Rainy Weekends: Random Trips

This rainy weather is SERIOUSLY affecting my weekend agenda. Come on, Mother Nature! But I didn't let a little slightly acidic rain get in my way. B and I grabbed some umbrellas and hit the streets to do some shopping this weekend. We needed to get some gifts for friends and family back home, as well as visit a flea market I've been dying to check out for awhile.

The Seoul Folk Flea Market is truly a hidden gem. I enjoy thrifting and antiquing, so this 2 story hodge-podge of goods was like my version of a candy store. Unfortunately I can't share photos of the place. I don't want to spoil my surprises.

I have a bad habit of shopping for myself when shopping for others. I'm sure most people share in this self indulgence, but if I work hard picking out gifts for others, shouldn't I be rewarded? Probably not. BUT! You must see my finds!



I about died when I saw these box sets of records. It was hard to decide between dance party and cocktail piano time, but I couldn't resist the song selections of coctail piano time. A 5 record box set for around $8 ??? SOLD. I also found a Fleetwood Mac record for a little over a dollar. I can't WAIT to bust these out at home.

On Sunday I finished up the last of my shopping and went to Ilsan to visit my friend Elizabeth. We sat at a coffee shop and talked, her favorite. Her friend succesfully scared the crap out of me, talking about 2012. Ugh. Then, we got dinner and said goodbye. It reminded me how much I hate the whole "saying goodbye" thing. Only 3 more weeks...

-C

Oh, Snap! Cassie Teacher!

I'd like to share with you some of the ridiculously cute faces that I teach everyday.

This is Nancy. She always claps and cheers when I come into class.

Jake, the most terrorizing first grader. Ever.

Sun & Philip. They have a bromance. I taught them how to say "oh, snap"...hand motion included.


the boys half of my international class. the boys and girls refuse to sit next to eachother and on this day, the girls were camera shy.

Wacky Jacky! He wants to be a tap dancer, but I'm not supposed to tell anyone. Shh.

And this is Amy. She didn't want her picture taken. She only likes to talk about money and boyfriends. She has a bright future ahead of her.

Englishee?

Despite how learner friendly the Korean language is, I have failed at falling back into my studious ways of my college years. I know the basics, which will get me where I need to go, but speaking in 2 word phrases just makes me feel like a caveman. For example, "straight, thank you" or "rice, one". Me hungry, make sandwich! I hope this habit doesn't follow me back to the States.

No matter the language, I usually only remember the words I will never need to use in a public setting. I know how to say pigeon, gambling, and pervert in Korean. But I'm not sure I'll ever have a run in with a perverted, gambling pigeon.

I know how to say cat, heart, and house slippers in Spanish. And really, I hope I never wake up to a cat heart in my house slippers.

In German, the words that come to my mind first are butt-head, sweet, and rye bread. Do you see my problem???

Perhaps I should invest in Rosetta Stone, or I could continue to grunt one syllable words at my taxi drivers.

Grunting it is.

-C

Crazy Contraptions That Will Be Missed

The Umbrella Slip: I will sincerely miss this contraption. I hate it when I have to lug my sopping wet umbrella into work, or a shop, or the subway. These gadgets can quickly and painlessly cover your umbrella with plastic, saving yourself from a slippery fall on the floor. No matter the size of your umbrella, this invention has you covered.

T-money: This is genius! Attach a small ring to your phone, key chain, or bag, and have access to all sorts of products without reaching for your wallet. Subway rides, taxis, vending machines, and convenient store stops...all take the t-money currency. It's a preloaded ring or card that is reusable and stylish. Unlike the metro cards back in Chicago, this puppy can be used for more than just the commute to work. I'll miss you, T-money....

vending machine that accepts T-Money

T-Money cell phone charm

Cell phone Coverage: Korea has got the cell phone business done right. There is a multidude of options, as far as the kind of cell phone you would like. They may have been late to get the iPhone, but really there isn't much of a need, with all the other smart phones made here. But my favorite part of having a cell phone is NOT paying a good portion of my paycheck for my service. I've never counted minutes or texts, because they are too cheap to worry about. 1 text message costs 1 penny. I hear thousands of American jaws hitting the floor. I don't even know what my plan covers, nor do I wish to find out. My bill is approximately $30 a month. The logic is, the more affordable cell phones are, the more the public will buy. My 1st graders have cell phones, so I'm guessing it's working.

my Korean cell phone

The Water Sound Button: I had seen these buttons around in the subway bathrooms, but was always too scared to push one. I didn't know what would happen and didn't want to make a fool out of myself. Finally, one day when I was alone in a bathroom, I pushed the button. It's located next to the toilet in the stall. Don't worry, I'm not writing this from a toilet seat. As soon as I pushed the button, the sound of a toilet flushing rang out of the box. I won't go into detail about what it's for, but I hope you get the idea! The courtesy flush, without wasting water. Gross, but a crazy Korean invention none the less...

the water sound button

When I first started seeing these baby slings, I was reminded of those little backpack animals. Unzip the Giraffe and stuff it with your pencils and snacks...ect. I think baby slings are somewhat dangerous and I still can't manage to understand why strapping a baby, legs-split, to your back, serves a purpose. These are really popular in Korea. Wonder if this will catch on in the States...

for the mom on the go?

This next contraption isn't really new to me, but I just get a kick out their location and step-by-step instructions. These gas masks are situated in every subway station. Granted there are only 12, and there are usually dozens of people in one station at a time, it defintiely give you the feeling of "hey, we care about you"...or at least 12 of you. In the case of chemical warfare, just grab a mask and get to steppin'!

get em' while they're hot/available

In times of chemical bombing, remember to read the directions thuroughly!

don't forget to breathe?

-C

Redo?

After re-reading my last post, I'm pretty much disgusted. What a horrible post! Woof. Boring, uneventful, and well....there was no pizzazz. I need pizzazz. No, I don't mean large quanitites of pizzas. Actually, that doesn't sound bad either.

So I'm calling a redo. You remember those, right? Playing kickball in elementary school..attempting to kick the ball into outerspace but instead kicking up grass as the ball rolls on by?

RE.DO.

I have been in Korea for a solid year, now. In one years time, I have realized an ungodly amount about myself and the world around me.

Most importantly, I can safely say I know jack shit about life. Trust me, it's not easy to say and it gets worse as I stare at this sentence. I've always prided myself on my ability to pick up a book and get lost in it's text. I love to read. I love books. Even the horrible ones. I am inspired by stories of all kinds. Leatherbound, paperback, off the shelf, or out of the basement box. It's a habit I can't quit. What I've realized in my short year overseas, is that the best stories of my life will be lived under the sun, and not between the pages from my favorite authors. I can read about the bustling lanes of a faraway market, or I can take advantage of free will and experience it first hand. I've surprisingly had a harder time finishing books in Korea than any other time in my life. Probably because I'm too busy living.

Korea has been a wonderful place to call home for the last year. She's done right by me and I'm sure we'll have a heartfelt goodbye. For now, however, I'll continue to explore while I'm still here.

first day in Korea

24 more days.




-C

365 Days in the Life....

Today marks my 1 year anniversary in South Korea. I can't say it's been easy, but I can definitely say it's been a life changing experience.

This is my first time living overseas for a significant amount of time, and I will be sad to leave my temporary home. Over the past year I've learned a lot about myself as a person, a teacher, and more times than I can count, a student.

There were days I just wanted to go home, and days like this, when I realize the end of this trip will come all too soon.

Doing my best to stretch out each weekend....only 3 weeks of teaching left. The thought of saying goodbye to some of my students makes my eyes sting.

As you may have heard, our trip to Beijing fell through. China changed their Visa rules overnight, stating we would have to be living in Korea for 6 more months if we wanted a Visa. So we fought with the airline to get our money back and bought 2 tickets to Jeju Island. Jeju is called the Hawaii of Korea. I guess I'll have to settle for a tropical volcanic island.

Life is hard?
-C

Hello, Kitty!

Korea...sometimes I just want to slap my knee and laugh. Kids do the darndest things, but let me tell ya, Koreans have stolen the spotlight from any child with a speech impediment or knack for losing their clothes at a family reunion.

In Korea, trends are taken to the EXTREME. Yes, I capatilized extreme to make it more....EXTREME.

Take, for instance, the cult classic that is, Hello Kitty. That cat can do just about anything it seems, and it is almost impossible NOT to find her plastered onto day to day products. Chopsticks, tooth brushes, cell phones, toilet paper (yes, toilet paper, how intimate!), and seat covers are just a few random places I've seen her.

I'm not hating on Hello, Kitty...In fact, I think she's kinda cute. And that giant red bow in her hair? How very Marc Jacobs 2010 Spring Collection of her...

On Sunday, I dragged B to the notorious Hello Kitty Cafe. You wouldn't imagine how easy it was to find. Being tucked away on a side street in a busy side of town isn't a problem. The building is painted a bright, happy pink that could, I'm guessing, easily be spotted from space.

When I stepped inside, I felt I was walking into a girlier version of PeeWee's Playhouse. Everything was pink. Obviously.

Every chair was in the shape of Hello, Kitty. The doorways were in the shape of her head. Mini cakes mirrored her cheeky expression. We ordered coffees and wouldn't you know? That cat made an appearance in my latte foam.

SHE'S EVERYWHERE!

I couldn't even pee without being reminded of how cute she was. I was inspired to say things like "look at my bow" that I wasn't wearing, and "love day with Kitty friend". Her English is great!

The latte was surprisingly good. However, I was distracted by a tagged trash bin and had to get a picture of it. So I guess I enjoyed the place, but not more than a creative trash can. That sounds horribly rude...and that is all.



ps- i do NOT condone the message on this trash can

- C