For the first time in a long time I am out of my comfort zone. I was teaching for a year in Korea and I never felt far away from home, in fact I was disappointed by how comfortable it all was. "Oh globalization!", I exclaimed. "..Oh westernization!", I naively protested.
I expected Thailand to bring me the comforting discomfort of feeling far from home, but that too wasn't quite the exotic wild land I had anticipated.
Having spent the latter part of Korea in a relationship, and the Thai adventure with my mom this is my first chance to feel alone and far away from home.
I arrived in India just 12 hours ago. My search for discomfort has come to a successful end.
To start, it is 90 degrees. With humidity, feels like 96 - Thank you weather.com.
My home for the next month is a glorified hut in pretty much the middle of nowhere. The nearest town is comprised of about 4 corner stores. The next biggest town is 3 times that. A church, an ATM machine, a few mini-marts, an electronics stores. I'll have pictures at some point.
I'm pretty sure that the ATM is only air conditioned building between here and the airport.
My riverside hut is adorned with mud dobber nests..inside, and furnished with a bed which doubles as an ant farm, and a fan that functions as a mosquito-proof wind tunnel but also chops up the air in such a way that it is akin to driving 65mph with one window open.
The daily menu includes morning tea, brunch, and dinner. So far, 50% of each meal has been bread and couscous. This poses a problem for the gluten sensitive.
I panicked a bit thinking for sure I'd starve to death. Only 2 meals a day, half of which is completely inedible!!
Thankfully they were able to give me some rice and curry from the kitchen.
A fellow student and I took a trip to the village. I had hoped to find some dried fruit and nuts to supplement the 2 meal allowance. I found some interesting looking chips and Limca! We went to every store in town, which, as you'd imagine, didn't take very long. We then explored the "big" town, which also didn't take very long. I ordered some weird salty soda that I couldn't bear to finish, bought some delicious ayervedic soaps, some dried fruit and nut loaf thing, had a fantastic, mango ice bar with cream in the middle. I should have got two, they were so tiny.
Excitement was building with this new scenery, new world.
We arrived back just before lunch. I put my things down on my bed and tried to wipe the sweat off my body. I left the room for no longer than 30 minutes, when I came back there was a trail of sugar ants marching in delight and confusion all over my grocery bags.
I quickly threw the them outside and watched in disappointment, this frenzy happening on my bed. It had been a long time since I'd seen sugar ants. I tried to follow their trail..."Where are they coming from?.... Oh shit, they're about to colonize my computer!"
In retrospect this scene is quite amusing, but at the time watching them play hide and seek underneath my keys was very frustrating. I began typing wildly trying to seek revenge, composing a symphony on screen. "Those bastards! ... Why is my computer so dirty? ...If only I had a can of compressed air.. That would show them."
Hoping they'd find my computer inhospitable, I continued my investigation.. I wanted to find their source so I could wash away the pheromone trail. My bed sits atop 4 narrow legs. I surveyed each one, finding nothing. This left me with 2 theories: Either they were traveling through a space portal of which I was completely aware OR, they were living in my bed frame.
After reading the Wiki page on the space-time continuum I decided that this theory was perhaps, too complex for me to attempt to falsify. So I took to the second, more horrifying theory. And to my dismay, I found evidence to support my hypothesis; my bed is home to a colony of ants.
I pictured waking up to them trailing into my mouth.. ugh!
"At least my bed isn't infested with scorpions." I tried to look at the upside.
Anyway, these will be rugged times and I am grateful to have this opportunity. Naturally, we seek comfort. And as we get older we get pretty good at it, narrowing our comfort zone. Comfort becomes the norm and things outside the norm become increasingly intolerable, allowing even the most benign things to cause anxiety.
I'll post again about the other reasons I am excited.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Most embarrassing moment
I never knew how to answer the popular ice-breaker question "What's your most embarrassing moment?"
For one, I can't think of anything more embarrassing than a cold sore.
And two, it would be quite inappropriate to reply with "waking up next to ____".
Or "that really embarrassing picture my dad found of me at a fetish party."
...Talk about an ice-breaker.
So, I usually follow with some lame story about how I was approaching a group of people in my high school courtyard during lunch intended on wowing them with my wit, and instead choked on water. A situation that I hardly consider worthy of a "most embarrassing moment" story.
And even in a context where the former stories might be appropriate, they are less embarrassing than they are humiliating.
Finally, Korea has given me a truly embarrassing experience.
...Long, long ago (August 19th, 2011), on a dark and drunken Friday night...
I had just spent all week being treated like shit by little asshole kids. It was time to relax and have some fun. I was feeling good knowing I had the next two days to be a normal person again..
I had left my apartment after drinking some gin at home.. listening to At The Gates on my iPod, I was flyin' high!
On my way to the Jeffrey Lewis show at Vinyl Underground I passed a small arcade. I thought I'd play a little bit of Tekken before the show. Feeling loose from the gin and pumped on Swedish death metal I was ready to kick some nerdy-Korean ass.
I saddled up on an empty stool, plopped a few coins in the machine and was ready to pick my character. When the battle began I was sure I didn't pick Devil Jin, because I don't like his floppy-ass wings. So that must have meant I picked the other character.
I started to whoop some ass. But I felt like my joystick was stuck in the forward position and maybe it gave me an advantage.. "maybe that was why the seat had been empty", I thought.
After each victory I couldn't help but lightly drum along on the machine to my music. My heart was pumping so hard with the thrill of the fight. I also felt pretty awesome for beating a Korean, since they are known for their excellent gaming skills.
Arcade nerds started to crowd behind me, this made me really nervous but I was still kicking ass. I eventually started questioning my successive wins. I was pretty good at button mashing, but not this good. As the thought entered my mind that I might not actually be playing, I argued that after the first battle it said I had won.. but the doubt persisted as I started noticing more and more inconsistencies in the motion of my character.
I finally noticed the flashing "insert credits" cue in the bottom corner of the screen. My already pounding heart went into an embarrassed frenzy as everything came together. My ego went from astronomical to atomic in a nanosecond. I quickly ran out of there feeling like a total idiot. I had held up the machine for at least 15 minutes. Those kids must have thought I was a total idiot.
I am just a woman with a small brain, after all. I wish I knew how to say that in Korean.
For one, I can't think of anything more embarrassing than a cold sore.
And two, it would be quite inappropriate to reply with "waking up next to ____".
Or "that really embarrassing picture my dad found of me at a fetish party."
...Talk about an ice-breaker.
So, I usually follow with some lame story about how I was approaching a group of people in my high school courtyard during lunch intended on wowing them with my wit, and instead choked on water. A situation that I hardly consider worthy of a "most embarrassing moment" story.
And even in a context where the former stories might be appropriate, they are less embarrassing than they are humiliating.
Finally, Korea has given me a truly embarrassing experience.
...Long, long ago (August 19th, 2011), on a dark and drunken Friday night...
I had just spent all week being treated like shit by little asshole kids. It was time to relax and have some fun. I was feeling good knowing I had the next two days to be a normal person again..
I had left my apartment after drinking some gin at home.. listening to At The Gates on my iPod, I was flyin' high!
On my way to the Jeffrey Lewis show at Vinyl Underground I passed a small arcade. I thought I'd play a little bit of Tekken before the show. Feeling loose from the gin and pumped on Swedish death metal I was ready to kick some nerdy-Korean ass.
I saddled up on an empty stool, plopped a few coins in the machine and was ready to pick my character. When the battle began I was sure I didn't pick Devil Jin, because I don't like his floppy-ass wings. So that must have meant I picked the other character.
I started to whoop some ass. But I felt like my joystick was stuck in the forward position and maybe it gave me an advantage.. "maybe that was why the seat had been empty", I thought.
After each victory I couldn't help but lightly drum along on the machine to my music. My heart was pumping so hard with the thrill of the fight. I also felt pretty awesome for beating a Korean, since they are known for their excellent gaming skills.
Arcade nerds started to crowd behind me, this made me really nervous but I was still kicking ass. I eventually started questioning my successive wins. I was pretty good at button mashing, but not this good. As the thought entered my mind that I might not actually be playing, I argued that after the first battle it said I had won.. but the doubt persisted as I started noticing more and more inconsistencies in the motion of my character.
I finally noticed the flashing "insert credits" cue in the bottom corner of the screen. My already pounding heart went into an embarrassed frenzy as everything came together. My ego went from astronomical to atomic in a nanosecond. I quickly ran out of there feeling like a total idiot. I had held up the machine for at least 15 minutes. Those kids must have thought I was a total idiot.
I am just a woman with a small brain, after all. I wish I knew how to say that in Korean.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Take notes America!
After complaining about Korea I must follow with a list of things I think are wonderful. You know.. sandwich method style.
Food
The food here is exceptional. I really had no clue what I was getting into when coming here. My only experience with Korean food was the BiBimBap I had a month before arriving.. and "kimchi".
Dwenjang is fantastic. It took me months to try it.
1. because it smells like rotting shit 2. because I am allergic.
But it tastes like candy and is a fabulous accessory for duck.
Unlimited side dishes
You've run out of kimchi? No problem, "Yogiyo! Kimchi juseyo!"
Each meal comes with a minimum of 3 side dishes sometimes up to 7, which is wonderful in itself, but they are also unlimited!
I could talk about food all day but I'll save that for another post. .
Drinks
Sure, gin & tonics are much cheaper here. But that isn't why Korea deserves praise.
America, meet makgeolli. From what I can tell it is currently unavailable in the U.S., but probably not for long. This fermented rice beverage is pretty tasty. It has also been studied for its anti-cancer properties. Commercialization seems to ruin everything, and makgeolli is no exception. The cheapest, therefore most popular brands are sweetened with aspartame. It tastes kind of moldy without sweetness, and with Korea's obsession with being thin I think natural sugar lost to its chemical alternative.
My boss instructed me to not shake the bottle because if I do I'll get a bad hangover. He drinks the top half and tosses the stuff that settles on the bottom. I'm interested to know if the aspartame settles. I'd really like to learn to make it or at least find a Korean expat who makes it. There must be home-brewed makgeolli in the depths of Koreatown, USA, and when I get home I'm going to find it.
Drinking
Expat bars are places where all the people you didn't like from high school go to get drunk to avoid home-sickness, listening to the same shitty music that I try at all costs to avoid at home.
Luckily there are other places to get drunk. Like in front of Family Mart, the ubiquitous convenient store-equivalent of Starbucks. (As a rule of thumb you should never use Family Mart as a landmark while giving directions.)
My favorite cocktail at Ye Olde Family Marte bar is soju + grapefruit juice. You can get that room-spinning feeling we all live for at about $5.oo, less if you don't need a mixer.
Grab a seat on their plastic outdoor furniture where you can actually have conversations with friends instead of awkwardly miming and fake-laughing at one another as you try to not break under sensory overloading conditions. Triangle chomchi kimbap is just a few steps away.
People watching is also a plus.
Free water & coffee
You will find water purifiers virtually everywhere. Usually accompanied by a cabinet of stainless steel cups, bathing in sterilizing UV light. Instant coffee machines are almost as prevalent... not that I'd ever drink it. I guess this differs from the American system in that it doesn't use disposable cups. I also like that the water is being purified to order, unlike the plastic 5 gallon water coolers we are used to, which are probably reused to their degradation.
Bathroom
The T.P. situation
In most public restrooms there are rolls of toilet paper to be accessed before getting into the stall. This ensures that you'll never find yourself unprepared asking someone to "spare a square". Or course, the bathrooms aren't always stocked. You'll never find a Korean without "mul tissue", or wet wipes on hand.
Soap on a stick
In some major public restrooms you'll find soap on a stick. Bar soap fixed to a metal rod hanging from the wall. I think this is terrific. You just grab at it with wet hands. No dropping the soap, no horrid anti-bacterial bullshit or perfumed garbage. Just simple bar soap.
This is not the rule though. Most places actually use liquid soaps.
Liquid soap is stupid.
The Western toilet
For those unenlightened on my views of pee click here.
The seats are virtually pee free. I'd like to conduct a pee-havioral study to find out how they keep their seats free of tink-sprink.
The squat toilet
The jury is out. One advantage of the squat toilet is its lack of tink-sprink. But it has its own pitfalls. ...The pee puddles.
Sometimes the floor is wet and its hard to tell if you are standing in a pool of someone elses urine, or if they have just hosed down the floor. Even in the latter case, you can't help but ask yourself "Why did they hose down the floor?.. Did someone piss all over the floor?" Eventually you're likely to conclude that either way you are standing in piss. The question then becomes, "Well, what is the piss-to-water ratio?". This can sometimes be evaluated by smell. But to err on the side of caution you must be mindful of your soles until you've walked around a while. This is often difficult when your post-piss destination is a bus. If you are so unfortunate - shoes should be removed and placed no less than 6 inches from the floor space your bag will occupy. This also leaves you free to sit indian-style.
Public Transit
Like food, transportation can make or break a city. Busan has a great subway line and tons of buses that make intracity travel really convenient. Intercity travel is just as easy.
I hope that one day America's major cities are as efficient as Korea's.
Agriculture & composting
Every person has their own compost bucket for food waste. This keeps your garbage can from smelling rotten. It has benefits far beyond aesthetics though. The city collects the waste and produces fertilizer and animal feed. Unfortunately they also dump tons into the ocean.
Hopefully the dumping will be a thing of the past thanks to efforts to produce bio-fuel with food waste though fermentation.
Korea hasn't completely killed the farmer yet, like we have in the U.S. Although, I predict it is only a matter of time, especially with this new F.T.A. do-dad making U.S. imports more affordable, and impending globalization, thus corporitization.
But for now, travel just a few minutes outside the city and you'll find bio-diverse farms that receive much love, evident by the bags hand tied to the tops of the crops preserving the fruit, and by the green houses built to create ideal conditions. The markets are full of old ladies peddling their days work... life's work. More and more people are caving to the convenience of Home Plus & E-Mart, your one-stop shopping box. Let's hope Korea doesn't follow the U.S. model.
Food
The food here is exceptional. I really had no clue what I was getting into when coming here. My only experience with Korean food was the BiBimBap I had a month before arriving.. and "kimchi".
Dwenjang is fantastic. It took me months to try it.
1. because it smells like rotting shit 2. because I am allergic.
But it tastes like candy and is a fabulous accessory for duck.
Unlimited side dishes
You've run out of kimchi? No problem, "Yogiyo! Kimchi juseyo!"
Each meal comes with a minimum of 3 side dishes sometimes up to 7, which is wonderful in itself, but they are also unlimited!
I could talk about food all day but I'll save that for another post. .
Drinks
Sure, gin & tonics are much cheaper here. But that isn't why Korea deserves praise.
America, meet makgeolli. From what I can tell it is currently unavailable in the U.S., but probably not for long. This fermented rice beverage is pretty tasty. It has also been studied for its anti-cancer properties. Commercialization seems to ruin everything, and makgeolli is no exception. The cheapest, therefore most popular brands are sweetened with aspartame. It tastes kind of moldy without sweetness, and with Korea's obsession with being thin I think natural sugar lost to its chemical alternative.
My boss instructed me to not shake the bottle because if I do I'll get a bad hangover. He drinks the top half and tosses the stuff that settles on the bottom. I'm interested to know if the aspartame settles. I'd really like to learn to make it or at least find a Korean expat who makes it. There must be home-brewed makgeolli in the depths of Koreatown, USA, and when I get home I'm going to find it.
Drinking
Expat bars are places where all the people you didn't like from high school go to get drunk to avoid home-sickness, listening to the same shitty music that I try at all costs to avoid at home.
Luckily there are other places to get drunk. Like in front of Family Mart, the ubiquitous convenient store-equivalent of Starbucks. (As a rule of thumb you should never use Family Mart as a landmark while giving directions.)
My favorite cocktail at Ye Olde Family Marte bar is soju + grapefruit juice. You can get that room-spinning feeling we all live for at about $5.oo, less if you don't need a mixer.
Grab a seat on their plastic outdoor furniture where you can actually have conversations with friends instead of awkwardly miming and fake-laughing at one another as you try to not break under sensory overloading conditions. Triangle chomchi kimbap is just a few steps away.
People watching is also a plus.
Free water & coffee
You will find water purifiers virtually everywhere. Usually accompanied by a cabinet of stainless steel cups, bathing in sterilizing UV light. Instant coffee machines are almost as prevalent... not that I'd ever drink it. I guess this differs from the American system in that it doesn't use disposable cups. I also like that the water is being purified to order, unlike the plastic 5 gallon water coolers we are used to, which are probably reused to their degradation.
Bathroom
The T.P. situation
In most public restrooms there are rolls of toilet paper to be accessed before getting into the stall. This ensures that you'll never find yourself unprepared asking someone to "spare a square". Or course, the bathrooms aren't always stocked. You'll never find a Korean without "mul tissue", or wet wipes on hand.
Soap on a stick
In some major public restrooms you'll find soap on a stick. Bar soap fixed to a metal rod hanging from the wall. I think this is terrific. You just grab at it with wet hands. No dropping the soap, no horrid anti-bacterial bullshit or perfumed garbage. Just simple bar soap.
This is not the rule though. Most places actually use liquid soaps.
Liquid soap is stupid.
The Western toilet
For those unenlightened on my views of pee click here.
The seats are virtually pee free. I'd like to conduct a pee-havioral study to find out how they keep their seats free of tink-sprink.
The squat toilet
The jury is out. One advantage of the squat toilet is its lack of tink-sprink. But it has its own pitfalls. ...The pee puddles.
Sometimes the floor is wet and its hard to tell if you are standing in a pool of someone elses urine, or if they have just hosed down the floor. Even in the latter case, you can't help but ask yourself "Why did they hose down the floor?.. Did someone piss all over the floor?" Eventually you're likely to conclude that either way you are standing in piss. The question then becomes, "Well, what is the piss-to-water ratio?". This can sometimes be evaluated by smell. But to err on the side of caution you must be mindful of your soles until you've walked around a while. This is often difficult when your post-piss destination is a bus. If you are so unfortunate - shoes should be removed and placed no less than 6 inches from the floor space your bag will occupy. This also leaves you free to sit indian-style.
Public Transit
Like food, transportation can make or break a city. Busan has a great subway line and tons of buses that make intracity travel really convenient. Intercity travel is just as easy.
I hope that one day America's major cities are as efficient as Korea's.
Agriculture & composting
Every person has their own compost bucket for food waste. This keeps your garbage can from smelling rotten. It has benefits far beyond aesthetics though. The city collects the waste and produces fertilizer and animal feed. Unfortunately they also dump tons into the ocean.
Hopefully the dumping will be a thing of the past thanks to efforts to produce bio-fuel with food waste though fermentation.
Korea hasn't completely killed the farmer yet, like we have in the U.S. Although, I predict it is only a matter of time, especially with this new F.T.A. do-dad making U.S. imports more affordable, and impending globalization, thus corporitization.
But for now, travel just a few minutes outside the city and you'll find bio-diverse farms that receive much love, evident by the bags hand tied to the tops of the crops preserving the fruit, and by the green houses built to create ideal conditions. The markets are full of old ladies peddling their days work... life's work. More and more people are caving to the convenience of Home Plus & E-Mart, your one-stop shopping box. Let's hope Korea doesn't follow the U.S. model.
the sixth-month sickness
In case you didn't know, Korea uses Mario time which is much faster than real time.
The first 6 months have flown by! And that means I'm officially allowed to complain.
List of things I'm sick of:
Drunk men
When I first got to Korea it seemed that every man would hock a loogy as I walked by. I felt like they were showing me their disapproval. Then I realized I live a 'red light district' so I thought they were probably trying to get the pubes out of their throats... or perhaps they are mucus machines after sitting in a smokey bar all day.. or their lungs are purging years of industrial pollution.
Either way, it is annoying and makes me cringe every time I hear it.
Angsty Ajjumas* (not to be confused with Ajuma Nasenyana, she could push me around)
I'm sick of old ladies pushing me on the subway. Luckily the subways aren't that crowded, so it doesn't happen often. But its a really shitty thing to do. I'm thinking they have a lot of pent up aggression and they like to take it out on the "youth". Someone should develop a video game called Angry Ajjumas. They are a different species. I'll draw you a diagram sometime.
Kids.
They are horrid creatures. "Respect for teachers" my ass... That's all I'll say for now.
Being a minority.
I knew what I was in for before I came here but I was somehow able to block it all out for the first 6 months. I remained consciously unaware of people staring, pointing, talking about the "waygook" over there. Maybe I was so absorbed in my own thoughts and new surroundings that I was too busy to take notice.
OR...
I've been thinking about it lately and I think its easy to not feel self-conscious when you are happy. I think at the 6 month mark I suffered a mild depression leaving me more self-conscious than before. So when people look at me I feel like I am being judged negatively, whereas before my morale was high so that self-conscious thoughts didn't occupy me.
I wish I had an invisibility cloak so that I could walk around without being overtly observed. I feel like I am in a zoo sometimes.. sometimes the spectacle, sometimes the spectator.
It must suck to be a midget.
"Are you Russian?"
This falls mostly in the Drunk Men category. I've been asked this by several eager men.
They ask with a lusty expression.
You see... much of the sex worker industry is made up of Russians, so I am told.
Some teenaged girls shouted "How much?" as I passed them on the street. Ugh...
A friend and I got massages by some Chinese people in another red-light hot spot. They thought we were Russian. I'm sure my muscular legs and calloused hands didn't help, nor my giant 1980's hair. We swore we were English teachers.
It was pretty cool communicating with Chinese people in Korean.
"Lussia salam?"
"Anniyo! Mi gook salam imnida, yong a sunsangnim, chincha!"
Be sure to look out for the next list: "Things that are brilliant"
The first 6 months have flown by! And that means I'm officially allowed to complain.
List of things I'm sick of:
Drunk men
When I first got to Korea it seemed that every man would hock a loogy as I walked by. I felt like they were showing me their disapproval. Then I realized I live a 'red light district' so I thought they were probably trying to get the pubes out of their throats... or perhaps they are mucus machines after sitting in a smokey bar all day.. or their lungs are purging years of industrial pollution.
Either way, it is annoying and makes me cringe every time I hear it.
Angsty Ajjumas* (not to be confused with Ajuma Nasenyana, she could push me around)
I'm sick of old ladies pushing me on the subway. Luckily the subways aren't that crowded, so it doesn't happen often. But its a really shitty thing to do. I'm thinking they have a lot of pent up aggression and they like to take it out on the "youth". Someone should develop a video game called Angry Ajjumas. They are a different species. I'll draw you a diagram sometime.
Kids.
They are horrid creatures. "Respect for teachers" my ass... That's all I'll say for now.
Being a minority.
I knew what I was in for before I came here but I was somehow able to block it all out for the first 6 months. I remained consciously unaware of people staring, pointing, talking about the "waygook" over there. Maybe I was so absorbed in my own thoughts and new surroundings that I was too busy to take notice.
OR...
I've been thinking about it lately and I think its easy to not feel self-conscious when you are happy. I think at the 6 month mark I suffered a mild depression leaving me more self-conscious than before. So when people look at me I feel like I am being judged negatively, whereas before my morale was high so that self-conscious thoughts didn't occupy me.
I wish I had an invisibility cloak so that I could walk around without being overtly observed. I feel like I am in a zoo sometimes.. sometimes the spectacle, sometimes the spectator.
It must suck to be a midget.
"Are you Russian?"
This falls mostly in the Drunk Men category. I've been asked this by several eager men.
They ask with a lusty expression.
You see... much of the sex worker industry is made up of Russians, so I am told.
Some teenaged girls shouted "How much?" as I passed them on the street. Ugh...
A friend and I got massages by some Chinese people in another red-light hot spot. They thought we were Russian. I'm sure my muscular legs and calloused hands didn't help, nor my giant 1980's hair. We swore we were English teachers.
It was pretty cool communicating with Chinese people in Korean.
"Lussia salam?"
"Anniyo! Mi gook salam imnida, yong a sunsangnim, chincha!"
Be sure to look out for the next list: "Things that are brilliant"
Monday, April 4, 2011
Dear Diarrhea (Abridged),
I'm in Korea!
I made a huge mental list of things to do before I arrived. I've certainly put a dent in the list.
So far I've...
-had diarrhea in Korea (only on the list so I could say it)
-eaten several Imsil Cheese Pizzas (100% rice!)
-met a Celiac
-hiked several mountains
-learned to read Hangul
-visited Seoul/met Mr. Kim, saw him play the ajaeng
-bought a violin and started taking lessons
-been taking Taekwondo lessons
-visited palaces, museums and temples
-shopped at the worlds largest department store
-visited the beach (Gwananli & Haeundae)
-made a friend with a Super Nintendo
-taught yoga on a mountain
-met a cognitive behavioral therapist chick who drums in a band called London Scat Party (okay, so maybe my list wasn't that specific)
-hula hooped in the snow on a mountain with cats at twilight (add that to your list)
-purchased art supplies/painted
-seen cherry blossoms!
-learned the Korean word for poo; 똥 (*see "To Do List" below)
-made many Korean and way-gook (foreign) friends
-been to the cat cafe (although there were no cats!)
-eaten a kiwi shake and a sweet potato shake (add those to your list)
-found reishi mushrooms (Koreans call them yeongi)
-bought a bike and biked the Oncheon river trail
-tried 번데기 (Beondegi = silk worm pupae)
-been to the 노래방, 찜질방, Wii방, DVD방, PC방
-met a boy :-x
TO DO...
-temple stay
-go to a Korean metal show
-have an art show at CCC coffee shop
-eat dog soup
-eat moving squid
-hang glide
-swim with sharks ($80)
-kayak
-eat goat at the Black Goat Village
-ferry to Japan, eat seafood
-sell tiny paintings at the tiny crafts fair near PNU
-make 똥 T-shirts *
-organize wacky shows, kickball & soccer games in the park
-go to a baseball game ($10, I live right by the stadium)
-trip to COSTCO
-join the writing club on Sundays
-ice skate
-buy a bow and arrow from the folk village/practice archery somewhere safe
-visit the tea fields
-pick mugwort, like all the old ladies do here
-get acupuncture
-get a Thai massage
-ride bike to Gwananli beach and eat Imsil Cheese Pizza
-eat at all 3 Loving Hut locations
Things I miss....
-Leu Gardens
-Biologe conditioner
-gay people
My biggest complaints...
-so...there is this puddle at SpaLand, at the outdoor hot spring bath...
whenever I get out to lay on the lounge chair I step in this cold puddle. It's ruining my life!
GOD, I HATE KOREA!!!
-oh yea.. and Rhae Royal isn't here
I made a huge mental list of things to do before I arrived. I've certainly put a dent in the list.
So far I've...
-had diarrhea in Korea (only on the list so I could say it)
-eaten several Imsil Cheese Pizzas (100% rice!)
-met a Celiac
-hiked several mountains
-learned to read Hangul
-visited Seoul/met Mr. Kim, saw him play the ajaeng
-bought a violin and started taking lessons
-been taking Taekwondo lessons
-visited palaces, museums and temples
-shopped at the worlds largest department store
-visited the beach (Gwananli & Haeundae)
-made a friend with a Super Nintendo
-taught yoga on a mountain
-met a cognitive behavioral therapist chick who drums in a band called London Scat Party (okay, so maybe my list wasn't that specific)
-hula hooped in the snow on a mountain with cats at twilight (add that to your list)
-purchased art supplies/painted
-seen cherry blossoms!
-learned the Korean word for poo; 똥 (*see "To Do List" below)
-made many Korean and way-gook (foreign) friends
-been to the cat cafe (although there were no cats!)
-eaten a kiwi shake and a sweet potato shake (add those to your list)
-found reishi mushrooms (Koreans call them yeongi)
-bought a bike and biked the Oncheon river trail
-tried 번데기 (Beondegi = silk worm pupae)
-been to the 노래방, 찜질방, Wii방, DVD방, PC방
-met a boy :-x
TO DO...
-
-
-have an art show at CCC coffee shop
-eat dog soup
-eat moving squid
-hang glide
-swim with sharks ($80)
-kayak
-
-ferry to Japan, eat seafood
-sell tiny paintings at the tiny crafts fair near PNU
-make 똥 T-shirts *
-organize wacky shows, kickball & soccer games in the park
-go to a baseball game ($10, I live right by the stadium)
-
-join the writing club on Sundays
-
-buy a bow and arrow from the folk village/
-
-pick mugwort, like all the old ladies do here
-get acupuncture
-get a Thai massage
-
-eat at all 3 Loving Hut locations
Things I miss....
-Leu Gardens
-Biologe conditioner
-gay people
My biggest complaints...
-so...there is this puddle at SpaLand, at the outdoor hot spring bath...
whenever I get out to lay on the lounge chair I step in this cold puddle. It's ruining my life!
GOD, I HATE KOREA!!!
-oh yea.. and Rhae Royal isn't here
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Turn of the Wheel
I feel as though I am preparing to die.
Making amends, tying loose ends, saying goodbye to old (and new) friends. Packing my life into a box as though it will mean anything to me in a year... as though everything will be as it were when I left, knowing full well it won't. I feel as though I am preparing to die because this life I've known is coming to an end. It is about to be turned up-side-down in ways that I cannot begin to imagine.
This is both thrilling and unnerving. I am thrilled because I see the potential for unprecedented growth, unnerved because of the challenges that accompany such growth. I have spent the last few years developing myself into someone I am really proud to be. Developing relationships with people I am honored to know. Living in a town I am ever so proud to call home.. Good ol' Colonialtown, USA.
I can only think of this as the next step in my efforts to become the person I want to be.
I am about to embark on the biggest adventure of my life to date. I'm not sure how to prepare for the unexpected but I've been trying my best.
To paraphrase R.E.M., It's the end of my life as I know it... and I feel fine.
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