I currently have a week left in Korea. Seven days. 160 hours. 9600 minutes. It's nothing, especially considering I have spent the last year of my life here!
Korea and I have been very much in love and it will be hard to let go. We began with a lofty summer romance when I was swept off my feet, the magical crisp autumn where we were still so very much in love. Then came the brutal winter where Korea was either cruel and malicious or cold and unresponsive. It was a hard time for both of us. But the beautiful springtime brought cherry blossoms which exploded from the tree branches and we learned to overcome our differences and truly work together.
A year may not seem like much, and I suppose it isn't. A blink of an eye in the scheme of things. However. Currently to my set of eyes it seems like a very long amount of time. Having been here a year means that 4.5% of my current life has been spent in Korea. Before I came to Korea I had never lived more than an hour from my hometown. Just a small town girl living in a lonely world. I was looking for adventure and I found it. Taking the leap to live in Korea has been the boldest decision of my life.
My mind's a-jumble at the moment. I can think of so many wonderful times I've had living in Korea and I'm getting a little verklempt!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly 헐-ows
Last night, us group of Jochiwon teachers-- Maryam, Kimberly, Rebecca and myself-- went to watch the final installation of the Harry Potter movie franchise. And we got to see it a whole day and a half earlier than our friends back home! 헐.
Of course I dressed up. Of course I cried. Of course there was a nerdy discussion about the differences in the book following the viewing.
And of course, when Voldemort sliced Snape's throat, my Korean movie neighbor went "헐".
헐 = hull = frequently used in to express mild shock in Korean slang
Remember that time I saw Harry Potter? And remember that time I lived in Korea? That, children, is what I will remember most of all.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Nearly-Year
I spent the last weekend with the kindest Korean family I have met in my stay here. They melted my heart last November when I joined their family adventures in Gwangju and continued the tradition thusly.
I wish I could describe the warmth I felt being invited into their home, playing board games, eating delicious samchuk, cheers-ing makgeolli, sleeping on a giant mat on the floor with everyone..
They also took me to Woong Island near Taean, where we skipped rocks, searched for tiny crabs on the rocks, ate watermelon on the beach had an hour-long mud fight and went swimming in the water to wash off our clothes. It was simple, beautiful, and perfect.
Within the past two months, I've had a spell of rotten luck in Korea. My ribs breaking. The discovery of not having health insurance. Being denied vacation because of sick leave. Losing a generous cash prize for my students due to a initial name error and subsequent arrogance. Rotten luck. Events which have clouded the truth about my feelings for this country, this experience, this life I have lived.
I love it all. I am extremely fortunate to have been granted this life. My decision to come to Korea is still regarded in my heart as a personal best. As for the unfortunate, I have only become stronger and wiser. It's been an amazing nearly-year. The most profound, adventurous, exciting one yet. Why on Earth would I want to change it?
Cheers again.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
My Daily Warm Up
My business card reads: English is fun. :)
Daily EFL Warm Up at Sojeong Elementary from Charlotte Jones on Vimeo.
Daily EFL Warm Up at Sojeong Elementary from Charlotte Jones on Vimeo.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Dare to Bounce!
This is the speech of my friend Kristen, I think her words really hit close to home for a lot of us who have come to Korea seeking adventure and happiness in our lives. Seeing her in her element and giving such an uplifting speech really made my day! I hope it makes yours too!
Monday, May 30, 2011
A Crackin' Good Adventure
So, this past Saturday concluded our TaLK Chungnam and Yeongi Office of Education 2011 trip to none other than the beautiful tropical island of.. Jeju! It was quite beautiful, albeit rainy, but was chock full o' adventure!
Our adventure began on from Nonsan, to Gongju, to Jochiwon and finally a bus ride to Gimpo airport. From Gimpo it's only about a 50 minute plane ride to Jeju! Upon arrival we ate lunch and then went to the Glass Castle.
Glass Castle
Now, it's not a castle. And it's not made of glass. It does however has many items made of glass, and was pretty darn enjoyable to explore! There's a Wonka-esque outside area where I was expecting some Oompa Loompas to come out and perform a song and dance number for our amusement. Instead there were ajummas. Generally I like it. Thumbs up for the glass castle.
Next was Jeju international education center. Which.. wasn't built yet. But! There was a pretty fancy model of what it will look like when it is built. And a Powerpoint presentation. Hmm.
Dinner was EPIC. No, really. I think it was the best thing I've eaten in Korea. All seafood. Scabbard fish stew, soft-shell crab, chewy sweet fish, fried fish, and all the side fixin's we could ever want. I wish I had taken a picture, but my stomach overpowered my blog's need for pretty food pictures. Here's one of the next day's lunch. Typical tasty lunch in Korea:
Friday we went horse back riding! It was rainy and the horses looked nonplussed. Plus we just followed a track. I didn't really approve of how the horses were treated, but I did like my smelly old hat.
Then we went to a cave. The cave itself was a bit bogus but the park surrounding it was fun. Many cool sculptures and such.
Next was cow island. And this is where the magic happened.
This is "galbitang," a beef rib soup:
This is how I know the Korean word for rib, "galbi" which is how I explain my current 4-broken-rib situation along with some crafty charades.
Anyway, I was on a Cow-Shaped Island. I had an accident. I went to the tiny hospital on Cow Island in a golf cart, passing over one painful bump in the road after another. I was cursing, wincing, but not crying. No one believed me when I said my ribs hurt like hell until a second doctor (on vacation) went to the bike shop and told me to cough. I said it really REALLY hurt. Then he poked my side in a couple of places. When he hit the sweet spot I screamed "OMFCKINGGOD". "You have rib.. practurr. You must go hospital.. por your healts.. You are moss important."
So, did I mention I was on a little island OFF of the little island of Jeju? Well, I got in an ambulance then took the ferry back to the main island (Jeju). Then 40 minutes in another bumpy ambulance to the big hospital. People said a lot of things I didn't understand. And more things I didn't understand. I couldn't talk to the nurses. X-rayed. X-ray came back, I fractured 4 of my ribs-- 7 through 10. No one could believe it. "You didn't cry! Why don't you cry?!"
And that about sums it up. Broken ribs take approximately 2-3 weeks to heal and no stay in the hospital can help speed up the process. I am currently on sick leave from my school and will have another check up tomorrow (Friday) a week since the initial accident to see how things are healing. Wish me luck!
Our adventure began on from Nonsan, to Gongju, to Jochiwon and finally a bus ride to Gimpo airport. From Gimpo it's only about a 50 minute plane ride to Jeju! Upon arrival we ate lunch and then went to the Glass Castle.
Glass Castle
Now, it's not a castle. And it's not made of glass. It does however has many items made of glass, and was pretty darn enjoyable to explore! There's a Wonka-esque outside area where I was expecting some Oompa Loompas to come out and perform a song and dance number for our amusement. Instead there were ajummas. Generally I like it. Thumbs up for the glass castle.
Next was Jeju international education center. Which.. wasn't built yet. But! There was a pretty fancy model of what it will look like when it is built. And a Powerpoint presentation. Hmm.
Dinner was EPIC. No, really. I think it was the best thing I've eaten in Korea. All seafood. Scabbard fish stew, soft-shell crab, chewy sweet fish, fried fish, and all the side fixin's we could ever want. I wish I had taken a picture, but my stomach overpowered my blog's need for pretty food pictures. Here's one of the next day's lunch. Typical tasty lunch in Korea:
Friday we went horse back riding! It was rainy and the horses looked nonplussed. Plus we just followed a track. I didn't really approve of how the horses were treated, but I did like my smelly old hat.
Then we went to a cave. The cave itself was a bit bogus but the park surrounding it was fun. Many cool sculptures and such.
Next was cow island. And this is where the magic happened.
This is "galbitang," a beef rib soup:
This is how I know the Korean word for rib, "galbi" which is how I explain my current 4-broken-rib situation along with some crafty charades.
Anyway, I was on a Cow-Shaped Island. I had an accident. I went to the tiny hospital on Cow Island in a golf cart, passing over one painful bump in the road after another. I was cursing, wincing, but not crying. No one believed me when I said my ribs hurt like hell until a second doctor (on vacation) went to the bike shop and told me to cough. I said it really REALLY hurt. Then he poked my side in a couple of places. When he hit the sweet spot I screamed "OMFCKINGGOD". "You have rib.. practurr. You must go hospital.. por your healts.. You are moss important."
So, did I mention I was on a little island OFF of the little island of Jeju? Well, I got in an ambulance then took the ferry back to the main island (Jeju). Then 40 minutes in another bumpy ambulance to the big hospital. People said a lot of things I didn't understand. And more things I didn't understand. I couldn't talk to the nurses. X-rayed. X-ray came back, I fractured 4 of my ribs-- 7 through 10. No one could believe it. "You didn't cry! Why don't you cry?!"
And that about sums it up. Broken ribs take approximately 2-3 weeks to heal and no stay in the hospital can help speed up the process. I am currently on sick leave from my school and will have another check up tomorrow (Friday) a week since the initial accident to see how things are healing. Wish me luck!
Monday, May 16, 2011
On the daily commute..
Today on the bus to work, I met a young man from Kyrgyzstan. He works here in Korea for Samsung and knows six languages-- including English.
A sample from wikipedia:
Kyrgyzstan (
/ˈkɜrɡɨstæn/ kur-gi-stan;[6] Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан [qɯrʁɯzstɑ́n]; Russian: Кыргызстан [kᵻrɡᵻsˈtan]), officially theKyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states (along with Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan andKazakhstan). Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and People's Republic of China to the east. Its capital and largest city is Bishkek.
/ˈkɜrɡɨstæn/ kur-gi-stan;[6] Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан [qɯrʁɯzstɑ́n]; Russian: Кыргызстан [kᵻrɡᵻsˈtan]), officially theKyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states (along with Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan andKazakhstan). Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and People's Republic of China to the east. Its capital and largest city is Bishkek.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrgyzstan
Yep, Kyrgyzstan! I knew nothing about this country but the name. And most certainly couldn't spell it. But now I do! And I know a lot more about it. And I made a new friend!
Bus rides to work are boss!
Yep, Kyrgyzstan! I knew nothing about this country but the name. And most certainly couldn't spell it. But now I do! And I know a lot more about it. And I made a new friend!
Bus rides to work are boss!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Happy Birthday, Buddha!
May is a wonderful month in Korea! Not only is the weather is beautiful, but public school teachers and students are given an abundance of holidays for this "family month." For this particular teacher May in Korea holds six days off. Have I mentioned how much I love it here? (Only a few dozen times, I think.)
First was Children's Day, observed on May 5th in South Korea. Children normally get some sort of gift from their parents and spend the day doing some fun activity together. I visited Kayla in Gongju and we had a beautiful picnic on the river, and it was just as nice! We caught up on each other's lives and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and strawberries!
Tuesday May 10th is Buddha's Birthday, is also a national holiday. But my school took off Monday AND Tuesday just to extend the weekend a bit. To celebrate, I went to the Seoul Lantern Festival in Insadong with some amazing ladies from Jochiwon. Of course it was pretty crowded, but completely worth any slight claustrophobic inconvenience. The Seoul Lantern Festival was a veritable feast for the eyes. During this time of year, colored lanterns in pink, blue, green, yellow and red are scattered throughout ever city in the country, but Jogyesa Temple was by far the most impressive I've seen. The temple was completely decked out in spirit of Buddha's Birthday. Lanterns, lanterns everywhere! Strung up, dangling from tree branches and telephone poles, being held by the young and old. It was absolutely enchanting.
At 7:00 there began a Lantern Parade smack dab in the heart of Insadong. There were more foreigners there than I have ever seen in one place in Korea, and that's including Itaewon! The parade was VERY long, over 2 hours in length, which your feet begin to feel if you are standing that entire time! But I got some great pictures of the giant "lantern" sculptures in the parade. I love bright colors and lights and was fixated on them like a small child. I found the entire event to be delightful in every way and would suggest every person to take advantage of it if they are ever in Seoul around the 10th of May!
My photos for the Seoul Lantern Festival can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.512575400588.9614.295700354
It's been raining a lot for these Monday and Tuesday holidays. And boy howdy, do I mean a lot. I decided to be wise and lay low; working on lesson plans, completing graduate school stuff, packing some boxes to ship home by boat (its cheaper to send packages home by boat in Korea than by Air Mail), planning out my next two months here in Korea and, perhaps most importantly, conserving funds which isn't hard to do when you can get full on kimbap for under 2,500 won. Oh, kimbap. I think I will miss you most of all.
Plans for this weekend are good and plenty. There is a Rock Tigers show in Cheonan this Friday, as well as something top secret AND my close friend Baron von Rugglestein's going away party.
First was Children's Day, observed on May 5th in South Korea. Children normally get some sort of gift from their parents and spend the day doing some fun activity together. I visited Kayla in Gongju and we had a beautiful picnic on the river, and it was just as nice! We caught up on each other's lives and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and strawberries!
Tuesday May 10th is Buddha's Birthday, is also a national holiday. But my school took off Monday AND Tuesday just to extend the weekend a bit. To celebrate, I went to the Seoul Lantern Festival in Insadong with some amazing ladies from Jochiwon. Of course it was pretty crowded, but completely worth any slight claustrophobic inconvenience. The Seoul Lantern Festival was a veritable feast for the eyes. During this time of year, colored lanterns in pink, blue, green, yellow and red are scattered throughout ever city in the country, but Jogyesa Temple was by far the most impressive I've seen. The temple was completely decked out in spirit of Buddha's Birthday. Lanterns, lanterns everywhere! Strung up, dangling from tree branches and telephone poles, being held by the young and old. It was absolutely enchanting.
At 7:00 there began a Lantern Parade smack dab in the heart of Insadong. There were more foreigners there than I have ever seen in one place in Korea, and that's including Itaewon! The parade was VERY long, over 2 hours in length, which your feet begin to feel if you are standing that entire time! But I got some great pictures of the giant "lantern" sculptures in the parade. I love bright colors and lights and was fixated on them like a small child. I found the entire event to be delightful in every way and would suggest every person to take advantage of it if they are ever in Seoul around the 10th of May!My photos for the Seoul Lantern Festival can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.512575400588.9614.295700354
It's been raining a lot for these Monday and Tuesday holidays. And boy howdy, do I mean a lot. I decided to be wise and lay low; working on lesson plans, completing graduate school stuff, packing some boxes to ship home by boat (its cheaper to send packages home by boat in Korea than by Air Mail), planning out my next two months here in Korea and, perhaps most importantly, conserving funds which isn't hard to do when you can get full on kimbap for under 2,500 won. Oh, kimbap. I think I will miss you most of all.
Plans for this weekend are good and plenty. There is a Rock Tigers show in Cheonan this Friday, as well as something top secret AND my close friend Baron von Rugglestein's going away party.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Classic
This past weekend was a Korea classic. New places, fun times, and a few bizarre stories.
Saturday began with a five hour Skype with Mom, the breakfast of champions.
Then Rebecca and I went to Daejeon to volunteer at Jahyewon Orphanage. We had been looking for a place to volunteer for a while and I am super happy that we finally did. We had fun teaching kids some English but mainly had fun and goofed around. They are super sweet kids and I plan to go back. If anyone stumbles onto this blog looking to volunteer at a Daejeon orphanage, the link to the FaceBook group is here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7104975834
After that, I took off to Seoul and stayed the night at Dragonhill Spa at Yongsan. It's the nicest spa I've ever stayed. For 12,000won a night (pretty steep for a jimjilbang, I admit) I spent about two hours soaking in the baths and slept on the mats. For those of you back home who may not know the wonders of the jimjilbang, here's a nifty article: http://wiki.galbijim.com/Jjimjilbang The spa is 5 floors (larger than most spas) and has a variety of services available like massages, facial treatments, as well as games for kids, a garden, a restaurant,a PC room, and a heat bath. I've tried the heat bath sauna-like room before, but I hate it. It makes me feel like I am trying to bake myself alive like the witches in Hocus Pocus.
Question to readers: If you see someone you vaguely know, while you're both stark naked in a Korean jjimjilbang, do you walk up to them and say hello?
Sunday morning, I went with Seoul Hiking Group on a tour of the Chungju-ho lake and surrounding areas. Ben was supposed to come, but missed the bus and had an adventure of his own trying to meet up with the tour group from there on out. The first stop was a giant stone archway overlooking a lake. The second stop was Gosu Cave. It's a nice cave. Very cave-like. But I was, alas, not made for spelunking and was pretty happy to get out of there.
However! Chungju-ho lake was beeeeeeautiful. The mountains surrounding the lake look boldly picturesque. Our group took a ferry around the lake, a ferry which carried mainly very very drunk senior citizens wearing bright colors. They started dancing when cheesy tunes were blasted from the dance floor. It was a sight to behold. In America, senior citizens play bingo. In Korea, they get crunk.
Somehow, Ben made it to the second half of the trip and our normal ridiculous nerdy adventures continued throughout Chungju. I'm gonna miss that kid like crazy when he leaves Korea and goes back to that igloo of his in Nova Scotia.
And a grand weekend was had by all. It led into a beautiful Monday. I'm so lucky to be here in Korea. Cheers.
Saturday began with a five hour Skype with Mom, the breakfast of champions.
Then Rebecca and I went to Daejeon to volunteer at Jahyewon Orphanage. We had been looking for a place to volunteer for a while and I am super happy that we finally did. We had fun teaching kids some English but mainly had fun and goofed around. They are super sweet kids and I plan to go back. If anyone stumbles onto this blog looking to volunteer at a Daejeon orphanage, the link to the FaceBook group is here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7104975834
After that, I took off to Seoul and stayed the night at Dragonhill Spa at Yongsan. It's the nicest spa I've ever stayed. For 12,000won a night (pretty steep for a jimjilbang, I admit) I spent about two hours soaking in the baths and slept on the mats. For those of you back home who may not know the wonders of the jimjilbang, here's a nifty article: http://wiki.galbijim.com/Jjimjilbang The spa is 5 floors (larger than most spas) and has a variety of services available like massages, facial treatments, as well as games for kids, a garden, a restaurant,a PC room, and a heat bath. I've tried the heat bath sauna-like room before, but I hate it. It makes me feel like I am trying to bake myself alive like the witches in Hocus Pocus. Question to readers: If you see someone you vaguely know, while you're both stark naked in a Korean jjimjilbang, do you walk up to them and say hello?
Sunday morning, I went with Seoul Hiking Group on a tour of the Chungju-ho lake and surrounding areas. Ben was supposed to come, but missed the bus and had an adventure of his own trying to meet up with the tour group from there on out. The first stop was a giant stone archway overlooking a lake. The second stop was Gosu Cave. It's a nice cave. Very cave-like. But I was, alas, not made for spelunking and was pretty happy to get out of there.
However! Chungju-ho lake was beeeeeeautiful. The mountains surrounding the lake look boldly picturesque. Our group took a ferry around the lake, a ferry which carried mainly very very drunk senior citizens wearing bright colors. They started dancing when cheesy tunes were blasted from the dance floor. It was a sight to behold. In America, senior citizens play bingo. In Korea, they get crunk.
Somehow, Ben made it to the second half of the trip and our normal ridiculous nerdy adventures continued throughout Chungju. I'm gonna miss that kid like crazy when he leaves Korea and goes back to that igloo of his in Nova Scotia.
And a grand weekend was had by all. It led into a beautiful Monday. I'm so lucky to be here in Korea. Cheers.
Monday, April 25, 2011
MY NEW APARTMENT ADDRESS
Charlotte Jones
South Korea, Chungcheongnam-do, Yeongi-gun,
Jochiwon-eup, Chimsan-lee, BRD Bldg, 264-1,
#201
South Korea, Chungcheongnam-do, Yeongi-gun,
Jochiwon-eup, Chimsan-lee, BRD Bldg, 264-1,
#201
Monday, April 18, 2011
April Speeds On By!
Hello everyone! I hope all is well on your end of the screen! Today is a surprisingly chilly and rainy day considering how warm things have been. Soon time will detach a few of the pretty little whitish pink blossoms off their branches.
'This Saturday, my day started at 8:00am. My kids performed their play at an English Festival. The story was "Heungbu and Nolbu," a Korean folktale about a kind brother and a greedy brother. Everyone knows the story and I think it's one of maybe 10 total plays Korean elementary school students put on. They won second place, and I was really proud of them. They're such awesome kids!
Anyway, after that, I headed on up to Seoul. I had dinner with the Jochiwon locals at a great Indian place in Hongdae then met up with Mary the awesome Ohioan and her Hopeyong sister Natasha. We headed to Itaewon to see her [Mary's] husband [Doug's] band Slaughterhouse Jive perform at the Rocky Mountain Tavern. It was a pretty high falutin' night. After their set was over I met up with the Michiganders in Hongdae and we sipped on coffee and exchanged tales of mayhem until the sun rose and the metro started back up, and arrived in Jochiwon at about ten. I then proceeded to sleep until 5:00pm.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Strawberry Cherry Blossom Birthday Cake
STRAWBERRY CHERRY BLOSSOM BIRTHDAY CAKE! How absurdly delightful! But my past week has been just that! Cherry blossoms are here! Cherry blossoms are here! And they're lovely! They remind me of popcorn that have suddenly burst over the previously sad, barren trees! I love them!
Last Wednesday was my 22nd birthday and it was cool! I went to Seoul for bellydance on Tuesday just 'cause I wanted to. I got gifts from all my co-teachers and was surprised with a CAKE and all the kids singing "Happy Birthday" Facebook was inundated with wall posts galore, and some beautiful gifts from my momma back home. I got Indian food that evening and sparkly fiery free drinks from the bar! Whoop whoop!
Here's a video of my kids singing Happy Birthday. They didn't remember to add "Dear Charlotte" at the end, but I got the gist.
This weekend Rebecca, Ruth and I went to the Nonsan strawberry festival in, where else? Nonsan! It was lovely, and only about an hour away from home! We ran into a giant Strawberry, drank strawberry juice, ate strawberry ice cream, ho ddeok, rice cakes, and decorated an epic cake. Which we also ate. With chopsticks.
I wanted nothing more but to relax after that beautiful day! Sunday we took off to the Cheonan Exchange and both Rebecca and I had a bit of an epiphany in Korean language. It simply clicked, which is a joyous occasion indeed!
Last night I went to a book club, started by professors at Korea University and Hongik University in Jochiwon. We read Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. I wouldn't recommend it, but I'm really proud of having finally participated in a book club. :3
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Fun Times in Korealand
It's easy to stay cooped up in one's apartment after long days of work and sometimes the lethargy extends further into weekends. But no! April is now upon us and the lovely spring season has brought beautifully sunny days! Wishing to revel in the welcome change of weather, I begged Ben to come with me to Suwon fortress, to which he kindly obliged! And since I had Ben's good luck on my side (or maybe just neutral luck paired with my own) there was a tightrope walker giving his weekly Saturday performance just as we arrived at 2:00pm! It was so impressive and cool!
Then we took a ride on the Dragon Wagon, a delightfully tacky trolley with a golden dragon head on the front car that goes around the fortress.
![]()
Which led us to archery! For two bucks each we were given ten arrows to shoot and a mini-archery lesson, which was entirely in Korean.. But we more or less got the gist. I was still pretty terrible. My arrows bounced off the targets without piercing them.. But Ben was impressive!
Later that evening it was time for the ROKD (Republic of Korea Roller Derby) launch party at Dolce Bar in Cheonan-si-- only 20 minutes from my little Jochiwon! Yup, roller derby has made it to South Korea. It was an amazing time, two of the coolest girls I know in Korea are involved in the league, and if you're reading this blog, you should totally take this time to "Like" them on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=295700354&aid=9318#!/pages/ROKD-Republic-of-Korea-Derby/198518736843205
What's happening next? That's a darn good question! I have a birthday coming up, but I'm hoping that Wednesday the 6th will just pass on without being noticed, as I'm getting pretty fed up with this aging business! This weekend is the Nonsan Strawberry Festival, and I'm looking forward to partaking in some delicious ddalgi! Oh yes! More to come ma'ams and sirs. More to come.
Then we took a ride on the Dragon Wagon, a delightfully tacky trolley with a golden dragon head on the front car that goes around the fortress.
Which led us to archery! For two bucks each we were given ten arrows to shoot and a mini-archery lesson, which was entirely in Korean.. But we more or less got the gist. I was still pretty terrible. My arrows bounced off the targets without piercing them.. But Ben was impressive! Later that evening it was time for the ROKD (Republic of Korea Roller Derby) launch party at Dolce Bar in Cheonan-si-- only 20 minutes from my little Jochiwon! Yup, roller derby has made it to South Korea. It was an amazing time, two of the coolest girls I know in Korea are involved in the league, and if you're reading this blog, you should totally take this time to "Like" them on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=295700354&aid=9318#!/pages/ROKD-Republic-of-Korea-Derby/198518736843205
What's happening next? That's a darn good question! I have a birthday coming up, but I'm hoping that Wednesday the 6th will just pass on without being noticed, as I'm getting pretty fed up with this aging business! This weekend is the Nonsan Strawberry Festival, and I'm looking forward to partaking in some delicious ddalgi! Oh yes! More to come ma'ams and sirs. More to come.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Andrew Comes to Korea!
Spring has sprung! Little green tufts of grass are popping out of the rocky Korean soil and the weather is taking a sunny turn for the better! It's a wonderfully welcome change!
This past week, darling Andrew from back home chose to spend his spring break with me in Korea! It was star-crossed timing, as his college's spring break lined up exactly with my first week back to teaching, but we made it work!
The horrific Japanese earthquake threw a little bit of a wrench into Andrew's flight and he arrived about two days later than expected. His plane touched down about 30 minutes after the disaster, so I am so glad it was not as bad as it could have been! I slept in the airport awaiting his arrival, sans a trip to Itaewon for a WhatTheBook trip and a viewing of the Frills and Thrills Burlesque show. Andrew arrived on Sunday, and quickly made friends with a homeless man at Seoul Station
I forget how much fun seeing a new country is, especially one I've called home for 8 months, but Andrew loved it! He developed a quick love of ingoppang (fish bread with red bean filling), mandu (dumplings) of all varieties and ddukbogi. God bless the ddukbogi.
Tuesday was my school's birthday and we went to Gongju-- Magoksa Temple and the National Museum of Gongju! Magoksa is beautiful as always. The buses can be a bit of a drag, 40 minutes to and from and they come and go every hour. And the National Museum is a very nice, small museum.. albeit very very empty on a Tuesday afternoon.
Thursday we headed to Seoul and stayed at the lovely NAMU Guesthouse. We saw The National Museum of Korea and Namsan Seoul Tower. The museum is absolutely amazing and is large enough to spend days in (I hope little Korean kids do sleepovers there.) And Namsan Seoul Tower is.. a rip off! We went, we saw, we wondered what the big deal was! But.. here's a picture anyway!
Friday we took the Seoul City Bus around to Gyeongbuk Palace (pretty place), Namdaemun Market (holy hell the street food is amazing), War Memorial Museum (I liked the radiation safety man costumes), Insadong (we got lost), Itaewon and back to Hongdae. I highly recommend the Seoul City Tour Bus if you want a nice, simple tour of the city. It's only a $10 ticket to tool you through all of the most prevalent tourist spots in Seoul.
Andrew got to see the Hongdae subway exit on Friday night and eat fried street food covered in sweet spicy ddukbogi sauce.
And just as soon as he came, he was gone. Just.. like.. that! Poof! But it was a great trip.
This past week, darling Andrew from back home chose to spend his spring break with me in Korea! It was star-crossed timing, as his college's spring break lined up exactly with my first week back to teaching, but we made it work!
The horrific Japanese earthquake threw a little bit of a wrench into Andrew's flight and he arrived about two days later than expected. His plane touched down about 30 minutes after the disaster, so I am so glad it was not as bad as it could have been! I slept in the airport awaiting his arrival, sans a trip to Itaewon for a WhatTheBook trip and a viewing of the Frills and Thrills Burlesque show. Andrew arrived on Sunday, and quickly made friends with a homeless man at Seoul StationI forget how much fun seeing a new country is, especially one I've called home for 8 months, but Andrew loved it! He developed a quick love of ingoppang (fish bread with red bean filling), mandu (dumplings) of all varieties and ddukbogi. God bless the ddukbogi.
Tuesday was my school's birthday and we went to Gongju-- Magoksa Temple and the National Museum of Gongju! Magoksa is beautiful as always. The buses can be a bit of a drag, 40 minutes to and from and they come and go every hour. And the National Museum is a very nice, small museum.. albeit very very empty on a Tuesday afternoon.
Thursday we headed to Seoul and stayed at the lovely NAMU Guesthouse. We saw The National Museum of Korea and Namsan Seoul Tower. The museum is absolutely amazing and is large enough to spend days in (I hope little Korean kids do sleepovers there.) And Namsan Seoul Tower is.. a rip off! We went, we saw, we wondered what the big deal was! But.. here's a picture anyway!
Friday we took the Seoul City Bus around to Gyeongbuk Palace (pretty place), Namdaemun Market (holy hell the street food is amazing), War Memorial Museum (I liked the radiation safety man costumes), Insadong (we got lost), Itaewon and back to Hongdae. I highly recommend the Seoul City Tour Bus if you want a nice, simple tour of the city. It's only a $10 ticket to tool you through all of the most prevalent tourist spots in Seoul.Andrew got to see the Hongdae subway exit on Friday night and eat fried street food covered in sweet spicy ddukbogi sauce.
And just as soon as he came, he was gone. Just.. like.. that! Poof! But it was a great trip.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Thaibodia
All pictures can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/nyxnightingale/Thaibodia#
Okay. I have no idea how I am going to segment blog posts of this trip. My plan, essentially, is to write as long as I can until I pass out. This has been a trip of a lifetime and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to enjoy it.
Friday-Sunday Feb 18/19/20: Bangkok and Full Moon Party
I arrived in Bangkok just before midnight and took a tram to Khao San road, the main tourist/backpacker hotspot in Bangkok. I stayed at the closest place I could find to my bus ride in the morning, Four Brothers Inn (the dodgy end), right next to the Lomprayah meeting place. I woke up at 5:00 and boarded the bus for the 10 hour trip to Koh Phangnan for the Full Moon Party. I quickly realized that there are almost no American tourists in Thailand. And I also realize I've lost my camera. And I can't find my friends because my cell phone doesn't work. But, hey, Koh Phangnan is beeeeeautiful! And these Swiss and French people are nice! I got some French fries and internet in an Israeli restaurant and eventually found Ben. The Full Moon Party was what was expected: A gargantuan, pumping, booze-fueled dance on a tropical beach in Thailand. Need we say more? I slept in a chair in an open terrace restaurant, and we left Koh Phangnan for Bangkok at about 11:00 the next morning. This one was longer. About 16 hours on a bus. Definitely go with Lomprayah if you can. It's worth the extra 300 baht.
Monday Feb 21: Temples, Zoo Without Animals, and Ladyboys
This was a day of sightseeing in Bangkok! I learned the dangers of riding in a tuk tuk from falling out of one and we visited the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, The Royal Palace, and The Dusit Zoo (possibly the most terrible zoo I have ever been to in my life.) BUT! That night we had a night on the town, made our way to Na Na and saw things that can never be unseen.
Tuesday Feb 22: The Way to Cambodia
This was the trip's lowpoint. The plan of meeting at 7:15 didn't work, and I couldn't contact my friends without a cell phone. I went by their hostel and their names weren't on the roster. I tried using Skype to call and text, still to no avail. Ben showed at about 11:00 and I was pissed. But we made it to Cambodia and met a nice Japanese couple to share a taxi with! And the Rosy Guesthouse in Siem Reap was hands down the best place I stayed on this trip.
February 23: Angkor F*cking Wat!
This was one of the most amazing sights I have had the privilege of seeing in my lifetime. I was literally speechless for most of the journey through the temples, and despite crawling with tourists, I feel very lucky to have seen them.
February 24: Museums and Rum
Today was mainly a transit day. I did have the chance to see the Angkor Museum in Siem Reap, which was amazing even for the somewhat steep fee of $12USD. It was remarkably informative but I didn't really need the audio tour I bought. We left The Rosy Guest House and took a taxi to Poi Pet. Ben went to a Casino and I went back to Bangkok.
Friday: Urban Biking and Big Ol' Malls
We took the Grasshopper Bike Tour of Bangkok and visited MBK and other giant malls in Siam Square.
February 26: The Best Adventure in Thailand
Flight of the Gibbon (www.treetopasia.com) is a zipline tour in the forests just outside of Bangkok. IF YOU GO TO THAILAND YOU MUST DO THIS.
February 27: Char's Day
This was an amazing day. I did everything I wanted to do. I started by visiting the Damnoensaduak floating market. Very very cool. My lunch was vegetarian lasagna at Ethos at Khao San. I then moved onto the Erawan shrine in the center of the city to see traditional Thai dancers. While soaking up the incense and chanting, I met a cool Czech man who kindly took me to the GARGANTUAN Chatuchack Weekend Market at the edge of Bangkok. The day was ended with a $6 Thai massage and a giant fresh baked baguette sandwich. It was a wonderful day. And a wonderful trip. Amen.
Okay. I have no idea how I am going to segment blog posts of this trip. My plan, essentially, is to write as long as I can until I pass out. This has been a trip of a lifetime and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to enjoy it.
Friday-Sunday Feb 18/19/20: Bangkok and Full Moon Party
I arrived in Bangkok just before midnight and took a tram to Khao San road, the main tourist/backpacker hotspot in Bangkok. I stayed at the closest place I could find to my bus ride in the morning, Four Brothers Inn (the dodgy end), right next to the Lomprayah meeting place. I woke up at 5:00 and boarded the bus for the 10 hour trip to Koh Phangnan for the Full Moon Party. I quickly realized that there are almost no American tourists in Thailand. And I also realize I've lost my camera. And I can't find my friends because my cell phone doesn't work. But, hey, Koh Phangnan is beeeeeautiful! And these Swiss and French people are nice! I got some French fries and internet in an Israeli restaurant and eventually found Ben. The Full Moon Party was what was expected: A gargantuan, pumping, booze-fueled dance on a tropical beach in Thailand. Need we say more? I slept in a chair in an open terrace restaurant, and we left Koh Phangnan for Bangkok at about 11:00 the next morning. This one was longer. About 16 hours on a bus. Definitely go with Lomprayah if you can. It's worth the extra 300 baht.
Monday Feb 21: Temples, Zoo Without Animals, and Ladyboys
This was a day of sightseeing in Bangkok! I learned the dangers of riding in a tuk tuk from falling out of one and we visited the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, The Royal Palace, and The Dusit Zoo (possibly the most terrible zoo I have ever been to in my life.) BUT! That night we had a night on the town, made our way to Na Na and saw things that can never be unseen.
Tuesday Feb 22: The Way to Cambodia
This was the trip's lowpoint. The plan of meeting at 7:15 didn't work, and I couldn't contact my friends without a cell phone. I went by their hostel and their names weren't on the roster. I tried using Skype to call and text, still to no avail. Ben showed at about 11:00 and I was pissed. But we made it to Cambodia and met a nice Japanese couple to share a taxi with! And the Rosy Guesthouse in Siem Reap was hands down the best place I stayed on this trip.
February 23: Angkor F*cking Wat!
This was one of the most amazing sights I have had the privilege of seeing in my lifetime. I was literally speechless for most of the journey through the temples, and despite crawling with tourists, I feel very lucky to have seen them.
February 24: Museums and Rum
Today was mainly a transit day. I did have the chance to see the Angkor Museum in Siem Reap, which was amazing even for the somewhat steep fee of $12USD. It was remarkably informative but I didn't really need the audio tour I bought. We left The Rosy Guest House and took a taxi to Poi Pet. Ben went to a Casino and I went back to Bangkok.
Friday: Urban Biking and Big Ol' Malls
We took the Grasshopper Bike Tour of Bangkok and visited MBK and other giant malls in Siam Square.
February 26: The Best Adventure in Thailand
Flight of the Gibbon (www.treetopasia.com) is a zipline tour in the forests just outside of Bangkok. IF YOU GO TO THAILAND YOU MUST DO THIS.
February 27: Char's Day
This was an amazing day. I did everything I wanted to do. I started by visiting the Damnoensaduak floating market. Very very cool. My lunch was vegetarian lasagna at Ethos at Khao San. I then moved onto the Erawan shrine in the center of the city to see traditional Thai dancers. While soaking up the incense and chanting, I met a cool Czech man who kindly took me to the GARGANTUAN Chatuchack Weekend Market at the edge of Bangkok. The day was ended with a $6 Thai massage and a giant fresh baked baguette sandwich. It was a wonderful day. And a wonderful trip. Amen.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Trip to the DMZ
Most foreigners don't know much about Korea. Tourism isn't a big for this little country. But, one of the most unique things about Korea is that it is the only country in the world currently split in two, with one side officially at war with the other.
South Korea invites us to explore this unique aspect by offering several tours of the DMZ (DeMilitarized Zone) near the border of the two countries.
The tour consisted of:
The Third Tunnel
-A (now blocked, thankfully) tunnel dug from the North Korean side in the 1970s, designed to infiltrate Seoul. There are supposedly dozens of tunnels still undiscovered!
Dora Observatory
-Where you can sneak a peek at North Korea.
Dorasan Train Station
-One ticket to Pyeongyang, please! ..Or that's the hope after unification anyway!
Imjingak
-As close as you can get to North Korea without special permissions. It is also a popular destination for dating Korean couples, complete with a theme park!
Anyway, at first this seemed to me an absolutely bizarre tourist attraction. Not many tours boast a tunnel dug for infiltration. But I feel privileged to have been able to visit the DMZ at this strange point in Korean history. A~saaaaa!
South Korea invites us to explore this unique aspect by offering several tours of the DMZ (DeMilitarized Zone) near the border of the two countries.
The tour consisted of:
The Third Tunnel
-A (now blocked, thankfully) tunnel dug from the North Korean side in the 1970s, designed to infiltrate Seoul. There are supposedly dozens of tunnels still undiscovered!
Dora Observatory
-Where you can sneak a peek at North Korea.
Dorasan Train Station
-One ticket to Pyeongyang, please! ..Or that's the hope after unification anyway!
Imjingak
-As close as you can get to North Korea without special permissions. It is also a popular destination for dating Korean couples, complete with a theme park!
Anyway, at first this seemed to me an absolutely bizarre tourist attraction. Not many tours boast a tunnel dug for infiltration. But I feel privileged to have been able to visit the DMZ at this strange point in Korean history. A~saaaaa!
Monday, February 7, 2011
January 2011: A retrospective.
This entry is a sneaky, sneaky cheater! It's not recounting my most recent Korean memories but rather, backtracking what was sometimes described as "abysmal" month of January.
I've somewhat habitually stated how much I have hated the cold. And the snow just exacerbates the cold. And once warmed, it melts into a freezing watery mess that trails through your apartment hallways, leaving them muddy and slippery for an unsuspecting Floridian to fall on her hindquarters. Ahem.
This doozy was taken during a snow "sprinkle" in Cheonan after I finished apartment hunting on the 22nd. I was tricked into walking in the snow, and to say I was livid might be an understatement. If this had been an old-fashioned camera, I might have melted the film with this glare. But seeing as it was a digital camera.. I think I just messed with the battery life a little bit.
Anyway. Looking back, January wasn't all that bad of a month! She had her shining moments, always in the company of wonderful friends, dotted with rays of sunshine like Skypes with Mom and Sissy and Andrew. Alas, here are the adventursome highlights;
A Monday meetup with Japan's very own, Christybomb at the Hello Kitty Cafe in Seoul!
Lunch with my amazingly amazing Julie teacher on Thursday the thirteenth. How I will miss her help, and I hope she knows how much I treasured her in the classroom.
A 15th shopping trip and dinner in Myeongdong with two of my favorite Jochiwonians, Rebecca and Ruth! Sang doesn't count. He's a Seoul-villian.
Followed by an amazing bellydance party that very same night hosted by Belynda Azhaar! Me and Miss Ange!
A Wednesday outing to the US Air Base of Songtan with Suwonfolk Luke!
Viewing of the amazing stage production of Hero: The Musical about Korean hero, Ahn Jung-geun.
An ice-skating trip to Daejeon [again] with the crazy Jochiwon girls..
A visit to Gongju and Gongju fortress with miss Kaylakay.
And finally an adventure with Ben and company that started with Canadian beer and with him winning big at a casino.
In retrospect, January 2011, despite all its gloom, was a great month! Cheers to you Old Man Winter!
I've somewhat habitually stated how much I have hated the cold. And the snow just exacerbates the cold. And once warmed, it melts into a freezing watery mess that trails through your apartment hallways, leaving them muddy and slippery for an unsuspecting Floridian to fall on her hindquarters. Ahem.
This doozy was taken during a snow "sprinkle" in Cheonan after I finished apartment hunting on the 22nd. I was tricked into walking in the snow, and to say I was livid might be an understatement. If this had been an old-fashioned camera, I might have melted the film with this glare. But seeing as it was a digital camera.. I think I just messed with the battery life a little bit.
Anyway. Looking back, January wasn't all that bad of a month! She had her shining moments, always in the company of wonderful friends, dotted with rays of sunshine like Skypes with Mom and Sissy and Andrew. Alas, here are the adventursome highlights;
A Monday meetup with Japan's very own, Christybomb at the Hello Kitty Cafe in Seoul!
Lunch with my amazingly amazing Julie teacher on Thursday the thirteenth. How I will miss her help, and I hope she knows how much I treasured her in the classroom.
A 15th shopping trip and dinner in Myeongdong with two of my favorite Jochiwonians, Rebecca and Ruth! Sang doesn't count. He's a Seoul-villian.
Followed by an amazing bellydance party that very same night hosted by Belynda Azhaar! Me and Miss Ange!
A Wednesday outing to the US Air Base of Songtan with Suwonfolk Luke!
Viewing of the amazing stage production of Hero: The Musical about Korean hero, Ahn Jung-geun.
An ice-skating trip to Daejeon [again] with the crazy Jochiwon girls..
A visit to Gongju and Gongju fortress with miss Kaylakay.
And finally an adventure with Ben and company that started with Canadian beer and with him winning big at a casino.
In retrospect, January 2011, despite all its gloom, was a great month! Cheers to you Old Man Winter!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Happy Seolnal!
January was a very uneventful month in the land of kimchi and kimbap-- the snow and bitter cold kept many people indoors and away from adventure, and a brimming Winter Camp schedule kept me very busy!
However, February has begun with a bang! Korea celebrates a huge feast holiday for the Korean New Year called 설날 or "Seolnal" (Hyperlinked for those curious!) Korean people travel home to their families for a large dinner and festivities, and they eat 떡국 "dduk guk", a simple rice cake soup which is one of my favorite Korean foods! Three days-- Wednesday, Thursday and Friday-- are national holidays for the Lunar New Year, which is wonderful for Koreans and their families. For us expatriates, it means everything is closed and despite having vacation, there is very little to do! Many people also leave the country during this season!
However, we found things to do! Wednesday night was spent in Seoul with my amazing friends Stephanie and Emily. After wandering and subsequently discovering that Gr8 Hookah was closed (T_T) we visited the wonderful Club FF in Hongdae, which offers a cool atmosphere and indie music! But even better was what we did the next day!
Thank you, Corrie for that picture! ^_^
Everland; Korea's largest theme park! Love, love, love! The theme park admission was 50% off for foreigners during the New Year and is sooo much better than Lotteworld I cannot express. Each season has a theme, currently it was (of course) Snow Festival! There were decent roller coasters and scary rides, along with some adorable theme rides, and it was kept impeccably clean. But best of all; there were no lines because of Lunar New Year. Heck. Yes!
To say I was pooped by the end of that day would be an understatement. So the rest of my week was spent low-key. Making pancakes. Watching episodes of Community online. Playing Zelda. Reading the Hobbit. And I went to see Shanghai in theaters (John Cusack starring generally = a pretty ho-hum movie nowadays). I'm happy with this week; but I'm not-so-secretly looking forward to going back to work! I love seeing my students! ^_^
I am planning a trip to Thailand and Cambodia at the end of the month, the 18th~28th, as well as readying myself for Andrew's visit in March! Let the good times roll!
However, February has begun with a bang! Korea celebrates a huge feast holiday for the Korean New Year called 설날 or "Seolnal" (Hyperlinked for those curious!) Korean people travel home to their families for a large dinner and festivities, and they eat 떡국 "dduk guk", a simple rice cake soup which is one of my favorite Korean foods! Three days-- Wednesday, Thursday and Friday-- are national holidays for the Lunar New Year, which is wonderful for Koreans and their families. For us expatriates, it means everything is closed and despite having vacation, there is very little to do! Many people also leave the country during this season!
However, we found things to do! Wednesday night was spent in Seoul with my amazing friends Stephanie and Emily. After wandering and subsequently discovering that Gr8 Hookah was closed (T_T) we visited the wonderful Club FF in Hongdae, which offers a cool atmosphere and indie music! But even better was what we did the next day!
Thank you, Corrie for that picture! ^_^
Everland; Korea's largest theme park! Love, love, love! The theme park admission was 50% off for foreigners during the New Year and is sooo much better than Lotteworld I cannot express. Each season has a theme, currently it was (of course) Snow Festival! There were decent roller coasters and scary rides, along with some adorable theme rides, and it was kept impeccably clean. But best of all; there were no lines because of Lunar New Year. Heck. Yes!
To say I was pooped by the end of that day would be an understatement. So the rest of my week was spent low-key. Making pancakes. Watching episodes of Community online. Playing Zelda. Reading the Hobbit. And I went to see Shanghai in theaters (John Cusack starring generally = a pretty ho-hum movie nowadays). I'm happy with this week; but I'm not-so-secretly looking forward to going back to work! I love seeing my students! ^_^
I am planning a trip to Thailand and Cambodia at the end of the month, the 18th~28th, as well as readying myself for Andrew's visit in March! Let the good times roll!
Friday, January 14, 2011
To-Do List
So, as the halfway mark descends upon my Korean adventure, I am faced with some important questions. What do I want to do with my time that remains in Korea? What do I want to do when I get back?
So far, I've seen more amazing sights in Korea and done far more traveling than I ever did back home. But there are still some key things I'd like to see and do! And to fight off the winter blues and boredom, I present my work in progress To-Do List!
Obviously, some are time-sensitive. And others are not. I've just gotta finagle a way to keep them adequately spaced so I bumble along consistently during my stay. Eggs in different baskets and what not.
---Sights
COEX Aquarium Seoul
Gwanchoksa Temple in Nonsan
Busan Aquarium
Doctor Fish Cafe in Gangnam
Seoul Museum of Art
Everland
---Adventure Korea Tours
Templestay
DMZ Tour
Jeju Island
---Winter
Ice skating in winter
---Spring
Nonsan Strawberry Festival
Seoul Lantern Festival
---Summer
Boreyang Mud Festival
---Non-Specific
Volunteering at Korean orphanage
Perform bellydance (at least once!)
What to do when I get back? I'm going to travel more. Japan with sissy first, of course! And then I'd like to go to Burning Man 2011. And then my fiery wanderlust will be sated, right? Right?!
So far, I've seen more amazing sights in Korea and done far more traveling than I ever did back home. But there are still some key things I'd like to see and do! And to fight off the winter blues and boredom, I present my work in progress To-Do List!
Obviously, some are time-sensitive. And others are not. I've just gotta finagle a way to keep them adequately spaced so I bumble along consistently during my stay. Eggs in different baskets and what not.
---Sights
COEX Aquarium Seoul
Gwanchoksa Temple in Nonsan
Busan Aquarium
Doctor Fish Cafe in Gangnam
Seoul Museum of Art
---Adventure Korea Tours
Templestay
DMZ Tour
Jeju Island
---Winter
---Spring
Nonsan Strawberry Festival
Seoul Lantern Festival
---Summer
Boreyang Mud Festival
---Non-Specific
Volunteering at Korean orphanage
Perform bellydance (at least once!)
What to do when I get back? I'm going to travel more. Japan with sissy first, of course! And then I'd like to go to Burning Man 2011. And then my fiery wanderlust will be sated, right? Right?!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A Korean New Years
Happy 2011 everyone! Wishing you health and happiness in the new year..
No resolutions were made. If anything, I'm a little worried that 2011 won't be as swell as 2010 was. Plus, I did a count down.. But Korea's New Years Eve wasn't much like America's. There weren't any fireworks. Or stupid hats. Or crowns. Or glasses in the shape of whatever year is coming upon us.
But there was Kimchibilly. Yes, Korean rockabilly. And they do it quite well!
If you want to hear some of their music, check it out! http://www.reverbnation.com/therocktigers
The Rock Tigers opened up 2011 at club Drug for my friend Tammy and I.. and it was an amazing show indeed! I will be returning to Seoul to see them again!
After the concert, we met up with friends for drinks.. I need to reiterate that in the absence of live music.. Hongdae is largely overrated! Then we sat in Tom & Tom's coffee, until the subways regained consciousness at 5:30am. It was there that we warmed our bodies and conducted an entire conversation in Pig Latin for nearly an entire hour, much to the chagrin and confusion to the many Koreans surrounding us.
The world is still frozen right now though! I've never endured this caliber of cold before. Scarves, mittens and long underwear!
No resolutions were made. If anything, I'm a little worried that 2011 won't be as swell as 2010 was. Plus, I did a count down.. But Korea's New Years Eve wasn't much like America's. There weren't any fireworks. Or stupid hats. Or crowns. Or glasses in the shape of whatever year is coming upon us.
But there was Kimchibilly. Yes, Korean rockabilly. And they do it quite well!
If you want to hear some of their music, check it out! http://www.reverbnation.com/therocktigers
The Rock Tigers opened up 2011 at club Drug for my friend Tammy and I.. and it was an amazing show indeed! I will be returning to Seoul to see them again!
After the concert, we met up with friends for drinks.. I need to reiterate that in the absence of live music.. Hongdae is largely overrated! Then we sat in Tom & Tom's coffee, until the subways regained consciousness at 5:30am. It was there that we warmed our bodies and conducted an entire conversation in Pig Latin for nearly an entire hour, much to the chagrin and confusion to the many Koreans surrounding us.
The world is still frozen right now though! I've never endured this caliber of cold before. Scarves, mittens and long underwear!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)