The Suzanne Sugarbaker of Seoul!

Well, I have a new addiction in life: standing on stage with a spotlight and microphone, forcing innocent bystanders to listen to me talk about myself! I love it. It's like a hug from Jesus. 

I've only performed my measly little 10 minute stand-up routine once, but in my mind, I am now a professional. 

Now I go through life (meaning the last 5 days) saying things like, "Oh, I'm totally putting that in my set!" or "Yeah *stretches shoulders and neck to look cool* I'm doing stand-up these days, but I've only started within the last year (Not a lie, people!).

But seriously, living in Korea is beginning to take its toll on me, and I'm extremely homesick, so it's great to have a new hobby (sorry, I mean CAREER) to get my serotonin pumping! 

I'll be performing this next weekend in Itaewon at Stand Up Seoul (Rocky Mountain Tavern, Friday night) and Sunday Night Live (Roofers, obviously Sunday night). 

I like to think of myself as the Suzanne Sugarbaker of Seoul. So please come out and support your local self-involved, eccentric southern-belle. 

Now, dear readers, I leave you with the poetic words of Robbie Hart....

"Well, I have a microphone, and you don't. 

SO YOU WILL LISTEN TO EVERY DAMN WORD I HAVE TO SAY!"

Care Packages ROK!

Today, I got the best care package from my wonderful brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and niece! (Scott, I love you with all of my heart, but, let's face it, Angie really gets most of the credit on this one! Did I mention I love you? hehe.)

I got new rain boots!
And they are even cuter than the last pair!

The card is hilarious, Angie!

Scott...umm... I don't get it...?

This is the front of the card
(Angie and Ella's feet).
How precious is that?

This now has a special place on my wall:)

I already went into town and bought a new
"Luke and Ella" photo album.

 There is no more room in the old one.

 One day, I'll have the patience to sit down and make proper scrapbooks for them. 

God bless Easy Mac!

My family ROKs!

I love you
 Scott, Angie, Luke, and Ella!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FUNdue Friday!

Last Friday was such a fun day. For one, it was Friday, and there is only one more week until summer vacation!

I finish teaching on Fridays at 2:30 pm, which is always a great start to the weekend. Yesterday, I decided to head into the "mighty" town of Geochang and do some shopping. My dad's birthday AND Father's Day are just around the corner, so I seriously needed to get a move on. Have I mentioned I'm a master procrastinator???

While it was a beautiful day, and it is only a 30 minute walk into town, it was a million degrees outside (plus I'm lazy!), so I called for a taxi. It's four bucks and well worth it in my book. Plus, I only go into town once or twice per week. And, yes, on nice days I actually walk (umm...ok...sometimes).

The taxi arrived, and, as I was walking across the dormirory parking lot, I was met by four of my students, who appeared to be heading into town as well.

"Teacher, where are you going?"

"I'm going to Geochang town. Want to ride with me?"

"Really?!?!?!? Yes, teacher! Thank you, teacher! It's so very hot!"

So we all happily piled into the cab."

"Teacher, what will you do in town?"

"I must buy a gift for my father's birthday and then go to the post office and mail it to America."

My stdents then proceeded to have a secret meeting in the back of the cab. (I was sitting in the front.) They were all whispering to each other in Korean. 

"What are you talking about? No fair! Use English!" I laughed.

"Teacher...umm...we...you...together shopping?" One student asked nervously. 

"You want to go shopping with me?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes! It is OK?"


It's was so funny. They looked like five year olds asking for a new toy. 

"Of course. You can help me choose a gift!" (and translate!)

So my students and I proceeded to walk around the tiny town of Geochang in search of gifts for my dad. 



Now, those of you who have been shopping with me, *cough, cough...Darcie...cough* know that I basically wander around aimlessly without any predetermined plan or destination. I like to just walk (sometimes in circles) until something jumps out and yells "Buy me! Buy me!" 


Because of this, the students have all earned spots in the I Went Shopping with Laura Ellen Swilley and Survived Club. 


As it turns out, shopping with my students is my new favorite pastime. They would not let me carry any bags (including my purse), patiently waited for me in each store, answered my many "what the heck is this?" questions, translated when needed, and provided opinions. 


After shopping we went to the post office, where they made me sit down as they packaged my purchases and spoke with the postal workers. Now, I know this will shock many of you, but I throughly enjoyed feeling like a modern-day princess with an entourage. 


After shopping and a trip to the post office, my students invited me to go bowling. Now, I SERIOUSLY hate bowling. I'll go once in a blue moon with friends, but only to socialize and be silly. But they have been such wonderful students all semester, and they were so sweet to help me in my shopping venture, that I had to say "yes." And I'm glad I did! 


When we got to the bowling alley, I realized that I was not wearing socks. (Rental shoes without socks? Gross!) One of my students IMMEDIATELY  ran down the street and bought me a pair of socks. They are yellow with a picture of a bear and say "HAPPY BEAR." I swear, I'm keeping these socks forever!


Then they broke out the "Robo Cop" gloves, and we bowled! 

I do not recall ever seeing these robot-like bowling gloves in the States, but Koreans love them!

Prepare for gutterball!!!!!!!!!!

After one game, I had to say goodbye to my students and head out to meet my friends Erin, John, and Sarah for dinner at a puffer fish restaurant! I was super excited to check yet another item off my bucket list, and I now want a t-shirt that reads "I SURVIVED EATING PUFFER FISH." It is a poisonous fish, which can be lethal if not prepared properly. 

We ate the puffer fish in a soup. It had a weird texture for fish. It was kinda chewy, 
but not as chewy as squid. 

In case the puffer fish soup was my last meal, I wanted to make it worth it, so we went to Baskin Robbins for Fondue!  Can anyone tell me if BR in the States has fondue? Or is it just in Korea? Regardless, it was worth EVERY calorie!!!!!!!!!!!

Cherry tomatoes and chocolate fondue is just WRONG!

Anyway, the very first semester of Korea Lift College is coming to an end, and FUNdue Friday provided some much "due" fun!

Green Skin Day-Anti Racism Awareness Campaign KOREA

~ONE HUMAN RACE~

This initiative was someone's idea, but it isn't owned by anyone. It embraces ideals that have been a part of humanity for many years. It is our collective responsibility to be infectious agents- 

spreading the virus far and wide!

By any (legal) means necessary.

So, get your thinking caps on. Get your ideas rolling. Implement them. Take pictures.or record them on video. Upload them...or not. The point is that we get moving. Don't wait for permission from anyone.

The idea is ours, TOGETHER, to infect every human being with the virus of non-racism. 

It can be done!

For More Details:

Please join the Facebook Group  or email green.skins@hotmail.com !

“Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.” -MLK Jr.

Be proud! Love all! Be GREEN! 

Lekker Braai!

Last weekend, in honor of the upcoming World Cup in South Africa, I went to my very first braai and had a blast! My South African friends are extremely fun-loving and laid-back, and the same vibe could be felt throughout the braai. Everyone was there to have a great time and celebrate the South African culture with which I have completely fallen in love. Seriously, all things South African (food, music, dancing, Afrikaans, history, etc) have become my latest obsessions. 

"When I get older, I will be stronger
They’ll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag"

The smell of all the food on the grills was incredible!

Droëwors...Dit is baie lekker!

(And no, it is not giraffe meat. It is dried beef and pork)

The meat on the T-bone steaks literally fell right off the bone. 

Boerewors (sausage) and Sarmies (sandwiches)!

We were supposed to dress in South African attire, but seeing as it was a Pre-World Cup event, and I already had my Korean football jersey and accessories, I went with Korean clothing on my body, South African tatoos on my face, and America in my heart:)

This was actually a difficult decision for me because it meant saying "NO" to shopping for a new outfit, and the SA Chucks were calling my name! 

The world cup kicks off in SA in three days! My friends Erik and Holly are there now, and I'm extremely jealous. I've only become a "football" fan since moving to Korea, and since I have actually been to a few Korean National games (and, hello, I live here), I will be cheering for BOTH Korea and the USA. Yes, I know Korea has a current ranking of 47, while the US is at 14, but I vow to support them both equally. Plus, I can't seem to chant "Dae Han Min Guk!" often enough. 

This weekend some friends and I are saying goodbye to our friend, Graham, who is returning to England for a bit, by watching England and the USA go head to head.  
Get ready...THE YANKS ARE COMING!

Paradise in a Pancho Part Dugae

"If one cannot catch a bird of paradise, better take a wet hen."
Nikita Khrushchev 


And THAT, my friends, is exactly what we did! Now, grab your pancho, and let's go...

SWIRI HILL

Named after the Korean blockbuster, Swiri, Swiri Hill, even in the sporadic rain drizzles, was a great place to start the day by looking out over Jungmun beach and watching the surfers below. We also re-enacted the last scene of the movie. I take my acting very seriously, and as you can see in the picture above, we nailed it. NAAAIIIIIILED IT!

SANBANGSAN MOUNTAIN

Though I hate hiking, the hike up to Sanbanggulsa Grotto was very nice. It is a Buddhist temple inside a cave with a spectacular view of the ocean.

Here is a cool. fact: Sanbangsan Mountain is the only mountain on the island without a crater on its top. Legend has it that a god in a fit of rage ripped off the top of Hallasan Mountain , which created Sangbangsan Mountain. And it does look like it could fit right into the crater atop Hallasan Mountain.

In actuality, it is a huge mound of lava that was created by a volcano 800,000 years ago.

CHOCOLATE MUSEUM

It is the only chocolate museum in Asia, and it is also the WORST museum in Asia. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. I repeat, DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. Don't be lured in like Diana and I were by the word "chocolate." The exterior is very impressive, but it's a stupid, stupid, stupid museum, which makes no sense, except for the one small area in which one can look through a window and see the chocolate being made.

I was hoping for something a bit more interactive, like the Fudgery at the Riverwalk in New Orleans, but no such luck.

The rest of the museum looks like this:

Please don't assume that ANY of the above items are made of or associated with chocolate in any way, not even the flying pterodactyl or Pirates of the Caribbean lunch box. I swear, I felt like I was at a really bad antique store or garage sale in middle-of-nowhere America.

Again, DON'T GO! I can tell you're considering it, but don't do it to yourself! You may never recover from the sheer stupidity of the environment. Did I mention it's a stupid, stupid, stupid museum???

MINIATURE THEME PARK
I like to refer to the Miniature Theme Park as the Korean Epcot. I don't highly recommend going, unless you have children or just have time to kill, but it was a unique place to act silly, and that is always right up my alley.

LOVE LAND

It's against the law to visit Jeju-do without a quick visit to Love Land.  It was absolutely hilarious, even more so because Koreans are so conservative. Unfortunately, we went during the last leg of our Jeju journey, and I was completely exhausted and cranky. (Me? NEVER!) Plus, I had had all of the cold wind and rain I could stand, so I just took a few pics of the statues outside and did some browsing in the gift shop (aka adult novelties store). The art pieces at Love Land, though funny, are also very impressive. They were all designed and built by Hongik University (Hongdae) students.

Speaking of conservative Korea, I was completely shocked, no FLOORED, at the amount of ajumas and ajushis at Love Land! I thought they would find it offensive and embarrassing, but they were having as much fun as the younger visitors. (you must be 18 to enter)

Scandalous news of the day: A Love Land in China was built then immediately demolished before its opening last year.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, but don't worry, Jeju-do, I'll be back one day.