My Apartment....4 months later

Yeah, so I never posted that apartment video, welcome to my humble abode!
*Ondol is actually underfloor heating, not my wall heating...but sometimes I talk S***

August To Do List ( I love lists)

compliments of the wondrous Travis Kelley

1.Finish  Packing!
2.Try Oysters for the first time in Brighton
3.Climb Arthurs Seat with a bottle of wine (and not fall 17 times again)
4.Hit on the 'sailors' at Gambrinus :)
5. Listen to "Seaside" on the Brighton Pier (I'm so corny, but I love the Kooks)
6.Stomach a Chartreuse bomb in the Globe
7. Finish a plate of fish and chips (not just the chips).
8. Hit up Pomegranate with the Boston wife
9. See "Punk Rock" by Simon Stephens at the Fringe Festival (featuring Will Merrick from Skins)
10. Live in the Spiegeltent for a day (Oh, the magic of a traveling circus tent).
11. Finish two pieces to submit as a guest travel blogger
12. Go to a Jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse, aka, korean skin scrubbing extravaganza)
13. Hop on a Seoul bus tour
14.Order a food at random from a menu in Korea
15. Find the nearest record store in Seoul and pick up the Bloc Party album :)

A Few Things...

1. My visa arrived on saturday!
2. I turned in my notice at work and I managed not to do the Bernie out the door.
3. My flights are booked.
4.My Korean language tutor is too attractive for words and it is super distracting!
5.I have one suitcase fully packed
6. I have literally listened to 2NE1 "I love you" and BigBang "Fantastic Baby" on repeat all week.
7. Several family members have asked me when I plan on seriously dating or getting married, since I am always traveling..
8. I don't plan on ever getting married ....just didn't make the cut for my bucket list.
9. I don't do serious and I plan on traveling a lot.
10. I was offered the opportunity to coach kids while in South Korea.
11. I accepted this offer.
12. Shit, did I just over commit?
13. Nope, I got this.
14. Orientation is in 32 days.
15. My Korean is getting better and I have learned phrases other than "what is that man's name?" and "How much?"
16. Last immunizations on July 24th! I AM A PIN CUSHION.
17. I have a horrible heat rash from this stupid weather and I can't focus on writing this semi coherent blog post because I am so damn itchy.
18. Hopefully Calamine lotion will help
19. Kimchi.
20. Kimchi

Warning: Angsty, Insecure, Rant in..3..2..1

So what is the one thing you've never liked about yourself? Small eyes? Big Nose? Freckles? Acne Scars? Stretch Marks? Bad Teeth? Do you want to lose weight? What if you moved to a place where all of these treatments were readily available and perfection was encouraged? Now, if you're like me you're probably saying to yourself,' I'm not so bad, I would never do something like that.' Why pay to change who you are.?My question is, at what point do people stop feeling that way and if you have all the resources at your fingers tips to make a change, do you?

Plastic Surgey Rates by Country

The Economist reported on global rates of plastic surgery earlier this spring, and South Korea topped the list for the most-cosmetically enhanced population in the world.South Korea has become so well known for it's plastic surgery that it sees an excess of 80,000 international arrivals a year, and with so many K-Pop beauties running around, who could be surprised? In fact, South Korea's perfectly primped pop stars are often considered one of the biggest factors in the increasing amount of plastic surgeries. Here are a few notable surgeries below:

 

 A few weeks ago I posted a piece called "My Butt is Too Big For Korea," while it was humorous it is also a very big insecurity of mine. Well, not my butt, I love my butt. I mean my size.I am not big, I work out, I play rugby, I eat decently, but I will never be a "small girl." That being said, the idea of going into the doctor and coming out 20 pound lighter seems a bit absurd to me. Tummy tucks, lipo, electric accupuncture...all seem like temporary solutions when working out is an over all lifestyle choice. Choice. Isn't that what it all comes down to? For example, I choose to eat more carbs than any human should consume, stuff my face with gold fish crackers and then spend a few days feeling guilty but making up for it with fruit smoothies and salads. This clearly is not the best method, but you catch my drift, That doesn't mean it will be any easier being one of the bigger people in a country where thin is definitely in, or where homogeneity defines beauty. In the U.S we have a tendency to place a lot of emphasis on being "exotic" and on standing out. Here are a few Korean beauty standards:
1. Tanning is a no no! Pale skin is a must... Alabaster Chic, if you will
2. Small "cute" lips
3.Large eyes
4.High nose bridge, slender nose
5.Women- long legs, slender
6 Men- tall with lean Muscle
7. Double eye lids

And it seems that many people in Korea have no qualms about spending a pretty penny to fit this description.1 in 5 South Korean women in Seoul have had some form of cosmetic surgery. One can't help but notice how much less surgery costs in Korea compared to the U.S. Check out this price list from Iaan Aesthetic Clinic in Daejeon.

Upon speaking to a Korean friend, she said I should  approach this topic from a completely different view. She said South Korea is a place where surgery is so natural that it is no longer taboo. If people don't like something they don't complain and agonize over it, they just "fix it." She pointed out the difference in overall health and lifestyle between the US and Korea. We have our own obsessions in America. Crazy crash dieting, Sensa, portion diets, Creatine abuse, cosmetic addiction, tanning and the "low fat craze."  Livestrong compares the two diets "Overall, the Korean diet places great emphasis on vegetable consumption, and many traditional Korean foods are naturally low in fat. As a result, South Korea has a lower obesity rate than other countries in Asia. According to a 2002 article in the journal "Public Health Nutrition," the United States and Mexico have the highest obesity rates in the world (it should be noted that many nations in the South Pacific have since taken over the top places in obesity ratings); Korea and Japan have the lowest. The Korean diet has remained low in fat and high in vegetables even as Western culinary influences have been incorporated."

So not only will many Korean's be more attractive, they will also live much longer than I will...damn it! Oh well. Looks like I'm gonna slather on some BB cream, get my hair done and embrace my curves in Korea. After all, statistics tell me I wont live as long to enjoy them :)

I haven't even scratched the surface of this topic. I can feel an investigative journalism piece coming on!

My Contract Arrived! Sock Monkey Approves!

Oh, hey! Did I mention my NOA/Contract packet from Epik arrived today? Beyond ecstatic, 10 minutes after it arrived I book my flight to Korea :) August 7th I will be headed to Scotland, probably doing a little two day trip to Norway/Sweden/Somewhere Scandanavian and then flying out the 19th and arriving at Seoul Incheon Airport the 20th!

In my packet I received a spiffy, shiny NOA, my SMOE contract, a notice for successful applicants and an amazingly nice note from my coordinator. He is pretty much the best, by the way, and you should all be extremely jealous...unless we have the same coordinator, in which case I suppose I'm okay sharing.

The Information packet was really helpful so here are some of the details..ABRIDGED!

1) Visa Info: Sign your contract when you receive it, unless you are a SMOE teacher; in which case you will have the pre-signed contract that you previously submitted. The contract is temporary and just for visa purposes, you will sign two additional contracts when you arrive in Korea. Americans can find the required documents here. 
*On your visa application you will be asked to fill in your visa issuance number. This is in the top left corner of your NOA. Leave the Guarantor section blank.

2) Flight Stuff: Notify your coordinator of your flight details and make sure you arrange your flights to arrive on the correct day. I will be arriving on August 20th, with team 2. Team 2 includes: Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gangwon, Jeju and will be held in Daejeon. Of course this changes from year to year, but I am very excited! Epik will be there to pick up teachers between 11am and 9pm. The last bus will leave the airport at 9:00pm. Epik says your flight should land by 7 p.m Make sure you have enough time between landing and grabbing your luggage, to get to the shuttle. That way you wont end up doing the hoodrat Snooki, four suitcase shuffle through the airport...I have perfected it.

3) Documents: If you are missing any documents (TEFL certificate, proof of teaching or apostilled diploma) they must arrive at the Epik office by July 20th.
-Remember to bring 2 additional passport photos (3.5cm x 4.5 cm)
-Bring an original copy of your teaching certification

4) Entrance Allowance: In most cases, a teacher will be provided with 1,300,000 KRW by their POE/MOE within the first month of teaching. This is intended to assist with initial set up costs for Epik teachers. I wonder if a deep fryer could be considered an initial set up cost? A girl's gotta have her chicken ;)

5)Medical Business Ya'll:  As you know (and have probably stressed about) all Epik teachers need to take a medical exam which includes: a physical examination, a blood test and chest x-ray. You will need to obtain a medical report issued from the hospital and must bring 50,000-100,000 KRW in cash to pay for the examination.
-Epik teachers who test positive for illegal substances will have their contracts immediately cancelled. At this point I'm assuming no one is dumb enough to have gone through this whole process if they planned on failing.

6) All successful Epik applicants must complete the online pre-orientation course (17 hours). Once you complete the course you will be asked print out the certificate and present it to your homeroom teacher during orientation.

I actually cannot wait for Orientation and my first week teaching, but what do I need to pack?

To Be Continued.....

Oh, The Places You Will Go

Less than 2 months  and I will be in Asia. I can hardly wait to begin traveling around Korea, but here are a few other places I would love to see while I am abroad.

1.Camiguin Island, Philipines

Camiguin Island is also known as  "Fire Island" due to the amount of  volcanoes. It also happens to be famous for sweet lanzones. Yum!

2.Tokyo, Japan

Not only is Tokyo home to one of my favorite rugby teams, it's also just an insanely different city from anywhere I've ever been in my life. The city is full of contrasts: new & traditional

 3. Hong Kong 

The host of the international tournament Hong Kong 7's, one of the largest rugby 7's tournaments in the world. Anyone noticing a trend yet? I'm only a bit obsessed.

4. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

I remember doing a report on Ho Chi Minh city in 5th grade. In order to keep a promise to my 11 year old self, I have added it to my bucket list!

 5.Bangkok, Thailand

You know what they say: One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster. Long before the hangover I lusted after traveling to Bangkok, but I never really thought I'd end up in Asia! Lucky me! :)

6.Luang Prabang, Laos

 

Just look at it! Luang Pranbang has so much history, beautiful natural sites, great weather and a charming, relaxed old town appeal.

7.Bali, Indonesia

 and on the way home with my newly acquired Fijian husband.......

8. Australia

9. New Zealand

 10. Fiji

 

Planes, Finger Pains and 2 Months Left in the U.S

I packed up and headed to Whorefest (rugby tournament) this weekend in Rockford. Played some rugby, drank some whisky, broke my finger, lost my voice, met some awesome people and all in all, had a really good time. This got me thinking, I am in the perfect place in my life to experience things; to pack up and move around, to travel, to meet new people, try foods I can't pronounce and do things I will regret not doing when I'm old. This has only re-affirmed that I am so excited to be going to Korea, to be teaching kids, to have the opportunity to travel around, to drink some Soju, eat some Kimchi and experience a completely different culture.

Often, I find that people see traveling as a way of "putting off" or delaying your life until you know what you want to do. Fortunately for me, this is the life that suits me. I have the opportunity to combine my great passions, teaching and traveling. So, why Korea?

1. The country. Korea is an extremely beautiful place, I could certainly do worse and I look forward to some quality photography.
2.The free housing. Not having to pay for my apartment will be really useful when it comes to paying off student loans.
3. Networking and meeting other teachers from all over the world, especially in an international city like Seoul.
4. The opportunities for travel within Korea: Jeju, Busan, Daegu and Incheon being my top choices.  Korea can be round tripped in one day, thanks to fantastic trains and efficient buses.
5. Opportunities for international travel: Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Thailand even places like the Philippines, Australia, Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand. If you book at the right time (a weekday, typically Wednesday) you can find some great deals!
6. Spicy foods! Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE hot food. I can't get enough of it and Korea is notorious for spicy, delicious meals.
7. Learning a new language. I love the way Korean sounds and it's definitely a language I would like to study. Also,understanding K-Pop songs wouldn't hurt!

This hasn't even scratched the surface about what I wanted to say, but I need sleep! 2 months until Korea!

Passport and Visa Bidness

Yay! My new passport arrived today and it is spiffy, if I do say so myself (which I do). I love seeing my big grinning mug in that photo. In case anyone was wondering, yes, you are allowed to smile in your photos now. No more convict looking passport! That means the next step (as soon as my NOA arrives), is getting my Korean Visa. It doesn't seem to be a complicated process, but knowing my luck there will be some bumps along the way!  Here are the requirements:

• Valid passport and 1 copy of its personal data page
• Completed visa application (found via any Korean Consulate’s website)
• A passport picture (2x2, color) attached to application
• Visa Fee: $45 [Money order only]
• Pay to: Korean Consulate General
• Cash accepted in person
• Original Notice of Appointment and 1 copy
• Original Employment Contract
• Self-addressed, pre-paid envelope for return of the passport by mail

Just a small note. The Employment contract is only used for securing a visa and will not be returned to you. You will receive a hard copy of your contract that you can keep when you sign with your Office of Education in Korea.

Korea 2 Months and Counting....with gifs!

When I saw how expensive my flight to Korea Was

When I found out I had to renew my passport

When my Korean teacher hands out snacks and another person reaches for mine!

When I randomly comment during a serious Korea skype conversation

When I'm considering work clothing for Korea

Every time I hear  "Oh Yeah" by MBLAQ

I'm a Seoul Sista

Last night I woke up from a ridiculous and very unattractive Plague-ish coughing fit, A La Game of Thrones, to find I had an email from my coordinator that said "placement results."  So, after a very long process, months of collecting documents and weeks of stressing, I opened the email and  found out my EPIK teaching placement is in Seoul! I am ecstatic, although, I'm not sure it will feel real until I have my NOA and contract along with my visa, in hand! Big props to my awesome coordinator for keeping me up to date, organized and fierce! I'm smizing right now. Can you tell? So in honor of my pending departure (pretend I wrote honor with a "U" if you're British) I thought I would take some time to point out some of the awesome highlights of Seoul!

1. Seoul truly is the city that never sleeps...well unless it happens to be folks on the subway. Cafés, PC bangs, restaurants, spas, shopping centers and fast food chains are open any hour of any night. Which means I can totally feed my late night Kimchi cravings.

2)Beautiful Men! Even though it may take them longer to get ready than me....I'm cool with that and I can totally get over the fact that they all wear BB cream :)

3)Desserts- Seoul is famous for it's plethora of amazing and ridiculously delectable desserts! For example, green tea tiramisu

4) K-Pop- It's addictive! Korean pop music is like crack! Not to mention, the girl groups are completely dominating the global market at the moment. Seoul is the center of it all, producing polished, pop princesses with perfect hair (check out that alliteration!)

5) Bio recognition- Many homes in Seoul are equipped with technology that's security  is dependent on a persons eye or fingerprint. Some apartments can even be completely operated using a cellphone. Imagine all of the lights in your apartment shutting off the second your stalker ex tried to call you? It could happen!

6)Palaces of the Morning Calm- Just stunning! Where would I ever see this in Wisconsin?

7) Coex- Asia's largest underground mall and it even has a Kimchi museum!!

8) Seoul Metro- Anyone who has ever braved the subway of NYC or the dregs of Boston or even the London tube, knows that you meet some crazy characters there. Seoul is no exception and with a city so packed you are bound to get up close and personal!

9) Being a Badass- Seoul offers the opportunity to devour a semi-live octopus and nothing makes me feel more powerful than a tongue battle with octopus tentacles!

Okay so it won't look quite like this scene out of "Old Boy" where he devours a whole live oct

10) Lotte world- The Guinness World Record largest theme park.It's magical

11) FC Seoul- Korea's professional soccer team and lets be honest, Lee Eul-yong is a total stud! Sadly, he's retired...but he paved the way for even more fantastic players!

12) Rugby-Seoul is home to the "Seoul Survivors" and the "Seoul Sisters," two awesomely talented teams!

13) Hiking on Mount Bukhan

14) World Comic Convention-Twice a month the SETIC convention center hosts Seoul's World Comic con Festival. Loads of Korean teenage dress up as the anime characters, which for me, screams nerdy "PHOTO-OP!" Love it!

15) Spas, Saunas and Massage Rooms-Korea is pamper heaven!Some saunas also include sleeping areas for overnight stay. These are known as 찜질방, or jimjilbang, and can be a cheap alternative to hotels when you're just passing through an area. Seoul literally has thousands!

Korean Mythology: And then I accidentally ate my mother

So anyone who knows me, knows that I love mythology! I live for it! Especially myths of creation. Korea has such a fantastic background in mythology and pretty amazing stories. One of my favorites being, the JeJu Island Myth of Grandmother Seulmundae.

"In days of yore, a legendary goddess named Seolmundae, who was large enough to use Mt. Halla as her pillow, was making a cauldron of soup for her 500 sons. The mythological grandmother of Jeju must have grown quite drowsy, as she somehow toppled into the broth and perished. Returning home, her sons wondered where their mother was, but tucked into their dinner nonetheless, noting its unusually delicious taste.

The youngest son, who was always the last to eat, came to the pot and discovered his mother’s bones in the dregs at the bottom. Upon realizing what had happened he became distraught and angry with his brothers. Beside themselves with grief, the sons were petrified into stone. These stones, known as the 500 Generals, are the outcropping rocks at Yeongsil on Mt. Halla; while the youngest brother stands on Chagwi-do, forever following his elder brothers.

The spirit of this myth lives on in the very structure of the Jeju Stone Park, as its director Baek Woon-cheol explained: “Visiting the park is intended to be a journey through the mythology of the island, entering through the ear of Seolmundae, progressing through the body and exiting at the feet. It represents the journey of life and death,” He said.

An aerial view of the park reveals how Seolmundae lives on in the very structure of the park. The layout is suggestive of the goddess lying on her back looking to the sky, with entrances at the ears and exits at her hands and feet. The first monument to greet visitors as they enter is a gracious pool of shimmering water- the Sky Pond, the water of which cascades over its rim. This is the bowl of soup from which the Jeju Grandmother’s returning sons ate."- http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/

 I can't wait to visit JeJu, who knows, maybe I'll even be placed there. But with views like this who is complaining?

In the meantime

Didn't sleep so well last night! Still feeling a bit nervous about the outcome of my EPIK interview. I've considered looking into GEPIK and Hagwons a bit, but I think I will wait until I hear back from EPIK. So today I decided to lighten my mood by looking up some fun and random facts about South Korea.

1) Saying Hello!
Annyeong haseyo is a greeting used any time of day and translates, "Are you at peace?

2) The number 4 is extremely unlucky! This is the equivalent to the number 13 in American culture. Bad Juju! As a result, most buildings in Korea do not have a 4th floor.

3) Writing a person's name in red ink is the same as saying they will pass on soon or they are already dead.

4)It is illegal to know the sex of your baby before it is born.

5)Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog (Afghan Hound), was created at Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea.

6) Taxis in Korea are color coded. If you hail a white or gray taxi you will get a basic car with a less experienced (though still qualified) driver. If you hail a black cab, you can expect luxury!

7)Soju is South Korea's most popular drink, a rice wine. When your glass is empty the host will quickly refill it and it is impolite to refuse.

8) Taekwondo is South Korea's national sport.

9)Around 50% of people in South Korea are atheists. The other 50% comprises Buddhists and Christians.

10)When the first night of the new year comes, everybody hides their shoes. This is because there is a belief that a ghost will come down and try on everyone's shoes. If the ghost finds a pair it likes it will take it. It is thought that the owner of the shoes will then have bad luck for the whole year.