Oh Korea Quote #1

Even though I will be leaving the beautiful land of Korea, there are many things that will always stay with me, even when I'm gone. I will always remember all the weird and strange things that people have said to me over the past two years. I've tried my best to document them, but I thought the best way to remember them forever is to create typographic images of them.

I decided to start out strong with one of the most memorable things anyone has ever said to me. It was both horrifying and fascinating that anyone would ever say something like this to me. This is one of my most favorite Oh Korea moments and one that I always tell my friends. This is how the conversation went down:

Me: Oh my golly, it's so hot in here.
Him: You're always hot.
Me: Yea, I get hot really easily.
Him: Is your body hot?
Me: Um... yes...
Him: You are so hot I could boil a hot dog on your body.

Summers in Korea are a bit unbearable. They use the air conditioning really sparingly. Even though I'm from the Philippines and grew up in Florida, I cannot stand hot weather. My body runs hot, so I'm always uncomfortable. At least in the U.S. there was central air conditioning. In Korea, I feel like I'm always melting and forever in a sauna. I guess on this day, my co-worker wanted to comment on the level of heat my body exudes or he was talking about something else. Actually, this guy has a bit of a weird sense of humor, so I know what he really meant. Either way, it has to be one the weirdest and greatest things anyone has ever said to me.

Eats with Jeff #8: Outdark Chicken

Outdark Chicken, we finally meet.

If you know me, I'm a huge fan of fried chicken. I know I talk about it a lot in real life, it's really unnatural. I would eat it every day, if it didn't make me fat. I'm not even joking, that's how much I love it. Since we have such a limited time left in Korea, I wanted to make sure that I tried Outdark Chicken. Every time we've tried to go, it's been full and a really long wait. Koreans love fried chicken too. There are fried chicken places everywhere. So when there is a long wait, you know the place is good.

Someone is having a good time.

Yummy Chicken

Banchan and Sauces

I've had a lot of fried chicken in my day and the chicken at Outdark was really good. It wasn't the best I've ever had, but I would definitely eat it again. You can mix flavors and add extras. We added fried cheese sticks, french fries and fried tteokboki. It was a bit too much fried stuff for me, but it was a nice compliment. Jeff brought some sesame leaves so we ended up using them to make chicken wraps and it was delicious. A bit ghetto, because we were the only ones in the restaurant with sesame leaves, but still delicious. I think when we're back in America, one of the things I'll miss the most is Korean fried chicken. I guess I'll just have to learn how to make it! 

I love you fried chicken.

Pre Rup | Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Pre Rup, which means "turn the body", was probably my favorite temple in the Angkor Wat complex. It's not one of the popular temples and it's a little out of the way.  It was built in 961 or 962 and dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva. When we visited, there weren't that many people. There were only a handful of tourists and even smaller amount of Khmer people trying to sell crafts. I think the main reason I liked Pre Rup was the because of the lack of people. Markus and I were able to explore freely. I hate feeling rushed when I'm traveling and I felt that at some of the other sites. Since there weren't heaps of people in the way, I was able to have a relaxing and enlightening experience.

Cambodian Countryside | Angkor Wat, Cambodia

On our second day in Siem Reap, we traveled out to Banteay Srei. The temple is on the outskirts of the Angkor Wat complex, so the journey there is a nice diversion. By tuk-tuk, it's about an hour and a half trip and passes through the Cambodian countryside. Even though we were sitting in a loud tuk-tuk, it was really peaceful. I remember I had my feet up and gazed out at the scenery. During that time, I thought to myself, "I can't believe that this is my life." If you asked me two years ago if I would ever travel to Cambodia, I would've said no. I started to think about the crazy adventure that Markus and I lived every day and felt very humbled and thankful that this was our life.

When we passed a rice field, MJ stopped so that we could get a closer look. I've always seen pictures of this sort of thing or in movies, but it was pretty cool seeing it in real life. There were only a few people out by the street and most of the other workers were farther out in the field. I do think that it was coincidental that there were people next to the road. I think that they do this sort of thing so that people will stop and the children can attack.
 

As soon we walked out of the tuk-tuk, there was a horde of Cambodian children asking us to buy crafts. They were really adorable, but they were also really persistent. This is one thing that you will endlessly encounter in some third world countries. It truly is heartbreaking seeing these young kids follow around tourists asking for money. Even though these kids did the same thing, they were a bit different. I think being in the countryside makes them a bit happier. After we spent a few minutes with the kids, we climbed back into the tuk-tuk. I again, propped my feet up and went back to enjoying the beautiful Cambodian countryside.

Korean Baseball Game | Lotte Giants vs Samsung Lions

I have to admit, I'm not a fan of baseball. I'm not really a sports person. When I was younger, I used to love sports. I would watch basketball and football games with my dad. On Sundays after church, we used to eat fried chicken in front of our TV and watch the Bucs demolish the other team. Once I started high school, I fell out of love with sports. Although, when it comes to going to actual sports events, I really enjoy them. I've been to a few baseball games back home and I've always had a great time. I always enjoy the atmosphere of baseball games more than the game itself. In Korea, baseball games are just as fun, but for other reasons.

Lotte Giants Thundersticks!

Drinking beer with straws. Keepin' it classy, Busan.

The baseball games in Korea are pretty awesome and they have to be experienced to fully understand. Every team has their die hard fans and they are serious about their passion for their beloved team. Although, unlike other countries, they are very respectful towards others fans and teams. There aren't any kind of riots or fights. Every team has their own specific cheers. Every chance they get, the fans can be heard chanting and encouraging their team. It's really amazing listening to a full stadium sing the same thing. One thing we didn't get to see up close were the cheerleaders. The home team has a stage with a team of cheerleaders and seriously intense hype man. We could only see their tiny little bodies jumping around. Hopefully, we'll be able to see them up close one day.

Towards the end of the game, they pass around bright orange bags for trash. Somehow, it became a tradition to wear it on top of your head like a hat. It's a bit strange, but this is quintessential Korea. It was pretty awesome seeing an entire stadium full of people wearing orange trash bags on their heads and cheering for their team. It was a great experience and a sight that I will never forget. I don't think I will ever enjoy another baseball game as much as I enjoyed this one.