Happy New Year's!!!

Love you all!!!

JYP!!!

So, on Sunday a group of us (seven) went down to Daegu to surprise Amanda for her birthday ... with tickets to a JYP (박진영) concert!

It was fabulousness. JYP puts on a good show. His opening act was a new group called 2 PM. Of course, upon arriving home, I YouTubed them - so check out the video below of "10 out of 10".



Then JYP began his part of the show with an INSANELY long intro. It was cool, though. And the venue was small, which meant that our third to the last row seats weren't that bad. The title of the show was "One Night Stand" ...

Promotion video, anyone? He's the shirtless guy. For a 37 year old man, he really can MOOOOVE!



Please enjoy. :)



I'll post more about Daegu and hanging out with Hannah soon ... but now I gotta go!

IT'S MY SIXTH MONTH!

Yes, yes it's true. It has now OFFICIALLY been six months since I stepped off the plane in Korea and began the adventure of a LIFETIME.

How'm I celebrating? Kickin' back, man. Just chillin' out. Looking at how far I've come, and how far I have yet to go. Thinking ahead to what I want to be doing six months from now. Do I want to still be in Korea? Heck yes I do. I want to stay here for a while. You know that. Where am I gonna be? Who knows. We'll see how it plays out in the coming months.

SIX MONTHS.

Crazy, hunh? Time really does fly.

I'll post an update soon. I had an AWESOME weekend - REALLY. But, I've just sent a few lengthy emails and my fingers are tired, haha. So just cut me a teensy bit of slack and I'll get on it ASAP.

LOOOOVE ya.

YAY! (This post is all about Hannah's impending arrival)

OH MY GOODNESS!

In less than three hours, HANNAH will be on an airplane HEADING TOWARDS KOREA!!! (If I did the math right).

I am SO STINKIN' EXCITED. Really, I don't think you understand. I CAN'T WAIT.

Actually, I got my dates mixed up ... and I thought she was getting here TODAY (the 17th) ... turns out it was the 17th Pacific time. (That means the 18th here). In fact, I was so excited I had a hard time sleeping. Like, tossing and turning and so on. BUT SHE'S GONNA BE HERE IN LIKE ... TWENTY HOURS! Okay, okay ... NINETEEN!!! THAT MEANS THAT IN LIKE ... TWENTY ONE HOURS, I CAN TALK TO HANNAH AND WE'LL BE IN THE SAME TIME ZONE!!!

I hope her family doesn't hate me for stealing her for an entire week and a half ...

I'M SO EXCITED, I'M GIDDDDDY!

ANNND Chang-gi and Seo-Young are back in Korea ... and Jae-Jun and Ju-no will be back SOON! It's like a big reunion!!! I can't believe it! I don't think I'll be able to believe it until I actually see Hannah. REALLY. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

Okay. I'm done.

No, I'm not. OMG OMG OMG.

:D

Okay.

My Bad ...

Well, it's been over a week since I've posted anything of substance ... whoops.

Hope you weren't going TOO crazy waiting for an update ... psssht, yeah right, haha. PS, who the heck visits my profile all the time?

Anyways. What's new, you may ask? Well, I have (re-)discovered a few things that I absolutely LOVE in Korea. In no particular order:

1.) UNIQLO clothes. Specifically, long sleeve shirts. Specifically the kind that come in a dazzling array of colors. Specifically, the kind that I now own four of (black, light blue, light green, and pink).

2.) Gangnam. This place has it made. No lie. There is a KICKIN' bookstore in the basement of the Kyobo Building. There is a UNIQLO. There is Coldstones, Starbucks, Dos Tacos, and a myriad of other food-related goodness. It's pretty much heaven in Seoul.

3.) Korean Pop Music. Especially those "idol groups" - yeah, yeah, I know I'm too old for that stuff. But I can't help it! It's SO addicting!!! So now, my most played list on my i-Pod includes Big Bang, Dong Bang Shin Ki, Brown Eyes, Shinhwa (a little old school, I know), LEE Hyori, Bi, and others like that. SOOOO GOOOOOOOD!

4.) Hotteok. I don't know how many times I've said it, but those little pillows of deep-fried dough-y goodness with that hot, syrupy center ... they.are.heaven. OMG. Especially the ones in Insadong. The ones in Myeongdong need a little bit of work. But they're getting there.

5.) Shinsegae Department Store. Last week, I didn't meet with Hyun's aunt ... so today was the first time in two weeks that I went (usually it's once a week). The Shinsegae Department Store is AMAZING. Expensive - CRAZY expensive - but amazing. PS I just found the Dolce and Gabbana, the Hermes, and the Tiffany's. Not that I would ever buy (or be able to buy) anything from those stores. But I must admit that I think a piece of Tiffany's jewelry may possibly be calling my name. JK, JK.

6.) The Anyang "Garten Bier" (Beer Garden) because not ONLY do the tables have the cup holders that keep your drink frosty cold, BUT ALSO, their's light up. Absolutely fascinating.

7.) Mini-norae-cubicles in arcades. You know, while everyone else is kicking each other on fighting games, I can sing to my hearts content in a tiny room all by myself. And at 500 won a song (less than 50 cents), it's not that bad for those of us who DON'T SING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.

8.) Christmas gift shopping in Insadong. HELLO! AMAZING! WAY better than rushing through a department store.

9.) Meeting with friends' families who feed me. Especially when homemade kimchi is involved.

10.) Spirited discussions with really neat people about many things ... especially when one of those people actually is from your HOMETOWN (or pretty damn close) and UNDERSTANDS A LOT OF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!

~~~

I love it.

PS - Hannah arrives on the 17th. And vacation starts on the 25th.

Orphan Ride

Found this through one of my old friends/managers from Bellingham ... Check it out. It's pretty cool.

http://www.orphanride.org/index.php?s=home

Korean Celebrity Sighting # 1

Okay. So, today appeared to be a perfectly normal day. You know, sleep late, meet Cheol-Hee for lunch in Gangnam, spend a few hours in Gangnam, and then head back to Beomgye. Right? Right??

Well, okay. I met Cheol-Hee oppa and we had lunch. I love seeing Cheol-Hee - he's so kind. He's my oppa (older brother), and really fun to hang out with. So that was awesome. We ate, and then because I had mentioned that I wanted to go to a bookstore, he took me to the Kyobo Building to the BOMB bookstore there. It was AMAZING. I bought a book on Korean history to:

A.) Learn about Korean history (because my knowledge is severely limited
B.) Satisfy my yearning to be reading something academic in order to keep my mind from completely backtracking

So we did that. And then we went to the second basement, where it was like a giant Artbox type of store ... COMPLETE with music store. So we trolled around a little, and then Cheol-Hee had to leave to meet his friend. So I walked with him back to the Subway Station, and then I decided to do some shopping - beginning with the UNIQLO. I love that store. Bought a couple of shirts, because I'm in desperate need of shirts. Then decided that it would be beneficial to head back to the bookstore. Hey, it was cold outside.

So I went back to the bookstore and perused - bought a handful of office supply thingies ... and then ended up in the music section. Well, I realized that there was a decent crowd of people with cameras (and when I say decent, I mean like twenty or twenty five ... but it was a small area) taking pictures and talking excitedly. So I decided to find out what was going on. I saw posters for an album or music DVD performed by Brown Eyed Soul titled "Christmas Concert LIVE" so me, being me, managed to discern that the two guys sitting at a table must have been from Brown Eyed Soul and that the people with posters and mad amounts of DVDs must have been getting them signed. So I debated with myself.

"Should I buy the DVD and get it signed?"
"Darn it, you left your camera at home ... idiot."
"You don't really need to get that ... you don't even know who they are ..."

Well, the Korean in me won out, and I bought the DVD. The lady was really nice - she kept asking me something in Korean, and then once I told her I was American and didn't speak Korean (in Korean), she just smiled, opened my DVD for me, and literally took me by the hand to the line. There were a few people ahead of me, including one lady who literally had like, twenty DVDs to get signed (Christmas presents, anyone?), but they let me go in front!!! That was so nice ... and then the lady told them I was American ... and they were surprised ... haha ... and signed the DVD ... and I was so shocked that I couldn't say anything except "hello", "thank you", and "Marcie, M-A-R-C-I-E" (he had asked my name - I know the word for name, so I knew what he was asking).





So I left the store after that ... and was kicking myself for not having my camera ... and I decided to send a message to Cheol-Hee and Kyu-Ock to ask them who I had just met. Turns out, they were pretty famous. Kind of. Something else? The lead singer for Brown Eyed Soul was ALSO a part of the duo Brown Eyes - WHO I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOVE (and listened to their song "Kajima Kajima" ON REPEAT THE ENTIRE SUMMER) ...

O-EM-FREAKING-GEE

So that was my first Korean celebrity encounter. WAHOO!


This is Brown Eyes - they are (were and now are again) a duo. I guess they split up a few years ago, but they got back together and released a CD this year (which I purchased and listened to ON REPEAT ALL SUMMER). I highly suggest you listen to the song "Kajima Kajima" - but don't watch the video because it's kind of lame/weird/obscure. Well, I guess it you want to, you can watch it HERE.

This is Brown Eyed Soul - (I think) ... You can YouTube them if you like - their ballads are pretty great. Or just click HERE.

In other news - yes, I was blogstalking when I got home. Hey, it's cold outside. So I'll stay in and peruse Korean blogs, thankyouverymuch. Anyways, another of my favorite Korean stars is getting ready to enlist in the military - JO In-Seong. You may recognize him from the movie "The Classic" (that's how I know of him) - he was the "modern-day" lead male. Sad times. But yay for patriotic duty!


From "The Classic" - the infamous running-through-the-rain scene ... that I LOOOOOVE ... you can watch it HERE.


... annnnnd another for good measure. Oh, JO In-Seong ... yay.

That is all. (^_^)

Blog-stalking

Yes. Because I have nothing better to do late in the evening than peruse other people's blogs.


The one face that has not been (poorly) blurred out is that of KIM Dong-wan, who was (or still is) a member of Shinhwa. Shinhwa was the first Korean music I fell in love with - yes, they are a boy band. But a really good one. :) My favorite song of their's is titled "Liar" - Youtube it. It's way good. Anyway, he just started his military service. Yay, for patriotic duty!

The website that I read said that over 250 fans went to see him off as he left for his service. Suffice to say, if I had known about it, I probably would have made an attempt to be one of them. No lie. :)

Okay, one more photo of him. Because, y'know ... it's KIM Dong-wan.

That is all.

Thanksgiving ...

... was pretty freaking amazing.

Now, for those of you who know me, you know how strange of a statement that is for me to make. For those of you who don't know me, one of my biggest "things" is holidays. I really am not a holiday person. As in, at all. I'll go through the motions, and I'll do whatever, but generally, I'm not a fan.

However, Saturday night found me sitting on the kitchen floor in Justin's apartment, watching Jamie and Justin put the finishing touches on an AMAZING Thanksgiving Dinner. The apartment was crowded, no doubt ... what with nearly twenty or so people crammed into two rooms (three if you count the bathroom), but it all came together so wonderfully. And I was ... *gasp* ... happy.

It all started two weeks ago, when Justin sent out the notice that he was hosting Thanksgiving. Now, as I am A.) anti-holiday and B.) not fond of being crammed into a room with a bunch of people (as much as I may care about them, because I really do), I was hesitant to reply. In fact, I waited a few days, puzzling it out in my mind. Plus, there was the matter of preparing or purchasing something to contribute. In the end though, I did decide to attend, and I am really glad that I did.

Yesterday morning, on my way to my weekly meeting with Mrs. Yoon (Hyun's aunt), I swung by a vendor in the Shinsegae department store and picked up a cranberry tart. Later I found out that not only did it include cranberries, but it was ALSO dairy-free - SCORE!!! At least two of my favorite people are extremely lactose, and therefore ... no-dairy dessert options equal a good thing. Met up with Amanda and headed to Stone's in the evening ... his apartment smelled absolutely HEAVENLY. The two chefs (Jamie and Justin) had been hard at work all day ... and the results were uh-MAY-zing. They did a whole turkey (complete with a bacon cover), stuffing, hobak juk (pumpkin soup), gravy, and mashed sweet potatoes ... I think the only thing I can say would be a wholly awe-filled "oh EM geeeeee". Other entries included garlic mashed potatoes (Trevor), potato soup (Jeff), green bean casserole complete with the onions on top (Amanda), a Waldorf salad (Ellen), a green salad (Jonathon), a broccoli-based salad (sorry, but the contributor of this is unknown to me), and Sunny's abso-freaking-lutely delectable candied yams. And if that wasn't enough, dessert was tiramasu, Apple pie (Oh, Costco, how we adore you), pecan pie (I think it was pecan?), and the cranberry tart. And, we of course can't leave out the dozen bottles of wine or so. ;)




The bird.


Chef Kembrey and Sous Chef Stone


After we all had attacked the food ... this was only half of it - there was still the yams (on a different table), the soups (on the stove top), and most mashed potatoes.

Even better than the food (hard to believe, I know, what with that spread), was the company. It was amazing. For a good portion of the evening, I seriously just sat on the floor in the corner and listened to everyone talk. Some of the guys camped out and played video games (girls, too), there was music playing, and conversation flowing freely the entire night. It was absolutely wonderful. It never ceases to amaze me, the sense of community that we seem to have forged in this country, so far from home. Everyone really just comes together. It truly is a beautiful thing.

Afterwards, we headed out to Beomgye to celebrate Hannah's birthday and dance the night away at Slang, a new dance club/bar. It was pretty sweet.


Janet, Hannah, and Erica at Slang. Love them.

Good music + good people = fun times. Post-Slang, I ended up at ... not Okinawa ... but the bar/restaurant/whatever next to Oak Bar. It's name for some reason is escaping me at this moment. Anyways, ended up there with Justin, Trevor, Trevor's friend Seth who is teaching in Ilsan, Jamie, Dean, Angela, Jeff, and Stuart. Five plates of chicken, an assortment of beverages, and hanging out until the wee morning hours (okay, 4 AM or so). Good times, good conversation, all in all, tons of goodness.

So this Thanksgiving weekend, I have spent more than a little time thinking about what I'm thankful for. There really are so many things in my life that seem to be going just so right, and it's not because of me. I'm thankful that I can be doing something I love, in a country that I adore, and I'm surrounded by people whose paths have seemed to cross with mine at precisely the right time. I'm thankful that I have a great support system of friends and my own created family back in the states (Japan and Korea, too!), who I love dearly and who love me as well. I'm thankful for hour-long phone calls, e-mails, MSN messenger conversations, and of course the postal service. I'm thankful for efficient subways, Korean cell phone service (and cheap text messaging), ondol heating, friends who have friends who send them Reeses peanut butter cups, and seventy cent busrides. Most importantly, I am thankful for every single thing that has happened in my life - as much as those events may have sucked at the time (and still do), I know that they have made me the person I am and brought me to where I am today.

Coming up? The Christmas season ... believe it or not, I actually found myself listening to Christmas music today ... and ... ... ... looking forward to Christmas time. Not only will Ms. Bahk be arriving (and I am extremely STOKED to see her again), but my amazing coworkers are planning a Twelve Days of Christmas Extravanganza. And it's gonna be off the hook.

Thanks for reading this looong freaking post. Pictures will be updated soon on Photobucket. If ya can't wait, just check out Mindy's Flickr. :)

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. (^_^)

Level testing, students, & Hwaseong Fortress

Well, Level testing is OFFICIALLY over with. HOORAY!!! Not that I am not a fan of level testing. Really, it doesn't bother me. However, I finally feel like we're settling back into a routine - let me tell you, having Level Tests only TWO WEEKS after Monthly Tests was ... well ... pretty hectic. Not only did we have Monthly writing tests to grade and behavior numbers to mark, BUT THEN we turned right around, and graded another set of writing from Levels AND had to do behavior comments WITH another set of behavior numbers. So now I feel like I can breathe. And address the "mundane" things such as practice books. Joyfullness. (^_^)

THREE WEEKS UNTIL MS. BAHK MAKES HER KOREAN APPEARANCE!!!

I'm SUUUPER excited to see Hannah ... and have her meet my friends (whoever will be in town and available) ... and show her parts of my life. I'm actually trying hard NOT to get excited, because I feel that will make time go SLOWER. Buuuut, Mindy had a point ... it really doesn't matter because time'll fly no matter what. So I'm just doing what I normally do - enjoying my life. Oh, and drinking lots of coffee. But that's a given.

Okay, Korean student moment of the day. Mindy and I were tag-teaming some goodness today ... and the assignment was to come up with interesting uses for chopsticks. They were working in partners or groups of three ... welllll.

Adorable little second grade girl - "Teacha, how do you spell 'son-of-a-*expletive deleted*'?"
*shocked face*
Mindy - "What?"
Adorable little second grade girl - "'Son-of-a-*expletive deleted*'."
*walks over to where the little girl is working with her group, looks at paper*
Mindy - "Maybe we should find something different ... like ... how about rude people?"

- meanwhile -

Second grade boy - "Teacha, what did she say?"
*big cheery smile*
Me - "Don't worry about it, just continue with your partner!"
Other little boy - "She said 'son-of-'..."
Me - "It's not important. Just keep working!"

oh-EM-gee.

I thought I was gonna die from holding in shock/laughter/surprise. And she really didn't have any idea what she was saying.

*** Note ::: I am unsure of exactly how the dialogue went ... but it was something to that effect. ***

That is my Korean student moment of the day.

So, another blurb about level testing. I am 99.9% sure that four of my students tested out of my highest second grade class. While I am especially sad to be losing them (they are pretty much AMAZING), I am so proud of them. They really are smart kids, and I know that they will do so well in the higher level. So, I really am happy for them. Now if I could only get my "lower level" (okay, 'dash'-2's) to "level-up" to my higher class ...

In other news ...

I went down to Suwon on Sunday with Mindy, Amanda, Trevor, Judy, Ellen, and Sunny. We toured Hwaseong Fortress - I'm not sure if that's the correct name for it, but I'll take it. Anyways, it was pretty awesome. I am definitely a fan, and will definitely be going back - probably in the Spring to see it when it's bloomin'. Anywho. Definitely a cool place. Check Mindy's Flickr (link is on the sidebar) for her uh-MAY-zing pictures ... I'll upload mine to Photobucket relatively soonish. Okay, when I say "relatively soonish" I mean sometime in the next two months. Because, as we all know, I pretty much FAIL at timely uploads.

Saturday (this coming Saturday) will be the Thanksgiving extravaganza at Justin's. It promises to be pretty sweet ... but we all know how much I loooooove holidays (please make note of the use of sarcasm). Anywho. I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of people and eating Justin's legendary cooking (and probably Jamie's too). And afterwards is Hannah's birthday celebration, so good times there too. All in all, it's shaping up to be a pretty sweet weekend.

Okay. I'm out for the night. That's my random, weird, ADD-inspired update. So since it's kind of uncoordinated, I'll leave you with pictures, haha. And, of course, because they're posted by me ... they're a little out of order. But, you wouldn't have known that if I hadn't told you ... unless you'd been there. (^_^) Enjoy!


Part of the reenactment from Hwaseong Fortress.


Walking up the steps at Hwaseong Fortress ... did I mention that we basically hiked up a small mountain?


Where we were. (^_^)




At the top. Pretty flippin' sweet. I really love stuff like this. I may not know the history, but I still can appreciate it. :)


The view over Suwon - to the East. I tried to find Olympia, but the fortress wasn't high enough, so I couldn't see that far. Sorry, guys.


The "Gang" - minus Sunny (he wasn't there yet). Posing with some of the participants from the reenactment. POLY photo!!!

Thoughts?

Top 10 Reasons Why Santa's Not Coming to Korea

'Kay. To be completely honest, I copied this from Mindy's blog who in turn copied it down from our whiteboard in our office ... because this is how my coworkers and I spend our time. Kudos to Erica, Trevor, and Justin - really made for some great laughs this week. :)

Reasons Santa's Not Coming to Korea.
10) He got sick off melamine cookies in China.
09) He's still waiting on his visa.
08) Dog isn't the only meat that provides "stamina." Look out Blitzen.
07) Korean parents report, "nice, but not nice enough."
06) He's tired of taking his boots off at every house.
05) Wait...where is Korea?
04) He's tired of taking hits to the sleigh. Apparently N. Korea takes that whole "DMZ" thing pretty seriously.
03) He's got all the drunken spousal abuse he can handle at home. Why even leave the house?
02) He's tired of lugging his sack of toys through all those Soviet Bloc apartments. Get a chimney!
01) Mrs. Clause hates kimchi breath.

Have I told you lately just HOW much I adore the people I work with?

It's gonna be cold today ...

In case you can't see it, that screen shot (okay, I cheated and used my webcam) says that today it will be NEGATIVE FOUR DEGREES CELSIUS!



And for those of you who can't do the conversion to Fahrenheit in your head, I did it for you. That means TWENTY-FIVE DEGREES FAHRENHEIT!

We better be getting some snow soon. And I better buy some new pants.

How to 101

How to Assemble a Bookshelf bought from Lotte Mart.

Step 1: Open box. (Check)
Step 2: Assess the contents. (Check)
Step 3: Take a break and eat a piece of pizza while contemplating how best to get started. (Check)
Step 4: Locate the directions. (Check)
Step 5: Realize that, of course, the directions are written in hangeul. (Check)
Step 6: Begin the process of assembling said bookshelf - aka beating the pieces together and then jamming screws into them while using the Phillips screwdriver that Tracey loaned me - thanks! (Check)
Step 7: Realize that there is another piece in the box that was overlooked in the process and now the bookshelf, which has begun to take on it's final shape (aka you only have to screw in FOUR MORE SCREWS and it's DONE) has to be disassembled in order to put in the back. (Check)

Hahahaha.


How to assemble a bookshelf:
This was STEP 2.


This was between STEP 6 and STEP 7.


This was STEP 7.
That white piece on top of the almost complete bookshelf? Yeah, that's the back. It was supposed to go into the groove thingies that I had been wondering about.


The finished product. Does it look cheap? Yes. Is it cheap? Yes. Is it functional? Totally.

This was my day project.

What else happened today? I have new wallpaper! YAHOO! Pictures will be posted soon, as soon as I put my things back up on my walls. "Things" meaning posters and photographs. Stay tuned for a full weekend report ... right now, I'm just too darn lazy.

Yay for floor heating and UNIQLO ...

Last night was cold, clear, and perfectly lovely.

The sky was perfectly clear. The air was crisp, and there was just the tiniest bite to it. I could see my breath in front of me, leading the way back to my apartment. It was the type of night where you light a fire, put on pajamas, and curl up under the covers with a good book.

Is that what I did?

No. Instead, I turned on the floor heater, put on the ol' PJs, and slept on the floor for a few hours. Why did I sleep on the floor? Because ondol heating is so stinkin' great for that. Really! I love my warm floor. It is one of my very favorite things about my apartment. Sometimes, I'll turn on the heater and just sit on the floor. For no reason. It's quite lov-er-ly.

Today ... today. OMG I bought a jacket! I think that this is the first time I actually bought myself a real jacket. It's white and about hip-length or so ... kind of fitted. Down. It's LOVELY. I am in love with it. It's from UNI QLO, and I think that I must revisit this store sometime in the future (in fact, I even looked up the Gangnam address because I spend a lot of time there). I feel the need to invest in a fleece. And maybe another sweater dress. :) Oh heavens, what is Korea doing to me? Dresses? Jackets? Nail polish? Earrings? Skirts? Heels? (if I haven't told you about my amazing blue heels ... wow) Korea is turned me into ... *gasp* ... a girl?

I also am the proud owner of the new Dong Bang Shin Ki CD (DBSK - or - TVXQ). What can I say? I was meant to be a teenaged Korean girl. I am in love with Korean pop/dance music, I now enjoy spending ungodly amounts of time painting my nails, I think shopping in the subway station is a perfectly legitimate way to spend time, I spend a little too much time/money on journals with random sayings on the front, I am obsessed with stickers, and I think that all things cute are worth my time.

Yes, I was definitely meant to be in Korea.

Now if I could only find a place to buy new stickers to replace the ones on my keyboard ... I've lost the ㄴ and the ㅇ and the ㄹ is threatening to disappear as well. :) Or, you know, I could just try to memorize which key was which.

Well, this was a happy, ADD-inspired blog post. What more can I add?

Oh yeah, level testing is now over with. Whoo-hoo! My students did very well - at least, I think they did. The writing section went well. I was definitely happy.

And that's all. I'll post something of more substance (and less distractions) later ... now, I'm so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open. Until we meet again ...

Song'o'the'Moment

Lyrics | John Mayer - Say lyrics

It's pretty awesome.

Meaning ... it's on repeat. Along with ...




Lyrics | This Day & Age - Second Place Victory lyrics

So, I don't know about you ...

... but back in the day (you know, like, high school), my friends and I would usually follow up a potentially lame story with "... and then I found five bucks." Or, whatever amount we thought would offset the lame-ness of the story. I think this started with my best friend's now-ex boyfriend ... but whatever.

Anywho, so tonight, Mindy and I went to Kim's Club in Bum-gye. Bought some decent strawberries ... and decided that we should tag-team a fruit salad. So loaded up on the supplies, you know - bananas, apples, whipping cream and sugar (because what would a fruit salad be WITHOUT whipped cream?). After our grocery shop, we were walking up the stairs to the street (because Kim's Club is in the basement of the New Core Outlet ... and then I found 10,000 won!



Really!!! I'm not just saying it! Mindy was there too ... a total legit find. Wahoo!

PS - the fruit salad? Rocked my socks ... amazing. MMMM, mmmm good. As soon as Mindy posts the pics that we took of it, I will steal them and repost. Because, you know, it's gotta be a part of the Korean food experience. :)

Seoul sucks the life out of me.

Don't get me wrong. I love Seoul, I really, really do. However, I'm finding that ... when I do spend time there ... there's just so much hustle and bustle and SOOO many people that Seoul just drains me.

Maybe it was the combination of Seoul and shopping. Because, we ALL know how much I just loooove shopping. Chyeah, right.

Today was a good day. Went to Itaewon and raided What the Book - came home with another Coelho book ("Zahir") and the seventh Harry Potter book (paperback!!!). Met Ellen and had lunch at a pretty decent Indian place - not gonna lie, I've had better (I think we both have) ... but ... it's the first butter chicken to pass my lips since being in Lacey with Nick and Hannah. Pretty sure that was in March or April. So, you know, totally worth it. And, just for the record, butter chicken is incredible.

Perused some stores in Itaewon with Ellen before we went our separate ways at Samgakji Station (삼각지) (of course, after picking up a jars of Nutella ANNNND Wasabi coated peas)- she headed back to 범계 and I went further north to 명동. I am in desperate need of clothes, haha. It's gotten to the point where I'm bored of my own wardrobe ... that's pretty sad (considering that has NEVER happened before). So, I was optimistic, and headed up to Forever 21. I figured that with three floors of clothing goodness, I would have to find something. Two hours later, I'm pretty okay with today's bounty (which included a pair of fishnet-esque, scandalous stockings that WILL be making an appearance at our next evening outing). And I'm going back to Seoul tomorrow with 규옥 언니 - probably 명동 again, maybe elsewhere - to look for more. Look guys, I'm shopping! For all of you who knew me back home ... you know that this is a milestone. Even more surprising? I'm buying GIRL clothes!!! GAHHH!

Now I'm in my apartment, too tired to upload photos (which, of course, include the butter chicken ... did I mention that it was pretty divine?) and too lazy to clean my apartment (PS I now have a bathroom light - after four months - and now need to retrain myself to close the bathroom door, haha ... TMI, I know). What's a girl to do?

Thank goodness for OCN (channel 28) showing "Deja Vu" for the thirtieth time this month.


::: EDIT :::

I didn't think my night could get any better ...

BUUUT thanks to Pho and Baskin Robbins cappuccino biscotti, it totally did ... thanks, guys!


::: SECOND EDIT :::

Can you believe it? It just got EVEN better! Was playing guitar hero with Evan, Trever, and Ellen at Trev's place, and my phone rang - it was 선형 오빠!!! Well, actually it was 성원 아빠 on 선형's phone, but it was so much fun! I hadn't talked to them in a REALLY long time, so today I texted 선형 out of the blue ... I guess he was trying to explain something to me, but he couldn't find the words, so when he was at his parent's house, he had his father explain it to me, haha. I loooove it! He's really busy, but maybe we can hang out in a few weeks ... or months, haha. I guess that's what happens when you both have "real" jobs - me being a teacher and him being a reporter. Awhhh well. And maybe sometime in the near future, I can go to 대전. That would be nice! (^_^)

One word ...

Obama-rama.

That is all.

I'm not one to advertise my political views. Mostly because I'm not even sure what they are myself. However, I must admit that I was cheering for Obama. And therefore, I was very excited to see that he had pulled it off ... and not even by a slight margin - the Obama-Biden ticket STEAMROLLED the McCain-Palin camp.

Historically, I would not consider myself a democrat or a liberal, or whatever. I grew up in a very conservative family - dare I admit it? - my father pretty much worshipped the ground that Rush Limbaugh walked on. However, as I grew, I began to form my own opinions. When people find out that I'm catholic or Christian or whatever, they automatically assume that because I'm religious and Christian of some kind, I must be a conservative republican. I'd like to characterize myself as a liberal Catholic, if there is such a thing (I'm told there is).

Are there things I disagree with in Obama's politics? Sure. I am 99.9% sure that no one will EVER agree with an elected official 100% of the time. However, I do believe that Obama will bring great change to the US - and I also believe that change will be for the better.

The American people have spoken. To those who disagree with President-elect Obama, it's okay to disagree. However, give the man a chance. He hasn't even had his first day in office, and people are calling him the Anti-Christ. That's ... wow.

Give him a chance. You never know what will happen.

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama and Vice-President Elect Joe Biden. Good luck!

There's no daylight saving's time in Korea ...

... which means now those I love are SEVENTEEN hours behind me, instead of merely sixteen.

That makes the math harder, haha. Don't ask me why. It was easier to compute when it was an even number.

It was a great weekend. Like I already recapped - Halloween + Bar Boom = fabulousness. Meeting up with Kyu was great - and hanging out in Sadang? Something I hadn't done before, haha. So that was swell ... really! And then this morning I went to church with Hannah and her aunt ... and yes, I will be returning there. It was indeed an evangelical church, but you know ... I believe that God and one's personal faith in God can cross so called denominational barriers. After all ... Christian religions (and others, for that matter) all believe the same basic concept ... we just have different ways of getting to the same conclusion. So, while I will still be fervently searching for a Catholic church with an English service nearby, I am content with attending Sae Jung Ang Church. It's nearby, the music is reminiscent of Bucket, and it's English.

Had dinner and conversation with Mindy tonight, which was fab ... annnnd DELICIOUS. I'm learning that simple is the key to great home cooked food in Korea. Now I just need to figure out what I'm doing. And tweak my dwen-jang jjigae recipe. (^_^)

Some photos to tide you over?


Meet the relay team from the Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia. FYROM for short.


Heaven on a chilly Saturday - Green tea lattes, hot chocolates (not pictured), friendship, and a warm cafe.

The coolest relay team you'll ever see ...

... from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. We got by FYROM for short. Check it out, it's a real country. No lie. It has a flag (we googled it).

Halloween was a blast! After work (which included a nine member relay team, an oversized POLY student, Elvis, Mario and Luigi, and a ****ing gangster), a large group of us got the party started in Hongdae at Bar Boom. It was pretty rad. I'm 99.999% sure that a good time was had by all. (a few photos to come - but blogspot is being lame right now and not letting me upload ... sadddd)

Plus, the kids were soFREAKINGcute dressed in their costumes at school. My favorite? Little Jake (first grader) dressed as Batman. Complete with fake muscles. SOOO adorable!

Picked up copies of "The Alchemist" and "The Witch of Portobello" today - both Paulo Coehlo books. I've already read "The Alchemist", but I'm UBER-excited to read it again. ANNND I picked up a Korean language book with the help of Kyu, so I'm going to give it a whirl.

OH!!! Milestone moment of my Korean life? Okay. So, Kyu came with me to Beomgye and we got to hang out which was AWESOME. Then, after she got on her bus to go home, I headed back towards New Core and got in a taxi. Now, normally, this is how the dialogue goes when I get in a taxi ...

Me: "Baek-jae Sam-gye-tang."
Driver: " ... Oedi?"
Me: "BAEK-jae samGYEtang."
Driver: " ... Oedi?"
Me: "Baek-jae Sam-gye ... arrrrgh ... Hagwon-ga?"
Driver: "Hagwon-ga?"
Me: *somewhat frustrated sigh* "Ne ... Hagwon-ga."
*turning onto Hagwon-ga - where my work is located*
Driver: "Oedi?"
Me: "Cheek-chin, cheek-chin."
*going under the bridge*
Driver: " ... OOOOH! Baek-jae Sam-gye-tang!!!"
*sigh*
Me: "Ne."

Okay, so translation - "Baek-jae sam-gye-tang" is the name of some allegedly "famous" chicken soup restaurant which is our point of origin for the apartments in which we all live. I have NEVER been able to get a cab driver to understand me when I say this the first time around. Rarely do I get it the second time around. (my pronunciation is crap). Usually, by the third time around I'm so convinced that I'm NOT going to get it that I just give up and ask the driver to take me to Hagwon-ga, which is the street where I work, and then I "cheek-chin" it home. "Cheek-chin" means "straight".

So tonight, after I left the bus stop, I hopped in a taxi. I had mentally prepared myself before hand, and had even practiced under my breath. The cabbie pulled away from the curb, I took a deep breath, and said "Baek-jae Sam-gye-tang." AND HE JUST NODDED AND DROVE ME STRAIGHT THERE!

WAHOOOOOOOO!

(PS - I found out in the cab that Kyu and I took earlier that the driver DIDN'T think that Baek-Jae Sam-gye-tang was good as a point of reference ... thankyouverymuch) (^_^)

5 Friends Vote

Cuteness of the day.

Okay. So today, you don't get a picture. Sorry. It's not that I don't have pictures - trust me, I have alot. But today, I am going to try to desribe to you the absolute cutest thing I have seen on the subway in a long time.

So, I was returning home from a trip to Shinsegae today. It was early in the evening, and the subway was a little crowded. Anyways, there was a woman with a very young baby strapped to her chest, and she was seated at the end of the row. I was standing next to the end, haha. Anyways, this man and his two young daughters got on the train. Now, best guess, I would say that they were ... no older than seven (Korean age). I'd say the youngest was about four. Anyways, these two little girls stand next to the woman, and start playing with the baby. They were SOOOO CUTE. Like, gently pinching his chubby little cheeks ... speaking in Korean to him ... waving their hands at him and with him ... oh my gosh, it was the CUTEST THING EVER! And that baby was so happy ... and his mother was talking to the girls as they prodded her infant ... and it was ADORABLE.

So. That is my "image" of the day.

Photography op - a crowded car

A backseat full o' goodness - Hannah, Heidi (hidden behind Hannah), Angela, Ellen, and myself.
Front passenger seat - Janet and Erica
The driver - MiHee!!!

So, these photos all took place during the (thankfully) short car ride home from Hannah-teacher's birthday party at her apartment (not the Hannah in the top photo - a different Hannah, haha). This was before the random spoofs on "Delilah" phone calls ... which were, for the record, fabulous. It was a wonderful night of spending time with my equally wonderful coworkers.

(^_^)

Dandelions and bumblebees ...

Photo o' the Day - October 19, 2008

Marcie's weekend plans in a nutshell:

Friday night - Hannah teacher's birthday party
Saturday morning/early afternoon - Maggie teacher's wedding
Saturday afternoon - depending on the amount of time between the wedding and the shindig, perhaps ... shopping? I need to go shopping. Desperately.
Saturday night - Justin's two year party
Sunday early afternoon - Shinsegae with Aunty
Sunday late afternoon - perusing bookstores looking for books to help me learn Japanese AND Korean

Somewhere in between? Lots and lots of sleep. (^_^)

My bed is calling to me ... I can hear it ... I'm out for the night.

PEEEEEACE.

I think ...

... that he killed the Crocodile Hunter.

No lie. Well, okay. Maybe not this one, specifically. But, hey. Go with me on this one.

So a few weekends ago, I FINALLY got to the aquarium! WAHOO! For 15,000 won, it wasn't that bad. I was actually quite impressed. I expected it to be smaller, no lie. But it was pretty decent. There were some cool displays/tanks. Best? OF COUSRE the deep sea tank with the SHARKS and SEA TURTLES and huge RAYS and ... yeah.

It was FAB.

Plus, I got to see Cheol-Hee for the first time in FOREVER (okay, since August), so that was pretty sweet.

(I tried to upload video of the shark tank ... but it won't work. I'll try again later.)

Anti-Calculus ...

... really?

So, my media of the day. This is a kicker. Really.

So, I realized this weekend that I was nearly out of toothpaste. So, I decided it would be a good time to pick some up when I was in Beomgye on Sunday night, after dinner with the crew. Head to Watson's, because, you know ... it was there, which meant it was close, which meant it was convenient. Picked up some Andes mints (heck YESSS) and meandered over to the toothpaste aisle. I don't remember who spotted it first, whether it was Brian, Angela, or Hannah ... buuut ...

My teeth are now going to be clean ... if not exceptionally bright. Since, you know, my toothpaste is anti-calculus and all ... (^_^)

Fireworks and phone calls - hey, that's my life!

Okay. So, perhaps some context would be good for this photo.

It was Saturday night, and I was just chillin' out, listening to my coworkers jam at karaeoke and you know, just relaxin' and such. My phone rings, and I jump up surprised because one look at the number and I know precisely who's calling - it was a long line of weird numbers that aren't Korean-esque ... translation? That meant it was Daisuke!!! WAHOO!!! So I answered my phone and rang out to the beach for some quiet time.

Sat down in the sand and talked ... for a while. People run to and fro, past me, behind me, around me, I don't notice - it's all whatever, haha. Anyways, Jamie walks up to me and hands me a roman candle. I realize this might be a good photo op. So, in my right hand, I'm holding my camera. My cell phone is squeezed between my right shoulder and my ear (because, of course I'm still on the phone at this time) and I'm holding a roman candle in my left hand. Jamie lights said candle, and walks off. So now, I'm holding a LIT roman candle in my left hand, and I'm pointing it out over the water and kind of freaking out. I've got my camera ready in my right hand, just WAITING for balls of flame to shoot out. ANNND I'm freaking out on the phone.

So that is why, for today, you get a photo of some weird, streaky white lights.

(^_^)

Because I was gone for the weekend ...

... you can have TWO photos/videos/whatever other goodness.

One for each day. (^_^)

The weekend? Was pretty much fab. I think that's the best way to describe it. There was hiking (just a little), great scenery, Korean spas, BBQ, karaeoke, fireworks, sandy beaches, phone calls, staying up WAAAY late and having a dance party, hard floors but comfortable pillows, noodles for breakfast (mmmm, kal-gook-su), and bird watching (which turned into watching some men fish, haha). It was a very relaxing weekend. Plus, I slept pretty much the entire way there AND back. So not only was it relaxing, but I also racked up a few hours of sleep. Mmmmm, sleepy goodness. (^_^)

This is Ah-Jin (AJ). Her mother, Jinny, is in the background. Jinny is one of the desk teachers at my work. Isn't Ah-Jin just PRECIOUS?!

Fireworks on the beach - this was when I was just chillin' out and thought it might have the potential to be a cool photo opportunity.

Oh, the memories ...

This photo is from a temple park in Nara, Japan. I love Nara. Wait, let me try that again. I LOOOOOVE Nara. Such a beautiful, beautiful place. Anyways, my host family took me to a temple in Nara, while I was staying with them in Osaka. The park was literally filled with deer. Yes, I did buy the deer crackers to feed the deer as well. And yes, this particular picture is of a deer with only half of his antlers, and his tongue up his nose.

Google "Todaiji Temple" for more information.

WARNING: To those of you who are picky eaters ...

Not gonna lie - it's 1:30 in the morning, and I'm not sleeping. Instead, I'm looking up some recipes (I'm finally going to start cooking for myself?) and talking with Nikki (via Skype ... even though we live in the same country, haha). And, in the midst of all of this, I decided a little midnight-y snack was in order. So I went to the fridge and pulled out a little treat from my friend's aunt - black bean tofu.

Watch, and enjoy.

Wada-san

This is my puppy.

Her name is Wada-san. She was a gift from my friend Ryoko (Wada-san) before I traveled to Korea for the first time (Spring break). Wada-san accompanies me on all of my adventures - she spent ten days in Korea, twelve in Japan, and now has been relaxing back in Korea. You can kind of see the photo progession.

The top photo is of her in a classroom in Korea at Cheongju University. The middle picture is of her in a library in Japan. And the bottom picture is of her and I in my apartment. Haha.

That's my picture today.

(^_^)

The view from the window ...

The view from the airplane window on my way back from Korea - the end of my last Spring Break ...

March 25, 2008

In an effort ...

... to force myself to use this thing more regularly, I am going to try to upload a new picture every day.

And perhaps, you know, I'll type something to go with it. (^_^)

Say hello to the Chocolate pancakes from Cafe Iceberry - which is like, Nikki's and my guilty pleasure. In addition to the chocolate/icecream/banana/blueberry syrup drenched pancakes, we ALSO ordered coffee bing-su. Check facebook for photos and descriptions of that. (^_^)

Another video ...

Messenger ... and fish ... I don't know what happened. (^_^)

It's been a while ...

So ...

I suck at blogging. I was really good in the first week, haha. But now ... ehhhh. I'm SOOOoooOOO lazy!

Sorry.

An update?

Okay.

Since my last post, I have purchased a new iPod nano (it's blue and it's hot), gone to a baseball game (my team lost, but that's a moot point, it was still AMAZING), spent thirty minuets in COEX (to purchase said iPod - don't worry, I'm going back to COEX verrrrry soon ... AQUARIUM!!!), spent time in Apgujeong, gotten over one illness only to enjoy TWO sick-free-laughing days before CATCHING ANOTHER!, visited Lotte in Pyeongchon for the first time, visited E-Mart in Pyeongchon for the first time, maybe found a church, and ... played broom ball.

That's kind of a weird list. Best thing? The BASEBALL game! (okay, everything was great, not going to lie ... but c'mon. BASEBALL!!!)

Aura is leaving this week - I'm sad. She is such a great person. I don't know how things are going to be without her. New teacher coming ... this weekend? Exciting times ... exciting times.

This weekend is our last holiday until the winter holiday! It's Foundation Day, so we have Friday off. I'm thinking of heading up to Insadong at some point this weekend, to pick up some stuff to send home. I have a vague idea of what I want. I also am meeting Hyun's aunt ... not sure when, haha. Oh, annnnnd ... I think I want to explore Anyang. :D It's a pretty rad place.

So that's my plan for this weekend. Yours? :)

OH, annnnnd ...

CONGRATU-freaking-LATIONS to Chrey and Craig - September 28, 2008!!!

I love you and miss you tons. Congratulations to the both of you!

POLY Conference Day

Twice a year, we have to work on Saturday.


That's not too bad. Really. Considering that this "work" is actually attending a conference which is held in a different location each time and consists of workshops and ALL of the POLY teachers being in the same building at the same time.


It's pretty crazy. Considering that there are like, thirty POLY campuses. Maybe more, maybe less. Anyways. This time, it was held in Ilsan, which is north of Seoul. It took about an hour to get there in the morning, but because of Saturday night traffic, it took around two hours to get back to Pyeongchon! Buuut, I slept most of the way, so that was good. It wasn't the most comfortable position - I think I was slouched in the seat, with my head against the side of the bus, and my neck cocked to the left at like, a 45 degree angle. But, it worked.


The event itself was pretty cool. I mean, for my first work-related conference ever and all. There was a key note speaker, lunch, and then three workshops. Lunch was AMAZING, oh my goodness. Think catered dinners at SMU ... only ten times more AMAZING (because it was asian food). The workshops weren't bad - I was reminded of sessions I attended while at Washington Business Week. The key note speaker was a little dry - but he did bring up a few things I found interesting (although, perhaps not in the same context that he was using them). Most notably is the theory of the multiple intelligences. It is a little difficult to explain, so let me copy and paste from an email I wrote to a friend.


"For example, there is the theory of multiple intelligences which suggests that the traditional idea of knowledge as we have been taught (based more on IQ testing with emphasis on the logical and the linguistic) is very limited and leaves room for serious error (which I agree with)."


In fact, I was interested enough in it that as soon as I got home I went online and found a website where there was a sample test. You can go there, too, by clicking here. Pretty sweet. Just for the record, my strongest area is allegedly Linguistic and my weakest is Spatial/Visual.


After the conference, a bunch of us went out to dinner in Beomgye. Good ol' Beomgye. When I say dinner, I also mean that we went to Bar 10. I'm not big on bars, but, you know ... with the right people, it's not that bad. Plus, we saw the coolest show there - I'll post a video or two at the end so you can see it.


After Bar 10, a few of us headed into Anyang because there is a hip hop club called MC there. So we went, and danced, and met a few people, and danced some more. I'm learning, however, that clubs really aren't my thing. So, don't worry - I'm not becoming a club-maniac or anything. Just for those worried folks back home. :)


That's about it. That was my entire Saturday. Work, dinner, dancing. :) Now, it's time for sleeping.

Boo, computer. YAY, Chuseok!

Well, I had a great post going. A really, really great post. And then, my computer decided that what it REALLY wanted to do was to shut down. Pfft.

Seriously?

Blah.

So, I'm going to give you the Clif's Notes version, and I'll go more indepth later. Maybe.

Chuseok weekend was awesome - I hopped on a bus at the Seoul Express Bus Terminal at 3:20 PM on Saturday and made it to Daejon a little after 5:00 PM. My friend, Kwon Sun-Joong, had asked his family to have me to their home for the weekend, so his father (Sung-Won) picked me up at the bus terminal. He is a very nice man, and was so kind to have me to his house. :)

Sun-Joong (who is currently in New York, studying at a seminary with Jae-Young) had also asked his older brother to, in a sense, look after me while I was there. So, he did. His older brother is named Sun-Hyung, and he is very kind. I'll put a picture of him at the end of this post. My first night there, Sun-Hyung and his friend took me out to dinner. Then, on Sunday, I went to church for the first time in Korea! That was so nice! I really need to find a church in Anyang. After church, Sun-Hyung and I took his grandmother home, and then we went to lunch.

Later that evening, I went with the whole family to visit Sun-Joong's mother's family. There were MANY people there! I was so surprised! Everyone was SO nice to me, too. I really enjoyed my evening. This morning, we went to the Expo Center to see some traditional Korean culture. Afterwards, Sun-Joong's mother made us lunch, and then everyone took me to the bus terminal to catch my bus. It was a very fun weekend. I really like Daejon, and hope to go back there sometime relatively soon. It was very peaceful. :)

So that was my weekend. It was a lot of fun - I'm very glad that I had this opportunity. Now I'm back in Anyang, preparing for my shortened school week - YAY for three day weekends. :)

Sun-Hyung oppa and I after lunch on Saturday - do you like the fact that we're wearing similar shirts? :) One of Sun-Joong's many cousins - isn't she CUTE?!
Sung-Won, Sun-Joong's father ... he is really funny!
Sun-Joong's mother. She is very, very kind.