Since I last wrote I...
1. Got an iphone! I'm loving it - It has been really helpful having bus, subway, and translating applications. Not to mention, I am constantly connected to everyone through messaging, skype, and facebook!
3. am experiencing Korean winter...with snow!
4. put up Christmas lights in my apartment! Well, basically SaeRom did it and I was her assistant...she's such a good (and tall) friend. I <3 you SaeRom!
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| Candles from Mommy :) |
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| SaeRom stringing up my lights =D |
5. played fooseball and darts at a foreigner's bar with some coworkers~
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| We got really into it... |
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| My team - I'm pretty sure we were the loudest people in the bar. |
6. stumbled upon a Korean movie or tv set while exploring one Saturday...
7. learned how to take the bus to spots I frequent in Seoul~
*This was basically learned through trial and error. Here is a photo of Kyung Hee University which Stefanie and I stumbled upon as we were kicked off the bus at the last stop on the route. Only then did I realize I had taken us in the opposite direction...ohhh Olivia~
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| Kyung Hee University |
*I also recently discovered a bus that goes to and from an area near my apartment to the shopping centers in Seoul that stay open until 5am! I have shopped until the wee hours of the morning several times already...
9. took the bus to SaeRom's apartment, which is about 1.5 hrs away, all by myself =)
8. discovered a new favorite food - Vietnamese noodles - Pho - LOVE it. I've also had Sam Gip Sal, Bibimbop, Kimchi bokeum bop, and Mexican food recently. Did I mention I like to eat?
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| Christmas potlock at Kevin's apartment (one of my coworkers) and this was only half of the food, so yummy~ |
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| Bulgogi - Sweet beef with vegetables and rice |
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| One of the few Mexican Restaurants I have seen in Korea! Oh how I've missed Mexican food... |
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| Korean style fried chicken with onions, soy sauce, and pickled radishes - Me and SaeRom's fancy Christmas Eve dinner, hehe. |
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| Japanese noodles |
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| Dukbokki (Spicy rice cakes) & Gimbap (Korean style sushi) |
9. visited two large palaces in Seoul - Changdeokgung & Cheongbukgung Palace. It was way below freezing that day with a bitterly cold wind. I even tried to shove hot packs in my shoes in an attempt to thaw out my toes, but alas, my shoes were too small - haha. At least there was pretty snow for our pictures~
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| Changdeokgung Palace |
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| Changdeokgung Palace |
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| Cheongbukgung Palace |
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| Cheongbukgung Palace |
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| Pagoda near Cheongbukgung Palace |
10. saw SaeRom's dog compete (and win!) in a dog show~
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| SaeRom's Afghan Hound - HangGeul |
11. traveled to downtown Cheongju with two of SaeRom's tutoring students who wanted to meet her "American friend."
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| Downtown Cheongju |
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| SaeRom's students |
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| We saw Harry Potter in theaters! |
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| Lucy |
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| Kai and Vivian |
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| Gordon wearing his hat upside down, go figure =P |
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| Our Christmas cake - Thank you Amy <3 |
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| Amy, Sui, and I feeling festive :P |
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| Siu & Amy lighting celebratory candles |
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| It took a little teamwork to open the champagne... |
14. tried Dangkong bang (peanut bread) - so yummy...
-there's a peanut or two in the middle of these declicious sweet bread snacks =)
*On a side note, I was telling some of my coworkers (who are half Korean) about how I tried this delicious Korean snack over the break. I couldn't quite remember what it was called, but I thought SaeRom told me it was 'Dongko bang.' They stared at me, looking astonished and asked me to repeat what I had said. I told them again - still silence. Then one more time, "You know, Dongko bang, with the peanuts inside?" After a few more moments of silence, the two girls bursted into laughter and later, when they could regain their composure, they informed me that the way I was pronouncing it, I was actually saying "butt-hole bread." Oooops...!!! HAHahhahaaa - I laughed SO hard - soon we were all in tears~
15. went dancing on New Year's Eve at a club in Seoul called Eden~
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| Nothing says New Year's Eve like confetti! |
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| 2011 - Year of the Rabbit |
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| Me and YouRi |
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| Me and Stefanie, who is teaching in Gimhae ~ 4.5hrs away |
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| Siu and I |
And that's all she wrote.
Until next time,
Miss Jones <3
