Annyeonghi Gyeseyo Korea ( 안녕히 계세요)

Annyeonghi Gyeseyo Korea (Goodbye)!

    This week I finished up my time in Korea and headed back Stateside after a week vacation in Malaysia!  It has been real Korea!  I didn't know what to expect when I started this journey but, I ended up with a lifetime of memories and meeting some amazing friends.  Thank you to everyone who made this all possible!  I couldn't have done it without you!  : )  While, I'm excited to see all of my family and friends back home I will miss all of my friends I made in Korea! 

Brandi  

The Winners! : )

  Thanks to everyone for supporting my blog over the last 6 months!  As I'm winding down my time here in Korea I'm very thankful for everyone who has made this trip possible!  It has been an Awesome Experience!  So, the winners of my final contest are.....Drumroll!!.....Kelly, Ramie & Jennifer!!  All 3 of you will be receiving a Korean Prize Pack!! : )  Thank you for your support and following my blog!

Korean Giveaway

    It's a busy week here in Korea.  Thursday is my last day of school, then it's vacation time!  I'm packing and trying to finalize a lot of last minute things before I go.  I also discovered this week, that my blog has reached over a 1,000 hits! : )  This is Super Exciting! So, to celebrate I'm doing another Korean Giveaway! 
    Just comment below and tell me what else you would like to know about Korea, to be entered in the contest.  Winner will be chosen at random.

*Don't worry Jennifer the prize pack won't contain dried squid! : )



Peace, Love & Chicken Grease,

Brandi

Sunday, July 24

    It's official!  I'm on the countdown!  That's right, in less than a month I will be back Stateside.  My first stop is in Denver to see one of my Besties/Sister/Former Roommate.  We haven't seen each other ages!  Okay, its only been like 6 months but it feels like ages.  After that, hopefully some quality time with another special person in my life and her family.  My Sister/Bestie/New Mom.  I can't wait to meet baby Olivia and see my sister who since, the last time I seen her has become a new mom!  Its just plum Crazy, to think of her as a mom!  Shouldn't she still be yelling at me and J, "not to touch her stuff" or to "put her stuff back where we found it!"  Lol!  I think, she would still do that if we lived closer!  I'm Super excited to see her and her family!  I haven't seen her in ages + infinity!  I think it'll be about 8 months since I last seen her.  Again, it's been way to long!  So, as I'm on the countdown I'm making a list of all the last minute things I need to do before I leave Korea.  It's a short list but, some take a little more nerve than others! 

Things to do Before I leave the ROK!

1.  Go to a Norabang again!
2.  Try Eel
3.  Try Dokbol (Chicken Feet)
4.  Explore more of Seoul
5.  Try Silk Worm Larva (Okay, only 1 to just say I tried it!)
7.  Fix my digital camera!
8.  Get a Korean Facial!
9.  Try Acupuncture!
10.  Go to a Jimjillbang (It took 5 months but, I think I finally got the nerve to give it a try!)

I'll keep you posted on my accomplishments!  Have a Great Sunday Everyone!

Peace & Love from the ROK,
Brandi

ThE WeEkenD

Tiffany and I at the Lotte Giants Game!

    This weekend I had the chance to go to a Lotte Giants baseball game in Busan.  It was a great time!  The Giants beat the Twins by 1.  This weekend I also tried to plan my upcoming vacation.  Not sure exactly where I'm going.  Hopefully, somewhere around Thailand, Malaysia or Malaysia-Borneo.  I'm ready for a nice relaxing vacation! : )  Then after that it's back Stateside!
    Hair Update:  After 1 week, I'm still Loving Magic Straight!  It makes hair care so much easier, especially with the high humidity here.
  

Korean Beauty Part III

Magic Straight 

    I took the plunge!  I got Magic Straight on my hair.  I have been talking about doing this for months, and finally did it!  I put it off for so long, due to the time commitment it takes to get it done (3-4 hours).  Not to mention you can't put your hair up in any way, shape or form for 1 week.  This means no pony tail holders, headbands or hair clips and I love my hair clips!  I have a bad habit of always putting my hair up in a clip!  Its a habit I need to break.  We'll see if getting Magic Straight does the trick!  

    I've been told no one does Magic Straight like the Koreans, not even the Brazilians!  I've never had a Brazilian Blowout so, I can't compare.  But, so far I am impressed with my new Korean hair style! I went to a salon called New York Hair near the University.  It was recommended by a fellow teacher and the cost seemed reasonable (55,000 won).  I went as a walk-in on Saturday.  Its hard for me to make a reservation since, I don't speak the language.  I had no problem getting in. They got me in a chair right away and offered me a drink and brought me a magazine.  They brought me Korean Instyle, I couldn't read the magazine but, I could look at the pictures.  FYI, according to Korean Instyle some of the Sexist things every girl should own is a sheer dress, a low back dress or shirt and a killer pair of heels.  Koreans love their heels!  I'm talking even with sweatpants kinda love.  Now, that's dedication!  Okay,now back to my hair.  My stylist name was Sora and she did speak a little English, which was a huge help!  We had no problem communicating even, when I told her I was considering bangs and she told me side bangs would be the best.  

   She started the Magic Straight process by applying the first cream and then wrapping my hair and plastic and setting me under a dryer.  In true Korean fashion, I had two stylist working on me at once to get me in and out of the salon as fast as possible (Koreans are all about being speedy and efficient).  Sora, was my main stylist.  I'm not going to lie, I felt kinda important having two stylist work on me at once!  After the first process was done, I went through a number of other creams being applied to my hair.  I think it was a total of three but, I got caught up in my magazine and kinda lost count.  At one point during the Magic Straight process they washed and dried my hair and then began to straighten it.  I was in shock and concerned when the two stylist began straightening my hair and my hair was Smoking!  But, they acted as if it was completely normal, so I just gritted my teeth and  went with it.  After absoultly making sure they got my hair completely straight, they applied another cream (I think it was a neutralizer) and I set for 3 minutes.  After the three minutes she washed and dried my hair for the umpteenth time and I was finished.  I was extremely impressed with Sora's mad hair drying skills!  She totally handled two full size blow dryers in one hand!  Before I left she made sure I knew "not to put my hair up for a week" and oh yeah, the kicker "not to wash my hair for three days!"  Three days!?!?  I'm gonna look like a Grease Monkey!

    So, I toughed it out and went with out washing my hair since Saturday!  I told myself, that I paid money for my hair to be straight so I was not going to waste it and ruin my hair by washing it.  My hair looked like something Nappy today at school.  The teachers tried to play it of, telling me my hair didn't look that bad.  Then my first class of the day (a group of first graders) asked me about me hair looking different and straight, then I hear a kid ask if I had been to the swimming pool.  Yeah, it was because the top of my hair looked a little greasy (like wet hair after, you have been swimming).  I couldn't find any dry shampoo or even baby powder here, or I would have totally been using it!  So, I tried to play it cool and just went ahead with my lesson for the day.  None of my other students said anything about my hair but, I think that's just because they didn't want to be rude and hurt my feelings.  A Korean teacher told me later in the day that it would've probably been fine to wash my hair after 24 hours.  "What?  Why did the stylist tell me three days," I said.  The Korean teacher then said, it was probably because I was foreign and the stylist wasn't completely sure about my hair type. 

    Overall though, I would recommend Sora at New York Hair.  She was sweet and did a great job!  It also helped that she spoke a little English.  I had her take a picture with me afterward and told her I was going to put it on my blog.  She felt honored.  In the end I paid a total of 60,00 won (around $60 U.S.) for Magic Straight and a trim.  I paid a little more for my hair type and a trim.  Overall, though I feel like it was a good deal!  I will keep you updated on how I like my hair after the next week.

Sora & I at New York Hair.

 Happy Monday,

 B

Korean Beauty Part II

Skin Food

    Korea is loaded with little beauty shops.  One of the most popular is a place called Skin Food.  It's Konglish, I know!   So, out of curiosity I had to check this place out!  Its actually a pretty neat place, everything is made from natural ingredients or food that you would eat.  I have bought the occasional Korean face pack (or face mask as we call it) and other little beauty products here. 
    My latest find is a Black Sugar Mask.  Its basically a sugar scrub that you use once or twice a week.  So far, I really seem to like it and it has a nice smell!  I'm trying to improve my beauty routine but, I'm just not as diligent as a Korean woman when it comes to my skin care regimen!  This is part of the reason why they have such young and beautiful looking skin.
    I'll admit it, I'm lazy when it comes to skin care.  So, in an effort to step up my game I also bought Skin Food's Blackberry Eye Cream (they said it was featured in Korea's Allure magazine).  It's okay.  I have been using it for almost a month but, I haven't really seen much difference.  Not sure if I would buy it again.  I'm defiantly on the hunt for an awesome eye cream, that and any other miracle cream that can do wonders for my skin and skin tone!  I'll keep you posted as I explore Korean skin care products.  Korean's take skin care very serious and spend lots of money on their skin care products.  They also, try to avoid the sun!  Well, most of them avoid the sun.  My friend Bonnie is the exception she's the only Korean I know who actually wants to be tan! Lol!
    More to come on Korean Beauty this week!  I'm attempting to have Magic Straight done to my hair this weekend!  It's a long process (3-4 hours!) and you can not put your hair up or bend it in any way for a week afterward.  That means no ponytail holders, headbands, or hair clips!  I Love my hair clips so, this could get interesting especially in this humidity!


Happy Friday,

B

I'm A Pepper...

    As a baby my parents dressed me in a Dr. Pepper T-Shirt that said "I'm a Pepper."  I have been hooked ever since!  Nothing else comes close, not even Pepsi or Coke.  So, during my time here in Korea I was beginning to have Dr. Pepper withdraws!  I was even tempted to buy it on-line and have it shipped to me.

    During the first few months is when you miss the regular things from home the most.   Or, at least that's what was true for me!  So, on a trip to Seoul when I discovered Dr. Pepper at a convenience store I bought 4 cans.  That was sadly all my already overstuffed backpack could hold!  So, I was shocked about a month ago when I discovered a small grocery store not even a block away from my school randomly carries Dr. Pepper (and Welch's Grape Soda)!  How did I go all these months with out knowing this?!?  I've been told they only stock Dr. Pepper on occasion but, every time I have been back since they have had it in stock.  You have to buy them by the can (about .83 a can)  but for me its an investment worthwhile!  So, here's to you GS Supermarket!  The Hidden Gym of Grocery Stores in Gooyoung Lee!

I know I said this week was going to be about Korean Beauty and it is, I just had to post about my great find! : )  Happy Hump Day Everyone!  Enjoy a Dr. Pepper today!

Brandi

Happy 4th of July!

    Happy 4th of July Y'all!  Today, I'm thinking of everyone back home celebrating.  They sadly do not
celebrate the 4th of July here in Korea.  So, instead of having the day off and enjoying a cookout or popping fireworks I spent the day at work.  It was the start of the new dreaded summer schedule and the start of me being at one school full time. (I'll let you know how that goes at the end of the week.)  The new summer schedule means crazy chaos, new classes, old classes, some old classes in new time slots, new time slots, confused children, confused teachers and oh yeah, crazy chaos!  Overall though, I think it went pretty well or as well as the first day of a new schedule can go.  I'll let you know more after tomorrow, when I start my new Tuesday, Thursday rotation!

    Today in honor of the 4th I explained to one of my classes the meaning of the 4th of July.  After explaining that it was an American holiday that celebrates our countries independence, I then told them that to celebrate we pop fireworks.  With the help of my poor artistic skills (they are about the level of a 1st grader's) and a student to help translate to Korean, I explained the word fireworks.  I then, tried to explain that we also call them firecrackers.  This left them totally confused!  "Fire Crackers?" they asked.  "Like a cracker?!?"  I then had to carefully explain that NO we do not Eat Firecrackers!  Lol!  This was a little difficult to explain since, they had just learned the work Cracker a few weeks ago!  So, it became our class joke to not eat a firecracker.  They thought it was pretty funny!   

Last year, she pretended to be a Genie in a Bottle by dancing in smoke from the Smoke Bombs!  For her protection her identity has been hidden.  But, I will tell you that she is one of my Aunts and her name does start with a B! : )

     I hope you all have a Happy & Safe 4th of July wherever you may be celebrating!  A Big thank you to all of our members in the Military who made this day possible! A special shout out to the nice service woman from Florida who kindly gave me directions yesterday while, lost during my adventure in Gyungju!  Stay tuned this week for blog post dedicated to Korean Beauty and possible another Giveaway!

Happy 4th of July,

Brandi


* Kristy the winner of the previous Giveaway, will you please e-mail me your address.  So, I can mail you your prize pack! : )  Thanks!

StUdent StOrIes!

Rangee & The Sh*t!

 
  It's Friday here in Ulsan, and I'm ready for the weekend!  Today was kind of a mellow day at school as the classes where all starting to wind down.  The new dreaded school summer schedule starts Monday!  So, as some classes end today many of us decided to have "parties."  I myself had a pizza party with one of my classes that is ending and had just completed a book.

    One of my younger classes in the early afternoon that I share with a Korean teacher (30 minutes with a Korean teacher/30 minutes with a Native language speaker.) completed a hidden picture search (Like the one's you loved as a kid in the Highlights magazine!) after they finished their test.  All of the students were struggling to find the hidden crown.  They were getting frustrated.  Then suddenly, Jace found the crown!  He was so Excited!  He blurted out suddenly, "I'm the Shit!"   What?!?  Did this little Korean kid really just say what I think he said?!?  Yeah, he did!  It was confirmed, when he proceeded to repeat that he was in fact the shit!  I tried not to laugh and could only imagine where this Korean 9-10 year old (Korean age) boy learned this phrase!

    There was one lone student in my last class of the day.  The others where home preparing for or recovering from their 3 days of public school test.  This was the second time this week there had only been one student in the class.  Kelly, was a trooper (and her middle school test are a week away.)  So,  we just hung out and talked.  We mainly talked about hamsters!  On Wednesday, she had brought a friends hamster to class.  I'm not quite sure why she had a friends hamster but, we managed to have a conversation about the little guy for an hour.  During this conversation, she informed me that she had a hamster of her own at home who was much more adorable.  So today, Kelly decided to bring her hamster Rangee to class.  Rangee was in fact adorable!

I asked Kelly how she got the name Rangee?  She said, "its because he looks kind of orangee."   "Rangee?"  I asked.  "Yeah, its Orangee minus the O" she said.  "I see," I replied.
So, Rangee was are entertainment for the class period.  Well, mainly my entertainment.  I miss my pets back home so, I am excited when I get to see people's pets here.  Strange, I know!

Side note: There's a strange thing here called Konglish!  It's a mix of English and Korean where they add the extra E or A sound at the end of the word!  That's why Orange became Orangee! 

Have a Happy Friday Y'all & A Safe 4th of July!

Brandi

Ooooh Ooohhhh Americano!!!...

Amy.  She's shy and didn't want to sing on camera!

    So, today was my last day at Child U! : (  My replacement starts on Monday.  It was a fun/sad day!  Instead of doing school work we just had a snack parties and watched a movie.  I'm going to miss my students and the other teachers!  They have all been extremely nice!
    I took my video camera today and filmed the students and took pictures.  While, I was filming the students I told them to say anything they wanted to America and my family back home.  One little girl, was shy and didn't want to say anything on camera.  Then she quietly started singing the Korean song "Americano!"  It's a song about coffe!  An Americano is what Koreans call Black Coffee.  Koreans Love their coffee!  This song has become quite popular.  Basically, it translates into I like, I like it.  Americano!  I tried to get her and the class to sing the song on camera but, they were to shy! 

Betty loved being in English class and having a foreign teacher.

Oh, Sonic!  The crazy stories I could tell on this kid!

    One of my favorite classes, got upset when I told them it was my last day.  A few almost started crying.  If they cried, I knew I would cry!  So, I told the boys to do something crazy and funny to lighten the mood.  They then proceeded to take their Taekwondo belts and tie them around their heads and dance.  One even decided to also stick his pencils up his nose and dance!! 
   It has been great to work with everyone at Child U!  I enjoyed working there and getting to teach all of my students!  I will defiantly miss you guys, our rides to work, you Educating me on Korean life and snack time before school! : )  I still think I need to go Booking at least once before I leave Korea! Lol!

Take Care, 
                  Brandi Teacher 

    

Things I've Learned in Korea

There have been many things that I have learned while being in Korea!  Some, I had to learn the hard way.  Here are just a few!..

     1.  Korea is only about the size of Kentucky.
     2.  Rice is Kimchi's Best Friend!  (They go hand in hand!  You can't have one with out the other!)
     3.  Soju is the #1 Drink of Korea!  It's a rice liquor. 
     4.  Bop is Korean for rice.
     5.  A typical Korean breakfast is Kimchi & Rice.
     6.  McDonald's delivers!
     7.  K-Pop is Korea's version of Pop music.  Boy & Girl groups are the rage!  Big Bang, anyone??
     8.  Korea's currency is Won.
     9.  Korea is BIG on Recycling!
   10.  Their BIG on Recycling but, its Hard to find a Trashcan in Public!
   11.  Houses are heated by having heated floors.  Makes sense!  Heat rises!
   12.  Most Koreans sleep on the floor.
   13.  Koreans do not use sheets!  They use something similar to a mattress pad.  
   14.  Everyone Eats Family Style!  You share a main dish and multiple side dishes.  Even at a Restaurant!
   15.  The Korean versions of Sprite are called Cider.
   16.  They LOVE Corn!  A little bit of corn can show up in the strangest places!  I've seen Corn on/in Spaghetti, Pizza, Bread and Sandwiches!
   17.  Koreans Drive Like a Bat out of Hell!!  Red light?  Phff...There's no cars coming!
   18.  Bus Drivers Drive even Crazier! 
   19.  Koreans are Superstitious!  ( More on that later!)
   20.  Not all restrooms have soap!
   21.  Most Restrooms DO NOT Have Toilet Paper!!  You Must Bring Your Own!!


*  If your interested in more facts about life in Korea check out ROKetship!  Its a hysterical but, true comic about life in the good ol' ROK! 


~ Happy Monday Y'all! ~


   B

















 

Thursday

    Oh Thursday, I love ya but you still aren't no Friday!  I'm ready for the weekend, in case you can't tell!  I have a whole country I need to explore!  I feel like I'm just going through the motions to get to the weekend.  So, I tried to spice it up a bit! 

    I did a little retail therapy after work and ended up adding to my hair accessory collection and buying some eyeshadow from a place called Tony Molly.  I can't buy clothes or shoes here because, of the size difference. So, I accessory shop!  Korea has a ton of little shops and street vendors that sell accessories!  Korea  loves hair accessories, and I'm even starting to develop quite a little collection myself. 

    I then decided, to pick up dinner and try something new!  I ended up getting takeout from a new restaurant I found near the University called 1900.  I ordered the Omrice (basically an omelet like egg wrapped around rice) with a Pork Cutlet on top and it came with a side of Kimchi.  I actually liked their Kimchi (fermented, pickled cabbage)!  Who knew!  The Pork Cutlet was good and so was the Omrice until, I found the Shrimp inside.  I don't do seafood!  I can't handle the smell, maybe it's because I'm an Okie.  Overall though, it wasn't bad especially for the price 4,500 won ($4.50 U.S.)  It just pays to be aware of what your ordering.  That can be hard to do sometimes with the language barrier.  It usually takes quite a bit of effort to order if the menu isn't in English.   It normally involves some miming and pointing at pictures, and possibly making animal sounds!  You just learn to go with it, and not worry what people might think about the crazy foreigner.

    Then, this evening something Exciting happened!  One of my besties learned how to Skype from her I-phone!  WooWhooo!  It was great to get to see her and I really enjoyed our chat!  We hadn't really got to talk in awhile.  It was great to chat with ya A! : )  We will have to do it again sometime, very soon!

Happy Thursday Y'all! : )


 
  

Korean Food Part I

A Little Sweet & A Whole Lot Of Spice!

    A little sweet & a whole lot of spice!  These are the words I would use to describe Korean food.  Koreans Love spicy food!  The rule in general is, if its red its going to spicy!  I was fortunate to be warned about this in advance.  So, I'm always cautious when it comes to eating something red or something with red flakes in it.  I'm a wimp when it comes to eating spicy food! 

     One of my favorite foods in Korea, is a dish that basically translates to spicy beef stew (Note: this is not like an American stew).  The stew consists of a spicy broth, bean sprouts (Yup, this Okie now eats a few bean sprouts!  Never thought I'd see the day!)  some other Korean vegetables, and a little bit of beef.  It's spicy but, if you poor the stew over rice like many Koreans do its actually tolerable if you can't handle that much spice.  I don't do spicy but, I'm slowly learning to handle a little more and more as time goes by.  Heck, I can even handle a little hot sauce on my pizza's now!  It's another Korean pizza thing, don't ask!

    The sweet side of things!  While, they love hot & spicy Koreans also love the sweet side of things.  They love that hint of sweetness and it shows up in the strangest places!  Take garlic bread for example, if you love or even remotely like garlic bread do not eat it in Korea.  I repeat do not eat the garlic bread in Korea!  It is sweet!  You heard me right, Sweet!  There is this hint of sweetness in a lot of Korean foods; garlic bread, potato chips, different kinds of breads and pastries, ramen spaghetti and even in some kinds of pizza! Its not an overpowering sweet flavor, but it's to much for my taste buds!

*Pictures to come at a later date.  I am currently unable to upload my pictures.  : (

Driving Sleeves

Tiffany (her English name) a fellow teacher on our way to work this morning, Rocking the driving sleeves!

  There's a strange thing that happens in Korea when the mercury starts rising.  People young and old begin bringing out their sun gear.  Koreans are not a fan of the sun or being tan!  So, when they get out their sun gear it's not your traditional sunscreen and hat.  I'm talking sun umbrellas, sunscreen with a 45 spf or higher, long sleeves,  gloves and driving sleeves! 
    Yup, I said driving sleeves!  I seen these for the first time at the beach over the weekend, and again today on my way to work.  Their lightweight sleeves that extend from your wrist to right above your elbow.  You wear them while driving or when necessary to protect yourself from the sun.  They even come in an array of colors.  Hmm... I know some farmers back home that could sure use these to help prevent them from getting that famous thing called a farmers tan this summer! : )

Happy first day of Summer Y'all!

GooGooGoo!

Goo Goo Goo!  Goo Goo Goo is one of the greatest things ever invented!  It's very similar to a thing we had in Stillwater once upon a time called "free ride."  Goo Goo Goo is basically like a taxi service that you can take home when you have had to much to drink, except they actually drive you, your friends and your car home for about 10,000 to 12,000 won (comparable to $10-$12 dollars U.S.).  You just call the hot-line, tell them your location and they pick you and your car up.  If you have extra passengers they will even deliver them safely to their homes. It's generally only in the bigger cities in Korea. But, I think this idea is genius in preventing drunk driving!

Its Not Cool To Cry In Your Pajamas!

    Its not cool to cry in your pajamas! I don't care what they say, its just not cool!  But, that is just what this 20 something girl did last night!  Yes, I can still say I'm 20 something.  At least for a little while longer. : )  I'm not proud of the fact that I cried in my pajamas but, its exactly what I did after a 2 hour Skype session that lasted until 2 in the morning (there was a 15 hour time difference.)

    It started out great!  I Skyped with my entire family, who where all together at my sister's to see the new baby.  Baby Olivia.  For the first time, I was able to see this new Little Bundle of Joy in person!  Via the internet and modern technology of course!

Little Olivia, was tuckered out!  She slept most the time.

    It was amazing to be able to see this baby who just 2 weeks ago was in my sister's stomach!  It sounds strange, I know!  Its just different when your own sister has a baby.  Don't get me wrong, I have had several friends and cousins who have had children that I hold near to my heart.  But, there's just something different when its your sister's baby.  I mean I have known her all of her life!  I know how bratty, mean and nice she can be.  She's the one who threw a motorcycle helmet at my face and bloodied my nose!  She's also, the one who I threw a rock at that hit her in the head!  I know her stories, her past, likes and dislikes.  So, to now see her as a "Mom" (this girl who used to carry around big purses and be extremely girly until, she reached her infamous tomboy stage) is kinda surreal and strange to me all at the same time.

    I loved being able to Skype with them!  I have not seen my sister since, the beginning of January.  This is an extremely long time!  The longest we have went with out seeing each other is six months, and that only happened once.  So, to be able to finally Skype with her was a huge blessing!  I Loved every minute of it!  It was great to see everyone, their new place and the new baby of course.  We just sat their and chatted for hours about nothing, like we would if we where back home.  Except this time, we where a world away.

    I was great, couldn't be happier until we approached the 2 am mark and I had to go.  I was even okay for a few minutes after we hung up.  Then it hit me!  I began to cry.  I cried just like a baby.  I don't even really know why I started crying.  I just did.  I blame it on the combination of everything; being a girl, being abroad and missing my family.  I knew I would miss the birth of my sister's baby when I made this decision to travel abroad and that I wouldn't get to see her for the first few months of her life.  I was some what okay with this.  But, no matter how okay or prepared for a situation you are your still human!  So while its not cool to cry in your pajamas it can happen when you live abroad, and that's okay. 

She finally woke up towards the end of our call.  She wasn't to excited about Grandma Linda holding her up to the computer screen. 

Happy 2 week Birthday Olivia!
Aunt Brandi loves you to the moon and back!

StuDent StOrieS

Alvin The Slow Genius!

    Alvin is a student in one of my classes.  He is not the smartest nor most outspoken in the class.  He's more the quit type who tries to blend in as much as he can so, he's never put on the spot.  He's shy when it comes to speaking English and prefers to observe the class instead of speaking.  He looks like Simon from Alvin and the Chipmunks with his black rim glasses and is more bashful than his cartoon namesake (at least in my class he is).  I even kid him about the cartoon Alvin and the Chipmunks.   Each day we do a reading assignment and I go around the room and ask each student to read and answer a question about the story.  A majority of the time when I get to Alvin he says "pass" or "I don't know the answer" and blushes.  I then ask the other students if they can help Alvin with the answer.  They normally show him the passage in the story where the answer is located or explain the question to him in Korean.  He then proceeds to answer the question.  
     Than one day, the Unthinkable happened!  I asked Alvin a question about the story we just read and with out help, or even pausing for a second he proudly answered the question Correctly!  "Way to go Alvin!" I said, as I gave him a high five!  The class began to clap and cheer for Alvin.  Then Billy yelled "Teacher! Alvin is a Slow Genius!!  He's a Genius! A Slow Genius!!"  I just smiled and said "yes."  I than gave Alvin two stars.  He was so excited!  By the end of the day the other teachers had already heard of Alvin's new name, the "Slow Genius!"

The Winner Is!...

The winner of the Mystery Korean Prize Pack is Comment #6 - Kristy!  Congratulations!  I will be getting your prize pack to you soon.  Not to worry, if you didn't win.  I will be doing another give away soon!  Hope you all have a Great Weekend!  I caught up on some sleep this weekend, relaxed and took my Korean drugs to help me kick this cold/sinus thing in the butt!  I went to a doctor in Korea for the first time on Friday.  It was a very interesting experience!  In total it cost me 18,500 won for my doctor visit and prescription, which is roughly equivalent to $18.50 U.S. dollars.  All without insurance!  This Waygook (Korean for foreigner) was happy with that price!  More on my trip to the doc in a later post!  Have a Great Sunday Everyone!

XOXO,
          Brandi

Wednesday Giveaway!

Why?? Because, its Wednesday.  Because, I have reached my half way mark here in Korea!  Because, I love my followers and getting a chance to share my stories with you.  So, today I will be giving away a Mystery Korean Prize Pack to one Lucky person!  
To Enter:  Answer the following question by commenting on this post and include an e-mail address where you can be reached at.

What are your summer plans? 

Winner will be drawn at random and announced on Friday!  Deadline to enter is Noon on Thursday (Oklahoma time, of course!)

Korean Fish Market Part I

I've had the chance to visit two fish markets since, arriving here in Korea.  I visited the second one today in Busan.  A six story market filled with nothing but fish and other slimy sea critters.  A Korean fish market is defiantly something to see!  This Okie was quite entertained!

 

Olivia Paige

Olivia Paige has fast become one of the new favorites in my life! She is absolutely precious!  I love her!  Even though I have yet to meet this little angel because, I am still a world away I am already head over heels for this little girl.  I could never imagine loving someone so much that I have never met.  I really do think she is just the "Bees Knees!" But, I'm not going to lie I am a little partial!  Congratulations to the Proud Parents! I know she is already wrapped around everyone's finger including mine.  So, Welcome to the World Miss Olivia Paige!  

Auntie B, can't wait to meet you!

StuDent StOrieS

Harry, Julia, Jenny... Wait, Whats Your Name?!?!?
    It's common for Korean students to receive an English name while attending English class. Its a very fun day when a student receives their English name!  Or, at least I think it is!  I have been fortunate to name a few. I normally give the student a list of names to pick from, I start the list with people I know or t.v. or movie characters.  Once, I even suggested the name Phoebe!  Other times, the student already has a name in mind.   Since being in Korea, I have been fortunate enough to name a few.  So far the people I named include; Fred, Eileen, Jamie, Ryan, Ramie, Casey, Diana, Autumn, Ashley and Micky. I'm still trying to name a student Freida!  I'll let you know when it happens!  Most of my students have pretty standard English names like; John, Harry, Julia, Jenny or Sara.  You also have some more unusual names like Gum, Zombie and Kitty.  Kitty is a new student who I tried to name Freida (her brothers name is Fred) but, she insisted on being called Kitty.  So, Kitty it is!  Then you have this Guy!...

    His name origanlly started as Jay but, then day it began to Grow!!  One day in class Jay decided that he needed a new English name.  Okay, I said "what would you like to be called?"  "McGyver!" Jay replied.  McGyver? How does this kid even know about McGyver he's like 12!  Okay, I said "We'll call you Jay McGyver ."  The next class Jay raised his hand again.  "Yes, Jay" I said.  "Teacher, I need to add to my name" Jay replied.  "Okay, Jay what would you like to be called today?" I said.  "Terminator!" Jay replied.  Terminator?!?!  Is this kid stuck in the 80's or does he just watch a bunch of reruns and old 80's movies!?!?  "Okay, I said you will now be called Jay Terminator McGyver."  The class began to laugh and from that day his name has grown even more!  He is now called King Big Bang Jay Terminator McGyver Obama 2X!  I have since stopped allowing him to add to his name!  Happy Tuesday Everybody!

Memorial Day

This Memorial Day as I sit in my apartment half a world away, I am thinking of everyone in Oklahoma and Missouri who where hit hard by recent tornadoes, all of the soldiers at home and deployed, all of our veterans and all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  I heard a quote once, that I am reminded of today "no, freedom is not free."  That it isn't.  Many have laid down their lives in the ultimate sacrifice to allow us our freedom.  For that I say, Thank You to all of our Service Men and Women and their Families.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all and with all of those effected by the recent tornadoes.  Have a safe and happy Memorial Day everybody!

XOXO, Brandi

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette is Huge in Korea!  Koreans Love them!  There is one on almost every corner!  In fact, in the area where I work there are two Paris Baguettes within blocks of each other!  Paris Baguette is a French bakery with a Korean twist.  At first sight it appears to be a French bakery filled with delicious breads and pastries but, upon closer inspection you begin to realize that everything has been "Koreanized."  In the beginning I steered clear of these little bakeries but, as the months went on I began to explore their food more and more.  I have found some foods that I like and some that aren't so great.  One of my favorites is the chicken wrap.  Its similar to a chicken wrap that you would find in the States and makes a great and easy lunch.  Every Paris Baguette is a little different in their own way.  The last one I stopped at had peas on their pizza bread along with corn.  Peas being out of the norm here on pizza bread (corn is very common on pizza here).  The one thing that I continue to steer clear of is the garlic bread!  I have been warned that Koreans love to put sugar on their garlic bread!  Yuk!!  So, here are some of the crazy concoctions that I have discovered in these little neighborhood bakeries.  

These little creations sit right out on the counter all day long.

Imagine a dinner roll with a semi-sweet cream and a choco (chocolate) paste in the middle.

The title explains it all!

* Side Note: 1,000 won is similar to a U.S. dollar.*

The Secret Life of an Expat: Homesickness

It creeps up on you, when you least expect it!  It somehow finds its way in.  It doesn't even knock, it just bust opens the door and Bam there it is!  I'm talking about being homesick!  The dreaded word no expat wants to hear let alone face.  They say it normally creeps up on you around your 3rd month abroad and hits you just when you think you are getting settled and adapting successfully to your new life.  Its a strange feeling at first.  You quite can't put your finger on what is wrong but, you know your not feeling the same about your new life as before and then it hits you!  You miss home!!  Yup, your HomeSick!  For some, it begins by trying to find out any news you can from friends and family back home.  So, you call your grandma and she wants to talk about her latest medical test or her garden for an hour...Great!  Your all ears!  Or, maybe your just a little grumpier than normal, or things that wouldn't normally bother you set you off.  Like, not being able to find Mexican food in your town.  Which is a fact that you have known from day one but, for some reason on that particular day it just really pisses you off!  Another common one is checking your e-mail, facebook or any other social media site constantly just to check out the latest news or see if anyone has replied to the page long letter you sent them in response to their simply asking "what's up?"  Its a strange phenomenon; this homesickness, and I doubt they find a cure.  Besides, simply returning to that dear place you call home and enjoying such luxurious as people speaking the same language and spending time with the people you love.  Until then, I really wish bosses would implement a foreigner homesick day.  But, then I would probably just stay in all day and watch re-runs of American tv on the internet, check facebook obsessively, and Skype with everyone and their dog.  The latter would only result in "Skypers Remorse" a new phrase I'm taking credit for!  Yeah, its like shoppers remorse except with Skype.   I have a love hate relationship with Skype.  Its a long story but, for the most part we get along. 

StuDent StOrieS

As a teacher there are a few things that can really annoy you.  Normally, a kid falling asleep in class would be one of them!  But, here in Korea if a student falls asleep in class I just feel bad for them!  Korean children have such crazy hectic schedules.  I'm talking public school during the day and then multiple academies (English, piano, art, science, math, ect.) afterward.  Its not unheard of to have students who don't get home until 9:00-10:00 pm.  Then its time to do homework!  This is one of my students after his first week in middle school.  Notice the school uniform.  Korean middle school students are required to wear uniforms and can only have certain haircuts and glasses and of course makeup is not allowed!  So, if I see a student asleep in class I try to let them sleep!  I figure they probably need it.

The "Monday Sick!"

Today, was kind of a dreary rainy day here in Korea.  It was yet again Monday, and it seemed like everybody was tired from the weekend.  I ran into my boss in the hallway and asked him how he was today and he replied by saying he had the "Monday sick."  "Monday sick?" I replied.  He then explained that it was a popular saying in Korea for when you weren't to excited about Monday or you are just dreading going back to work after a busy weekend.  Later on in the day I asked another co-worker about this saying, she confirmed the meaning and then said "yeah, Monday sick.  You don't use this saying?"  I said, "no, the only thing we say is da*% it's Monday or maybe in a rare instance you could say you have the "Monday blues."  She was shocked, and said they use this saying all of the time.  So, I hope you all have a Great Monday and don't catch a case of the "Monday Sick!"  Or better yet, call your boss next Monday and tell him you can't come in because you have a case of the "Monday Sick!" 

XOXO, Brandi

Korean Beauty Part I

 I have stumbled upon many strange beauty treatments and trends here in Korea.  One of the most popular trends is the Face Mask!   Every beauty store has their own brand and a wide selection of face masks they offer.  I have seen collagen mask, vitamin mask, tomato mask and even black caviar mask.  The Korean face mask differs slightly from your typical DIY at home American facial.  The mask is actually a slimy cotton sheet that you place on your face for 20-30 minutes.  These mask are very affordable and make great gifts to send back home.  So, after sending many of these back home to my family and friends I decided to try this trend for myself.  Below are the results of my Korean DIY at home vitamin facial.

StuDent StOrieS

Student of the Day goes to Bart! 
Who insisted that he was a "Crusader Pretty Princess."  Even after explaining to him (with stick figures!) that a Princess was a girl and a Prince was a boy, he still insisted that Yes he was in fact a Girl a "Pretty Princess!"  He then said for short I should call him P.P.  I then tried to explain that if I called him P.P.  it would sound like Pee Pee.  I then had to explain what Pee Pee means! I tried to do this with out laughing because, the more I laughed the more I coughed!  (I have developed a funky cough over the past week but, that's another story.)  The other teachers explained later that their is a P.C. Game (video game) where your player is a Crusader Pretty Princess. Gotta love the Language Barrier and kids who play Way to many P.C. Games!!  Their is also a P.C. Game that uses the catch phrase "Show Me the Money!"  Another one of Bart's favorite phrases!

RaNdOm FaCtS of ThE dAy!

Random Facts:

 1.  I have Eaten Spaghetti with Chopsticks.
 2.  Over 1/2 the Households in Japan have a Toilet with a Built in Bidet.
 3.  I currently have 3 Different Types of Currency in my wallet.
 4.  The word Hi means Yes in Japanese.
 5.  Toilet Humor is Funny in any Language.
 6.  In Japan and Korea many Public Restrooms Do Not Have Toilet Paper.
 (You have to bring your own.)
 7.  I have been told I am beautiful by Japanese & Koreans because of my Pasty White Skin.
  (Why did I waste all those years tanning?! Lol!)
8.  Japan is Wicked Expensive!
9.  Fukuoka Japan is Famous for its Ramen Noodles!
10.  No matter how Hard you Try they, Won't let you Go to the Very Front of the Boat and Take A Picture like in Titanic!

*  These Random Facts have been brought to you from over 6 hours on a Boat in the Ocean with out TV or Internet! : )  Enjoy!

Pickles & Pizza!

 Love pickles?  Love pizza?  Why not eat them together?  In S. Korea there is a strange custom of eating pickles with your pizza! When you order delivery pizza you can bet that your order will come with a side of pickles.  These aren't your typical dill pickles either. They are a Korean version of sweet pickles.  So, all you pickle lovers out there next time you order pizza bust out your chopsticks and some pickles!

Oh, Cass!

Oh, Cass!  My first night in Korea I stumbled upon this can of Cass Lemon in the fridge.  After carefully weighing my options to what this mystery can might hold, I determined that it must be some sort of lemon drink similar to Sprite or some kind of energy drink.  Notice the "Sound of Vitality" statement in English at the top.  Thirsty, and afraid to drink the water I decided to take my chances on this mystery can!  I opened the can and took a big ol' swig, and much to my surprise it was beer!  Wait? Beer?  Maybe I was just really jet lagged.  So, I took another drink.  Yup, lemon beer!  Not what I was expecting.  But, after traveling for more than 32 hours on a plane (I had a lot of layovers!)and finally arriving at my destination in the middle of the night this Korean lemon flavored beer wasn't to bad.  

Sinbok Rotary

Located by the University area in Mugeo-dong.  I use the Rotary as a sign post to find my way home.  It comes in handy since I'm prone to be directionally challenged!  

Easter Sunday

This Sunday as I celebrate Easter in S. Korea I am thankful for; the religious freedom that I have in America, my family who took me to church when I was a kid, and my grandmother for buying me my first Bible.  While, I miss the family dinners, dying Easter eggs and of course Easter candy the true meaning of Easter has never been clearer.  This week while, teaching a new class of middle school students we were discussing generations gaps.  We talked about things like fashion, food, music, curfews and boys (it just happens to be an all girl class).  Then after discussing all of these things the topic of religion was brought up.  The question of whether or not you and your parents disagree over religion was presented.  As we went around the room answering the question many of the girls said that they nor their parent were religious, some said either one parent or one grandparent was Buddhist and one girl said her and her family are Christian.  In Korea around 30% of the population has no religion at all and a large portion are Buddhist. As we continued to talk a girl in the room said that her and her family disagree about religion.  After asking her to explain, she said that her father was Buddhist but she wanted to be Christian.  She than told us that she had asked her father to go to a Christian church because she liked Christianity and he hit her!  This comment took me by surprise.  It got me thinking a lot this week about how truly lucky and blessed I am.  I am very thankful to have grown up with a family who took me to church as a kid, being allowed freedom of religion in America, and most of all to know Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins!  I hope you all have a Happy Easter and remember the true reason for this day!

Dollar, Dollar Bills Ya'll!

Well, its actually 10,000 won which is only equal to about $10.00 in the U.S.  But, it made this Okie feel Rich!

Day 2

I woke up on day 2 of my adventure excited about the day would hold!  My first task at hand was to take a shower.  I made my way into my new tiny blue tiled covered bathroom and took a look around.  This was going to be an interesting experience!  The toilet is also a family bidet (more to come in another post!) and my shower consists of a shower head mounted on the wall in the corner.  No bathtub, shower divider, or shower curtain of any kind!  You just shower there in the corner and all of the water runs on the tile floor to a drain under the sink.  I discovered this is why many Koreans wear shower shoes.  Thankfully, Amanda left me a pair at the apartment to squeeze my big size 9 1/2 feet into.  A size 7 1/2  in American woman's shoes is considered extremely large here!  I am considered lucky to have my shower in the corner since most small apartments have their shower located right over the sink!  After successfully taking a shower, I got ready for the day and prepared for adventuring out into my new city.
Linda stopped by to pick me up for lunch and on the way gave me a tour of my new neighborhood and where I would be working.  We ate lunch at Loteria a Korean fast food place.  I stared at the menu confused on what to order.  I pointed to the picture of a hamburger and hoped for the best.  It was defiantly different but, at that point food was food!  The fries where about the only thing that where the same.  She then took me to buy a pen and notebook.  I would be needing one to write down important things like my apartment code, how to get to work and did I mention my apartment code!  Yeah, its the little number you have to know to actually get into your apartment.  I forgot mine, and had to have Linda call our director so I could get back into my house.  I was extremely glad she was with me since, I didn't have a cell phone and my laptop with internet access was in my apartment! 
After a quick trip to the grocery store (where at one point, I'm pretty sure she called me Barbie!) she dropped me off at my apartment and made sure I had written down the correct directions to get to work, important phone numbers and my apartment code!  Then she said her goodbye and left.  This left me all alone and jet lagged standing in my new apartment.  What was a girl to do?  I quickly put away my groceries and fired up my laptop in attempt to find wifi again to make any connection with the world back home!  Hello Facebook! 

Day 1

Today is my 19th day in Korea!  This is hard to believe. It seems like only yesterday I was stepping off the plane in Busan S. Korea tired and grungy after 32 hours of traveling and one very long 14 hour plane ride.  In case I fail to mention it later, Dramamine is a God send!  I don't normally get motion sickness but the combination of the nerves, my lack of sleep due to packing all night, the nerves, a bad McDonalds cheesburger, and oh yeah' the nerves had this Oklahoma girl's stomach tied in knots and swimming circles! I arrived at the airport at 11:45 pm on a Saturday, after a brief stop through customs I made it to baggage claim.  Struggling to gather all of my luggage, (2 giant suitcases that barely made the 50 lb weight limit, an overstuffed carry on bag, and a backpack/laptop case) I fastened together my suitcase and my carry on bag and away I went wearing a backpack and pulling a suitcase in each hand.  Looking for any sign I could find in English.  Luckily, I stumbled upon a currency exchange counter.  I was relived to have successfully exchanged my American dollars for Korean won!  I had been warned that since I was arriving on a weekend the banks would be closed and it would take a few days for my form to be processed for my debit card to work in Korea.  Then I walked through the gates past baggage claim looking for anyone who I thought might be my new director at the academy where I would be teaching.   I must stand out in a sea of Koreans because, it was easy for my new director to spot me in a crowd.  An hour car ride later I arrived at my new apartment in the middle of the night, was given the apartment code and told "I will see you on Monday and Linda will meet you tomorrow for lunch."  "Umm okay," I said.  Tired, confused, and afraid to drink the water I was alone in my new apartment.  I got ready for bed and got out my laptop in an attempt to find wifi.  After a brief phone call home through Skype I was able to call my mom and dad to let them know that I had made it to Korea and was in my new apartment. 

2 Weeks In To It...

For all of my friends and family I have finally started my blog!  It has been 2 weeks since I have been in Korea and it has been a whirlwind!  I am now getting settled into my apartment, adjusting to my new schedule, experiencing the joy and everything else that comes along with teaching, and trying to figure out just how this blog thing works exactly!  I hope you all enjoy reading my post, my experiences about my journeys and about my life in general.  So, tell your momma, your dog, your brother from another mother and even your grandma's neighbor to check out my new blog!  Pictures and "Brandi's infamous wisdom" to come soon...