May Volunteering | 2 of 2

Me and Eunbi

While volunteering at the shelter, there were two little girls that I really doted on, Eunbi and Soyoung. Running around with these girls felt so natural. It even felt like I was playing with my own nieces. It was that comfortable. I will admit that the time I spent with these girls really tugged on my heartstrings. I started thinking that I could have fun like that every day with my own daughter. Until that time, I'll just have to settle for afternoons with these girls, which is definitely the next best thing.

Eunbi's little sister, Dambi

Soyoung

When we were still at the shelter waiting for everyone to gather, I spotted Soyoung. Her hair was done up in a little bow and pigtails. When I saw her and the red-haired boy, I told everyone around me, "We're definitely gonna be best friends." At the park, Soyoung and I started playing a bit. Even though she didn't speak much English, we were still able to communicate. I started chasing her around and I would catch her. Then I would pretend to be scared of her and run away. While she was chasing me, a bunch of the other kids saw and then they all started to corner me. I ran around for a good 15 minutes and then I was completely exhausted. It was worth it though, because I was able to gain that relationship with Soyoung. On the way back to the shelter, we walked hand in hand the whole way. Even though our hands were clammy with sweat, she didn't let go once.

Eunbi will always be special to me because she was the first girl that I talked to. When we were walking to the park and things were still awkward, I grabbed her hand. She looked at me surprised, but I could tell that she was happy. She was wearing this adorable panda jacket and she showed Markus and I how it worked. When she started to feel warm she took off her jacket and I gave it to Markus to hold. She loved that and started calling him "servant" in Korean. I was the "queen" and she was a "princess". Later, Jeff joined us and he became "poop pig", a bit mean but kinda funny. I loved that we were the royalty and all the guys were some kind of horrible thing.

I seriously, loved these girls. They were so sweet and so much fun. I feel that even though most of these children go through something traumatic, they are still able to be kids. It makes me really contemplate a lot of the things I complain about. Even though they've had to deal with something difficult in their life, they don't let it affect them. It's really something admirable and amazing. It's really tempting to stay in Korea longer, just so that I could see them more. It's moments and experiences like this that make me want to stay in Korea and never leave.

Eats with Jeff #7: Sundae Bokkeum

Sundae Bookeum

On our last Eats with Jeff, we were walking through the streets of Seomyeon and spied a restaurant that offered sundae bokkeum. Some of the restaurants have the kitchens on the outside and you can see what chefs are cooking. The three of us walked over and our mouths instantly watered. I told Jeff that we wanted to eat that and he noted it for another time. Later he did what only he does best and found one of the best sundae bokkeum restaurants in Busan.

Ingredients ready to cook

Those faces...

Ready to eat!

Sundae is Korea's version of blood sausage. I am no stranger to this kind of food. I love Cuban style blood sausage and one of my favorite Filipino dishes is dinuguan, or pork blood stew. When I first tried sundae, it was at a street stall and it wasn't good. I have to admit that ever since then, I've sort of stayed away from it. You know how one bad experience can ruin your impression of something. Markus loves sundae and he was really adamant about having sundae bokkeum, which is sundae stir fried and mixed with vegetables. I'm really glad that I didn't let that bad experience hold me back forever, because this sundae bokkeum was delicious. It was spicy and savory. It's something that I would definitley eat again.

Various sundae

We also ordered a plate of various sundae. There were some that had more blood than fillings and others with more filling than blood. I could tell that these were made in house and not pre-packaged like most places. I really enjoyed these sundae, maybe a bit more than the bokkeum. They didn't have any metallic or tinny flavor. I preferred the one with less blood, because it tasted a bit more savory and meaty.

Everyone always takes pictures with this dude.

Strawberry and Custard Puff Pastry

I love my cranberry juice!

After stuffing our faces full of sundae, we of course continued on in search of dessert. The sundae restaurant was really close to my favorite cafe, Tokyoloose. We decided that it would be the best place for something sweet. I love this place. It's really cute and girly. The servers all dress in the same uniform and they all talk with a really high and cutesy voice. Markus and I go here least one a week or every 2 weeks. They don't speak any English, but they know us. The owners are really sweet and always give us little extra things. Sometimes we don't need a common language to understand one another. We ended this installment of Eats with Jeff as we normally do, stuffed to the brim and happy with the company. 

Top Ten Animated Hotties

I'm not sure if it's very apparent on my blog, but I'm a huge geek. Ever since I was a kid, I've loved and been obsessed with comic books, anime and that sort of thing. I would spend hours watching TV and films. As a young adolescent girl, I was, of course, boy crazy and tended to form little crushes on some of the animated characters. So in lieu of the endless hours I've recently spent watching the anime series, One Piece (and all the hotties from that series) I've compiled a list of my animated crushes from early childhood to present day.

10. Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid
One of my earliest memories is of this movie. I was six when the film came out and my brother took me to the theater to watch it. Even at such a young age, I fell for Prince Eric. He was a total dreamboat. He was dashing and handsome, everything that a young girl wants in her prince. I really liked that he was captivated by Ariel's voice and not her looks. I found this gem of a photo on the internet. It's a bit risque, but who could pass up a bubble bath with this hot prince?

9.  Aladdin from Aladdin
I always found Aladdin really charming. Of all the Disney male love interests, I think he would make the best husband. He's lived on the streets so he'll always work hard to provide for his family. He's really smart and he'll always be one jump ahead of the lawmen that's all, and that's no joke. I also loved his voice, he actually sounds a lot like Markus. So if you think about it, I sort of married an alternate version of Aladdin. Actually, they kinda look alike too... 

8.  Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon
In middle school, I lived for this show. This show was my life. As soon as I got home, I went straight for the TV and watched Sailor Moon. I even wore my hair like Sailor Jupiter. It was embarrassing, but I was obsessed. I think the real root of my obsession was my undying love for Mamoru Chiba or Tuxedo Mask. He was in high school, so he was like the ultimate for me. I liked how rude he was to Usagi, but then changed later. Even though people these days say he's a little lame, I still pledge my undying affection for him. 

7.  Li Shang from Mulan
I was really excited when I heard that they were releasing an Asian Disney movie. I spent my entire childhood admiring and loving Ariel, Jasmine and Belle, but now there was a girl that I could really connect with. Although, there was someone else I would rather connect with, Li Shang. There is nothing more attractive than a man who is in control and commands attention. He was both swift as a coursing river and tranquil as a forest. Most importantly, he was mysterious like the dark side of the moon. Plus, a guy whose motto is, "Let's get down to business" is definitely hot.

6.  Sanji from One Piece
I struggled a little bit with including Sanji on this list because there are two other One Piece characters already. Then I realized, Sanji loves women, he's an incredible chef, he's really strong and he's quite a looker. It would be a crime if I didn't include him. When I was first introduced to Sanji on One Piece, I didn't really like him. I thought he was too annoying when it came to women, but then I realized that's one of his best qualities. He's passionate about the ladies to the point that he becomes a silly prince that dotes on your every whim and that type of guy would be a great boyfriend.

5. Howl from Howl's Moving Castle
I love Hayao Miyazaki films, they are amazing. I don't think there are any movies that could really compare. Howl's Moving Castle isn't my favorite, that's Spirited Away, but this movie has Howl. He is one attractive kid. I mean look at those piercing blue eyes. I could fall into those baby blues. I don't usually go for blondes but Sanji and Howl are definitley the exception. The fact that he owns a moving castle and is a powerful wizard, makes him even more appealing. He's also super mysterious and that's super sexy.

4. Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop
There is nothing cooler than an intergalactic bounty hunter. I never watched Cowboy Bebop when it first came out, but a couple years ago I told Markus I wanted to watch it. I'm not really a fan of space or westerns, so anything that is a space western I don't really like. I know, I know Firefly is amazing and so is Trigun, but I wasn't a fan of either. Having said all of that, I'm totally a fan of Cowboy Bebop and especially Spike Spiegel. He doesn't have any special powers, he's just a really good bounty hunter. I love that he's not so serious and takes life as it comes. He's very carefree but when it's time to be serious, he's a stone faced killah.

3. Roronoa Zoro from One Piece
There is no doubt that the hottest member of the Straw Hats is Roronoa Zoro. This guy just oozes hotness. He's stoic and the complete opposite of Sanji. While Sanji lives for the ladies, Zoro only lives to become the greatest swordsman in the world. This man strives for greatness. He is fiercely loyal to his captain and crew and he's an extremely amazing swordsman. Not only is he hot, but he has great ambition that pushes him to be the best. There is nothing more attractive than a broody guy that knows what he wants and goes for it.

2. Hatake Kakashi from Naruto

Back when Markus and I first started dating, we bonded over our mutual love of Naruto. Over the next couple years, we religiously watched every episode. Then I fell out of love with Naruto and stopped watching anime. Despite not watching the show, one thing still remained, my undying love for Kakashi. I love that he's so serious, but when he isn't off fighting he's reading romance novels.  Markus still watches Naruto, so I'll always ask, "How's Kakashi doing? Still alive? Still hot?" I may no longer be interested in the show, but I'll always be interested in that silver haired fox from the Hidden Leaf Village.

1. Portgas D Ace from One Piece
Ace, oh Ace, you hot, hot hottie. Quite literally, the guy is made of fire. I don't know what it is about Ace, but I love this guy. He has great hair and his freckles, oh my golly, those freckles. I love that he runs around shirtless showing off his body. It's like he knows that he looks good and that he has the confidence to flaunt it. I like to think that he's a grown-up version of his younger brother, Luffy. He's what Luffy will become when he matures and grows a bit. Not only is Ace a looker, but he's also a really great guy. He loves his brother immensely. Their strong bond is what really what made me love Ace. He's fiercely loyal to those closest to him.  He would do anything, even if it means risking his life and that's the kind of guy deserves to be number one.

So, dear readers, there is my list of the top ten animated hotties. I hoped you enjoyed it! Did you agree with with all of my selections? Is there anyone that you think should've make the list? Let me know in the comments!


Photo Credits:
Prince Eric: galaxcardinal / Sanji: nmhps3-d5kczth/ Kakashi: ALA21DDIN21/ Tuxedo Mask: Cosmos-chan/ Zoro: cromarlimo

May Volunteering | 1 of 2

After a bit of a break, Markus and I were able to volunteer at the woman's shelter again. The families that are at the shelter stay for around six months and then they are phased out. All of the students that I used to teach are all gone. This time around, all the kids were new. At first I was a bit nervous, but it wasn't too long til I grabbed one of the girls hands and we skipped into a new friendship. 

One thing that fascinates me about Korea is the amount of children with dyed or permed hair. It's pretty crazy seeing little kids with blue or red hair. While we were at the shelter, I spied the little boy with red hair and said that he was going to be my new bff. I'm happy to say that I was pretty successful because his mom later told me that he liked me. The blue haired kid wasn't part of our group, but I had to get a picture. These crazy haired kids are like Pokemon and I gotta catch em all. 

We walked about 15 minutes to a nearby park and practically took over. There was the perfect amount of volunteers to kids. There was face painting, manicuring, see-sawing, climbing and chasing. As much as I loved my old students, these kids really won me over. They were so much fun and really sweet. I spent most of my time playing and talking with them because I couldn't help myself. 

Usually, the moms and older siblings don't come with us, but this time they decided to join. Throughout the afternoon, the mom of the little girl in the awesome purple sweater kept looking at me curiously. I couldn't tell if she wanted to talk to me or was just confused. When we were walking back to the shelter, she finally started talking to me. She spoke in really broken English, but she was trying really hard. It was actually a really good conversation. I told her that we were going to try and have a baby soon and she proceeded to tell me what vitamins I needed to take. I think she kept looking at me because she was building up her courage to talk to me. It was the sweetest and cutest thing. It's moments like that that make me feel completely humbled and thankful to be in Korea.

Miss Wong Cocktail Bar | Siem Reap, Cambodia

While in Siem Reap, Markus and I wanted to try and find unique and interesting places to eat. As much as I love Korea, it still lacks a lot of the comforts of home. There is a lack of cocktail bars, western food and even authentic Asian foods. While researching Cambodia, I stumbled upon Miss Wong Cocktail Bar. It's described as a "a taste of vintage Shanghai." I scoured the reviews, which were mostly positive, and scanned through all the photos. It seemed like the perfect place to spend an evening and we marked it as a must see.

After a tiring day at Angkor Wat, Markus and I decided to venture out to Pub Street, a very popular tourist area, and eat at Miss Wong. We weren't sure how to get there, so we hired a tuk-tuk to take us there. The driver left us on the street and pointed down an alley. I turned and saw red lanterns and umbrellas and knew we were at the right place. We walked in and I felt like I was in heaven. The ambiance and atmosphere was amazing. It was a bit dark, but not in a seedy, creepy way. There was a great mix of locals and tourists and I could tell that it was a very popular place.

Markus and I went a bit crazy and ordered heaps of drinks and food. The great thing about Cambodia is that everything is crazy cheap. Meals are as low as $2 and cocktails can be $1. It's a travelers dream come true. Miss Wong is a bit more classy so drinks were around $5 and the food was anywhere from $3 - $6. It was great. The drinks were pretty good, but not the best I've had. I enjoyed all of our food, but my favorite was the dessert. It was a sort of sticky red bean pudding. I can't really remember exactly, but what I do remember is that I was really satisfied with it.

Overall, I really enjoyed Miss Wong. It's probably in my top 10 best bars in the world and I've been to quite a few. So, if you find yourself in Siem Reap, Cambodia make sure you visit Miss Wong! You won't regret it, promise.