WhatTheBook?!

So I said I would write a blog on WhatTheBook bookstore in Itaewon.  It's pretty awesome!  It's a small-ish bookstore... i mean it's not like Hastings or whatever but it has a great selection on new and old books in ENGLISH.  Yes I said it... in English!  they're really great prices too!  you can find pretty much any book in this store... self-help... children's... scary... fantasy (twilight...fairies)...anything!  Also, if they dont have the book in stock... you can always ask the English speaking staff!  They are very friendly and are willing to help you.  If they dont have the book they can order it or check their warehouse to see if they have it (all on their handy computers)... if it's in they're warehouse it takes 2 days to get and brought back to their store OR it can be mailed to your location for about 2,000Won (if i remember right!).  When I was looking for a book... it was in their warehouse so i just came back 2 days later and it was there!  yay!  They can also order the book for you!

This place is also filled with ENGLISH magazines... anything to fill your hearts desire!  lol!  I would highly recommend anyone to go and peruse this little area of Itaewon for books... books... and more books!
This is the map showing how to get to the store.  you're going to see the firehouse on your right and go up that street.... keep going until you see the blue what the book sign... at first i couldnt find it but it's cause i didnt go up far enough... KEEP GOING till you see the sign!

Then you'll find this sign... :)  go downstairs to books galore!

New and Used books... each sectioned off beautifully!

And Magazines!

I definitely enjoy going back to this place and finding things to read... I'm trying to get back into reading and it's good to know I can find a place here in Korea!!

^_^.

Chuseok plans?

Check out this facebook invite!  It's for Sunday and if you are in the area you should check it out!  I might go to this cause it looks fun!!


Event Hosted by Fusion

look there is ForeignerJoy! (lower right) (and now me but it doesnt show that...hmph)

Night on the Town!

Yesterday started out going to Itaewon to meet up with my friend Rhonda for a late birthday celebration.  ^_^.  We went and ate some really great Indian food to start the day at about 3PM so lunch time!  haha!  then after hanging out for a few hours at the restaurant we then went to WhatTheBook bookstore to check out some books.  Rhonda had been telling me about the books that the movie, He's Just Not That Into You, was based on so i was a bit determined to go find it.  LOL!  we found them and a few other books too.  WhatTheBook deserves it's own post so I'll do that next!  After leaving there, our food had taken some time to settle so we walked to find someplace to satisfy our sweet tooth.  We decided on going to Baskin Robbins (yes that's right Baskin Robbins in Korea... pretty much my 2nd time in my life to be in one... and they were both in Korea....hehe)... after ordering our Mocha Almond and Green Tea cups... Rhonda also decided to order a birthday hat... lol!  I refused to wear it!!  haha!  but as we sat and ate our icecream (BY THE WINDOW) i wore the hat... lol talk about attractive... haha!  Then we decided to leave and check out a few places... we walked up and down the main street in Itaewon looking for a bar to just sit and check out guys... (it's about 5 or  5:30 at this point)... so we found an Irish pub place in the backstreets and it was pretty nice.  We had a few lemon drop shots and I had a cosmopolitan.  there were unfortunately only old men around and no cuties waiting for our attention!  lol!

We left around 7 and I accidentally left my hat there... well Rhonda remembered and ran back to get it while the waitresses were playing with it!  lol!  so funny!!!!   After rescuing the hat... Rhonda decided she would wear it!  lol!!  so by this time we are hungry again and we decide to go to Outback (yes Outback in Korea as well... 1st time to go...) and split a plate.  It was pretty yummy... the waitstaff were sorta cute... kinda dorky but 1 guy accidentally dropped off a beer at our table and we were like wait what??  this isnt ours??  haha!  but whatever he was cute... we sent it back cause we arent really beer drinkers... haha

then after leaving Outback we decided to head to Helios.  I've never been Helios but apparently around 10 or so it gets bumpin... (oh yeah i said it... lol)... it was around close to 9... i think... lol and so we head over... sit at a table alongside 2 Korean women... who dont really know any english but whatever we're chillin on our own... Rhonda is still wearing the birthday hat at this point and has had a million people asking her if it's her birthday and of course we respond with YES!  lol!

After a while at Helios, we have had a few drinks (2) and are just hanging out still waiting for the cute/hot guys to arrive... it's apparently dinner time still and they're not out yet to party... cause at Helios it's like a restaurant/ bar/ club... we ordered fries and water when we got there and so it wasn't really into the swing of things yet.  Around 10 the music gets a bit happier and we're singing along and sorta dancing... haha at our table... cute guys are walking in slowly... around this time too the korean women next to us are attempting to talk to us and 1 of them is super drunk!  haha!  she's like pretty girl/ beautiful girl.  dance!  *scream* and at one point headlocks the waiter to kiss Rhonda cause it's her birthday.  (it didnt happen.. lol) but we were both like WTHeck!?!?  WOW!  we were both cracking up!  Then she decides because we are drinking water... that she needs to buy us beers... ugh!  i need to learn how to say I dont like beer in Korean!  but it's okay we didnt stay long enough to drink them just courteously drink it as she toasted... haha!  THEN she grabs my arm (this is where i know she's super drunk cause she grabbed me hard... lol) and pulls me to dance and i look at Rhonda and force her and the girls friend to dance and now we're on the dance floor... dancing away then she pulls Rhonda in to dance with (on?) her... that's when Rhonda regretted wearing the birthday hat!   we left after 1 1/2 songs... haha!  left  the beers and the super drunk new friend and sober (apologetic) new friend!

we had to catch subways back so we had to leave around 10:30...

Overall it was a fun night...

at the end before I got off the subway... I saw a cute Korean guy reading a book (in front of me cause the subways semi-packed at this point) and then as we both get ready to get off... he goes to put it in his Louis Vuitton bag (mini-bag) similar to this pic: 

i know that he's straight but i cant get past the Korean guys carrying purses... not all of them do it but most of them do... and they carry their girlfriend's purses too!!

AAHH!  well that was the end of my night yesterday... oh and i stayed up and finished the abridged version of the book i got!  haha!

^_^.

Movie Marathon anyone??

My friend Joy has posted an invitation for anyone in the area to have a movie marathon during the Chuseok holiday if you aren't going anywhere!  Check it out here at her blog!!

Foreigner Joy

Sounds like fun!  So if you're interested contact either one of us!!  ^_^.

Happy Birthday to me!

I'm 21!  and in Korea!  YAY!

i got you in my heart... can't you see your face?

These pics are from Gangnam and Itaewon and some from Dongdaemun!... 

Hope you liked!  more pics on my facebook!!  please leave some comments!  let me know you've been here!!

i always needed time on my own...pic version!

you can also check out my pics on my facebook!  it's in the sidebar under cool sites!

(click the pictures to make them bigger!)

  

  

(pics from the noraebang will be on display on my facebook page... lol not here!)

i always needed time on my own...2

Sunday (13th)...I took a subway and I met my friend Rhonda in Gangnam.  (i'm riding the subway like a pro at this point!  haha!)  we had dinner at dos tacos in gangnam... so yummy!  i've been craving mexican food for some time at this point... ^_^.  definitely helped!  hehe!  then we went to this cafe where they offer Dr. Fish... Dr. Fish is super cool where you can go and put your feet in a tank of fish where they eat the dead skin from your feet!  it's so weird but super cool!!  hehe!  you buy a drink and then pay 2000Won more for the Dr. Fish!  ^_^.

After we finished there we went to Kyobo towers to check out the book store... it is a great place to get some good books!  I didnt get any here because I wanted to check out another book store later!  lol!  after leaving Kyobo towers... we went to Aritraum... a makeup store (not sure on the spelling...hehe)... but it was nice stuff!  I got some hair stuff... I didnt have any what-so-ever... so my hairs been pretty flat... now everyone wonders where my curly hair is coming from!  ^^.  After leaving Rhonda...i took the subway and went to Itaewon to check out what the book and find the rest of the book series i'm obsessed with... the one about fairies... i mentioned it a while back!  hehe!  Then i finally went home!
 

on monday (14th)... my friend and i took the subway and went to Dongdaemun stadium to do some shopping!  i found a great place to get clothes and I bought some pretty awesome outfits!  hehe!  tuesday (15th)... i took a random trip to Itaewon in the middle of the day to get a book I had ordered at what the book... between classes... pretty much i was running so i could make it back in time for classes!  haha!  then later that night... my friend and i walked to hyehwa to eat subway!  yummy!!!  we went and had a drink or two and just chilled out!  yesterday... we stayed in and had pizza and wine... yummy!!  while doing hair... yay!  today we took the subway and went to visit a friend and just chill out!

I've pretty much been on the subway like every day for the last week!!  (except for yesterday!)

It was a busy weekend and last few days!!  I love it!  It's so great knowing I can get around here!!  hehe!  I still have so long to go... i've already decided to stay for a long time... it feels good to know I sorta have a plan!  hehe!!

next tuesday is my birthday!  yay!  i'll be the big 2-1!  how weird!!  i'm celebrating with my really great friends here in korea!  i'm so excited!!!  ^_^.!!  AND it'll officially be my 2nd month in Korea!

okay i've talked enough!  now i'll go add some pics to a new blog!!

i always needed time on my own...

So i have tons to update... hehe this will probably be 2 (or 3) different blogs cause a ton of stuff has happened... hehe i've been out and about more now that I've been paid!  (good and bad thing!!  hehe!)

okay let's start with last thursday, september 10th!  After a long day at school, I took the subway and I met up with a new friend/ language exchange help.  It was really cool!  i went to Guro... an unknown part of Seoul that I've never been to... by myself!  Success!  I made it late unfortunately because Seoul Station was mega-busy and mega-confusing!  especially with the transfers and what-not!  lol!  but we met and just chit-chatted for a bit!  I'm slowly making more Korean friends which I love because it means I can be here for a long time and have connections!  ^_^.  okay so after a little while, we split ways because it was getting late and I still had a 40 minute subway ride back home!

Friday, (11th)...i took the subway and i met up with my friend Janessa in sinchon for a Hana international cafe night.. we got some dinner at a pizza place that i forgot the name of... it was pretty good... apparently geared towards women!  haha!  anywhoo... funny thing... we went to this Hana cafe and walking up the stairs we were getting excited and then they asked us... Chinese or Japanese?  my mind was like American?  lol but turns out friday nights is just Chinese/ Japanese exchange night... so Saturday was when we were SUPPOSED to be there.... well then we took the subway and met up my friends later in Hyehwa (closer to where I live) for some drinks.  well then my friend went home and it was me, rosie, and danny (a new foreign teacher)... we then decided to go to a noraebang!  yay!  i seriously love noraebangs!  hehe!  we stayed out quite late... we finally went home at like 3am... hehe!  I walked from Hyehwa to my neighborhood in Seongbuk... it was a 15-20 minute walk so it went really well!  hehe (that's how close it was!)... anywhoo... I had to get up the next day to meet a friend so i was booking it to sleep!  lol!

Saturday (12th)... i took the subway and i met up with my friend, Bong, in Hongdae to go watch his technology department play in some outdoor sports.  it had been raining so we didnt know for sure if it would still be going on.  haha anyway (i'll upload some pics in a sec!)  it was a fun day at Hongik University... rain eventually came... putting the soccer game on pause for a little while!  but overall it was really cool!  I was pretty much the only foreigner there!  haha!  well we then left later on and Bong showed me around Insadong!  I had previously gone with Rosie and Karrin but had forgotten my camera so i actually brought it this time!  yay!  (pics next!)

well it is a really cool shopping area to buy trinkets and what-not to send home or put up in your house!  we went into the Ssamge building where it was super cool!  This building was really cool in my opinion!  I really enjoyed the art put into every store’s collection of items on display.  I felt that each person really had passion for the items they were selling.  It was really nice to see what beautiful items were on display and what treasures I could find throughout this shopping area.  The building was very personable and I loved being able to walk around and view everything.  It was a unique shopping area and I would recommend it for anyone for a nice day of shopping.  You can get pretty much get anything that can be designed by hand here in this area.  Even just knowing that someone spent time on your item is amazing!!

after leaving the Ssamge building... we walked to a really cool Tea House.  It had a great feel of relaxation and calmness.  It is a museum where you can walk around and view different tea sets as well as tea items.  It seriously was really relaxing... it was kinda sad to leave cause walking outside made it definitely less of a calm atmosphere!  haha!  I'm really glad to know where this place is and I would recommend anyone to go!!

later that night... (busy day!!)... i took the subway and i met up with some friends for dinner and met a cool new friend from the U.K. and we took her to noraebang!  it was a really cool night!!

(seriously i should break this into a mini series but i've waited long enough to tell everyone!  hehe!  the next post will have the pics!)...

New pics up!

Hey!  SO i have havent updated in a while!  just getting busy with school and nothing exciting happening!  haha!  well... for now I just have pictures which I posted up on my facebook... you can find the links in the right hand box labeled:  Facebook pics and Gangnam & Itaewon pics!  just a few places I went to over the last few days... I'll update more on what I did when I'm not falling asleep at my computer!!  I went out and bought clothes today with my friend Rosie!  that'll have to be a whole post on it's own!  hehe!  well anywhoo... I've updated pics and hope yal will leave me a message!!  I promise to write about my wonderful adventures in the next day or two.... PROMISE!

Annyong!!  (for now!)
^_^.

Jeju-Do or Jeju-Don't?

So i was thinking today while talking to a friend online about the big break that we're getting pretty soon... big as in 1 week... haha but still fun!  this will be the first vacation-ish break that i've had while in Korea so far!  i'm not planning any HUGE vacation for a while... at least until i can save... i mean the only time i actually will probably go out of the country in the next year is when my school sends me to get my new visa in japan... haha but that's literally a year away... haha

anyway back on topic!  i've heard such great things about Jeju Island... the "Hawaii" of Korea... and I thought well it would be so awesome to go!  relax and whatnot!  I looked up plane tickets to get an idea of how much it would be to go from here to there... check out my awesome results...: 78,900 Won for round-trip on late notice... just a few weeks...
according to my currency converter... that is approximately $61.33...!!!!

To make this a reality... I think I will see if some of my friends would like to go and check out different areas to stay... if you know of any nice places... reasonably priced... that we could possibly stay in while in the area... please send me an email or comment!!

i wont know completely if i will go but it's nice to think about it...!!

i'll update later about if we will go or not!!

Sorry for the inconvenience!

so... as you can see there are many little signs up around my super neat blog that say photobucket bandwidth exceeded... after doing some research i have discovered that i need to work through each of my codes OR wait till it fixes itself... which it will do but i'm not sure when... i'm not even sure how to fix my codes but if you'll patiently wait... it'll get fixed!  please dont stop reading my blog... and continue to comment my boring blogs!  ^_^... hopefully i'll get it fixed soon!!!!

edit:
of course now you dont see what the above message was referring to... but i've fixed up my blog the best i could... i'm not too computer savvy but with the help of google... i've got this up and running the way i kinda hope i want it... i'll have to work more with it... cause i need to add my links and a few other things on this... but for now.. i'm tired and this will do!!

Korean... English class?

In my last post, I mentioned I would be beginning to teach two new classes... an English World and a Faces classes... you of course dont know what i'm referring to...but this means they are all new beginners... what i wasn't prepared for was going in and talking to walls... even with the knowledge they didnt know anything...  good thing i've been working on my Korean and knew the basics... hello.... how are you... my name is gabi teacher... i'm sorry... i dont know much korean... blahblahblah...(yes that too... haha)
my first class to work with was my faces class on tuesday... i am the 2nd teacher so my co-teacher got to name them... yay!  haha!  but when i attempted to ask what their name was... wow... haha!  but all went well as I attempted to explain with huge motions how to draw a line and write a word... which silly me... i forgot they dont know how to write in ENGLISH... they only know 한국말 (Korean)... so many kinda refused to attempt to imitate my weird strange letters... which i dont blame them... try writing butterfly or ladybug in Korean... :)

my english world class... well i was the first teacher and thank goodness there were only 4 students to name!  haha i have 2 boys and 2 girls and i chose names before going in... i gave the boys a choice to choose between the 2 names and the girls the same... so now i have Skylar, Joseph, Lily, and Rose... hehe!  but that was even a struggle... haha!  thank goodness we were learning how to say good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight... with a song... oh yeah and goodbye... so i could help them figure it out sorta!  haha with pictures and huge motions and the bit of Korean i know!  haha!

next month... I am going to take Korean classes and in the meantime i am going to do solo studying and work on getting classroom language down... my new student asked to go to the bathroom and i didnt know wth he was asking... poor thing... haha i finally asked someone out of the room and they told me... haha!

overall i think these new classes will be a nice challenge!  :)

and hopefully next month will come soon!  haha!  i heard i'll have to take a test to see my level... i know a pretty good amount of korean but i am definitely going to be in the beginners class... haha!

well i better run and do something productive with my last break and a half...

^_^.
안녕

Great vid!

September 1st

It's officially September 1st and a month full of possibilities!  Today is the start of the new semester here at school and I've taken on 2 new classes.  My load is still the same so nothing really new changed... I have 8 classes Monday, Wedneday, Fridays and 7 on Tuesday and Thursdays.  I've picked up 2 new classes called Faces and English World and those are for ultimate newbies... isn't that exciting?  reminds me of my time in China where my kids didn't know anything at all.  This will hopefully be an exciting adventure and will allow me to see how I am actually helping korea!

This month, also, will be my birthday month!  woohoo!  I'm still excited that I'm turning the big 2-1 even if in Korea you only have to be 18 to drink!  haha!  also i think i've mentioned this before but i'm 22 according to Korea's rules for births... haha!  i still have 21 days until then but I'm hoping to do something fun... ^^

If you are in Korea and possibly want to meet up... just message me!  my email is on my profile if you just want to click on the picture on the right it will take you there!  we can meet up and have lunch or something!  i'm always up to making new friends!  Also, if you want to be a language exchange partner... I would love that too!  i'm always trying to learn Korean more and more!  ^^  My plan is to stay in Korea for a while... and just see what opens up!

I'm really hoping to get to visit a lot of the areas around me and hopefully remember my camera!  last weekend I tagged along with my friend to Insadong and I forgot my camera!  :( ... we even rode a bus back home!  haha!

well i'm going to go work on Korean cause my next class at 3:45 is my newbies... maybe they'll appreciate if I try to communicate with them!?... somehow...  lol!

^_^.