Sara Loves South Korea

Missing the Following:

2009-09-23T01:26:00.005+09:00

Its been ages now since I last stepped foot on Korean soil. Do I miss it? Yes. Very much. Am I glad to be home- of course. But still. To think, this time last year, I was enjoying Chusok, Soju, and the beauty of Korean autumn. I miss the following in no particular order:

1. I miss being a teacher! I miss going on dorky field trips with my preschoolers.

2. I miss this guy! Convenience Store Guy never spoke much more than a lick of English but was always friendly as hell and a bright, friendly part of my day.

3. Mingi. This kid was so frickin' cute and soooo unruly and misbehaving. Gotta love a spoiled 4 year old Korean child constantly keeping you busy.

4. Wild nights as the Soju Monster and good company. Damn, I know the terrible quality Korean booze downright ruined my stomach but still, where else can you get a bottle of booze that will get you wasted and almost hallucinating for only $1,000 Won ( about $1)????

5. Weekend trips! What a blast, even if it was cold and rainy and I bitched the whole time, I was still having fun. Trust me on this:)

6. The busy streets of Meungdong. Trips to Seoul came either one of two ways. Either ride for 45 minutes on a nauseating, over-crowded bus or ride for an hour and a half on an over-crowded, stuffy subway. I always chose the subway, or else I would feel like vomiting the rest of the day. Meungdong was always the ultimate fashion and shopping mecca for young Koreans.

7. Walks along the river on the little path to my house. I miss my old neighborhood, with all of its random call-girl cards strewn about, PC Bangs, and junk convenience stores. Oh, and I miss cans of Gatorade. Soo delicious!

8. Cute stuff galore!!!! Everywhere I went, cute and bizarre things would steal my heart and practically rip my eyeballs out of thier sockets. Everything and everyone was just so dang adorable, I felt as if I might burst.

9. Mondu. Of fuck, do I ever miss mondu!!!!!!! The ultimate warm your belly food. Those soft little dumpings are what dreams are made of. And cheap, cheap, cheap.

10. Korean BBQ and drunken, misbehaving coworkers. Lindsay's face is priceless and Aram, we always loved your misbehaving, abnoxious ways, even if we pretended we didn't. And my God, Korean BBQ is just sooo frickin' amazing. Best food ever.

Sometimes, I hear a little voice that tells me that I am ready for more travel and adventure. Day in and day out, I work here. We try to spice things up by getting a dog, getting a new car, new shoes, whatever but it still seems dull in comparison to my life this time one year ago. Then again, I remember many weekends never even leaving my apartment apart from getting a bite to eat. I remember being incredibly alone in one of the most densely populated countries in the world. But to me, the past is best romanticised and played up a bit.

Missing the Ssamzie Market

2009-06-18T10:51:00.003+09:00

It has been 3 months now since I came back to Iowa. I still sometimes start my sentences out with, "When I was in Korea," but for the most part, things have gotten pretty much back to normal around here. I am happy to be home and happy I no longer have to endure racism, my wacked out Korean American prick head teacher, or any of the other bullshit involved with living somewhere unfamiliar where you just don't fit in!

I do, however, miss the shopping in Korea!!! I miss taking weekend trips alone into Seoul to explore what I wanted to explore and to take my time and get lost and make discoveries along the way. One of my favorite places to go was the Insadong Market on Sunday afternoons. It is a total tourist trap but also completely awesome! I especially enjoyed Ssamzie Market, the artsy center where I coveted all of the awesome stuff in the boutiques.

Ssamzie Market has tons of DIY crafted items, jewelry, and even an Ana Sui Boutique. One of my favorite vendors was this amazing girl who did miniature dioramas of Seoul cityscapes and little Korean rooms. Soooo awesome! I am kicking myself for not picking up her book while I was there. Why was I such a cheapskate? Darn it!

Dalki is well loved in Korea and is kind of the Strawberry Shortcake of the country. I think she looks kind of mean and angry but I guess cute at the same time. This little vendor was making strawberry smoothies and little Dalki inspired treats.

Well, I hope someday I will get to go back and take a trip purely for pleasure so that I can re-visit all of the places I loved so dearly!

More Photos From the Seoul Toy Museum

2009-05-23T13:37:00.005+09:00

The Seoul Toy Musuem was one of my favorite places in all of Seoul. I went there twice during my stay in Korea, just because I liked it that much! I probably took hundreds of photos that day so I decided it is only fair to share more of the great photos from my trip to the toy museum. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Korean TV

2009-05-20T02:34:00.003+09:00

While living in my basement dungeon in South Korea, I had plenty of time to veg out and watch TV. Most of the channels were in Korean but there were a few in English, including the Fox channel that played car chases, action flicks, and funniest home videos 24-7. Thank God Tooniverse played the Simpsons every night at 11 p.m. I also must admit that I enjoyed watching the Korean channels, although I was pretty much clueless 100% of the time as to what the hell was going on:)

Sometimes, I actually miss watching those wacky shows on Korean television. Even the infomercials were hilarious to me. And of course, every commercial was a total mind-fuck, for sure!!!

Home Sweet Home

2009-04-17T02:20:00.004+09:00

Of all of the most important things I collected during my time in South Korea, I would rate my toys at the top of the list! My toys finally have a home here in Iowa, as seen here displayed on a few shelves. Seriously, every time I look over at my toys, I get super happy. I love toys!

Korean Inspired Doodles

2009-04-07T11:44:00.003+09:00

I thought it was only fitting that I would revisit doodleland and create some cute things based off of stickers I picked up in Korea. Food and cuddly bears and Stinky tofu- my favorite subjects:)

Sara's Top Moments in Korea

2009-03-24T01:37:00.005+09:00

Thought I would get a little bit nostalgic and rehash some of my best Korea memories:)
Note: Some photos were stolen from Lindsay's blog..... With love!!!

Paddle Wheelin' in Burlington

2009-03-24T01:23:00.004+09:00

Nothing back home has changed a bit!

Of course, my first weekend back in Iowa meant good times to be had in Burlington.... At the Paddle Wheel!!! It was good to see all of my old friends and it was funny to find out that in 7 months, I have missed absolutely no action! Nothing has happened and nothing has changed! Ha ha! Gotta love home for that. Hell, my boyfriend hadn't even unpacked our pantry from our old apartment yet!

Leaving on a Big Airplane

2009-03-23T11:52:00.004+09:00

The flight was crazy, but most bargain multi-stop flights are, I think. I flew with Northwest Airlines from Incheon to Tokyo/Narita followed by and 8 hour flight to Seattle. When I arrived stateside, it was foggy and snowing. Naturally, my next flight had been canceled. One of the United ladies took pity on my soul and hooked me up with a flight to Denver and the connecting flight to Chicago. When I arrived in Chicago, I was dazed but only about 2 hours behind scheduled arrival time. Not too bad. To my pure amazement, Will and his sister were waiting at the gate and my luggage rolled down the line in good time!

Pure luck. I could kiss the ground when I finally touched solid ground again!!!!

Northwest Airlines buddying up with Korean Air.

The closest I have ever been to Tokyo!

The Japanese style lunches served on the flight to Tokyo/Narita.

A Final Look at Suji

2009-03-23T11:40:00.003+09:00

It just started to feel like it was time to leave. Not ever being one to overstay my welcome or put up with being unhappy, I spent my last days in Korea making peace with the streets. When you know you are going to go away and not look back, you start to become nostalgic about every little thing and want to frame it in your mind forever.

I know I will not be missing 8 lane traffic, dirty air, spit and piss covered streets, and high rise buildings as far as the eye can see. In retrospect, I am trying to look past all of the flaws of the place and the lonely times in my one-room-dungeon and remember those beautiful late summer days sailing on a bike trail with Lindsay or the peace of hiking in rain soaked mountains in fall. Those are the memories I will keep, I think.

Pocket Rocket

2009-03-20T05:37:00.004+09:00

Sometimes, they can make lip gloss cool by doing some nice packaging or add some glitter, but now, Urban Decay has taken it to the next level! THE POCKET ROCKET!!!!!

Flip over this little baby and the man loses his clothes to reveal his muscles and tightie whities! Horray!

P.S. There are 8 different men to choose from! Ha ha!

Dokboki in the Park

2009-03-14T20:14:00.003+09:00

Mmmmmm, nothing like rice cakes in spicy sauce. I call this stuff Korean kid food because it costs only 500 Won and kids eat it outside of their hagwan on the sidewalks.

Gundam Robot Guys

2009-03-12T21:46:00.002+09:00

I would have volunteered to be a boy if toys for boys in the States were this cool!!!!! What would you call these? Gundams maybe? Transformers? Eh, either way, I think they are very cool!

Robo- Fan, Sup?

2009-03-11T21:39:00.002+09:00

This is Robo-Fan. I met him at the Toy Museum. I am pretty sure he and I would be great friends together....

Creepy Babies

2009-03-10T21:57:00.002+09:00

Boy oh boy do I ever love the Seoul Toy Museum in Insadong!!!! I took something like 200 photos in there. The place seems to be operated privately by an eccentric old man and the collection consists of an array of random toys old and new. The museum is so kitchy and strange with its mix of old movie posters and strangely racist toys, and cute, over-the-top Asian toys. And clutter everywhere! The walls are covered and every inch of the museum is being used to display items. This place is by far my favorite place in Korea and it only costs 1,000 Won to enter!!!!!

Sugar Glider Man

2009-03-09T20:16:00.003+09:00

In the busy streets of Insadong, there was a crowd surrounding something. As I got closer to see what that thing was, I discovered it was none other than Sugar Glider Man, this sweet dude my boyfriend and I had previously seen a few months back on the subway. He had 3 on his hat and one Sugar Glider crawling on his hand. Sugar Gliders are soooo cute!!!!!

Hokdeok is Mmmm, Good!

2009-03-09T08:35:00.004+09:00

I had the BEST Hokdeok in Insadong yesterday! It was soo thick and delicious and brown sugary inside. I love it!

What a perfect Sunday afternoon treat!!!!

Silk Worm Larvae

2009-03-08T19:58:00.004+09:00

While walking through the streets in Seoul, there is one distinguishable and rather putrid smell that hits your nose and alarms your senses. This strange odor wafting in the air is from the silk worm larvae cooking in the street. This is one snack I will definitely be denying myself of!

Groovin' on Sunny After Noon

2009-03-08T11:15:00.002+09:00

I am loving the nice days lately. Still cold but at least it is sunny most days now. In honor of spring, I threw on some flip-flops and bought a bright new t-shirt. I love is retro feel and bad grammar!

Korean Hello Kitty

2009-03-07T22:05:00.002+09:00

I finally got my Korean Hello Kitties I have been wanting for a while! They are wearing colorful Hanbok and ready to get married. Soo cute!

My Nintendo DS is My Friend

2009-03-07T21:15:00.002+09:00

Street Food

2009-03-07T10:18:00.002+09:00

Lately, I have been really enjoying the food from street vendors. It is so dirt cheap and delicious! When I started thinking of street vendors, it really made me miss George's Gyros in the Ped Mall in Iowa City. And it really, really made me miss Pop's Italian Beef!!!! I have such amazing memories of getting those with Will in the summertime and just savoring its meaty, juicy goodness.... Mmmm!

My favorite food here from the sidewalk vendors is the hoddeok, a thick fried pancake with warm, gooey brown sugar inside. And this treat is only 500 Won!

Basket Full of Kittens

2009-03-06T08:49:00.002+09:00

Cute or creepy? I saw this basket full of fake kittens last weekend in Insadong and fell in love with these little faux monsters.

A Fine Sunday Protest

2009-03-04T20:46:00.003+09:00

I always enjoy the thrill of a nice protest in which the participants are shouting in a language that is entirely foreign and unfamiliar to me. At first, I felt a bit hesitant to join in with the excitement, being a foreigner and all. But after the all of the friendly smiles from angry Koreans I received, I figured I was in the clear for snapping as many tourist photos as I wanted. I am sure glad I didn't stumble onto an Anti-American protest on that day!!!

Antiques in Insadong

2009-03-03T19:31:00.006+09:00

I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy the area of Insadong in Seoul. Although it is extremely touristy, I feel it is immensely popular for good reason. The streets and alleys are made of brick and much of the architecture is of an older style. There are mountains and temples surrounding the area and there are many antiques and interesting tourist trinkets to be purchased here.

I love the antiques and dusty old things for sale on the streets.
I love the smell of food cooking from carts as I walk by.
I love the hustle and bustle and people weaving through crowd.
I LOVE Insadong market!

Dealing With Cultural Differences

2009-03-02T20:54:00.003+09:00

Lately, I have been trying to examine the feelings I have about Korean culture now that I have been here a good 6 months and have a better understanding of how things work. There are certain things about living and working here that make me uneasy. These feelings can contribute to culture shock. I love psychology, so naturally, I am very interested in this subject!

In any case, I took this information from a website I came across explaining why one would suffer from "Culture Shock." After reading this information, I wanted to shout a resounding "YES!!!!!!!" This site totally nailed it in terms of why one might feel so strange in a different place.

What are the causes of culture shock?

• Being cut off from cultural signals and known patterns of communication, especially the subtle, indirect ways of expressing feelings.
• Living or working over an extended period of time in a situation that is ambiguous.
• Having personal values (which were previously considered absolutes) brought into question.
• Being continually put into positions in which you are expected to function with maximum skill and speed, but where the rules have not been adequately explained.

The following chart explains the difference between American culture and Korean culture.

MONOCHROMATICE CULTURES	POLYCHROMATIC CULTURES

Take time commitments seriously	Time commitments are an objective to achieve, if possible
Adhere religiously to plans	Change plans often and easily
Emphasize promptness	Base promptness on the relationship
Short-term relationships	LIfetime relationships
Do one thing at a time	Do many things at once
Respect for private property Seldom borrow or lend	Reciprocal obligations Borrow and lend often and easily
Low context (one says what one means)	High context (words are not the full picture)

North America, UK, Germany, Switzerland & Scandinavia	France, Italy, Latin America, Spain, North Africa, China, Japan, Korea

Quite interesting, right?

Korean's flag held by a child

2009-03-01T23:18:00.002+09:00

Today in Insadong, I wanted to take a picture of this cute tot with Korean flags. Her parents made her pose :)

A Day in Itaewon

2009-02-28T12:39:00.002+09:00

Last Saturday, I needed to get a few things in Itaewon, the foreigner's district of Seoul. First stop, Hannam Market to get Tums, Cheetos, Gardetos, and Oreos. What a sinful and yet delightful treat!

I also took a trip to Harley Davidson right up the street. How frickin' cool to see bad-ass Korean motorcycle guys in leather and chains everywhere!

I also found "Love Love" one of the only adult stores I have seen in Korea. Among other strange delights, I also ran into a strange assortment of masks in an alley. I have to admit, Itaewon's grimy streets have grown on me a bit.

Ghetto Fabulous Mannequins

2009-02-26T22:05:00.002+09:00

I love the crazy mannequins outside of the stores in Seoul. Window shopping:)

Doctor Whazzup?!

2009-02-25T18:58:00.002+09:00

Check it out! In Myeong-dong they have cute doctor dudes dancing and rapping to entice people to come in. Yay!

Wrapped up just for you!

2009-02-23T19:07:00.002+09:00

I bought a blindboxed figure recently and got incredibly lucky to pull this cutie out of the box. In addition to being cute, she is wearing nothing but the yellow ribbon she is all tied up in. Yay!

The Worthless Won

2009-02-20T18:27:00.003+09:00

I am soo very scared because the value of the South Korean Won has dropped about 10 cents (per US dollar) in the last week or so. Although this is not the first time for this to happen, I feel very worried about being here in this country for the first time. Basically, with the current exchange rate, I am making less dollars here than at my former factory job in Iowa City. Considering that I still have bills to pay back home, this totally sucks!

The other worrisome thing that has been on my mind recently is the developing tensions between North and South Korea. North Korea is putting together an army as we speak. North Korea has torn up all peaceful agreements with South Korea, siting hostile intent. Government officials have stated that the two Koreas are "on the brink of war."

This leaves many questions on my mind concerning the safety and well-being of a person currently living in Korea. At what point should the country be considered unsafe and should we foreigners bail out on the country? Is the pitiful amount of money I am making enough to keep me here?

Yikes!

I've Got Just One Magic Trick

2009-02-19T20:22:00.002+09:00

I love my little bunny magician girl! She makes me happy every time I glance over at her:)

Preschool Valentine's Cuties

2009-02-16T19:23:00.006+09:00

Call me maternal or whatever but I think my little preschoolers are so very cute! While they tend to be monsters most of the time, when they are busy with scissors, glue, and crayons, they can be pretty darn adorable and non-obnoxious.

Sarah Y. showing off her Valentine's Day heart guy.

Mingi being innocent for a moment before doing something bad.

Jiho- a total sweetheart and overachiever at the tender age of 6.

Jenny actually finished something! Her little heart guy looks great.

Jay being his usual precocious self.

Eddie doesn't care to learn English but that doesn't stop him from being kinda sweet.

Christina D. is a rare child from another planet.

Hena learning the ways of women by being sweet to Matthew only to get what she wants.

Erica, my new little class spazz.

Christina J. and Tina being besties.

Brianna is always rocking the princess dress get-ups and pink glasses.

Its hard to believe someday Albert and June will run Samseong and get drunk off of Soju together every night, singing at Norebang with high dollar call girls. Or maybe not. But still!

In March, these preschoolers get to move on to Kindergarden and I get a new batch of naughty little bundles of energy to tear my hair out about. Fun, fun!

Little Plane Girls

2009-02-15T20:50:00.005+09:00

Last weekend, I went to the Yongsan Electronics Market in Seoul to get some goodies for my Nintendo DS. While waiting for my cartridge to me fixed up, I ran into a cool little shop filled with the best collection of anime figurines I have seen in South Korea so far. I was in nerd heaven!!!!

I found this series of cat earred, airplane legged fighter girls completely irresistable and decided they would be amazing to get my boy for Valentine's Day. The one with the eye patch reminds me of Kill Bill and the one in green, my favorite, looks like a hot WWII soldier. How very cool, right?

Ugh! My nutrition in Korea is TERRIBLE!

2009-02-15T12:07:00.004+09:00

I feel disgusting and sickly here in Korea. The air is aweful and I have no cooking opportunites, seeing as all I have is 2 burners, 2 pots, and a mini fridge. The fruit and veggies here taste kinda gross sometimes- flavorless and lacking. And expensive!

As a result, I pretty much only eat things to fill my stomach and just barely make it by- and end up getting sick all of the time! I used to be able to eat the Korean food but have had stomach problems the last month and a half so I have been unable to eat anything spicy, with caffeine, or fatty. That pretty much limits me to eating..... nothing in this country!

I am going to be sooooo hungry when I finally come back to the United States!

Candy is Bad for Teeth!

2009-02-14T21:05:00.003+09:00

OUCH! Maybe all of the Valentine's Day candy was a bad, bad idea. My damn tooth is killing me again. And its the one that I paid good money to get fixed a few months ago. Grrrrr.

Not a happy tooth :(

Snapshots with First Graders

2009-02-10T23:32:00.005+09:00

We had some extra time to kill in class today so I let every one of my kids take a photo with my camera. (Hey, I figure my Canon digital cam is pretty indestructible, right?) I ended up with some really great photos and the kids seemed to have a great time goofing around for a little while. Korean kids work sooo hard all the time so it is nice to see them happy and having fun!

My extra special student, Edward just being his usual weird-o self.

The class suck-ups Catherine and Suyeon. Very nice girls but such teacher's pets!

Chung-ah and Ariel, two goofy friends who like to draw boobs. Naughty, naughty!

The often studious and over-achieving Annie. She reads more than any other kid in first grade and often times says she is afflicted with the "Giggle virus" when she can't quit laughing!

My kids giving teacher some love:)

Being crazy with teacher. I love it!

I love glasses on kids. Pretty cute.

Trying not to smile?

Seriously, this is the sad, serious face Annie makes 90% of the time. That girl was born to study.

See, they are totally having fun in my class.... And learning too, right? Ha ha!

Harry- what a ham. That kid will NEVER sit still.

Catherine, my bright little scholar.

These girls loooooove pink, right?

A-dorable Warning Signs

2009-02-09T20:28:00.004+09:00

It is soo impossible for me to take these warning signs seriously, what with being so cutesy-wootsie gosh darn adorwaaable! The little bobble head construction worker guy warms my heart, even when he is faced with danger and death:) Look at those big beady eyes!

ABC, 123

2009-02-09T20:21:00.002+09:00

At the ABC Mart in Myeung-dong, you can buy lots of popular brands of shoes for a pretty decent price. They have a killer selection of Converse and Vans, and it is also the place where I got my Baby G watch. The only annoying thing about that place? They always blare annoying music and the employees clap and yell things loudly in an attempt to get you pumped to buy stuff. Uh.

2 - Cute

2009-02-08T21:57:00.003+09:00

What could possibly be cuter than adoooorable Korean girls giving the peace sign and holding giant ice cream cones? Ahhhh!

I was proud of myself for getting this photo. Some one was taking a photo for these girls with their camera and I simply just snapped one too. I felt quite crafty:)

Wheelchair Guy Sings the Blues

2009-02-08T21:49:00.003+09:00

On your way up the hill to Myeong-dong, you are certain to see wheelchair guy singing along incoherently to a tape recording of traditional Korean tunes. It sounds something like a low mumbling "Uhhhhhhhhh muuuuuh blooooob." And in recognition of his misfortunes and pitiful singing, you contribute lots of Won into his wooden box.

Healthy Graffiti

2009-02-08T21:46:00.003+09:00

In a dirty, dingy hallway somewhere in Itaewon, someone is concerned that we should eat healthy foods. So here lies the cutest and healthiest wall art of all time:)

Matching Couples!

2009-02-08T21:26:00.002+09:00

Nothing shows your status as a solid couple here in Korea more than matching outfits.

Seriously.

Street Vendor in Suji

2009-02-08T20:43:00.002+09:00

I am always interested in the street vendors in South Korea with an equal amount of admiration and pity. On one hand, they are their own boss and don't give a #$*! where they park their goods to sell. On the other hand, they are probably poor has hell and it terrible health from sitting in the same place all day long in all sorts of terrible weather.

This lady in Suji is always right outside of Dunkin' Donuts selling her veggies and whatnot. The whatnot is included here. I think those little things are silk worms. All I know is that they were gross and they smelled bad.

Be My Gay Korean Valentine

2009-02-04T22:33:00.004+09:00

Valentine's Day in Korea is the special month where girls give the chocolate and lovin' to guys. But you know what? I can't tell the difference here between that and GAY DAY. It's they day when Korean guys can be on gooey pink hearts together professing their love for one another in public. I love it.

Delicious, Cute Girl

2009-02-04T22:20:00.003+09:00

You know how I am. I enjoy cute things- especially the glitter, big eyed cartoon girl stationary items. Soooo overwhelmingly adorable:)

Daiso Dollar Store Finds

2009-02-04T22:11:00.002+09:00

Today, I ventured into dollar store and ended up buying some Hello Kitty junk and nothing that I needed. For 1,000 won each, could you blame me?

Crafting 101

2009-02-04T22:03:00.004+09:00

I decorated a box! In reality, I just wanted to test out all of the cute colored tape that I bought from the stationary store. And what is the box for? To house my call girl card collection!!!!

Oh my Won!

2009-02-04T21:44:00.003+09:00

Lately, I have been feeling lonely, boring, and sad winter days at home, what with being sick and Will being gone. Korea is nothing new or exciting to me anymore so I am just going to rejoice in the simple things here that make me happy. I have to try not to forget those simple things!

One thing that I always enjoy about this country is the act of withdrawing money from the ATM at the bank. The bills are always crisp and new, and the largest denomination is 10,000 Won, something like a $10 dollar bill! So even with the smallest amount of money, you feel like a rich cat as you fan in out and dream big! Ha ha!

Shrimp-Flavored Everything

2009-02-04T21:40:00.002+09:00

Even after being in Korea for nearly 6 months, my mind is still completely boggled by the idea of eating shrimp-flavored snacks. Korean kids especially seem to dig these smelly treats and leave me gagging everytime they bring these things to munch on in class. The only thing worse in my mind- dried squid snacks!

Pills and More Pills

2009-02-04T21:30:00.002+09:00

In Korea, there is no such thing as a medicine section of the grocery store. One must instead go directly to the neighborhood pharmacist and ask for what they need. Either that or pay a visit to the doctor, which costs a minuscule 3,000 Won (Less than $3 USD). You then hand your script to the pharmacist and get little wax paper packets chock full of mystery pills! Weeeee! I have no clue what I am taking, but I guess they have done a fair job at combating the wicked case of Korean flu I had a few days back:)

2 Bad Things

2009-02-02T18:45:00.001+09:00

The past few days have been overshadowed by 2 very bad things:

1. North Korea trying to start more war with South Korea.

2. Having a bone chilling, feverish flu.

Both are aweful and need to end A.S.A.P.

Thanks!

Smokestacks in the Sunset

2009-02-01T00:04:00.003+09:00

Sometimes, even the smokestacks near my house can be a beautiful site to see.

Korean teens are soooo cool

2009-02-01T00:00:00.004+09:00

Just your typical Korean teenage girls, being all cool or whatever. I really should get more pictures of the kids around here!

Alessi!

2009-01-31T23:40:00.003+09:00

I always enjoy looking at clever, cute, and colorful things. Hence why I enjoy the designs of Alessi! At the Shinsigae department store, there is a display of Alessi and I love to fantasize about buying all of it!

Hitler is on the $20 Dollar Bill

2009-01-28T19:38:00.005+09:00

Thank God for kids like Edward, my little weirdo first grader that reminds me that not ALL Korean kids stick to the homogeneity of their culture.

ho·mo·ge·neous

1 : of the same or a similar kind or nature
2 : of uniform structure or composition throughout

Yes, that one word about sums up the Korean population. But not Edward. He is truly one of a kind. Edward is the kid who wears moon boots everyday who constantly mortifies his classmates on insisting that extraterrestrials are real and looming outside of thier windows at night. He is kid who stares blankly into space while the rest of the class is reading a lively story about a dragon going to the grocery store and blurts out a question during this time, "Teacher, how does a rocket propel itself into the air?"

Basically, Edward is your typical completely brilliant kid who is socially retarded and completely clueless in the field pertaining to common sense. In other words, I totally adore the kid.

Well, anyhow, today in class, we were discussing American currency and I asked the question to the kids, "Who is on the $1 dollar bill?" And they answered, "George Washington," like properly trained chimps. And then I asked, "And who is on the $5 dollar bill?" One of the smart kids in class answered, "Abraham Lincoln." And then I asked, "OK, who is on the $20 dollar bill?" With complete and utter confidence Edward blurted out, "Hitler!"

I nearly fell out of my chair, not knowing weather to laugh hysterically or die of shock. Best of all, when I tried to correct him, he further insisted that it was true and that he read it somewhere that Hitler was on the $20 dollar bill. Oh man, classic.

Its days like these that make me happy to be a teacher.

On the rooftop of Itaewon

2009-01-27T23:10:00.003+09:00

Photos taken from the rooftop of Itaewon in December.

Sushi with Will

2009-01-27T22:59:00.002+09:00

Will took some adorable photos at sushi when he was here and I thought I would share them. I miss having my sushi buddy here!

Food in Korea

2009-01-27T22:44:00.004+09:00

Is anyone hungry? Will took some wonderful photos of the food while here in Korea.

Sushi from my favorite Suji sushi restaurant. Only $8 for this whole plate of sushi!!!

Soup and rice from the mondu place.

Mondu from the mondu restaurant on the strip. Yum!

Galbi from the cheap place:) My favorite!

Be My Valentine

2009-01-27T12:47:00.002+09:00

These little cuties want to warm your heart and melt the snow away:)

Earmuffs!

2009-01-26T15:59:00.003+09:00

I think earmuffs are the cutest! I managed to take a photo of a girl standing clear across the street with my 12x zoom. I might add, taking a photo of a Korean girl is like taking a photo in the wild of chupacubra- They are elusive and just ain't havin' it. Everytime you pull out the camera, they cover their face or turn around. Which explains why I have zero pictures of adult Koreans. To solve this problem, the 12x zoom was invented! Those muffs are huge and fluffy and sooo cute:)

Snow Day!

2009-01-26T15:56:00.001+09:00

Sometimes, walking home in the snow is actually kind of fun! Yesterday is a perfect example:)

Snowy Nights in Korea

2009-01-25T12:03:00.000+09:00

Wide-Eyed Mannequins

2009-01-25T11:52:00.003+09:00

I thought these wide-eyed mannequins were the cutest! The one on the top is the epitome of Korean fashion at the moment.

Snowy, cold day at Ewha Women's University

2009-01-25T11:46:00.003+09:00

It was sooo cold yesterday while walking around the Ewha Women's University area but I still managed to snap a few photos. I was super depressed when I got there because my 2 favorite stores in the area were closed- San-X and the Japanese toy store. Damn!

Sunset.....

Giant shoe? Huh?

Nerdy Kid Drawings

2009-01-22T21:34:00.001+09:00

I have been on a roll with the cute Koreans sketches. These are my nerdy girl and boy portraits that make me really happy!

Even the Koreans Love Obama

2009-01-22T21:26:00.004+09:00

As an American abroad, I feel like I have been missing out on all of the excitement. It seems the Koreans really like Obama over here. This morning when I stepped out of my door, there was a newspaper with Obama on front on step.

Hanging out around Miguim

2009-01-22T21:09:00.003+09:00

I was pleasantly surprised today. I got off early from work and decided to take a bus to Shinsigae. I took bus #11, which ended up being the wrong bus but I decided to stay on anyhow just to see where it ended up. It ended up in Miguim, a neighboring town! This is also the place where the 2001 Outlet Mall is so I strolled around a bit, ate some Pho, and snapped some photos.

Cola Chews and King Worms Galore

2009-01-21T19:53:00.002+09:00

When my boyfriend was here in Korea last month, he developed an overbearing love for cola flavored candy and Korean gummy worms so I decided to buy some candy to send him! Yum!

Panda Hat

2009-01-21T19:37:00.003+09:00

After getting one for a friend, I couldn't resist getting one for myself as well. Everywhere in Korea, little kids wear animal hats- soo popular here. Makes me feel like a kid again!

Meat Shipment at the Butcher

2009-01-21T19:31:00.003+09:00

As I was strolling my way to the grocery store, I noticed that the butcher had a fresh shipment of meat in- the whole cow! All of the meat is hung from the ceiling by hooks with bones and all. I am disgusted but captivated at the same time by this gruesome sight.

Like Nesting Dolls

2009-01-20T22:35:00.007+09:00

Lately, I have had plenty of free time on my hands due to the fact that it is wintertime. My boredom has led me to actually pick up a pencil and draw for the first time in like years. I am actually pleasantly surprised how my first few drawings have turned out.

I wanted them to look awkward yet fashionable and cute like the Korean kids around here in the suburbs. Some of the kids are soo dumpy and dorky yet adorable here! And their parents dress them in rather whimsical outfits at times. Oh, and the ajumas were fur, real fur. Its everywhere in Korea. Uh.

Typical Korean pre-teen off to the hagwon to learn some English.

Grumpy and frumpy old money ajuma showing off her fur pelt.

Dumpy kid magnificently dressed by her parents to attempt cuteness.

I think I will attempt more sketches and see what I can come up with! They entertain me to say the least.

Glorious Corner Store

2009-01-19T23:26:00.002+09:00

I really enjoy the fact that this little store has all the snacks and drinks I could possibly want literally 30 seconds away from my front door. Like at 11:30 at night, I can decide I want an apple juice and just throw my coat on over my pajamas and I am there!

Added bonus: The super hot Jinro Soju ads on the side!

Jimjilbang.... A day spent with hundreds of naked Korean women.

2009-01-19T18:38:00.004+09:00

Yesterday was a first for me. I spent the day with hundreds of naked Korean women young and old at the jimjilbang.... The communal Korean bathhouse. A coworker and I decided to brave it out and experience jimjilbang together on Sunday afternoon.

When you first arrive, you pay 7,000 won (about $5) and receive 2 little bitty towels and a tshirt and shorts. The sauna is segregated between men and women so you then head into the women's only locker area. Then, you remove your shoes and place them into a little locker for shoes. There are 100's of these little lockers!

After you lock up your shoes, you then receive a key for a larger locker where everything else goes into. And I mean EVERYTHING. You soon give up hope of ever being able to cover up with the little hand towel you were given and bare it all just like everyone else.

For Korean people, the sauna is a normal place for families to go. Mothers and daughters are all around you, some with naked little babies, and there are saggy old ajumas, as well as rail thin 20-somethings. Everyone is naked and scrubbing one another like they haven't a care in the world. So much scrubbing!

Welp, after you are unclothed, you must first shower and scrub clean before getting into one of the baths or saunas. There are many baths to choose from of varying temperatures ranging from scalding hot to ice cold. There is one bath that contains salt and minerals that feels great. Another of my favorites is the bath with incredibly strong jets. Ahhhhhhhh......

There are also 2 saunas- a wet sauna and a dry sauna that is at a steaming 98 degrees Celcius. That is HOT, HOT, HOT! Whew! And there are little sitting showers that seem quite popular where women sit and scrub away at their bodies. I have honestly never seen so much scrubbing in my entire life! Everyone is scrubbing one another on every place on the body imaginable! I never knew people took being clean to this degree. Wow.

I think my coworker and I were about the most frightening monstrosities Korean people had ever seen in their lives, what with her being a skinny African American girl and me being pale and curvy and covered in tattoos. Like the odd couple. Besides the few dirty looks I received from conservate old ajumas and the curious looks received from children, I think I can handle the jimjilbang alright.

All in all, our afternoon at the jimjilbang was quite enjoyable and I came out feeling as if I had been drugged with something very good. I was soooooooooo relaxed. Whew!

Highlighted and Happy

2009-01-18T19:46:00.004+09:00

Today, I went to the hair salon inside of Lotte Mart to get my hair highlighted. I figure since it is the place where pretty much all foreigners here in Suji go to get their hair cut, they would do a good job. Turns out I was right!

My stylist did a great job and she could speak pretty good English as well. When she was washing my hair, she gave me and amazing scalp massage for like 20 minutes. I was in heaven!

I think the hair turned out cute so I am happy. Excuse the totally Myspace worthy photos I took by myself. Ha ha!

Korean Nutrition Label Information

2009-01-18T18:49:00.004+09:00

I am happy to say that I have found translation for nutrition information of pre-packaged foods from Korean to English. Hooray! Now I will know just how much fat is in the food I eat!

열량 Calories
탄수와물 Carbs
당류 Sugar
단백질 protein
지방 Fat
포화지방 unsat fat
트랜스지방 trans fat
콜레스테롤 cholesterol
나트륨 sodium
칼슘 calcium
식이셤유 fiber

Too Much Preschool Cuteness!

2009-01-18T09:51:00.004+09:00

Don't be fooled by their cuteness. They are really a naughty handful!

How cute? Too cute!!!

Many of the boys favor the "Vulcan" style haircut.

These kids have had WAAAAY too much sugar.

James, my quiet new boy. They always start quiet and then turn into little devils.

Sunny, my little sweetheart. She loves to give hugs.

Jenny, another very sweet girl, who is always forgetting and speaking in Korean when she is in class!

Brianna and Emily, my little Panda Class girls. They are a very cute combo.

Tina, and her missing teeth:)

Victor... This kid is soo smart but quite a handful!

The girls!

The boys eating cookies. Mmmmmm.

Say "Kimchi"!!!!

Going to the Movies Means I Get Toys!!!!!

2009-01-18T09:23:00.003+09:00

Last night, my friend Lindsay and I went to the movies to see "Yes Man" with Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel. The movie was very funny and we couldn't help to laugh more due to the fact that half of the jokes were lost in translation. We were laughing so hard that tears were about to run down our faces and everyone else was dead silent. I am not sure a joke about gonorrhea translates well, huh?

In any case, going to the CGV, Korea's big movie theater chain, warrants a chance to buy lovely toys from the Gashapon dispensers. I unloaded the coins into the machine to see what I could end up with....

The ticket for the CGV. When you buy a ticket for the movies here, you choose a specific seat. Movie going is extremely popular here and most shows sell out in advance. Lindsay and I arrived over an hour early to buy tickets but still ended up with the dreaded front row tickets that kill your eyes. And this is for a movie that has been out for a month now!

This lovely Gashapon is from "Dead Agressor", which I am assuming is either an Anime or video game or some sort. I just wanted her because she was charming!

An extremely detailed and complex "Astro Boy" figure. I was very pleased with the detail of this toy, but sad that it wasn't one of the cute ones, but rather a super boyish one. Eh, I will give it to my boyfriend and he will be a happy guy, right?

Mashed Potatoes and Honey Lemon Tea

2009-01-17T12:09:00.003+09:00

What is the best thing about waking up at 11 a.m. on a Saturday morning? Home-made mashed potatoes and honey lemon tea!

Preschool Birthday Time!!!!!!!

2009-01-16T21:11:00.004+09:00

I think the preschool birthdays are the best! I don't have to teach and they get to stuff their faces with cake and snacks. A win/win situation!

My Nutty Kids

2009-01-16T20:51:00.006+09:00

My preschool boys are total hams! They like to make silly faces and I like to take photos of it!

A Tiny Bit of Snow for Korea

2009-01-16T20:47:00.001+09:00

Korea got a bit of snow!

The Beautiful Side of Itaewon

2009-01-14T19:53:00.004+09:00

I usually think Itaewon is an ugly and horrid place but a few weeks ago, Will and I went up to "Hooker Hill" and found a beautiful view of the city. This area of the city is older and has less high rise buildings. The streets are winding, gritty, and dirty and I actually kind of liked it.

Preschool Portraits

2009-01-14T19:35:00.002+09:00

Today at Poly, my preschoolers had to do self portraits. I showed my students portraits by Picasso, Warhol, and Van Gogh and maybe it inspired them? Ha ha. Or not. Either way, I thought some of them were a-doooooorable!

Cutie Valentine's Day Heart Guys

2009-01-12T23:06:00.005+09:00

Cute, cute, cute! Admittedly, I saw these little guys on fredflare.com and fell in love so I decided to see if I could make copies of them for myself. Easy cheesy! These little guys were made my cutting out paper hearts from a perfect heart pattern I drew and cutting out white eyes and coloring in the details with markers. Maybe a half hour project total and I must say they turned out awesome.

Next time I will have to come up with my own Valentine ideas but in defense of copying, I really wanted these little dudes! Besides, I would never pay fredflare.com $10 bucks and they don't ship to Korea!

Visual Stimuli

2009-01-12T23:00:00.003+09:00

I am a big fan of plentiful and eyesore visual stimuli so I decided to put together a little something to hold some of the photobooth stickers I have been collecting. I made this little thing by covering a piece of white paper with decorative tapes and then adding the photobooth stickers and glittery, puffy, cute, and gaudy stickers galore.

I shall call this masterpiece: "Smile Happy".

Fantastic Postcards from Liu Ye

2009-01-12T22:54:00.003+09:00

I was perfectly enchanted by these lovely postcards I picked up by the Chinese artist Liu Ye. They are so pulp and kitch, yet pretty and refined. Maybe you will enjoy them as well?

Coochie Underwear

2009-01-11T20:05:00.003+09:00

I am not sure what the reasoning is behind the names of many of these Korean clothing stores. This one in particular had me choking back the laughter. Is this the same as "coochie"? Cause we all know undies cover up your cooch, but is it really necessary to name the underwear store "Coochai"? Sheesh!

Dr. You, I LOVE YOU!!!!

2009-01-11T19:58:00.003+09:00

I love to try new and delicious snacks here in Korea and my most recent discovery is pure gold. Dr. You's Original Rice Chip is so much more tasty than you would expect. These puffed rice chips are the perfectly crisp and a satisfying blend of sweet and salty.

Best of all, I can pretend like they are not so bad for me since they are disguised as a healthy food product. Mmmmm, delicious!

My New Doc Martin Mary Janes!!!!

2009-01-11T19:48:00.003+09:00

Seeing as I have basically worn my former pair to dust, I have been in the market for a new pair of Mary Jane's for a while now. I went shopping today with the intent of buying the sweet pair of Doc Martin Mary Jane's I have had my eye on for some time now. I was about to shell out the 150,000 Won for them when these sweet puppies caught my eye.

For only 70,000 Won (about $50 USD), I picked up this cute burgundy pair instead. As luck would have it, this was the last pair, on sale, and my size! They fit like a glove and don't even hurt like heels usually do. The inner tomboy in me nods its head at the comfort factor, and the girlie girl within giggles with delight.

The are very cute, yes?

Samsung Plaza

2009-01-11T19:33:00.005+09:00

As pathetic and ridiculous as it may seem, until yesterday I had not yet been to Samsung Plaza. Little did I know, this rich blooded Korean shopping center is only maybe 5 subway stops away. The thing about living in Korea amongst all of these upper, upper, UPPER crust shopping centers is that I have come to realize that Koreans are loaded and Americans are poor, sad, and pathetic people. Koreans must buy 90% of all Chanel, Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton sold on the face of this planet. And they do so with ease. Everywhere you look in Korea, there is a Starbucks and an ultra rich shopping center with Koreans buying up luxury goods like they are going out of style.

In case you are in the market for $2,000 handbags and $50 mascara, scoot on down to Samsung Plaza located conveniently on the Bundang line right above Seohyeon Station.

Vinyl Toys That Make Me Smile

2009-01-10T12:34:00.004+09:00

More toys!!! I know that I am an adult and all that, but toys are sooo awesome and these toys are meant for adult collectors like myself. Nerdy right? But you know you are jealous!

Hot anime figurine Will bought me from the hobby store.

Half & Half Tokidoki Moofia vinyl figurine.

Sanrio Hello Kitty Blind-boxed collectibles Will got me for Christmas. An Urban Outfitters exclusive. Series 2.

Little girl sitting under a tree. I love this one!

Plushies from Kinki Robot

2009-01-10T12:24:00.003+09:00

On one trip to Kinki Robot, I was lucky enough to encounter a sale! I got each of these adorable plushies for only 5,000 won each.... This is like the equivalent of about $3.50 U.S. dollars. I love them! The plushies on top are Aquapods and on the bottom are baby Gloomy Bears. Is it love at first sight?

Cute Eats

2009-01-10T12:14:00.003+09:00

I wanted to share with you these very cute kitchen goods. The little fork and spoon collection have pictures on top of a turtle, octopus, fish, and penguin. The little containers can be used for soy sauce or salad dressing for picnics or lunches. You could even put your favorite lotion in one for travel. And at only 1,000 won each, its a steal!

My First Call Girl Card Collection

2009-01-10T12:07:00.004+09:00

Show and tell time! Here is my lovely collection of call girl cards I have been collecting from the windows or cars on my walk to school every morning.

A Wonderful Month With Him Comes To An End

2009-01-10T11:11:00.008+09:00

My month with Will came and went like a blink of an eye. I still can't believe he is gone! I didn't realize how lonely I was here until I had someone to hang out with all of the time again. Now, my apartment feels so empty and I feel miserable passing by all of the places we would go together. I wish he didn't have to go!

I will say that it was a wonderful month full of fantastic dates out and days of laziness inside. Sometimes I think it is the days spent indoors with the one you love that are the most enjoyable. Will and I would take turns running out to get snacks from the cornerstore so we could curl back up into bed and watch episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" or "Freaks and Geeks" of of the net. I felt very happy.

It wasn't a day without getting Korean BBQ or eating out at cute restaurant for dinner everyday. And many times, we would follow dinner by splitting a piece of cheesecake from Han's Patisserie. Everyday was delicious!

I introduced Will to many awesome Korean foods and snacks including:
Cola Chews
King Worms
Chilsung Cider
Korean BBQ
Cass
Dunkin' Donuts galore ( I know, not Korean but they are EVERYWHERE here)

How I wish he could have stayed! I look fondly back on this past month as one of the best we have had together and it makes me smile.

New Year's Eve at Club Mass

2009-01-09T08:49:00.007+09:00

Happy New Year!!!!

I decided to post some of the crazy photos taken from New Year's Eve at Club Mass. The same buff stud-muffins and bad ass tranny as LCD Soundsystem performed and I was loving it! Ah, the confetti bursting into the sky the the gay dance music.... Brings a tear to my eye!

Love it!

Enjoy!

The first photos of 2009

2009-01-08T20:46:00.003+09:00

After ringing in the new year, Will and I decided to hit up a photobooth place for some late night photos.... It is amazing to me that these things are alive and actually busy as hell at 2 a.m. but hey, this is Korea, right? So here you have it- the first photos of 2009.

Nightclubbing for New Years

2009-01-08T20:33:00.003+09:00

Here are a few cute photos of Will and I from New Year's Eve 2008. We headed into Seoul and hit Club Mass in Gangnam so we could people watch rich and gorgeous Koreans and watch in agony as fellow foreigners showed up looking haggard and homely. There really is no comparison between a hot Korean girl and the average American or Canadian girl. The Korean girl is always a million times hotter, hands down. Soooo well dressed, very skinny, great hair, always in heels, and just really well put together. It was funny watching the ugly foreigner guys try and strike out time and time again in their attempts to get a Korean girl. They just weren't having it!

So anyhow, here is Will and I trying our best to look presentable in the midst of all of these awe-inspiring beauties. Sigh.