Live Everyday Like Its Your Last!

Well, I figured that I'd name this post that because at early dinner, or should I say snack, one of the women said that I seem like I was acting like I had one day to live because I wanted to do everything in the same day. I told her I live everyday like it's my last!Yhis blog would be better named things I love about Korea. As some of you know, I had been extremely homesick over the last month and was doing nothing but sitting in my room pouting on the weekends. Last weekend I snapped back to my old self that would say,"Go hard or go home! Give everything your best effort!". I realized that I was not trying to enjoy myself and decided that if I'm going to be here I need to give it my best effort. So after posting a request to hang out on a group wall on facebook. one of the lead members invited everyone to try Ethiopian food in Itaewon. I had never tried Ethipian food and you know I'm always down for a food adventure and meeting new people, so I went. We all went to club zion.
The food was slamming but the plates were small you had forgotten you had eaten a minute later.It was even more slamming because it was all paid for by the lead group memeber who had invited us, sister Sha.
Needless to say many of us were dissapointed, but it was so nice to be out with a group of educated black women traveling the world for various reasons. I mean I really enjoyed myself. We sat there for about two hours talking and laughing before we decided to cross the street to an american restaurant with bigger portions.

I couldn't even capture everyone with my camera.
By the way at the restaurant across the street, we crashed someone's birthday party and had our own party complete with drinks and hookah. Whats hookah you ask? Well the first time I heard it I though someone was saying hooker wrong. Since drugs are extremely illegal in Korea, they go to little cafe's and smoke Hookah out of a bong.Hokkah is a flavored tea that gives you a nice buzz or believe it or not. It has grades of how strong it can be too. Its fun and relaxing at the same time. Have Koreans not thought of everything! A few of us pretended to be bad asses though and take pictures like we were really doing something. Good times, Good times. I only have like 3 pics but I think like 11 people followed over to the second restaurant.














So after about two more hours ,2 hookahs, and a Tokyo Iced tea later three of decided to go to a Noraebang. Now I had never been to one but had heard about them. Its Karaoke with popular english american songs in a small secluded room with tv's, snacks, and drinks. Now talk about good times! I think Noraebang is for sure my most favorite place now. We sang our hearts out for...yup...you guessed it...2 hours! Eating popcorn fruit, drinking soju and Pepsi. I did not want to go home, but it was getting late and the fun had to end at some point.Plus I needed to get up so I could buy a webcam at yongsan market the next day.
do you notice the tomatoes on the fruit platter next to the grapes! I mean we all no it's a fruit but in Korean they stand by it! They even put it in Ice cream!
eeew!
keigh sing

kathleen sing

me sing

noraebang

me close

3s company

So yeah Yongsan is this electronics market with blocks and blocks of electronics. i had one very specific thing to buy, which was a webcam so my boo could see me while I'm away. So i kept it limited to the mall portion only which was still 7 floors jampacked with every electronic thing imaginable on sale. You can compare and ask around. i took a picture of a portion of the bottom floor. Like many malls in Korea, The techno mall is attached to the station at Yongsan station. At first i thought maybe I stumbled upon an airport but nope, It was just another train station. Coming from atlanta its a little fascinating because there is not even a vending machine inside the Marta station but here in Korea they have everything in the train station! For example the station that i take from my house (which is not a major station. Omokgyo) has a mall, a movie theater and a few restaurants in it!



yongsan station

yongsan mall

Speaking of Atlanta, some of my Atlanta readers can appreciate my need to take a photo of Mrs. Winners chicken in Korea! It's a chicken chain all opver the south and now I have spotted one in Korea! You got to love them!
chicken

Um... completely unrelated but let me finish. I finished my weekend at Emart which is like walmart. I figured it was the perfect way to end such an exciting weekend though I haver yet to tell you about my Friday, That'll be a later post some other time. Too much writing for one day. Anyway, I remembered about being amazed that the walking sidewalk is geatured everywhere in Korea, not just airports like at home. So i took a photo for you to view everyday life in the fast, convenient lane! Until next time. Anyong hi kaseyo!
emart

Where did all the posts go?

They didn't go anywhere. It is a new month and those new to the blogosphere, that means that they have been archived by date to your right. To catch up or view an old post simply click on the label you want to read or the month. Start from the bottom of the page and read up. Anyong-hi kaseyo!

HaPpy HAllOwEen!!! Muah ha ha

Well, my actual Halloween night was uneventful but, I wanted it like that. I stayed in the house, watched movies, and blogged. Actually, that's what I'm doing right now. However, I did attend the festivities at school (like I have a choice. It was fun actually. I got to dress up as a... yes, you guessed it...a witch!! Teacher witch Korean poses. my students were fighting over the camera that's why it's blurry. My bomb discount costume.lol.It was creative for a one time thing. Can you peep the striped tights? I think I've been the same thing every year that I was allowed to be something. The does and don'ts varied alot as a kid. Anyways, classes were shortened and we were able to scare the kids. First we brought the kids into the auditorium/kindergarten room and played a riddle game with them. Then, we had a best costume contest. For some reason All of the kids were witches, or some variation of the scream mask meets whatever they wanted, or the infamous skeleton hoodie. Nothing unique or spectacular here. little witch. I adore this girl. She is so sweet. I was cheering for her loudly even though like 7 other kids had the same costume on. I'm bad. This is one of my students. This kind of looks like his normal face no lie. Same bone structure.lol One of the contest There was only one girl who "thought outside the box" and dressed up as a cat.I have a picture. I digress... After the contest the kids participated in making mummy races with toilet paper. I decided to film the one student who didn't want to participate (just my luck. Oh its somewhere in this post).

After mummy races, the kids did a bootleg version of Bloody Mary. The crowd of children yelled Bloody Mary 3 times and my coworker who was dressed up as Freddy Krugar ran in the room and grabbed their heads with the claw. The young children cried. The older children were not impressed. Freddy. He's a little less scary as a midgit I must say. Lastly, one class at a time the students went into a dark room behind some curtain and got scared. The school called it "Trick or Treating" though I don't quite get this concept. They did give candy afterwards to the brave souls that went in but no one knocked on the door, or even said the words "trick or treat". Whatever this is Korea. After all that fun they asked the children to go back to class to pass in homework and take a test. Needless to say, alot of students failed and made the warning board that day (Side note: Warning board is a great disciplinary tool they use at the school where every time you have to speak to a child you put them on the warning board. After 3 warnings they go see the director whom either takes these stickers that are worth money away or whoops them depending on the offense. One time this child had a whooping worthy offense and he got yoked up right out of the chair in the middle of class. After his beat down the director sat him in his chair and there were no more problems. I love warning board.) Ok so Halloween... Oh yeah, as staff we had to dress up too. I was a witch like I said, my coworkers were a vampire, a baseball player, a boxer, Freddy Krugar,Snowhite, a doctor, and a nerd from return of the nerds. I never know who may read this blog so I'll keep my comments about some of the people and their costumes at bay but just know I have some comments. Some here...some not. nerd the doctor boxer the staff Last but certainly not least, I took some photos of the children that make me happy. Now I believe you should never let children know, especially by words or actions, that you may favor some over the others but, the truth is that you probably do. I was down in the dumps upon arriving to school and my first 2 classes picked my mood right up. They always do. They're great. The third class seems to do the opposite but there is one here or there whom I still favor. They're a rowdy bunch but, I love them. They're the reason you become a teacher. Theyr're so sweet,eager to learn, and compete to please the teacher. If only the whole world were like them. Class 2- I don't know, they are definetly tied with class 1 for being my favorites. they're more calm and collected. It's amazing how the classes have personalities as a whole. These are my babies! Silver lining on every cloud student. I have her sister in my other class and she's the same way. They even look alike! Now I know, I would say if reading this, "They all look alike" but, when you see siblings it's like damn! How did your parents refine the genes to a science? I mean twin status even if they're years apart! Well that's a wrap my friends. I must go but, until next time anyong hi kaseyo!!!

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

Im So Hood

"Yeah I wear my pants below my waist....If you get closer to my house than you know what Im talking about"...I dont know how many of you know that song but, I promise it's my theme for Korea. Ps. That picture is my hood girl Seandriqua (alter ego) look from back in the day.SO, I figured I'd update you on hood item number 24: Drying clothes. So as you may have seen from the video in my previous entry, my wash machine is in the bathroom.and I have no shower stall or actual sink, only space and a drain. So basically I can brush my teeth, wash a load, and take a shower at the same time. Multitasking, mulitasking.Koreans don't play that slacker one at a time bulls***!!! Anyways, I dont have a dryer though. Just a drying rack that is up on the roof in the dark corner behind the spooky door which I dare not go to. There are these tacky hooks in my wall though... coat hooks. Why are they sporatically placed on the wall in my living room?I dont know. I stopped asking questions after the third day. My only answer is that it is Korean. Enough said. So I took the liberty of using my wall as a drying rack, which by the way, works exceptionally well. Ondol heating (home heating through a water system in your floor) is very good at drying out everything in your home including your lips.Cocoa butter is a must.
Here is a photo below.

Ok problem number two: my students think im so fat that I'm pregnant. Which I am not by the way. The pregnant teacher who they are mixing me up with is anorexic as bleep bleep bleep, so I see why they are confused. Her baby is going to be born with washboard abs!! Im getting to the plump side by American standards but I'm morbid by Korean standards and I wear a juniors 9. Whats up with that. I had to vent. Its all good now. Chao! or actually Anyong hi kaseyo!

HOLY MOLY!!!!

Korean television is made for adults only!!! Oh and I've posted alot since yesterday so if you havent checked me out in a minute keep scrolling down. Then read up. Watch this entire commercial though. I peeped this on someone else's blog cuz my tv is broken from the previous teacher.IT s bananas!!!

Its a beautiful day in the neighborHOOD

An old school Korean House though you wont see these unless you ride about 3 hours out on a back road.
SO let me post what the alleys that lead to my house look like. I live in the slums of Korea but, I'm over it because about 5 alley turns, 2 stray dogs, and an ajumma (old behind Korean ladies who are usually hacking sars) down I'm right around the corner from the high life. The apartments next door to me are about 1 million US dollars because this is the nice side of town and I'm not being sarcastic. In a crowded city like this you can't have your cake and eat it too...(theres just not enough, be happy if you see it). So here's some videos. Oh and loweron this page... remember how I mentioned that Korean are special... well um I think their confused. The straight ment act like fagots with man bags( I mean full on pocket book), cutesy cartoon shirts that are smedium as hell, and holding hands and sitting on the laps of their bff.Its everywhere really. I tried to take some pictures inconspicously, so work with me here. You see him all bood the hell up? huh? you do, yeah thats his homeboy. No homo. and though blurry, peep his skinny jeans, noxema night cream skin, and pocket book. Hes actually very masculine compared to what I've been seeing. I'll try again for picks tommorrow.