Saturday, December 19, 2009

Well, Korea, here it is...

…the list of things I want to do while I’m here. By November 1st of next year, I want to have all of these things completed. For a year’s worth of things, this really isn’t that much… but it’s a goal list and that’s all that matters.

In alphabetical order since I'm just like that, I want to:
  • Go hiking at least once (like actually make a day of it...)
  • Go on the DMZ tour through the USO
  • Go to an art gallery
  • Go to at least 15 new restaurants (7/15)
  • Go to a museum
  • Go to a performing arts show 
  • Go to a sporting event (I'm hoping a baseball game...hehe)
  • Learn one new Korean word each week (0/42)
  • Make Pancakes (Mainly because I've had a craving since I got here)
  • Put at least half my paycheck into my savings account each month
  • Read at least one book a month (1/11)
  • Sing at a Norebang karoke room  
  • Take at least one interesting picture a week with the Nikon (0/42)
  • Take at least one picture a week with the Sony (0/42)
  • Try as many new foods as I can (10)
  • Try soju
  • Visit another country
  • Visit at least one noteworthy place a month (0/11)
  • Write at least one article every two weeks for either an online site or a local magazine/newspaper/whatever I can find (0/21)
  • Write at least one blog post a week (0/42)
  • Watch the sun rise or set
I'm sure there's more than this and the numbers might be off because I did them quickly... but this is it for now. So, what do I want to take away from Korea?

  • A new sense of independence-- being able to do everything alone without thinking twice
  • An appreciation for everything I take for granted back home including ease of communication and the convenience of being able to get around easily, as well as a ton of other, more eye opening things
  • A new understanding and compassion for children that I never had before
  • A new understanding of the world, experience of travel 
  • Courage to do what I want with life
  • Money to start doing what I want and to find my place
Gwanghwamun and Myeong dong

I love bookstores. I love books. I love that I finally bought Gone with the Wind today, and I can't wait to read it. I also can't wait to read The Predictioneer's Game. Both will be amazing.

The Kyobo bookstore in Gwanghwamun (Line 5, exit 3) was really cool because there's a big "Foreign Books" area. It's also easy to get to. It literally took me about 15 minutes to get in, find my book, and get out. It probably would have been less but the number of people in the bookstore alone was insane. The number of people in this city and at certain places at particular times never fails to shock me.

After the bookstore, I went to Forever 21 in Myeong dong (Line 4, exit 5). That place will make me go broke if I go there too often. I love it! Too bad it's more expensive here... but there's 4 or 5 floors of clothe, shoes and accessories, it's HUGE.

The store had Christmas music playing and Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song came on. I couldn't help but laugh. It's so funny when some music comes on and hardly anyone knows what the lyrics are saying. Heh.

Anyway, I now have 6 new shirts, a new necklace and hat, and because I’m a dedicated shopper (haha) I got a free planner! I’m excited about that, I’ve been wanting one and it’s in English. Perk.

I'm not a pillow.

Three people on the subway decided I looked comfortable enough to lean on while they slept. Ok, so they weren’t literally laying on me… but they were a little too close for comfort. I was also a human tissue yesterday when one of my students got hit with the door because she was playing right by it. I side hugged her while she cried, then she took the bottom of my shirt and wiped her face on it. Needless to say, it was disgusting, and I highly dislike snot.

My students have the ability to make me laugh. I really do like them most of the time.


Case in point… this is what one of my students wrote on his test. The directions said, “combine the following groups of sentences to make one sentence.” These were the sentences:

-The stream was pretty.
-The stream was little.
-The stream was fast-moving.
-The stream was safe to drink from.

Instead of getting the correct answer, which would involve using commas between the adjectives to make one sentence, this is what I got:

“I go to mountain. The stream was pretty, and fast-moving. I drink it because stream was safe to drink from. I drink a lot so stream was little.”

This makes me smile and chuckle every time I read it. I really want to give him points for creativity and think I will. I mean, he at least knew what the sentences meant, bonus points.


"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." — Bessie Anderson Stanley

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