So Long, Farewell

"Lucky to have been where I have been, lucky to be coming home again."

Those Jason Mraz lyrics have been in my head this week after I heard the song on my ipod and I really feel that those lines especially pertain to me so much right now.

This is my last and final post, and it happens to be my 100th. Really happy to be ending on an even note.

I feel a mixture of emotions as I am about to leave this place that has been my home for over a year now. Happiness, sadness, nostalgia, excitement, nervousness, anxiety, relief, and many other emotions have been flooding my brain and heart. I am not looking forward to my last goodbye tomorrow, but am so eager for my first hello on the other side.

Sean and I took a trip to Seoul tower last night and locked our hearts on the wall along with thousands of others. Just a little way to always remember this city and the times we spent together here this past year.

the man and the tower

Sean writing his message to me

my message to Sean

putting his heart up

putting my heart up

light show on the tower

A little piece of my heart will always belong here. Goodbye Korea.

Namaste

Party on the Beach

Having a whole week's vacation for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) was fabulous. I spent the beginning of my week relaxing and mostly indoors due to the torrential downpours and flooding outside. By mid week the weather had cleared up and I made plans for the long weekend. Sam, Terry, Sean, and I decided to go away for a little couples trip to Muuido Island. Muuido Island is a tiny island off the larger island of Yeongjong that houses Incheon airport on the west coast. It's really tiny and mostly known as a great vacation spot with nice beaches.

Once we got to the airport we hopped a bus that took us to the ferry. After taking the shortest ferry ride of my life (about 5 minutes) across and catching another bus, we made it to Hanagae Beach.

welcome to Muuido

shortest ferry ever

Sean and I on the ferry

Our first night we spent in these tiny little one room huts on the beach. They were pretty ghetto and in the morning our backs were aching from sleeping on the hard floor and we felt dirty from the gross bedding they had given us. When we found out there were no showers for our use we were a little alarmed. After exploring the area desperately trying to find somewhere else to stay, we came across a wonderful pension with many rooms which all had a kitchen, TV, bathroom, and AC. Needless to say the second night's stay was much more comfortable.

Sam in front of our tiny rooms on the beach

We spent the next two days enjoying the weather, drinking beer, eating seafood, throwing the football on the beach, getting some sun, making a campfire on the beach, reading, playing cards, grilling out, and relaxing.

Sean, Terry, and Sam on the beach

cheers

shells were everywhere

sunset the first night

campfire on the beach

Sean and I hanging around

Sam and Terry on the swings

BBQ our last night

In the early morning the tide on Muuido Island goes out. Way out. Probably hundreds of feet out. And beach dwellers are left with a huge sand bar almost as far as you can see. Sean and I walked out there one morning and were amazed by this natural phenomenon. I had never seen anything like it in my life. Then, just like clock-work, around 2:30P.M. the tide rushed back in within the span of an hour and you could enjoy the water until the sun went down.

the shoreline in the morning

tracks in the sand

I had a fantastic time on Muuido Island and felt blessed to have some really great people to spend an awesome weekend with.

Namaste

365 Days

Today is my one year mark in Korea. One year ago today I found myself in this country far from home and began to make a life for myself here. My life this past year has been a whirlwind of experiences and learning about myself. I am so grateful for this opportunity, but so grateful to have such amazing family and friends that make returning home such a treat.

These 365 days have been some of the hardest of my life. I never thought I would get homesick the way I sometimes found myself. I never thought I would not like my job as much as I did. I never thought I was anything worth staring at for so long. I never thought I would feel as awkward and frustrated as I did at times. Despite all of the not so good days, there were plenty of fantastic days to boot.

I will really miss the people, places, and little things that made my time here so special. The nice comments from my students in the form of a "teacher, your earrings are really big" or "teacher, your belt is really pink", the smile and wave from my favorite crossing guard, the free juice from the security man at the bank, the goodies from my co-workers at school, all the small kindnesses that had such a large impact on me. I will miss shopping at A Land in Myeong-dong, running along the Tancheon, trying new restaurants in Itaewon, gelato smoothies at my favorite coffee shop in Bundang, and all night excursions in Hongdae. I'm convinced no other city can party as long as Seoul can. I will miss all of the people that made my time here memorable. Most of all I will miss my boyfriend, Sean, without whom I might not have made it the whole year here.

Besides my one year anniversary, today also happens to be Korean thanksgiving, so Happy Chuseok! In the spirit of giving thanks, I am so thankful for my year in Korea and I feel truly blessed.

2.5 weeks until I fly home.

Namaste

My Favorite Korean Food

samgyetang

I must admit, I am not a huge fan of some Korean cuisine. The textures, spices, and flavors of some dishes do not suite me well as most are very spicy, but there are a few Korean foods that I really love and will miss back home. One of them is samgyetang, chicken and ginseng soup. It is a whole chicken stuffed with rice, served in a hot pot with ginseng and other ingredients floating around in the broth. After de-boning the chicken, you can enjoy the soup with a pinch of salt. It is absolutely delicious and very healthy for you as well.

Namaste

Weekend Update

This weekend Sean and I ventured into Seoul and explored the areas of Insadong and Myeongdong before meeting friends for dinner in Itaewon. Insadong is always my favorite neighborhood. This weekend it was teeming with foreigners and Koreans alike all shopping for gifts. There were tons of things going on in Insadong like reenactments from ancient times and lots of people dressed in traditional Korean clothing walking around the streets. We wandered around and tried to find this bird cafe I read about in my Lonely Planet until we discovered that my Lonely Planet is outdated and the place closed down a while back. We settled for some coffee bingsu instead.

in Insadong

outside the non-bird cafe

coffee bingsu

Myeongdong was also packed with people, so we shopped around and then people watched from a cafe balcony. I realized I don't think I have written about this yet, but it always makes me laugh. Koreans, especially younger Korean women and girls love to take photos of themselves with their cell phones while sitting at coffee shops and restaurants. Many people have a photo of themselves as a background on their phone. In America this would seem vain, but here it's trendy. Anyways, there was a girl at the table next to us at the cafe taking photos of herself on her cell phone for a good 20 minutes. That clicking sound kept going off and as soon as there was a lull and I thought she finally finished her photo session, another click would sound.

girl at the coffee shop, couldn't resist sneaking a photo

One of Sean's friends from home just moved to Korea with her husband who works for the Canadian embassy. They met us in Itaewon for dinner and we tried out a place called Marrakech Night. There was a buffet of Moroccan dishes, but the food was not my favorite. The conversation was good though, and it was great to meet some of Sean's friends from home.

Next week is Chuseok, Korean thanksgiving, and I have a whole week's vacation from work. Looking forward to it more than I can say.


Namaste

Seoul: The City That Never Stops

Seoul is one giant tourist attraction. There are so many things to see and do and experience. Just walking around the city is a tourist attraction. For an American like me, it's so different to see a modern city with huge sky-scrapers and fast cars dotted with ancient temples and bell towers. It's just so unique compared to any city in the western hemisphere I have ever seen. There's a real feeling of being in two time periods at once and I find it fascinating.

I wanted to check out a traditional market in Seoul, so Sean went with me and we found our way to the Gwangjang Market near Dongdaemun. This market sells a variety of different things. There are clothing stalls, gifts, household items, food, etc. When we arrived at the market it was later in the evening it appeared to be closing down. The vendors were all closing their shops for the night, but as we walked through the building a little more we discovered a thriving food market. There were lots of little stands set up right in the middle of the market where ajumas were selling all kinds of yummy foods (and soju and makgoli of course). There were kimchi and mung bean pancakes, parts of pig heads, feet, skin, etc., stews with thick pieces of beef and potatoes, and many other unrecognizable things. We sat down and had a kimchi and mung bean pancake. They were delicious. We then traveled a little further into the market hallway and found even more set-ups with lots and lots of men in business suits eating, drinking, and generally being merry. It was a little after work watering hole for the Seoul business men. There were many more stalls of creepy foods such as sundae (sausage) and lots of pig feet and intestines. Not really my thing. I just couldn't stop thinking to myself that people in America eat that stuff because they want to win $50,000 on Fear Factor or something, but people in Korea eat that stuff because they ENJOY it. The Gwangjang Market after hours was definitely an experience.

mung bean and kimchi pancake

serving up some yummies at the market

Gwangjang Market

Sean wanted to surprise me, so he took me to a place I had wanted to see in Seoul for a while; the Banpo Bridge. It is one of the most well known bridges in the world because of it's beautiful Moonlight Rainbow Fountain. The fountain shoots of spurts of water recylced from the river and is set to music with lights to create a fantastic little show. The bridge is in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest bridge fountain in the world. So many couples and families gathered near the water to see the show that goes off at certain times when the sun goes down. It was a very calming and romantic spot, a nice distraction from the busyness of the city. After all, they say New York is the city that never sleeps, but Seoul is the city that never stops.

Moonlight Rainbow Fountain

the Banpo Bridge

Namaste

11 Down, 1 More to Go!

Today is my 11 month mark in Korea. I am in the home stretch of this whirlwind of a year and I could not be happier. I describe my time here in Korea as a roller coaster because that's exactly what it's been. There have been lots of ups and downs and many in-betweens.

As I look back at my time in Korea, there are lots of things I will miss, but many things I won't. The biggest thing I will not miss is the constant staring. I am excited to come home to normalcy- just being a face among the crowd. Standing out in Korea as a blonde average size girl causes gaping stares of unbelievable amounts. While I have come to realize it's not negative, it drives me to drink. For example, the other day while eating lunch by myself a group of teenage girls at the table next to me were constantly turning around to look at me and then speaking in Korean about me. It was one of the most frustrating meals I've ever had. I mean, can't I even eat in peace without the nonsense?! I dread escalators like a 5 year old child dreads a shot at the doctor. Maybe more because I will be stared at the entire way up or down like a caged animal. The constant staring, whispering, and uncomfortableness will feel wonderful to be rid of!

The thing I will miss the most is the abundant opportunity to learn. I have absorbed and learned more this past year than I ever thought possible through conversation, experience, reading, etc. It seems that each and every day I have learned a new Korean word, gesture, something cultural or historical. I have learned about the world around me, people, and places. In such an interesting and different place as Korea, you are bound to pick up something. The things I have learned about myself and the kind of person I want to be and don't want to be have been numerous. I am just grateful of all that I have seen and will miss dearly the learning opportunities all around me.

I am very much looking forward to the next few months of soaking up my time here in Korea, travel, and spending time with the people I love.

Namaste

Rain, Rain Go Away

I'm sure that the childhood rhyme will not do us any luck over here in South Korea where the monsoon season has begun. Everyone warned me that the rainy season is bad. I had no idea how bad. Friday after work I walked about ten minutes to the subway station and arrived soaking wet. My jeans were soaked to my thighs, my shirt drenched, and my leather Marc bag was in a pathetic state full of unhealthy moisture. Did I mention I had an umbrella?

umbrellas are the new black

Due to the spontaneous torrential downpours and unpredictable wind, my weekend plans changed. Most foreigners made their way down to the west coast for Mud Fest, but I decided last minute to forgo the mud and rain and thunderstorms and stay somewhere dry. Instead, Sean and I spent Saturday afternoon at a local cafe and enjoyed some quiet time reading, listening to tunes, and sipping on tea and fresh juice. I hadn't had a cafe afternoon in a long time and it was quite relaxing.

the little stream has turned into a dirty river

After we cleaned up, we headed to Seoul to see the most critically acclaimed live show in Korea, Nanta. The live show features four chefs who are frantically trying to cook enough food for some weddings within an hour. During the show the actors were actually making music out of the ordinary kitchen utensils while dancing, doing comedy, and cooking. Because of it's audience interaction and wildly entertaining drumming, chopping, and acting, the show has had the longest run of any in Korea's theatre history. During the show the actors pulled audience members on stage for a few different things. At one point, a male chef came towards our isle and grabbed my hand to pull me on stage. I was taken to a cooking table, a chef hat plopped on my head, and I followed what the female chef showed me to do which was make mandu- grab a disc of dough, fill it with cabbage stuff, ball it up with my hand, ring a bell, and when four were made, roll it down the food conveyor belt. It ended up being a kind of contest between myself and another a few others pulled on stage. Sad to say my team lost because we were not fast enough, but it was pretty hilarious getting pulled up there in front of the whole audience. Sean tried to get a photo, but of course my camera had just died.

the stage of Nanta

Sean and I

show poster

When we got out of the show, the rain had not let out at all, so we jumped in a cab and headed to Itaewon to try a restaurant I had been wanting to eat at for a while, the Macaroni Market. The food and drinks were not quite up to par with the prices, but I did have the most excellent salad I have had in Korea, or maybe anywhere with gorgonzola cheese, red lettuce, apple slices, walnuts, celery, and honey dressing. Mmmm.

Today the forecast is rain, again. Of course. So Sean and I are headed to COEX mall to see a movie and eat some Mexican food. All in all, a great, dry, relaxing weekend. Looking forward to a four half-days workweek and vacation begins Friday. Olleh!

Namaste

Birthdays, Bowling, and Bowing-Out

This past weekend was filled with lots of birthday fun and soccer craziness. I must say, it was a little heart-breaking to see Korea lose after making it to the top 16. Everyone was so hyped up and the expectations were so high. Just when I thought I might still have a team to cheer on, the USA goes and loses their game as well. It was a sad sad day for futbol fans in many places.

Friday night was Sam's 25th golden birthday and I traveled to Seosan to help her celebrate. We drank outside at a beautiful little park in a Korean gazebo. Afterwards we headed to her favorite local bar for a spectacular fire show and some great dance beats. We then bar hopped to another establishment where we enjoyed some super-sugary drinks and darts. It was a ton of fun and I was so glad I could be there with her to celebrate and see her in rare form. "Look at this. This water looks deliciousssss!" -Sam, to some stranger in the bathroom after she tried to put the glass in the soap-holder and say it was a cup holder. Good times.

the gazebo in the park

Bum giving us a bad-ass fire show

birthday girl and I

Saturday night held more birthday celebrations. Our friends, Frank and Alex were celebrating their birthdays and we all gathered at an upscale bowling alley in a ritzy area of Seoul called Apujeong. Saturday night also happened to be the Korea VS. Uruguay game. After a few games of bowling, some food and beers, the game began and the place was alive with screaming fans and cries of "dae han min guk!" Even though Korea played tough and got one great goal, they were no match for the South American players and lost in the end 1-2. Even though no one was jumping for joy, everyone still wanted to enjoy the night so we headed over to a dance club near by and were treated to head-throbbing music and buckets of alcohol while dancing to the top American Top 40 soundtrack. What more could you ask for to drown your soccer sorrows?

shots with the birthday boy, boyfriend, and brother

black-light bowling!

group shot

Namaste

Mmmmmmm.......

..... home-made meatballs and spaghetti. For the first time in Korea.

noodles +

sauce and veggies +

meatballs =

voila!

Makes me miss the Scuderi's a huge amount.

Namaste

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid

I forget where that slogan was from, but it popped into my head when Sean and I entered a huge famous amusement park in Seoul this weekend, Lotte World. Lotte World is part indoor/part outdoor theme park complete with rides, games, treats, and even an indoor ice-skating rink. Supposedly the indoor portion is the largest indoor amusement park in the world. The park was filled with Korean and foreign families, teenagers and couples galore, and lots and lots of smiling kids. Almost every single Korean girl there was wearing a giant sparkly bow or animal ears on their heads. Even some guys followed the trend too.

only for a photo, I didn't give in to the trend and make a purchase

We waited in lines. Lots of lines. We ate delicious and unhealthy amusement park-treats like corn dogs, ice cream, and fries. We screamed our heads off flying through the air or dropping into oblivion on some great rides. We had a blast acting like kids for the day. Definitely two thumbs up for Lotte World.

Sean and I posing at Lotte World

inside Lotte World

in front of the castle outside

dippin' dots, yummm

the castle at night was so pretty!

Namaste