Sunday, June 14, 2009

ummm...I'm Lovin' It

This weekend was pretty low key. It was nice because I was able to be really productive! Saturday, we went to the open market. I always enjoy Saturday market days because I'm able to buy a lot more. Thankfully, summer yields more variety in food. I bought fresh corn, cucumbers, eggplant, beans, watermelon and rice (of course) along with many other weekly staples. I have the corn and beans cooking right now! It reminds me of the smell of Kentucky summers :) If you walked into my kitchen right now, you would most certainly be able to tell that I'm a southern girl, one might even think that I was a farmer. I think I want to have a garden down the road of life! My Mamaw has always had a garden, and Mom has told me a number of times that I'm a lot like my Mamaw (probably the best compliment anyone has ever given me...Mamaw is the most amazing woman EVER). It just seems like knowing I grew my veggies from the ground up would make a meal seem very rewarding. Not only am I excited about the thought of having a garden someday, but I also spent the bulk of my weekend cleaning... exciting ehh??
The cleaning process started after returning from the market. I spent a couple of hours working on it, and then I took a break and went out to eat. We broke down and had McDonald's Mc Flurries for dessert! We've resisted McD's for the entire time we've been here because it just seems to be such a stereotypical American thing to want Mc Donald's. Every time we pass one there are a number of foreigners, and it just seems to scream, "American people are fat!" Yes, we became those fat Americans this weekend, and Chris really showed his US pride as he ate two Mc Flurries! He did however go for the green tea Mc Flurry. Green tea is the probably one of the most popular flavors in Korea. They have green tea everything! It's a little odd to me, but Chris loves it.
After our little break in the work day, we came back and finished up my cleaning day by mopping. Chris helped me with this task because it's awful and takes forever. I pretty much have to turn my apartment into a bubble factory for an hour and a half and then go back and try to get rid of all the suds...fun times! I didn't finish cleaning everything until 1 this morning. I had planned to go hiking with some friends, but when I got a text at 8:30 this morning I just couldn't budge. Well, I'm off to finish cooking. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Friday, June 12, 2009

US Bound Wish List

As you all know from many past posts, things are a little different in Korea than at home. I can't say that I have truly been deprived of anything that I've needed. However, there have been so many things that I have wanted but I just haven't bought because of the inconvenience of shipping from the US to Korea and then having to worry about transporting back once the time comes to head home. I have bought as little as possible in Korea as well because I just know that there will be an urge to buy many things once I'm back home. I'm in the process of creating a wish list, but I'm trying to be reasonable at the same time. I periodically find myself browsing different websites trying to figure out what it is that I'm just dying to spend money on once I get home. Today's post is very superficial, but I can't help it! I'm getting pretty pumped about the things that I haven't got to do or buy while living in Korealand. Here's a glimpse of some of the things on my US Bound Wish List:

  1. eyebrow waxing--not happened all year due to language barrier




  2. phone--I would love to have an iPhone, but I think I may have to stick to Verizon as my carrier. So, I don't know if that's gonna be possible???



  3. tires--I know this seems out of place on my list, but my car honestly needed new tires before I left home. I put it off because I knew it wouldn't be going anywhere all year, but it's probably unsafe to drive at this point!




  4. swimsuit--Victoria's Secret swimsuits are the greatest! Actually, I think it may be the models that really make the them look so good. Who doesn't wanna look like that on the beach!



  5. perfume--I brought one bottle with me. I loved Very Sexy before coming here, but after a yr of the same smell...HATE IT! Nothing personal if you love that stuff.



  6. quality mascara--I'm not an eye make-up person for the most part, but I bought some mascara here. It looks great for the first 30 minutes, but after that I always regret having used it...eww!




  7. clothes--I know this is very general, but I've been wearing the same things over and over so much that I could never look at any of it again! I really don't know what's "in" right now, but I can't wait to get home and walk through a mall!




  8. heels--My height has always warranted heels for almost any occasion. Teaching is completely different! teaching+walking a lot=short Amber :) I can't wait to throw on a cute pair of heels with jeans. Which leads me to my next item...




  9. jeans--All of my jeans are torn at the bottom because they drag the ground since I wear flats all the time. I may splurge for True Religion. I've always wanted them, but just never wanted to drop the money. Either way, I can't wait to get new jeans...I don't think it will really matter what brand they are!!!



  10. collision doritos--buffalo and blue cheese to be more specific! O man, I've had dreams about those chips


  11. whitening toothpaste--I think my teeth have gotten yellow in Korea. Probably all the coffee I drink to keep me going at school.



  12. watch-- I've never really been a die hard watch fan, but for some reason I find myself looking at them all the time. I know the yellow isn't that practical, but I just love it!




* Disclaimer* I'm extremely aware of the difficult financial times going on in the US and the world, and this post is only a reflection of my excitement for things that I have missed over the past year :)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

the first of many goodbyes

Well, I feel like we have reached a major turning point in our time in Korea. The goodbye process has begun, but not because we're leaving. This week a fellow foreigner friend left to go back home. Well, she's going to travel some on her way, but she's gone from Korea. Kristen was a teacher at another ELC, and she had been in Korea for a month and a half when we got here. I was not extremely close to Kristen, but I thought a lot of her. I woke up this morning feeling so anxious for her and all the changes that she's about to go through. I wish her the best in everything she does. Here are a few pictures from her goodbye party.
Kristen is the girl on the far left in the picture below. After dinner we went to a karaoke room...very fun!