Gwanghwamun 광화문

Gwanghwamun...

King Sae Chong Dae ^^

We tried to go ice skating but there were so many people there...obviously... ^^

An overview of Gwanghwamun and what it has to offer is done by A Seoulful Life (<--click!) so go by her site and check it out!!

^^

pics pics pics!

I haven't really uploaded many pics lately so now I think I will!  HAHAHA!

At I'Park Mall

 

Southern Comfort at the Flair in Hyehwa!  (January 29th, 2010)

At the beginning of our trip in Hyehwa we found these... interesting...

In Myeongdong... we found this... haha DBSK/TVXQ fan girls... giving free hugs?  LOL!

 

And Near Yongsan... we found nothing... haha... a tiny bit lost at this point but still so fun!!

Exploring!

Today I went out with a friend exploring Seoul.  We started at Hansung station and walked to Hyehwa (about 10 mins no problem...haha).  In Hyehwa we grabbed lunch at McDonalds.  After leaving McD. we decided to walk to Myeongdong and wherever from there.  We made it to Myeongdong!  YAY!  lol we explored a bit... stopped to get a drink and a donut at Dunkin Donuts and then decided to head out once again.  After leaving Myeongdong... we grabbed a random bus and eventually got off at what we thought was Yongsan but found to be Seoul station... so then we walked to Seoul station from wherever we got off at and decided to try to find Yongsan.  We walked around for a while looking for Yongsan and got teasingly close but never found it.  haha.  We then decided to head back and eventually got to Sungkyunkwan University and took the subway there to Ichon.  After arriving in Ichon we walked around a bit (there was really on agenda on this whole trip.  haha so fun!!).  After walking around Ichon a bit, it had started to get chilly so we thought we'd catch a bus to random somewhere or back to Hyehwa.  We grabbed a bus and then a little while longer we spotted I'Park Mall... which was our previous destination for Yongsan... so we decided to get off and explore in there.  I am looking for a new camera so I wanted some ideas but found it a bit intimidating with all the clerks pretty much begging for your attention.  I didnt know if I should look at them or just say no thanks or what?!?  haha but fortunately we made it through and decided to head back to Hyehwa.  So we went back to the previous bus stop and found a bus to take us straight to Hyehwa.  The Bus was crowded... i'm not exagerrating... we were at the front and i had to get in this special corner so the door wouldn't hit me... and believe me it hit me... the bus driver didn't give any warning to the door randomly opening.  I think he must have had a boring day and just wanted to have fun with the foreigners... lol.  we had a pretty good drive though... being up front was interesting... great view though!  haha!  In Jongno we saw a lit-up horse drawn carriage!!  So pretty!!

We eventually got off a million stops later in hyehwa and grabbed some KFC and Subway.  which then ended our long adventurous day.  we started at 12pm and left hyehwa at 7:15... lots of walking... 1 subway ride and 3 buses... we both took a bus to our homes!  ^^

It was fun and I would definitely recommend spending a day exploring... getting lost... jumping on random buses!  we discovered a lot of really neat places!

^^

Class time!

Makes me feel good sometimes when the board turns out like this and I have kids scurrying to write everything I wrote off the board... haha... reminds me of when I was in school.

Jenny's Bread!

My friend Joy has posted up the review and information about Jenny's Bread and how to get there!  So if you're interested please pop by her site and find the info you need to enjoy a delightful meal!


Jenny's Bread

(Click Above!)

Transfer Success!

Today was a good day!  I got up at around 10:30 and mulled around before meeting Joy (Foreigner Joy <-Click) and her bf, Jay in Hongdae to grab some lunch.  It's nice being out during the day!  HAHA!  especially since I worked yesterday and today was my only free day this week... We grabbed some wonderful sandwiches at Jenny's Bread... delicious sandwiches... they make their own bread and had fresh veggies... so Good!  next time I go I'll have to take pics!  But Joy took some so hopefully they'll be up soon!!  ^^

After finishing lunch, I left Hongdae to go to Apgujeon to meet some friends for a movie.  We saw Sherlock Holmes.  I'd seen it before (if we remember Christmas day)... but since I fell asleep I was excited to see the whole thing!!  It was good and afterward, I decided to head home... I had found that I could take a bus from really close to the movie theater home... that's really exciting for me cause to get to the subway is a trek in itself!  haha!  Plus I hate transfering on the subway, as well as, the walk home from the subway... haha!  So I found on this really cool application on my Ipod touch that my friend, Jei, told me about... (it's called IKorway btw! has subway and bus stations... plus easy transfer cars...really awesome!)...anyway... haha found that if I take the bus from that area it would take me to Hyehwa and from Hyehwa I could jump on another bus to my home!

It was an easy process... haha it took less than 30 minutes to hyehwa and then from hyehwa i got on another bus... which was super packed after leaving hyehwa... seriously people were pushed against both doors that i was afraid i wouldnt get out of the car... haha i was texting and a girl was looking over my shoulder at one point and i wrote something in korean just to amuse her... HAHAHA... so funny... and then when it got to my stop i turned to her and in korean said i'm sorry and pointed to the door... and then when it was my stop I said excuse me in korean and i think everyone was a bit shocked... hahahaha... and pushed my way out the front door... HA!

All in all it was a successful trip home all the way from Apgujeon!  That's another thing I'm proud of from being here 6 months... I can successfully take the bus system!  YAY!

^^

6 months... ^^

So yesterday (22nd) was the day that marked my being in Korea for 6 months... how amazing!  And I've managed not to get run over by buses and scooters!  Even better!  Through the last 6 months, I've definitely grown to love Korea and what it has to offer.  I've learned a bit of Korean and have seen a lot.  I really feel at home here and love saying I live in Korea. 

It's so strange cause pretty soon I will have to start my application process to start in a new school by September.

I'm excited that everything is still as amazing as when I first arrived in Korea.

well enough of me babbling about loving Korea...

I should get back to work... cause it's Saturday... and I have to be at work today...!

^^

Through Rain or Slush...

So it's been a while since I updated and thought that since I have a bit of a break in my phone teaching that I'd update with what's been going on in the last week and a half!  ^^

Well the last time I posted it had snowed... and I was home after a very long day at Hair and Love.  Well, Monday (11th) I had plans but those quickly got canceld... XD  that's okay... whatever!  haha!  On Wednesday I met with my friend Sun in Hongdae for our Korean Language lesson.  She's really cool and I really enjoy meeting up with her!  Nothing really happened during that week cause I had school on Saturday (16th)... School on Saturday went pretty quick (thankfully...haha)... it was a half-day and so afterwards I met a friend to go to Hyehwa for a late lunch at McDonalds and then to Gwanghwamun (광화문) to check out Kyobo (bookstore) and see if we could go iceskating... unfortunately it was full at the hour we wanted to go and I couldn't go at the later time so we decided to make other plans.  We were meeting a friend so we decided to head back to Hyehwa to our favorite galbi place... love love love galbi... hehe!  So we ate galbi and then I had to leave to meet my friends at Seoul Station.

I met my friends to go to Lucky Seven Casino there in Seoul Station at the Hamilton.  It was interesting... I've never been to a casino before so I didn't really know what to expect.  My friends said it was a lot quieter than most casinos are because people weren't really talking... haha!  But anyway so I was at the slot machines for a bit then we decided to head out... I won some money!... woohoo... then... I lost it... boo!  but it's okay... it was fun while it lasted!  ^^  After leaving the Casino, we decided to head out to Itaewon and see what it had in store for us... so we went to a bar with a bunch of friends and just chilled out.  It was a friendly atmosphere and we headed home around 1 or 2...

Sunday I met up with Kelsey in Korea and we went off to Gwanghwamun again because I needed to return something to the book store (btw... the bookstore staff pretty much rocks cause anyone i talked to spoke English... haha).  we looked around and then decided for dinner at On the Border in Samseong... which (me being smart) took us the long way to Samseong cause I thought Sinsa... HAHA it's okay... we got our food and over-stuffed... We checked out Coex mall and walked around for awhile.  It was nice just hanging out!

On Monday, I met my friend Jei in Changdong and a new friend (to me) to eat some Dalk-Galbi... so delicious!!  ^^ Afterwards, we went to Baskin Robbins and had some lattes and just chatted.  Yesterday (19th), I met up with Jei and met some new friends for some Son-gap-sal... (spelling??  haha don't know but whatever)... it was delicious!  ^^

Today is pretty much my catch-up on rest day!  HAHA!  I'm working on this phone teaching then heading home to have some yummy food!

^^  Hopefully I'll get back into updating smaller posts at a time... as opposed to weeks at a time!

Hope everyone is staying warm... Here it's going pretty good with weather... rain now... which makes snow slushy... haha but overall it's getting better to endure!  haha!!

Thanx for reading!!!!

^^

Snowy times in Seoul...

This week was pretty normal besides the snow fall that I already talked about!  Apparently, it's the first time in about 75 years that it's snowed this much here in Seoul!  so crazy!?!!!  Anyway...  Friday night (1/8) after work, I met up with Kelsey in Korea to go see Avatar in 3D in Miasamgeori!  We headed out and got to see it just at the time that I had wanted and good seats too!!  Not too close but not too far away... kinda in the middle!  haha those were the last 2 seats in a good area!  haha!  I was super excited!!  ^^  Avatar was good.  I enjoyed it!  The 3D was definitely nice and cool!!  ^^  After watching the movie, we decided to go out to dinner.  We, both, had never been to Miasamgeori so we just walked around a bit and looked for a place... we found a really nice Chinese restaurant and enjoyed a great dinner!  ^^  After dinner, we both headed home.

This morning (1/9), I woke up at about 8:00am to meet my friend at Sinsa station.  After we met up and did a few errands we went to get some lunch before heading to get our hair done at Hair and Love in Cheongdam.  Love Love LOVE this place!  I would definitely recommend them.  The owner speaks English and apparently so does his wife.  This has been my 3rd time going but my friends all go there as well.  So my friend and I headed there and got started on the all-day makeovers... haha.  So, we got there at like 12:20pm.  I was getting my hair chemically straightened (for the 1st time... haha) as well as my bangs touched up and a short trim.  My friend was getting blonde highlights and a trim.  about 20 minutes in, our friend arrived to also get her hair done.  Haha so this place wasnt too packed which was good.  ^^.  My favorite guy was doing my hair for the most part and I really like his work.  He apparently has been working on his english cause he said a bit more to me this time around!  haha!  So... it was a long day and process... i feel the need to explain what i went through just cause... haha!

After arriving, I had my hair washed.  After washing, the chemical straightening was brushed in, pretty thorough.  After that, they saran-wrapped my hair... hehe so attractive!  Then he checked on it and put different saran wrapping after he put more chemical straightening.  After a while (seriously a long while) and after being put under a hair dryer, I got my hair washed a 2nd time this time massage included.  (that's what I love about Korea... you get a massage with your hair getting done... ^^.)  afterwards, he started drying my hair and straightening... kinda going to test if the straightening worked... this took a while... believe me...  afterwards... he says:  okay wash now.  i said again!?  HAHAHA... so another wash... 3rd time... another massage.  then i was sat on a waiting room chair as they dried my hair then they came after a little bit of waiting... they came and put in the bleach.  After more waiting... haha (makes me think of 2PM's song Tired of Waiting...haha)... they then washed my hair for a 4th time... another massage (i'm really not complaining...haha!!) and then my hair was dried and what-not.  After this, the owner came over and trimmed my hair and thinned it out.  YAY!  which means... YES... I'm finished!!  (my 3 friends had already finished before me... haha)... took 7 hours... and 240,000 Won later!  haha!  I say the price because well I think it's a great price for everything I got done... a.) Hair Straightening, b.) Hair Bleaching, c.) Hair trim and thinning.  So 4 washings.. and 3 massages included.  ^^.

After the wonderful day at Hair and Love... we went out to meet some friends at On the Border in Coex for dinner.  Yummy Mexican food... something I definitely miss about home... (my home haha... since my family is Mexican... ^^)...

Tomorrow... I don't really have any plans yet but maybe stay home and clean cause my apartment is super dirty!  Haha!  ^^

Hopefully this upcoming week is just as great!

^_^.

F.Cuz (Focus)...

Hehe... Because I can!  Too cute!

Well... my school was canceled today (Jan. 4th) and now morning classes have been canceled for tomorrow... still no word on if afternoon will be canceled as well... We shall see I guess... unfortunately it means Saturday school for (2 Saturdays to be exact!... so far...) but i guess that is sorta okay cause i dont do anything on saturdays a lot of the times and if i do it's in the afternoons!  Haha!  The snow is crazy here!  I like it but it's so cold!!  Do you like the snow??  I'm staying pretty bundled and trying to get better cause i've been a bit sick.  Things are sorta starting to look up for me... I guess we'll have to see how the rest of the week goes! 

Everyone stay warm and hope the New Year has been good to you so far!  ^^

Happy New Year! (^^)

New Year's was an interesting and fun night!  Started out with getting together with my friends (Haylie and Toni) for a quick dinner in Jongno 3-ga.  After having our quick dinner at Burger King, we got brave to go out into the cold at about 10:45 or so... well we started to walk towards Jongno 2-ga where I was told was where we should be.  As we got close, we hit a group of people waiting for something.  Well it took about 20 or so minutes standing squished against random Korean people and then have them tell us that we were going to be going the wrong way when they finally allowed to go in... THEN everyone turned around... and we all were pushed to the right direction trying to not fall down at the open spaces.  Then we were pushed to another area where we had to wait just a little longer to go through a man-made gate.  Soon i'll have fun videos of our pushing and shoving and being trapped.  haha!  but after we finally got through we got to see (sorta) a really cool show being put on.  Singing, dancing, traditional drumming, and the heard the Bosingak bell being rung.  It's hit 33 times for good fortune in Korea for the New Year at midnight!  It was nice being with a gazillion Koreans and my friends counting down to the New year!  ^^

After our fun adventure there, we decided to go and get some coffee and warm up cause it was pretty cold!  After we got warm, we decided we wanted to check out a Jimjilbang because it was late (around 1:30 or so) and the subways wouldnt be running and my friends live a pretty long way away.  So they asked at the Pascucci where a jimjilbang was close to us.  After going around the block for a bit and asking a few different people at a few convenient stores, we finally found it.  We went in and decided we would rest and just chill out.  I've never been to a jimjilbang and so I was a little apprehensive but super excited!  After sitting around, Haylie and I went into one of the hot rooms... about 76 degrees Celsius (168.8 degrees Fahrenheit)... brick walls and all so it kept the heat in pretty well... we lay down in there for a little bit and once we started to sweat we decided maybe it was time to go and that we might want to try the tubs... hehe!  So after chatting about it for a little while Haylie and I decided we'd give it a try... thing with Korean saunas (jimjilbangs) is...well... you're naked.  and not just naked... but you're naked with other people... haha!  this sauna was not very busy so that's why we kinda decided to go ahead and jump in!  hehe!

It was nice and relaxing.  I enjoyed it and would definitely do it again!  We stayed in the tubs for maybe 20 minutes or so because they were super hot!  haha!  We got ready to leave at 5 because we were hungry and then my friends were going to head out on the subway.  Although McDonald's wasn't serving burgers, we headed back to Burger King and tried there.  Afterwards we headed to the bus stop for me and then they were off to the subway.

Today I slept for a good amount of the day... haha and now watching I, Robot and working on getting pictures and videos up because it was a fun night!!

I hope everyone had a good night out and enjoyed counting down!

^^