Bamboo Shoots and Kimchi: and all other things Korean

Apparently I am getting Old

2011-06-09T01:05:00.001-07:00

I have been getting the weirdest headaches lately. I would consider a few of them to even be migraines. I decided to go to the doctor for them. One of the first things he asked was the last time I had my eyes checked. It was several years ago. I bit the bullet and went to an eye doctor. Upon completion of my visit I realized my prescription has doubled... Awesome. Let the aging begin! haha! Health care in Korea is relatively cheap. I got two pairs of glasses from the cheapest section. They are definitely an Asian brand however. They are both very big and super hipster-y. It wasn't my intention, they were just cheap. Just give me a scarf and a starbucks cup and I am officially cool again. So the bad news is I am getting older and apparently blinder; the good news is I look super cool doing it (and by super cool, I mean I look a little like Lisa Loeb and a hoot owl had a baby). I love being unintentionally trendy because I am cheap. haha

Care Package

2011-04-13T02:27:00.001-07:00

So our care package arrived form home today. We were very excited. I am so happy I get to have lucky charms. :D

Spring has Sprung

2011-04-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

Today Jack and I enjoyed a nice stroll down by the river near our apartment high rise in Sang Mu. The whole trail was filled with beautiful cherry blossom trees lining the street. It was really peaceful and fun. Spring has brought with it new and beautiful life.

Korean Spring Time: Yellow dust and Festivals Galore

2011-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Korea in Spring time is one of the most beautiful places as well as one of the most potentially painful. Sandstorms and/or duststorms affect the Korean peninsula each spring and come from the sand deserts of the Gobi region and Loess Plateau in the Asian continent. The area of Asian dust source regions cover most of northern China and Mongolia. What might look like pollen is actually a yellow dirt filled with sulfur and pollution that is kicked up by the winds in the Gobi region. When leaving the apartment some day what seemed like a cloudy day through the window turns out to be a dust filled day. Many Koreans wear medical masks on these days to offsets it's affects of the respiratory system. They can be quite severe with those with respiratory issues like me. I have borderline asthma which is induced by allergies. It is pretty rough but the great festivals of the season keep bringing me outside for more.

There are a number of festivals throughout the Spring season. There are lovely cherry blossom festivals all the way to a festival for anchovies. Quite a strange spectrum to go from end to end of but it is worth it. Last year we attended several of these. Included in our festivals were the bamboo festival as well as the green tea festival. This year I am hoping to go to the one of the many cherry blossom festivals as well as the Hampyeong butterfly festival. Now I just have to see if I can get Jack on board for this. Butterflies don't rank high on the manly scale. haha.

Homeward Bound

2011-04-03T00:24:00.001-07:00

We are officially coming back to America. Granted it isn't for another 85 days, but we are very excited about it. Jack and I are applying all over the place back home for jobs and cant wait to get back. We will be landing in America on June 28th. We have not decided whether we are flying back into Atlanta or Jacksonville yet. We are going to decide based on where we get jobs. Wherever we get jobs will will fly into the opposite city so we can spend a bit of time with our families. I am hoping that somehow we wind back in Jacksonville. I would really like to be back in that area. I miss the beach so much and our friends. We should find something out within the next few weeks so we will keep you all in the loop.

Birthday moments...

2011-03-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

As you saw in the last post, yesterday was my birthday. It was an uneventful day as I just slept late, talked to my mom a bit, and went to work. The day immediately picked up after we left work. We decided we would go somewhere nice for dinner (my party was last weekend) so we went to VIPS. It is a really great steakhouse in Sangmu. The only problem was getting there. We have become pretty accustomed to walking everywhere since we have been in Korea. We don't mind at all since everything is super close and public transportation in Korea may be the best in the world. We were trying to be all uppity and fancy for the birthday so we took a takshi (taxi). Big mistake. I knew something was wrong when he pulled the opposite side of the street to pick us up rather than just making the u-turn to come get us. It was freezing outside so I wasn't going to complain. I just wanted to be warm. We jumped in and immediately my radar went off. The taxi wreaked of alcohol. Then I told him where to go and he slurred it back out to me. I am lucky to have made it through my birthday car ride. So, today I am thankful for another year and surviving another drunken taxi driver.

Happy Birthday to me.

2011-02-27T01:12:00.000-08:00

Jack was sweet this year and surprised me with an all expenses paid girls night out with all my friends for the night. We went to Fridays where this little serenade took place. Obviously, it was a little embarrassing. :D

Winter Camp

2011-02-22T02:17:00.000-08:00

The Winter camp curriculum I developed is apparently being sent to the leader of Compass learning in Seoul. I am really excited. If they like it, I could get freelance work creating curriculum for them. :D

Around the World in 30 Days Curriculum

Korean Shoot-out

2011-02-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

The weather has actually started to warm up over the last week. It has been glorious. Today was a great afternoon in Sang Mu with our friends. Apparently in South Korean it isn't uncommon to have stores set up that seem a bit like a fair booth on the inside. Today all the foreign teachers from our school(minus 2 who were celebrating a birthday in Seoul this weekend) and a few friends from Kumho Dong went to go to a shooting range. A strange idea in the grand scheme of things as Korean citizens do not have the ability to have firearms legally. We walked in and if you hit the targets you get prizes. Instead of actual guns there were super high powered air-soft rifles and pistols. It was awesome. The GA girl in me came out as I enjoyed shooting at things. I wasn't great at it, but I blame the equipment. The rifle just shot sporadically. I would shoot and not move at all and pull the trigger again and it would go in the opposite direction. Jack on the other hand did great. I don't mind though because he gave me his stuffed animal key chain prize. :D

Justin and Amber are married!

2011-02-01T00:17:00.000-08:00

This weekend was our friends' wedding in Seoul. Justin and Amber got married on January 30, 2011 at Doeksugung Palace in Seoul. Enjoy this quick preview video and photo album I created.

JABOOK

If you would like to see the full ceremony, visit the links below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF53pqF7QEk (PART 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZE_F5TZycM (PART 2)

Winter Camp is Over!

2011-01-27T22:01:00.000-08:00

Well winter camp is finally coming to a close. I must say it was a bit sad to see some of the students leave. Some students come to Hans specifically for camp and are not regular attendees for classes. I will miss them. The camp was a lot of fun. The theme was Around the World in 80 Days (well, 30 for our purposes but who cares, right?) We ended it today with a trip to Chile complete with rain-sticks from the Atacama Desert. Also, we watched the movie "Around the World in 80 Days." The Jackie Chan version, not the old one. Koreans love them some Jackie. I think overall it was successful and I can't wait to get the paycheck from it. :D I am going to keep adding to my shopping list of things for my future house.

Here are some pictures from throughout the camp.

Latest Book Published while in Korea

2011-01-24T03:03:00.000-08:00

This is a learning and reading comprehension book that works with our online learning module through compass learning.

History Book

New Year, Fresh Start

2011-01-03T02:42:00.000-08:00

Well the year has come and gone there will be a post later describing things learned and reflections, but this is more of a shout out to the coming year. Today we started our new slew of classes. While the thought of getting roughly 36 new classes at ten or so students a pop seems a bit overwhelming, it is the thing I love most about today. I was able to get rid of my worst classes as well... That sounds awful, but I am stoked. Also, my junior high classes are all A and B level. That means they are the smartest and most well behaved. I am loving it!

Also, I have a bunch of new younger students. My phonics level kids are the cutest things. They are all six or seven and barely know the alphabet. Being unattended by a translator has been interesting, but it is nothing lots of hand signals and google translate cant fix. :D I am looking forward to my gloriously clean slate! :D I hope that they will stay in this groove and eventually open up more and speak English.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T01:32:00.001-08:00

I am struggling to find a Christmassy spirit this year for some reason. Although it has never been a problem in the past, it has been really hard this time around. Tonight Jack an I have plans to go downtown for Christmas shopping. Afterward, we are going to have Justin over to make some eggnog in preparation for tomorrow. We aren't doing too much as we are away from family, but we are still trying to keep the spirit alive. We thought we would do so by having a cozy private x-mas morning and friends over for dinner and possibly a christmas movie. i am excited either way. I got my Christmas present last night. It is a brand new toaster oven. In a country where ovens are rare it is a big deal. :D

Also for your viewing pleasure I thought I would include a picture of my Christmas hat from Tour Les Jour. It is a Bo RoRo Hat!

Christmas time is here...

2010-12-22T00:08:00.000-08:00

Here are a few clips of my kids singing random Christmas songs in Korean.

revised winter camp book

2010-12-19T09:47:00.001-08:00

Around the World in 30 Days Curriculum

Winter Camp

2010-12-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Here is our winter camp curriculum:

Around the World in 30 Days

Around the World in 30 Days

Winter Camp Here We Come

2010-12-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

Last summer's Harry Potter ESL camp was a huge success. As such, we have been asked to provide a curriculum for a winter camp. We have decided on an "Around the World in 30 Days" theme. Each day will be a country and the weeks will be divided with Europe and Asia having a full week each and Africa (3 days) , Antarctica (1 days), Australia (1 day), North and South America will split one week.

It is going to be a really great camp and we are looking forward to getting another curriculum published. We will be finishing the book sometime this week (so far we have 100 pages) also I have embedded a sample of a mock passport we made for the kids. It is the first draft, It has since had quite a few adjustments. I just wanted to give you an idea of our first craft day.

Passport Rough Draft

My students are so funny.

2010-10-18T23:47:00.000-07:00

My students are such goobers. This week they discovered the English name for smelly pits. As such, this class now refers to everyone and everything as B.O. They use it in place of names, answers to questions in class, in response to accusations of speaking Korean, to say hello, and to reference Jack. I half expect them to give B.O. as an answer to a test question next week for their monthly test. I love this class.

Fall has fell

2010-09-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

If Spring has sprung is correct then I suppose the correct saying appropriate for the week is fall has fell. The weather has been exquisite this week. It has been in the fifties every morning and evening this week. I am so happy that the heat is finally on it's way out. As if a literal monsoon season isn't enough, the hot was pretty awful. Not as bad as Florida, but still pretty rough. I cant wait until the leaves start to change.

Hello fifty?

2010-09-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

My overall feelings from China were pleased but also very thankful I am in Korea. There is a safety I feel here that is simply non-existent there. Also the communist thing plays in a bit. Everywhere we went there were cameras. The peopleacted differently. They acted like they were being watched. (and rightly so I suppose) It was also a bit disheartening that I couldn't go to pretty much any of my favorite websites because they are all blocked in China. The shady factor was pretty high when it came to different people who approached us.

Despite all of the above, I had a really great time. The views were breathtaking and the amount of history I saw is hard to digest even now days later. You can see a full set of our pictures here, but below are a few of my favorites.

China Rundown

2010-09-24T00:06:00.000-07:00

Well our trip to China is finally finished. It was super amazing but also one of the most exhausting and stressful vacations ever.

DAY I
We arrived in Beijing last Saturday and were quickly approached by a man in a leather jacket with the simple sentence, "Hello, fifty." It took us a while to realize he was trying to offer us a ride. Apparently Beijing has various "no stop" zones for their cab drivers. As such, we couldn't find anyone to give us a ride. We eventually reluctantly gave in as we were completely in the middle of nowhere and didn't even know where to walk if we had chose that option. We walked over to an alley, got in, and took off. I am surprised Jonathan and Justin didn't both just pee themselves... haha We finally arrived and turned in for the evening.

DAY II

The next morning we were off sightseeing. We saw the Temple of Heaven, Tienanmen Square, ate some authentic Peking duck, and then saw the forbidden city. It was enormous. It is literally the size of a small city. On the way out we bumped into a travel agency guide and she gave us a card for her company. On the way home we took the subway as close as we could get to our hotel and thought we would take a cab. Unfortunately we once again found ourselves in a no-stop zone. We walked back to the hotel and made it in just over an hour.

Day III

May I just say TGFTC (Thank God for travel companies!) Our tour guide picked us up in a really nice van and whisked us away to various locations in the city. They varied from a jade and silk factory to the oldest tea house in Korea and the Great Wall of China. It was an intense day. The wall was amazing. And may I also say, GREAT. It was so freaking huge. The steps were incredibly steep. I felt like I was dying by the end of our trek. My legs are still feeling a bit like jello even four days later. The wall was my favorite site of the trip. The tea house was my favorite experience. We had a personal tea lady come in a teach us about the various teas and brew up various kinds for us to sample. When we finally made it home we just grabbed some McDonalds and went to bed.

DAY IV

With a better grasp on the city we felt a bit more prepared to go out and face the wilds of the city life in Beijing. We hit the streets after a late start and headed to the Beijing zoo. We saw a few sections of it and then grabbed some lunch. We ate at a Dairy Queen. Afterward, we went to the Pearl Market. It was pretty awesome. I am surprised I didn't get pick-pocketed. I bought a pair of knock off boots for the winter and the guys bought some random stuff as well. We caught another shady black car or illegal taxi and headed to the theater so we could see the Kung Fu Show. The theater didn;t allow us to take pictures or video, but I managed to sneak a few things. You can see them on Picasa. :D

DAY V

We woke up around 7 to head to the airport for our 11 o'clock flight. Little did we know that Jack accidentally switched the arrival time with the departure time. Thus we missed our flight by two hours. We managed to get another flight without being charged, but it was not until the next day. The following 24 hours consisted of us randomly meandering through the incredibly depressing Beijing airport. Needless to say it was a pretty restless day.

DAY VI
We finally managed to make our flight. We boarded and zoomed back off to Seoul. We grabbed some lunch in Gangnam. Jonathan and I went to Dos Tacos, potentially the best Mexican restaurant I have ever eaten at ( and I have been to Mexico) and the boys went to Butterfingers (the greatest breakfast joint ever that is known for its chocolate pancakes) The boys spent the rest of the day sightseeing in Insadong. I lovingly informed them that if I walked any further my feet my actually detach themselves from my body and go on strike. As such, I split off the pack and went to the JimJilBang for the afternoon. It was pretty relaxing. I spent the after noon in a hot tub while the guys foolishly ran all over the place. We met up later that night in Itaewon for dinner at a Austrian place. We had snitzel, beef tips, and steak. It was awesome. :D

Last Sunday for a While...

2010-09-09T00:47:00.000-07:00

As you may know, Jack and I were working at Eun Gwang Presbyterian CHurch in Gwangju. We were working as English Pastors. This week they hired a full time staff member from the Philippines to take over the position. It is a bittersweet transition. We will have much more time to relax and focus on school, but we will miss our students and congregation greatly. This Sunday will be our final interim service before the new pastor comes in full time.

We have had fun in the meantime. :) It was a fun time, but we are very welcoming of a break. We have had back to back services for seven months with only two services off. I am not going to know what to do with so much extra time on the weekends and so few obligations to stay in Gwangju. We will be traveling a bit more on the weekends as a result. We have yet to go to the Eastern sections of Korea. I am marking it down on my to do list. :D

We have also heard of another English service on the weekends in Gwangju that happens at 2:00 in the afternoon on Sunday's. I though it might be interesting to check out as well. I believe the pastor is from Germany, so that could be interesting. I don't know honestly, but we will see. :D Mr. Han mentioned potentially starting an English service later on in the year or maybe even next year in three or four months in Sang Mu but there is nothing set in stone. As for now, sabbatical here I come!

A birthday in Korea

2010-09-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Jack turned 24 today. I am afraid that we are getting old. haha. His birthday this year is full of presents, but few are things he will get to keep. His best friend is coming to Korea on Friday to visit for two weeks. Also, we are going to Bejing in two weeks during our vacation. I almost feel guilty like I should get him a card since I don't have anything to tangibly hand to him. I am thinking of buying him so hand-held weights that he mentioned he liked from Lotte Mart, but I am still undecided. I am also thinking maybe of just having some people over this weekend for food and a movie or something equally cheesy. We will see.

As for now, Happy Birthday love.

I am glad you were born. :D

Burn RUbber to Discover!

2010-09-03T22:52:00.000-07:00

So today I had the eerie joy of watching the Magic School Bus in Korean. IT WAS STRANGE! ha ha It comes on everyday an I normally flip right over it, but it was one of my favorite episodes from when I was younger, "The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System." I laughed so hard watching all these super nerdy white kids rattling off in Korean.

Just wanted to share. Thought it might make you smile.

and yes, they do play the theme song with people singing in Korean. Sorry I couldn't find it online. It's great!

A New Chapter

2010-08-23T00:29:00.000-07:00

Well, my life in Korea just got considerably more complicated. It is in the best possible way, so i am not upset. This week marks the beginning of my pursuit of my Master's degree. I am working through Liberty University in Lynchberg, VA. Also, I have just finalized all of my plans for China during my vacation in September for Chuseok. Chuseok is like a Korean version of Thanksgiving. I have almost a full week off from work. Jack and I decided to go to Bejing for the week. Along with Chaos of traveling out of the country and school beginning, I am also about to have an influx of visitors to Korea. We have two new teachers arriving in early September. They are not only new to our school, but will also be helping at our church services. I am so excited to have them arrive.

Also, the following week my husbands best friend Jonathan will be arriving from Florida. He is a staying for around two weeks. During his visit he will also accompany us to China. I am really excited to see him and get some news from home. Also it is always nice to have someone to talk to to who understands what you are saying. Overall, the next few weeks are going to be fairly overwhelming.

I think I am up to the challenge. Well, I hope I am. Today I began looking over my class assignments and I almost had a heart attack. It is going to be a long eight weeks. The thing that scares me is not the work. It is the little sentence at the end of each of the assignment descriptions. It says use 3-5 additional resources. Well as you know, there aren't exactly an overflow of theological studies book written in English in my city. I am hoping to download Logos (software biblical library) as a secondary option, but hopefully it will be enough to settle my worries and help me get through the course without a real library.I know my professors in my undergrad didn't like it. Hopefully, my new teachers will be a bit more understanding. :)

Summer Camp So Far... A photo Diary

2010-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

To see all the photos from camp so far you can click here.

TGFSB- Thank God for Summer Break

2010-07-27T01:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a great year so far. I cant say it hasn't come with some difficulties as well as a few surprises, but all have been worth it. With that being said however, I am so happy it is time for summer break. Starting Friday, our summer break begins at a pivotal time of rescue. With summer camp going full force plus the added classes we picked up when Peter and Leah depaarted, we welcome this little oasis in the summer. We are heading out Saturday morning super early. First I have a dentist appointment (I found a really great dentist in seoul who speaks English and practiced in the states for years and has a lot of awards.) I am quite picky about dentists as my last one butchered my teeth and also fused two of my teeth together when he did a filling. What a hack.

I am thrilled to get some time off. We not only have a break from the Hans, but we also were given this Sunday off. I am so happy. Mr. Han surprised us on Sunday and announced that there would be no service next week. I guess it may seem weird to be so pleased not to have to go to church, but everyone needs a little time off every now and then. Soon, once Tyler and Lyndsay arrive, we will get one Sunday off each month. It will be a nice change of pace. We have had only two Sundays off in six months.

Jack and I decided we are going to go hit up Seoul for the weekend. We are staying near Gangnam just outside of Samseong station in Seoul at the Hawaii Hotel. We stayed there once in the past when visiting friends and we really liked it. Plus, it will be nice not to have to stay at a love motel again. haha I really want to go to Coex next door (one of the biggest malls I have ever seen), so it works out great.

Hopefully lots of pictures will follow and we will have a load of fun.

Sang Mu Sauna

2010-07-24T03:36:00.000-07:00

I guess I should consider renaming this blog "Korean Sauna" at this point due to the surplus in relevant posts, but what can I say? I freaking love the sauna. We had a mishap this week and lost some money. We aren't sure where or how exactly. Our guess is it fell out of Jack's pocket or it may simply be lost in the abyss masquerading as my dirty laundry hamper. As such, we are saving money this week. I couldn't bring myself to pay the 6,000 won each way to go to the sauna I am aquainted with in Kumho Dong. Thus I went on a new search. After searching around a bit for a sauna closer to our neighborhood, I discovered their is actually one hidden behind the coffee shop across form our building.

The sauna I went to today is located behind Tom and Tom's in Sang Mu. It is attached as part of SM Fitness, a very overpriced gym in Sang Mu. The sauna itself is not huge my any means, but the layout is nice. As you enter you remove your shoes, grab a locker, and pay the desk clerk for your scrubber and day at the spa (roughly 5,000 won/ $4.85) You go to the second floor, find your locker and strip. I looked around the sauna and it had all the stops. Varying temperature dry saunas as well as a plethora of hot tubs to soak in after you are finished. The scrubbing stations mirror those of almost every sauna. Comfy little seat accompanied by a regular spicket and hand held shower head. I enjoyed the tubs at this sauna much more the location in Kumho Dong. There is a cold one for swimming and it has a spout that shoots down at phenomenal speeds for a great back massage effect. There are two other pools. They are 39 and 42 degrees Celsius respectively. The saunas also range in temperature. The two I saw were 70 and 76 degrees Celsius. For my American friends who don't know the conversion rate, just know that is boiling hot. You break a sweat almost as soon as you enter.

It was great. After about 15 minutes of sweating away the pounds and internal toxins, I jumped to the regular showers lining the right side of the sauna and then took the plunge into the various pools. After another 30 minutes or so of soaking I headed to the scrubbing station and wrapped up my day at the sauna. I definitely think this is going to be the thing I miss most about living in Korea. I have already mentally integrated a sauna-esque portion into the home I want to build someday. I love it!

For the foreigners who may be a bit standoff-ish, dont be a coward. This might be the best thing you do while you are in Korea for yourself. The cultural barriers will have to fall quickly, but when they do, you will be glad you took the risk. :)

I am published...

2010-07-22T00:37:00.000-07:00

My school has decided to publish the workbook that I created for our Summer ESL language program. It was centered around a Harry Potter theme. I included writing pages (O.W.L.s), puzzles, games, arts and crafts, grammar pages, and a weekly potions class.

I think I will like potions class the best since included in the line up are the awesome Coke + mentos experiment, making our own butter beer, a fun ice cream punch recipe, and something I called "Dragon Tears" which roughly turns out to be carbonated Kool-aide. Over all I think it will be a success. i am really proud. I love Korea because I was actually able to use pictures from the movie with disregard for Copyright issues. You gotta love foreign countries. It looks awesome. We even sprang and got the cover in color. It is really lovely. I am super proud of it.

I also included some super cheesy slogans throughout, but the stuff sells like hotcakes here. FOr example, somewhere on the cover it reads, "Where learning is a magical experience..." haha I thought that was pretty funny myself, but they loved it. Also in some of the worksheets the students are racing to save the magical and muggle world from improper verb tense and incorrect capitalization. How can you go wrong with that? My favorite however whast the section with Mad Eye Moody for the worksheet choosing I (eye) or me with a huge picture of his weird eyeball thing. I was amused while doing this to say the least I hope you enjoy.

To see the book in color you can view it on my post below. :)

Here is my book

2010-07-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter ESL Workbook.

Everything is going to be Okay.

2010-07-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

It is official. I now know I can make it in Korea for as long as I need to. This past week Justin found yellow label tea. It is a lipton brand. I am pretty excited. It has a little different taste to the lipton family style bags specifically for making sweet tea, but it is pretty freaking close. Closer than anything else we have found here.

We tried a couple of times to get the perfect amounts. So after a few trial runs we have now judged the appropriate amount of teabags as well as sugar content. I feel like I am back at home with Iced sweet tea. It is a nice comfort drink for homesick days and because it feels like it has been a million degrees outside the last two weeks. :) Regardless, it is a welcomed reminder of home.

Sauna part 2

2010-07-20T02:09:00.001-07:00

Well, as I stated in the past, the sauna has become a pretty frequent tradition for me. On Saturday I take my shower bucket (consisting of shampoo, conditioner, face wash and mask, and anything else I might need) and head to Kumho Dong to go to the sauna. I choose to go outside of my neighborhood so as not to run into my students. (since people of all ages go to the sauna)

Last Saturday I had a pretty funny encounter while at the Sauna. I was going about my business in the hot rooms, pools, and scrub area when a worker walked in my area. You can usually tell who the workers are because they wear clothing of some sort. In her case just underwear. I was at the sauna alone this week. The worker came over and asked me something. I was unclear as to what it was, but I shook my head and smiled politely. It was at that point she took my scrubber out of my hand and proceeded to give me a rub down.

Aside from my mother and one other foreigner, Katherine who ventured to the sauna with me once, this was the only other lady to ever scrub my back. Koreans are very thorough. She scrubbed my back for a solid five minutes or so. Lets just say it was a cultural experience I am not soon to forget.

Justin arrived

2010-06-30T23:39:00.001-07:00

After a grueling flight, Justin has arrived in Gwangju. His arrival was on Sunday evening. Then in typical Korean style, Monday was his first day at the school. He didn't actually have to teach. He simply shadowed the other two foreign teachers who he was replacing. As it was an exam week, he had little to observe. Tuesday was the first full day of teaching and lets just say it was "uncomfortable." haha Some quick thinking and a typed out survival guide did the trick. Justin is now relatively settled in his apartment and had begun his first full day of teaching without having the expected few freak out moments all foreigners experience the first few classes.

King's Feast

2010-06-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

This is our friends, Peter and Leah, last full week at school. So Mr. Han decided to take all the teachers out to lunch. We went out just a little from Sang Mu to a traditional restaurant. It was really nice with a great atmosphere. I think everyone had a really good time. I have yet to muster the courage to tell our boss that I don't like seafood. As a result, he piled the fish on my plate. Along with the slow cooked fish was sting ray, crab, seaweed based soup, and a few other dishes.

I don't want to offend so I swallow it down always quickly followed by a swig of tea or water. This has nothing to do with Korean cuisine. I know many foreigners who enjoy seafood so they love it. I just don't enjoy seafood in any country. haha Regardless, I can usually find something nice to fill up on. Today my dish of salvation was a cool mash potato like dish that had nuts in it. It was pretty good and rice and ddeok-galbi (which is a mixture of pork and beef galbi) as well. Another thing I really liked was a tomato based salad. It was delicious. Over all it was a fun lunch a nice farewell to Peter and Leah.

Korea Red Devils

2010-06-23T02:18:00.000-07:00

One thing I have come to really love about Korea is how they are so supportive of all things Korea. Whether it be the validity of Kimchi being eaten at every meal to national sporting events, Koreans show their complete and total support. Last night Jack decided to see just how serious they were.

At 3:00 am our time Korea faced off with Nigeria. Although, it wasn't an outright win, Korea was able to win the advancing nod from world cup officials. They advance to the next level of play. Throughout the country people came out in droves to watch the game. No crowd was greater in Gwangju, than that of Guus Hiddink field. Gwangju's world cup stadium was filled with 20,000 people last night all just to watch the game on the huge monitor. Vendors lined the streets surrounding the field. Fans donned their red flashing horns and body paint and the game began. It started at a sleepy 3:30, but by dawn everyone was wide awake again with the news of advancement. I threw Jack's pictures and video clips together into a quick youtube video for you to see. Also I took a few pictures from Seoul to add some flare at the end. :) Enjoy.

Yuseong Spa

2010-06-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

I did it! I have officially taken part in a public bath.

I didn't think that I would ever get up the courage to go to a public spa but today was the day. Jack declared June 19th Crystal Day. (I am still not sure as to why, but hey, who am I to complain?) He whisked me away on a trip today. Lunch in bed. Yes, I do realize that for normal people who wake up at appropriate hours it would be breakfast in bed, but I like to sleep so don't judge me. Jack brought me Kraze burger and then we headed off to Seojeong-ri KTX station. It is the fast train that goes up to Seoul. We arrived in Daejeon and hit up Costco, E-mart, and then headed off to Yuseong Hot Springs. It is a Spring popular throughout the city. It is said to have healing properties. It is high in alkaline minerals such as calcium, and potassium, sulphur, carbonic acid, silicic acid and radium. There is a legend that during the Baekje dynasty a young soldier was completely healed by the hot spring. His mother first saw an injured crane dip its broken wing in the water and then fly away. She took her son and he was instantly made whole.

We went to the spa hoping to use the outdoor pools that are coed and fully clothed but it wasn't available. I was really bummed. I found out the indoor spa was still available. I paid a cheap 5,000 won and went into the spa. It was very different for me to be in a crowded room full of naked women. haha I know it sounds pretty crazy to the average westerner, but here it is no big deal. No one seemed to worried about the fact that I was there and so I wasn't worried about them. I enjoyed the hot showers, the multiple hot wet and dry saunas, the jade rock room, multiple pools with different minerals and temperatures. I must say the cold pool was quite refreshing after hitting the first sauna. I felt like I was going to pass out from the heat. There was an awesome pool with High pressured waterfalls as well as jets in the warm and hot pools. It was amazing. After I showered off again, I headed back out to meet Jack.

I was completely worn out from just laying around in the heat and pampering myself. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. I really liked it. Despite my super modest history and awkwardness around naked people I must say I will be finding a sauna in Gwangju to frequent as well.

We finished the day eating out at Bennigan's. It was like a little Irish/American haven right in the middle of Daejeon. After devouring my two entrees (that's right, I said two- once again don't judge me), we headed back to Costco to pick up the super comfy bathrobe I spotted earlier today.

All in all, I'd say the first annual Crystal's Day was a success.

42.2km Jack's Marathon Challenge

2010-06-18T02:58:00.000-07:00

This upcoming week starting on Monday Jack is going to work on a week long marathon challenge. So, some people can run that in one day but come on. It isn't bad for a person who has no real running experience before this year. Jack has over the course of the last three months has lost 40lbs (19 kilograms for the non-Americans-haha)

He is an unstoppable force. It is pretty ridiculous in my opinion. I am really proud of him. One of the main benefits of being in Korea is the lack of readily available comfort food and personal transportation. We walk everywhere. Add those factors together with a gym membership and you get my substantially skinnier husband. He is doing great. While I cant say I will match his distance ran next week I do promise to at least hit the gym with him when he goes next week. :)

Good Luck!

황사-Hwangsa YELLOW DUST

2010-06-17T23:12:00.000-07:00

It has been a grueling few weeks. Spring has sprung and along with it came the kicked up dust storms. The storms are a phenomenon that originate in the Mongolian desert, Northern China, and Kazakhstan. The winds carry the dry soil particles over both Koreas, Japan, China, and even parts of eastern Russia. Along with the thick air of the season comes a slew of respiratory problems, itchy eyes, sore throats, and an onslaught of other problems.

Ways to avoid problems:

Stay indoors
Wear a mask
Wipe down hard surfaces in your residence near windows and entryways
Wash any exposed skin when you come in from outdoor activities (face, hands, etc.)
Clean all produce that may have been exposed

World Cup Soccer

2010-06-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a fun adventure. Korea went head to head with Argentina tonight. It was not a pretty picture. Things looked a little hopeful at the half as Korea scored a goal to bring it to 2-1 just before the half. They could have brought it back but lets be honest. It is Argentina: the best team in the world.

The best part about the game was all the interesting and resourceful places I was able to watch the game. It began in the classroom. I said it. I watched TV in my classes tonight. My students did their work at super sonic speeds to be able to watch the game for the last ten minutes of class.

Along with the classroom, I also watched the game from a makeshift outdoor theater in Sang Mu. People were camped outside of Tom and Toms watching the game. Following that Jack and I headed out to go get dinner. We watched from the cab. All the taxis have tv Once we arrived at the bus terminal, we heard shouts from inside. I whipped out my cell phone and opened my KBS station on my phone.

You have to love a country where you can get network tv on almost every phone (not just on phones that cost over four hundred dollars). We finally arrived inside at U-square and got into TGI Fridays and requested a seat at the bar so we could watch the last half of the game. It was a nice evening, well until they lost. haha

Toms Shoes Knock Offs... Really?

2010-06-15T23:19:00.000-07:00

I was a bit shocked today at something I saw in the market downtown in Gwangju. There were multiple pairs of Toms Shoes for sale. I got so excited because #1 I think they are adorable and #2 They give little kids shoes in other countries. As I walked a bit closer my friend Hira from church told me they are from Japan. Then she told me they are not real Tom's shoes. It was pretty humorous but also pretty sad. The worst part is I am seriously thinking of buying a pair because for the life of me I cannot figure out what size I am in Korean sizes. The Tom's Shoes website offers delivery to Korea, but it is complicated. I think I am a 245 but only God knows for sure at this point. At least this way I can try them on. haha Well I am probably a horrible person, but those green ones I saw were cute. haha Just another day in the life in Korea. :)

Civil Defense

2010-06-15T02:53:00.001-07:00

Nothing like being late to work because of a civil defense drill.

Jack and I were on our way to pick up lunch at T.G.I.Fridays this afternoon. We were starving and were not in the mood for any more of the copious amounts of McDonalds we have had lately. We thought it would be nice to get something of worth for lunch. We left Landpia (our apt building) and caught the first cab we saw. As we headed to U-square we were stopped at a red light in Sangmu that is necessary to go through before getting on the highway. We sat for a few minutes and then I heard the sirens. I figured there had been a wreck. Ten more minutes passed and I motioned to the cab driver a car wreck and he nodded his head. (apparently he had no idea what I was trying to communicate) Time continued to drag on.

Jack and I decided that we should just get out of the cab and walk home since we still weren't too far away and we didn't want to be late for work. We paid the cab his rate and walked to the corner to catch a glimpse of the massive car wreck that apparently required several ambulances and about thirteen cop cars. As we approached the intersection we were shocked. There wasn't a single car in sight. Yes I am that person who wants to see the car wreck. I blame it on my former EMT dad. We looked around and saw a bunch of city officials dressed in beige.

Somehow over the course of our stay we have yet to observe this very common practice. On the fifteenth of each month there is a 민방위훈련 (min-bang-ui-hun-nyeon) or civil defense drill. In earlier years this would be more likened to the duck and cover drills of days gone by in America. A co-worker of ours told us he would hear the siren in school and would have to get under his desk until the all clear horn sounded. Sounds like fifties era America. This was within the last few decades here. The drills had let up under the former president. They still took place, but ducking and covering were not really the focus. They would conduct drills at busy intersections to prepare if there was an attack on the country. I was actually in shock. I think this is the first time in Korea I haven't seen a car or city bus run a red light. :)

Our co-worker Sean told us he didn't even think they were doing them anymore until we told him about our experience today. He blamed it on the uber conservative new President Lee. (who, by the way, I have yet to meet a person in Gwangju who likes him) His harsher stance towards the North really angers some Southern Koreans who still view the north as disconnected family. Regardless, the drills are back in place in Gwangju. We should expect to travel to both lunch and work on these days from here on out by foot.

It makes me feel safe to know they are super prepared if anything were to happen. Fifty or so years of running drills keeps you ready in case of emergency. :) While I know we are war ready if anything were to happen, I was still late to work. :( I wonder if there is a drill for that?

Here is a video of a typical civil defense drill. This was shot in Chongju, bu tit is very similar to what we saw today except we saw many more police cars, ambulances, and as we live near an air force base we heard the jets flying overhead. They also participate in the drills.

Lets just say if you didn't know what it was, it would scare the crap out of you. haha

Trip to Seoul Continued...

2010-06-10T03:25:00.000-07:00

Well we are now finally getting back to normal. I put my parents on a plane yesterday morning headed back to the US. They stayed in Korea for two weeks. I think they had a lot of fun. We took them all over the place. I am going to need about a week to recuperate from all of the traveling and food we ate. The trip was capped off with a weekend in Seoul. We visited sites all over the city ranging from Namsong tower to the Korean War memorial. It was pretty great. To check out all the pictures you can look at our album.

hotel of love...

2010-06-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

Love motel: a hotel rented out in small time increments ranging from one to three hours. These are found throughout Asia as well as South America to provide a place for locals to go with their lovers or prostitutes.

A love motel is a perfect getaway for single men and married men alike looking to hook up. Single men and women commonly live with their parents until marriage in Korea. If either sex is looking for some intimate time, their mom's house is the least likely place to go. Married men obviously do not use their homes for these endeavors. As such, a need was formed and, as it is not illegal to run a cheap motel, the love motel industry was born. Dependent on the area these hotels can range from windowless hook up rooms to exotically lighted and colorfully decorated rooms equipped with anything from a moving bed to mirrors strategically placed about. Prostitution in Korea makes up for more of the national income than agriculture if that says anything about the size of the industry. (paraphrase from speaking Korea) As you walk through the streets you can find pornographic advertisements for coffee girls. (coffee girls are ordered to deliver coffee to your home or hotel and for a small additional fee a number of other things) They are amongst the poorest paid prostitutes in country going for about ten to twenty bucks a pop according to one of my foreigner friends.

Well, I can now honestly say I have stayed at a Korean love motel. It was by accident of course, but it was interesting all the same. On my weekend trip to Seoul with my parents we looked for a hotel in the Gangnam are. It is a nicer shopping district in Seoul and is full of great spots for food and fun. We thought it would be a great central location to stay. We had our boss book it for us. It was not cheap so we thought it was legit. Well lets just say we found out otherwise as soon as we stepped into the elevator. The walls were covered in iridescent darkness accented by a stunning leopard print velvet. Our room was " beautifully" decorated with blue and red mood lighting that pulsed above both the bed and hot tub. The overhead light only was bright above the sink. The room was littered with little cups with condoms inside. It was pretty hilarious.

We had to check in early so we had an additional fee. The normal check in time was at 11:00 pm. Pretty hilarious if I do say so myself. The time for full night check in is strategically chosen based on public transit availability. I will say on the hotel's behalf that it was clean and the staff was pretty friendly. One more thing to check off on my life's to do list. haha

Go ahead and add B&E to my rap sheet

2010-06-03T01:55:00.000-07:00

Since my parents have been here we have tried to take them to the more beautiful areas of the city of Gwangju. These have ranged from the super traditional Yangdong Market to a Kia Tigers Pro Baseball game. Today we decided to have a little fun as well. We heard from a friend there is a Danish hot dog restaurant in the World Cup Lotte Mart. We decided to check it as well as the stadium out. For those of you who do not know, South Korea put in a bid for the 2022 FIFA world cup games. As a result, there have been beautiful stadiums built throughout the country. One of the most beautiful is the Guus Hiddink Stadium. It was originally built for the 2002 games. The stadium was renamed to honor the Korean national team coach after their victory in the stadium over Spain advancing them to the semi-finals. It is considered one of the most beautiful FIFA stadiums in the world.

Much to our chagrin, the stadium was under total and complete lock-down. So Jack and I decided to go stealth. We went through the press office building to their private entrance to the stadium. The doors were unlocked there, so technically it isn't breaking an entering. Trespassing at best. haha! We didn't see any posted signs warning against trespassing, but then again if we had, we wouldn't have been able to read them. As a result, we got our own private tour of the entire stadium ranging from ground level to up in the decks. :) Enjoy the pictures!

KIA TIGERS!

2010-05-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

Rain Delay... Boo

Tigers 6 Eagles 2

We embarked on our first excursion to a professional baseball game in Korea this evening. We were accompanied by my parents and our boss's family. It was so much fun. I have never been to a baseball game that had cheerleaders. And even more impressive, a game that had enough songs and cheers to go through the whole game without having any silence. It was awesome. Being a Tigers fan in Gwangju is like being a Yankees fan in New York. Last year, the Kia Tigers won the equivalency to our world series for Korea. Jack and I of course acting the part of the tourist immediately bought a couple of jerseys and a hat. They are pretty sweet if I do say so myself. The game was fun and I think I ate enough food to kill someone. haha

The day started out at our English church service. Since my parents are in town, we asked my dad to speak. He did a great job. (only a few things lost in translation to the kids) After service, we walked to the subway. As soon as we were getting on, Mr Han called us to see if he could take us and my family out to lunch. We met downtown and got a great lunch. I was stuffed. Shortly after we all took a stroll down art street and looked into some of the korean pottery and fine art stores. Mom got a few gifts. They are really beautiful.

From there we headed to home to don some more comfy clothes for the game later in the evening. We changed and relaxed a short while and the left again to go to the game. The game was going mediocre at best for the first inning. No one was really doing anything. It was tied one to one. Then somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd inning it began to poor. They quickly delayed the game and covered the infield. About ten minutes or so later the rain let up and we were looking at a completely different team. Kia began to kick butt. There were some great hits. It was great! I hope you enjoy the pictures and check out a few thumbnails and some of my video clips below as well. :)

Damyang and Daetongbap

2010-05-30T07:24:00.001-07:00

Our trip to Damyang was great. We made our way through the bamboo forest, Jack finally found his panda (although it was made of plaster), We took a fun ride around the river of=n Meta-sequoia rode, and made our way to grab some food at one of the most famous restaurants in the city. Over all it was a great day. For full pictures check out our album

We have guests!

2010-05-27T01:46:00.000-07:00

After a grueling 17 hour set of flights with sporadic flight in Chicago and Tokyo my parents have finally arrived. They came into Gwangju last night around one in the morning. They had to take a three and a half hour bus ride to our city from Seoul/Incheon International airport before we could meet them.

They finally showed up at our gate and we helped them and all their luggage to the line of cabs outside of U Square terminal. After a short five minute taxi ride, they finally were able to get comfortable. We unpacked and were very excited about the goodies they brought us. We asked for some essentials. You know, like ABC's and 123's, ranch dressing, and some clothes from American Eagle. Well they are essentials to me anyways. After they unpacked and I was on the brink of passing out from sleep deprivation, they decided they couldn't sleep, so off we went. We went for a walk around Sang Mu and grabbed a coffee at Tom and Tom's.

The walk was nice. The weather has been especially nice in the evenings the last few weeks here. It gets a little too hot for my taste during the day, but every once in a while we get a cold day to remind us it is still Spring.

I am really excited they are here. We have lots of adventures planned for them during their trip. The first is an excursion to Damyang on Saturday to see the legendary bamboo forests and walkways as well as grab some bamboo flavored soup . Here are a few highlights. :)

Bamboo Food- Damyang restaraunt preview

2010-05-27T01:44:00.000-07:00

Foreign Propaganda or Truth?

2010-05-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

Recently we have received an overwhelming amount of warnings and cautions from our friends and family back home. Through emails, phone calls, and facebook, we have learned that we should be terrified of the escalation between the North and South as of late. With a more conservative president in Seoul who takes a harder stance against the north and the recent developments regarding the sinking of of the Cheonan warship in March we should be shaking in our boots right? While talks seem to be heated in American circles, you should know that the many attacks of the past have not caused the country to go back to outright war. It almost seems as though the international media is trying to escalate the situation into something more than the South Korean people want.

Jan 1967 - attacks South Korean warship near border, killing 39 sailors
Jan 1968 - commandos storm presidential palace in Seoul in a failed attempt to kill President Park Chung-hee
Jan 1968 - captures USS Pueblo - one crew member dies and 82 held hostages for 11 months
Dec 1969 - hijacks South Korean airliner taking dozens of passengers hostage
Oct 1983 - bombs hotel in Rangoon, Burma in failed attempt to kill South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan - 21 people die
Nov 1987 - bombs South Korean airliner, killing 115
Sept 1996 - sub carrying 26 troops disabled off South - some land in South sparking deadly manhunt
Mar 2010 - torpedoes Cheonan warship, 46 sailors killed

It would be a better assumption that the South will simply gain international support from the UN, US, and others because of the incident. With the opinions of the Korean president and the trigger happy american allies (led most recently by Hillary Clinton and her exploits to rile up everyone with her recent trip to Beijing) all under consideration, we are still relatively unconcerned. The Korean people have illustrated for us that there are still some governments who care about what their people think. We know that most off all in our city. Gwangju is known for its active role in politics. This was best of all illustrated in the famous Gwangju protests in 1980. Gwangju was at the forefront of the democratic movement within the country and still is known for its involvement in any major political upheavals within the country.

Though the world is buzzing with news of the ship being sunk I assure you that as for now it is not as high of a concern as it seems. Of course any loss of life is a big deal, but to expect the south to go to war tomorrow is highly unlikely. A response of some sort is warranted, but the South Koreans do not want to go back to war. We assure you that if anything does conspire between the two countries there is a swift and well organized plan to send all the foreign expats home. Also, we are located near several US Army bases, so we are covered. :) For more details check out the BBC website (it seems to be a little less involved in the scare tactics of FOX news... hahaha)

*Edit* UPDATE:
There has been press released that quotes the Korean president as saying:
"We have always tolerated North Korea's brutality, time and again. We did so because we have always had a genuine longing for peace on the Korean peninsula," Lee said.

"But now things are different. North Korea will pay a price corresponding to its provocative acts," he said. "I will continue to take stern measures to hold the North accountable."

He has vowed to take the situation to the UN security council so that the north will be held responsible. As Lee spoke Monday, North Korea's main government run, fear based newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, called the investigation results an "intolerable, grave provocation" tantamout to a declaration of war.

Even with all of this, South Korea wants peace. They want justice, but they are going through the proper channels with the UN instead of rushing to arms. We are confident things will settle down.

Happy Birthday Buddha!

2010-05-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

석가탄신일 (Seokga tansinil), meaning "the day of Buddha's birthday" or 부처님 오신 날 (Bucheonim osin nal) meaning "the day when Buddha arrived". Lotus lanterns cover the entire temple throughout the month in anticipation...

We decided to check out the temple that is located about a mile from our apartment. We originally had plans to go down south and visit one of the oldest and biggest temples in the country, but we decided not to at the last minute. We were thinking we should save the money for next week when my parents arrive from the US.

The temple was decorated beautifully. The whole park that encircles it was covered in lanterns as well and in the distance you can hear the concert and fair at City Hall. As you walk in the lanterns illuminate the korean folk musicians in their traditional garb. Unfortunately we arrived just as they were finishing their concert so I do not have video. Monks are sprinkled about the crowd with shoes off and seated on the ground. Hundreds of people observe the singing and tour the temple. The main temple where many go to pray is open to the public to enter, but only if you take off your shoes. I went in to take pictures and was able to observe several families and some monks bowing and praying. It was interesting to say the least.

I hope you enjoy the pictures we took. You can find more in our online gallery, but here is a sampling. :)

Loving the local harvest

2010-05-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

I am loving the local harvest this week. Those who know my tastes would know I do not like watermelon. This afternoon, after much convincing from Jack, I tried some of the watermelon that Gwangju was famous for. It is the sweetest watermelon I have ever had. It was amazing! SO here is a shout out to the watermelon from Mudeungsan Mountain. If you are ever in the area, check it out. :)

STARBOX

2010-05-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the pictures...

So far so good. The gym has been great!

STAR BOX 스타 박스

2010-05-11T01:04:00.000-07:00

After a rather embarrassing mix up due to pronunciation, Jack and I finally stopped scouring the Starbucks building and headed across the street to the star box (스타 박스) building. We have been looking for a health club to join. We looked all over. We discovered one directly across the street from our apartment building. It is Fitness FM located on the second and basement floor of the building Tom and Tom's is in. Tom and Tom's is the coffee shop of choice for all the young hip Koreans. As such the prices of the health club establishment are higher priced to attract them. Granted it is a beautiful gym and you get a member ship at both the gym and sauna, but you pay for it. It is 130,000 a month. We ventured down the street a bit to the less cool gym (where we honestly fit in better) and paid 130,000 for three months. Not a bad change. It was a lot cheaper.

Also we can pay a little extra and get a sauna membership as well, but I didn't think we would go enough to need it. You can pay 5,000 (approx. $4.41) to have a day pass to all the baths, steam rooms, and massages you could possibly need. It is a nice deal as long as you don't mind being publicly naked with members of the same sex. They split up the guys and girls, so there are no worries that way, but if you are super modest, this is not the place for you. The Jjimjilbang (찜질방) is no place for the shy. They offer massages, body scrubs, hot rooms, cold rooms, air rooms, hot rock rooms, etc. You need it, they got it. Just keep in mind all the women around you will be naked. It is a nice idea, but I would say go with a group (preferably with someone who knows Korean) so you don't accidentally wind up in the coed room butt naked.

The gym is nice. It is four floors up from the sauna on the seventh floor. The changing rooms are equipped with towels as well as clothes to work out in. When you are done you simply go in for a shower toss your clothes in the laundry and change back into your work clothes. The only thing you are expected to provide are your shoes. Also, the membership entails free aerobics and yoga classes. I figured while in Asia, do what the Asians do. Yoga it is. They have a million machines for cardio and a full weight machine and free weights section too. I am very excited to begin the training. Jack and I have set up a rewards program if we both reach our goal weights. His prize of choice was a PSP. Mine is a new ipod touch. Wish us luck. We have a long way to go.

A side note: Jack has already lost twenty pounds. Stupid boys: they skip a meal and lose a pants size. I diet for weeks and lose one pound. Somehow I have a feeling he will have his PSP long before I get my ipod...

Eungang Presbyterian Church (short unfinished promo)

2010-05-06T07:23:00.001-07:00

This is the church we hold our English services at. Here are a few clips and pictures to give you a look inside! :)

I am not sure how to fix the fact that it is cutting off part of the video. To see it wide screen visit this link. Sorry for the formatting. As soon as I figure out how to fix it, I plan to. :(

Boseong: Daehan Dawon Green Tea fields...

2010-05-05T23:09:00.000-07:00

May fifth around the country is a beautiful thing. At least it was to me. It was a school holiday so I got off of work. :) It is celebrated annually as Children's Day. On this day parents are supposed to do something special with their kids. Most opt for the zoo or aquarium. Also, it is customary to give gifts.

Since Jack and I don't have any kids and the one that we would consider ours, Eli (our black lab), is in the states. As a result, we just took a vacation day for ourselves. We traveled about an hour and a half by bus to the beautiful city of Boseong. As you travel to the city you make several stops to pick up other passengers along the way. You take the curvy endless roads and pass by beautiful rivers, terraced riced fields , and wild flowers running across the fields nearby. With the occasionally peak at a traditional house or even a temple tucked into a quiet mountainside, you begin to wonder if you are ever going to arrive.

Finally we arrived at the Boseong terminal. It was a bit run down and a bank of taxis waited patiently nearby. In my best, yet still terribly broken, Korean I managed to get out green tea festival. We were off. The W9,000 ride was well worth not boarding another bus. We arrived and drove right past the festival. We were unsure as to why, but our taxi driver signaled that we should walk up this secluded path. We stopped to get out a water bottle and he started honking at us until we made our way down the trail. Lucky for us we did. About 200 yards away it opened up to a gate and ticket booth where we purchased two tickets. As we entered we were underwhelmed. It was cozy and there were quaint restaurants, but I failed to see what the big deal was. As we walked a bit further, we came upon the most beautiful site. The trees opened up to a huge field planted alongside of what I consider a mountain (as I am from Florida) though others would consider it a very large hill. It was gorgeous. Jack and I spent the whole afternoon exploring up and down the mountainside taking pictures. We even took an unauthorized excursion up the side of a different mountain to see another one of the fields blocked off to the public. Shhhhh... Don't tell. :)
Overall it was well worth the trip. The pictures say it all. If you would like to see them all you can check out the direct link to our websites gallery. To end the day, we went into the gift shop and looked around and tried our luck at the restaurant where everything is made with green tea. (ie. green tea pasta, ice cream, meat, you name it) Sadly, we did not get to go to the rumored bath house (Jjimjilbang) where you can experience what it means to be in a teabag. There is a natural spring where you can bathe in green tea along with natural hot spring water. Maybe next time as we will definitely be going back. :)

Baloons=uprising?

2010-05-04T03:10:00.000-07:00

Recently a batch of balloons were released by South Koreans and many North Korean defectors who wished to provide information to the North Korean people. The balloons were attached to bags full of pamphlets of hope, DVD's, world news, and even some money(about $3,000.00 worth to be exact). This was a bold move by the south. North Korea has already responded to the balloon release strongly urging the South Korean government to punish those involved in the release.

This is not the first attempt of its kind. There have been many outreaches to the North Korean people from the South. While the world looks at the North as crazy and cruel, they must understand the opinions are quite different here. Sure, the leadership is nuts, but the people themselves are only victims and, in all truth, prisoners of their unfortunate situation. The South Koreans view the people simply as disconnected friends and family. Many have been separated for fifty years or more without any news passed between them. Parents and children were separated, brothers and sisters, and family friends all were victims of an untimely split. While the world views a terrorist nuclear threat, South Koreans for the most part just see them as relatives.

It seemed crazy to me that the North would actually think that the South would agree to punish those involved. Many of those involved were former North Korean citizens who were smuggled out of the country or who escaped through China and made their way back to their homeland. Inside the balloons all they wanted to convey was a message of hope and freedom and it was seen as a criminal act by Kim Jong Il and his associates. Liberation is such a dangerous idea for the people, that it will be silenced at all costs by the government. There are already reports coming in that the North Korean government has tried to intercept the balloons.

Luckily there is no way they could intercept all of them. At least a few messages of hope will be received by those who are suffering in North Korea. Hope is a valuable asset. Sometimes we forget just how valuable. We should count ourselves lucky to have the opportunity to even hear about freedom, much less live it out daily.

Food for thought. To see a video of the release provided by BBC click here

Kim Jong Il Announces Plan To Bring Moon To North Korea

2010-04-22T03:09:00.000-07:00

I have no words, I just wanted to share this. I thought it would be of some interest to you. I love Kim Jong Il. That guy is nuts!

Also, if you are interested in what Gwangju really looks like, here is your opportunity. Satellite imagery from our city.

View Larger Map

Furniture

2010-04-16T09:00:00.001-07:00

We bought a couch!

When we came to Korea, we were told our apartment was furnished. We had a bed and a couch. In fairness to the tale we were told apartments in Korea are smaller than in the states so you cant comfortably fit a bunch of crap in here like you would be able to do at home. We had a decently nice leather couch, but I grew weary of always having to share my leg space with Jack. ha ha We finally gave in. My friend Katherine took me across town to a used furniture store and I purchased a two piece sectional. Now our apartment actually feels kind of homey. I like it. It is a bit more cramped, but it is totally worth it. :) We haven;t bought much furniture since we have arrived. We have only bought a Korean dining table (i.e. it is only a foot tall) and this couch. Both were really affordable. We waited till after our first month so we would have so money. When we first came we were so broke. ha ha It is nice to actually have some spending money and still pay off bills. I could get used to this.

The couch was only 100,000.00 won which is roughly 80-90 bucks.
Table was only 35,000.00

I am very pleased with our investment.

TOP TEN

2010-04-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

KOREAN TOP TEN
Ten things that are super Korean

1. KIMCHI
2. K-pop
3. Uber girly hair accessories
4. Wearing a mask when you are sick
5. Public transportation
6. Hagwons
7. Plastic surgery
8. Drinking (Soju and Mekju)
9. Going to school 14 hours a day
10. Thinking the best things only come form Korea

And just for fun here are a few extras...

Fake sideburns
Mullets
Getting blown off by cab drivers
Coffee Shops
Short skirts
Cheap doctor visits
Converse

This is a really superficial list, but it is quite humorous to those who have lived in Korea and it is fairly accurate.

FIASCO AVOIDED

2010-04-12T00:58:00.000-07:00

doctor's visit: 10 dollars,
Perscription: 9 dollars,
Escaping the fiasco known as the American healthcare system: Priceless...

(I LOVE KOREA)

So apparently we have discovered I am allergic to the yellow dust in Korea. Yellow dust is a phenomenon related to the yellow dust that travels from the deserts of China across the sea and straight to my lungs. It happens in the Spring time in Korea. On some days the sky almost looks red from it. It really isn't all that bad, but with the added air pollution from our big city plus my super sensitivity to allergens in general it wasn't long before I had a sinus infection from it all. I finally gave in today after a long night marked by coughing and not being able to breathe. I hate the doctor. Maybe it is because of the stigma attached to going (Losing money and not really feeling like they are paying attention to you to begin with)

Today I broke though that mindset when I went to the doc down the hall from our campus. I got one of our bosses Sean to go with me for translating purposes. I went in and waited about ten minutes. The nurse out front took my temp and blood pressure. Five minutes later I was in with the doctor. He scoped my throat and nose and even let me see a picture of my inner ear. It was awesome. He actually listened to me when I told him how I felt (or rather listened to Sean as he said it in Korean) After our brief but in depth visit, I was sent out front to pay. I almost had a heart attack as they said 13,000 won (That roughly is estimated to be about ten bucks) In shock I walked down the hall the other direction to the pharmacy in our building to put in my prescription. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to wait or not so we waited. Within two minutes I was paying and fully finished with my visit. The grand total of all three prescriptions for a week I was given: 10,000 won ($8.50).

All I can say is SCREW AMERICAN HEALTH CARE. I am loving Korea. WIthin thirty minutes I was seen by a doctor got my prescription and was only out around 20 bucks.

In order to be fully Korean I have included a picture of my final addition to my treatment plan...

New Location!

2010-04-06T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Hans we were employed by has sadly closed...

but don't worry they opened back up two blocks away. The new location is beautiful, complete with a new computer lab and other awesome amenities. The school is also now located in the same building as its sister school that houses all the middle school students. The middle school is on the same floor in our building. Our director bought out the entire floor of the building. On of the perks is that they no longer have rent. They actually own the location. The classes are bigger and the students seem happier (ok well maybe not entirely true about the about the students...)

I want to include some pictures.

FOR MORE PICTURES VISIT OUR GALLERY (via Picasa):
Here is the link for the New Hans Location folder

Jack and his Howard complex.

2010-03-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

I do not claim to know much about sports. I can hold my own in a conversation about football and I am decently versed around basketball, but I hod no affinity for the athletic world. I am tall, lanky, and generally lacking in all athletic ability. That is why I am musical, artistic, and into reading. (okay, also I just like those things)

My husband has taken our families intake of sporting events and banter to a whole new level. WIth March Madness ensuing we constantly have a streaming ESPN radio network on one or both of our laptops. Also, the NFL draft is coming up soon and after Tebow's new throwing style the gator nation is all a buzz.

(see, I told you I am pretty aware of most sporting issues.)

Jack has now taken it to a whole other level. Last week our children's service was lacking something as we were doing the planning. We had done musical chairs, toilet paper mummies, and random mind teasers. We needed something different. We made our way to Lotte World. Lotte World is the closest thing to Wal-mart we have. Except it goes up instead of out. Each floor is a different variety of items ranging from car repair on top that connects the the parking garage to the bottom floor that is solely a grocery store. We ventured to the toy store in hopes to find something. There it was on sale. 16,000 won. A kids basketball hoop and two small bouncy basketballs. Since our service free throw game, the hoop has made its way to our loft balcony.

Yes. that's right, Jack has installed a basketball hoop in my living room. haha I only really hate it when he forgets how late he stays up and puts on his metaphorical superman cape* for his own version of the dunk contest. It isn't like I am asleep, I just worry about our poor neighbors.

The crowning moment of the sports world however happened tonight through this lanky red-head. I have been sick all week. I think I may have a sinus infection coupled with several flu symptoms (the regular kind, not the pig kind). Tonight was particularly rough. I had been dying all day and came home to actually throw up (sorry, gross over share- get over it). The point is I was pretty screwed up. I was laying down on the couch with a cool wet cloth over my eyes, completely sick. Jack was playing basketball and jokingly said I bet you cant make it.

You may call me Kryptonite. Blindfolded and sick I got nothing but net. It was amazing. I may not be good at real sports and I may never get a medal but as for tonight, the bragging rights are mine.

*For those who are not aware of sports pop culture, Dwight Howard wears a Superman Cape each year for the annual Dunk Contest. :)

The Lemon Table

2010-03-18T03:40:00.002-07:00

We finally went to the Lemon Table tonight after work. We had been urged multiple times by some of our co-teachers to check it out. We enjoyed it immensely. The burgers were heavily seasoned, but decent (also they include a fired egg on most of the burgers). I am really looking forward to trying out some of the pasta next time. The atmosphere is comfortable and inviting. We had a great time chatting. The best part is before your food is brought out they bring these incredibly crumbly croissants and a small dipping bowl with honey. It was scrumptious. The Lemon table is just down from our apartment. It is about a ten minute walk from Landpia just before the Sejong Outlets near the subway stop. We will definitely add it to our list of restaurants we frequent.

We hope to check out some other menu items and will will add to our review. The experience was nice, but we weren't completely sold on the burgers. They were just very Korean. I am pretty sure they cooked them in bulgogi sauce. We are going to try the steak and pasta next time. It cant hurt. The bill came out to be only 19,000.00 won. Which is about 17.50 for a sit down meal for two. Not bad.

New location- like I need to move again

2010-03-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

Our school is moving. Well down the street anyways. We are moving to combine with the middle school campus. It actually works out in our favor. We will have a shorter walk to work and it is closer to restaurants if we want to step out for one of our breaks and run to grab some food. We will be just around the corner from MacDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and Holly's Coffee. The only thing that stinks is that we have to come in on Sunday afternoon and move our things to the new campus. It is really going to throw off our napping streak. Sometimes I swear Jack and I are like children. We actually have a napping schedule. haha. Sundays are the only day of the week that we dont sleep in. We have to be up SO early. (and by early I mean nine. haha) Normally we get out of bed at the crack of noon.

This week the move is on. I think the thing that is craziest is that Jack and I will no longer have a office. Instead we will share a classroom. The only thing that is kind of weird about that is that there are cameras in all the classrooms. We don't currently have one in our office so during our breaks we watch tv online. :) I guess I will just have to angle my mac away from the camera because I don't think I can part with watching Lost and the Office when they come online. The new school is awesome though. They bought out the rest of the second floor in our building so we will have a lot of space and new equipment. It is of little cost when you consider that our boss currently owns twenty different hagwons (private schools). We only found that out this week. Let's just say we discovered he is doing well. haha For now we will pack our desk and make sure the trash has been emptied while we head out to better things.

3.14 White Day/Pie Day

2010-03-14T03:03:00.000-07:00

To all my mathematically inclined friends (I actually think I really only know one haha), Happy Pie Day π (3.1415926535897...). For all those who are located in Japan, Taiwan, or Korea, Happy White Day. White Day is the Asian version of a Hallmark Holiday. Valentine's Day is celebrated differently here.

Here's a snippet from wikipedia:

In Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, Valentine's Day is observed by females who present chocolate gifts (either store-bought or handmade), usually to a male, as an expression of love, courtesy or social obligation. The handmade chocolate is usually preferred by the receiver, because it is a sign that the receiving male is the girl's "only one". On White Day, the converse happens: males who received a honmei-choco (本命チョコ?, "chocolate of love") or giri-choco (義理チョコ?, "courtesy chocolate") on Valentine's Day are expected to return the favor by giving gifts, usually more expensive. Traditionally, popular White Day gifts are cookies, jewelery, white chocolate, white lingerie and marshmallows.[1] Sometimes the term sanbai gaeshi (三倍返し?, literally, "thrice the return") is used to describe the generally recited rule that the return gift should be two to three times the cost of the Valentine's gift.[2]

I think it is interesting that the women are the ones doing the giving, instead of the men. The good news is at least in White Day they are supposed to return the favor with a more expensive gift. :) This actually was all started by a confectionery who started marketing marshmallows as gifts to those who presented Valentines Day traditional chocolate. Eventually marshmallows increased to white chocolate, then dark, then jewelry, and before long it was a full blown lovers holiday. Occasionally gifts can be exchanged for social obligations, but mostly it is a sign of affection.

I think the best part is that the love based holidays do not stop at two in Korea. There is also a singles day later in the year. On this day single people are all supposed to go out and eat jajangmyeon (noodles with black bean sauce). They say it is to celebrate their singleness. My instinct says it is so they can easily spot each other and possibly hook up. :) haha

Mokpo- a day trip...

2010-03-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

Mokpo (Mokpo-si) ( Korean 목포, Hanjia 木浦 ) is a major port city in South Jeolla Province , South Korea ,surrounded by hills facing the sea on the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula with a population of about 260,000.

The area of Mokpo was controlled by the Mahan confederacy in the 3rd to 2nd century BC and later by the kingdom Baekje (18 BCE – 660 AD) . In 1439 King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty established the ' Mokpo man-ho ' or Mokpo bay camp to help fight Japanese pirates . There were many battles around Mokpo during the Japanese invasion of 1592 ( Imjin War ) in which the Korean national hero, admiral Yi-Sun-shin fought . The most famous of the battles in the Mokpo area was the battle Myeongryang on October 26, 1597 where admiral Yi-Sun-shin defeated a Japanese force of 133 ships with 13 ships .

from http://mokpo.info/

This weekend we went on a day trip to the city of Mokpo. It is a beautiful port city with an interesting history. We were accompanied by Katherine and Caleb, a couple of friends who teach at a different school in Gwangju. We wanted to go explore some shopping and do a "quick" mountain hike to see some of the beautiful views from Yudal San Park. It was gorgeous! We saw some of the temples, beatiful pagodas, and some really neat carvings on the mountainside on rocks as we trekked down the other side.

The bit I am leaving out is perhaps the best. What started as a pretty little hike turned into quite the conquest to make it up the face of a beautiful mountain. While on the side facing the coasts there were countless sets of stairs in various levels of steepness. The fun came when we tried to find our way to the beach down the other side. We looked around for quite a while and found a break in the railing which began a interesting dirt trail. The trail began with nice ropes to help you down the steeper parts of the rock where there was no hand grips. Later on down the mountain however the ropes became more sparse and the adventure ensued. While Jack enjoyed mimicking Tarzan and swung from trees and ropes we all made our way down. The beach turned out to me about an eighth of a mile of sand stuffed between two ports, several restaurants, and some other businesses. It was worth it though. The one thing I miss most from Florida is the beach. Besides, can you say you scaled a huge mountain today?

노래 방 NORE BANG

2010-03-08T01:54:00.000-08:00

Nore Bang (노래 방) is literally translated "singing room." I thought i would devote a short post to one. While in Seoul we visited a Nore Bang. Basically you pay a small amount for 15, 30, or even 60 minutes and have unlimited access to the karaoke equipment. You would think it would stop there. But no. In the room you will find microphones (usually cordless so as not to hinder dancing) song book with English and Korean tunes, lights, the occasional disco ball, and of course some big speakers. Most Koreans go for parties. Karaoke and alcohol are a bad combination. You can usually hear people blasting the latest K-pop or classic 80's rock. It is awesome. I decided to show a few pictures. I hope you enjoy. :)

School birthday fun

2010-03-06T07:32:00.000-08:00

As if all the crazy birthday enjoyment during my weekend wasn't enough i was met by the teachers at our school on Tuesday (Monday was a holiday) with a beautiful birthday cake and singing. I think the best part of the day occured when I was greeted by one of my classes with them singing happy birthday (in English I might add). They were so cute, but that wasn't the best part. Later on in the lesson it came to my attention one of the boys had forgotten his book. It is a real offense hereso I started to get on his case. In the midst of my stern talking the whole class simultaneously busted out with the last line of the song: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!" It was such a clever usage of the song I decide to let it slip this time that he had forgotten his book. Unfortunately, the behavior rubbed off on Jack after I told him the story. Over the last week if he had committed any offense, he just randomly breaks out into the birthday song. I assured him it only worked if he was an adorable eight year old Korean but still he persists. I have to admire his commitment. ha ha Here are a few pictures. Check out the rest on our gallery. You can find the link on the side of this page.

Birthday fun. Seoul, Nikon, and photoshop...

2010-03-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

This past week was a milestone for me I suppose. I turned twenty five. As my sister "lovingly" put it, I am half way to fifty. (Thanks Jenn.- by the way, you are half way to sixty) I have never really celebrated my birthday in any large capacity. Given that it is within a week of my sisters and the fact that I am a pastor's kid (meaning we didn;t have a huge amount of money) birthdays were never ranked much higher than a cake and friends or as I got older movies and embarrassing singing at the annual restaraunt of our choosing.

This year we decided to change all that. The weekend before my birthday started out with a trip to Kumho World (금호월두). It is a multi-level store that sells everything from toilets to furniture to instruments. We typically go for the computer section as it is the only retailer that sells Apple products that we have found. We went in and headed straight to our planned sales counter. NIKON. We walked up and the guy kind of didn;t take us seriously until I told him it was my birthday and pointed to the beautiful D90 on the shelf. We purchased a new camera, Two lenses, a cleaning kit, and a travel bag. All of which were really nice and some of which were complimentary from our salesman since we were making such a big purchase. Towards the end of our buying frenzy he handed me a remote and said Happy birthday. It was a great start to the week.

From there we got our stuff together for church on Sunday and left shortly after a quick afternoon lunch with our school principle. We headed to U Square (the bus terminal) and bought our tickets to Seoul. We splurged an extra five bucks each and got the luxury buses. The seats recline a rediculous amount. It is like first class airplane recliner. Nice. We arrived in Seoul around seven and were met at the Seoul Gangnam terminal. One of our friends from university, Ryan, and his super awesome newly wedded wife Christina helped us grab our bags, took us to our Hotel, the Hawaiian, and took us out to a great dinner. It was our first non-"koreanized" Italian food in months. It was amazing! We cant wait to go back.

The weekend progressed and we hit some awesome spots including the palace, Butterfingers (western breakfast joint= amazing), a Nore Bang (Korean Karaoke rooms/bar), an amazing German restaurant, and a stop by a piercing place to get my nose re-done. (SIDE NOTE: I took my other one out for our last church job. I figure why not? It didn't help me keep that job. haha) We ended the week with a sad goodbye and a trip back to the terminal in Seoul. We only walked around for forty minutes looking for the Honam line inside the terminal. :) We caught a bus nearly ten minutes later. At least nine of which were used scrambling to find a bathroom before the three hour trek home to Gwangju. We arrived safely home around three in the morning and hit the sack. Happy birthday to me. haha

It has been great. Playing with my Nikon, editing all the photos with photoshop (cs4) that was gotten for me by our friend Peter, who teaches at the other campus of our school, and just enjoying possibly the biggest birthday celebration I have had to date. So despite the fact that I am half way to fifty, it was a pretty awesome time.

Test week

2010-02-25T01:38:00.000-08:00

How I love it. This week we are giving the students monthly tests. It os my favorite and least favorite week of the month. The classes fly by and all I do is sit and write in my journal or play on the computer. If you haven;t guessed already, I am writing this as I am sitting in class. It is so nice. Th epart tthat is the least favorite is at the end of the week, I must turn in monthly report cards. It sucks and I hate it. haha. Oh well. SO far so good. This week I have actually been able to finish up each classes report cards while still in their class. I graded their papers quickly and recorded the grades as fast as possible. I am up to date on all classes. It is awesome. :) I am trying really hard because this weekend Jack and I are planning to go to Seoul. We are leaving Sunday and coming back on Tuesday morning.

We have Monday off for 3.1절 (Samiljeol)- Independence Day, March 1
On this date in 1919, Koreans declared their independence from Japan. The fight for independence was a struggle to preserve the Korean way of life. During the occupation Koreans were forced to give up their Korean names, their language and their food, so other ways to commenorate this day might include cooking a Korean meal or learning a new phrase or Korean song. We thought what better way to celebrate Korea than to visit its capital city and visit some of it's most important land marks.

We will hopefully be visiting the palace as well as the main temple in Seoul. It is a Buddhist temple where foreign Kings/Emperors went to worship. I am not sure if this will be weird or not, but it worth a try. We though about visiting a Korean folk village outside of the city, but we decided we would go at a later date with our friend Seona in Daejon. I am really excited. We are going to celebrate the holiday as well as my 25th birthday. :)

Soju and public displays of nudity

2010-02-17T05:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I observed my first public display of nudity last night. Jack and I were walking home and there was a man on the sidewalk up ahead of us. I noticed he was acting weird, but it didn't occur to me that anything else was going on. As we approached a bit closer, we realized that he was just taking a piss right there on the side of the rode. Keep in mind that we do not live in a shady part of town. We live in one of the newest areas of town. It is considered a hip area where college to late twenties people come to hang out. We thought it was hilarious. We were walking along the main strip and there at the walkway overpass was a drunk old man taking a leak.

It isn't good for you to hold it. Long term kidney damage and all. I guess he just takes that idea seriously. :)

Poop Face

2010-02-03T01:57:00.000-08:00

So today I had a student call me poop face. I was cracking up at his comment which of course made him mad but he was being super disrespectful despite his inadequacy to come up with a decent cut down. I started to get on to him and his Korean teacher came to the door. He started crying (apparently I can look at a student a certain way and they cry) and then I looked like the jerk. SO now I was called a poop face and actually temporarily felt like a poop face.

I am doing better now. He deserved it, but crying kids have a way of getting sympathy. I just need to be more of a hard ass.

attack of the allergens

2010-01-28T01:10:00.000-08:00

Apparently this week, my sinus' decided they didn't like Korea anymore and have gone on strike, you know from helping me breathe. I am Feeling pretty gross. I am popping airborne like crazy in hope to prevent it from turning into a sinus infection. I also looked up methods online to alleviate the pressure. I have spent most of my classes today massaging my own face. The kids asked me why and when I explained it was completely lost in translation. I think they think I am crazy. Oh well. Tonight I intend to practically take a bath in Nyquil to help knock me out so my body can recover. I guess it has just been a stressful week. My body is feeling it.

Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow. :)

It only took two years...

2010-01-25T08:48:00.001-08:00

Too bad it is only a foot tall. I guess I will have to wait a few more for a western sized table. :-) haha
Also, I included a picture of the painting I made to go above it. :) I have since moved it down so it isn't so awkwardly high like it is in these pictures.

TOP FIVE!

2010-01-25T02:34:00.000-08:00

TOP 5 RESTAURANTS WE ENJOY:

O. So - Traditional korean Barbecue which is really nothing like BBQ americans associate with. Raw meat is brought to you on a plate and you cook the meat on a small grill on your table. The side dishes are awesome. Egg, Spicy Soup, Grilled Garlic and Bean paste, fresh romaine and sesame leaves to make wraps, and of course Kimchi. It also helps that is directly across the street from our apartment.

3692- Similar to O. So in that it’s specialty is Korean BBQ bu the flavor is completely different. They are known for their sweet sauce. It is out of this world. The atmosphere of 3692 gives it an edge beyond other eateries in the area. Low lights, floor level tables, and a great traditional ambience as you sit, legs crossed, enjoying your meal.

VIPS- This is an American style Steakhouse with a Korean flair. This is no Longhorn knockoff. It is better compared to Ruth Chris. The steak is top quality and we were assured by our Korean hosts, NO MADCOW, you know like those blasted Americans.

American Pleasures: These are a few of our favorites because they remind us of home. Also the quality of all of the menitoned restaraunts is phenomenally better here for some reason. Mac Donalds, KFC, Burger King, BBQ Chicken (that is the actual name -but the fried chicken is awesome), KRAZE burgers, etc.

LeAmo- Not the best we have ever had, but if you want some pasta this is the place to go. It is a brief taste of Italian that hits the spot when we get a craving.

payday

2010-01-25T01:01:00.000-08:00

We had our first pay day today. Well, technically it was supposed to be Thursday but our boss gave us an advance because our debit card that has worked the whole time we were here somehow demagnetized. The timing of it all was spectacular. It was directly after we had been in the big store Lotte Mart picking up a million things for our place. We even bought some furniture. We made our way up to the check out lane, scanned everything, and with a huge line of Koreans pressing in behind us staring as they commonly do when foreigners are present we were declined. The sales clerk looked at us as if to say, "where is your money at?" We didn't know what he problem was at the time so we had her run it again several times and then abandoned my beautiful new dining room table. I was so angry. It was so cute. It is a floor level table (We wanted to go uber Korean) and a beautiful set of pillows for seats. We looked lie a couple of broke aliens in the middle of our city's most crowded shopping plaza. The next day (today) we were scheduled to go to the bank with one of our school associates Sean who would help us set up an account at a Korean bank. The bank checked our card and said the strip was bad. :( Oh well. Sean and Jack talked and our school said they would pay us a few days early since we had no cash. We had just been using our debit card for Wachovia because I had gotten it approved to work in Korea. It was a fiasco.

Along with the department store drama, it has been a fairly easy going week. It is testing week for January, so all our classes are very quiet and relaxed for the first half of the week at least. The good news is we share the same bank as our school so the deposit showed up immediately. It as awesome. :) We withdrew some cash and by God I am buying a dining room table tonight after work. I don't care if I have to carry it the mile and a half back to our apartment or not. (Probably not though. haha Thank God for Taxis)

I dedicate this post to Jennifer who is bored at home on baby bed rest and checks my blog all the time. You're welcome. haha

Also, check out our pictures of Sang Mu Market. It was beautiful. It is set up every Friday along the Street and next street over from our apartment and school. You can view them HERE

Our walk to the store.

2010-01-12T22:59:00.000-08:00

It was beautiful on the way to the store today. So I decided to put up a few of the pictures i took. I hope you enjoy. I f you wan to see more clicxk on our link to our gallery.

The Hans

2010-01-11T19:39:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the recent pictures from our school. Most of them are from my (CRystal's) classes and a few are just of the school itself. :)

All the classrooms are named after American and European influential universities.

One of my brightest students!

Here is a quick video of one of my classes reading their story book.

FOR THE FULL ALBUM VISIT OUR GALLERY

2010-01-05T05:44:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing in Gwangju the last few days and may continue tomorrow. It has been beautiful, but freaking freezing as I mentioned in my last post. I will also include a few pictures in this post of the snow. I am beginning to miss Florida on days like these. haha We walked home tonight with pretty intense snow. The best part was when Jack decided he wanted to try a "Risky Business" moment. He went to slide in his traction-less steve madden dress shoes and in an instant he was gone. It was a flash of bookbags and 100 won coins. He had just counted change to see if we had enough for dinner. In addition to the snow falling a glimpse of silver caught the air as 2800 won worth of 100 won coins flew through the air. Jack feet went practically up over his head and he landed on his back/left shoulder. At first I was freaking out because he looked stunned like it had hurt him badly. Once I realized he was okay I just started laughing. The best part was the extra ten minutes we had to stand out in the snow to dig up our money. We normally wouldn;t have cared because it is roughly about 2 or 3 dollars US, but we weren;t sure if we had enough for dinner. He made it.

As much as I am picking at him, it cant be said that I had a bright moment this morning when I chose to wear boots that had heels on them. I came quite close to eating the icy pavement about thirty times on the way to and from work today. It was pretty hilarious. Oh well. Tomorrow=tennis shoes and no more Tom Cruise moments for Jack.

Second Day

2010-01-05T02:04:00.001-08:00

Today was our second full day of teaching. It was a bit harder than yesterday. There are far less breaks on tuesdays and thursdays. It makes the day go faster, but it seems a bit more rough. Nothing to serious though. I am looking forward to going to O.So tonight. We discovered it last night. Two other foreign teachers, Peter and Leah, from the middle school campus took us last night. It was AMAZING.

We also found out we have been eating Gambi incorrectly the last few times we have gone out. They fill the table with side dished and sauces. One of the things brought to the table is a basket of lettuce and sesame leaves. We had just thought it was an uninspiring salad, but it is actually supposed to be used to make wraps with the meat. All along we have just been picking up the meat and leaving the other stuff alone. It definitely explains a lot of the weird looks we have been getting when we go out to eat at different places. haha We love it though. It also doesn't hurt that this particular restaurant is directly across the street from Landpia (our apartment building). A good choice the last two days since it has been snowing like crazy here. Quite a bit of a change from the sunny Florida weather we are used to.

More updates later.

res⋅o⋅lute: /ˈrɛzəˌlut/ [rez-uh-loot]

2010-01-02T01:16:00.000-08:00

Resolute:

–adjective
admirably determined, purposeful, or unwavering

1. firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion.
2. characterized by firmness and determination, as the temper, spirit, actions, etc.

I find the definition of this word a bit ironic when coupled with our most predominate usage of the word around this time of year. Each year we write out, blog, etc. our goals for the year. The most common are lose weight, quit a bad habit (smoking, drinking, and so on), and get out of debt. However, it would seem to stamp the term resolution on a goal is almost to damn the idea. You resolve to do a few things and have most likely failed or progressed in the opposite direction by the end of January.

With that as the case I have refused to make resolutions this year. I am simply going to list a few hopes and if I achieve them all the more empowerment for me. If I do not, it will not end my world as I know it. It will be a minor dissapointment.

Last year Jack and I wrote out goals as a couple and seperately. For the most part, we accomplished nearly all of them. We got a dog, a new job, moved abroad and traveled abroad several times (Brazil/Korea/Bahamas and a few others), and are on our way to getting out of debt. All in all, not bad for a years work. This year I have a few additional items to add to our list of aspirations and goals.

1. Travel to at least two more countries not previously visited
2. Finish getting out of debt and paying off at least one whole school loan.
3. Thrive at my new school in Gwangju as a foreign language teacher.
4. Read more.
5. Learn as much Korean as I am able to. (which honestly may not be much but still will be fun and rewarding)
6. Learn new video/photo editing software
7. Do more sweet things for those who deserve it in my life
8. Take photography more seriously. I want to take an amazing picture worth framing in my home.
9. Forgive several people in my life whether they say sorry or not.
10. Make time to go hiking when it warms up. :)

Happy New Year - 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

2009-12-31T04:33:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Tonight we ate Korean food for the first time without someone who could translate for us. We decided to venture out on our own. It was an adventure. We looked around for a while and finally found a place about three blocks away. That was only after we had randomly walked around for about 2 miles. We just wanted to explore and get out of our apartment for a while. We haven't set up the internet yet and haven;t really purchased a lot for our place yet. It is kind of boring right now. I know it will be better once we get a few more things for our place. We also have a lot of planning for our classes on Monday. The only other thing that remains to be seen is whether or not there will be a foreign teacher meeting this weekend downtown. I haven't been by their facebook page in a while. We need to check it out soon.

For now, Happy New Year.
새해 복 많이 받으세요!

I know it is going to be exciting!

Hospital

2009-12-29T23:11:00.000-08:00

So we woke up this morning and were met by Sean to be taken to the hospital so they could run tests and check out our status for our medical form required by immigration. We have to get this done before we can apply for our alien registration card. We went through quite a few hoops, but nothing to serious. They drew some blood, took a chest x-ray, height, weight, heart monitored, drug test, and a few others.

We started the process and got to the final interview when we were informed the doctor upstairs forgot to run one of the tests so we had to go all the way back upstairs strip down and have a heart monitor done. Finally after getting dressed again we went back to the original office for our interview. They asked us some questions and we left finally almost two hours later.

The upside of things is that during our tests it began to snow outside. Jack looked like a little kid. The expression on his face was priceless. My husband is a true Floridian. He has only seen snow one other time in his lifetime. He was trying to catch it on his tongue. It was hilarious.

After a full day, we are going to fill in for a few classes and then we are off to buy a few items for our place. Mostly necessities. We will get any luxury items after our first paycheck. ha ha I am nervous about the teaching as well, but I know it will be okay. :) More later.

We are here.

2009-12-29T22:53:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Seoul early Monday morning and took a bus ride from the airport to our city. On the way we drove through beautiful mountains and tunnels, not that I was awake to witness any of it as I was completely unconscious in my seat knocked out from a Airborne cocktail and NyQuil. Apparently I have been sitting next to the sickest person in my vicinity. On the bus even the older gentleman sitting ahead of me sounded like he was going to hack up a lung.

When we arrived we were greeted at the airport by Sean, the same person who conducted our phone interview at the school. He took us out to a really great lunch and then took us to a really great hotel for the night because our apartment was in the process of being cleaned. We fell asleep at three in the afternoon Gwangju time. BIG mistake as we were up by three am and watched movies the whole night. We found a website online and watched Alvin and the Chipmunks Sqeakual. We then met Sean again that next day and were taken out to another great lunch with Pizza. The pizza was interesting to say the least, but not entirely bad either. I enjoyed it along with the awesome seafood pasta. From me that means a lot because I do not like seafood, but it ROCKED!

After lunch, we went to see our school for the first time. We met the teacher we are taking the place of and got to ask a million questions. I think she was tired of us by the end of the day. haha We met our school director as well. He was really nice and we think we are going to get along very well. He and his wife were both very nice.

Later in the evening we moved into our apartment. The directors from the other campus dropped off some house warming gifts for us. They brought us some kitchen stuff as well as some nice bedding. It was very considerate of them. We finally got to bed around nine after we unpacked a little bit. It is starting to feel a bit more like home.

2009-12-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

Goodbye everyone. We depart in just a few hours. We will arrive in Korea on Monday morning. I will update as soon as I am able to. It may be a while. I am sure we will be busy at first.

안녕 모두들. 우리는 단지 몇 시간에 출발합니다. 우리 한국은 월요일 아침에 도착하는 것입니다. 내가 마자 수있게 업데이 트됩니다. 그 동안 수있습니다. 난 우리가 처음에 바쁜이 되리라 확신합니다.

(For the above text I used Google translate. I am just hoping I did not inadvertently butcher sentence structure or use profane language by accident) haha

Farewell! 안녕히!

PACKING PHASE 2

2009-12-24T13:57:00.000-08:00

Can i just say that Space Bags (Vacuum Storage Bags) are a gift from God. I have packed twice what i thought I could in the allotted amount of baggage for our airline and it is all within weight range. The bags are deceiving because they are small, but still heavy. It through me for a loop at first. I then began to pack them in the smaller suitcase which now weigh fifty pounds. Our large suitcase was used for our random things like shoes, makeup, some of my favorite shampoo, and a few other things we needed.

Packing so far includes:

Clothes
Coats/Jackets
Swimwear/Sunscreen
Some toiletries
Shoes
A few Hats
Camera
Laptops

Let Phase Two commence. I have been scouring through our house looking for items we have forgotten or couldn't locate. I am just about at my wits end for all of this packing nonsense. I wish could just take a t-shirt, a hoodie and a pair of tennis shoes and be set. I however know that my exceptionally girly and needy side just wouldn't stand for that. If ever there was a time I wish I, who is not very high maintenance to begin with, were even lower maintenance. Oh well, until then, the packing continues...

OH MY...

2009-12-22T23:20:00.000-08:00

So much to do. My to do list is stacking up. I was looking over what I need to accomplish tomorrow and the list is staggering. I cannot do anything after that because most major businesses are closed for the holidays. While I am excited and thankful for Christmas, it is beginning to stress me out. haha. Tomorrow begins with another fateful trip to the dentist, a mad fury of transferring, paying, and managing bills, Cancelling phone services, and about a million other things. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I have to pack. :D What a day! Now if I can just fall asleep I will be doing good. It is 2:23 in the morning and I have to be at the dentist at 8:00 am. I can tell this day is going to be a crazy one...

Working on my Korean

2009-12-22T11:16:00.000-08:00

Well over the last few days I have come to the realization that I have no clue as to a basic working knowledge of Korean. I have been working on my alphabet and basic words and phrases, but I am afraid I am butchering the language. Hopefully by this weekend I will have at least a little bit more down.

Here is a great site I found on another teachers blog that has been very helpful:

http://langintro.com/kintro/first.htm

Our departure is in five days. Wow. Just wow. I finished purchasing our last few necessary items for departure and will hopefully be finished packing within the next day or so.

On a side note it is also my two year anniversary today. I wonder how you say Happy Anniversary in Korean. Unfortunately, I have a dentist appointment following my checkup yesterday when I found out I had a couple cavities. I was informed by my dentist I should get them taken care of before we leave. I also need a cleaning but I figured I could get that done in Korea. Oh well, enough for now.

Consulate Interview

2009-12-10T12:22:00.000-08:00

We scheduled our interview for next week on Wednesday. We are SO excited. We should have our visa by next thursday and are scheduled for departure on December 27th just after Christmas. I can't wait! 16 DAYS!

The Visa Numbers Are Here!!!

2009-12-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

It seems like it has taken forever, but the entire process has not taken that long at all. We received our visa numbers today from our contact with our school in Korea. We are so excited. There are only two more steps before we can leave for Korea. We are going to have to send more paperwork, then go in for our interview. Once that is completed they mail out passports back and we leave for the great city of Gwangju. It seems like the long process has suddenly sped up a lot faster than I am perhaps mentally and even physically ready to deal with. I am getting a bit overwhelmed with my to do list over the next two weeks. All of this Korea stuff, packing, visiting my family in Atlanta, and about a million other things. Also, we got another nice surprise in the mail today. Our copy of Rosetta Stone (we ordered levels 1 & 2) came in today. We are off to buy Jack's new laptop tomorrow and when we do, we will install it and get started learning the new language. Jack keeps joking saying that I am going to learn the language and he is just going to tote me around with him as his translator so he doesn't have to learn as much. I am simply not having that though. I am going to make him do his lessons as well. That way if he needs to find a bathroom or something he can do it on his own. haha.

Crystal

I am slowly on my way to becoming an alien

2009-11-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

HAHA Though some may debate I have already achieved that status, we are well on our way to being officially recognized as so though the SOuth Korean Government. Our School director in Korea has submitted all of our documentation to the Korean Immigration services and we should have our visa number back within the next week or so. The process normally take two weeks from when the documents are submitted. From there we will begin the second set of instructions including a visit to Atlanta for our final interview. From there our plane ticket will be purchased and our visa will be issued to us. :D I am counting down the days until our depature.

Delivered.

2009-11-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Well the word is our package was delivered early Monday morning to the family of the director of our school. We should be receiving our visa number information within a couple of weeks. From there, we will fill out a great deal more of paperwork plus go to Atlanta for our interview at the Korean consulate. It works out well since my parent live close by. We plan to go up and spend the week with them, have our interview, and say goodbye to our amazing dog. Jack's cousins live up there as well and have agreed to look after him while we are away. I am so sad, but we know it is going to better for him than being put in his kennel during the day while we are away at school. He will have a big yard to play in and he will have the pugs to keep him company. :)

Take that CVS!!!

2009-11-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

We finished the first step of the process today. After collecting a massive amount of paperwork and incessantly calling our college and emailing our recruiter we are done. Today after a small passport photo fiasco we finally sent the documents off from the FedEx location in Jacksonville.

The passport fiasco began when we pulled into CVS off Baymeadows. We walked in and got our pictures taken and were then told it would be thirty minutes because the printing machine was out of order. We thought to ourselves, "Gee, you could of told us that before, but we just kept quiet and went to wait in the car."

One hour later we walked back in to check the status. We were told it would be any minute. Another twenty minutes later we quietly walked out and crossed the street to go to Walgreens (why are these two always across the street from each other?) Upon arrival we got our pictures taken and told it should only take ten minutes. About fifteen or twenty minutes later, we walked back up to the counter and no one was there. We just assumed she was still working on them. Five more minutes passed and the manager came up shocked and asked us if we were still waiting. He went behind the counter and fished out our pictures. Finally we had finished gathering all our documents! The pictures only took and hour and forty-five minutes. We were so glad to be done we just said thanks and left. From there we drove a block down the road to the FedEx/Kinkos to send our package. When we walked in, we realized there was a photo background to the side. We could have done our photos there and sent the package all within a few minutes of each other. Wow. Finding it a bit comical at this point, we briefly explained our laughter to the sales clerk. She replied, "Almost two hours! What were they doing? Sketching your photos by hand?" Thanks for that. :)

One more short set of paperwork and about seventy dollars later we sent our documents.
The most empowering moment was during our twenty minute drive back home the original lady from CVS called to inform us our pictures were ready. (This was almost two and a half hours later) We quickly informed her we went somewhere else and she could toss them. She then sounded frustrated like somehow we put her out. So rude. Jack promptly hung up without another thought. Take that CVS. :)

and thus our E-2 visa is well on its way...

Raging hurricanes cant stop us...

2009-11-10T18:06:00.000-08:00

Today we made a fun drive to Tallahassee. By fun I mean we drove three hours through hurricane and then tropical storm "Ida." Why you ask? We did so because we had to go and pick up our Criminal Background Check. Normally we wouldn't have to, but we found out this week that the US Postal service is still re-routing our mail to North Carolina. Once we picked up our form we stopped by Wachovia to get it notarized. When the notary looked over he realized the FDLE had already notarized it. From there Jack got the idea that it had stopped raining so maybe we should walk the block down to the Secretary of State. Little did we know that it, among the next two places we walked, were the incorrect offices. After one fall in front of the capitol and a near slip on a storm drain we finally made it to another branch where we were informed it was actually more than ten miles away to the correct location. AS soon as we heard this we had to hoof it back to our car because our meter was almost out. Once we finally made it back to our car and were covered in sweat because of the terrible Ida induced humidity.

Finally, we drove down past the capitol building and found the official office and got our C.R.C. apostilled. We finished and decided as a reward we were going to go to Olive Garden. Two bowls of pasta, a salad and a soup, and a desert of Zepoli (Awesome donuts and chocolate sauce) later we headed back home. We are finally finished collecting our initial documents!

A tank of gas: $30.00
Snacks for the road: $5.00
Criminal Record Check: $28.00
Apostille: $20.00
Olive Garden: $35.00
Having all our documents together: PRICELESS!!!

Our Contract.

2009-11-09T05:58:00.001-08:00

So it is officially official. haha We are definitely going to Korea. We signed our contract and we are on our way in the process. Now we are just waiting on our background check to come back from the F.D.L.E. (Florida Department of Law Enforcement). We have had some weird mailing issues so the department is actually going to hold it for us. Apparently when we filled out a change of address almost two years ago for something else, it never left the Postal services computer records. Thus, we have been having all of our mail re-routed to an address we haven't lived at for four months without our knowledge or consent. When the background check is finished, we will pick it up in person. Then, we will quickly get it notarized and have it apostilled and sent out from there. I am so worried about this whole process. I just don't want to screw up any of the details. :) There are so many things that have to be done just so and I am even more OCD about these than ever before. Our poor recruiter. Cindi from Teach ESL Korea has been helping us through the visa process. The other day I sent her an e-mail that was comprised of about twenty questions. haha She will be glad when we do go to Korea I imagine so we will quit blowing up her inbox. :) Thanks Cindi! Sorry for my obnoxiously long emails.

On another note I am starting to get tickled by the fact of how excited Jack is about the whole process. He has been running around in an almost giddy state the last few days. I am glad to see him so excited about something. When we left our last job due to some varying issues we were just not doing well. It is nice to see the fire back in his eyes again about being able to do something he both enjoys and loves.

Done.

2009-11-04T17:42:00.000-08:00

It is done. We have accepted a position in Gwangju, South Korea at the Hans school. We are so excited about the opportunity. Now the real work begins. We are going to be scurrying around like crazy for the next two months. We have most of our visa documents in place and are waiting on our background checks to come through. Luckily we live very close to the state capitol so we may just drive over and get them apostilled in person to speed up the visa process. :) I am thinking of all that is going to transpire over the next month and it is crazy. We are most likely selling our car, iphones, etc. Figuring out a way to pay the bills from across the world. As well as about a million other things. Korea here we come!

Phone Interview Part 2

2009-11-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

Finally the call came. We are thinking that it went pretty well. It was very informal but not entirely short. We talked for some time about the school, class control, planning, etc. Overall, I am freaking out still, now just in a different way. Our interviewer ad to get in touch with his boss and tell him how things went. I hope that we made an ok impression. I am very please with the new recruiter. I haven;t sent a single -mail yet that hasn't been answered within the hour of me sending it. In comparison to others I have worked with, that is ridiculously amazing. With others it has been a week, days, etc.

The interesting thing was our interviewer was brand new to the phone interview ordeal. We were his official first interview. He was very kind and we seemed to get along pretty well. I am anxious to hear back from him once he contacts his boss. :) We should know whether they are interested within the week.

The morning interview-Part 1

2009-11-04T05:47:00.000-08:00

Well some things have halted our progression with Alphabet Street School. We are still interested, but there has been a delay of communication with them as they were on break last night. During our waiting period, we were contacted by a secondary recruiter and have been put in for a position in Gwangju, which is farther to the south than Seoul. We are right this moment sitting on the couch waiting for the call from the school director at the Han. I never really expected things to progress this quickly in this process. In all honesty, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I know it is going to be worth it when we make our way to Korea. This morning we woke up, put on some laid back music and are just trying to relax as best we can. It is about ten minutes past the time we were originally told that we would be getting a phone call. That is even worse for all the suspense I am currently feeling. What if they don't call? What if everything falls through? What if they just hate us? haha My mind is freaking out.

waiting...

2009-11-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

Still waiting. We should be getting the call today or tomorrow to see if the school is interested. We are so anxious. We have been checking our e-mail religiously the last few days. The suspense is getting to us...