Life in the R.O.K

Yesterday, after reviewing my blog to find if anything would be offensive to my new audience/my family, I realized it took alot to get here. For a while, all I had been talking about was going home. I wasn't even really enjoying Korea as much. As I returned from the COEX mall today and walked down the back alley(most definetly a back ally. It is so hood) to my home,


I realized no matter how simple or whatever my life in the R.O.K (Republic of Korea)has been, I'm living my dream. A part of it. No it hasn't been very foreign, life altering, or really anything dramatic as I expected but,here I am standing in the middle of an opportunity to do whatever I want with my life and I'm going to take it. Not many people find thereselves in a position to do what they want, with all there ducks lined up in a row. Like I said before, I use my blog also for clearing my mind.
So...on to the next topic. Today I stumbled across the COEX mall. Well, I don't really think you can stumble across it. This mall is gigantic. It is the mall of malls. I was going to meet my friend for sushi and she told me to meet her at Samseong. When I got there she casually pointed and said, "That's where the rich hang out." Then we walked inside. I was definetly thinking WTF are we going in there then.lol but, I kept my mouth shut.


I should have taken pictures of the meal display but, I've eaten sushi before so I really didn't think about it. We went to this place that had Sushi plates on a moving display that went from the back of the kitchen and around the table. You simply grabbed the plates of the belt, and stacked them to your left. At the end of dinner. The woman added your plates up by color and your out. It was quite filling and mashi suyo/delicious! Then we walked around the mall.Oh, I stopped and made a wish at the wishing well too. It took me back to my childhood when I deeply believed in wishing wells. The mall overall took me back to my preteen years in the late 90s. They had so many American places in there. Even better they had American sizes in shoes and clothes, which is virtually impossible to find in Korea. They had Bennigans, that went out of business in the states amongst a few others. They also had Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Burger King, On the Border, Dunkin Donuts, KFC, and a whole lot more that I didn't make it to because I was so tired from walking around. They also had Nintendo, FUBU (WTF Americans don't even like that anymore and isn't it For Us By Us meaning black people?)
,a music store with old school artists(Method Man, old Mary, 50 Cent, etc), and some other oldies but goddies that I can't remember. I was constantly like, " oh wow, they have that here?".I'm going back again, when I can buy something other than a face mask. Face mask are heavily worn here in Korea. It's supposed to protect you from outside germs, even though it's cloth, or your germs from the outside if you're sick. I bought one because when it's cold, it keeps you warm with your breath(I know how that sounds.lol).
Until next time, anyong hi kaseyo/Goodbye!

The South Gate-Naumdemeun Market

I really think that I should name this post, "That's So Korean, Episode 26". I'm all for sucking up this whole experience and keeping myself entertained. Anyways, I went to the grocery store the other day to buy some food so that I can begin my diet and save money. Now, whilst at the store I noticed there was a pack of colorful sausages. It even had green sausages. Now, I understand most people would say, " Hecky naw" and run the other way but I, I had dreams of seeing what they taste like and making a remix of green eggs and ham in the morning. So below, I show you...breakfast!



green eggs and ham remix...green ham and eggs! How you like them apples

Of course this did not end my Korean food escapades!!! Saturday evening I went to meet a woman for the first time. I need friends. I really wanted to see the much raved about Naumdemeun Market. It is large, but it's not my type of party. You have to search blocks and blocks to find anything out of the ordinary. Many of the stands were seafood stands, bootleg pocket books and socks. Which, lets face it, you can find on any corner in Korea and I mean any! I guess the best part is you can haggle and always ask for a discount there (kaka chuseyo in Korean), which I hear is the only way to go. So after window shopping and wish listing items in my head for all of 45 minutes I was worn out and hungry. My new friend said it seems that I seem that I'm always hungry.lol. Yes it is truth. Anyways, we stopped by a street food stand and ordered a plate of sweet and spicy sesame ochinga/squid. minus the "bones", which I was unaware squid was supposed to have, it was Mashi Soyo/delicious.


squiggly squid.say that 10 times fast

At my meal, we also had some Soju. Soju is like a Korean vodka but weaker. Not much weaker. It does a number on your stomach before it does one on your mood. It's in every 7/11 and evry restaurant around and It's only a dollar at most places. Only half a bottle will get you started right. So after our meal, I needed to visit the ladies room. Now I had heard of the asian public restrooms but they all looked like home to me until last night. Not only is it like a urinal in the floor, but it's really an aim and balancing combo mixed into one. The stall is small, and I'm a lady. I usually don't have to worry about aiming, but If you dont want to get your boot like I did, then start practing before you visit because it is no joke. The bathroom is nasty like most public restrooms are so, you'll probably be wearing a coat, holding your purse, balance and aim all at the same time. Dont try it drunk.



Next"That's So Korean" topic: Beyonce at BaviPhat?!
Um..so, while at the market we passed this store named Baviphat with pictures of Beyonce everywhere. I'm still a little confused about this one. Since when do you promote knock offs with the wrong person.Like if i have a bootleg Vera Wang dress I'm hustling, Is it ok to put photos of Lucy Lui from Charlie's Angels outside my stand. Don't I want to convince you it's as close to the real thing as possible? Anyway, If you don't know, Kimora Lee produced the BabyPhat line. It was not BaviPhat and it wasn't Beyonce. Beyonce is House of Dereon, which by the way, was the products they were selling I think. I didn't know Beyonce had a make up line. If not, In Korea she does. Dereon make up. "No black color" or at least that's what the store salesperson told me. Im a just leave that alone all together.


Beyonce at Baviphat

By the end of the night, after a meet up here, a phone call there, and a bump into some new random girl there, I had a great time with three new friends. I don't have a photo for the last one but,it was cool. I think I can come off the facebook now since I know about a good 6 or 7 people. I'm not even a good manger of time like that. We'll see.



Last but, certainly not least, photos of the top of the market. This is one entrance but there is no way you can take a picture of it all.




naumdemeun photos