Turning back a few pages: CHINA CHAPTER

Although it seems over whelming to back track experiences from over a year ago, I am going to take a stab at it. I figure one day I will be thankful that I took the time to write down anything, even if an entire year has since past from the actual event. September 2010 Danielle and I visited the land of live scorpions on a stick and sketchy taxi drivers. Beijing, China. Danielle and I attended the same high school; she arrived in Mokpo 2 months after me and 4 months before Emma. We instantly grew close but once we survived China together we knew we were bonded for life.

Like the over paranoid Miami girls we are, we read and researched every detail about China. We read you should only get in Taxi's that start a meter, take a business card from your hotel (so you can always find your way back), say no to people offering to drink tea with you, and bargain like you have never bargained before at the markets that sell everything except babies (at least we don't think they do). We arrived in China and instantly knew... we were no longer in Kansas.

As soon as we stepped onto the subway we were harassed by two strange men that instantly put us on high alert. When we came out of the subway we stepped out into the rain with suitcases that were clearly way too big for 5 nights. We searched for a Taxi but it immediately became clear to us that it wasn't going to happen. So we walked. In the rain. With giant rolling suitcases. And we found our little hotel/motel down a traditional Chinese alley otherwise known as a "Hutong". Maybe this sounds a little scary but let me reiterate the extensive research done before crossing into the communist land of China. I studied the subways, circled our stops, printed walking directions and read every traveling tip available... these girls were not going down in China.

So after arriving in our Beijing motel, we took one look at each other and smiled because the first battle had been won. We slept for several hours and then we started on foot once again. This time we were heading to the "Wangfujing Market".. my handy book recommended such a place. I should pause and give a whole hearted recommendation for my favorite travel book/guide... "Eyewitness Travel (Insert place you are going here)". Upon arriving at the market, we were immediately aware that we were in fact in China. As I mentioned before, live scorpions on a stick, starfish on a stick, seahorses.... It wasn't all repulsive though, Danielle and I shared this peanut butter crumble stuff that is forever dubbed "Peanut butter delight". After an eventful day we celebrated American style at "Outback Steakhouse".

The next day it was time to hit the ground running. Having previously heard the food in China was disgusting, I didn't have high hopes for our first meal. A piece of advice when traveling in Asia and you don't know what to eat, find dumplings and noodles. And that's exactly what we did, more than once I might add. We found the food in Beijing delicious, Peking duck and dumplings were really as traditional as we got though.

We headed straight to the "Forbidden City" which we found mildly interesting but definitely not the highlight of the trip. In the days to follow we visited the Summer Palace which was more impressive, a Kung Fu show, the Lama Temple, and of course The Great Wall. The Great Wall was massive, mind blowing, beautiful, and really hard to climb. Pictures can really be deceiving, those steps are hyperventilating steep. My traveling advice to future visitors of China, don't book a tour to the wall!! The site is quite a bit removed from the actual city of Beijing so typically people join a tour for transportation purposes. But you will land yourself being toted around to different factories such as Jade, Silk, and Tea. You will spend double the time at these "added in stops" then the actual wall. If possible, hire a taxi to the wall and skip the nonsense.

All good vacations have a good party. After dealing with the hustle and bustle of rude cab drivers, unhelpful locals, and general fear.. we needed a place to meditate. Well some people meditate, some people sing, others drink Baileys on ice :) This is precisely what we did in "Hou Hai", more than once. One bar after the other with live music, delicious food, and a lake view. This was our sanity, our reward for survival. Although I will say my handy dandy book recommended a restaurant in another "hot spot" of Beijing called Sanlitun.

My book described a restaurant built into a tree, and the instructions were similar to this... turn right after the corner, walk 5 minutes and make a right at one of the 20 alleys, then left behind a chain fence. And there you will find amazing pizza at a restaurant that has been uniquely designed. The mission to find this local hang out was no simple task. But after enlisting the cab drivers help, and asking every person who could seemingly speak English... we found the brick oven pizza place around the corner, down an alley, behind a fence, built around a tree that dangled branches into the seating area. Lesson in travel, never give up. Find those highly recommended local restaurants, in the end... this restaurant was one of the best experiences. We were just so proud of ourselves for finding it I think.

Markets that sell fake things require Advil, a backbone, and deep breaths. We went to the "Pearl Market" on our last day. It's a five story building of complete chaos but respectfully the better looking replicas of brand names you will ever see. I had sellers grabbing my arms, and I even experienced the immense hatred when you don't buy anything. One lady actually told me she hated me. Shame, I really had intended a life long friendship with her. If an item was quoted at $120, you literally didn't pay more then $30. That's where the backbone came into play, you really had to fight the good fight if you wanted anything. This was really hard for us because it was our last day in China and we were completely over it.

Stepping on to the plane and hearing the Korean woman talk on the loud speaker was a bigger relief then we could have imagined. We were going home. To a safe place, where guns are illegal, drugs are non existent, and people are helpful and kind. Korea :)

I Have Failed!

Like most that vow to continue a blog and share their travels, I have failed! I constantly walk around and think of what I would say in my blog. However, I always feel like it's too late. I have been in South Korea for 15 months; so much has transpired since I last blogged. It appears the last entry was August of last year... yikes!!

In an attempt to salvage my blog gone wrong, I am going to jump in feet first and just start here. I have been to China, the Philippines, and Japan!! I extended my contract 6 months, switched schools, moved into a new apartment and most importantly have had the extreme pleasure of welcoming my best friend Emma into South Korea. It is safe to say this is the single most life changing decision I have ever made in my life. College is cool, you should definitely go, but travel... travel changes who you are, what goals you have, and how you see the world.

So, here it goes, yet another vow to properly depict what this experience means to me via blog. I can and will in fact document my amazing experience in South Korea in the upcoming 3 months I have left. I am asking for your forgiveness in terms of grammar, possible spelling mistakes and any other ridiculous error I make while blogging. This is because, any opportunity I get, I am just going to write. No fancy stuff.

Recently I worked on a project called “A Day in My Korean Shoes”. Basically I carried my camera around with the hopes of capturing all the key moments of my daily life. Above are a few photos from school. Emma and I work together and we live next door to one another in the same apartment building. I also added a picture of my schedule. As you can see there are several abbreviations such as POL , SCI, LIB. We work in an “English camp”, the classes are all themed, POL (police station), SCI (science), LIB (library). The classrooms are cool and it’s an interesting way for the kids to learn English. We also have classes such as hotel, hospital, karaoke, indoor park, cooking… I really like the schedule from this particular week. Not because I had a day off but because my classes are all different. Generally we have the same classroom for a 2 week rotation. After 2 weeks of teaching hospital class 6 times a day, CPR becomes mind numbing to teach.

In the morning, you can see my fantastic coworkers stand outside ever so enthusiastically to greet the students. The students stroll in wearing their “outdoor” shoes, only to pull out an additional pair of shoes from their backpacks. They immediately switch to “indoor” shoes to avoid dragging in dirt with their street shoes. All schools are like this, all kids wear slippers inside. That’s different. And of course you can see a picture of one of my classes and the little monsters I teach day in and day out.

This is certainly a good start to turn around my epic fail as a blogger. Let’s see if I can keep it up.

Survival With The Finest

The key to survival in a foreign country is foreigner friends. Everything is different: the food, language, currency, and sizes. Break all of those things down and apply them to everyday life, generally there is an obstacle in front of all day-to-day activities.

Let's take for example ordering a pizza. Ask yourself how do you read the restaurant name if its written in Hangul (Korean Alphabet), moving forward where do you find the number, and take it to the last step when you call...um do you think the pizza man speaks English? Not exactly. So there goes the possibility of ordering take out! You have to go in person to order anything and hope it’s a picture friendly establishment. You point at what looks good and hope it doesn't have squid on it, once you have accomplished the ordering process the cashier gives you a total. That's great and all but you really don't know what was said so you just pass a lot of money and smile :)

This is where friends who have a few more months living in Korea can really be the key to your sanity. I have literally followed Marie around the grocery store to learn the simplest things. It's 10 cents just to get a shopping cart. In the produce section you select your veggies and get them all individually weighed. Marie was kind enough to even show me which brands she has been happiest with because there’s no chance were going to read the labels. It's all trial and error, which can be fun and exciting, but sometimes you just want to read if your granola bars are raisin or chocolate! Steve and Marie explained composting and the special trash bags I am expected to purchase. Without them I would not be eating antibiotic free eggs nor would I be disposing of my trash properly.

I learned which face creams and lotions to buy because my girlfriend Kim showed me during a weekend shopping trip. This seems like a simple enough thing to figure out on your own except Korean women think being very pale skinned is beautiful. How do these otherwise tan individuals achieve such white skin? Well bleach of course! Buying any beauty product is scary because they all have a touch of bleach added. Luckily Kim has saved me from bleaching a face I have worked so hard to tan!

Set shopping aside and figure out where the restaurants and bars are that you can most easily order a dish or buy a drink? You follow the other foreigners because they followed other foreigners and it’s a wealth of knowledge being passed on to crazy people who decide to move to Korea. We tend to eat at restaurants with pictures and English translations added to the menu. We drink at the foreigner friendly bars, and it has been properly communicated which bars are foreigner friendly. I listen intently when people order so I can learn to do the same. I ask constant questions to all of my new friends. "What is...." Bulgogi (Beef), Buldak (spicy chicken), Donkatsu (pork chop), Bibimbop (rice & Veggies), Omurice (rice wrapped in an Omelette), or my personal favorite Ssamjang (Bean and Chili pepper paste). I wouldn't know what any of these things were if I wasn't constantly met with unwavering friendliness.

As for weekend fun I have been a student in that department too! Joining in weekend activities to local beaches via bus or ferry. It has been exciting learning how to get to the ferry terminal, where to buy your tickets, and hustling to get a seat without being knocked over by a Korean. We have spent several days going to a close Island called Oedaldo (the O has a W sound). Though it is hot the weather has been beautiful and monsoon season is finally just about over. Oedaldo Island has pools filled with ocean water and a lot of Koreans hiding from the sun under shelter. You can spot my foreigner friends easily, they’re the ones standing in sunlight and the only people swimming without full cover ups on. I am one of the very few walking around in a bikini. Oh well, what can you do?

Each and every day I learn something new about Korea. I never stop seeing new things, trying new food, and learning more Korean phrases. I can't imagine how lost I would be if I didn't have awesome people pointing me in the right direction and taking me along for the ride. So many many many thanks to all of the amazing people I have met.

Dear Korea

Dear Korea,

We have officially been together for two months! While these two months have been among the most fascinating and wonderful in my life, it is safe to say I don't really understand everything about you. Marie really says it best, "oh Korea and your many contradictions". When moving to Mokpo I had not anticipated the lack of shoulders that women would show. It doesn't matter how stifling hot it may be; you can always count on Korean women covering their shoulders completely, tank tops are a no go. Which runs us into contradiction number 1, why such tiny skirts and shorts? It seems a little odd that there isn't a shoulder in sight but butt cheeks everywhere.

Walking around in the grocery store and trying to avoid all possible butt cheeks is difficult enough, but than you have to also avoid being pushed! Well Korea, this is where your 2nd contradiction confuses me. Why would a Country that focuses on manners such as bowing find pushing and shoving socially acceptable? I think bowing is sweet and all but I would rather you skipped the bow and didn't push me to get to the dried squid quicker.

I had a meeting a few weeks back and I was held after so I could be "learned" on Korean manner. Apparently Ms. Lee thought I should be informed it’s considered rude to cross my legs in front of those older than me. Ok, I get it; it's just a little cultural difference in terms of what is polite and what is not. But than contradiction number 3 Korea...tell everyone in your Country to stop slurping their food and smacking it around in their mouth.

The topic of food is also an important thing to mention. Note: your traditional Korean food has really grown on me. What I am confused about it is how the people stay so skinny. Contradiction number 4. The people here love their ice cream, candy, and iced coffee. When they do sit down for any traditional Korean meal, though it is considerably healthy they eat a massive amount. Ramen is a definite favorite and white rice is eaten with all 3 meals, these are not exactly healthy choices. I mean it really just doesn't make sense to me, how are these people so thin with this type of diet?

Most people know that Korea is advanced in terms of technology and it has a reputation for having great cell phones. I have learned that is in fact true, most people talk on their cell phones via video chat and often times there are antennas coming out of them because they are watching TV. Contradiction number 5, why the heck aren't there any dryers?!? Hang drying your clothes while watching TV on your cell phone is not exactly in the same decade in terms of "convenience inventions".

Speaking of decades and evolving cultures I am more than confused about another socially acceptable "behavior". In Korea you are supposed to hold out two hands to receive something that is being given to you. Well that seems like a nice tradition, one I am happy to adopt. Contradiction number 6, those same hands can be used for hitting your wife... in public. The same person who thought up the two-hand pass should probably spread the word that hitting your wife isn't exactly polite.

I walked out of my apartment and went to my composting bin to dump some old food; I am being "green". Composting is a great idea although not exactly pleasurable when you prop open the bin to drop your goods. However, it's great that Korea is partaking in such acts and I am happy to contribute. Contradiction number 7, why aren't there any garbage cans or dumpsters anywhere? Were supposed to leave garbage bags under a light pole but most of the time since their are no public trash cans the light poles turn into a giant trash pile. Well Korea, composting is wonderful but I think some proper waste bins would actually be a better start.

Overall you aren't perfect but nothing is. Your scenery is beautiful and the people are kind. We have only been together two months and although I miss my family, I already feel like it's going too fast. I have been making great friends while teaching awesome kids. Your many contradictions are amusing but I have grown to really respect this tiny Country.

Jeju Island

My third weekend in Korea was the most impressive experience yet. I had been told I would be going on a work retreat to Jeju Island (the Hawaii of Korea) and of course I had every hesitation known to man. I was excited to see a new city but I honestly had no idea what to expect and I was very nervous. Amy and Mr. Lee picked up Steve, Marie, and myself on Saturday morning. Of course Marie and I being of the same mold packed entirely too much. We headed to the ferry terminal where we would join the rest of our party and begin our almost 5 hour ferry trip. The others included 6 Chinese teachers, 6 Koreans that work on the administrative end, and of course the 3 Americans. Talk about a melting pot of language and culture. Regardless of language barrier everyone was welcoming and my fears immediately subsided.

As we boarded the ferry I followed the group to a room that lacked chairs, beds, mats or anything comfortable. That’s right... this is Asia and they like sitting on the floor. The men of my school sat on one side of the room and the women on the opposite end. I was thinking ok this is going to be weird and than the director of my school along with all of the guys pulled out a ton of beer and some gimbop (or as I like to call it "inside out sushi"). I was starving and relieved to learn this was breakfast gimbop with egg and ham.

The working part came next; this was my first big meeting! Keep in mind the drinking had already started so the meeting was a 20-minute "one" ended conversation. Steve presented some ideas, and the director nodded like he understood even though he speaks very little english. Amy translated and badda boom work time was over and that’s when I thought... I like their style. I fell asleep on the floor of our "ferry room" and woke up to a note from Marie explaining they had gone for lunch in the dining area. As soon as I walked in I was blown away by how truly awesome Korean people can be. They moved quick, one person directed me where to sit, someone else put a beer in front of me, Mr. Lee took off to get me a sandwich, and Amy got me a strawberry shake. In a matter of 3 minutes I was still rubbing sleep away and repeatedly saying "Kam-sa-ham-ni-da"

We arrived on Jeju Island with a chartered bus waiting and headed straight to a museum. We walked through Korean history and stopped to eat giant green spicy pancakes, biscuits with red beans, and drink Moccali (Korean Wine). It was pouring and we were all soaking wet, ordinarily I would be miserable. But I loved every minute of my Korean culture overload. Eventually we headed to our "pension". Men in one pension and women in the other, everyone sleeps on thick mats on the floor like a giant slumber party. We dropped our stuff and walked down a hill for some Korean BBQ. It was a long picnic table with grills built into the table. We cooked meats and drank beer and Soju for nearly 3 hours; it was nothing short of a complete blast. Mr. Wong who is very important but speaks no English actually said "f**king cool". I just sat there once again thinking...I like their style.

The next morning we had to be at breakfast very early. The men looked like they were in pain from their drinking. Our Korean breakfast was a beef broth and rice. No it wasn’t a bagel but it could of been worse! A while later we went to a botanical garden museum that was gorgeous. We went to lunch at a seafood restaurant and my Korean hosts catered to my seafood allergy and ordered me ramen. This was the only occasion I was relieved to be allergic, Koreans eat seafood that no one would ever touch back home. Steve tried to grab what looked like an ear in a shell and it moved. Needless to say we did not expect some of the food to still be alive!! After a long nature walk near the ocean it was time to head back. The ferry ride was rough and I ended up taking medicine for seasickness. It didn’t matter though; nothing could have ruined the end of an incredible weekend with such amazing and thoughtful people. I love Korea :)

Working Girl

I am very lucky to work in what appears to be the prettiest building in Mokpo. The school only opened in September and everything is brand new. Mokpo is an old city so I consider myself fortunate to work in a wonderful building with air conditioning and marble floors. My work schedule is from 2:00pm-10:00pm M-F, I work these hours because my students go to regular school earlier in the day. I teach a range of English levels from 6 year olds learning the alphabet to 10 year olds who speak perfect English and have to write essays and learn science. My little kids melt my heart but the older kids are just such rock stars in English that I really enjoy talking with and learning from them.

My coworkers (Steve and Marie) are an amazing, awesome, great couple from Chicago. They are a blast to work with and they have made my transition into my new job so comfortable. My manager Amy is only 12 days older than me and we get along great. I had to learn not to talk too fast to anyone Korean because it is hard for them to understand. Now every foreign teacher talks in slow motion, cautious to annunciate each sound clearly and slowly. We even talk like that to each other out of sheer habit. Amy is so close in age to me that we have fun comparing what we loved growing up, for example we loved Britney Spears and her favorite rapper is Eminem. She just got her license last month and driving with her in Mokpo has been beyond scary but cars and traffic laws in this city are a whole other can of worms.

Back to my cool school, I have my own classroom and 10 minute breaks in between each hour. I have a little cubicle and my own computer and I basically teach certain books the way I feel is best. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Daebul University (my employer) buys our dinner because we don’t have a break long enough to really go out to eat. This is so awesome because we save money! I have been in love with my job so far even though the days sometimes feel very long. We will see how I feel in a few months from now, but so far so good.

Check Out My New Digs

My studio apartment is really nice and I have a lot of closet space; which is really the key to my happiness. Other foreigners have seen photos of my new pad and all seem to think I have lucked out. So here is the deal with Korea in general, no one has a dryer and there are no bathtubs. So all of your clothing dries like cardboard and you shower next to your sink and the whole bathroom floor serves as a shower. No divider and water goes everywhere. But Koreans are so thoughtful because they all keep a handy pair of shower slippers at the door of your bathroom. This is not to shower in, it’s to use in the bathroom after your shower because the whole floor is soaked. Strange, I am not sure why they don’t just build the simple wall that we call a tub. I have very new appliances and 3 English channels (I am on CSI Miami overload). My nifty wash machine is a front loader and actually built into my tiny kitchen. My stove is a gas stove which is something my generation has never used or seen. My bed came with a very brightly colored bedspread; this is Korea for you. They love the bright colors and the wallpaper is just down right ugly, although mine is more attractive than most. The ceilings are always covered in wallpaper too, odd. Most importantly it takes me 3 minutes from my front door to my classroom. Oh and another added bonus, I live on top of a 24 hour convenience store and a dry cleaner. For those of you worried about my safety I have an around the clock security guard. Even better if someone rings my doorbell I push a button on the house phone and it shows me a video of who is standing there. Cool, I know!!! I am very happy with my apartment and I think we are going to bond just fine.