New Zealand Bound

Hi Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Friends~

Just wanted to keep you posted on my crazy life.  Big news - I've decided to go to New Zealand with two friends of mine in February for about 6-8 weeks!  The dates are still TBD, but my friend Kelly (one who I will be going with) is coming over today so we can plan exact dates and details.  Basically we are going to be wwoofing (a.k.a. working on farms) for about two weeks, then travel for two weeks, wwoof for two weeks, travel for two weeks, etc.  Wwoofing has become a popular thing to do down there.  In exchange for our work, the farm provides us with food, a warm bed, and I believe a small stipend.  During the weeks we aren't working, we'll be hiking and exploring the beauty of New Zealand.  Sky diving is at the top of our list as is scuba diving.  

We might jump over to Sydney, too, as we have friends that we met in Korea who will be moving there at the end of January.  I also have two girlfriends from college who will be there as well - Christie O'Rourke (my freshman roommate) and Carly DeLine (of the DeLine clan).

I'll keep you updated as travel plans become more definite.  

Boracay, Philippines

I have died and gone to heaven!  Boracay is one of the most stunning places I've ever seen in my entire life.  White sand, crystal clear aqua water, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and sail boats lining the horizon.  It rivals Grand Cayman for the best beach.  Plus, the country is 80% Christian and I think 40% of that is Catholic. Saw a few statues of Mary while walking around today. There are lots of Christmas decorations up and restaurants and stores along the main strip were playing Christmas music today.  I've spent two glorious days soaking up as much sun as possible before I return to the freezing winter cold in Korea and Colorado.  Tomorrow I'm going scuba diving and then I'll spend my last two days lounging around in the sun again. 

As much as I love Boracay, part of my heart is still back in Thailand.  Chang Mai is a beautiful place, but what made it a highlight were the people I met.  Our "Chang Gang" consisted of Clare (Canadian), Nat (Aussie), Yelle (Dutch), and Nate (American). A few other people would hang out with us on a daily basis, but the five of us got pretty close.  Clare and I met on the LONG bus ride from Laos to Chang Mai and after that we just clicked.  I didn't think we'd be friends at first, but after chatting and hanging out the first day together, we became inseparable.  We're trying to plan our reunion, and Boracay would be 1,000 times better if she were here.  But, I've met some nice people here and I'm so happy to be in such a beautiful place on the last leg of my trip.

I fly to Korea on the fifth and back to Colorado on the seventh.  I can't believe I'll be home for the first time in fifteen months!

Hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving.  Can't wait to be home for Christmas.

Thailand

Hi everyone, and happy early Thanksgiving!

After 21 hours I finally made it from Vang Vieng, Laos to Chang Mai, Thailand. I believe I filled you all in on Luang Prabang (if I didn't I apologize, I can tell you in December). LP was awesome and very relaxed. I took another cooking class and then spent two full days in Vang Vieng. The ride down there, which lasted eight hours thanks to the slowest driver on the planet as opposed to the five they said it would take, was stunning. V.V. is one of a kind. The town doesn't have a lot, but it's known for the crazy, highly un-intelligent, but crazy fun river bar scene. There are about five bars set up within 50 meters of each other, but it literally takes all afternoon to do it. You're supposed to tube down the river, which takes about two hours, but only a very special and determined few are able to do that. In conjunction with alcohol, they also have slides, a platform to jump off of, and a trapeze to swing on and fall into the water. Don't worry, I was careful, but there are a lot of stupid people out there. I saw so many unintentional belly flops I lost count. But it's one of those things that you have to do, and it was totally worth it. I met an awesome group of about seven English boys, a Canadian boy, and a Dutch boy who were so fun to hang out with. A couple of us went to a blue lagoon that had some of the bluest water I've ever seen. We jumped off trees, swam around, and worked on our tans. But after two days at the bars, I needed a break.

I left Tuesday at 10 a.m. and arrived in Chang Mai at 7:20 a.m. on Wednesday. Four tuk tuk rides and three bus rides later, I eventually made it to my guesthouse. Luckily I met a really nice girl from Canada on our crazy journey so we walked around town today, we're going to the market tonight, and tomorrow we are taking a cooking class. On Friday I'm going on a jungle trek that includes an elephant ride, rafting, hiking, seeing waterfalls, and spending the night at a local hill tribe village. When I get back I'll have three days before I leave for the Philippines, and I want to take a Muoi Thai boxing class, see some of the temples, and maybe bike around a bit.

I'm bummed to be missing another Thanksgiving, but that just means Christmas will have to be an even bigger celebration. Love you all, and happy turkey day.

Laos

I LOVE LAOS!!!! Laos and Cambodia have been my favorite countries so far. I've realized that I enjoy smaller, quieter towns much more than loud and busy cities. I was ready to escape the craziness of Hanoi - streets crowded with people, cars, scooters, shouting, and more honking than I've ever heard in my entire life. The driving in Bali and Hanoi have been the worst by far. Coming to Luang Prabang was a breath of fresh air.

A Japanese guy I met in Halong Bay was on my flight to LP so we shared a cab and stayed at the same guest house. We woke up at 5 a.m. yesterday to watch the Buddhist monks collect offerings from the locals. After, I rented a bike and slowly made my way to some beautiful waterfalls. I was advised to take a tuk tuk instead of biking, but of course I turned that down. However, the ride wasn't exactly a walk in the park. 32 km to the falls sounded easy enough but on my heavy, single speed bike, the 30 km uphill ride was a little more than I bargained for. The tuk tuk drivers were impressed that it took me only 1:50 min to finish...apparently that was a good time. Wish I had known about the mountain bikes with gears that were available beforehand. But the waterfalls were beautiful and totally worth the trek.

Instead of catching a rose back to town, I decided to brave the bike ride back. I stopped halfway for lunch at a little local joint. There were two older gentlemen in the army and one of their friends having lunch as well. They invited me over to join them but spoke no English. Anyways, they offered me beer and I accepted. But apparently when you "cheers" in Laos you have to chug your glass. Luckily the glasses were pretty small but I can't chug and they continued to fill up my glass about five or six times. I was definitely feeling the effects but thankfully they drove me back to town and even oUr for my meal. The food is really delicious and so cheap! I tried dried river weed which sounded disgusting but was really tasty and dried buffalo skin which tasted a little like beef jerky.

I biked around town, went to the Phu Si temples, and walked around the night market. LP has the best night market. Delicious food with fresh veggies and fruit shakes, tummy baked goodies, and tons of cool artwork, bags, jewelry, and other fun things. I'm currently drinking a latte on a crisp morning overlooking the Mekong river. LP was a much needed breath of fresh air after Hanoi.

Tomorrow I head to Vang Vieng and then Chang Mai, Thailand after that. I can't believe I've made it to five countries so far and only have two left! It's been an amazing journey so far and I feel so blessed to be able to do this. I definitely caught the travel bug....if only there was a way I could get paid to travel. Know of anyone who works at a travel magazine? :)

I can't believe I'm missing another Thanksgiving, but I'll enjoy some Thai.curry while you're all feasting on turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie.

Vietnam

Hey Gang,

Hope everyone is getting into the holiday spirit!

I arrived in Nha Trang, Vietnam on Wednesday night and spent two great days on the beach. I met a few older gentlemen (one  was probably in his mid-thirties and he was there his his father and father's friend) from Wales who were really interesting and so nice. I stayed in an awesome hotel for only $15/night.

I was planning on going to Hoi An next but there was a ton of flooding earlier this week and the city is still recovering. So instead I'll fly to Hanoi tomorrow and then start making my way to Halong Bay. Getting there is quite a trek...a bus from the airport to the main bus terminal, a 3-4 hour bus ride to Halong City, and then a 6 hour boat ride to Cat Ba island. I was planning on taking a 2-3 night boat cruise but after reading reviews and talking to some friends, I think I'm going to skip the cruise and just stay on Cat Ba island. From there I can take a little day cruise on a sailboat or rent a kayak.

Hopefully everything goes smoothly! See everyone ons less than 4 weeks!

Bali to Kuala Lumpur

Last night I flew from Bali to Kuala Lumpur.  I'm only here for a quick trip, only about 36 hours.  I'll spend today walking around the Golden Triangle (the main shopping/business district), Little India, Chinatown, and Merdaka Square (where they won independence).  Early tomorrow morning I head to Siem Reap/Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Here are some highlights from Bali:
1. The "groovy" Australian couple I met at the airport - they were total hippies from the 60s but so kind.  They invited me to visit them down under.
2. Soaking up the sun on Kuta Beach.
3. Meeting Janna, a Dutch girl, who I hung out with for a day.
4. Ubud - I don't have anything bad to say about this town.  From the Monkey Forest to the beautiful rice fields and finally the food and cooking class, this town was everything I had hoped Bali would be.

I've posted some pictures on Facebook for those of you who are on it.  I'll try to attach some to my next e-mail, but since I've only used my phone to take pictures with, finding wi-fi and waiting for all the pictures to download sometimes takes more time than I have.

So far I've had no problems.  No missed flights, I have been ripped off, pick pocketed, or felt any danger at all.  Thanks for all your continued prayers, love, and support.  I'll be home soon!!

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Hi hi hi!!

Wow, is Cambodia beautiful. The second I walked off the plane I immediately felt the calm and peace that this place exudes. Life here is slow, the people are extremely poor, and the land is untouched. After talking to many natives, I really.appreciate all.the blessings and opportunities I've had in my life. Things like education, traveling, and a running toilet are practically unheard of here. Most people can't afford college, even though it only costs about $500 to pay for an entire year of school. Most people live on $30-$50 a month. 


Despite all this, they are some of the kindest people 
I've met. Because they depend on tourists for information, many of them are practically fluent in many languages despite having no formal training.

Being here has really put life in perspective for me. I want to help these people somehow...I just need to figure out how I can do that.

On to more touristy things - the food, digger, and people are unreal. Yesterday I hired a tuk-tuk driver to take me around some of the temples. Today I biked and walked around even more, finishing my day with Angkor Wat. Although it's the most famous one, it wasn't my favorite. 

Tomorrow I am taking a Khumer (Cambodian) cooking class and then I'll head to the market for some shopping. I fly to Nha Trang, Vietnam on Wednesday. 

Lots of love,
Haley


P.S. Here's my favorite Khmer dish, it's called "Amok Fish" (I made it with shrimp, but you can make it with chicken, fish, pork, etc.).  ENJOY!

A Cambodian dish of curried monkfish or codfish gently seasoned with
coconut milk, turmeric, paprica, ginger, garlic, chili and fish sauce.
The pale yellow curried fish sits prettily in a lettuce leaf. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound monkfish or cod fillets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder, optional
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh Thai chili pepper, seeds included
• 2 teaspoons Southeast Asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
• 12 baby bibb lettuce leaves
• 1 tablespoon shredded fresh kaffir lime leaves, if desired.

Directions

1. Cut fish into 1/2-inch chunks. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, turmeric, paprika, curry
powder, ginger, garlic, chili pepper and fish sauce. Mix well. Add fish
pieces, and toss until well coated. Let marinate 15 minutes.

3. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat oil, and add
onions. Saute onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add fish
mixture, and saute until fish is opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove from
heat, and allow to cool to room temperature.

4. Spoon into lettuce cups, and place three cups on each of 4 plates. Garnish with kaffir lime leaves, and serve. 

Indonesia

October 28, 2011
My first stop is Bali, Indonesia.  Unfortunately it's still raining but I'm not going to let that stop me from seeing the island.  Although my main goal was to surf, I'm now hoping to get to two or three cities and do some indoor activities like taking a cooking class.....


October 30, 2011
I'm here in Bali. It's been raining off and on but I already have a fun story. Was adopted (or commandeered) by an Australian couple at the airport. She's been to Bali tons of times so she's told me about all the yummy food places and good shopping areas.  Plus they paid for my hotel room last night. I'll send out an email soon.


November 1, 2011
I've had a great couple of days in Bali. I've spent the past three nights and two days in the beach towns of Legian and Kuta. I met a really great Australian couple at the airport that showed me around the first day and also paid for me to stay at their hotel the first night. Yesterday I spent the day at the beach. I met a girl named Janna from Holland and we hung out the whole day. I wanted to surf but my arm isn't strong enough yet to paddle. Right now I'm about to head out to a town called Ubud. I've heard from many people that its a great town so I'm really excited. The food here is good and really cheap. And the fresh fruit juices and smoothies are to die for, not to mention they cost less than a dollar. 

Hope all is well in the U.S. and happy belated Halloween!!

Kyungju Cherry Blossoms

Two weekends ago a big group of my friends headed down south to take advantage of the sun and beginning of spring.  We rented bikes and toured Kyungju for two days.  All the cherry blossom trees were in bloom and it was so beautiful.  Here are a few pictures of the weekend that stole from my friends' cameras (thanks Kel and Ash):

Welcome to Kyungju - land of the cherry blossoms.

We went through the rice (bap) fields

and made a pit stop for some MimBaps (mimosas in the rice -bap- fields)

and lit off a few fireworks.

We drank some beers by a lake and watched the swans, I mean paddle boats,

and checked out this cool pagoda.

We headed back to our hostel,

found this abandoned restaurant,

and played on the playground.

 On day two we went off the beaten path and biked around the farms.

We enjoyed the beauty of Korea,

took our final pictures, 

 left the fields, 

 and headed back

to Seoul.

The Dentist

I went to the dentist a week ago and it was a little different than the normal cleaning in the U.S.  First of all, the best part of the appointment was that it was only 30k won ($30)!!  So awesome!  I was so excited to get my teeth cleaned because I genuinely love the dentist, but let's just say Koreans lack the same finesse and gentle hands the American dental assistants have.  They were poking and prodding all over my mouth.  My gums were bleeding and swollen when I left, plus they were still sore when I brushed my teeth two days later.  I couldn't see what they were doing because they put a blue cloth over my face with a hole for my mouth to go through.  This was great because I didn't get water all over my face, which usually happens (it's generally a water show in there), but terrible because my curiosity shot through the roof, as did my pain.  I was so tense that I got a cramp in my neck.  I'm pretty sure they used tools that we don't have in the U.S., but atleast I left with clean, smooth, shiny teeth in the end.

The dentist and her assistant were so nice and spoke English.  I always leave places like this happy because they're so complimentary.  "You're teeth are so white!  You have beautiful teeth!  You're so pretty!"  All in all it was worth it.  The inexpensive $30 appointment made the pain worth it!

Conglish

This is an e-mail I got from a student a couple weeks ago.  She was trying to tell me that she lost her summary (file) and would talk to me about it in class.  Enjoy!

Haley!!! Sorry, I lose my flie. So I can take my summary. I decided to write the new summary. I could't write summary now because I couldn't think what is the name of the book. I will listen you about the book's name then I will write the new summary!!! 

Sunday Brunch

• I just hosted 7 girls for Sunday brunch.  It was a tight squeeze but we all survived.  The hardest part was trying to cook and prepare everything with my limited kitchen space.  But I do have to toot my own horn and say that I made a pretty darn good breakfast.  Everything was made from scratch, too.  Here are the recipes:
• 
  
• Zucchini Bread
• Ingredients:
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• Directions:
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil, yogurt, and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, and salt; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.
• 
  
• Mini Frittatas
• Ingredients:
• Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 nonfat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup of each: Broccoli, Onions, & Mushrooms (or any other vegetable)
• 
  
• Directions:
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray 2 mini muffin tins (each with 24 cups) with nonstick spray. Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt in a large bowl to blend well. Stir in vegetables. Fill prepared muffin cups almost to the top with the egg mixture. Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is just set in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittatas from the muffin cups and slide the frittatas onto a platter. Serve immediately.
• 
  
• Banana Butterscotch Drizzle
• *I served this over homemade pancakes but it would be great over a cake or some ice cream!!
• Ingredients:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 bananas peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, I left them out)
• 
  
• Directions:
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook the brown sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons water over medium heat, stirring, until bubbling, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 stick butter, the sour cream and bananas and heat through.

I love Sunday mornings when the sun is shining, you can listen to music, and chat with friends.  And we even had mimosas!!  I haven't had a mimosa in FOREVER!  Ugh, I miss being able to do this.  I wish I could do it every weekend but it's too hard in my little place.  But I'm thinking about trying to do it once a month.  I've always enjoyed being a host and allowing people to come into my home and cooking or baking for them.  It's one of the ways I connect with people and let them into my life.  Not being able to do that here has been hard.  I feel so much joy when I see others connecting in an environment that I've helped create.  Plus, it's an excuse for me to bake and share my goodies with everyone.  

I hope everyone has as great of a Sunday as I had!  Cheers to you.

Some Favorite Blogs

I know I'm not that great about blogging, but here are some great blogs that I love.  I'm obsessed with baking, especially since it's a little hard to do here, so I get my fix from these two blogs.  Enjoy the yummy recipes!

All things delicious including pies, cakes, and cupcakes:
http://www.cakespy.com/

Cooking, baking, and real life from an NYC mom:
smhttp://smittenkitchen.com/

Six Month Anniversary

Last Thursday marked my 6 month mark in Korea.  When I think about the last six months, part of me can't believe how fast it's gone.  It seems like yesterday that I was moving in, meeting people, exploring the town, and figuring out the public transportation system.  But the other part of me feels like I've been here for much longer.  I know what's expected of me at work, I see the same people everyday, I know who my students are, I eat the same foods...as much as I love routine, sometimes this gets a little monotonous.

Do all grown-ups in the working world feel like this?  I can't believe that after college we go right into a job....and work....for the rest of our lives.  Thinking about working until I'm 65, well frankly it makes me want to vomit.  Don't you get bored?  I guess that's why people change jobs so often.  

Back to Korea.  Since my last post, I've decided that there's no way I could live here for another year.  I could stay for a few extra months, just to save the extra money, but a full year is out of the question.  Teaching has some really great things about it.  I love being around kids because you never know what they're going to say or do.  It's a fairly flexible job in that I can tweak my lesson plans depending on how I'm feeling or what's going on with my students.  Being a teacher can be really rewarding when you see your students succeed.  Teaching, at least teaching English in a foreign country, can be a total drag.  The communication barrier with my students, co-workers, and bosses can be really disheartening.  Things get lost in translation and I feel like I'm always the last to know about everything.  I feel like they expect more from me than anyone else and sometimes I feel like I can't live up to the unspoken standards they have.

I've learned to let things roll off my shoulders and my patience has increased ten-fold.  I don't get stressed as easily and have learned to roll with the punches.  Spontaneity is not a strong character trait of mine, but I'm slowly letting go of my "I can't go there or do that because I hadn't planned for it" neuroses.

When I get back to the U.S., here are some of the top things on my to-do list:
1. Eat as much granola as I want
2. Plan a Vegas weekend with my 21+ cousins and brother (Linds, Whit, Chad, Nathan, Breann, and Jonathan)
3. Go to NYC during Christmas time
4. Go back to Austin to visit the Paulsons
5. Fly to LA to see all my LMU friends
6. Go to D.C. and then make my way up to Boston
7. Go to Nashville to see the sights and embrace the country girl in me
8. Happy hour!!!
9. Eat real dessert (not the nasty fake cake they have here)
10. MEXICAN FOOD!!
*This all, of course, comes second to seeing all my friends and family in CO

6 months down, 6 to go....

A Whole Bunch of Question Marks

One of the most frustrating things about the future is that I have no idea what's going to happen.  Yes, the endless possibilities are exciting and it's fun to hope and dream.  But for me, the neurotic planner, queen of schedules and timetables, the overwhelming number of possibilities and the infinite amount of choices causes me to cringe inside.  I like knowing what's coming next; I don't like waiting for "next" to happen and hoping that I end up standing on my own two feet instead of face down in mud in the pouring rain.

March 24 will mark my 6 month mark here in Korea.  I've grown a lot, seen a lot, experienced a lot, and learned a lot.  But as I think about what's next to come in my life, I wish I could go back to being 5 years old where someone made all my decisions for me.  Granted, life wouldn't be as fun, but it would be a heck of a lot simpler.

Some foreigners come here and make the easy decision to stay for another year, 2 years, or choose to call this their permanent home.  Others know immediately that living in Korea for one day longer than a year would be sheer torture.  They're on a plane back to North America so fast they barely have time to say goodbye.  As for me, I feel like I'm walking through mud - trying to find a solid ground but have no idea which way to turn.

If I stay in Korea, I don't know if I could stay for a full year.  I miss my friends and family.  I miss driving.  I miss "normal" food.  I miss happy hours.  I miss the beach and real mountains.  I miss blending in.  If I were to stay, should I stay at my hagwon where I have the opportunity to work in the mornings to make extra money?  Downfalls of my job: I hate working at night, I hate that I have no time off, my closet sized apartment, living an inconvenient distance from my friends, and the fact that because I work at night I feel like my social life is severely hindered.  Or should I stay at the same school where everyone knows me, my boss is kind, and I have one of the easiest jobs in Korea?  If I stay, how long should I stay: 2 months, 6 months, a year?  Plus sides of staying: saving money and the opportunity to do some more traveling.

If I were to go back to the U.S., what would I do?  I've researched some different companies that I would like to send my resume to.  But the thought of having to go through the whole interview process again makes me want to shut myself in my room and never come out.  Plus, I still don't really know what I want to do.  In addition to finding a job, add the stress of worrying about money, buying a car, paying for insurance, finding a place to live, deciding if I should live alone or with a roommate.  But it would be great to get back home where I can actually call people on the phone, everyone I know and love is within a 4 hour time difference, and I can actually communicate with people without playing charades.  I miss spending time with my brothers, Fuller family get-togethers, and I hate missing out on all the fun things my college friends are doing.

Well, if you have any suggestions or advice, I'm all ears.  Clearly I have no clue what to do or where to go.  I'm praying about it and trying to trust God, but I would love to have some sort of plan as soon as possible, just to give me some piece of mind.  Besides that, I'm happy, healthy, and ready for spring.  I've definitely learned that winter and I do not get along.  I'm sick of layers and ready for dresses and bikinis. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Extreme Dating

Having a boyfriend or girlfriend seems like a necessity for Koreans.  But dating here isn't quite like dating in the U.S.  The more serious you are, the more matchy-matchy your wardrobes become.  You know a couple is madly, deeply in love when they become identical twins.  Picture same colored shoes, same type of pant (generally jeans), and matching shirts or sweatshirts.  No, I'm not lying.  They actually match.  On purpose.

Being in a relationship doesn't just mean dressing the part (wow, big shocker here in Korea).  There are also a plethora of couples' holidays with their own rules and regulations.
11/11 - Pepero Day: The 1s look like a treat the Koreans eat called "Pepero."  It tastes and looks like a very skinny pretzel or breadstick that's covered in chocolate.  Both men and women exchange Pepero on this day.
12/25 - Christmas: Enough said.
1/1 - New Years:  Most couples don't kiss out in public, but on midnight all the lights Myong-dong (a popular shopping area and tourist attraction) are turned off so that all the couples who have gathered there can kiss without others seeing it.
2/14 - Valentine's Day: Only the women give men chocolate.
3/`4 - White Day: Only the men give women candy.
4/14 - Black Day: On this day, all single men and women go to Chinese restaurants and order "black noodles."  It's a yummy noodle dish with a black bean sauce poured over it.  Supposedly it's a way for the singles to mingle and hopefully find a significant other.
5/14 - Rose Day: All the men give their girlfriends roses.
6/14 - Ring Day: This is a big day for engagements, but both men and women will exchange rings.  Even those in middle and high school will exchange simple bands.
7/14 - Kiss Day: I think you get the pictures.
8/14 - Sex Day: Yep.  They have a day dedicated to sex.  I was totally shocked, too.

I believe September and October 14 both have special meanings attached to the date but Peter (my former Korean tutor) couldn't remember what they were.  I think all Americans would stop complaining about remembering and buying gifts for their significant other on their anniversaries and Valentine's Day if they knew what happened in Korea.  I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

Thailand

 I spent 5 amazing days in Thailand and I can't wait to go back.  Coming back to Korea was so hard.  I stayed in Krabi (a.k.a. James Bond Island) which is near Phuket.  It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.  I've never seen foliage and rock formations quite like this anywhere else in the world.  When we landed in Krabi we took a bus that was bursting at the seams with people and luggage to a pier where we had to take a boat to our hotel.  When we got out of the bus we were informed that we had to carry our luggage to the boat.  No big deal right?  Wrong!  We had to drag our suitcases down stairs, through sand, and then carry them over our heads onto the "boat."  If we had known this maybe we wouldn't have packed so much!  The boat was a long wooden boat that went no faster than 20 mph.  We bought a few beers and then crammed together all the while praying that the boat wouldn't sink from the weight of the bags and people.  The beers weren't twist-offs like we thought, so with the use of a sturdy belt buckle we were able to pry open the tops.  We quickly forgot about all our worries and went into pure vacation mode thanks to the beauty that surrounded us took.  It literally took our breaths away.

Once we got to our hotel we changed into our suits and laid out on the gorgeous beach.  The tide in Thailand is quite drastic.  At high tide there was about 20 ft. of beach to lay out on.  At low tide, though, the water receded out so far it looked like it would never come back.  The next 4 days were spent in pure bliss.  The weather was perfect, the people were kind, the food was delicious, and the Thai massages were so cheap we had a couple throughout our stay.  Everything in Thailand is ridiculously cheap: delicious curry for $2-4, fresh fruit smoothies for $1.25, and hour-long massages hovered right around $10.  We did some shopping for handmade goods and bartered with the locals.  We even got to see monkeys swinging around the trees at our hotel.

We explored the surrounding islands by kayak, boat, and snorkeling and scuba adventures.  Kayaks were so cheap to rent so we explored some caverns and a neighboring island.  One day we took a two hour boat ride to Ko Phi Phi (where the movie "The Beach" was filmed and also rated one of the best beaches from a movie) where we went scuba diving.  The water was so warm and we saw some eel, giant sea clams, bright coral, beautiful fish, and swam through caves.  I felt just like the Little Mermaid.  There were only about 6 other people with us so we got to know them really well.  It was a great day.  The next day we went on a 4-island snorkel tour.  There were so many people we had to split up into two boats.  There was a huge Italian family with 13 people and they were quite the party.  Unfortunately they weren't well versed in snorkeling etiquette and stepped all over a bunch of coral and then onto a sea urchin.  Needless to say our 20 year-old German guide was not to happy.  He was quite the character and was the epitome of a laid-back, carefree, "no problem man" islander attitude.  I thought he was hilarious but he definitely got on the nerves of some of our companions.  We had a beach bonfire after watching the sunset and ate delicious curry.  Then we did a night snorkel where we saw the "glowing" kelp.

I was not excited about leaving this tropical paradise and return to the frigid arctic of Korea.  Ok, frigid arctic might be a slight exaggeration but that's what it feels like to me.  Let's just say I'm ready for spring to be here.  I was not made for winter so hopefully spring will bloom soon.  I'm hoping to get to Japan at the beginning of June to climb Mt. Fuji!  After being to Thailand I'm dying to see other parts of Southeast Asia.  Whenever I leave Korea I would love to spend a couple months going around Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Bali, back to Thailand, and maybe Laos.

You can CALL me!!

Just discovered how you all in the States can call me if you ever want to.  It only took me four months but I figured it out.  Here's my cell number:

82-010-3957-5263

Make sure you dial the 82 because that's the country code.  I don't think you dial a 1 before it though, because that's the U.S. calling code.  Hope this works.

Doctor Fish

On New Year's Day, Karin, her mom, and I decided to go to Gangnam and have a pedicure of sorts, minus the nail polish.  I'm sure you're confused so let me explain.  There are some cafes here that are called "Dr. Fish" cafes.  Basically, you pay for a coffee drink (our cafe also gave you unlimited bread), and then you get to stick your feet in these little pools with a bunch of little fish in them that eat the dead skin off your feet.  I was grossed out and skeptical, but when in Korea, do what the Koreans do.  So we went, sipped our coffee, and prepared ourselves for what would take place.  After we'd been eyeing the pools for about 45 minutes, we finally took off our shoes and made the plunge.  It was the weirdest feeling!  All these little fish swam right up to your feet and just started...eating.  The best way I can describe it would be electric vibrations.  It didn't hurt but it definitely tickled.  We sat there for 15 minutes, cleaned off our feet, and examined the work.  I couldn't tell a difference but it was a fun experience.

The Preparation

The Plunge

While walking around Gangnam, we ran into some other funny Konglish.  Enjoy!

Korea: "2011 - Happy Walking"  

 Me: "Thanks?"

Korea: "I'm having fun alone.  Please be with me."

Me: "I don't get it."

A Housewife

I have the most adorable boss.  I can't say enough good things about her.  Before we had our "winter break," which was only two days long, Mrs. Kim had mentioned that she wanted to take me to dinner for my birthday.  Over my four-day weekend I didn't hear from her.  I was busy spending time with my friend Karin and her mom who was visiting so I didn't think anything of it.  Last night, Sunday, Mrs. Kim called me.  She wished me a happy new year and then apologized for not calling me over the weekend to take me to dinner.  She explained that she was too busy because she worked on Thursday, our first day off, rested on Friday, and then was in church for basically the next 48 hours.  This woman goes to church more than anyone else I know.  She loves God so much and really wants to do whatever she is called to do.  She told me that she was praying about this upcoming year and was trying to open her heart to do God's will.  Anyways, she said that she wanted to take me out to dinner tonight (Monday), and then she told me she loved me before she hung up the phone.  I was a little taken back.  Koreans seem to be pretty stoic and I was shocked that she said that to me.  I've felt a little disconnected from her lately because one of the women who worked at the front desk quit so she's hand her hands busy filling in for her.  Plus, her son is about to start high school and is deciding where he wants to go and if she wants to move with him to be closer to him.

Tonight at dinner (soup with seafood which included prawns, mussels, clams, squid and other things I couldn't identify) she told me that her boyfriend, Mr. Yu, wants his daughter to meet me.  Mr. Yu is so nice, but hardly speaks English.  Mrs. Kim told me, though, that his daughter speaks English really well so I'm hoping to meet her soon.  Last week I made some banana bread and gave some of it to Mrs. Kim.  At dinner she told me she loved it and wants the recipe.  After we talked about the recipe she told me she thought I would make a great housewife because I could cook and clean (she mentioned how clean my apartment was when she brought me chicken soup).  Hahahaha, isn't that hilarious!?!?  I didn't really know how to take that.  Obviously she meant it as a compliment since she's Korean and the Korean society is completely patriarchal and revolves around men, but I feel like the term "housewife" has a negative connotation in the U.S.  Anyways, I thought it was funny and cute that she would say that.

Another funny thing happened today when I was at the bank.  There is only one man/teller that I talk to when I go to transfer money home because he's the only one that can speak English.  He's so nice and just got married about a month ago.  Last month when I went he had just gotten back from his honeymoon and I just happened to bring in some pumpkin muffins to thank him for being so nice and helping me whenever I went in.  Today was the first time I'd seen him since then.  When I got there he told me that he and his wife loved the muffins and that his wife really wanted to meet me.  We exchanged phone numbers so that we could be in touch.  When I left he said that they wanted to meet me at the movie theater near the subway station.  Isn't that so nice?

I've definitely learned that small acts of kindness can mean a lot more to someone than you originally intended.  I feel like I have to reach out to Koreans to be friends with them.  I think they're really shy about speaking English to a native-speaker so it's been good for me to go out of my comfort zone and really make an effort to be outgoing.  I hope they find me approachable . . . but one of my co-teachers who's usually as quiet as a mouse has been talking to me a lot more which is really exciting for me.

More to come about Christmas day and New Year's . . . sorry, I know I've been slacking.  Happy New Year to you all.  I hope 2011 is your best year yet, that you are filled with joy, and blessed with happiness, health, and prosperity.