Busan- sand castle
Busan- while hiking
Gyeongju (my mom)
Daejon Arboretum
Daejon Technology Park
Gumi
Jeonju
Jeonju Gate
Daegu Park
Saturday, October 3, 2009
One Year- Where I've Been
Busan- board walk
Busan- sand castle
Busan- while hiking
Gyeongju (my mom)
Daejon Arboretum
Daejon Technology Park
Gumi
Jeonju
Jeonju Gate
Daegu Park
Busan- sand castle
Busan- while hiking
Gyeongju (my mom)
Daejon Arboretum
Daejon Technology Park
Gumi
Jeonju
Jeonju Gate
Daegu Park
Monday, April 13, 2009
Quick Island Get-a-way
Recently we had an overnight staff trip to an island down by the bottom of Korea (Gojae Island). It was a lot of fun. The first night we went outside and had a Korean style BBQ (rib meat on the grill like in an earlier post). That was the first time in Korea I’ve eaten BBQ outside. We ate right off the grill. It was almost like an American BBQ with Korean food. After that we did karaoke in the living room.
The next morning we took a ferry to this other island (Wae-doh) that’s absolutely beautiful. It’s this amazing garden that you walk through and it takes a couple of hours. It’s privately owned and kept up by this one rich guy. It’s open to the public for tours for only $5.
Here’s some pictures
me and my girls (janna and melissa)
Below are pictures from the 2nd island, Wae-doh.
I loved that field of yellow flowers, it was great to take pics in (my coworker Bella)
one of our staff, Vicky- she's teaching me korean!
my coworkers jake, my boss kate, janna, vicky
me and my coworker Janna
I just love these steps (my coworker Melissa)
these are some shots from the ferry
this is the view up high of an earlier part of the tour... it's designed so beautifully
spring is here
The next morning we took a ferry to this other island (Wae-doh) that’s absolutely beautiful. It’s this amazing garden that you walk through and it takes a couple of hours. It’s privately owned and kept up by this one rich guy. It’s open to the public for tours for only $5.
Here’s some pictures
me and my girls (janna and melissa)
Below are pictures from the 2nd island, Wae-doh.
I loved that field of yellow flowers, it was great to take pics in (my coworker Bella)
one of our staff, Vicky- she's teaching me korean!
my coworkers jake, my boss kate, janna, vicky
me and my coworker Janna
I just love these steps (my coworker Melissa)
these are some shots from the ferry
this is the view up high of an earlier part of the tour... it's designed so beautifully
spring is here
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
You may have lived in Korea too long if...
On a lazy Sunday afternoon my friends and I came up with this...
Living in Korea... maybe you don't speak the language, or fully understand the culture, but still, you're comfortable here. You may even call it home. It took a while, but now...
You know you've been in Korea too long when...
1. You notice your English has gotten worse, but your hand gestures have gotten better.
2. You don't think it's noteworthy that everything is good for stamina, well being or your skin.
3. You're thankful for the mirrors that are everywhere, and actually use them.
4. You use your floor heating as a clothes dryer and know exactly how many articles of clothing will fit on your floor.
5. In a restaurant you turn down a fork, are shocked to see a knife on the table, but are unfazed by the scissors.
6. You don't notice the appearance of corn in unexpected places.
7. You like the randomness of the things you get for free.
8. Your standard of western food has dropped so low that what was once ok is now wonderful.
9. You aren't surprised by sweet pickles and know it’s a sign you’re eating “foreign food”.
10. You take your shoes off when you walk into your house, and put shoes on to walk into the bathroom.
11. You rarely eat a meal without rice in some form.
12. You don't notice people in couple outfits.
13. You no longer notice you're being followed in stores.
14. You aren't bothered by being stared at.
15. You think it's normal for cars to park on the sidewalk.
16. You're not bothered by not getting what you ordered because the waitress didn't understand you.
17. You go to a restaurant and are impressed if you are given more than one menu for your party of ten.
18. You tune out the fruit vendor trucks, the store opening trucks and everything broadcast from a moving vehicle.
19. You no longer believe in waiting in line.
20. You finally realize polite has a different meaning.
21. You know the questions to ask about the state of the public restroom.
22. You don't expect to get hot water in a public building.
23. You automatically give and receive things with two hands.
24. You accept that waffles are a dessert item and not just for breakfast.
25. You find the genius in the way everything is individually wrapped and packaged.
26. You find the toaster oven has become an integral part of how you cook… and an ingenious way to bake.
27. You can finally discern the alphabet on signs.
28. You are no longer distracted by the loud music playing as you shop.
29. You recognize each store's theme song and know that each store has it's own theme song.
30. You know there is no such thing as copyright.
31. You actually understand the appeal of 'Big Bang' and the 'Wonder Girls'.
32. You know that “Crack” has a completely different meaning here.
33. You know more about the current hot drama than about world events.
34. You eat seaweed at least 5 times a week and don't find it strange.
35. You've seen a vending machine sell both mentos and condoms and think 'useful'.
36. You own and use a pollution or yellow dust mask.
37. You know everything can be made take out, delivered in 15 minutes from the time you call and are surprised when you don't get real plates and flatware.
38. You accept you're going to be considered odd if you're not married or currently dating.
39. You know that “orange” (light brown) is a hair color and straight perms are a way of life.
40. You realize cute is timeless, and everything can be made cuter.
41. You understand that the stationary store is the equivalent to the toy store for Korean kids.
42. You notice when a person doesn't have a cell phone charm and wonder why they don't.
43. Your 5-year-old student has a better cell phone than you and you're not bothered by it.
44. You think it's normal for high school students to go to school until 10 pm.
45. You claim you can't sing, but still break into song at the Noo-rae-bang.
46. You no longer notice the Korean subtitles at the bottom of English TV shows and when you do, you find yourself trying to follow them.
47. You don't expect the check to be automatically brought to you at the end of a meal.
48. You know that chopsticks aren't just for eating with, but are an essential tool with many uses.
49. You no longer notice you're the only foreigner in a place.
50. You speak in “Konglish” (saying some words in Korean and other words in English in one sentence).
51. You think of squid and kimchi for a 4th of july bbq, but hot dogs never occur to u.
52. You use words like "fighting", "cunning" and "fishing" but have now adopted the korean meaning for them.
53. You have adopted korean holidays as your own.
54. You think in a korean accent
55. Your debit card won't swipe anymore
Living in Korea... maybe you don't speak the language, or fully understand the culture, but still, you're comfortable here. You may even call it home. It took a while, but now...
You know you've been in Korea too long when...
1. You notice your English has gotten worse, but your hand gestures have gotten better.
2. You don't think it's noteworthy that everything is good for stamina, well being or your skin.
3. You're thankful for the mirrors that are everywhere, and actually use them.
4. You use your floor heating as a clothes dryer and know exactly how many articles of clothing will fit on your floor.
5. In a restaurant you turn down a fork, are shocked to see a knife on the table, but are unfazed by the scissors.
6. You don't notice the appearance of corn in unexpected places.
7. You like the randomness of the things you get for free.
8. Your standard of western food has dropped so low that what was once ok is now wonderful.
9. You aren't surprised by sweet pickles and know it’s a sign you’re eating “foreign food”.
10. You take your shoes off when you walk into your house, and put shoes on to walk into the bathroom.
11. You rarely eat a meal without rice in some form.
12. You don't notice people in couple outfits.
13. You no longer notice you're being followed in stores.
14. You aren't bothered by being stared at.
15. You think it's normal for cars to park on the sidewalk.
16. You're not bothered by not getting what you ordered because the waitress didn't understand you.
17. You go to a restaurant and are impressed if you are given more than one menu for your party of ten.
18. You tune out the fruit vendor trucks, the store opening trucks and everything broadcast from a moving vehicle.
19. You no longer believe in waiting in line.
20. You finally realize polite has a different meaning.
21. You know the questions to ask about the state of the public restroom.
22. You don't expect to get hot water in a public building.
23. You automatically give and receive things with two hands.
24. You accept that waffles are a dessert item and not just for breakfast.
25. You find the genius in the way everything is individually wrapped and packaged.
26. You find the toaster oven has become an integral part of how you cook… and an ingenious way to bake.
27. You can finally discern the alphabet on signs.
28. You are no longer distracted by the loud music playing as you shop.
29. You recognize each store's theme song and know that each store has it's own theme song.
30. You know there is no such thing as copyright.
31. You actually understand the appeal of 'Big Bang' and the 'Wonder Girls'.
32. You know that “Crack” has a completely different meaning here.
33. You know more about the current hot drama than about world events.
34. You eat seaweed at least 5 times a week and don't find it strange.
35. You've seen a vending machine sell both mentos and condoms and think 'useful'.
36. You own and use a pollution or yellow dust mask.
37. You know everything can be made take out, delivered in 15 minutes from the time you call and are surprised when you don't get real plates and flatware.
38. You accept you're going to be considered odd if you're not married or currently dating.
39. You know that “orange” (light brown) is a hair color and straight perms are a way of life.
40. You realize cute is timeless, and everything can be made cuter.
41. You understand that the stationary store is the equivalent to the toy store for Korean kids.
42. You notice when a person doesn't have a cell phone charm and wonder why they don't.
43. Your 5-year-old student has a better cell phone than you and you're not bothered by it.
44. You think it's normal for high school students to go to school until 10 pm.
45. You claim you can't sing, but still break into song at the Noo-rae-bang.
46. You no longer notice the Korean subtitles at the bottom of English TV shows and when you do, you find yourself trying to follow them.
47. You don't expect the check to be automatically brought to you at the end of a meal.
48. You know that chopsticks aren't just for eating with, but are an essential tool with many uses.
49. You no longer notice you're the only foreigner in a place.
50. You speak in “Konglish” (saying some words in Korean and other words in English in one sentence).
51. You think of squid and kimchi for a 4th of july bbq, but hot dogs never occur to u.
52. You use words like "fighting", "cunning" and "fishing" but have now adopted the korean meaning for them.
53. You have adopted korean holidays as your own.
54. You think in a korean accent
55. Your debit card won't swipe anymore
Sunday, March 15, 2009
K-pop
I decided to fill people in on the culture with samples of current popular music. Here’s some that I like. I tried to find them all with subtitles for you, but when watching them I found it distracts from the beat. But either way… enjoy!
extreme
saturday night
it's you
lolipop
sorry sorry
There’s another song called “crazy” by son dam bi, but the video was a little racey for the blog.
extreme
saturday night
it's you
lolipop
sorry sorry
There’s another song called “crazy” by son dam bi, but the video was a little racey for the blog.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
My Birthday
I had a lot of fun on my birthday. Between hanging out with people on the 5th here and all the internet birthday wishes from home (on the 5th in EST), it was like my birthday was two days long with the time difference. In the morning I met up with some friends from church and had coffee. After work that night all of the staff and teachers went out for dinner downtown. They brought a cake that was the best cake I’ve had here. In traditional Korean fasion, after dinner we went to a noorae-bang (karaoke room- it’s a place you go to where your group has their own private room to sing in. They have tons of Korean and American songs.) I teamed up with my coworker Melissa to have a chance at making a pleasant sound, but she had the same idea and so we sounded terrible… but it was a lot of fun. My boss pulled out the Mariah Carey and Beyonce and nailed them. By the end of the night we knew this would have to be a regular event.
The group at dinner
My cake
Dinner
A picture with the boss
Outside of the noorae-bang (karaoke)
The group at dinner
My cake
Dinner
A picture with the boss
Outside of the noorae-bang (karaoke)
Monday, February 9, 2009
Skiing
I went skiing with my coworkers and a bunch of my friends from church. We had so much fun! We took a train ride down to Busan early in the morning. As we approached the mountains I thought to myself, “they have absolutely no snow on them?” (Apparently it only snows up north in Seoul. Here in Daegu it has only snowed once.) So all the snow on the slope was man-made. Some quick differences are… the chair lift is wider. It fits 6 people so the lines for the lifts are so short. You can also rent a snowsuit.
I’ve only been skiing a few times in my life, but some of you know that I loved it the first day. Usually when I do the first run of the day I need some time to “find my legs” and get used to it again, but this time it was instantaneous. I improved a lot that day and even got so I felt very comfortable on the “black square” which I guess is harder than intermediate, but easier than black diamond.
Here are a few pictures…
I’ve only been skiing a few times in my life, but some of you know that I loved it the first day. Usually when I do the first run of the day I need some time to “find my legs” and get used to it again, but this time it was instantaneous. I improved a lot that day and even got so I felt very comfortable on the “black square” which I guess is harder than intermediate, but easier than black diamond.
Here are a few pictures…
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