happy 2008! my friends and co-workers, diana, amber, chris, dm and i went to the neighboring city of anyang and had a very fun and chill celebration. there were several other bigger celebrations happening in seoul, a big outdoor countdown not unlike nyc, at city hall and the usual hot spots, hongdae and gangnam, i'm sure sported happy go lucky vibes. but honestly, i was super content to keep things local and simple, especially since work ends at 10:30pm, leaving not much time before the clock strikes midnight.
we went to a hip hop club which had good music and a chill, dive bar like atmosphere. oh hellllllllllllyeah! that's what i'm talking about! (for dc-ers, think a dan's cafe, raven and chief ike's combo!) one of the club workers walked around a few minutes before the shift into the new year and handed sparklers (ooh! sparklers! so pretty!) to everyone. then the tv showcased the countdown from city hall and within seconds, we all shouted happy new year! let it be known that i'm not the biggest new year's party fan, but, i was happy to be out (shoot! to even be out was a treat! my sickness is on it's last legs...) with such good company and doing what i love, dancing and watching others have a ball doing the same.
afterwards, we went to mcdonald's. i know right? wtf? did i not watch supersize me? have i not read parts of fast food nation? but, it was late and mickey d's was open. so mickey d's it was. not surprisingly, the portions were appropriate and there was no supersize option in sight. and well, you know how i get around french fries...another bar, and a few drinks later, we went to, of course, norehbang! and sang out new year's little hearts out! we rolled home around 6 am. party like a rockstar, party like a mothereffin rock star. may you all party like rockstars!
Monday, December 31, 2007
overzealous...
so maybe i was a bit overzealous in my assumption that i'd feel 100% better by the weekend. call it the power of wishful thinking. i am, however, feeling much better today. i've been sleeping a lot and in addition to that, taking naps (double sleeping) and drinking plenty of water. i'm coughing less and luckily, the coughs are now "dry." my voice sounds less scratchy or "strange" as my students described it. i am more than ready to be fully healthy again.
Friday, December 28, 2007
magic drugs
the strands of cold over hurrrrrrr in korea are wicked. it's no wonder that nearly every westerner that arrives to k-town gets sick so often in the first few months. these are foreign viruses that our non-native bodies don't know how to f-f-f-fight, just yet anyhoo. now, i'm not one to instantly pop a pill because i've got a sickness, so, i suffered a congested face, body aches, the and the worst cough (ahem, hacking!) that has come our of my mouth in years.
but you know what you gotta do? fight korean colds with korean drugs. i'm thankful my friend and co-worker diana took me to the pharmacy after work and helped me find drugs that are more of the herbal variety. i have to take the meds 3 times a day. one set of pills helps with my runny nose. the other set is more like dried herbal pellets. it feels like sand that melts and becomes a dry paste in your mouth. gross, right? but then you wash it down with a warm ginseng root tasting beverage. i slept like a champ! i already feel much better than i did yesterday, and, if i feel this good within a 24 hour time period, i'm going to feel fantastic by the weekend! radical!
but you know what you gotta do? fight korean colds with korean drugs. i'm thankful my friend and co-worker diana took me to the pharmacy after work and helped me find drugs that are more of the herbal variety. i have to take the meds 3 times a day. one set of pills helps with my runny nose. the other set is more like dried herbal pellets. it feels like sand that melts and becomes a dry paste in your mouth. gross, right? but then you wash it down with a warm ginseng root tasting beverage. i slept like a champ! i already feel much better than i did yesterday, and, if i feel this good within a 24 hour time period, i'm going to feel fantastic by the weekend! radical!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
troublemaker
sometimes, my students are too funny! the other night, we were going over a sentence with the word troublemaker in it. i caught the class clown, won joon, drawing a funny face on the back of his paper. he put another student's name, alice, on it, and teased her with his drawing, completely unsuspecting that i'd look up at that exact moment. so, i wrote his name on the board and made an example of him.
"class," i said, "a troublemaker is someone that makes trouble. now, see what won joon has done? (i held up the drawing for dramatic effect!) yes, this type of thing is what a troublemaker does. so, won joon, is a troublemaker!" the class laughed and i was smiling too.
but the best thing is that won joon had a brilliant comeback. he said, "no teacher, i'm a happymaker!" i lost it and busted out laughing along with all my students.
"class," i said, "a troublemaker is someone that makes trouble. now, see what won joon has done? (i held up the drawing for dramatic effect!) yes, this type of thing is what a troublemaker does. so, won joon, is a troublemaker!" the class laughed and i was smiling too.
but the best thing is that won joon had a brilliant comeback. he said, "no teacher, i'm a happymaker!" i lost it and busted out laughing along with all my students.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
the unexpected
last saturday night, i went out with my p-town coworkers. we suffered a painfully slow and therefore looooooong taxi ride to hongdae from a moron who took us round and round. i wished that i had the vocabulary of a native to creatively backhand and belittle him who was not at all shy about voicing his opinions about us, mostly about the volume of our voices. he was a sexist, authoritative idiot, and yes, i know that there are plenty of those to go around no matter where you are, it's just that this was my first encounter in korea and it was frustrating as f.
to shake shake shake off the ill vibes, we went to a bar, drank and danced! the bar was called tinpan 2. (yes, there's a tinpan 1 and it's across the street.) i hadn't seen this many foreigners in one place before, besides my english speaking cohorts at work, that is. it was both comforting and strange to hear so much english...i felt like i was in any other bar in the states. after 2 long island teas, i was in fine form! i hit the dance the floor and (how embarrassing!) did the drunk man dance, the dance where you creep up behind someone and attempt to "dance" aka, get your freak on. luckily for me, my victim was a bold, dashingly cute, fun-loving korean who was also in the mood to entertain and be entertained. we danced for a while and i was immediately drawn to his energy, his smile, his ability to speak english and understand my korean. in-effin-credible.
i was bummed out when he left with his friend but i very aggressively (and i hope not belligerently!) insisted that he take my number and call me. after he left, in my impatience, i texted him and we began to flirt via handphone. my co-worker, mina, who is mad fluent in korean and english flirted for me in korean and ooh wee, she's a quick one with the coy comebacks!
next thing i know, he's agreed to meet me in front of the bar and when i saw his face again, i was floored at how attractive he is. we spent an hour and 1/2 train ride (the train system opens at 5:30 in the morning...what can i say?! koreans know how to p-p-p-party!) talking, smiling and laughing. his name is ji suhk and he's 27 years old, studying law, preparing to take the exam. he's got this wanderlust, adventurous spirit about him which i find incredibly wonderful and unlike other korean guys i've met, he's laid back, multidimensional, dynamic and hilarious. i had no idea this would happen to me. it was the last thing i expected but i am so happy in this process of opening and discovering more about this boy, and more about myself when i'm with him.
to shake shake shake off the ill vibes, we went to a bar, drank and danced! the bar was called tinpan 2. (yes, there's a tinpan 1 and it's across the street.) i hadn't seen this many foreigners in one place before, besides my english speaking cohorts at work, that is. it was both comforting and strange to hear so much english...i felt like i was in any other bar in the states. after 2 long island teas, i was in fine form! i hit the dance the floor and (how embarrassing!) did the drunk man dance, the dance where you creep up behind someone and attempt to "dance" aka, get your freak on. luckily for me, my victim was a bold, dashingly cute, fun-loving korean who was also in the mood to entertain and be entertained. we danced for a while and i was immediately drawn to his energy, his smile, his ability to speak english and understand my korean. in-effin-credible.
i was bummed out when he left with his friend but i very aggressively (and i hope not belligerently!) insisted that he take my number and call me. after he left, in my impatience, i texted him and we began to flirt via handphone. my co-worker, mina, who is mad fluent in korean and english flirted for me in korean and ooh wee, she's a quick one with the coy comebacks!
next thing i know, he's agreed to meet me in front of the bar and when i saw his face again, i was floored at how attractive he is. we spent an hour and 1/2 train ride (the train system opens at 5:30 in the morning...what can i say?! koreans know how to p-p-p-party!) talking, smiling and laughing. his name is ji suhk and he's 27 years old, studying law, preparing to take the exam. he's got this wanderlust, adventurous spirit about him which i find incredibly wonderful and unlike other korean guys i've met, he's laid back, multidimensional, dynamic and hilarious. i had no idea this would happen to me. it was the last thing i expected but i am so happy in this process of opening and discovering more about this boy, and more about myself when i'm with him.
happy hweshik
in korea, instead of happy hours, companies host hweshiks, aka company sponsored dinners and drinks. yummers! last thursday, the p-town gang went to our hweshik and had a ball eating amazing beef, pork, and whatever else you can toss onto the barbeque: peppers, onions, kimchi, garlic and mushrooms.
now, you can't have a dinner party without drinks! most, if not all of us, got sufficiently liquored, aka, blasted on soju. oh the soj. we have the beginnings of a serious love/hate relationship...after our meal and more than several rounds of soju shots, we went out to, in classic korean fashion, none other than the nohrehbang. there we brought our best american idol-ish attempts. it was a blast. embarrassingly, there are significant chunks missing from my memory. yikes!
the soju drunk is unlike any other...after a few shots, i feel totally fine and it doesn't hit me until of course, i'm way past the buzz. yeah, i know right, you're thinking, uh, that's like everytime your drink more than you can handle...but! the thing about soju is, is that the gauge for drunkenness is in slow-mo. and so you don't ever feel out of control, which is fun, but, the hangover the next day is a wicked doozy.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
merry merry!
there's so much i want to tell, to write, to describe (partying with and getting to know the work crew, meeting randoms at bars, falling completely in enchantment with a special korean guy, making my house a home, feeling much more grounded and continuing to embrace the quirks of korea)...and when i am in better health i'll make the time to do so. but presently, and rather unfortunately, i have caught a cold for the second time this winter (wtf korea?! i haven't been this sick and in such repeated doses, in years!) so my holiday holla will be brief.
it doesn't feel at all like christmas. maybe it's because in korea, things continue as they usually do. no stores are closed, people work (yep, including me) and while people celebrate christmas, it's not nearly to the degree that it's celebrated in the states. i'm glad that it's not christmas crazy materialistic. though, believe me, koreans don't really need a holiday to get people to buy things! for some, i think shopping is like a full time job!
i went to suwon this morning to visit with my aunt and uncle. they are such lovely lovely people and i'll go back to suwon next wednesday to visit with my cousin who will be coming home for a week from japan! i've been re-connecting with family and friends, cultivating solid friendships, so i feel very gifted with such caring beautiful people closeby.
i miss you all stateside, that's FO'SHO! so holla at your girl, and i'll be sure to do the same. merry christmas! xoxoxoxox big love from k-town.
it doesn't feel at all like christmas. maybe it's because in korea, things continue as they usually do. no stores are closed, people work (yep, including me) and while people celebrate christmas, it's not nearly to the degree that it's celebrated in the states. i'm glad that it's not christmas crazy materialistic. though, believe me, koreans don't really need a holiday to get people to buy things! for some, i think shopping is like a full time job!
i went to suwon this morning to visit with my aunt and uncle. they are such lovely lovely people and i'll go back to suwon next wednesday to visit with my cousin who will be coming home for a week from japan! i've been re-connecting with family and friends, cultivating solid friendships, so i feel very gifted with such caring beautiful people closeby.
i miss you all stateside, that's FO'SHO! so holla at your girl, and i'll be sure to do the same. merry christmas! xoxoxoxox big love from k-town.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
over shoulders
whenever i'm on the subway, i like to entertain myself by counting 1) how many people are asleep or on the verge of sleeping (the answer: usually half) 2) how many are reading, playing with their cell phones or nintendo ds or some other techno gadget (answer: the other half) and 3) how many people i see looking over someone else's shoulder to see what they're doing (the rest).
last night after work, i went to itaewon to finally meet my friend reanna, who also knows emi, our mutual friend and connection. on the way, i sat next to a guy who i noticed was reading an english dictionary. i was completely amused by the illustrations which described noses...as in potato nose. huh? what? it also had dimple and cheek and other parts of the face. the illustrations were simple but a bit twisted. sort of like what might happen if keith haring met edward gorey. just not as dark, okay.
i realized that i caught myself as one who looks over shoulders and spontaneously asked him if he wanted to practice speaking english. he accepted my offer and we spoke in combination korenglish and had a really nice chat. he is finishing his last 8 months in the army, and will return to school to finish his studies in english lit. afterwards, he may pursue grad school in the states or find a job in korea. he was fun to talk to and i loved being able to so simply and easily start a conversation with it so well received. he's 26 years old and when i told him i was 28, he was surprised. he thought i was 22! huh? since when did my age keep getting younger? (wink, wink!)
work is going well. my kids amuse me, i amuse my kids and since i made having fun a priority in my classes, i give a lot of energy, which makes me wicked tired but satisfied. tonight our branch is having a hweshik, aka a work paid for happy hour! and you know what that means, drinks on the house, meals on the house and inevitably norehbang afterwards. i may just have to get my alicia keys on...
last night after work, i went to itaewon to finally meet my friend reanna, who also knows emi, our mutual friend and connection. on the way, i sat next to a guy who i noticed was reading an english dictionary. i was completely amused by the illustrations which described noses...as in potato nose. huh? what? it also had dimple and cheek and other parts of the face. the illustrations were simple but a bit twisted. sort of like what might happen if keith haring met edward gorey. just not as dark, okay.
i realized that i caught myself as one who looks over shoulders and spontaneously asked him if he wanted to practice speaking english. he accepted my offer and we spoke in combination korenglish and had a really nice chat. he is finishing his last 8 months in the army, and will return to school to finish his studies in english lit. afterwards, he may pursue grad school in the states or find a job in korea. he was fun to talk to and i loved being able to so simply and easily start a conversation with it so well received. he's 26 years old and when i told him i was 28, he was surprised. he thought i was 22! huh? since when did my age keep getting younger? (wink, wink!)
work is going well. my kids amuse me, i amuse my kids and since i made having fun a priority in my classes, i give a lot of energy, which makes me wicked tired but satisfied. tonight our branch is having a hweshik, aka a work paid for happy hour! and you know what that means, drinks on the house, meals on the house and inevitably norehbang afterwards. i may just have to get my alicia keys on...
Monday, December 17, 2007
wish list
now, i'm not usually the type of person to create wishlists, especially since i am trying to reduce my intake of useless stuff, crapola that you think you like or need or want and then 5 minutes later realize is absolute junk. so, i guess it's not surprising that the majority of my list is actually food items! for family and friends who are feeling particularly generous, i am shameless. i'd love the following:
*quick cook oats--it is hella cheap in the states, but not so much here.
*quinoa--the super protein grain. i love it. i miss it.
*clif bars, all kinds. they would be the perfect class break snack.
*fantastic brand falafel, hummus, fake taco meat packages.
*stove top espresso maker (3 cup kind would rock!) as i'm itching for "REAL" coffee.
*REAL coffee ground beans for stove top real coffee maker.
*tea!!! english breakfast, peppermint, lady grey, other kinds of herbal teas
*buttermilk pancake mix
*brownie mix
*semi sweet chocolate chips
*double bed sheets--i know, it's a bit random, but, sheets are crazy expensive!
*blue sticky tack for putting up wall decorations
*books
*music, oh sweet new music!
*dvd's of tv series and movies
*quick cook oats--it is hella cheap in the states, but not so much here.
*quinoa--the super protein grain. i love it. i miss it.
*clif bars, all kinds. they would be the perfect class break snack.
*fantastic brand falafel, hummus, fake taco meat packages.
*stove top espresso maker (3 cup kind would rock!) as i'm itching for "REAL" coffee.
*REAL coffee ground beans for stove top real coffee maker.
*tea!!! english breakfast, peppermint, lady grey, other kinds of herbal teas
*buttermilk pancake mix
*brownie mix
*semi sweet chocolate chips
*double bed sheets--i know, it's a bit random, but, sheets are crazy expensive!
*blue sticky tack for putting up wall decorations
*books
*music, oh sweet new music!
*dvd's of tv series and movies
Sunday, December 16, 2007
young guns
i've had quite a bit of solitude this week, so when the weekend arrived, i felt eager to get out, break free from my cabin fever and surround myself with dancing feet beats. my friend, megan and i went to hongdae, an area of seoul that is known for it's nightlife as well as it's student life aka hongdae university. the crowd is typically younger and sometimes, bolder. though, i'll bet their boldness is most likely due to their drunkenness!
megan and i went first went to a "HOF" which is typically a western style bar with an actual bar and bar stools. i say actual because korean bars are usually set up without the bar section, and are more like seated drinking restaurants. this hof was called woodstock, while it wasn't as hippie as it could've been with the given name, it was still a nice chill place. megan and i sat at the bar, of course!, and the bartender handed us a menu...i was trying very hard to pronounce the beer selection and just about laughed my ass off when i came across the quintessential 'merican beer. in korean, it's broken down to each syllable: buh duh wah ee szah. budweiser. oh yes. budfuckinweiser.
afterwards, we went to find NB, a popular dance club. our cute bartender drew us a cute map and while we followed the directions to a t, we couldn't find nb. i asked a random girl on the street who told me to go straight, so we went straight. when we still didn't see the sign for NB, i asked a random guy and then he pointed to a place across the street, that said, "noise basement." OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!!!!! duh! nb is noise basement!
the music was pop hip hop and some randoms (a christmas song...santa claus is coming to town-huh?) and repeats thrown in for good measure. megan and i danced and while the place was packed, found some space away from the main dance floor. (i just wanna dance!) a guy started dancing with me and when i turned to face him, i knew immediately he was a young gun. i'm talking young! we began talking in korenglish and it was fun--his name is yoon, he's 24, and he's sweet. we exchanged numbers and though i doubt that he'll call me, it was fun to flirt!
megan and i went first went to a "HOF" which is typically a western style bar with an actual bar and bar stools. i say actual because korean bars are usually set up without the bar section, and are more like seated drinking restaurants. this hof was called woodstock, while it wasn't as hippie as it could've been with the given name, it was still a nice chill place. megan and i sat at the bar, of course!, and the bartender handed us a menu...i was trying very hard to pronounce the beer selection and just about laughed my ass off when i came across the quintessential 'merican beer. in korean, it's broken down to each syllable: buh duh wah ee szah. budweiser. oh yes. budfuckinweiser.
afterwards, we went to find NB, a popular dance club. our cute bartender drew us a cute map and while we followed the directions to a t, we couldn't find nb. i asked a random girl on the street who told me to go straight, so we went straight. when we still didn't see the sign for NB, i asked a random guy and then he pointed to a place across the street, that said, "noise basement." OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!!!!! duh! nb is noise basement!
the music was pop hip hop and some randoms (a christmas song...santa claus is coming to town-huh?) and repeats thrown in for good measure. megan and i danced and while the place was packed, found some space away from the main dance floor. (i just wanna dance!) a guy started dancing with me and when i turned to face him, i knew immediately he was a young gun. i'm talking young! we began talking in korenglish and it was fun--his name is yoon, he's 24, and he's sweet. we exchanged numbers and though i doubt that he'll call me, it was fun to flirt!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
proactivity
i'm attempting to be very self disciplined and learn korean on my own. i found a textbook that has cd's so i've been listening, completing los ejercicios and correcting my mistakes. since one of my most important goals while i'm in korea is to frickin learn korean--as in i want to tell elaborate stories in korean, begin dreaming in korean, flirt continuously in korean!--i'm trying to do a chapter once a week, then up it up (once i get into my work groove) to twice a week and shooooot, maybe even three times a week! well, let's not get too carried away now, baby steps ji sun, baby steps.
i wondered the other day that if my english skills are already showing signs of slight deterioration, whether that means my korean is improving?! oh man, that's not a good sign if an english teacher don't speak english too good. i'll have to sign up for classes at the Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too.
i also bought a kiddie dictionary with funny pictures (ooh! pictures!) and examples of how the word is used in a sentence. nice. my co-worker chris and i want to take classes together after january. during january, i'll be working even more hours for a period called "intensives." korean students will be on winter break and get this, take even more english classes. the school system here takes no prisoners. hard core. but healthy? meh...i don't think so. welcome to the place that never stops.
i wondered the other day that if my english skills are already showing signs of slight deterioration, whether that means my korean is improving?! oh man, that's not a good sign if an english teacher don't speak english too good. i'll have to sign up for classes at the Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too.
i also bought a kiddie dictionary with funny pictures (ooh! pictures!) and examples of how the word is used in a sentence. nice. my co-worker chris and i want to take classes together after january. during january, i'll be working even more hours for a period called "intensives." korean students will be on winter break and get this, take even more english classes. the school system here takes no prisoners. hard core. but healthy? meh...i don't think so. welcome to the place that never stops.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
costco
my friend greg has a costco membership from the states. there happens to be a costco here in seoul and tonight theresa, megan and i were his costco guests. (why does everything gotta be so frickin exclusive?!?) we went nuts on the bulk items. since i had to subway it back home to p-town, i had to keep things on tabs, but, i am happy with my "american" purchases: bagels, annie's mac and cheese, skippy creamy peanut butter--i prefer the all natural variety, but, damn, skippy will be just fine--and newman's blueberry almond crunch cereal. who went all out on the carbs? oh yeah. you know that's right!
ongoings...
i heart red mango:
they're not lying, it IS the yummiest fruit yogurt in the world:
devoured by the spoonful:
my new bedroom! (bed to arrive soon...)
my new hair cut...the curls were temporary:
they're not lying, it IS the yummiest fruit yogurt in the world:
devoured by the spoonful:
my new bedroom! (bed to arrive soon...)
my new hair cut...the curls were temporary:
Monday, December 10, 2007
a word about soju
there's this liquor made from rice called soju, aka, "soj." on saturday night, after a week of ups and downs, i joined my co-workers and their friends for a night out in gangnam. we drank a few beers, drank a few more beers, then began playing this game called titanic. you take a beer mug, half filled with beer then place a shot glass inside the mug and everyone takes turns pouring as little or as much soju as they want without, WITHOUT, sinking the shotglass. guess who had to chug 2 of those bad boys. guess who got crunk (cuhrazy drunk!) on saturday night and woke up with a silly hangover and cloudy memories of a hella good night out. yup. me.
my days are beginning to feel a bit less frantic (yay!) and i think i'm finally getting into the swing of things and figuring out what i need/want to do. i was approached today by some relgious people on my way to school. not christians, not buddhists, but some other sect that i didn't recognize. i think they wanted me to join them, but, i said, no thank you! it was interesting, and yet another reminder of how i want to become better disciplined and learn korean, for the time being, on my own. i bought a textbook and dictionary and have been reading a few pages every night. it's good, but, i think i need to up up the frequency.
i don't have internet right now at home and after my first pay check, i'm about to get a little crazy on the home furnishings and what not. internet, couch, bed, tv, dvd player. and maybe a few other things here and there...ooh! i did, however, get a haircut. it's pretty much the same style as before, only shorter. i'm telling you, the koreans love the 80's rocker do's.
my days are beginning to feel a bit less frantic (yay!) and i think i'm finally getting into the swing of things and figuring out what i need/want to do. i was approached today by some relgious people on my way to school. not christians, not buddhists, but some other sect that i didn't recognize. i think they wanted me to join them, but, i said, no thank you! it was interesting, and yet another reminder of how i want to become better disciplined and learn korean, for the time being, on my own. i bought a textbook and dictionary and have been reading a few pages every night. it's good, but, i think i need to up up the frequency.
i don't have internet right now at home and after my first pay check, i'm about to get a little crazy on the home furnishings and what not. internet, couch, bed, tv, dvd player. and maybe a few other things here and there...ooh! i did, however, get a haircut. it's pretty much the same style as before, only shorter. i'm telling you, the koreans love the 80's rocker do's.
Friday, December 7, 2007
a quickie
i'm starting to feel the drain of excitement from my daily routine. it's exhausting, depressing, depleting and frustrating to try to find furniture and make a home, when a lot of the comforts i enjoy in the states, are not readily available here. i'm not trying to be all kinds of debbie downer, but, i've certainly hit some rough patches recently.
i feel a bit like i'm squatting in my own home. i like my place, it's cute and clean--i had to scrub the bathroom twice!--but man, i'd really love to have a comfy couch, a sweet bed, a tv and dvd player, magically appear. this weekend, on my day off, i'll be going nuts online, trying to get it all figured out. in the meantime, i'm catching up on my sleep...
i feel a bit like i'm squatting in my own home. i like my place, it's cute and clean--i had to scrub the bathroom twice!--but man, i'd really love to have a comfy couch, a sweet bed, a tv and dvd player, magically appear. this weekend, on my day off, i'll be going nuts online, trying to get it all figured out. in the meantime, i'm catching up on my sleep...
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
welcome home
this past sunday i moved into my new home in pyeongchun, a 25 minute walk away from work. right now, it's feels very empty. all this space and no furniture. but, i luckily have wireless access and speakers so at least i'm able to blog while dancing and singing to my heart's content. and, bonus! several other instructors live very close by: amber lives across the hall, while sha and jason live in the next building. the four of us chilled in sha's place after work tonight. (how nice to be so close to home, tres convenient.) we feasted on pizza--mmm!!!! pizza!!!--and shared stories, did the chitty chitty chat chat. good times. at first, i was a bit worried i'd be super lonely as i'd gotten comfortable with theresa and clara's company, so i'm relieved that the transition is already smooth.
on sunday night, i met with my dad's friends from his school days, and i was so touched by their kindness. now, i unfortunately don't know the exact story of how they met, as my comprehension of korean doesn't go beyond age 3 these days. (grr! it's a frustrating reminder to get my korean vocab shit together, STAT!) but regardless, they were sweet and dear and treated me to a feast of korean beef, which is quickly becoming my fave. they told me not to worry, to "not live with a headache" was the literal translation and if i needed anything, to call them. i was so moved that i had to swallow my tears of gratitude.
the kiddies are still super but keeping animated for 6 hours is hard work. shiiiit. i'm not a treasure trove of energy, i've been relying on the instant coffee packets as speedy pick me ups. my students, for as much as they zap me of my energy, also replenish it. and i'm secretly delighted that one of my classes has begun imitating my pop/hip-hop exclamations: YEEEE-AAAAH! (usher, holllllaaaaaaa!)
on sunday night, i met with my dad's friends from his school days, and i was so touched by their kindness. now, i unfortunately don't know the exact story of how they met, as my comprehension of korean doesn't go beyond age 3 these days. (grr! it's a frustrating reminder to get my korean vocab shit together, STAT!) but regardless, they were sweet and dear and treated me to a feast of korean beef, which is quickly becoming my fave. they told me not to worry, to "not live with a headache" was the literal translation and if i needed anything, to call them. i was so moved that i had to swallow my tears of gratitude.
the kiddies are still super but keeping animated for 6 hours is hard work. shiiiit. i'm not a treasure trove of energy, i've been relying on the instant coffee packets as speedy pick me ups. my students, for as much as they zap me of my energy, also replenish it. and i'm secretly delighted that one of my classes has begun imitating my pop/hip-hop exclamations: YEEEE-AAAAH! (usher, holllllaaaaaaa!)
Friday, November 30, 2007
twinkle twinkle
bright lights, big city:
the first time i played guitar hero, i sucked, royally. megan and greg, however, are champs!
i work on a street known as hagwon row. why? hagwons are places where koreans go to learn english. guess how many hagwons there are on this particular street? it's chockfull of em.
now that i'm teaching, i've become a nightowl. my classes begin at 4:30 and end at 10:30. what do i do immediately after class? that's right. i get my grub on! here, i'm feasting on tempura sweet potatoes and rice cakes in a spicy sauce. mmmmm! all eaten with one long wooden stick.
me, chipmunk cheeked. jason, cutie shallow dimpled cheek.
theresa, nacho, and monkey!
monkey, gettin cheeky with nacho:
the first time i played guitar hero, i sucked, royally. megan and greg, however, are champs!
i work on a street known as hagwon row. why? hagwons are places where koreans go to learn english. guess how many hagwons there are on this particular street? it's chockfull of em.
now that i'm teaching, i've become a nightowl. my classes begin at 4:30 and end at 10:30. what do i do immediately after class? that's right. i get my grub on! here, i'm feasting on tempura sweet potatoes and rice cakes in a spicy sauce. mmmmm! all eaten with one long wooden stick.
me, chipmunk cheeked. jason, cutie shallow dimpled cheek.
theresa, nacho, and monkey!
monkey, gettin cheeky with nacho:
Thursday, November 29, 2007
joy and joyness
i watched amelie (for probably the umpteenth time) the other day with theresa and clara. it is such a stinkin cute movie with such gorgeous vibrant colors and a fabulous storyline, how can anyone not like it? (clara said it was a crime against humanity not to watch it, it's that good. and yes, i agree.) i was reminded of the simple things amelie embraces: enjoying the touch of grains, breaking the crunchy topping of creme brulee, glancing at the faces of movie goers, noticing the little details...it made me realize, that there are many easy pleasures in the seemingly mundane. here's what i've noticed recently:
*kindness from strangers in transit. overhearing snidbits of directions, excuse me? how do i get to...or is this the way to...? simple questions and answers but how comforting to know exactly where you're going.
*hilarity on the train: if it can be sold, vendors will sell it. seriously. even on the train. people will try to sell you stockings, cd's, gloves, chestnut clippers, portable sewing devices, and multifunctional fleece wraps. on the way home from work, my co-workers, who are rockstars, and i watched this hilarious demonstration from a most charismatic salesman. he was selling this fleece wrap that could be used as 1) earmuffs 2) headwrap 3) eyepillow 4) neck warmer 5)noseguard. the best part though, was that he randomly spoke english--not bad either!--and when he was demonstrating the head wrap, he said, "now i'm a princess and i don't like black. so i change color to red!" hey! reversible too! what?! at 2,000 won, that's a steal! and no, i was not suckered into buying one, but, the lady sitting next to me and i had a really good chuckle at his performance. (that was nice too, that the lady and i glanced at each other and smiled.)
*shared experiences: my coworkers and i have had a rushed introduction to teaching. some of us had a week's worth of training, some of us, had only a crash course in 2 days. during the first day of classes, we were all trying to make sure we had our shit together, had enough print outs, etc and while it was stressful, there was this really great feeling of support and understanding. well, we're all feeling s.o.l., but hey! at least we're in this together! after classes, we shared the highlights or lowlights, and laughed about it all. pyeongchun, the branch where i work, aka p-town, has solid people. i already like this crew.
*kitty love. i'm usually more of a dog person, but, i've gotta say, my friends' cats are super affectionate and darling. just yesterday, lucy gave me lovins my licking my hand while i scratched the underside of her neck. her tongue tickled my skin--prickly prickly! and charlie, he's mr. irresistible.
*speaking of irresistible, ooh wee! hotties. yep. korea is full of em. i mean, HOTTIES! wow. sometimes i don't wear my eyeglasses or contacts, i know, i'm a bit of a freak that way, but, i don't really mind not seeing things so clearly. but when i do see things sharply, it's like a whole new world, full of hotties. what's a girl to do with all this hotness? well, as of right now, simply observing is enough...
*kindness from strangers in transit. overhearing snidbits of directions, excuse me? how do i get to...or is this the way to...? simple questions and answers but how comforting to know exactly where you're going.
*hilarity on the train: if it can be sold, vendors will sell it. seriously. even on the train. people will try to sell you stockings, cd's, gloves, chestnut clippers, portable sewing devices, and multifunctional fleece wraps. on the way home from work, my co-workers, who are rockstars, and i watched this hilarious demonstration from a most charismatic salesman. he was selling this fleece wrap that could be used as 1) earmuffs 2) headwrap 3) eyepillow 4) neck warmer 5)noseguard. the best part though, was that he randomly spoke english--not bad either!--and when he was demonstrating the head wrap, he said, "now i'm a princess and i don't like black. so i change color to red!" hey! reversible too! what?! at 2,000 won, that's a steal! and no, i was not suckered into buying one, but, the lady sitting next to me and i had a really good chuckle at his performance. (that was nice too, that the lady and i glanced at each other and smiled.)
*shared experiences: my coworkers and i have had a rushed introduction to teaching. some of us had a week's worth of training, some of us, had only a crash course in 2 days. during the first day of classes, we were all trying to make sure we had our shit together, had enough print outs, etc and while it was stressful, there was this really great feeling of support and understanding. well, we're all feeling s.o.l., but hey! at least we're in this together! after classes, we shared the highlights or lowlights, and laughed about it all. pyeongchun, the branch where i work, aka p-town, has solid people. i already like this crew.
*kitty love. i'm usually more of a dog person, but, i've gotta say, my friends' cats are super affectionate and darling. just yesterday, lucy gave me lovins my licking my hand while i scratched the underside of her neck. her tongue tickled my skin--prickly prickly! and charlie, he's mr. irresistible.
*speaking of irresistible, ooh wee! hotties. yep. korea is full of em. i mean, HOTTIES! wow. sometimes i don't wear my eyeglasses or contacts, i know, i'm a bit of a freak that way, but, i don't really mind not seeing things so clearly. but when i do see things sharply, it's like a whole new world, full of hotties. what's a girl to do with all this hotness? well, as of right now, simply observing is enough...
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
day 2
with the anxiety of day one behind me, day two proved to be much smoother and less panicked. in general, i've found that my elementary school students are easily animated, making class time zoom, while the middle schoolers are a bit more of a challenge to involve. but, once you do rope 'em in, they are on! (stories and details coming soon!)
i've been tired from prepping--ooh! i write on wipe erase boards and staple welcome packets together and the printer is both my beloved friend and bitter enemy.--i've not had much time for other things...i think that after this first week, the transition from work to home will be less time consuming since i'll have moved into my new apt by this sunday! yeah! i found a nice place which would be described as a junior one bedroom apt in the states. photos forthcoming, but now, it's time for sleep! i'm exhausted!
i've been tired from prepping--ooh! i write on wipe erase boards and staple welcome packets together and the printer is both my beloved friend and bitter enemy.--i've not had much time for other things...i think that after this first week, the transition from work to home will be less time consuming since i'll have moved into my new apt by this sunday! yeah! i found a nice place which would be described as a junior one bedroom apt in the states. photos forthcoming, but now, it's time for sleep! i'm exhausted!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
the very first day!
despite the flurry of frenetic energy, i have successfully completed teaching my very first day of classes. and while i'm exhausted, i'm also deliriously relieved. my classes are 3 hours long and i taught two classes tonight. yep, do the math. i talked for nearly 6 hours straight. i've fallen in love with each of my students already. there are the students that are the immediate talkers, the ones who aren't afraid of embarrassment, the ones who while they may not know whether the answer is correct or not, they have the balls and courage to speak! then there are the really shy students, the ones who talk in a voice so small, i have to strain my ears to be able to hear them. they are nowhere near as outgoing as the former group but are so cute in their earnest effort to do a good job. i love everyone's energy, their spunk and personality. teaching is going to so tiring yet so rewarding!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
'round & 'round
i'm sitting in a p.c. bang (p.c. room, aka, internet cafe) in pyeongchun, steps away from work. it's a bit smoky, (yes, koreans can smoke just about everywhere, there's ashtrays even in some bathroom stalls.) noisy--think, lots of internet games are being played, pow! kabang!--and blue. blue lights overhead. it's unbelievably warm and i'm beginning to feel like my job is an absurd disply of inefficiency.
a word about efficiency: i am an efficient person. it's an aquired trait, learned from my mother and from various jobs which required me to be on top of my game. sometimes, my uber efficiency methods have gotten the better of me, and i admit, it was not pretty. i've since learned not to be overly stringent about organization methods, or rather, i've learned that i cannot, nor do i want to, control things that i am unable to control. however, this is starting to get stupid.
(whoa. sidenote: random dude next to me is seriously getting into, INTO, his game! and shouting things like, "what can i do? how do i do that?!" all i can see, is someone running in the forest...oooh now, he's fighting some sort of hairy dragon monster!)
stupid in the sense that i feel like i'm circling round and round, asking the same questions to different people but not getting any concrete answers. stupid, yes? yes. and it seems that this is the way things are. so deal with it, right? right. welcome to teaching. welcome back to the working world.
a word about efficiency: i am an efficient person. it's an aquired trait, learned from my mother and from various jobs which required me to be on top of my game. sometimes, my uber efficiency methods have gotten the better of me, and i admit, it was not pretty. i've since learned not to be overly stringent about organization methods, or rather, i've learned that i cannot, nor do i want to, control things that i am unable to control. however, this is starting to get stupid.
(whoa. sidenote: random dude next to me is seriously getting into, INTO, his game! and shouting things like, "what can i do? how do i do that?!" all i can see, is someone running in the forest...oooh now, he's fighting some sort of hairy dragon monster!)
stupid in the sense that i feel like i'm circling round and round, asking the same questions to different people but not getting any concrete answers. stupid, yes? yes. and it seems that this is the way things are. so deal with it, right? right. welcome to teaching. welcome back to the working world.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
a very full day
this morning, i ran a bit behind schedule and feared being late for my last day of training. (which, paradoxically covered orientation materials, things that should've been my first day's goods.) all week, i've been a big fan of bus route 146, which takes about 25-40 minutes, depending on traffic. (have i mentioned yet how terrible--terrrrrrrrrible!--seoul traffic can be? it can be so bad, so ridonkulous!) i was waiting for the bus, but with only 15 minutes on the clock, (i didn't want to make a bad impression on the final day.) i hailed a cab. (have i mentioned that cab fares are quite reasonable in seoul--it's very nice!) i asked the older cabbie driver to take me to the the training center. luckily for me, i had a business card with the training center's address written in korean and i handed it to him. but he didn't know where it was and i sure as hell didn't think i would've been able to direct him, so the grace of technology, in the form of his gps system, came in handy dandy.
while waiting at a red light, the cabbie noticed a bmw aboard a tow truck to our right, noted it a very expensive car and asked if i'd want to drive one. uh, how i do i tell him that 1) i entertain no thoughts of owning a car in korea, let a lone a bmw. and 2) i would never want to drive in korea, people here drive like maniacs! i politely apologized to him for my lack of korean and instead of the usual response of, "yes, your korean is awful!" he became curious and we had quite a nice exchange. he asked me why i was in korea when i could be in america? (my answer, to live and work in korea and to learn korean!), didn't i miss my mother (yes, very much so), do you eat out? (yes and i cook too!), what! you cook? (yes!), how old are you? (28), you should get married, soon! (uh...sure!) i made it to the center with 5 minutes to spare! i paid my fare and after i received my change, the cabbie told me that i was very pretty and gave me a really sweet smile. not the creepy mccreepy old nasty man smile, but the really genuine kind. a smile that made me want to ask him if he'd be my friend kind of smile. it'd been a while since i was told that i was pretty. i had forgotten how nice it is to hear those words...
training was a bit tedious. we went over company policies and basic grammar skills, and took tests of both. phew, i passed all my exams! the training was over! afterwards, the housing overview presentation took place and after that, i signed my contract and after that, i went with three other newbie instructors to meet a realtor who would show us a few housing options in pyeongchun, the area of seoul where i'll be working and most likely living.
my fellow pyeongchun coworkers--we were in different training groups so we didn't meet until the housing presentation today--david and chris are really cool, really young--as in graduated '07 young!--solid quality people. i'm excited to meet the rest of the crew...i spoke with the faculty manager today to introduce myself and he let me in on the in, anyone who's anyone, calls pyeongchun, "p-town." hollaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
we were on the subway for about an hour from the training center to pyeongchun--looong ride--and there, we met michael, the realtor. he seemed alright, and we walked from the train stop about 7 minutes to our first of three housing visits. it was a nice place. it even has a little room, which can be used as a sleeping room--literally, only a bed might fit there--or a nice study area. all of us immediately liked it. the next places were very similar in layout, but, didn't have quite as nice a feel. and with each visit, i felt myself growing both 1) tired, as in wiped out. 2) anxious about finding a place that feels right and making a commitment to it. finding housing is different in korea, that's for sure, and there's quite a lot of fees. damn you fees!
michael is supposed to call me tomorrow to let me know when we'll see other apts in a different area, different area but still relatively close to work. i'm starting to feel confused. do i want to be closer to the friends i know and have made that live in the gangnam area or do i want to be closer to work? do i want a quieter pace of life at pyeongchun or do i want to be in the center of activity? what are the most important aspects? hmmm...things to ponder.
monkey gets his burger on:
guess what this one says? co-ca-colr-ra.
and this one? cuh-rean tah-ruhr (clean towel!)
while waiting at a red light, the cabbie noticed a bmw aboard a tow truck to our right, noted it a very expensive car and asked if i'd want to drive one. uh, how i do i tell him that 1) i entertain no thoughts of owning a car in korea, let a lone a bmw. and 2) i would never want to drive in korea, people here drive like maniacs! i politely apologized to him for my lack of korean and instead of the usual response of, "yes, your korean is awful!" he became curious and we had quite a nice exchange. he asked me why i was in korea when i could be in america? (my answer, to live and work in korea and to learn korean!), didn't i miss my mother (yes, very much so), do you eat out? (yes and i cook too!), what! you cook? (yes!), how old are you? (28), you should get married, soon! (uh...sure!) i made it to the center with 5 minutes to spare! i paid my fare and after i received my change, the cabbie told me that i was very pretty and gave me a really sweet smile. not the creepy mccreepy old nasty man smile, but the really genuine kind. a smile that made me want to ask him if he'd be my friend kind of smile. it'd been a while since i was told that i was pretty. i had forgotten how nice it is to hear those words...
training was a bit tedious. we went over company policies and basic grammar skills, and took tests of both. phew, i passed all my exams! the training was over! afterwards, the housing overview presentation took place and after that, i signed my contract and after that, i went with three other newbie instructors to meet a realtor who would show us a few housing options in pyeongchun, the area of seoul where i'll be working and most likely living.
my fellow pyeongchun coworkers--we were in different training groups so we didn't meet until the housing presentation today--david and chris are really cool, really young--as in graduated '07 young!--solid quality people. i'm excited to meet the rest of the crew...i spoke with the faculty manager today to introduce myself and he let me in on the in, anyone who's anyone, calls pyeongchun, "p-town." hollaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
we were on the subway for about an hour from the training center to pyeongchun--looong ride--and there, we met michael, the realtor. he seemed alright, and we walked from the train stop about 7 minutes to our first of three housing visits. it was a nice place. it even has a little room, which can be used as a sleeping room--literally, only a bed might fit there--or a nice study area. all of us immediately liked it. the next places were very similar in layout, but, didn't have quite as nice a feel. and with each visit, i felt myself growing both 1) tired, as in wiped out. 2) anxious about finding a place that feels right and making a commitment to it. finding housing is different in korea, that's for sure, and there's quite a lot of fees. damn you fees!
michael is supposed to call me tomorrow to let me know when we'll see other apts in a different area, different area but still relatively close to work. i'm starting to feel confused. do i want to be closer to the friends i know and have made that live in the gangnam area or do i want to be closer to work? do i want a quieter pace of life at pyeongchun or do i want to be in the center of activity? what are the most important aspects? hmmm...things to ponder.
monkey gets his burger on:
guess what this one says? co-ca-colr-ra.
and this one? cuh-rean tah-ruhr (clean towel!)
Friday, November 23, 2007
it's official!
i have a job!!!!! i have a job!!!!! i sign the final contract tomorrow and i think i begin teaching as early as monday. oooooooooooh weeeeeeeeeeee! let the games begin, let the apt search commence, oh my goodness, i need a nap!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
reflections
the stair railing at the training office:
greg, victor & me, in gangnam train station:
next to the yes & yes convenient store:
greg, victor & me, in gangnam train station:
next to the yes & yes convenient store:
physical exam
follow the arrows:
this way to x-ray:
potato sack x-ray smock:
this morning, i went to the seoul medical center to get a physical exam. it's part of the job, you know, they want to make sure i'm not cracked out on anything or about to croak any time soon. i checked in and was instructed, in korean, to go upstairs--that much i understood--then the rest of his words blurred into incomprehension. so i followed what i knew. i went upstairs. to floor number 2. fortunately, there was an "information" booth at the entrance of the second floor, and i asked the nice lady, in korean, "excuse me, can you please tell me where to go?" and pointed to my sheet, where the room's name was written. she told me, "go straight and turn left." i thanked her and repeated the directions in my head. go straight. turn left. go straight. turn left. hmm? turn left where? i'd decided that i'd keep going straight until the only option remaining was to turn left. luckily, that stream of logic proved to be right! (ha, get it? right, left, right?) while walking down the hall, i noticed the floor was decorated with different colored lines, blue, white, yellow and red. what was up with those lines?
in room number 1, my height was measured by an automatic machine. i stepped onto the device and after about 5 seconds, a level touched my head and disappeared. my blood pressure was measured, as was the health of my eyes, hears and color-blindness. then, my chest was measured. i don't know the reason why a chest measurement was part of the exam--do they prefer instructors with bigger or smaller chests?--and was told to go to the x-ray room, just down the hall to my left. i looked down the hall to my left and in bold letters, it said X-RAY. sweet. so i changed into this funny looking shirt, sort of like a potato sack shirt, only heavy cotton and not itchy burlap, thank goodness. i held my breath, the x-ray was taken, presto, change-o. next, on the checklist: blood work. "where do i go?" i asked the technician. guess what he said! "follow the red line!" so what did i do? i followed the red line, which pointed exactly to the place i needed to be. such smart koreans!
my blood was drawn, i peed into a cup, and i was done. nice work, chong.
this way to x-ray:
potato sack x-ray smock:
this morning, i went to the seoul medical center to get a physical exam. it's part of the job, you know, they want to make sure i'm not cracked out on anything or about to croak any time soon. i checked in and was instructed, in korean, to go upstairs--that much i understood--then the rest of his words blurred into incomprehension. so i followed what i knew. i went upstairs. to floor number 2. fortunately, there was an "information" booth at the entrance of the second floor, and i asked the nice lady, in korean, "excuse me, can you please tell me where to go?" and pointed to my sheet, where the room's name was written. she told me, "go straight and turn left." i thanked her and repeated the directions in my head. go straight. turn left. go straight. turn left. hmm? turn left where? i'd decided that i'd keep going straight until the only option remaining was to turn left. luckily, that stream of logic proved to be right! (ha, get it? right, left, right?) while walking down the hall, i noticed the floor was decorated with different colored lines, blue, white, yellow and red. what was up with those lines?
in room number 1, my height was measured by an automatic machine. i stepped onto the device and after about 5 seconds, a level touched my head and disappeared. my blood pressure was measured, as was the health of my eyes, hears and color-blindness. then, my chest was measured. i don't know the reason why a chest measurement was part of the exam--do they prefer instructors with bigger or smaller chests?--and was told to go to the x-ray room, just down the hall to my left. i looked down the hall to my left and in bold letters, it said X-RAY. sweet. so i changed into this funny looking shirt, sort of like a potato sack shirt, only heavy cotton and not itchy burlap, thank goodness. i held my breath, the x-ray was taken, presto, change-o. next, on the checklist: blood work. "where do i go?" i asked the technician. guess what he said! "follow the red line!" so what did i do? i followed the red line, which pointed exactly to the place i needed to be. such smart koreans!
my blood was drawn, i peed into a cup, and i was done. nice work, chong.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
job prospects
in 2 weeks time, i've interviewed at 3 different companies. i've been given an offer at place a, waiting to hear back from place b and place c, while they are highly likely to hire me, is only part time, and girlfriend here, she needs to work the full time. why? full time provides benefits: a housing deposit allowance, and most importantly, stability: consistent work. shoot, i'm going to live here, for a year, maybe more--to be decided at the year anniversary--and there's some essentials that a woman needs: food, water, shelter. and then of course, some non-essentials that help make life more pleasurable: korean language lessons and shiny new camera on the top of the list.
i've been to day one of training at place a. (you go through an intense training week at the end of which you're tested on how well you know the teaching materials. if you know them well, you pass and sign the official contract and begin work promptly. if you don't do so well, you best start looking for another job.) and it is pretty gosh darn overwhelming. the serenity and flow i've luxuriously eased into here at chateau song, is being interrupted, albeit welcoming-ly, by mr. nervous and miss. anxious and ms. oh you know you got this girl sassy sassypants.
i'm going to prep and review my materials again so that i can be on top of my game for the mock evaluation this afternoon. wish me luck!
i've been to day one of training at place a. (you go through an intense training week at the end of which you're tested on how well you know the teaching materials. if you know them well, you pass and sign the official contract and begin work promptly. if you don't do so well, you best start looking for another job.) and it is pretty gosh darn overwhelming. the serenity and flow i've luxuriously eased into here at chateau song, is being interrupted, albeit welcoming-ly, by mr. nervous and miss. anxious and ms. oh you know you got this girl sassy sassypants.
i'm going to prep and review my materials again so that i can be on top of my game for the mock evaluation this afternoon. wish me luck!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
curious monkey
monkey befriends froggies:
monkey enjoys ramen:
monkey cruises an owl-ship:
monkey digs big money:
monkey enjoys ramen:
monkey cruises an owl-ship:
monkey digs big money:
too much plastic--prlastic
when i was younger i used to wonder about my mother's fascination with plastic. she always packaged every fruit or vegetable in it's own crinkly, noisy plastic bag, compartmentalizing each grocery item in its place in the shopping cart. i think she in turn used to wonder why i didn't care for the plastic bags. she found them useful, and enjoyed their purpose in life, whereas i didn't want to use them unless there was an absolute need. i do admire the multitude of functions plastic provides, especially the invention of tupperware, but, in terms of bags, if i can reuse my canvas bags in place of using a brand new plastic one, that is my preference. and it's not a problem for me if my apples come into contact with the lettuce or broccoli. whatever. it's not that big of a deal. let them be merry together.
too often, plastic accumulates as waste (shoot! walk down the street and count how much plastic you see!) and i am trying to be very conscious about wasting little. now, i'm not up to date on the policies regarding the environment in korea, but the grocery store is a plastic reducer's worst nightmare. nearly every item--as in every individual vegetable and fruit--is packaged or shrink-wrapped. while it may make the stocking of shelves easier, it disheartens me. i really dislike coming home to unwrapping my onions or peppers or cucumbers and filling the wastebasket with clear plastic. what a waste! but this has shed light on my mother's propensity for plastic! it's such a korean thing to do. i did, however, learn something from theresa that gives me hope: for each new plastic bag you use, you have to pay for it. so, in that respect at least, korea is becoming more plastic smart.
a thought just occured to me: is it worse or the same, to purchase produce that is already shrink-wrapped in plastic or to wrap the produce yourself in a plastic bag? aha! it's worse to buy the shrink-wrapped version because at least with the bag, you can rinse it out and reuse it--which, my mom does, because she knows the beauty of the re-use. now it would really really awful is someone put a shrink-wrapped vegetable in a plastic bag. plastic in plastic? ridonkulous. please don't do that. ever. thank you.
Monday, November 19, 2007
50 cent treats
man making the best thing since sliced bread:
i've fallen in love. and it only it cost me 50 cents. it's the perfect mouth watering combination of warm, sweet, savory, and fried. oh yes. you don't even know, that is, unless you know. these damn fine treats are called hohndduk and you can buy them off the streets one at a time or by the half dozen.
on sunday, we met up with theresa's friend, don--who is one of the most easy to like and get along with people i've had the grace to meet--who is leaving korea after two years on tuesday. we took the train from seolleung to sinchon, about an hour's ride, and waited for him by the subway exit. i was taking photos of passersby while we waited in front of the 24 hours open mcdonald's, when theresa began explaining to me the greatness of them, the korean version of fresh, made before your eyes, donuts. i spotted a girl holding and eating (i was already getting food envy) what i thought was a hohndduk. theresa confirmed my suspicion and wondered, out loud, "ooh i wonder where she got that?..."
we soon discovered the stand where the girl bought her snack and soon thereafter, i feasted on my own. yum!!!! it's like a flattened doughnut, only better, because it's far chewier--i like chewy snacks!--and even while fried, it seems (of course, i say seems) healthy. hey! it's made from green tea! in addition to the chewiness, there's a sweet brown sugar and maple like filling that isn't at all overbearing, but a wonderful party in your mouth. man. i want another 5 of those. right now.
don, theresa and i ate lunch at a mexican restaurant called on the border, which is actually a funny name if you think about it, did they mean south of the border? when we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by lots of hello's and welcome's, i was surprised by everyone's gusto! theresa told me that that's common, but, shoot if i didn't just feel like i was greeted by 7x that annoying dude with lots of flair from office space, only, not annoying and more cutesy. it's also really adorable to hear koreans say, adios and gracias. ha! and, guess what? the food was good! not el rinconcito or el tamarindo, washington dc good (i'd name some restaurants in sud america if i'd been to any...that continent is next on the ever expanding list of places to visit!) but still very good.
don has bestowed upon us goodies that he's not taking back with him to the states. goodies like books in english, nyquil (2 bottles--sheesh don, 2 makes it seem a bit suspect!), highlighters, which koreans called under liners, speakers, sumo-wrester playing cards, and a raven's basketball hoop (MD, holla!), among other sundry items. theresa will definitely miss you don, and though we've only just met, i'll miss you too! you are good peoples! start planning your visit back to korea, now, homie!
theresa clowning around, get it? clown-ing, around? wah!
don and monkey share a moment:
i've fallen in love. and it only it cost me 50 cents. it's the perfect mouth watering combination of warm, sweet, savory, and fried. oh yes. you don't even know, that is, unless you know. these damn fine treats are called hohndduk and you can buy them off the streets one at a time or by the half dozen.
on sunday, we met up with theresa's friend, don--who is one of the most easy to like and get along with people i've had the grace to meet--who is leaving korea after two years on tuesday. we took the train from seolleung to sinchon, about an hour's ride, and waited for him by the subway exit. i was taking photos of passersby while we waited in front of the 24 hours open mcdonald's, when theresa began explaining to me the greatness of them, the korean version of fresh, made before your eyes, donuts. i spotted a girl holding and eating (i was already getting food envy) what i thought was a hohndduk. theresa confirmed my suspicion and wondered, out loud, "ooh i wonder where she got that?..."
we soon discovered the stand where the girl bought her snack and soon thereafter, i feasted on my own. yum!!!! it's like a flattened doughnut, only better, because it's far chewier--i like chewy snacks!--and even while fried, it seems (of course, i say seems) healthy. hey! it's made from green tea! in addition to the chewiness, there's a sweet brown sugar and maple like filling that isn't at all overbearing, but a wonderful party in your mouth. man. i want another 5 of those. right now.
don, theresa and i ate lunch at a mexican restaurant called on the border, which is actually a funny name if you think about it, did they mean south of the border? when we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by lots of hello's and welcome's, i was surprised by everyone's gusto! theresa told me that that's common, but, shoot if i didn't just feel like i was greeted by 7x that annoying dude with lots of flair from office space, only, not annoying and more cutesy. it's also really adorable to hear koreans say, adios and gracias. ha! and, guess what? the food was good! not el rinconcito or el tamarindo, washington dc good (i'd name some restaurants in sud america if i'd been to any...that continent is next on the ever expanding list of places to visit!) but still very good.
don has bestowed upon us goodies that he's not taking back with him to the states. goodies like books in english, nyquil (2 bottles--sheesh don, 2 makes it seem a bit suspect!), highlighters, which koreans called under liners, speakers, sumo-wrester playing cards, and a raven's basketball hoop (MD, holla!), among other sundry items. theresa will definitely miss you don, and though we've only just met, i'll miss you too! you are good peoples! start planning your visit back to korea, now, homie!
theresa clowning around, get it? clown-ing, around? wah!
don and monkey share a moment:
Saturday, November 17, 2007
from scratch
humpty dumpty had a great fall:
cocoa & butter, yummers!
batter, batter, batter up!
brownies ala mode:
theresa and i have a lot in common and one of the funnest similarities is our undying love and appreciation of good food. not just good food, but goooooooooooooooood food, say it with me now, goooooooooooooooood food! mmmmmhmmm! we've recently shared some highly delectable feasts: spinach, onion, garlic and potato frittata with a mixed green salad tossed with a zesty balsamic vinaigrette; spinach, onion, garlic and potato pancakes--hey! you gotta use the ingredients you have on hand, waste not want not!--with another delicious salad; and tonight! we even made brownies from scratch, yep, that's right. from scriggity, scraggity, scratch! it was divine. now, i love most things chocolate, but warm, fudgy brownies served a la mode with sliced bananas. hot damn. i say, HOT DAMN!
i've been sleeping a lot these past couple of nights and it's doing my body wonders. it is kicking this cold of mine to the curb. sayonara sucka! apparently the air quality in korea, along with the water quality, particularly in seoul, is not so nice. perhaps that is the culprit of my sickness. probably that coupled with the fact that before my arrival to korea, i had been on the most irregular sleeping schedule, which usually puts one's body out of whack! wiggity wiggity whack!
speaking of wiggity wiggity whack, unfortunately my camera, my well-loved and amazing adventure-documenting companion has seen better days. i don't know why, but it's been on the fritz. getting all kinds of warped image on me, like it's suffering from nausea and making my photos tinted green or worse, producing images that don't look anything like the real thing. bah! stick with me, camera powershot, hold on, baby. i wonder if it can sense that i'll be upgrading soon, to a camera that will provide me with more than 3.2 megapixels. to (gasp!) a camera that is semi-professional? it would most likely be a canon, i've become a bit of a canon snob, and so, if any of you have camera recommendations, do send em my way. this is korea, afterall, what better place to stock up on electronic goodies?
cocoa & butter, yummers!
batter, batter, batter up!
brownies ala mode:
theresa and i have a lot in common and one of the funnest similarities is our undying love and appreciation of good food. not just good food, but goooooooooooooooood food, say it with me now, goooooooooooooooood food! mmmmmhmmm! we've recently shared some highly delectable feasts: spinach, onion, garlic and potato frittata with a mixed green salad tossed with a zesty balsamic vinaigrette; spinach, onion, garlic and potato pancakes--hey! you gotta use the ingredients you have on hand, waste not want not!--with another delicious salad; and tonight! we even made brownies from scratch, yep, that's right. from scriggity, scraggity, scratch! it was divine. now, i love most things chocolate, but warm, fudgy brownies served a la mode with sliced bananas. hot damn. i say, HOT DAMN!
i've been sleeping a lot these past couple of nights and it's doing my body wonders. it is kicking this cold of mine to the curb. sayonara sucka! apparently the air quality in korea, along with the water quality, particularly in seoul, is not so nice. perhaps that is the culprit of my sickness. probably that coupled with the fact that before my arrival to korea, i had been on the most irregular sleeping schedule, which usually puts one's body out of whack! wiggity wiggity whack!
speaking of wiggity wiggity whack, unfortunately my camera, my well-loved and amazing adventure-documenting companion has seen better days. i don't know why, but it's been on the fritz. getting all kinds of warped image on me, like it's suffering from nausea and making my photos tinted green or worse, producing images that don't look anything like the real thing. bah! stick with me, camera powershot, hold on, baby. i wonder if it can sense that i'll be upgrading soon, to a camera that will provide me with more than 3.2 megapixels. to (gasp!) a camera that is semi-professional? it would most likely be a canon, i've become a bit of a canon snob, and so, if any of you have camera recommendations, do send em my way. this is korea, afterall, what better place to stock up on electronic goodies?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
