HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

So... I wonder how crazy I can be!  haha!  I'm about to head out to go hang out with some friends in Jongno for New Years celebration... Korean style (hopefully! haha)!  As I was teaching one of my classes about New Years I found this youtube video! 
 

I was teaching my kids about the Bosingak bell ringing on New Years day (00:01).  They ring the bell 33 times for good fortune in Korea and thought it'd be awesome to witness it!  So I'm off into the 12 degree weather to check out this really cool event and hope to come back with great pics of the event and my limbs still working right.  haha!

I got to talk to my grandma for a few minutes and am really happy for this cause it helps me stay strong while in Korea!  My homesickness has subsided for now and I am continually falling in love with Korea over and over again!

Happy New Year everyone.  I hope you're year has been a good one and the new one is blessed with family, friends, and new memories!

아이리스!

So my Christmas went well.  Had some fun with friends and had pretty much a lazy weekend.  involved wine, christmas movies, and yummy food!!  ^^  we watched Sherlock Holmes at the cina city on christmas night!  it was pretty good but i was worn out so i actually dozed a bit... i'll definitely watch it again to help me remember it all!  haha!  i felt bad but i was definitely exhausted.  We got snow over the weekend... and although I think snow is pretty... it's really annoying and makes everything so dag-gum cold!!  I dont like it!  My friend says I have thin blood cause I'm from Texas... haha that could be true!  It gets cold in Texas but we rarely get snow... seriously!?!?  and then I think the snow helped me out and so I got a little sick... now i'm left fighting whatevers wrong with my stomach...

i took some time yesterday and today to catch up on 아이리스 (Iris) my Korean drama... finished up just about 10 minutes ago... seriously disappointed with how it ended but I also predicted it... as it was happening... even though i was really just joking around with the ending... that's what i get i guess... well!  i'm off to bed at 10:45 to get some sleep because even though last night I got roughly 10 hours of sleep... i was going to fall asleep in my classes between the sharp pangs in my stomach and the cold room temperatures.  SO here's hoping that with the extra sleep I can fight this thing off... especially before this weekend... I have no plans for my 4 day weekend but I'm glad and really hoping for rest and relaxation... maybe i'll spoil myself... hahaha that's probably not going to happen... paydays next week and i'm already stretching... (i sent a lot home this month and about to send a bit more this week... haha so maybe i'll sorta spoil myself... just in a cheap but great way!  *^^*

well off to bed!!

^^

브라이언 -Brian 내 여자 (My Girl)



This is Brian.  A Korean-American singer.  Previously one of the two members in Fly to the Sky.  I really like this song.  It's newer and hasn't been overplayed just yet.

^^

wanted to post something and thought this would be good!!

Hope you enjoy!!

Famous sighting?

While doing a little shopping down our little main strip here in my area... my new co-worker/ friend spotted a large group and said something about a famous person and of course being completely obsessed with kpop i freaked out... we were also standing by a MISSHA (face shop type store) with a famous actor as their representative (Lee Byung Hun from Iris)... and so I immediately was like if it's him i'll flip... so... haha... we're looking and we are also being pushed to the sides so they can get through... camera group... a bunch of young girls looking on and taking pics... i obviously took out my camera phone in hopes of getting a glance... haha... well when i saw who it was i didnt recognize them (*insert gasp!!*)... so... yeah if anyone knows who it was in the sungbuk/donam area today let me know!  hehe!  I even asked some korean girl:  누구???  (who???) but she didnt know either.  at first i thought she was rejecting my attempt at asking who it was but she wasn't acting like the others and looked confused as well.  so yeah... haha we spotted someone famous but didnt know who it was... what a bummer!!  haha!!

on another note!  Christmas is coming up in like 2 days for me!  haha!!  This is the first time I've actually felt a hint of homesickness... and loneliness but I'll be okay... just need to keep on going!  hehe!  i love korea and everythings going great.  tomorrow i'll have a great night with friends and friday maybe iceskating as well as a night in hongdae!  ^^  and the weekend to sleep!  hahahaha!!

well i'm off to sleep now... have to get up and work in the morning!

blah!!

^^

Merry Christmas!!



Christmas tree in McDonalds!

^^

All I Want for Christmas is You!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

^^

Mmm...김밥!!

Currently listening to:  Chu~♡ by F(x)

So.... as I await my Skype dates, I decided to make some lunch... Kimbap is what's on the menu today!  I'm currently eating as I type this too... haha!  I took pictures as I went through the fun process of making lunch for 1!  haha!  generally I eat spaghetti or ramen... only because those are quick and rice just takes so darn long without a rice cooker! but today, I decided it would be different!  haha!  Hope you enjoy reading about this easy to make lunch!


First... boil your rice... you'll know when it's done.... if not you can always taste test it!


You'll need tuna (if you want tuna of course!  ^^)
and I have this little packet thing to make rice balls if you dont want kimbap.
really good to use for the extra rice I always end up making...
And of course seaweed and a Kimbap roller... haha that's what i call it...
it's really easy to use and handy!


and this to help get the rice to stick to your seaweed...
if it's not already sticky enough!
 
 After your rice is finished....
you will lay out your seaweed on the seaweed roller...

 Add your rice and tuna... spread it out...
haha and mayonnaise is also supposed to go in this...
i didnt have any mayo since it definitely lacked in a bit of that taste... hehe!

Roll it and now you have a Happy Tiger!

^^

hope you enjoyed... haha!

MMM...김밥!!
김밥을 맜있어요!!

I'm in a weird mood and now I'm off to talk to my friends!

Currently listening:  G.O.O.D Luv by MBLAQ


Also:  this is my 100th Post!  yay!!

Ride...

Currently listening to:  We Belong Together by Big Bang featuring: Bom (from 2NE1)

This is a ride that was near Dongdaemun Stadium... so yeah.. hope you enjoy the craziness!!  ^^  Tomorrow, I'll upload the video of my kiddos!!  ^^

Here we go again!...

Currently listening to:  Here we go again by Demi Lovato...

After being home for the whole day... I've done quite a bit... haha!  I feel super lazy but a bit refreshed... I am actually going to bed early cause I'm exhausted from so much cleaning!  haha!  I still have clothes hanging up drying and trash ready to be taken out but overall I'm really proud of myself for having cleaned so much!  ^^

I remembered just like 10 mins ago that I had some videos that I wanted to upload which is why I'm back on blogger tonight!  haha!  So... here is 1 video... this one was in my station while waiting for friends... thought it was super neat to see them dancing!  haha!!




I'll have to upload the others whenever I have a faster connection... my computer is acting super strange... I probably should update everything... anyway!  1 of the videos I want to put is of my kids... at Halloween... haha so I KNOW I'm a bit late but they are just so darn cute!  (sometimes!)  haha!  ^^  can't wait to get that up!!

well hope you enjoy!!

^^

Dunk Shoot



Jo Kwon (from 2AM) and Whale

(Interesting Song and Video... haha... and it's just so catchy and cute!!)

So this day has been filled with cleaning and sleeping... haha!  I woke up at around 11:00... this week has been exhausting but great so the sleep was much needed... ^^... Last night I fell asleep at 7:30 (yes 7:30 PM) and woke up at like 9pm or so... then stayed up till about 1AM doing pretty much nothing... haha!  Had a pleasant phone call... which shouldve lasted longer (메롱!!)  finally got to sleep and woke back up around 10:30 or so... but laid in bed till about 11.  I decided this weekend would be filled with cleaning and washing laundry.  So I started laundry... swept... went through a bunch of junk... and am now sitting down to watch a movie... maybe He's Just Not that Into You... Love that movie!  haha!  always my "go-to" movie... ^^... I also am a bit hungry but since I've been cleaning all day I'm a bit grimey and dont want to really step out of the house... SO... I might... MIGHT... try calling in an order... haha we'll see how far my Korean goes... ^^  I'll update soon with a YES i've got food or No... i'm going to starve... haha!

^^

EDIT:
1 hour later... Okay so... I'm not going to starve!  yay!  BUT i didnt order it myself... *sad*...I tried!  haha!  I called 1 place and

I said:  영어하새요 (English? but I think he thought I said Hello... and only heard the last part) he said:  yes.  and then i said:  Pizza?  (haha...same in korean as english...) and he said yes.  I said deliver?  and he said hello (in Korean) and I said 영어하새요 (again... English?) and he said: 잘못해요. (I dont know [English])  and i said:  괜찮아요. (that's okay)  감사합니다. (thank you)  then  I called one of my co-teachers/friends from work to ask about where to find phone numbers... cause i was going to attempt Papa Johns down the street... well apparently she was near it so she volunteered to order it for me... how awesome of her!  So now i'm waiting for the pizza to arrive... I really look grungy from having been cleaning... haha so hopefully I dont scare the deliver guy!  ^^ actually... haha as i finished typing that the guy came... was greeted by my 2PM and MBLAQ posters on the front door... haha... i can tell he must be cold by just opening the door... and seeing that he's in a mask and suit to hopefully keep him warm.  haha and he set off my door alarm... haha now it's freaking out!

well now i'm off to eat... watch movies... and relax for the night!

^^

Tired of waiting...

Well let's see... this week has been filled with just work and what-not.  I went to Dongdaemun and Myeongdong with my friend to buy an outfit (^^)... found a cute outfit and shows and was happy to spend time with my friend!!

I have been really happy this week actually.  I can't really say too much about that right now but hopefully soon... ^^

anyway... this weekend I won't be doing too much.  maybe cleaning... catching up on sleep and maybe some school work that i don't want to have to worry about next week... like paper evaluations... I'll also catch up on IRIS!!  YAY!  it just finished this week so I wont have too much to catch up on!  I need a new drama to fill my life... one that's current would be good!  haha!

I can't believe Christmas is next week.  it's really crazy!  And although I wont be able to go see 2PM play in Gangnam on Christmas Eve, I'll be chilling out with friends having yummy chili and maybe watching sappy love movies (maybe i'll do that this weekend!!)  haha!  On Friday (Christmas Day), we're thinking maybe Hongdae club night... hahaha!  I'm going so I'm doing SOMETHING and not so homesick and because it's fun to hang out with friends!  Christmas is my favorite holiday... and it feels strange to not be with my family at this time of year.

But I'm used to kinda being on my own so maybe I'll get used to it as I will be staying in Korea for a long time... ^^

For New Years... no plans so far but hopefully I'll have some before then... haha still have like 2 weeks i guess!  ^^

but as I do more I'll try to update... sorry it's boring for those that are reading!  for now I'm kinda working on saving money so trying not to do much but still have some fun!

i'll update with Christmas stuff soon!

^^
안녕!!

yes you...

야!  공부해요!!

행운!!

메롱!!

2NE1 In concert!!

Okay so my favorite girl group... 2NE1 is going to be performing on January 2nd in Gangnam... I'm super excited!  Seriously!  I hope to get more information on it and I'll update here for everyone out there wanting to check out some awesome artists!  hehe!  they're going to be at a club so i don't know how that all works out!

*fingers crossed* still for 2PM at the same club in Gangnam on Christmas Eve!

^^

and if you watched G-Dragon at the club this last weekend... I want to know how it went!  ^^

well back to work!

*^^*

Kimchi. Seaweed. Love.

So.  I realized that I'm in Love.  haha!  is it strange that I can't even fathom how much I love Kimchi and Seaweed.  I discovered this while walking home.  I kept thinking about what I was going to have for dinner... and I couldnt get out of my mind that I wanted Kimchi.  So i went to the 7/11 and hunted down:  Kimchi and some little sausages.  I got kimchi to last me on those days that I want some but never have any in my house... haha!

I was also looking for spaghetti sauce but they didn't have any.  For dinner, I decided that I wanted spaghetti.  haha!  so after leaving there i went to 3 other little convenient stores close to my house.  I think 1st a Ministop, a Buy the Way, and a little mom and pop shop that I like to go to around the corner.  I knew that if the other 2 "big" stores didn't have it that the mom and pop store should... so that was my final store to go to.  AND THEY had some!  yay!  so i bought 2 little jars... some ddeok noodle soup for another day and 2 bottles of juice (aloe and peach with crushed pieces in it... so yummy!)

I came home and immediately started making my spaghetti.  (i can't really cook... so spaghetti is a big feat for me!  haha i've even burnt water before... shh!  dont tell anyone... then i'll sure not find a husband!  haha)

I made up this little thing called spaghetti kimchi (actually i have no better name so i'll go with this)... i like to mix my foods and since it's all going to the same place...then why not.  So i threw my kimchi and little sausages into my spaghetti along with the spaghetti sauce (of course)... so yummy!  gave it a great bit of spice... mmm... and although I didnt have any bread to go with my spaghetti... I did have some seaweed (kim...mmm)... it was delicious... you can call me weird... you can say that it's not right... but for me...

it's delicious!

Everyday I notice I'm becoming more and more Korean... haha!  I can't stand a meal without kimchi... I love Rice and Seaweed!  Love Kpop!  KDramas!

I also do that thing where you're at the crosswalk (you know... the one you've been at every day for the past who knows how many months) and known the light is about to turn green but still wait with everyone else... haha sometimes i'm daring and start to walk then question myself... (even though I KNOW it will turn green... and everything else is Red...)... haha!

or when i can't imagine anything back at home from before without someone saying something in Korean or bowing...

Oh how I love Korea!

 

Ninja Assassin and fun in Apgujeong!

So I went to see Ninja Assassin today with Toni and her coworker in Apgujeong!  This morning we met up at close to 12 at my station.  We arrived in Apgujeong and got out tickets to see the movie with one of our favorite men... Rain!


And in my opinion, it was a pretty good movie.  He definitely had his sexy moments!  haha!  There's a lot of blood and what-not but overall I thought it was pretty good!  ^^

After the movie, I went and met my friend Karrin for galbi in Apgujeong.  I LOVE Galbi... seriously... and it's no coincidence that my name is so similar to galbi... haha i've even been called galbi a few times... amazing right?  *and yes there's sarcasm in how much i enjoyed that... ha!*

I headed home after dinner, started laundry, and am now settling back and catching up on Iris!



Hope everyone had a good weekend!  ^^  Good nights!!

Christmas Concerts

So while walking around in Jongno AND Hongdae... I found some awesome posters saying where some concerts/ artist appearances are going to be.  I think that it's pretty awesome!  Cause i never hear about things till the last minute!  haha!  but if anyone's interested!  here are 2 that I found.

2PM in Gangnam at Club NB... not sure about cost or anything.  Website is:  clubnb.com
Date:  December 24





 The G-Dragon one is 20,000 to get in... more info at:  partyluv.com  Date:  December 12

Still debating about going to see 2PM... we'll see!!  hmm... it would be cool!

"What'd you do Christmas Eve... Umm...  I saw 2PM perform... haha!!"

^_^.

^_^.

Alrighty!  So I'm going to try to do better on updating!  ^^ This weekend has been fun so far... and it's only now Saturday night.  haha!  This last week has flown!  I can't believe it's December already!  I think Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday.  December in generally can be a favorite!  So now i'm going to chat about my weekend before i forget!  haha!!

My friend, Toni, and I decided we'd go out dancing again yesterday in Hongdae.  We really enjoyed M2 so we thought we'd start there.  We started the night by meeting up and heading to Hyehwa to take some pictures in a picture booth and go to our favorite bar for the first drink of the night.  I met some of her co-workers and they were definitely nice!  After leaving there, Toni and I, headed to Hongdae around 11:30ish.  We wanted to grab dinner at Dos Tacos before they closed.  Well we got there and it was already closed!  *So SAD!*  well then we decided we'd try this Korean restaurant we had seen last week.  We headed that way and noticed it was definitely packed.  After finally getting a table by the window, we figured out what we thought we wanted to eat.  *side note:  be careful what you pick... because you'll probably make our mistake* we noticed they had Dalk.  Dalk is like hen/chicken.  But what we didnt realize was it was dalk bul (or something like that)... bul means feet.  so we ordered chicken feet and when our plate came out i was a bit shocked.  we rock/paper/scissored to find out who would try it first.  of course i'm horrible playing that game so i obviously lost.  definitely couldnt take and we ordered another set of food.  this time... something eatable!

We met a korean guy there, who later came out and hung out with us for an hour or so at M2.  We went to M2 at like around 2AM (<--- K-boy band btw... haha) and danced the night away (sometimes with good looking Korean men)... until we rock/paper/scissored at the end to find out if we would go home or not!  haha!  We left around 6ish.  Then went to a Korean restaurant for some food then headed home on the subway... *fell asleep on subway...hehe* and arrived home at around 7am.  It was a fun-filled weekend and again... alcoholic drink consumption: 2 (and both several hours apart... haha)

This morning after waking up at around 1pm... hehe not long enough but I needed to get up to be able to talk to one of my best friends from home, Stephanie!  ^^  After talking to Steph for a while, I headed out to meet Toni for.... (you guessed it) Dos Tacos at around 3:30pm!  We were so disappointed we missed it so we went back!  ^^  So SO SO YUMMY!!  we walked around hongdae for a little while until we froze our butts off!  It started snowing!  Like Flurry-like!  hehe!!  I love it but hate it!  it's so cold but so cool!  haha!  i'm looking for a really cool scarf but will probably wait till this week cause i get paid monday!  yay!!  ^^

Tomorrow morning... i'm heading out with Toni and another friend to see Ninja Assassin!  which features Rain (Bi) and we're super excited!! 

Well i'm off to bed now... I've been catching up on Iris and am getting tired!  Hopefully I'll get some new pictures up of what I've been up to!  Tomorrow I'll make it a mission to get pics!

^_^.

Tired of Waiting...



(press Play!)

Thanksgiving has come and gone here in Korea.  Korean Thanksgiving, called Chuseok, was in October (i think that's right... it's been a while)... I can't believe it!  I've been in Korea for 132 days... which makes 4 months!  is that not crazy!?  I'm still loving it here... definitely having some interesting moments and can't believe how much more I have to see... good thing i'm planning on living here for a while.

School is going well.  Kids are growing and learning... so strange!  these kids definitely make me miss my kiddos at home (brothers 6 and 10 yrs and sister 13 yrs...)

OH goodness it's like my brain has fallen out and I cant remember what's happened in the last 2 weeks... so i'll just chat about what's happened in the last week or so... haha

So on the way to Korean class... we're (2 friends and I) on the subway and an older Korean gentleman (ajusshi)  gets on the subway at some point.  I move out of his way cause i'm literally right in front of the door.  well somehow we started talking to him... well he told me that his son was a vocal trainer for big bang and 2ne1... amazing right... i was trying stay as calm as possible.  well then he goes on to say that he's looking for a wife for him and that i would be perfect.  after a while (me being apprehensive) he asks for my number so i say give me your card (cause hello!?...yeah)... so he does and then it's our stop so we're getting off.  we're off and we're like should i call him or not?  it's a bit strange but then from behind us he comes and apparently it's his stop too... so he's like call me now.  so i did... well anyway... (we're going to Korean class) but he asks us to go get a drink.  we're like sorry can't.. have to go.  so then in class i get a text saying we should meet up afterwards and that he'll wait in the subway till 10.  well then it gets weird... he takes us to a food stand where his "sister" works and buys a bottle of soju (terrible stuff... silent but deadly)... and some seafood for my friends and i... the entire time he's talking to ME.. it's not about his son... it's about HIM. he gives me pics of him and he asks to go to a noraebang by ourselves... i'm like uh.  have to work.  says i should come to his house and whatnot in the morning... well as we get ready to leave.  he grabs my hand... my hand freezes.  it's like wth!?  he's trying to HOLD my hand... like lace it.  i'm trying not to barf.  well finally i get free and hold on to my cell phone for dear life.  anywhoo.. it was strange.  he called me that night like a gazillion times (i exaggerate but a lot...) he texted me that night.  the next morning he called me.  text me the next day... this went on until yesterday.  strangest thing that has happened to me while in korea.  i still love Korea but i just want to say... stay safe and dont give numbers to strangers... even if they seem really nice... my directors assistant (male) called him and pretty much told him to leave me alone... that i didnt want to talk to him.  He just sent me the strangest text messages... gave me the creeps...

Then the other day on the subway on the way home from seeing my friend in Dongtan... i'm literally enthralled in my iPod and the Korean videos i can watch on this long train ride... and i get hit on... seriously?  i've never really been hit on but I knew KNEW that he was hitting on me... but seriously i was like ignoring him... a lot... he wasn't korean... he was a foreigner.  finally i just told him i had a bf and he left me alone... actually he got off at the next subway stop... not sure if it was his or not but i think so.  i dont care... haha

but pretty much that's the most interesting thing that's happened in a while!

HAHA EXCEPT!  my friend Toni and I went to club night last friday in Hongdae.  It was pretty good after we found some good places to go!  Recommended!  M2... TinPan Euro and TinPan... and another one but I cant think of the name!  We had fun and stayed out till 7AM.  in great moods (not drunk.  so no worries to anyone from home reading this).  I love being able to prove people wrong that you can have a great time without getting wasted!  haha!  ^^  i do it all the time!

anyway!  I am off to bed cause i'm sleepy!  This week is going by quickly!  and it's weird that it's december.... or is that just me?  haha!  My kids are learning:  What I want for Christmas is You... it's been a while since I've sung a song (besides in Noraebang)... but i'm hoping this will come out well... maybe I'll be able to videotape it and show everyone!  my kids are great... it's a difficult song but i think theyll get it before December 24th... haha!!

^^

Sorry sorry sorry...

yes i'm lame... had to start my title with something from Super Junior... but yes I'm sorry i've turned into a crappy blogger... it's not like i'm never on my computer but either i dont have anything interesting to message about or i'm too exhausted...

well you're in luck cause i have 2 weird things happen to me in the last week... unfortunately you'll have to wait until i have time cause right now i should be getting ready for work... but i wanted to apologize for my lack of blogging...

the time sure does pass by...

keep tuned... new blog... at the latest... tonight.