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| Love triangle? |
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| Cutie Unnies |
Unnie Time
Life of an Ex-Pat | Discovery
Living and working in another country is not only a time of adventure, but also a time of discovery. You'll discover new foods and cultures. You'll experience things you've only read about in books or seen on TV. Every single day of your life becomes an adventure. There are things that you'll learn about yourself that you never knew existed. It's more than just seeing the wonders of the world, even though that's exciting as well. You'll learn how much you can take. You'll be challenged to see how far you can step out of your comfort zone. You'll experience things that are beyond imagination.
Life in Korea has been both a blessing and a curse. Things that would be simple back home become difficult and challenging. Sometimes leaving the house, you have to mentally prepare yourself for what the day will be like. I find myself having pretend conversations in Korean in my head so that when I do speak to a Korean I don't sound ridiculous. It's the little things that begin to take its toll after a while, but with the bad, there is always good. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be living in such a beautiful country. Many people end up leaving Korea bitter and resentful, but I know that I won't feel that way. My dreams of living in a far off land would not have come true. I would have lived a life of regret and now that I know what it's like, I can move on.
I discovered so much about myself in the past 18 months. I've learned that here is so much more going on in the world than what happens in my tiny little existence. The work ethic in Korea is unreal. The kids are always studying. Their days start at 7am and they don't end until close to 11pm. The adults are always working, trying to strive for more, trying to reach the next level. Koreans work themselves to exhaustion, but it's ingrained in them to have the best life possible. They are a resilient people and that is something that I can truly admire.
I've also learned that there is so much to see and experience. We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful world. America is a diverse and amazing country, but it only scratches the surface of what is out there. Being an ex-pat has given me the opportunity to explore countries that I never would have been able to afford or thought of. Last year, I was able to finally travel to the Philippines. I finally saw the land of my people and the home of my parents. It was a moving experience and one I might have missed out on.
The most important thing I learned about myself is that I can conquer my fears. When I was younger, I was always known to be a spoiled brat. I never finished anything and I'm pretty sure that all my family and friends thought I would never amount to anything. I took all of their doubts and negativity and used that to fuel my determination to make something of myself. I've been blessed with a wonderful husband and a job that I love. After moving abroad, I used that same determination to succeed in Korea as well.
Before coming here, I was worried that it wasn't going to work out. I went through all the scenarios in my head. They ranged from naughty children, horrible co-workers and nasty living conditions. Despite all these possibilities, I was determined to make it work. Thankfully, none of my scenarios came to fruition. I wake every day with the hope that this day will be better than the last and to make the most of my situation. Having this sort of attitude has taught me one important lesson. As long as I strive to do my best and always be optimistic, I can truly do anything and conquer any fears.
My time in Korea is coming to a close soon, but the lessons I've learned and the challenges I've faced have made me a better person. I've become a better version of myself. I've grown into a stronger woman. I've discovered how much I can handle and how far I can go. I've discovered that anything is really and truly possible.
Wandering Wednesday | Boston Public Library and Museum of Fine Arts | 2010
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| Boston Public Library |
This was my second time in Boston, but the first time for Markus. I remembered loving Boston back then, but it was only for a weekend. I was 16, so I wasn't able to appreciate it as much as I should have. This time around I made sure to make the most of the trip. One of our first stops was the Boston Public Library and it was beautiful. As soon as we entered the main reading room, I stood for a minute in awe. It was the first time I was in a library that looked like the ones you see in films. It was amazing. We didn't have a lot of time there and I remember we had to hurry off somewhere else.
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| Boston Museum of Fine Arts |
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| My Favorite |
On our first day, we went to the Museum of Fine Arts. There was a special deal going on where entrance was free if you went after 6pm. There was a line out the door and went all the way out to the street. We waited for about 30 minutes and finally made it inside. The place was packed and overflowing with people, but it was worth it. My favorite area of the museum was a large hall filled with paintings. The atmosphere was amazing and I could sit in there forever. I wanted to take more photos, but there were too many people. After a couple hours, we left and it was the perfect way to end our first day in Boston.
Eats with Jeff #2: Fish and Chips
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| Fresh Fries Factory in Seomyeon |
This was our first official time meeting with Jeff and essentially this was where Eats with Jeff began. He and I were messaging back and forth about some of the foods we love to eat and the places that we wanted to go. He mentioned Fresh Fries Factory, a fish and chips place in Seomyeon. I heard that it was a popular place with foreigners and I've always wanted to go.
I love a good fish and chips. I think that we didn't eat enough of it when we were in the UK, but I also didn't want to come back gaining all the weight I lost before we left. I'm always trying to find the foods that I miss and are hard to find. Although I love Korean food, sometimes you just want a taste of home.
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| Fish and Chips |
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| Chicken and Chips |
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| Sausage and Chips |
I hate to say it, but Fresh Fries Factory was awful. It was really disappointing, because I wanted them to be good. When we glanced at the menu, I was really excited. They didn't just offer fish and chips they also offered other menu items. The three things that we all agreed we wanted to try were the fish, sausage and chicken.
When everything came out, I could tell just by looking at it, it wasn't going to be what I expected. The fish looked okay, but the serving size was so small. It was mostly batter and very little fish. The sausage wasn't even sausage it was hot dog and not the good kind. The chicken was okay, but it was very similar to the chicken tenders you would get in elementary school. I was really disappointed and didn't even waste the calories on the chips.
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| Jeff, my bruv |
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| Beef with Rice |
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| Beef Bibimbap |
After the seriously disappointing meal at Fresh Fries Factory, we were all still quite hungry. We walked around trying to find something to whet our appetite. We ended up at this beef and rice place that we saw on the street. We ordered beef bibimbap and beef with rice. It was pretty tasty although it's pretty hard to ruin beef and rice. The best part was that each meal was only around $5.
The lesson of this Eats with Jeff? Just because a lot of people frequent a place does not mean the food is good. Also, Korea always has something to offer if you've had a disappointing meal.
Farewell Hwesik
One of the most important things about having a successful and happy life in Korea is having great co-workers. I've been very blessed thus far and I have worked with some amazing people. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and three of my closest co-workers, Kelly, Jenny and Mickey, left last month with the start of the new school year.
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| The Waygooks and Mickey Unnie |
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| Boys |
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| Jenny, Kelly, Mickey unnie, Me and Doug |
Ever since I arrived in Busan, Kelly and Jenny have been there. They've been the two people that I've relied on the most. Jenny took care of not only me, but Markus too. She was the best co-teacher and always there whenever I had a stupid question. She always anticipated my needs and was always there to pick me up. She's amazing and when I think of Korea, I will always think of her. I'm sad that Jenny, Kelly and Mickey unnie no longer work with me, but I'm very thankful for the short time we had together. They made this crazy adventure worth it and for that I will always be grateful.