planning my winter break trip. Hence this blog at this moment because... Well it won't be long before another monster of a blog of this upcoming island trip!

And here's a video for the heck of it. Trying to be less paranoid about sucking and just record and practice and play in front of people more anyway. There are multimilionaire musical super stars that suck sometimes (or even all the time) so I guess its ok for me too sometimes.

Filler

2009-09-08T23:35:00.000+09:00

So I was really determined to have that Temple Stay blog up but I've seriously been editing photos and making the videos for a couple hours and lost stamina. The massive blog has defeated me and I must finish another night. So here are some random videos I made tonight having nothing at all to do with temples or Korea.

Cover of the song "Reason to Love You" by Meiko

My attempt at reading a Korean book. How embarrassing... If you are Korean and somehow are on my blog. Just don't watch. It will hurt your ears. :)

And why not one more song. Ignore the fact that I'm 24 and already have a pretty developed furrowed brow... by the time I'm 50 there will be technology to just get a new face so I'm not really that worried about it. ;)

Let me take you back to 1995:

Merril Bainbridge- Mouth

And can I actually hear from you people for once? Stop being trolls and talk to me! Chances are, if you are reading this, and you miss me, or at least were curious enough about my life to read this, then I'm feeling much this same...

I'm soooo roooommmmnly... so rooowwwnllly...

;)

Temple Stay/DMZ - Video and Photo Extravaganza!!!!!!!

2009-09-08T22:20:00.000+09:00

Temple Stay: August 29-30th Bubheungsa Temple

Excuse my rambling:

(I made it really low quality because... its long and you don't really need to see me all that well...)

Also you can see a video of us doing the bows courtesy of adventure Korea! Also a lot of the photos you see that are the group doing meditation I got from them too. :) Some from Lexi as well.

VIDEO HERE

It pays to be the nerds in the front. Remember. These are the types of bows we did 108 of on the first night. And throughout the whole stay.

Enjoy:

Day 1:

Here are some sights from the river trekking.

Could have stayed here all day, or all week for that matter.

This is the practice temple made for temple stay where we did most of the activities. I didn't get many photos of the other temples we bowed and meditated at because they were far up the hill and we were mostly there in the dark.

Talking to us before the walking meditation.

Leave the shoes behind...

Meditate and walk. Enjoy nature.

This was the best part! Yell out the remaining stress!

Wash your feet!

Lunch time. You have to eat everything you get.

My eyes were bigger than my stomach but I made it!

Drum ceremony:

So I think forgot to put this part in the video. We each got to go up and hit the giant bell and make a wish. It makes such a loud sound you can feel the vibrations. I was so concerned about hitting it right I forgot to make my wish! But I guess I was thinking about it before my turn so it still counts right??

The sun was setting and there wasn't enough light! I knew I should have put on the flash. But is kinda nice, like a dream.

Mid bow:

The paper we were supposed to do the chants off of. None of us could keep up... esp since you are doing bows at the same time!

Last photo I took the first night before leaving my camera to go up to the beautiful temple and do the 108 bows. Recognize it? That's right, Sister Act (2?). They showed this video and another one of animals that shed their skin to teach us about.... well the Sister Act clip was to show how joy spreads. The skin shedding was about how you have to shed the old to have the new. Like how you have to empty a cup of water before you can pour a fresh cup.

After this off to the Jeokmyulbogung Temple to do our 108 bows and then sleep in another little place near it, at the top of a very steep hill. Sooo tired after all that! The temple has the ashes of Buddha in it I think? Though I'm not sure which Buddha. Some things def got lost in translation. Pretty sad I didn't get any shots of it. Lexi had some on facebook but it looks like they are gone? Might have to track them down later.

DAY 2:

Before the 5 am meditation. I'm so tired! In the Yaksajeon temple.
Back down to the practice temple again before breakfast. Katrina can sleep anywhere I think!

Traditional breakfast time! We are all so exhausted.

Here is the pickled radish and water I had to drink. You can't really see but there are food particles and stuff in there. It was not tasty. And then after the bowls are cleaned they stack into each other.

Making the lotus lanterns!

These rock stacks were all over the temple grounds it was so cool.

Trail up to one of the temples.

I can't seem to do a trip without these jumping photos. :)

We didn't do anything in this temple but it was closer than the other and it was cool looking so we stopped for photos.

One of the nice temples. This is where we did the 5 am meditation. Still not as pretty as the one we did the 108 bows in. Oh well.

Yaksajeon:

Inside the temple. You can see the Golden statues and above us are lotus lanterns with tags... not sure what for? And then on the sides you can see hundreds of dream pouches hanging. We hung ours up later on the opposite side.

The monk Sunim, doing the box knot for me.

This is the photo Sunim took:
After this we did a ceremony where we hung up the dream pouches.

The whole group!

With Sunim. How can you be sad looking at him? He's so peaceful.

DMZ:

This train used to run between North and South Korea. Can't remember all the history but note the bullet holes.

Mini museum on the way to the tunnel.

With Sabrina. She is my friend Emily's good friend from Philly and we finally met!

We weren't allowed to take photos inside the actual tunnel but you know... it looked exactly like this. With sneaky little North Koreans running around digging up stuff. Ok maybe not...

This guy was hamming it up for the foreigners. Maybe he was drunk?

This is the line we couldn't cross with our cameras. Such a bummer!

Say hello to North Korea! That's their flag in the middle of their propaganda village.

I dunno what you can see here. But from the binoculars we could see North Korea and their flag on one side, and South Korea and their flag on the other. They are 4 km apart. That is the demilitarized zone. :)

Yep. North Korea is behind us.

Then off to the train station. This is the ever optimistic map of how far the train can connect if North and South are reunited.

Mom, dad. Meet my new boyfriend. He's not the best to look at but he listens to all my problems.

Lexi is walking to North Korea. Byyyyeee Lexi!

The signpost. The train really does go to North Korea! I didn't know there was any movement between the 2 at all. Shows how much I know.

Fin. Finally! You guys thought I'd never do it but I did it!!

A blog about the temple stay...

2009-09-06T07:10:00.000+09:00

...will go here when I have time. I'm doing the demilitarized zone today. Ahh! It's just gunna be more stuff to blog about piled up. Maybe I can make one massive double blog when I get home.

Or I can just sleep and nurse Korean cold #2.

I'm writing this to just remind myself that I CANNOT skip over the temple stay like I did with the never to be blog about the Korean folk village. Even if for no one but myself. Gotta figure out how to get these blogs archived or printed or something so I can have them when I'm 80...

In any case I'm rambling because I woke up to early for this trip and now I don't have time to go back to sleep. Guess I'll eat some breakfast.

Quick Birthday Post

2009-08-27T23:48:00.000+09:00

Random photo I stole from Lexi of our school's building. That's us... SLP. We are on the 2nd floor.

I'm so sleepy! I've been so busy and can't seem to get in bed before 2 but tonight I'd like to! So I'm trying to get this blog up quickly!

For my birthday, well it fell on a Wednesday and its actually 1 of 2 longest work days out of the month due to having to stay an extra hour for phone teaching. So I actually worked 9:30 am- 8:00 pm on my birthday! But the good part was it fell on the same day as the celebration for all the kindergartner's August birthdays! Lots of cake and fun things. Lots of photos with the birthday kids and then a little singing contest in the play room that was adorable.

Birthday Part 1: Wednesday August 19th:

Montana Class (I have them once a day):

This girl wrote me an adorable birthday card. I might have to show it off in a video blog...

Very sweet class!

Michigan class (3 times a day!):
Don't let that shy smile fool you....

I think he thinks teacher has cooties. We could not get him to relax at all. Seriously. That awkward arm position is the best we could do.
They love doing this heart thing here in Korea... haha. This students are my trouble maker class but still so fun!

My kindergarten co-teacher Erica lighting the birthday candles in Michigan class. She's the best!

Guess who blew out all the candles?

Michigan and Montana class for the singing contest!

These aren't even my kids but they were just so cute!

In the teacher's room looking awkward for my cake.

At least Julie paid attention. :P haha... and the people on the other side of the camera you can't see.

So after school Marika had some people over for Australian style steak sandwiches and home made chocolate mousse... oh my god! So good! The dinner was for our 2 Korean co-teachers that are leaving our school for greener pastures! We will miss them! Marika lives in the same building I used to so her apartment is similar to my old one.

I had to bust out the camera for Marika's home made chocolate mousse feast!

Ivy Teacher and Allison Teacher. Ivy left the school last Friday (2 days after this meal)! :(

The group of us squished in! We did it!

Sean with all the ladies. We love his hair can you tell?

I love how Sean and Cindy Teacher are posing for another photo and I get Marika about to take a glorious bite of her creation. :) Oh, and so... Sean is the one that got me this job! And then Cindy is the other teacher who is leaving. She leaves the school tomorrow! Ahh!

Birthday Celebration Part 2: Itaewon dinner and Hongdae drinking Friday August 21
Lexi and Hee Jin were my photographers for the event since my camera is annoying to bring out!

Itaewon is like the foreigner area of Seoul. So my friend Katrina suggested a restaurant just one subway stop away that gave me one of the best sandwiches of my life. A good sandwich is pretty rare in Korea, and what's even more rare is cheese. And what did I have but the most awesome, feta, olive and salami sub! I was in heaven. Sadly we all totally spaced on taking photos in the restaurant and had to settle on a quick pick in the subway:

Lexi, Me, Katrina, Julie. Katrina and Julie had to get home early and couldn't go out with us so I was glad we got to have dinner together!!

So to kick off the night in Hongdae we went to "The" Park... basically its a small area with a playground. You are allowed to drink on the street here so some people love to sit at tables and chairs and drink cheaply from the convenience stores. The park is even better! The convenience store there is called "Good Times". Obvious jokes there! :) Sometimes there is live music but always people just hanging out and drinking. Sometimes there are funny foreigners doing theme parties, like last week a bunch of people were tied together. In any case most times I went there there was no live music but this time there was! The guys were really good too and were sitting right next to us! They played some Beatles and some Jason Mraz. Should have taken a good photo with them.

I believe the guy behind me has a black drum you can't really see:

Lexi, Hee Jin and I were the only ones that turned up at first but that was ok because these girls are so awesome!

So that's Soju! Nothing classier than dollar bottles of soju in the park! The cocktails just get too expensive! For those that don't know, Soju is a traditional Korean rice liquor that is had with meals. It's comprable to vodka but sweeter and about half as much alcohol. Should have taken a photo of the whole scene. It looks like we are just hanging out alone there but ther are actually tons of people all around!

Went walking to meet some friends and happened upon these fish with the 2 eyes on one side. They are gunna be someone's dinner! Mmm...

Finally found Sean and his friends!

So after we went to our usual bar but it was super crowded so we hopped across the street to this unknown (to me at least) hookah bar to chill out.

Looks like we are trying to convince Sean of something he simply is not buying.

So as is our new tradition in the spirit of being cheap, we wait til the subway runs again at 5:30 in the morning. Note for concerned parents: This is really the most responsible way to go! Because A. The subways stop at 12:30 am!! (way too early to have any fun!) and Hongdae is far so taxi fair is quite expensive. And B. It's pretty much best to stay out of taxis here... just saying. Crazy drivers!

The end.

Happy Birthday To Me!

2009-08-19T23:53:00.000+09:00

Had a pretty awesome day! It just happened to be the day at school that all the kindergarten students celebrated August birthdays so lots of cake to be had! Took some photos with the kids and at dinner with friends that I will post soon but it's late so here is a quick video!

Mini Concert, new friends

2009-08-11T00:53:00.001+09:00

So I finally met another person from my language exchange web site I have been trying to meet for a couple weeks now. I went to see him play a mini concert along with some other acts at a small playhouse. The venue was really cool! There were sticky note messages all over the walls and little hanging lights on fake trees that were kind of mostly twisted branches. My friend's songs were by far the best of what I saw (I came late because I got out of work half an hour after it started), along with a band that was really cute. One song he did was a rendition of "What's Up" by the 4 Non-Blondes (him on the African drum and a friend on guitar)... with a small part of an opera song interjected in the middle. It sounds wacky, especially for a guy cus the song is so high and the opera was even higher but he totally rocked it. Met his roommate (a foreigner!) and went out to eat at a bakery and have awesome talks. He learned English in only a year and a half in Canada! He actually taught at an English school and that's how he knew his roommate! It's so amazing how some people can speak so well in such a short time and others can be learning a language for years and never quite grasp it.

So tonight gave me inspiration and motivation to play a show, or a few shows (one of main Korea goals), and to study hard to learn Korean (another main goal for Korea)! I can do it!

School is kinda... frustrating me at the moment. The schedule seems to just get worse. I don't even want to get into it... ugh. So I just gotta make the most of the time away from school and not get sucked into being tired and coming straight home all the time.

Gotta live! Gotta have fun! Even if I kill myself doing it! (she says blogging and playing mandolin at 1 am with work at 9:30 the next day).

Haha. Ah Korea...

New Apartment "Tour" :)

2009-08-08T21:30:00.000+09:00

Excuse my goofiness.

Good and bad things! Mostly good...

2009-08-05T23:35:00.000+09:00

So Monday I found out 2 things. I have one extra class Tuesdays that because of a gap actually makes me stay until 7 instead of 5:15. Also a kindergarten class I used to teach (a really bad one) wasn't on my schedule for whatever reason but I still have to teach Tuesday-Friday. So that's another 4 classes I didn't know I had plus the new one. Hugely, hugely bummed. Especially because it still doesn't put me into overtime due to it being within the 172 teaching hours/month. Yea... wish I had really understood what that meant when I signed the contract but I'll deal.

Basically I'm at school 9:30- 7:00pm M,Tu,W, F and 9:30- 5:30 on Th (though prob more like 6:00pm) and I'm not into overtime! (44 hour work week if I subtract 30 mins for lunch for those not paying attention). But I guess when I do phone teaching its overtime? Though I think I might have to stay later those days too? I'm still not really sure how phone teaching works... Guess I'll figure it out like everything else. All of us work a lot so it def isn't just me so I feel bad complaining. One teacher has 32 overtime hours a month! Oh my! I guess I don't have overtime because I have more breaks than a lot of the teachers but it hardly seems fair that I have to be at school so long and get paid the same as those going home early. Many of the teachers that start at 9:30 are done teaching by 6.

Trying to suck it up though and I figure I can just study Korean or read or go online during my breaks (when my work is done of course) like I'd be doing at home anyhow.

Oh the kicker to the story! That one extra class on Tuesdays that makes my day way longer... has my 2 WORST students. I thought I had escaped them but noooo! Oh dear god. They are the bane of my teaching existence. I walked into the class and they said "Oh why you!" I said it right back to them. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned them before. I'm gunna break them I swear it. If not I'll just send them out of class every day if I have to! It's my mission I guess. A challenge. Get them in line or out of my hair. Hopefully the first. This class is a worse dynamic I think because the last class I had these 2 boys in there were 3 girls that were really good students. Now there is the 2 bad boys, 1 boy how is a good student so far but will talk to the boys in Korean when they talk, and one girl who is painfully shy. I can't see that situation being a good learning environment for her...

So tonight I took a peak... ok a long gander and a nice warm shower since my hot water is off... at my new apartment! I am so totally pleased. It's not nearly as small as I anticipated and really nice. Huge window with a view... also no curtains though! You can just see clear into my place. That's first on the shopping list. The shower actually has a door. Hurrah! A really good AC! I think enough space to do my poi if I don't let myself clutter it up. Huge fridge, lots of closet space. Heater for the winter! A fancy door thingy where I have a camera I can see people out my door on a screen with. Oh and motion sensored entry light! (My entry light has been out so I'm pretty excited about not tripping in the dark)

One of the downsides was no water cooler but my boss said I could take the one from here! Not sure how heavy it is though? Hmm... we'll find out tomorrow. Not even half way done packing but I'm just so excited I had to write this!

It's kind of funny... along with the other fancy things there is a card/code key to unlock the door. Meaning I type in a code or tap a card and there is no hard key! Kind of funny to me with all my moves I've had this running gag about having no house key meaning I'm homeless. I've taken photos of myself with my "Wizard of Oz Ave" key chain (thanks Val!) in various states of keylessness in LA, Philly, and Orlando. Now I will be back to no keys for it again!

Found a scale under my bed while packing. It says I lost 7 pounds. Can't be right! Then again I heard people lose weight in Korea. Hi-Jin said she had a friend that lost 20! I'd be dead if I lost that much. Seesh! I was actually hoping to gain some muscle weight from all the stairs I've been walking! ;)

Can't wait until the move is over and I stop being so confused about my classes (still running to them blind having the kids show me what books they use, what page they left off on, etc).

Then it's time to get back on track with my Korean lessons, being the awesome teacher I want to be, making friends, being fit, eating right, saving money, playing music and travelling!

Also still have to edit my photos from the folk village and write about them!

Good things. So happy. Sooo happy. :D

Ulsan Trip Mega Post!

2009-08-01T16:09:00.000+09:00

Ok so finally got around to editing all the photos from my trip to visit Hi-Jin in Ulsan. Bear with me... Oh man. And I have another post after this with more photos from the Folk Village I went to yetsrday... who knows when I'll do that!

Anyhow, on to Ulsan!

Soo... I went on Sunday the 26th until Tuesday the 28th.

So I arrive in Ulsan after a beautiful 6-7 hour train ride and meet Hi-Jin and her sister at Lotte Department store. Then off to eat... I think there was chicken and Octopus tentacles in there along with some veggies. It was really good! And of course cold buckwheat noodles on the side (the dish I showed before with ice and spicy stuff!) which is becoming one of my favorites here for the summer.

This is Beth, the kind woman that let me couch surf with her! Really cool gal, met her friends and this is actually her boyfriends couch. His place was pretty swanky. She teaches and he's an engineer. That's the dog she was dogsitting for the weekend. Sweet little scragly pup named Chaio that followed us along the city with no leash. She used to be a stray and had puppies right after her friend took her in!

The view from the apartment!

At a famous Chinese restaurant. But apparently it's actually a Koreanized Chinese food that they don't actually eat in China.

The dish is called 짜장면 (Jajangmyeoh). Was weird to eat something not spicey in Korea. It was pretty good!

The guy behind me is making the noodles by hand. I tried to get a better photo but it was hard with the dirty glass window. He stretches them and then spins and stretches and so on!

The steps entering into 울기공원 (Ulgi Park)

So the following photos are odd sites up in an around the park. This one is just a little side street.

The scragly dogs.

Lots of places here were closed down and broken.

Ready for this one??? I have no idea what these are or what they are called but you eat them. They were in the salt water tanks in front of some seafood restaurants that have fish and snails and other such things fresh. The little holes opened and closed like fish mouths only way creepier. I don't think I'm adventurous enough to try these little suckers.

Please. Click it. Have a closer look!

Another side street.

Heading into the most beautiful thing I've seen in Korea so far...

Listen to the Dolphin!

Getting closer....
Wowow. Here we go!

So these women in their wet suits dive into the water and catch things to sell fresh. The one bellow is calling to the people approaching to go check her stuff out... in Korean of course. You can't see in the photo but the 3 people in the front are heading down some stairs. This is right next to the summit like area in the above photos.

Sorting and cleaning I guess?

This woman came up to the top of the stairs to sell up there.

Climbed up some stones to this little summit where the other tourists weren't going. What a view!

Hard to get the best shots just balancing my camera on rocks...

Trying to look serious. The rest I look like a major goofball and I have enough of those photos.

These trees are so cool I had to be a goofball again.

So heading over to that cool place in the above photographs.

What does it look like?

Mostly goofed around with this at the top of that summit cus the view from the other one was better anyway.

The walk back through the park as the sun is beginning to set.

Walking back to the beach we happened upon all this abandoned fair-type stuff!

Possibly the cutest and most patriotic dog in Korea... is it called patriotic here?

So unlike back home. Beachfront property isn't really a thing. At least not here at Ilsan Beach. These are the vegetable gardens of the poor folks that live in front of the water. Their homes were pretty sad to see. I didn't really get a good shot though.

First time in the East Sea! 일산해수욕장 (Ilsan Beach) This was actually right by the park but we did the park first.

So people in Korea don't really do the towel and bathing suit thing. Many bring tents or sit under the ones that are already on the beach like this one on these covered platforms. They wear normal clothes. There is one platform just like this outside my building where the ajimas (older women) sit and hang out together or clean vegetables.

Thinking of Val. Found a bunch of heart shaped rocks...

So after the beach we met up with a few of Hi-Jins friends.

2 of the girls worked at the Hyundai department store. We waited for them to get off work and it was amazing to see how fast they shut the place down. I was just studying my Korean book and I look up and all the products are being covered, employees are scurrying around to get changed and then out the door! It was so crazy. The for dinner we had some chicken that was sooo spicy with 3 of her girlfriends. None of them spoke but the basics in English so the conversation was mostly them talking in Korean and then Hi-Jin trying to get them to ask me questions with what little Korean they knew. Then giggling at what little I knew in Korean. Then one girl said "your face is small". Which isn't the first time this statement has been made by a Korean to a foreigner (happened to my coworker!!) It's really funny how blunt Koreans can be about age and looks.

Then after dinner we met up with this friends boyfriend and had some dessert. He spent a year and a half in Australia so I thought we could talk but he was too shy! She didn't speak much English but tried.

This is what we ate! There is ice on the bottom and a creamy sweet sauce for all of it. I got to mix it up because I was the guest and Hi-Jin's friend helped me. :) It was so yummy. In case you didn't know, those are red beans on the top. They are used in all kinds of desserts here from ice cream to pastries. Depending on how they are made they can be really tasty!

Then the 3 of us girls walked back to Hi-Jin's parents house to have a sleep-over. It took about an hour but didn't feel so long aside from my new shoes killing me. It's amazing that it was 1 am and I felt totally safe. Ahh Korea. I decided they should name me. So my Korean name is 누리 (Nuri) short for 온누리 (Onnuri) which means "whole world". It took a while and many vetos on names I didn't like to get to it but I'm quite pleased. It's a really sweet name. We named Hi-Jin's friend Summer. Which unfortunetely is the only name I can remember though her Korean name does start with an S.. I still have such a hard time remembering Korean names (not to mention I was already bad at names in English).

Came upon this view on the walk home:

So the night was supposed to be a cute girly sleep-over (which it was!) but I got super sick! I threw up 2 times. I'm not really sure why. I was really scared my stomach problems were starting again. Hi-Jin thinks maybe the chicken from dinner was just too spicy. It was pretty spicy, even for me and I kept feeling like I was tasting the gas or propane or something. But I didn't get sick til hours later! In any case I'm totally fine now, was just a little tired and worn the next day. I finally fell to sleep to the sound of them whispering in Korean, thinking about the complexities of language. Realizing it would be the same feeling if I was whispering in English with a friend in front of a foreigner. They would be lost as we communicated in a way they could never understand. I fell asleep in awe despite my wretching stomach, wishing I could conquir so many languages and just have the words of the world flowing from my tongue with the ease of a native...

Didn't take any photos at Hi-Jin's which is a shame cus it was really nice! But I was so out of sorts from getting sick. The next morning she made some breakfast which consisted of fried... squash I think? White corn, and hot cakes. Koreans don't really do breakfast like we do in the states though our breakfast foods are gaining popularity. In class I asked my kids what they ate for breakfast and most of them said rice and kimchi. It took me a second to realize they did know what the word breakfast meant but that its just different here! The hot cakes Hi-Jin made were kind of like pancakes but actually tasted good! (sorry pancake lovers!) They don't use butter or syrup so I was a little skeptical and then I took a bite and was so pleased. No toppings requires. Just so good alone.

So then we headed out to Summer's house. Her mom whipped a lunch in the blink of an eye that was absolutely delicious. Or to use a new vocab word... 짱 (chang) which is slang for "the best" or "really good" or "cool". Speaking of which, Summer and Hi-Jin made me a whole list of slang and curse words and the like on the bus on one of our journeys, can't remember which. Really useful stuff you don't find in books!

Anyhow here is us eating the lunch! The most delicious seaweed snack I've had in Korea is in my hand (and on the table). It was a prepackaged kind. I have to get the brand! They serve them in the bars but they aren't as tasty. Then fried rice with veggies and I think pork? A light egg soup and fresh tea. Afterwards we had a really good coffee that almost tasted like tea and coffee mixed. Really sweet and good! I wanted a photo with her mom but she was too shy! She gave me a couple small gifts. So sweet!

After this I caught the bus back home and crashed out! I was so tired. The bus took less time (4 hours) than the train but the view wasn't much and it didn't have a bathroom. I made the huge mistake of not going to the restroom when we stopped in hour 2 and when we arrived in Seoul frantically ran around trying to find one unsuccessfully in the subway station. Also totally blanked on the Korean word for bathroom when I needed it most and had to pull out my book to ask. Then the lady told me no. So I hopped on the subway to 2 stations down and went up and down a million stares and around in circles (with all my stuff mind tou) to find the further bathroom because the closer one was under construction or something. Ok... It was a pretty close call and I was really really mad and tired and more mad and about to cry. Wow... never going to do that ever again. Between that and getting sick, kind of a downer ending to a beautiful trip! Haha. But I survived!

So busy!

2009-07-30T13:04:00.000+09:00

Ulsan

2009-07-27T12:17:00.001+09:00

So it's my Hagwons holiday. I have come to Ulsan for a few days to visit Hi-Jin. The train ride was about 6 hours and it was beautiful. Couch surfing with some cool people. The vibe down here is much different. Beach is closer so it seems the foreigners here are a little more chill and laid back hippy types. Also met a few people that aren't teachers but engineers. Interesting to see what kind of work can bring you around the world. One guy had been all over the middle east and other places with his company on projects that last a few months each. He's been in Korea 3 years on consecutive 10 month projects.

Saturday night before I came down here I went to Hongdae with some friends and had another long fun night! Bars that are all foreigners are a little annoying sometimes though. Some really odd and obnoxious people. But I guess that's the type that come here. I was talking about it last night with the foreigners here in Ulsan. That the 3 basic types are those that come for the culture, those that come for the money, and those that come because they don't fit in back home... or any combination thereof. Def can spot the type that don't fit in back home pretty easily. I get asked so much about the culture shock coming here but I'm certain its going to be going home that's gunna be weird to be honest. There are so many people here so squished together and it still seems to all work and flow. Korean's get dogged on a lot for lack of planning or organization but so far everything for me has been fine. Just gotta float with the currents around here and you'll be fine.

A real blog and lots of photos upon my return to Seoul. Just wanted to give a little update on where I am. Going to the beach and a really pretty park today with Hi-Jin so I'm sure I'll be taking a lot of pictures!

Dragon and the magnetic soap

2009-07-25T04:17:00.000+09:00

Short entry tonight. Tonight marks the first day of the vacation for my hagwon and many others. Most of my coteachers are going off to cool places like China, Japan, Taiwan, Italy, Germany, etc. Well this vacation came a bit to soon so I'm sticking around. Going down to Ulsan which is a city in the south of Korea for a few days. Going to couch surf and visit with Hi-Jin.

Tonight we had a work party and the only person who wasn't going home to pack for a trip was the only person younger and new than me. She's only been here a week and is 22. I am no longer the youngest at the school! So her and I went to wander Nowon and attempt to find the bar when we ran into some coworkers that weren't at the work party. Went to 2 of the same bars we went to last week. The funny thing was we couldn't find one we were looking for so we went into another bar to ask, Dragon bar. First we asked a guy named Alvin (name tag said so) who had big dorky glasses and looked like one of the chipmunks. He didn't know so we asked a guy behind the bar. He came out from behind the bar and walked us there! Can you believe it?! And he wasn't the first guy to do that. A guy at a umbrella kiosk did too but we were looking for Metro bar and he took us to the subway (metro) station so we said thanks and kept looking. So anyway, the bartender comes out from the bar and starts leading us as he's taking off his name tag! He tells us his name is Dragon and he is part time. Then he says it is his bar, then he says it isn't, then it is but he is part time... we said "part time owner?"and he said yea. We didn't really know if he was just messing with us.

So we get to Metro bar and the guy who did the fire show last week was standing outside and Dragon says hi and the fire guy slings his arm around him and tells us all about how he was like a father and taught him everything and so on and so forth. Apparently Dragon works at both bars? Or the bars have the same owners? I have no idea... something that made it seem somewhat less weird for a bartender to just leave his post and come to another bar. He hung around the bar for at least half an hour after we got there too! Anyhow at Metro bar we ran into more people we know because it was all foreigners.

This is where I saw the magnetic soap. Yea... I dunno. Sounds like not a big deal but i found it pretty odd. It was a bar of soap with a magnet on top so it was hanging from a little thing ont he wall. Sometimes I swear everything is backwards in Korea. Upsidedown soap... why not just a soap dish? Who knows. It was cute though.

Then we went back to the first bar to meet some friends of my coteacher. There was a very enthusiastic Italian guy visiting them. He tried to show us his Irish accent... it sounded like everything but an Irish man. Then he found out I wanted to go to France and we had a way too long conversation about how France sucks... or at least how "Italy might not be the best, but it is better than France!" basically everything good France has, they stole from Italy. Ha! Even Nice apparently is so close to Italy its basically Italian. Oh man. Then he accused me of wanting to go there because I love Canadian men. The logic in that I still haven't figured out.

In any case. Hopefully lots of photos to come over my break!

Galbi, Fire, Gin and Dance

2009-07-20T23:17:00.000+09:00

Sorry for the delay folks (aka parents who emailed me about my lack of blogging). I lost my internet and well... its still gone but thanks to a hot tip from a friend I realized I can get a wireless signal from my balcony. So here is a long one for the last few days:

Ok so Friday night I went out with some friends after work. Friends I met through a coteacher. The teacher that got me this job in the first place came out too and it was so nice to meet him. So we went out for galbi. Photo bellow that is not mine. Stole it from another blog here hope that's ok... It's the closest photo I saw to what we ate.

Anyway so they cook it right in the middle in one piece and then you cut it with scissors and then you get a couple awesome sauces and some lettuce to wrap it in. Just grab the meat (ours was pork) and other items (we had kimchi, garlic, and salad) with your chopsticks and put it in the lettuce, wrap it up and try not to make a huge mess. It was sooo good. I had dak (chicken) galbi tonight with my co teacher and a couple other friends and that was really good as well. Sooo much galbi. Mmm.

So with the galbi dinner Friday night we took shots of soju in the traditional Korean fashion (mostly) and were feeling quite good leaving. Oh yes and I forgot to mention, it was raining cats and dogs and I almost couldn't go in the first place but my school's owner gave me his umbrella! Such a nice man! After we ate it finally stopped though. I was hearing today this storm season is the worst in 100 years for Korea...

So after dinner those of us troopers went out to a bar. All of this was happening in Nowon-gu where my school is located and I'm moving next month. Nowon definitely has a lot more going on than where I currently live, Dobong-gu. Looots of foreigners. It was really quite weird seeing so many, just like last time I was out. The bartenders did a pretty dramatic and drawn out show spinning bottles and making this tiny little shot stacked up on a bunch of glasses and lighting the whole thing on fire and spitting fire and all that. I was so impressed but apparently its kind of par for the course around here. My friend told me its kind of part of the job here and most of the bars have a fire show. Huh... kind of odd considering they don't even make tips! Guess they get paid pretty decent. I don't know. I had a delicious mudslide. I thought it fitting since we had just eaten some ice cream from the gas station (all the ice cream shops were closed). I had a chocolate covered green tea bar. mmmm. We ran into some coteachers from the same school as us (the Nowon side that we merged with) who were out for a going away party for the guy whose position I'm taking actually.

Oh yes and before the ice cream and the bar I used my first squatter toilet. It wasn't that bad.

So then we went to a different bar. It had a luxury toilet in comparison. Wow... soap and a hand towel. Oh and a squishy toilet seat like grandmas have. Seriously. Luxury. Anyhow, enough about toilets. The Nowon teachers had all migrated to this bar so I chatted with them some. Then these 2 Korean guys were talking to me and a friend at a different table and were super excited, said we were the first foreign girls they had talked to. My friend orders a gin and tonic... the bartenders bring out a bottle. She says I didn't order this! And the Korean guys were like no no its fine! Drink. Then she went to the bar and I was talking with the Nowon teachers and the Korean guys brought the bottle over for us all to drink. It's not till we get to the end of the bottle and the bartender wants money for it that these guys start asking everyone for money! Oh it was a huge fiasco with arguing in Korean and English. It really was a sneaky stunt. We each ended up giving them 10,000 won (less than 10 bucks) just to get them to shut up (the bottle I think was around 150,000 won). One girl only had 5,000 in her wallet and didn't want to give them that and was really sticking it to them about how she didn't order it and they just stuck it on our table. We all knew she was right but a half an hour had passed and we were just sick of them.

So me and 3 friends just left and went to a 3rd bar to dance. That was really fun. Everyone seemed really cool just dancing with whoever there. This group of Korean girls we didn't know just ended up dancing with us for a while. Finished the night after a Heineken at around 5 am. Then the one Korean friend in my group of 4 survivors for the night drove us to McDonalds for some breakfast and then home. Got in around 6 am. This bars not closing thing here is nuts! Its especially weird though considering the subways stop... literally stop, at midnight. No matter where you are. Just stop and off you go.

Saturday I was... "resting". lol. Sunday I was supposed to hang with a friend but she was... "resting" from her Saturday night. She went to the same bar I did a few weeks ago that looks like a cave. But then Sunday night I went out with my friend Hi-Jin and shopped around her area. Tried to buy some clothes but... I dunno. I really like the styles here when I see them on other people but its harder when I have to think of what I want to wear. The clothes aren't that different but I'm already so picky. I think I have to give myself time to wrap my brain around this new clothing direction I'll have to take. I did buy some cute blush and nailpolish. Gave myself a French manicure that turned out alright until a busted pen in my bag ruined my nails before I even got to work. Oh well.

I made it there alright. I have to take a bus to the subway from where I am and then the subway to her. Got back on the subway alright. But once I got off I couldn't find the bus I needed so I just took a taxi home. Kinda sucked.

I got my new schedule and all of my classes are completely different, even most of the books I'll be teaching with. Kind of sad and frustrated but I'll figure it out. At least I'll be ending work at 7 instead of 9 and I will be living in Nowon near a subway station. I want to do something... like Korean lessons and maybe one other thing. Perhaps some sort of fitness class or guitar lessons. Or why not all 3! We'll see what I can find and for what prices.

I'm learning Korean so slowly even though I feel like I'm pushing myself really hard. Maybe its a slow start because of still getting used to the new sounds and characters cus at this rate... oh boy. There was a word I've been studying from the first chapter of my book that means "office worker". Well I needed it today in class and I totally didn't remember it. A girl translated something wrong for her dad's job and wrote "My dad is express." Turns out she wanted to say office worker, and wrote the word in Korean on the board for me. It was vocab from chapter one and I just didn't remember until I was like... that looks familiar and went back to the teachers room to grab my book. I felt like such a dummy. I'm not used to anything being so hard after all this effort! (except maybe art history). I need to kick Korean's ass. Grrr. I will learn this language before I leave if it kills me! At least enough to converse!

That class is my favorite btw. 3 older girls, maybe around 11 or so. There were so ecstatic to see my Korean book and asked me to speak Korean to them on the break. "No Korean allowed during class!" I had to remind them because they stopped everything to giggle and ask me to talk!

OHHHHH!! And my hilarious tidbit for today. I gave me lowest level class (aside from kindergarten) a little practice spelling test. The youngest girl got the highest grade, 12/20. Then the 2 next best students (one of which was the girls older sister) got 8/20 and the other 2 who don't pay attention much in class got 2/20! Didn't even spell dog right! I'm talking the words were like, dog, cat, cow, horse, bird, running, jumping, eating, etc. The girl that got 12/20 was still very close with all the ones she got wrong. The 2 kids with 2/20 weren't even in the ballpark with most of the words!! I literally could not recognize almost any.

Ok so anyway the word was "quack".

the boy writes "kyke"
the girl writes "cok"

wow. they managed to make 2 completely different explicit words off of the same completely innocent one.

Ahh the life of an English teacher.