Thanksgiving: turkey, family, holiday cheer, Black Friday shopping, reflecting on the blessings you were given. I have a love/have relationship with this holiday. I love the fact that Thanksgiving brings out the warm love and friendship of people. I love the fact that people can set apart their differences to enjoy each other's company. I love the fact that it's an excuse to have the opportunity to cook a huge meal and sit down to enjoy it together. I hate the fact that Thanksgiving is filled with gluttony. How many pieces of pumpkin pie can I eat today? If I weigh myself before the meal, how many pounds can I gain after? I know for most people this is not a problem or a conviction for them. I just cant help but think of how many starving ... Read More
Archives for 2012
Three quarters.
I feel like it was just yesterday that I posted about being here for six months...and we're already here at month nine? Time sure does fly by doesn't it? The days have been blurring together as Derik and I have both started our 10-13 hour days. We look forward to the weekends in which we can plop down on the couch and fall into a slumber-like coma not wanting Monday to raise it's ugly head for a while. Yes. It's pretty darn tiring. I've become a scheduling mastermind of sorts...because now with working from 10:00am to 10:30 pm I have to figure out to-the-tee when I bake my bread, wash the laundry, clean Jazz's cage, wipe off the never ending dust from my table, etc...etc. Good thing for me, I am obsessed with lists. I take an inner ... Read More
11/11
I couldn't help but chuckle as I looked down at the description of the box I held in my hand, "Strawberry chocolate attached fragrant biscuit." This isn't my first time dealing with Peperos...I was introduced to them by my friend of 12 years, Alexis and her husband Jordan. I'm not sure if they knew what they were...but they were good so that's all that mattered. Peperos originated in South Korea (or so they say) by the mega-brand Lotte. They are made from a long piece of sweet biscuit and dipped in chocolate. They remind me of chocolate covered pretzel sticks. Now what I didn't know until last Friday was, 11/11 is national Pepero Day. I found out about it though my students' thoughtful gifts as they brought me boxes of these sweet little ... Read More
Halloween: ‘korean style’
I have this little boy in my class that is obsessed with the world renowned hit song by PSY: 'Gangnam Style'. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, click on the link immediately. It will only help you understand my little boy named Tim. He can sing this song backwards, forwards, and also can impressively sing quite a few parodies. He's decided to take the phrase: "Gangnam Style" as his own, and anything he thinks is cool and relevant to him he calls it, "_____ style!" Im talking about everything. On Fridays I try to do crafts with my little Kindi students. I usually end up with some sort of origami paper craft, it's the easiest and with the least material. I found some cute strawberry origami paper, so I decided to make strawberries ... Read More
I wish I were…
This week'sWeekly Writing Challenge asks bloggers to answer the phrase "I wish I were..." This phrase has so many different meanings. Age, appearance, knowledge, locations, languages...there are so many ways you can answer this question. What do I wish? I wish sometimes that I could be 'there,' not 'here.' Hold on with me for a moment while I explain what I mean. I never realized how big the world was until I took that 36 hour trip over here to South Korea from America. It's the moment when you realize...hey, there are things that I'm gonna miss out on because I can't just board a plane and be to my destination within one day. It's an absolutely terrifying thought sometimes. There are a couple, quite significant, events that I ... Read More
Foreign
This week's Weekly Photo Challenge asks readers to post a photo of something 'foreign' to them. As most of you know, I live in South Korea as an English teacher, and have been for the last eight months. Seriously, everything is foreign to me. I'm constantly caught of guard by little things, and this reminds me even more that I'm an alien in a strange land. I've gotten pretty used to the food...but sometimes a certain side dish can throw me of guard. It's quite normal to get a side dish of pickled radishes, seaweed, kimchi, rice, cabbage salad, and some sort of grass salad with red paste on it. What I wasn't expecting was, when we went to a BBQ restaurant, to get a side dish of chilled octopus tentacles covered with red paste and served on ... Read More
Sorry if i’m rude, i’m american.
It has become strangely clear after 8 months, our culture (American) and Korean culture are completely different, especially when it comes down to customs, etiquette, and manners. I am still constantly learning 'no, no's,' which a concerned Korean will so gently mention to me AFTER I have done something 'offensive.' Sigh. Yes, I know the stereotype is that we're all just rude, loud, obnoxious foreigners, but I really wouldn't mind living life without offending the natives each and every day. What am I talking about? Check out the list I've composed of rules to live by. 1. DO NOT blow your nose in public...or wipe it for that matter. For the first several months I was constantly sick. I swear I've never had so many sinus colds in my life. ... Read More
Expat resources
Hey readers...especially expats! Check out the new page above labeled 'Expat Resources!' I've started compiling a list of online resources that ship to Korea/Worldwide! This not only helps me, but it may help you. Enjoy. :) ... Read More
As the days get colder
Fall is not a season that wants to linger here in Geoje. The farmers have almost harvested all the rice, and the fields are left an empty burning mess. I swear there's a haze that just won't leave, as the smoke refuses to rise. We were not blessed with spectacular trees here in Geoje, although I heard there are some absolutely amazing natural fall 'decor' a little north of here. I do miss the bright oranges, yellows, and pink leaves of the maple trees though, along with the pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks (who would have known that Starbucks in a different country doesn't celebrate my favorite season with this delectable drink?!) , the sound of geese migrating south, and of course the excitement as the holiday shopping draws near. It ... Read More
