THE BEST HUNGARIAN EXPERIENCE EVER

Gergely promised Chiara and I "The best Hungarian experience ever" and he certainly delivered...

Chiara and I spent six days trekking around Budapest and Lake Balaton with a good snowboarding buddy of ours, Gergely. Neither I nor any other of Gergely's other coworkers in Vail can pronounce his Hungarian name correctly (GAER GAY), so, throughout the week, we called him Greg, Gergs, Gergö, and Gergerly for the humor of it. We were THRILLED to add Gergely to our 2 man traveling team, and it was endearing that Gergely was as excited as we were for our visit! He was an excellent host, tour guide, and companion throughout the trip: He always had great ideas of places to go and things to do, and he was HAPPY to show us around, which was the best part. :)

Over the week, we were busy! We started off on the wrong foot--immediately getting a fined for buying the wrong ticket in the Metro (in a city that supposedly never checks tickets...so why buy them, they say...). We got turned away from the tourist office because the lady had "too many tourists to help." haha. We got caught by security after passing a fence, hiking across a former moat, and sneaking into a castle (it seems the best time to go is when it's closed). And, did I mention the political protest? One night, we were trying to catch the night bus, when we found ourselves in the midst of police in riot gear, a car that was being hosed down by a firetruck, and rumors of being tear gassed. We had quite a unique experience in Hungary.

But the highlights were even more exciting: spending time with good friends like Chiara, Gergely and Andrea from Vail, and visiting a place NOT listed in my guidebook. It was quite a treat.

The best Hungarian experience ever included: a tour of Buda and Pest, with a spectacular view of Buda Castle and the Parliament which overlooked the Danube.

In Buda, we walked around Castle Hill, and saw the beautiful white Fisherman's Bastion castle, tip-toed through the dark underground labyrinth of Buda cave, and visited the Pàlvölgyi cave.




In Pest, we soaked in the Szechenyi baths and walked around Hero's Square.


Gergerly took us to the outdoor bars and hot spots at nighttime, where we danced and danced and danced. There was quite a nightlife in the city of Budapest.



He also took us on a countryside getaway to Lake Balaton. There, we met two of Gergely's kite surfing friends, enjoyed the small villages of Thiany and Vöröstö, and slept in a traditional cottage-like Hungarian home. We also did a bit of wakeboarding (on a windy day with a mogul field of waves) and sailing (aye aye to the Captain)!


And boy was I hungry in HUNGARY (sorry, bad joke)! Realizing that I seem to have a fast metabolism and have to eat all the time, I got to taste many different dishes in Hungarian cuisine. Hungary is most famous for paprika, which was quite delicious in the Hungarian goulash, fish soup, and the mushroom and pasta dish. We found a new cheese to love, the string cheese that unfolds in curly tendrils (parenyica), and a new kind of bacon too (aka a slab of lard). Not to mention, we certainly enjoyed this smorgasbord of duck, potatoes and plum sauerkraut served in a Hungary-shaped dish.



In the end, we had a great time in Hungary, the proud home of paprika, Unicum liquor, Rubik's cube (Did you know there are 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 possible combinations?), and Gergely! We didn't want to leave (and almost didn't because we went to the wrong airport...) But, Oktoberfest and Monaco (the Italian name for Munich, not the country of Monaco!) were awaiting. ;)

BUDA BUDA BUDA!!! PEST PEST PEST!!!

"I am Greg"

Venice

Visiting Venice was a lovely one and a half day stop the way to Hungary. Venice is a beautiful city built on 117 small islands, composed of 150 canals, and 200 alleys. It could be the perfect romantic getaway...provided you visit Venice with someone to be romantic with. However, waking up in a bottom bunk bed in a hostel dorm room, having a cold shower and a so called coffee and croissant "breakfast" was not the way I prefered to wake up in Venice. But, once we hopped on the vaparetto and found two outdoor seats, the best way to view Venice's famous Grand Canal (without dropping a Ben Franklin on a personal gondola ride), my energy was restored.

We gave ourselves a self-tour from our guidebook and enjoyed the charming buildings and fancy architecture. Then we visited the main sights...the Rialto Bridge, Basillica San Marco and Doge's Palace, the Galleria dell' Academia, and even wandered around Carnnaregio, the Jewish Ghetto, the college campus area, Santa Margherita.

I loved wandering around the small streets, crossing canals over bridges, window shopping for Venetian masks, and our afternoon gelatto breaks. There's nothing like true Italian gelatto! We also had some relaxing canal-side meals, eating pizza, pasta, and wine. We made friends with our waiter, who boats home each night after work, who offered us free Limoncello shots. Saluté!



The morning before sorting out a way to get to the airport amongst the surprising vaparetto strike, had only one more sight left to see on our list: St. Mark's Basicilla. We'd strolled by once, but forgot to take a peek inside because we'd found too many cool streets nearby. Though we were lucky to escape the morning rain showers, we did not escape the resulting flood in St. Mark's Square! We, determined to go inside, removed our shoes, rolled up our pants, and waded across St. Mark's square in ankle deep water! I enjoyed the humor of the situation and am proud that we are probably one of few tourists to have a photo like this:

A Swiss Stop

I arrived in Switzerland on Friday, and have since been busy catching up with one of my best friends from Vail (winter 2005), Chiara. It has been WONDERFUL to see CHIARA. Her name came up so many times last season when she could not return to Vail. I can't help but smile when listening to her unique Swiss-Italian/Aussie accent, and I still giggle--like it`s the first time--when hearing her coin phrase, "I`m from the Italian part of Switzerland."

She has introduced me to her friends, whom are all quite funny. They tried to accomodate my deficiency in Italian, by introducing me to New Field (Campo Novo) and Uncle First (Uncle Primero). It was similarly funny when asked me why I'm not Italian, "Juliana is an Italian name!" they exclaim. I think I confused them with my Korean face and Norweigan last name.

Chiara and I have spent the past few days enjoying the sunshine, relaxing and looking at photos by the pool, exploring the Bellinzona castles, and tasting true Swiss cheese! I am a big fan of Raclette--there's nothing better than warm melted cheese!

The other day, Chiara, her sister Lidia, and I followed a car-full of their Swiss guy friends to Bergamo, Italy to watch an Italian National soccer match. Just like most good road trips, most everyone was alert and excited on the drive there, and sleeping during the car ride home. We visited her friend's uncle, Uncle Primo, which is about one and a half hour drive away. We sat in their garden and drank real Italian red wine, and then had a dart match in the lawn. Later, we drove through the tiniest streets along castle walls to go to dinner at an outdoor tent. A man was rambling on the microphone, leading a game similar to Bingo (and probably begging for money to support their cause). We played a few rounds, and Chiara even won three bottles of wine. We had finished dinner before I even thought about asking what the purpose of the event was...I'd figured it was some church fundraiser or something, but it turned out to be a political party for Italian Communism! What a surprise...



Back in Switzerland, I also had a couple nice dinners with Chiara's family. Her parents were super sweet and her dad taught me all about the three basic kinds of cheese: formaggio, formagella, formaggini. With some tutoring from Chiara, I am now a cheese expert. I giggled when I asked Chiara to categorize Cheddar cheese, and she returned a disgusted look and said, "That cheese is orange!" Apparently my orange cheese is not up to Swiss standards. I then taught Chiara about the three kinds of cheese in my life, plastic sandwich cheese, nacho cheese, and cheese whiz.

Though I have only seen a little bit of Switzerland so far--Ticino, the Italian part, is only about 5% of the total population--it has been great. It's BEAUTIFUL, just BEAUTIFUL here. Chiara's house is located in a valley, and her backyard has the most gorgeous view of mountains and Swiss villages on the mountain. The mountains are a bit different; they look much steeper than Colorado mountains, they're covered in "bushy trees" instead of "Christmas trees," and they seem HUGE because the towns are located at a much lower elevation than the mile high city back home. I think the mountains are actually smaller than the Rocky Mountains at home...I'll have to look that up. Apart from the cleansing surroundings of open air and mountains, the town is also super clean, and I love the city cute buildings and cobblestone mainstreet.
It was really fun to have a drink at Fun bar in the city center, found in the small side streets of Bellinzona, just below the night lights of the first castle.

Tommorrow, we are off to Venice, which means tonight is for hurriedly packing, booking hostels and (things we should have done weeks ago, had we KNOWN where we were going). It's all been a bit spontaneous, which I guess is the way I like it, because it's the way most of my friends seem to do it. Though I have been doing a little bit more sleeping than usual (which is to be expected when one has changed as many time zones and borders as I have in the past two weeks), but there has been plenty to do in Bellinzona, Switzerland!

Euro Trip Itinerary

I originally booked a 2 month trip to Europe, not quite sure how I`d fill the time. And now, it's nice to see that my weeks are scribbled full of exciting places to visit and people to meet. The itinerary, at the moment, looks something like this:
September 7th - Fly to Milan, Italy, meet Chiara at the airport and have a look around her home in Bellinzona, Ticino, Switzerland
September 13th - Traveling with Chiara to Venice
September 15th - Visit Greg in Hungary
September 22nd - "Observe" Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany
September 25th - Rest in Ticino, Switzerland (again)
September 28th - Hike the Cinque Terre
September 30th - Check out the art in Florence
October 1st - Do as the Romans do in Rome
October 4th - Team up with Dave in Ireland
October 9th - Catch Jayne in London
October - TBA
October 26th - See Laurent in Lausaune, Switzerland
November 7th - Fly back to Denver
November 8th - Find a place to live in VAIL (one more season!)
November 9th - visit Grandma in Pittsburgh...??? TBA

There are so many places to go and so little time!

My quick "stopover" home

in the U.S. for one week, between my flights from Asia to Europe, was, well, gone in 60 seconds. There was much to do on my agenda--aside from the routine chore of laundry: spending time with my family, visiting a few friends, dealing with the pile of mail, unpacking, repacking, and shopping for a few last minute essentials...it was all on my *to do" list. Though it felt a bit busy, I`m glad I got to touch base and enjoy the comforts of home for a short time.

The highlights: Having a family dinner, going to the Taste of Colorado with my brother, and shopping with Mom (and Dad too); Catching up with some friends from Vail; Being reminded of the specatular scenery in Colorado, something I often take for granted, on a drive through the mountains; knowing exactly where to get what I`m looking for, sleeping in my own soft pillow-top bed; having all-access to my cell phone and internet; driving in my car with the music blaring and the windows down; tasting fast food favorites like Chick-fil-a and Taco Bell...yup, home is sure great.

It`s surprising how long ago and far away Korea feels already. I had to think long and hard about how to count to ten in Hangul when my mom asked me how. On the other hand, I can`t help but think "eol may eh yo" when I want to ask the price of something, or bowing my head when saying goodbye. Dude, living in a foreign country messes with your head! I`m so confused. Okay, so, no longer do I feel normal wearing ruffles and lace embellished tops, or half-cardigans to cover my shoulders...hell bring out the bare shoulders and miniskirts! WELCOME TO AMERICA!

Though I`ve been reasonsably successful refusing to feel jetlaged, my body didn`t expect the total change in diet. My friend asked me what was different about Korea, and the first thing I though of was the food. I haven`t seen a food I used to eat in Korea...besides a few servings of rice and the lettuce in my salad (though the lettuce I used to eat was wrapped around a hunk of grilled meat and not chopped up in a bowl). I haven`t eaten anything pickled or fermented, no red hot pepper paste or kimichi or cloves of raw garlic. Now, all of my food is served on my own plate, no sharing with anyone, and no side dishes. Even though my stomache still craves the sin of all junk food, ramyun (Korean ramen), I have to say, there`s nothing like good home cookin! All I have left from Korea is a few Green tea cookies and a bottle of soju, and that is okay for now.

A few things I have noticed about being back in America:
*Americans are really friendly. I`ve made quite a few friends with strangers lately...between simple business phone calls, retail clerks and fellow travelers in the airport, I`ve found myself talking to several strangers and receiving a number of random warm smiles from my fellow Americans. It`s nice being able to talk to whomever I feel like again, or evesdrop on a random conversation.
*America is huge. Everything, from the size of our steaks, to our "personal space", to the physical size and shape of people, to the distance between buildings and towns; WOW, America feels really big and spacious.
*America is a marketers paradise. The way marketing is integrated into the fabric of our lives is really getting on my nerves. When I`m suck on an airplane, watching a movie with cheap headphones on a screen in the middle row, the last thing I want is to be sold a US Airways credit card. No, thank you! Hell, it`s bad enough we Americans can`t trust our waitresses "favorites", as they`re usually reccommending the most expensive thing on the menu. Nor, can we take advice from the sales reps at retail stores, exactly how much commission do you get paid if I walk home with this? I`d almost rather be back in Korea, where sales people blatantly shout a pitch the moment you barely glance at an item, at least they don`t mask their true intentions.
*America is diverse. With the number of skin and hair color combinations, and the great range of shapes and sizes, WOW, it`s great. The mix of people, restaurants, and products is never dull. Then again, whomever thought it`d be a great idea to invent eight different kinds of Herbal Essences shampoo and customize them into eight different hair types is certainly ill.

On another note, I arrived in Switzerland this morning, and have spent the day sleeping and catching up with my good friend from Vail (2005) Chiara. More on this next time. :P

A Lovely Week Away from Seoul

This past weekend, Robbin and her toddler and I decided to escape Seoul for a few days and head to Busan on the other side of the country. It was an honorable gesture from a good friend to substitute an last minute canceled trip.

We stayed with her family in Busan, which was itself a unique experience. I enjoyed being in a real Korean household. Her mother, father, and brother live in an apartment the size of my living room. They had very few "things" in their house, which was surprising to me, considering the heaps of stuff I can't live without in my backpack alone. The main room was open and empty, with typical kitchen facilities along one wall. We sat on the hardwood floor during in-between times, and we pulled up a shin-height 2X3 foot table when we wanted to have a meal. The meals were traditional, with lots of banchan (side dishes), like kimchi, bean sprouts, spicy sweet mini green peppers, fish, and some weird brown stringy plant. I enjoyed the home cooking. Robbin has taught me how to make a few Korean dishes this weekend. :) It was fun to sleep on the floor again, Korean style, on the yo mat. Interestingly, I slept in her brother's room, who was out working the night shift, while Robbin, her daughter, her mother and her father all slept in the other room. I couldn't help but feel a little selfish having a whole room to myself, but, Robbin insisted it was no problem, as she grew up sleeping in the same room as her family.

Her mother was caring and loving as every mother is, and she was super excited to see Robbin's little one. We spent many hours around the house making Hee Yeon happy. One moment, He Yeon was giving me sweet smiles and feeding me grapes, the next minute, she was spitting and screaming. It was exhausting trying to entertain little Hee Yeon--traveling with a two year old is no fun. But, it's also funny how easily I forgot about the tantrums when facing that cute, cute kid! Thankfully, they don't stay at this age for long.

Away from the house, Robbin and I enjoyed a girly weekend sightseeing, shopping and relaxing at the sauna. I love Korean saunas. It's not that I enjoy being naked around a bunch of strangers, and observing the variety of wrinkles, hair, or skin colors. I enjoy being in a place so different from home. I could never imagine bathing next to my best friend at home, let alone, scrub each other's backs and take pleasure out of the grey colored dead skin we can rub off with the Korean scrubbing towel!

This sauna was particularly nice, a famous and popular Busan tourist destination as well. The sauna had indoor and outdoor pools, rose and turquoise baths, hot tubs, cold tubs, wet and dry saunas, a foot bath, a body bath, and even a hot tub snack area! It was similar to the way I'd imagined the Greek bathhouses in school, wide, open, clean, and well-lit with a large sunroof over top.

When we finished revitalizing our bodies, we suited up in our flamboyant multi-colored outfits and headed downstairs to the jjimjaebang. It was nap time! Hee Yeon needed a nap. I needed one too. We laid down on the warm ondol floor--which was as crowded as the bunny hill over Christmas week, but all part of the experience. We snacked on steamed eggs and napped amidst the the other relaxed people. It seems we picked a popular spot on a Saturday afternoon.

We took the KTX Bullet train back to Seoul on Monday, and my stuffed backpack somehow fit the five extra items of clothing I couldn't live without. Two and a half hours later, I picked up my second suitcase at Robbins, before saying goodbye and heading to Yongin.

I met up with the Korean "grandparents" in Yongin that evening. I call them the grandparents because, even though their not MY grandparents--they've got four kids of their own who have kids--they are old and they treat me like their own grand kid, which is lovely in itself. They take me to cool places and pay for all of my excursions, they surprise me with little presents, and they beg me to come back and visit. They are really great. In fact, I met one of Young Ok's friends one day, who kindly handed me $20 bucks, which is a custom in Korea; giving your friends kids money when they leave for a long time. I actually witnessed Robbin's mom's friend slip little Hee Yeon man won ($10) before we left Busan. I met the Shim's on the airplane on my first flight to Korea last summer, and am so thankful to have met such wonderful, kind people. They asked me to come visit again this summer, so I did. They were so happy to see me, and I I was happy to see them too.

Thinking about the last time I saw them, I recalled our communication problem, as their first language is not the same as mine. I rememebered how simple our sentences were, they were only words, really. I tried not to cause confusion, and attempted to only answer "yes" or "no" to keep it easy. But, as Young Ok has probably been studying English over the past year, and as I have had more practice communicating with non-native English speakers, it was much easier to verbalize our thoughts time time. We had a pleasant visit.

We spent a day looking at the old fortress gates of the Hwasong castle in Suwon. We rode the elephant train and could view the Suwon Korean village from the top of the mountain. The gates were so beautiful, and I enjoyed seeing them under the cloudy grey skies, as this is the way I think of Korea. Each structure looked marvelously ancient. This area is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site, and is quite a spectacular sight to see. From certain angles, some of the gates looked like they were in the middle of nowhere, while other parts sat in the middle of busy street intersections! It was really enchanting to see the traditional fortress walls along the everyday urban streets.

Later that night, Young Ok Shim and I sat down and we attempted to detail the ingredients for my favorite Korean dish, bulgogi. Perhaps I can take a little piece of Korea home with me in my cooking! :) If not, I can at least enjoy the many, many pictures of my memories in Korea.

Girls Trip to Busan

Robbin and her baby and I decided to escape Seoul for a few days and head to the other side of the country. We'll spend a few days here, before I meet the Korean "grandparents" for a few days. Then, I'll be briefly returning home to Colorado for one week...that is, until I'm off to EUROPE!

More on this later...

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

With nowhere specific in mind to go, I left my Seoul apartment today, with an overstuffed backpack containing all of my belongings, feeling anxious, restless, and apprehensive about the day ahead. I began to think about traveling; memories from a sociology course on travel that detailed how some people travel because they have to, and other people travel because they want to. Today, I travel because I have to. I never would have guessed I would be in this situation, and I can't help but feel disappointed and distressed.

For a couple weeks, Dong Hyun and I had planned to do some traveling together after I finished my summer contract. He, too, quit his job recently, as he is preparing to go to Japan to start his own business in international trade. We were planning to go to Japan together, or travel around Korea, whatever was more convenient. I wasn't picky about the destination, nor the departure date. I was mostly looking forward to having a nice companion to travel with.

Last weekend, we had loosely planned to go to Chuncheon (South Korea) on Tuesday, yesterday, after his doctors appointment from 3-6. I thought we'd agreed that I'd go with him to the doctors appointment from 3-6 and we'd leave from there...

That's why it was so odd to find myself packed and ready to go, just waiting by my cell phone. I waited and I waited. I waited for nearly 24 hours before I started really panicking--and that's because, at the same time I was supposed to be leaving for our trip, I was also being kicked out of my apartment. I hated being "that girl, " the one who repeatedly calls and calls, but there was nothing else to do...

Evil thoughts creeped into my head every moment I waited, as I attempted to sort out the cloudy mess in my head. Where is he? Did he lose his cell phone? Does he hate me? Is he okay? Is he hurt? Got forbid an emergency has happened. What if it is an emergency, how would I get in touch with him. It's a scary idea that my only one point of contact with him is by telephone. I don't know where he lives so I cannot show up at his doorstep and see if everything's ok. I don't know his family's phone number either, nor would I be able to talk to them had I had the number.

And then I remembered that I had gotten his friend's cell phone number on the same night I met Dong Hyun. So, I gave it a try. The friend didn't speak very much English, but luckily, I was able to hand the phone to Hae Jin before she left for the airport. She translated and said the friend was also confused about the situation, but he thinks there might have been a friend's family emergency. Hae Jin wonders if he tells the truth. I won't feel right relying on this information; I'd rather hear it straight from Dong Hyun...if I ever do hear from Dong Hyun again! It's all so, so weird. Regardless, I still have not heard from the boy.

So, I was unexpectedly homeless last night. I illegally slept in my old bed one extra night, but had bad dreams of being awakened by the new renters dog and trying to explain why the heck I was there.

Over the last five weeks that I have known Dong Hyun, there were no signs of unreliability or untrustworthiness. He always took care of me, whether he was pushing me out of the way from a potential collision (the cars drive awfully close to the pedestrians around here), or treating me to dinner, or calling me every night. We would always make plans, and he would always be where he said he would be around the time he said he would be there. That's why I'm absolutely stunned to find myself in this situation.

What would you do in this situation? A) Book the next flight home B) Go on the trip without him C) Head to the ex's house 3 hours south of here D) Call the "grandparents," my old Korean friends whom I met on the airplane to Korea last year, about the age of my grandparents, and stay with them E) Sleep at jjimjaebang and wait for him to call.

I have not decided what to do at the moment. I stall at making my decision and secretly hope my phone will ring, before I am forced to make the decision to cancel the trip for good. No matter what, I do have some good options here, and I will not be sad for long. Though I do not know where I will sleep tonight, I am not alone. I will be safe, don't you worry. :)

In fact, right now, I'm going to visit my friend Robbin again today for some more "shopping therapy." She loyally took me out yesterday to get my mind off of my silent cell phone, just as mom would have done, to get my mind off of my problems. I felt better to be in the company of a good friend and to have a few more Korean styles to take home. Of course, as soon as I left her and got on the subway, I couldn't help but release my frustrations. I attempted to conceal the tears, but I was unsuccessful. Today may be much like that, but, at least I'll be in good company.

A Day for Freedom

I have secretly and not so secretly been looking forward to this day for a long time, because today is the day I finished working at Hoyah! I've been itching to move on from my work's unpredictable days, the weather, and the large numbers of people in this city! Conversely, today is also a day that I have been approaching at a leisurely pace, because it marks the ending of another chapter in my life. These transitional moments are always accompanied with mixed emotions. I hesitate to leave my friends, the opportunities, the money, and the rest of it.

As now is the time for reflecting, I review a number of previous, unblogged blogs:

"It's vaguely familiar, this heart-clenching feeling of tension, which pulses through my body. I feel dizzy and confused, in a drunk sort of way, and I can't exactly put my finger on the cause. But, I think this is a feeling that I first felt last year in Thailand. A feeling of, "what the heck am I doing here and what am I going to next."

"Maybe it's stress from my job. The last minute changes and notifications caused by a lack of planning. I like my job and I love my students. I work so hard for my students. I have forgotten about my goal to learn Korean and removed all moments of relaxation in my life to grade their essays and write personal comments and happy faces on each of them. I know my kids appreciate it, and it feels rewarding when my students say thank you and when I was chosen as Teacher of the Month. But, still, it doesn't relieve the simple fact that I'm tired."

"Finally, I feel like things are slowing down. I'm feeling slightly more relaxed about the pure and utter madness I call my life, now that I'm feeling more comfortable with work, and I'm sneaking in a few moments of rest between classes. I could tell that I'm starting to relax because tonight a group of my closest friends on this trip and I sat down for dinner and had an actual conversation. It was a close, personal conversation, the kind that makes you think about where you've come from and why you're here. The kind that reminds you to evaluate the steps you've made in your life and how you will prepare for the future. For so many meals on this trip, we have sat down together, eager to vent and bitch about the two main bi-products of our work: stress and extra work. Hae Jin and I love to chat about our students--we share nearly eighty of the same students. Paul and I talk a lot about work too, since we teach the same subjects. We often try not to talk about work, but that never lasts more than five minutes. So, it was about time that tonight, we finally started talking about, well, us. I hadn't realized how long it had been since I'd had a real conversation about life."

These unfinished blogs remind me that there have been high points, and there have been low points. As noted in one of Paul's most recent blogs, "In a high-paced city like Seoul, my mood can go from one extreme to another in a matter of minutes. It's funny how life can be like that sometimes; one second you're on cloud nine and in another you're eating dirt." When Paul said this, I wanted to scream out, "YES! I FEEL IT TOO!" It's been a rollercoaster ride. Not such a terribly thrilling one, with upside down flips and dark tunnels, but rather, an unpredictable one; a ride filled with carousel bouts, and "ouch!"-why-does-this-annoying-restraining-device-smack-my-head-from-side-to-side kinds of rides. Some days, I walk out of class feeling happy and energized; other days I run out of work, exhausted and frustrated. It's unpredictable. Even today was again, unpredictable, when half of my kids pouted and whined because I didn't buy them pizza on the last day of school, while other students had the greatest day playing a game, giggling the whole time. I never know if I'm going to have a good day or a bad day here. I had both today. I hate to attribute these mood changes solely to the popular traveler's syndrome called culture shock, or to the hilly nature of hagwon work in South Korea. But, regardless, I enjoy reflecting on this journey in my life, and optimistically realize the benefits of my struggles.

Ah, yes, but still, it feels good to move on. I'm happy to be leaving Hoyah, a company run by a man who looks at life like bubblegum. He elaborates, "Life starts out sweet, but quickly runs out of flavor and ends up blowing up in your face!" Who would see a future with a man like that? Not me.

But, I exaggerate. Overall, it wasn't that bad. Though it wasn't the most exciting summer of my life, but it was enjoyable. I did not see one billion sights or travel to exotic destinations. Instead, I took a much slower, more personal approach to this opportunity, which I think has made all the difference. It's been a really interesting time: eating rice with a spoon and respectfully holding my cup with two hands when being poured a glass of soju; trying to understand why the Korean women always dress up so feminine, and why their Korean men lovingly carry their purses; and learning simple phrases in a new language, like "for real?" and "discount please!" In addition, I made a couple really meaningful relationships with my Korean friends. I also met a group of vibrant, hard working, and kind friends (and fellow bloggers) from the states, whom have helped make this journey memorable one. I made some baby steps towards understanding a very different culture. Also, I feel proud to know my way around Seoul somewhat; to have survived one of the largest cities in the world. And, finally, I've finally come to the point where I might actually miss Korean food--which I say is a darn good measurement of success!

So, if given the opportunity to come back, would I consider it? I just might. It would be half as hard next time, as an experienced TOEFL teacher, and I could make some decent money. There is still more language to learn, and some great people here to visit again. Of course, I still have a number of great opportunities for the future, and perhaps some more efficient and productive uses of my time (ie. my career) ...so we'll see! This Fall, I'm spending my summer prize money on plane tickets to see the other side of the world...I'm going to Europe! I'll be traveling around for two months so I have time to visit some close friends and collect a few more stamps in my passport. :) You're only young once, right?

But first, an unplanned adventure around Korea, begins tomorrow! More to come!

Sexy Dance

After an evening spent eating duck and celebrating the finish of the summer at Hoyah's company dinner, a small group of friends and I carried on (carrying 4 bottles of Hite and 2 bottles of soju) to "i cha" (round two) at my place.
By twelve, we had just entered a full house at NB and started getting our groove on when the music stopped. Masses of people hearded off the stage as the MC began rambling on and on in those lovely foreign words, setting up some kind of performance, I thought. Through the tiniest cracks between a number of heads before me, I could see one man's head pop up and down to the beat. Through a few translated words from my Korean American roommate Hae Jin, my notion was confirmed; it was a dance contest. Hae Jin suggested I go up there, and after refusing three times, and then seeing a few weak showings, I decided to entertain the idea. Before I knew it, Hae Jin and I had pushed our way through the crowds, and I found myself inches away from the stage. There, I hesitated just long enough to miss the opening to enter in the girls dance-off. But, as I watched the first desperate girl strip off her jean jacket and shimmie and shake, I realized my purpose. I had to get up there. Making eye contact with the MC, I signaled that I would be up next, and he nodded. Hae Jin pushed me on stage when he introduced the next contestant, where I, alongside two other late contestants, threw down, front and center. Though it's been about four or five years since my old dance team days and over a year without stretching (no high kicks or spilts, please) I pumped my shoulders, whipped my hair, threw in a few body rolls, and added some scandalous bootie shakes and dips and even a pirouette, in heels mind you...boy, the poms would be so proud (haha). I did anything I could to win the audience over. One boy in the front row was especially lovin it. Seeing him mimic my movements with a big grin on his face was confirmation that the crowd was diggin' it...and, even better were the wild screams and cheers from my rockin' fan club--Paul, Hae Jin, Ahrum, Cheryl, Jenny, Kelly--who had loyaly fought a place in the front row. Seeing them was all I needed to keep up the energy. After the music ended, it was Paul's enthusiastic cry, "Sexy!!!" or "Sae uksi!!!" (Korean pronunciation) and an audience vote that won me a second dance-off for third place. Thank god for Paul for his cheers and secret directions; he motioned signals and mouthed instructions about where stand and when to dance. Without him, I would of looked like an absolute foreigner fool! Somehow, I don't think anyone knew I can't speak a lick of Korean, that is, until I'd been pulled into the VIP room to negotiate my prize with my competitor. The only word I knew was Ney (yes). So, I ney-ed and ney-ed until they handed me $250 cash. I ney-ed some more and happily forfeited a Nike gift certificate for another hundred bucks. After all, I went home with $350 as prize money, all is good for a nights work.
Though I did not bring home the Most Effective Teacher certificate from our company dinner, Paul did vote me, MOST EFFECTIVE DANCER." Thanks Paul. And, a shout out to the fans--LOVE YOU. ;)

Let's play a game

it's called: Grocery Store Bumper Cars!

The Rules:
1 point if you bump into someone
2 points if you bump into someone with your basket
3 points if you bump into someone with your shopping cart

5 points if you make someone angry
5 points if you stop traffic for at least 10 seconds

10 points if someone bumps into you and says they're sorry.

He or she with the most points wins!
NOTE: This game can also be played on any sidewalk, in the subway station, or any other enviroments where many people frequent.

The Train

I have learned a lot of things from my students. My Korean students taught me impossible tongue twisters about giraffes with long and short necks to help me study the Korean language. My never-ever Aussie cheerleaders reminded me to try new things, like they did when they decided to give my dance team a go. But one student in particular, a woman in her forties who bravely traveled to one of the nicest ski resorts in America—by herself—to learn snowboarding, said one important phrase to me which I have not yet forgotten. She said, with her upbeat, confident attitude, "Honey, there's a train headed to the real world, and that train leaves everyday." I often think about this moment and this comment, and I feel comforted to know these words of wisdom.

Of all the amazing people I've met in my life in recent years, some of them have outstanding careers and nice things; some of them have spent ages traveling around the world and have interesting stories to share. Often, I wonder who did it right? Did some get on the train too soon? Did some get on too late? Did some forget to get on the train at all? Is it possible to have my cake and eat it too? I think about my own life: when should I get on the train? Should I take an express train or the scenic route? Which brings me to the largest question of all, where exactly is the train even going?

I had originally dedicated one full year after college (and a half if you count the semester I graduated early and wrote my honors thesis...okay, maybe I’ll go for two now while I’m at it) on a pursuit to explore the world and live freely. I'd assumed this would be my only opportunity to be 'not so tied down'. I postponed a promising career in television to do so. But, from time to time, I stop and wonder if I’m being foolish. I feel very fortunate to have had this unique opportunity—there have been so many great, new, exciting and different things experienced and accomplished...working in Korea and being among people who look just like me...backpacking through Thailand and changing beds every few days...and reaching many many adrenaline highs from making sweet turns in the pow pow, learning how to spin, and mastering moguls on the mountains in Vail. It's hard to summarize the memories and lessons learned, but it's full of smiles. On the other hand, it's been emotionally exhausting to pick up and move every few months and to plan where to go next; to make good friends and then have them spread out all over the globe, at risk of never seeing them again; and to have no idea what your address is or where to go for a haircut.

As I have struggled with the high demands of my job this summer, I have learned one very important thing, something I perhaps already knew. Spending an overwhelming number of personal hours grading papers, so my kids can have specific, detailed comments on their essays, made me realize how much I’d rather be doing something I love. Teaching is not my career, though I do enjoy it. Rather, after taking thousands of pictures and writing these blogs, I feel even more assured that my calling is to be a journalist. I’m not talking current events, or politics or even pop culture…but the part about documenting experiences, creating pieces of work, and finally, sharing them with others…these are things I do naturally, without even thinking!

At this moment, I have reached another turning point. My job finishes in two weeks, and my plans for after that are long overdue—as airfare prices are rising with each moment of hesitation. I once again think about the real world, and my approach towards it. I hope to do another winter in Vail first, which is the greatest place I can think of right now. Maybe I can work with MHD again if they’ve still got an open shop. And then, I just may be done living the vida loca. In the meantime, I hope to sort out some Europe plans within the next few days, though that feels rushed for the slow decision maker that I am. The real world can wait another year, I think. Sometime soon, I will get back on track, but for now, I'm enjoying the small detour from the train.

Korean Girls

If I was allowed, for a moment, to openly stereotype and rag on all the Korean women I've seen around but not known personally, it might go a little something like this:

The Korean woman is, with no doubt in my mind, the most feminine woman I have ever seen. She's delicate and cute; she's probably never touched an exercise bike or kicked a soccer ball before. She's dressed in ruffles and lace, blouses and skirts, always...which conservatively covers the shoulders, cleavage and thighs. Singlets must be layered, skirts must be inches from the knee, sleeves must be puffy, and t-shirts are left for tourists. Her face is done up with make-up, which must be checked at least twice per outing in any number of the mirrors located around the city (gigantic wall sized mirrors located in the subway, next to the table at a restaurant, in the shower or toilet at jjimjaebang (sauna)). Her hair is permed or Pantene Pro-V straight, sometimes highlighted or died, and usually done down--no pony's! She's pretty, yes, she's pretty. And she works hard at it! She walks around in high heels all the time, whether she's going to the grocery store, to school or to work, or out on a hot date. No number of city streets or subway stairs could stop her from wearing her heels. She can walk miles and miles in those high high heels. She's certainly a lady, a lady who puts her hand over her mouth when she giggles or eats--god forbid someone sees the inside of her mouth. She lets her boyfriend carry her purse, make all the decisions, and hold her hand everywhere she goes. She even let's him get a perm. She is loved by Korean men. In fact, she is loved by the Western men too, the few that are here. She's girly, that, she is, the ultimate Korean woman.