16 month update

jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the wayyyy!!!

I absolutely cannot believe Christmas is already only one week away. I am definitely not in the Christmas spirit at all this year.This is my second Christmas away from family, but last year I spent it in Malaysia with my friend and her family so I had that to look forwards to, this year my vacation dates are kind of strange so rather than having two full weeks off, I only have one so I've decided to spend it in Seoul with whatever friends aren't leaving town to spend it with their families.
Last week we had quite a bit of snowfall and I felt very grinch like watching it fall from my office while all the kids where playing in it and being happy. Unless I can stay home nicely bundled up, and not have to ever walk on the snow, it's okay. My problem starts when it stops being fresh white, and becomes ice and makes it nearly impossible for me to take two steps before falling and embarrassing myself.

Things at school are going slow, but okay. This is the last full week of teaching before the Christmas holiday and because the kids (and myself) can't really concentrate on anything, we've stopped using the textbook and instead spend the first 15-20 minutes of class chatting or going over an interesting topic (today's was Konglish) and the last half of the class we watch a movie.

Since I'm not traveling anywhere for Christmas, I decided to treat myself and go away during the two weeks I'll have off in February instead. I've decided to hit up two places from my SE Asia travel wishlist, I'll be spending time with old friends from university in Bangok, and escaping the harsh Korean winter on some Thai Islands, and then finish off in Cambodia where I'll get to see Ankor Wat in all it's glory. Once I bought my tickets I drove myself a  little crazy because I started researching all sorts of touristy things that I thought I just HAD to do, but then I came to my senses and realized that I really just want to have a chill time and enjoy a new culture. So hopefully I'll be able to leave the control freak side of myself behind, and just enjoy the trip for what it is, not for all the photo ops i could have/should have taken.

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but when the new school year starts in March, two of my current three co teachers will be replaced. In Korea there's this rule where teachers can only teach at one particular school for five years and then rotate to a different school. Not only will my co teachers change, but some of the homeroom teachers whom I've grown close to will also have to leave, so I'm rather sad by that. In particular one of my co teachers who is leaving, actually one of my really good friends in Korea, so while we'll still see each other on weekends, I'll really miss working with her and having her so close by. She's not actually my main CT (the one who is in charge of my papaerwork, housing, life in general) but she's the one I usually go to for help or questions.

I'm really anxious to find out who my new co teachers will be, as the kind of CT I have will set the mood for how my classes go. I strongly believe that if two co teachers don't really mesh well, even if they keep it professional, it will still come across to the students and it will affect the quality of classes we have together. Also, the kind of CTs I have will affect whether I choose to renew a third year or not. Just out of curiosity (and back up security) I've been researching teaching jobs in other places, and I've found a few that seem promising. There is one program for teaching adults (university students) in Tokyo that lasts somewhere between 3-5 months with options of extending. I'm interested in it because I THINK that I might like to one day pursue a masters degree and become a university professor, so before spending all my time and money on that degree I think it would be a good idea to try it out first, specially since the contract length isn't very long. If I hate it, or I'm really terrible at it, I think I could stick it out for 3-5 months. I've also looked into teaching in Latin America, just because I really miss being around Latin culture, but unfortunately the pay level for most jobs in Latin America are rather low, and while the cost of living there is cheap, being a slave to my student loans puts a damper on things.

What else is new this month?? .. hmm.. I've been cooking a lot more! and by a lot more, I mean once a week which is a huge change from before when I cooked at home maybe once a month. It makes me excited to open up my fridge and see it stocked full of goodies. The number one reason why I never cooked before was simply because I'm lazy. I'm specially lazy in Korea because my kitchen is so tiny and somewhat hard to maneuver. The second reason was because I don't know how to cook, or so I thought. And the last reason being that I hated cooking for one person and then having to eat the same thing for a week straight so that it wouldn't go bad. My solution for that has been to look up the easiest recipes I can find online, absolutely nothing fancy, and nothing that calls for ingredients I can't pronounce, or 10 different types of seasoning. And my solution for only cooking for one is to have friends over and share with them. It's also a good way to avoid leaving my house now that it's cold, people complain a lot less about making the long journey up north to where I live once I offer up a nice home cooked meal.

(this post is 3 days early because i honestly couldn't remember the exact date i arrived/left home, and i didn't wan't to risk forgetting it when the actual date came ^^)

Travel Videos

Below are two short videos from my most recent travels. First is a compilation of shots taken during my trip to Beijing in September, and second is from my trip to Jeju Island in October. 

Japan- In pictures

This past August I spent two weeks in Japan visiting friends whom I met in my university back in Arkansas. During the two weeks I spent the majority of my time in Tokyo, with a short visit to Osaka and Kyoto. Despite the fact that I have many friends in Japan, for some reason it wasn't a place I considered visiting. Prior to coming to Korea I made a travel wish list and Japan didn't make the cut. However, after researching flight options, and the opportunity to see my friends it seemed like a crazy idea not to go. I really enjoyed my time in Japan, and experiencing first hand the culture and things I have heard so much about. I'm also really thankful to my friends who hosted me, and took time out of their schedules to show me their beautiful country. There is so much I could say about my trip to Japan, but all I can think about now is the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" so I'll share some pictures of my trip now, and let them do the talking.

My first night in Japan was spent watching fireworks at a beach town about an hour from Tokyo.

My first taste of good ramen and I'm now obsessed.

Akihabara- Electronic Town

In Asakusa.

Boat tour of Tokyo Bay

Tokyo Tower

Fushimi Inari in Kyoto

In Kyoto.

In Osaka.

Night view of Tokyo from Roppongi Hills Observation Deck.

Night out with my dear friends.

Lastly, a trip to Japan isn't complete without a visit to one of it's very popular purikura photo booths!

turning 25.

Today is my 25th birthday! the second birthday I spend in Korea, and while I've been at work/my office the majority of the day I have definitely felt loved and been made to feel special from both friends near and far. My coworkers have been so kind and generous, dropping by to congratulate me and asking if I have plans with my friends so as not to spend it alone. I've even been surprised by not one, but four beautiful and delicious cakes from some of my co-teachers. Since it's Wednesday, tonight I will take it easy and have dinner with a friend in my building, and then Friday night I will meet my other friends for a night out in the town. Last night I went to bed a little depressed by the fact that I would be a quarter century old when I woke up, but now I realize just how silly that was. I mean, I'm off to China in less than a week! I'm seeing and doing things that people only dream of. Twenty-five is nothing to be scared of, and if anything, I still have five more years to worry about turning thirty. ;)

KTO Welcome Party

A couple of months ago I joined a community named K-Performance supporters, hosted by the Korean Tourism Organization (most commonly known as KTO). Basically, they provide selected foreigners with entry into various cultural events, such as: festivals, dinners, tours, and music concerts in exchange for us blogging about it, and promoting the event on our various social media outlets. The "ambassadors" as we are called, come from all over the world, so my main reason for joining was to branch out of the comfortable nest I've made for myself with my fellow teacher friends and meet new people, and of course, to experience Korean culture in a way I might not be able to on my own.

This past Friday, April 5th, the KTO hosted a welcoming party for season 2 (my group) and a thank you party for those who had participated in season 1. For this event we were able to bring a guest, so I invited a friend of mine who is also really interested in Korean culture. The event was being held at the Gangnam K-Pop Concert Hall, which is a good hour away from where I live, so I made my way there promptly after school and met my friend at the subway station. The email invitation we received stated that snacks would be provided while we mingled with each other and then the performance would start. So you can only imagine my surprise when I arrived at the venue and realized that the "snacks" consisted of an elaborate buffet dinner, complete with wait staff and fancy tableware. A few of the items the buffet included were: sushi, steak, salad, pastries, bulgogi, and soups.

After everyone had finished their meal, some important people from the KTO went on stage and introduced themselves, most of the speeches were given in Korean so I'm not sure of what was said, but if I had to guess I would say they were introducing the role of the ambassadors and thanking us for attending.. maybe? When the speeches ended, members from season 1 were invited on stage and one past blogger was awarded 500,000 Korean Won (roughly $450 USD) for going above and beyond his blogging duties. After the award was handed out, we were all brought on stage for group photos and mingling. I met some girls from the US whom are currently studying at Korea University, so it made me feel a little bit old, but happy to meet new people just the same.

Once the dinner, greetings, and picture taken were over we were handed tickets to a K-Pop performance and made our way to the third level of the facility. When we walked in, we quickly saw that there was a stage set up with chairs for an audience, lights going and music playing full blast to set the mood. It was a very intimate setting, and before long, the first act took the stage. It was composed of three girls, two of whom played a traditional Korean instrument and one girl who was the lead singer. Unfortunately, I don't recall the name of the group, or the exact name of the instrument that they played but it was enjoyable either way. They blended traditional music with modern day synthesizers, and bass to really amp it up. So after the opening act, there was a series of other Kpop groups, some all girl groups, some all boys, and one or two of mixed genders. None of the groups who performed were groups I recognized, but the friend I brought along seemed to know a couple and explained that they were either rookies (still in the early stage of their development) or just groups who had been around a while but hadn't really managed to take off.  Everyone who performed was very energetic though, and talented in their own way. The highlight of the performance for me was the group of Bboys that took the stage, and really got the crowd excited.

The performance lasted around an hour to an hour and a half, and then the event had come to a close. At the end of the performance I was expecting some sort of acknowledgement that indeed the show was over, and a thank you for coming have a safe journey home, but instead we were just left sort of wondering if there was someone else coming next or if we were free to go. Eventually people started getting up to leave, so my friend and I followed suit.

All in all, it was a very generous event prepared by the KTO and I'm very thankful that I was able to attend and share the experience with a friend, and now you guys reading this. I think that Korea goes above and beyond to make foreigners, be it tourists or expats, feel welcomed and comfortable. The venue of the welcome party was clean, easy to locate, and staffed with very friendly and helpful people. The food was one of the best I've had since moving to Korea seven months ago, and of course, having the opportunity to experience a live K-pop performance in such an intimate setting was very special.

After the welcome party, I am even more excited to be able to attend more KTO events and share those experiences with you!

Below are some photos I snapped. I was too busy enjoying the food and atmosphere that I forgot to take many, plus I only had my cellphone with me but I hope you can still get a good feeling for what I saw that night :).

One of the Kpop groups

With my friend L, and new friend.

Kpop performance stage

K-Performers Season 2 alumni

My company during dinner

Dining hall

Delicious sushi

My friend enjoying the delicious food

how kimchi won the battle

Winter camp is halfway over now, and I can honestly say that since my return from Malaysia, I have been having the best time in Korea! It's not even because I've been going out and doing anything special; I am just happy and content with my life at the moment. The weather is still pretty cold, so I've been spending my afternoons after school bundled up at home watching tv and reading. 

The only big development in my life as of now is quite a small one and yet large one at the same time. I came to Korea having never tried kimchi in my life, I had convinced myself that I hated it & refused to try it based on the smell itself. When I started school in August I avoided it like the plague, and my coworkers just assumed it was too spicy for me. It wasn't until the end of December while out for a KBBQ dinner with friends that I decided to give it a try, I threw some on the grill, watched it sizzle and then popped a bite into my mouth. It wasn't so bad, I thought, but still I couldn't get myself to eat regular cold kimchi at school. Then I was introduced to kimchi jiggae, kind of like a stew that comes with tofu (another food I had never been brave enough to try until Korea) and assorted veggies. I immediately became obsessed with kimchi jiggae, and now find that my two favorite foods in korea have kimchi as the main ingredient! Along with kimchi jiggae, I love kimchi Jeon (like a pancake with kimchi filling). I've started visiting a small mom & pop shop in my area that sells jigae and sundubu (tofu stew) and plenty of small side dishes. While waiting for my stew I found myself actually eating some of the cold kimchi that was set in front of me, and enjoying it! So there it is, I am a kimchi convert! As I type this I actually wish I had some kimchi to snack on in my fridge. Friends tried for years to get me on the tofu and kimchi bandwagon, and Korea accomplished it in under five months.. well done!

cooking woes

I think I like the idea of cooking more than I like cooking itself. I love browsing the internet looking through cooking tutorials, or flipping through cook books planning out the perfect meal in my head. I'm a bit of a clean freak (which I get from my mother), I can't stand for the kitchen to be messy, or for the sink to have any dirty dishes in it. So in the end, I end up stressed out and worrying about having to clean every 5 minutes instead of actually focusing on the food.

Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet) 

A couple of days ago, however, I discovered Kfoodaddict and I was inspired to make something from one of the posts; I settled on one called Mussamali, which is an assortment of veggies and meat wrapped in tasty pickled radish. Sounds simple enough, eh? I thought so too. Right until I realized that given the fact that I live in a town of about 5k people with an almost nonexistent asian population, finding said wraps would be a nightmare. So, I decided I would go ahead and make the wraps myself. How hard could it be to pickle sliced radish? After work I proceeded to hit up every grocery store on the search for white radish/daikon, only be disappointed. All three (yes, there are only three) grocery stores in town do not carry white radish! And so, I came back home and decided to cook up a quick snack to cheer myself up. I ended up making tamagoyaki, and albeit tasty, it was not what my taste buds had been yearning for. I came across an online store that carries pickled white radish, and I am tempted to order it, however as desperate as I am about trying Mussamali, I am not 100% sold on the idea of ordering food online. 

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EPIK update: final documents have arrived in Seoul! got confirmation from my coordinator that everything is in order, and I am now just to play the waiting game a little bit longer until I find out for sure if I'll be receiving a notice of appointment. It's relieving in a way because all of the long and grueling paperwork is out of the way until it comes time to apply for the visa, but I am not known for being the most patient person, so going almost two months without hearing anything back is killer. I currently have about 25 hours left of the online TEFL to complete, and it is driving me utterly insane! As soon as I think I'm making progress I get stumped on something and cannot move forward. I have until May 10th to complete otherwise I'll have to pay about 75$ to extend it for 30 days; today is May 5 so I have roughly 4.5 days to finish. I hope I can do it because I definitely do not have the funds at the moment. I wish I could take time off from my full time job until I finish.