Archives for March 2013

Weird Wednesday (03/27)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Weird Wednesday

We all know taxi drivers are among some of the craziest, daredevil drivers in the world. Their main focus is to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible...unless you have a sneaky driver that's trying to get the most out of your money. I don't need to remind you of the ridiculous way that Koreans drive. Not only do they disregard all traffic rules, but they're fully absorbed it their portable devices. Gigantic smart phones, gps units, and yes...a portable television. Check out our taxi driver from the other night. He as watching the news while he brought us home. Check out other 'Weird Wednesdays' here! ... Read More

Osaka aquarium kaiyukan (part two)

Written by: Amanda // Category: Japan

If you don't know this by now...I just thought I should make a PSA: I'm a procrastinator. A big one. It's already been how long since Japan, and I still have blogs to write? Not to mention I'm a little bit behind in current events. I've probably confused you all so much with my spastic and disorganized posts. Sorry, I really am! I honestly thought my life would slow down with my new work schedule, but instead it seems to be busier (makes no sense). I finally finished part two of my series of two posts on the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. If you haven't read part one yet, you should do so immediately! It involves a little history on the aquarium as well as some pretty sweet jellyfish. This part of the series is literally almost ... Read More

The dentist.

Written by: Amanda // Category: Expat Living, South Korea

Those two words send shudders down my spine. I dislike the dentist. I'm not sure where this fear came from, and I have absolutely no excuse. In my 24 years of life I haven't had one cavity, filling, extraction, cap, or any other dental related problem. I have gone to the dentist for regular teeth cleanings/check ups, and walk out with a fine bill of health. I'm quite proud of my pearly whites;dentists love my teeth. So where did my fear come from? Well, wouldn't you know it, but I actually have a small little jaw and mouth. It can be quite painful for me to go to the dentist and sit for 40 minutes as someone pokes and prods in my mouth. I also HATE the xray machine. The little paddles they stick in your mouth cant ever lay right against ... Read More

I don’t use shampoo

Written by: Amanda // Category: Beauty

>>>>>Three month update and detailed 'no poo' tips and tricks listed here.<<<<< >>>>>No poo FAQ's here and here!<<<<< Yes, you read right. I have stopped using shampoo, and conditioner for that matter. Some people may initially think I'm a hair snob, but trust me (witnessed by those who truly know me) I probably spend the least amount of time with my hair. I also haven't had a professional hair cut since June of 2010. Say whaaaa? First of all, I have to say, I've been blessed to have strange, care-free hair. I used to have stick straight, straw like hair, but then after getting a perm (one of the best/worst decisions of my life) it's been slightly curly ever since. I ... Read More

Weekly photo challenge: my korean happy meal

Written by: Amanda // Category: Weekly Photo Challenges

This week's photo challenge was quite simple. Take a picture of your lunch. Fortunately for me, Amber and I JUST went out for lunch! We both ordered the kids meal and were not disappointed. It came neatly arranged on a shaped tray...I had bulgogi (beef-type meat with sweet sauce), rice, corn slaw, three cold tater tots, a fruit salad consisting of 3 pineapple slices and a tomato, a warm glass of orange juice, and slimy ice cream. I could have done without the ice cream. ... Read More

Fireworks + friends = epic

Written by: Amanda // Category: Photography, South Korea

A couple weeks ago we were soooo excited to have Ethan and Sandra down for the weekend! As you may already know, we met Ethan and Sandra in college, and have kept in touch since. We were so elated to find out they were moving to Korea last August...and have spent as many opportunities as possible to hang out with them, including a Christmas trip to Vietnam. We also are blessed to have Jared and Amber (we also met them at CofO) here...and they were excited to see Ethan and Sandra too! Over Lunar New Year Amber and I had the brilliant idea of buying 32 Chinese sky lanterns to use for an 'epic' beach adventure. We then found out that E & S were coming down a few weeks after that, so we decided to save our 'beach adventure' for when ... Read More

Thirty-three reasons why I love my job.

Written by: Amanda // Category: South Korea, Teaching

Last year I taught kindergarten; I taught a lot of kindergarten. Five separate classes, five days a week with the same 33 kiddos. It didn't start out that way, I started out with Yellow Team (brand spankin' new 5 year olds who didn't know any English) and Blue and Purple Team ( 6 year olds who already had a year + of English). After Derik left, I inherited his students too: Green and Pink Team (7 year old graduating students). I had my hands full, and I'm gonna be honest, sometimes I wanted to pull my hair out. I was so tired after teaching kindy that I just wanted to curl up and take a nap instead of teach the rest of my six elementary classes in the late afternoon. There was always one fact that remained throughout the year, I ... Read More

Japan: land of the rising sun

Written by: Amanda // Category: Expat Living, Japan

Derik was hired on at DSME Shipbuilding last fall, so this meant he would be transitioning legally from the private school to the government company...DSME would be in charge of his visa and paperwork. Unfortunately his paperwork was shoved aside...and before we knew it, Derik's visa expired. It was quite frustrating finding out (even after asking multiple times) that the people in charge of his paperwork let it fall through the cracks. Worst of all, neither the school or DSME were claiming fault for it. So that meant Derik and I would be 100% financially responsible for getting a new visa...even though we did everything right. One thing we have learned about living in South Korea is that: without flexibility and an open mind...you're ... Read More

So…you want to be an ESL teacher?

Written by: Amanda // Category: Expat Living, South Korea, Teaching

First of all, what is it? ESL stands for English as a Second Language, and is for people whom English is not their first language. Obviously as a teacher you'd be teaching the very young, teens, and even adults English. Korea holds a very special place in ESL destinations...and that's because it remains one of the highest paid locations in the world. It's no secret that being an ESL teacher can be quite lucrative...especially for a newly graduated college student. Nine times out of ten, most academies and schools will pay not only for your housing needs, but for your flight ticket over, and most of your teaching materials. This is why the opportunity to save money is so great. How much could a person make? The average starting salary is ... Read More

Archives for March 2013

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