Vacation Game Plan: Baller on a Budget

Alright, looks like Angelique and I have hammered out the best travel game plan we could come up with as well as figuring out some of our costs. That being said, I've never been good at logistics, so as long as I don't end up kidnapped(attempted in Morocco), roofied (Scotland) mugged (Spain) or deported, I think I'll be doing quite well!

February 11th-
~Fly to Bangkok  and stay at the Tara Garden Hotel (2 people/$113.00/3 nights, no visa required)

February 14th-
~Flight to Udon Thani, arriving at 12:15 PM ($30.01/One Way/Air Asia)
~Bus from Udon Thani Airport to Laos Friendship Bridge (45 minutes/$3-5)
~Get a Laos Visa ($35.00/need 2 passport sized photos)
~Taxi/Tuk Tuk ride to Vientiane ($2-7 )
~We will be staying at the I-House New Hotel (2 people/$81.00/3 nights)

Feb 17th-
~Take the "bus from hell" up to Hanoi
~Leaves between 5:00-7:00PM nightly and is a 22 hour journey (assuming none of the usual breakdowns,pick ups, scams, traffic occur) 250,000 kip ($31.42/ Ticket for a Modern Sleeper)

Looks....ummm...cozy, huh?

Feb 18th-
~Arrive in Hanoi with visa in hand (as of 2013:$95 visa fee/Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul) and stay at the Hanoi Senses Hotel (2 people/$72.00/4 nights)

*It should be noted that if you plan on arriving into Vietnam overland, as opposed to flying, you will need to apply ahead of time at your local Vietnamese Embassy. You can only apply online if an airport is your port of entry.

Feb 22nd
 ~Flight from Hanoi back to Bangkok  at 11:00 AM (AirAsia $101.00)
Feb 23rd-
~Arrive back in Seoul and pass out from exhaustion or in reality, head to the pub to watch the 6 nations rugby matches!

Seems to be a bit of a whirlwind tour but I am definitely up for the challenge!

Total of $435.95 (USD) each = 2 flights, 3 pretty good hotels, 2 different country visas, train tickets and cab fares. This is give or take about 10 or 20 bucks, but it's really not bad!

You can always cut down on cost by seeking more budget accommodation, like hostels or smaller guesthouses. Angelique and I are getting cranky in our old age and favoring comfort for our first big vacation! :) I recommend Asia Rooms or Hostel Bookers. Both sites are great, logically organized and neither one charges a booking fee for the service!

There are plenty of ways to save money once traveling around Southeast Asia. Laos is notoriously one of the cheapest to travel, with many people getting by on $15.00/day. One of my favorite blogs, tells about a man who spent 22 days in Laos and only spent $168.00 on food. He is a master budgeter and you can read up on the details of his journey at Travels of Mike.

Eating on a budget is never an issue for me as I pretty much love all food. Here's my game plan, short and sweet:

Vietnam- Pho and holla for dolla beer!
Thailand- What it do street carts and Thai tea?
Laos- Sticky noodle overdose!

Celebrating Burns Day in Korea

My Burns dinner date for the evening!

Okay, the fact that I used to live in Scotland means a few things.
1. I have acquired a taste for Irn Bru and no longer think it tastes like bubblegum.
2. I probably enjoy Haggis more than the average person
3. I have come to celebrate Burns day as the day I have an excuse to drink whisky ridiculously early.

For lack of a Scottish counterpart and the fact thats she is crazy fun, I brought my friend Tomi with me to a Burns night dinner here in Korea. The dinner was hosted by the Bull & Barrel who described  the celebration of Mr. Burns life:

"Regarded as the national poet of Scotland, Burns was self-educated. He became a pioneer of the Romantic Movement of the late 18th Century. From his meager beginnings, Burns was a failed farmer but by his 20s had become famous for his forthright poetry any lyrics. Well known for his many love affairs and love of the grog, Burns lived hard, fathered many children and finally died at the tender age of 37. Today Burns Night is a tradition celebrating the poet that is put on by Scots worldwide."

 So we celebrated with a dinner in Itaewon.  For 25,000 won the menu included:

1.Haggis with Neeps and Tatties in a whisky cream sauce ( also veggie option)

2. Scottish Shortbread

3. Whisky or a Whisky coffee

My meal

or

Tomi's Meal:
Bacon wrapped chicken stuffed with haggis and tatties on the side

They prepared each meal individually but they were well worth the wait. Both were completely delicious and I was shocked at the authenticity, particularly because Haggis is actually still illegal in America. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Haggis, is a savoury type of pudding that contains sheep heart, liver, lungs, onion, suet, oatmeal, spices and stock all mixed to together, encased in animal stomach and simmered to perfection! It really is much tastier than it sounds!

Haggis was originally banned for it's use of sheep lungs

I never need an excuse to drink Scotch, but this is excellent!

The atmosphere itself was pretty cozy and reminded me of a lot of the pubs I used to go to in the U.K. It actually just opened this November, but seems to be doing quite well for itself. The meal was delicious and tasted authentic, the drinks were very reasonably priced and when it got a bit drafty they brought us these awesome Carlsberg blankets.

The had a great whisky selection and I will definitely be returning. Oh the things you can find in Korea, especially a city as international as Seoul. Well played,Seoul, well played!

The Twitter World Speaks Up About North Korea....Sort Of...

So the world recently heard that North Korea was planning on testing a missile that would reach all the way to the United States. Hmmmm, and just how do you think Americans responded? By  doing what we do best, taking to twitter, of course. There, some "genius" came up with the title:
 #PeopleToSacrificeToNorthKorea. Look at some of these...uhhh...gems from the cyber world. Here are 12 people that you really should know...

the choice man...

the realist..

the man who hates musicals...

the guilty until proven innocent...

the man who clearly prefers English..

the girl who knows "aint nobody got time for that"..

the fashionista...

Mr. Shakespeare..

the one who likes simplicity..

the harsh lad..

the man who prefers documentaries..

and in case you lost all faith in humanity, this kind hearted twitter altruist...

Belated Meme Monday

So obviously it's not monday and I wasn't going to bother with this, but given that this is the last week of winter camp, I thought it was essential!

When my co-teacher sees a girl harmlessly flirting and she overreacts like they have just said...

 When my co-teacher called me "colored".....


When I try on Korean clothing and it fits!


When my students asked me if I was sure the rock candy would grow after I messed up the recipe..


Saving my students from impending death, while trying to teach them rugby skills..


Me trying to make conversation with the handsome new teacher



The difference between me and my co-teacher in dealing with discipline...

Co-Teacher:


Me:
:

5 months in Korea and my 5 year plan!

Wow! I have been in Korea for 5 months, today! That's almost half a year, more than half a baby, longer than Kim Kardashian's marriage to Kris Humphries.

So what have I done to date?
1. I've been to the Phillippines
2. Joined a rugby team
3. Seen Psy in concert
4. Learned how to order food in Korean
5.Survived my first semester as a teacher
6.Owned Seoul's night life
7. Single handedly rid of a cock roach infestation
8. Got my first freelance offer for sports writing
9. Planned my first big vacation to Southeast Asia

and perhaps the most important.....
10. Developed my 5 year plan

a) Do another year of ESL teaching either in Korea or a country with the potential to save more money.
b) apply for a PGCE secondary education in the UK to start focusing on British curriculum. England? Scotland? Wales?
c) Get at least 2 full years of experience working in a UK school
d) Apply for my PHD

This leaves me with tons of options in the teaching realm, but ultimately means that I am certain teaching will be a life long career for me. What can I say, I guess I miss my crazy students from the UK "bruvs" and "bloods" and all. I dont think that ESL is something I want to do for the rest of my life, but it is a great stepping stone and I am really enjoying my experience so far!

10 Things I Would Transport to Seoul

1.Aussie Hair Curl & Shine or Garnier Fructis Frizz Control
I have basically been shelling out about $20.00 a fortnight to keep my hair even marginally manageable since I've been here. Sure you can find products marked as "ethnic" but none of them really seem to suit my hair or manage frizz the way that these two did. The next time I go on a trip I will bring one suitcase strictly for hair products :)

2.Haggis- I miss Haggis so much and often when I'm sitting around drinking  whisky I sometimes think, wow I wish I had some Haggis, neeps and tatties. There really is nothing like it. Perhaps I will try to figure out a way to make my own

3.Victorias Secret Bras- I never really saw myself as a label whore before, but I miss VS! Bra sizes in Korea are actually getting bigger with the influx of Western teachers and the popularity of breast augmentation here in Seoul. Yet, I find the quality just isn't the same. I'd even settle for an Ann Summers at the moment!

4. Jeans for "shapely" butts! Okay, to be fair, I was warned that "shapely" women may have trouble finding jeans when they arrived. So why didn't I stock up like a mad women? Because I am a bleeding optimist! The first few weeks, I found a few pairs of stretch skinny jeans at forever21 that fit me perfectly;  but as the seasons and styles change it s getting a bit harder to fit my lady lumps into Korean style jeans.

5.French Onion Dip- I have searched far and wide for this stuff! Really it is probably better that I haven't found it, or I would have a one way ticket to Obese city. Many American products are available on the U.S military base, but it's a bit of a hassle to contact an army friend everytime you need something. For french onion dip...I might make an exception!

6.The Globe Bar in Edinburgh- Okay, so this isn't really a product, but it is my favorite little sports bar in the world. In addition to being the sponsor of my old rugby team, it was literally just around the corner from my flat. There are no shortage of sports pubs here in Seoul and many of them show the rugby matches as well as being frequented by local sports teams. still I dearly miss this bar, it's prices and the local characters that inhabit the place. If laying on my death bed I was asked "where do you want to go?" would my lips utter "the Globe bar?" Okay, maybe not, but it would be a close 2nd!

7.Bed Sheets- $50.00 for a fitted style double bed sheet? That's right. Bed sheets are a luxury in Korea, and as a result, they are often very, very pricey. I scan the sale racks at E-Mart, regularly snatching up whatever deals I can find. So far, I have added Nemo, Pororo and ugly Hawaiian print to my collection.

8. Homestyle Mac and Cheese- South Korea will never be the Mecca of cheesy goodness in the way that Wisconsin is, but is it really too much to ask for some mac and cheese? I have been in and out of Western style restaurants and I still can't find a delicious version of my favorite comfort food! My weekends have been reduced to crafting mac and cheese concoctions with whatever I can find at Happy Food Imports. So far, pretty decent, but I still miss that Wisconsin style!

9. HBO shows "Game of Thrones" and "Girls." Although it is easy to watch these online, I would be really interested to see what Koreans would make of them. My co-teacher and I have had numerous conversation about my favorite movies and shows. So far I think my co-teacher is convinced that I only watch ESPN and shows about drug addiction...what a shining example I am for the students. Although, on second thought,would either of these shows give me a better representation?

10. My best friend Felicia. Again, Felicia really isn't a thing, she's a person but she's definitely my better half. She is 80% of all my crazy travel stories, a member of "The Yanks" and the better half of Fushe & Moom. I met her in 2009 and was basically inseperable from her until I left Edinburgh last January. I looked up Kilts with her in Scotland, ran from stalkers in Morocco, had food mishaps in France, drank too much port with her in Portugal, she helped me chase a mugger in spain, got blazed with her in Amsterdam and made poor life decisions with her in England. She has been a huge part of my travel experience so far and hopefully will be again in the near future.


P.S It should be noted that my mother would be included on this list, but she hates traveling. Therefore I have decided she can stay put :)

How Korea Has Changed Me

1. I am always bowing- When you greet someone or meet someone for the first time, you bow and say hello. In school I am constantly bowing, the deeper the bow the greater the respect. In fact, last week I got nervous when I saw the principal, went to bow and smashed my head on the wall. I will probably bow a bit even when I'm not in Korea, just as a habit now. My students are bowing machines, if they see me at school or on the street they stop whatever they are doing, respectfully bow and go on their merry way. It took some getting used to, but now it's normal for me.

2. I accept things from my co-teachers with two hands. Out of habit, if someone hands me a paper I will extend one hand to take it. Not in Korea, I put both hands on the document/gift/payslip and bow my head. I have found myself grabbing samples in the grocery store with two hands, it looks silly, but its a bit programed in me now.

3.I brush my teeth at random intervals of the day, this may have something to do with the amount of spicy, pungent Kimchi I consume. I still haven't been able to bring myself to floss in public, like many Koreans, but I join my fellow teachers and my students, right after lunch for a personal grooming session.

4. I stand up for myself much more that I used to. I was never a push over, but Korea has taught me to pick and choose my battles and to develop a backbone when I need to. I even confront  Ahjussi's who violently shove me on the subway! I can take a little pushing, but occasionally someone steps out of line and I have to put them back in check. My students taught me how to say "do you want to die" when someone is behaving horribly and so far it has served me nicely.

5. I get shit done! I did a lot of winging and complaining before (which I still do) when something goes wrong. But in Korea, I have to be prepared for anything to happen and when it does I put on my big girl pants and fix it. I feel I was very dependent before on my parents or the people I was living with in Scotland, but now that I live alone, I really had to grow up! For example- my shower pipe tubing burst in my bathroom the other day ( I admit I cried a little bit) but in the end, I found some silicone sealant and fixed it on my own. It may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was a bit of a symbol that I can take care of myself and problems when they arise.

6. I throw up the peace sign like it's my job. At home we had a joke about asian tourists and their love for the peace sign, but I never knew how true it was until I started living in Korea. 90% of my photos feature the peace sign. I have no shame.

7. I enjoy spending time alone. I always used to feel bored when I was by myself. Korea is my first time truly living on my own without family or a flatmate/roomate. It is scary sometimes when I hear strange noises and I can't just run into Felicia's room for a complaining session, but I am starting to really value the peace that comes from solitude. I am getting to know myself, on my own terms, and I think that's really important!

8. I accept challenges. Anyone who knows me, knows there isn't much that I am afraid of, but Korea is a whole new territory for me. I am constantly being exposed to opinions I will NEVER agree with, foods I am terrified of and traditions I just don't understand. When traveling, a person will encounter a certain amount of adversity as is, but living here has been a wonderful challenge. I have become more patient, accepting and understanding of things that I don't comprehend or always agree with and it has really made me a better person.

9.No drama (well almost). I used to be eager to help people solve their issues or to comment on situations that were none of my business. I never had the intention of creating issues, but sometimes that backfired. The ESL teaching community here is much smaller than you would know. I have taken a step back and realized that I don't always need to have an opinion. There are times to pick and choose your battles and more often than not, I don't get involved. This has made me happier, healthier and just overall contributed to my positive experience here in Korea.

10. I have learned to love myself. Being in Korea, I stand out on a daily basis. Not just because I am not Korean, but because I am not a typical ideal of beauty here. I am bigger, I have muscles, thighs and a  butt. I see constant comparisons to K-Pop stars and my student's ideals of thin beauty. I expected this to negatively affect the way I see myself, but instead I am taking comfort in the fact that I am different. This is the most confident I have ever felt in my entire life and my sense of harmony shows on the outside. I smile more,  glow and I genuinely feel good about who I am for the first time in a very long time.