10 Things I Love About South Korea

In a month I'm about to reach my one year mark here in Korea so I'd like to blog about the top 10 things I like/appreciate in Korea.

1. Korean food, it's delicious, I can't get enough.
I love the soup/stews here, it's spicy and served boiling hot, literally.
I have 4 soups/stews I eat on a regular basis feel free to give them a try sometime:
-Doenjang jjigae (Sometimes you get crab or little fish instead of clams or mussels)
-Sundubu jjigae (The picture isn't very appealing, but I promise it's good)
-Chamchi jjigae (This one has a recipe)
-Gamjatang (I don't eat the spine ha ha)

2. Public transportation.
-The city bus and subway systems are awesome.
-Also, the KTX train is top notch.
-Sometimes it's a better option to take the slower trains b/c they bring you closer to where you want to go.

3. My friends or Chin-gu-dul!
-My fellow ESL teachers, Korean, and military friends.
-I am thankful for all of you! :)

4. Day Trips.
-I can't even count how many day trips I've gone on this past year.
-Temples, palaces, shrines, mountains, beaches, parks, lakes, museums, shopping centers, markets...
-It's all for the most part been very inexpensive too!

5. Thankful Moments.
-People here in Korea are commonly very kind.
-I really appreciate all their help and attempts to help.

6. Cafes.
-I love tea and coffee and they do it well in Korea.
-Also, there are super cute cafes all around Korea.
-Cats Living Cafe in Hongdae in Seoul and Dr. Fish (everywhere in Korea) are some of my favorites.

7. Bang 방
-No, not the kind on your head, but the word for 'room' in Korean.
-Dvdbang
-Noraebang
-Jjimjilbang

8. My apartment!
-It's cute, cozy, and has cat-tastic decor. :)
-I've had many good times here.
-Dinner parties, hours of chatting and connecting, movie marathons, and sleepovers.

9. Korean Stationary.
-I love sending postcards/letters home.
-There has been so much to choose from here, I can't get enough.

10. Last, but not least, MY JOB!
-This is one of the best jobs I've ever had.
-I love working with my students and it's great to see how much they have grown and changed over the past year :)

Here is to the next 7 months of adventures, and I promise you are going to be surprised! :) Oh I can't wait!

Summer is fading...fast.

It seems like in an instant summer has left Korea...
I suppose I am enjoying the cooler weather.
I dyed my hair dark again.
This month is a bit of a sad one...I'm saying "see you later" to a few friends.
I also have recently acquired 2.5 more gigs of music. :)
I can't complain.
Life is good.

Here are some snap shots from September.

Poor little Trig...she had surgery and then got sick. Bless her little heart :(

Guryongpo (Nine Dragon Beach)

The beach had so many little creatures. 

Freshly showered at the scuba school. 

See you soon, Jon, love you. 

Jess and I went to Siji and had amazing shabu shabu.

Afterwards, we went to a jjimjilbang (public bathhouse).

It was my first experience and it a lot better than I thought it was going to be.

Siji Square is torn apart. 

I hope to see the new and improved one before I leave.

May is almost over?

Wow this month has past so quickly! 

Despite the fact I've been having major allergy issues, the month of May has been great.

The weather has been allover the place, but we've managed to have a grand old time. 

Now-a-days, Chloe and I have been taking turns having Corinne and Chloe's Restaurant.

One weekend I'll make "American" food and the next time Chloe will make Korean/Fusion food. 

This is a Korean style hamburger and it was amazing, yum yum yum.

Field Trips!!!!

Love the sun-safe outfit. :)

I'm still not sure what the purpose of this is?

She was sweating so badly under that shield. ;)

Having fun at our picnic at Dalseong Park.

Summer means wedding season...

I was lucky enough to get invited to a Korean wedding!

My friend Dong Yeol's older sister got married on 

May 23, 2010 at Novotel Hotel in Daegu.

If you get a chance to go to a Korean wedding while you are here

I highly suggest you go. It's an experience to say the least.

Notice the professional camera man...

Most of the pictures I took had at least one of them in it.

However, I bet the pictures he shot are amazing :) 

Ju Won (Dong Yeol's girlfriend) played the piano.

Dong Yeol and his family (he is on the far right). 

After the wedding we got to eat tons of amazing food. 

They had everything from American food to your traditional Korean food.

Shortly after the wedding my friends Francis, Jon and I went out shopping a bit in Daegu.

Check out my new tote bag. 

It says: "To you i shall be unique in all the world"

Then we headed on over to our favorite hookah bar, Myo.

The people that work there are so nice and they gave me a free drink.

I can't complain. 

Francis and Jon <3

We ordered a delicious Malbec. Reminds me of home.

I'm going to the beach tomorrow, I'm sooo excited to take in some much needed vitamin D.