picture post

a few pictures...

I'm officially an aunt. me with my nephew carter

up close so you can see just how adorable...too bad they can't stay like this

my current fling a.k.a. my cat giving me the "look" because i'm disturbing his highness while sleeping just to take a picture

where are you culture shock?

I've been home about 36 hours and some change, and I must say it does not feel like I was away for a year in a foreign country, in a culture unlike my own in many ways, 6000 miles away. it feels like I've just been asleep for a few days, and now i'm awake with an energy that could be likened to drinking about four red bulls one after the other and an appetite of a bear after hibernation. while I've not experienced any of the things that my fellow waegooks warned me about upon returning home, I await culture shock as if at any minute it will jump out from behind a door and slap me in a face with a "gotcha bitch."

one thing I will say though: I CAN'T SLEEP! the first night I arrived I stayed up until 6 am the next morning then slept until 1pm that day (saturday) since then I've only slept two hours during a nap because I had gorged on pasta AND mashed potatoes. hahahahaha i'm going kind of crazy on the starchy foods and carbs. I know what this could mean for my new sedentary lifestyle, but this morning I went jogging. I jogged for about 2 miles, and although it's not much it kinda kicked my ass. however, I'm just thankful I don't have to climb those damn steps in Song Jong Dong 8 times a day anymore.

other stuff:

I'm going to Virginia in about three weeks (for those of you who know what that means I imagine you shaking your head right about now).

I would sometimes defend North Americans when my students would talk about people being overweight and the food not being healthy. well the latter is a matter of choice because there is plenty of healthy food available, but the former is truer than ever. North Americans are fat asses, and when I say North Americans I'm including all three countries there. Geez, I got off the plane in Virginia at Dulles and I just couldn't believe it. however, I immediately ordered the biggest slice of vegetarian pizzeria pizza I could find, and it was amazing in every way possible. Anyways coming home after being in Korea has made me a little more conscientious about what I eat. So, while I'm not doing anything crazy like go on a diet, I can at least stay active to keep the excess weight off.

I ate hash browns with a coffee and an oj from the Waffle House saturday night, and I just want to say WOW. I never fully appreciated the goodness that is Waffle House.

I finally got to see my nephew who was born last month. he's so adorable, and small, and pink, and baby-powder-smelling, but thank goodness he isn't mine. i'll post pictures of him soon.

For those of you who may wonder Ma Dukes is well and extremely happy to have me home even though we do nothing, but sit around talk shit, watch movies, and bitch about how much stuff I brought home.

"I need you beau." ;0)

I've had two huge bowls of mashed potatoes, a can of spaghetti o's and two pots of real coffee since friday night. and of course a ton of water and oj.

I promise now that I've gotten my room partially in order and most of my stuff unpacked to get back to blogging regularly and posting pictures.

check for pictures soon...

north carolina or bust

tomorrow after one year of eating copious amounts of kimchi, bowing, learning a new language and thus a culture, assimilating in ways I never expected, a little introspection, and a whole lot of pictures I'll be leaving South Korea in the morning. on a bus at 540 to the airport and then flying out (given there are no delays) at 12 pm. I'll be stateside friday evening at 7 pm.

under 5

the number of days I've left in Korea is under 5 and to think of that I'll be gone as quick as I came is quite mind boggling right now. It seems with the changes that have taken place over the year, inward if not also outward, there should be some grand procession, but just like that I'll check in my luggage, board the plane and settle into the economy class section for a 20 something hour flight. truth be told I should be leaving sooner since my contract officially ends tomorrow, and i'm sure to have to deal with a little heat from immigration as to my reasons for being in the country pass my VISA date. it won't matter that my boss is a b* and is doing her best to get all she can out of me before I'm shipped off. that's fine sweetheart because the mutiny, you will have left on your hands, isn't one that's going to back down just because "this is Korea, and Global owns you."

this past weekend I traveled down to the southern part of South Korea to mainly to take my cat to his new owners, but to say goodbyes and have one last drink with some friends that I mayn't see for quite a while. leaving the cat was quite easy since I know he has a good home with owners that are going to take care of him, but coming home and not having him meet me at the door was a bit weird. i'm not emotional or weepy, but there is a weird feeling about the apartment now. it's as if he kept the silence from being too silent by just being a constant moving object. the eerie quietness of my apartment paired with this weird, borderline surreal feeling allowed me only about 30 minutes of sleep last night.

the result: I'll be dragging ass all day because I won't have time to sleep because I've so much to do. aaarghh >:~(

three day weekends

there are so many things I want to post, but i've not had a lot of time or motivation to blog. this is just summation of my three day weekend....

friday, august 15th:

went to Daegu for some shopping and to get out of Gumi for a bit, as well as have my usual American fix of chef Bennigans. I woke up surprisingly early and was able to get out of the house at a surprising 9:20, while usually at this time I haven't even rolled over yet. on a weekend or holiday, the earlier one gets to the station of their method of travel the less time he has to wait. traveling early in the morning at this time of the year also allows one a few hours of enjoyment without having to worry about the scorching heat. after shopping, getting my pasta fix, and meeting up with a friend for a few hours I had to leave daegu. i say had to leave because the biblical rains nearly forced me out of the city lest I be washed down a drain. however, back in gumi, the weather wasn't any better. I went to dinner with a student and his friend (who by the way I had an immediate connection with and developed semi-crush on almost immediately). However, this crush is quite untimely since A. his friend aka my student has the same said crush on me and isn't so discreet about it, B. I'm going home in less than two weeks and starting something would be pointless. C. other unnecessarily mentionable reasons. anyways the three of us spent the night eating, drinking, talking as we moved from one bar/restaurant to another. this night of carefree conversation and just sharing an evening with friends brought me out of the self-imposed isolation that i've been in for so long. i realized how much I had disconnected myself from the world around me when I attempted to separate myself from my job, the atmosphere, and my coworkers. however, in separating myself, I denied myself so much. anyways one can only change when they realize their error in judgment.

saturday, august 16th:

oh what a day! the day started and ended on an interesting and quite satisfactory note. early saturday afternoon I met two former coworkers to get our haircut. despite the 40 minute wait, we were all quite pleased with our fabulous "dos." those of you who know me can imagine how my hair looks since it's been the same for the past 6 or 8 months. however, if you don't know, google the beautiful Jean Seberg. afterwards we went to Starbucks and did some browsing downtown, but because of the once again monsoon-ish rains our escapade was cut short and we all went our separate ways. later we all met up again and had an amazing dinner of what is known as galbi i.e. seasoned rib meat. this was served with beef soup, mul (water) kimchi, regular kimchi and the other amazingness that is Korean food. afterwards I went to see Mummy 3 with a friend, and then out for a snack and a lil' drinking. however, I never actually went to bed. which brings us to...

sunday, august 17th:

today, was my chosen day to work hours with Funglish Camp (Kid's Camp) which means working with 5 groups of 10 to 11 students for six hours.This paired with no sleep (which I take full responsibility for, but still must be taken into account) which left me wanting to put my head through a wall. I want go into some spill about how I blame my boss and those planning Funglish along with the need for all things Korean to pound each other with work. These are young children we made sit through fifty minutes of class which entailed trying to memorize scripts that focused on regular tasks in one's life, pronunciation, meeting people and the like. these kids were tired, impatient, perhaps a little homesick at this point because they are being made to wake up at 650 am like it's a fucking boot camp. what happened to kids sleeping till 730 and 8 am? anyhow most of day was consumed with with yelling, yanking, screaming, and a blur of red Funglish Camp shirts.

no time...

for blogging since there is so much I want to write about. I promise to play catch-up this weekend, but a friend sent me this and I thought I would answer and post it.

I am: exhausted and eating peach yogurt.
I think: about most things far more than I should.
I know: I should enjoy my last two week in South Korea, but all I can think about is going home.
I have: come across some amazing people in my life.
I wish: long distance calls weren't so expensive.
I hate: people who are condescending.
I miss: Say.
I fear: losing control.
I hear: the air conditioner, and my cat who for some reason starts howling at the same time every night.
I smell: lotion on my arms.
I crave: spaghetti o's and cheap bookstores (all books in English in Korea are ridiculously over-priced).
I search: for knowledge, beauty, and meaning.
I wonder: if the things I want so much right now are really the right things for me.
I regret: trusting the wrong people. trying to do it all, all the time.
I love: to meet people who stimulate me intellectually and broaden my horizons.
I ache: in my heart, just a bit.
I am not: technically inclined.
I believe: in believing in yourself to the fullest.
I dance: whenever there is music.
I sing: off key most times.
I cry: when I'm extremely angry or upset.
I fight: for those I hold dear.
I win: in the end.
I lose: sight of the bigger picture sometimes because I become too concerned with the details
I never: do anything without first considering how it may affect those closest to me
I always: look on the bright side of life. Doo doo do do do do do doo.
I confuse: my left with my right sometimes
I listen: to what isn't being said
I can usually be found: with my head in a book or drinking coffee, or both together.
I am scared: of leading a sedentary life.
I need: confirmation, security and excitement.
I am happy about: the many changes that have taken place to help me become a better person and more of the person I want to be. blessings in my life, may it be people or events.
I imagine: a future filled with travel, books, people, a place of my own to call home, a job in literature, or one that may combine my love of books and travel, and a man to share it with at the end of the day. oh and a big dog to wake me in the morning.

not bad

I've 11 work days, i've 17 days left in South Korea, and the United States is leading the Olympics with 11 medals. it's getting better all the time.

did I mention...

I only have 21 days left in South Korea...craziness to even think a whole year has almost passed since my arrival.

a day like any other I'm sure...

after five days of vacay it seems very difficult getting back into my routine of rising at 5 am. I don't know why this is a problem since I've done this nearly every day for almost 366 days. however, sunday night and last night I woke up three times in the night, disoriented thinking my alarm clock had went off and it was time for me to get up. ugh. thankfully I only have 16 more days of doing this. yes, 16 more work days. to some I may seem like a petulant child for my constant carping about my job, my countdown, and the whole shebang that be now distaste for my current institution. of course some of my gripes I could keep to myself, but I really do (at least in my little world where every thing I do has validation) have a good reason for so much bitching. furthermore, if I'm going to work a job that has no structure or organization what-so-ever, I can at least have a decent schedule. I'm not asking for appreciation, as one should never expect others to appreciate anything they do, but I am asking for someone to work with me if they expect me to work for them. so anyways, needless to say I'm looking forward to being homeward bound.

recently though I changed my desktop wallpaper, and I must say, there is an incentive to waking up in the morning, opening my laptop and seeing this:

Ryan Gosling (which I'm beginning to think puts all those men in my previous blog "grab a glass of water ladies" post to shame)

happy tuesday :0)

takn' it easy

per the usual, I met up with Narcisz for Starbucks and "girl time." however, today instead of going home afterwards, we were craving some Mc D's fries (although it was Narcisz's grand idea to go). Going to Mc D's is sometimes (more times than not) a hassle for me. I try speaking Korean, but they talk in English. I try speaking in English and they speak in Korean. what gives guys? this occasion was no different, but comfort food is always worth it. Afterwards we went went to the bakery, and did a little browsing. Despite the fact that Koreans say they don't like bread, there sure are a hell of a lot of bakeries (cute ones with cute names on every corner). a few pictures of our outing:

happy meal without the box (and substitute the coke for oj)

not feeling one bit guilty for eating the best fries in fast food

reinforcing the stereotype that westerners like copious amounts of ketchup
(Narcisz actually said "I said a lot, and they only give us five packs. you can't divide 5 by 2, what are they thinking?)

people watching: man taking a break under the shade of tree

Tour Les Jours bakery wins the cutest cake award

my corner

today, I took some lovely pictures of the view off of my "balcony," and despite the sweltering heat and the humidity (which makes me not want to leave my air conditioned corner), I want to take lots of pictures. The rich hues of the blossoms against the vivid green is something to behold.

second building in the Kwang Myeong complex

to the left, to the left: my neighbor's beautiful backyard

because I love b&w photos

the opposite way: out into the street

my cat-clawed journal on a blanket on the roof (I attempted to lay out, but the clouds had other plans)

gyeong-ju:beauty and spirit meet history

today I traveled to gyeong-ju, a city I've visited once before with Say (can be found in the March archives), but was unable to see all the things we wanted because of the crazy amount of snowfall.

Bulgulksa Temple:

prayer mounds

dabotap

years old beautiful architecture

a little more recent, but still beautiful

Seokkuram

Seokkuram is a hermitage and part of the Bulguksa temple complex. It lies four kilometers east of the temple on Mt. Tohamsan, in Gyeongju, South Korea. The grotto overlooks the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and rests 750 meters above sea level. In 1962, it was designated the 24th national treasure of Korea. In 1995, Seokguram was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Bulguksa Temple. It exemplifies some of the best Buddhist sculptures in the world. [1]

It is said to have been built by Gim Daeseong and originally called Seokbulsa (석불사, Stone Buddha Temple). Construction began in 742 when Gim Daeseong resigned his position in the king's court or in 751, the 10th year of the reign of King Gyeongdeok of Silla. This time period was the cultural peak of Unified Silla. The grotto was completed by the Silla court in 774, shortly after Gim's death. An old legend stated that Gim was reincarnated for his filial acts in his previous life. The legend relates that the Bulguksa Temple was dedicated to Gim’s parents in his present life while the Seokguram Grotto was dedicated to Gim's parents from a previous life.

It is now one of the best known cultural destinations in South Korea. A viewing of the sunrise over the sea is said to illuminate the whole room. (information from the infamous Wikipedia)

Gyeong-ju from the parking lot before Seokkuram

rocks that, to me, looked similar to the statues from Easter Island

the above building houses the amazingly beautiful grotto known as Seokkuram (we were unable to take pictures of the actual grotto, but one can click on the links in the info above to find out more)

the road (i.e steps) was actually like hiking a small mountain

the view from the aforementioned building that houses Seokkuram

lanterns with prayers from a recent ceremony

Flower Observatory:

gazebo in the middle

the huge leaves that my friend Sanjoe proved could be used as umbrellas in the event one doesn't have an umbrella

i wanted to take a million pictures of this one lotus flower, it was perfect.

oh the beauty that will be when it fully blossoms

other than the color, this picture looks as if it could've been taken years ago, as with so much of what is South Korea today

I was totally enamored by this field of flowers

despite the fact that his was a maintained field also part of the observator, there was an element of wildness and things untamed, which made it that much more beautiful

side by side to the end

beauty mark

at the right place at the right time

"as the spirit wanes, the form appears"

the tower used for mapping the stars

these mounds are actually tombs of the kings and queens of the Silla Dynasty

more mounds (the bigger the mound, the higher up in the hierarchy one was)

this is a king/queen mound along with officials next to it

I loved all the colors on this street vendor's cart because they really stood out with the greenness of everything and the setting of the sun in the background.