Saving our money for baby things is great but we are itching to go somewhere!
Argh!!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Itching
Just itching to travel!
Saving our money for baby things is great but we are itching to go somewhere!
Argh!!
Saving our money for baby things is great but we are itching to go somewhere!
Argh!!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Planning
So many things to plan about when deciding to make a trip home to America. Lists of what we need from home that we can't get here, asking a few people what they need from home (or really, really want), and deciding how much money to spend when we get there. Not to mention the expensive plane ticket price from here (around $1400).
We may have an opportunity to go home for a visit soon and we can't wait. To see as much family as possible and spend time together. It is always hard. You haven't seen each other for awhile so to fit in all of those conversations in a short amount of time can be awkward and lightening fast. Same with friends.
Yes, of course, there is email and Facebook and other social media but it simply isn't possible to enlighten everyone all the time about what is going on--from both ends, not just us. I find it much easier and more endearing to have face to face conversations and interactions. To see the person and touch their arm or give them a hug is so much more satisfying than an email or Facebook conversation.
When we finally do leave Korea (who knows when?!) we would like to perhaps end up in Prague or somewhere in Poland. Then, a flight home for a long weekend would be attainable and a lot closer than here. It takes a full 2 days to fly home from Korea and if we lived closer to Prague or Poland it would be about 10-12 hours. Much closer for surprise visits and things--plus more options for surprise airline deals!
Our first priority is paying off student loans and so we are. One has just 3 months until it is finished then there are 3 more. *fingers crossed!*
We may have an opportunity to go home for a visit soon and we can't wait. To see as much family as possible and spend time together. It is always hard. You haven't seen each other for awhile so to fit in all of those conversations in a short amount of time can be awkward and lightening fast. Same with friends.
Yes, of course, there is email and Facebook and other social media but it simply isn't possible to enlighten everyone all the time about what is going on--from both ends, not just us. I find it much easier and more endearing to have face to face conversations and interactions. To see the person and touch their arm or give them a hug is so much more satisfying than an email or Facebook conversation.
When we finally do leave Korea (who knows when?!) we would like to perhaps end up in Prague or somewhere in Poland. Then, a flight home for a long weekend would be attainable and a lot closer than here. It takes a full 2 days to fly home from Korea and if we lived closer to Prague or Poland it would be about 10-12 hours. Much closer for surprise visits and things--plus more options for surprise airline deals!
Our first priority is paying off student loans and so we are. One has just 3 months until it is finished then there are 3 more. *fingers crossed!*
Monday, April 14, 2014
New Places To See!
CNN has come out with another list of the Top 40 places to visit in South Korea.
Joseph and I have been to a few of them already and it has opened our eyes to a few places we have not heard about and would like to go visit.
Check them out!
South Korea destinations
Joseph and I have been to a few of them already and it has opened our eyes to a few places we have not heard about and would like to go visit.
Check them out!
South Korea destinations
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Weekenders
This weekend Joseph and I did some amazing and super fun and exciting things. We went rock climbing in the DMZ, ate munk fish and live squid until we burst and ..... just kidding. You are not actually allowed to do anything within the DMZ or you would most likely be shot by North or South Korean soldiers.
What we did instead was go to breakfast at a new place our friend Emily told us about called British Pantry. It is pretty yummy. We ate there then took the subway back to go to O'World which is a type of theme park/zoo/Cypress Gardens.
We have been to British Pantry a few times before. It is pretty yummy. Their eggs are cooked well and they have non-Korean breakfast sausages which makes it worth it. If you take the subway to Nonun station you will find it past the restrooms on the left.
O'World was 13,000w per person and 29,000w per person for a day pass (not sure of the differences between the two). You were able to go to both areas of the park: plant world and the zoo.
We did not pay to go inside but we walked around the perimeter and were able to see many things as most of the flowers were not in bloom yet. Carnival type rides and really pretty flower displays which will be shown to a better advantage in a month or so.
We then took the bus back home and exercised, took a walk around our neighborhood and watched a couple of movies. We went to Dino Meat which is an exceptional Korean BBQ joint. For 16,000w per person it is all you can eat beef!!, pork, sausage (Korean kind), and assorted side dishes. Completely worth the price you should go hangry. Yummy cuts of assorted beef. It is delicious. Most foreigners go specifically for the beef just because in a normal Korean BBQ, pork is always available at a decent price.
Beef is very expensive in Korea so people normally do not buy it in the markets unless it is a special occasion.
Sunday, Tiffany is leaving to go to America so we said good bye to her and will see her in 6 weeks upon her return. Her husband, Joseph and I have a few things on the agenda while she is away such as Lotte World which is a theme park in Seoul.
Last week, I had dinner with my favorite Korean girls: Jennifer and Kate. Their mom asked me if I'd like to go to dinner with them to VIPS (steak and salad bar--Korean style) and so I went. We shared a steak and had some of the sides offered there but mostly we laughed and pulled funny faces. It was great.
Taking Penny on a river walk. Fun times!!
What we did instead was go to breakfast at a new place our friend Emily told us about called British Pantry. It is pretty yummy. We ate there then took the subway back to go to O'World which is a type of theme park/zoo/Cypress Gardens.
We have been to British Pantry a few times before. It is pretty yummy. Their eggs are cooked well and they have non-Korean breakfast sausages which makes it worth it. If you take the subway to Nonun station you will find it past the restrooms on the left.
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| espresso and tea |
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| traditional full English breakfast |
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| special High Tea set |
O'World was 13,000w per person and 29,000w per person for a day pass (not sure of the differences between the two). You were able to go to both areas of the park: plant world and the zoo.
We did not pay to go inside but we walked around the perimeter and were able to see many things as most of the flowers were not in bloom yet. Carnival type rides and really pretty flower displays which will be shown to a better advantage in a month or so.
We then took the bus back home and exercised, took a walk around our neighborhood and watched a couple of movies. We went to Dino Meat which is an exceptional Korean BBQ joint. For 16,000w per person it is all you can eat beef!!, pork, sausage (Korean kind), and assorted side dishes. Completely worth the price you should go hangry. Yummy cuts of assorted beef. It is delicious. Most foreigners go specifically for the beef just because in a normal Korean BBQ, pork is always available at a decent price.
Beef is very expensive in Korea so people normally do not buy it in the markets unless it is a special occasion.
Sunday, Tiffany is leaving to go to America so we said good bye to her and will see her in 6 weeks upon her return. Her husband, Joseph and I have a few things on the agenda while she is away such as Lotte World which is a theme park in Seoul.
Last week, I had dinner with my favorite Korean girls: Jennifer and Kate. Their mom asked me if I'd like to go to dinner with them to VIPS (steak and salad bar--Korean style) and so I went. We shared a steak and had some of the sides offered there but mostly we laughed and pulled funny faces. It was great.
Taking Penny on a river walk. Fun times!!
Korea-isms
Living in Korea you pick up on the little day to day "-isms" that go on in the country. When you are teaching English in the schools whether it be a university, public school, or Hagwon you pretty much get the same types of questions, reactions and scrutiny going on around you.
There is a website that can give better insight to certain types of these "-isms" much better than I can explain them to you. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Read through them and laugh. 99% of them are insanely accurate.
http://kikinitinkorea.tumblr.com/
There is a website that can give better insight to certain types of these "-isms" much better than I can explain them to you. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Read through them and laugh. 99% of them are insanely accurate.
http://kikinitinkorea.tumblr.com/
Monday, March 31, 2014
Spring
Spring is finally here in South Korea.
It came earlier than last year and this winter was not actually too bad in terms of snow, ice and general coldness.
It seems North American and Europe had a very busy winter and ours was quite mild. In Daejeon, we only had ice a few days of winter in our neighborhood and around the city and not even all day. Around Korea, it was more icy and more snow, but in our little valley winter was just right.
Spring brings new buds on trees and flowers and hopefully a bun in the oven!
We have been doing many baby things lately and not much of anything else. If you are interested in that portion of our lives, please view our baby blog.
We said see you later to some good friends during this winter but we will see them again.
We also just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.
Bike riding, hiking, running along the river and through the city are just a few of the activities J and I will enjoy this spring.
The weather is perfect!
J has been begun taking photos of Spring and the beauty that surrounds this season. Photos coming soon.
A few photos I have taken on my bike rides and walks:
Also, we finally have our apartment the way we want it for the time being. At least until another person makes an appearance.
It came earlier than last year and this winter was not actually too bad in terms of snow, ice and general coldness.
It seems North American and Europe had a very busy winter and ours was quite mild. In Daejeon, we only had ice a few days of winter in our neighborhood and around the city and not even all day. Around Korea, it was more icy and more snow, but in our little valley winter was just right.
Spring brings new buds on trees and flowers and hopefully a bun in the oven!
We have been doing many baby things lately and not much of anything else. If you are interested in that portion of our lives, please view our baby blog.
We said see you later to some good friends during this winter but we will see them again.
We also just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.
Bike riding, hiking, running along the river and through the city are just a few of the activities J and I will enjoy this spring.
The weather is perfect!
J has been begun taking photos of Spring and the beauty that surrounds this season. Photos coming soon.
A few photos I have taken on my bike rides and walks:
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| 8 years strong! |
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| Anniversary roses! <3 |
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| Mac 'N Cheese! |
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| Penny and Krystal |
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| Nicole and Krystal |
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| Nicole and Krystal |
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| garden at the foot of a mountain |
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| aww! |
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| buddies |
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| Add caption |
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| so cute! |
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| all that cotton candy for $3.00 |
Also, we finally have our apartment the way we want it for the time being. At least until another person makes an appearance.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Boring!
Along with baby things we have been busy getting ourselves healthy. By healthy, I mean going to the gym, actually working out at the gym, eating well and NOT eating carbs!
Joseph does very well with not eating carbs, but honestly, there is something super yummy about baking your own bread and then eating a warm piece of it with butter. *drool*
We walk every day together outside when the weather is cooperative. We are however, starting to get bored with not going anywhere. Yes, we have been to Seoul a lot in the past few months but that was for medical purposes. We haven't explored anywhere other than Daejeon since maybe September. It is starting to get boring.
We are revamping our list of what we want to do in the country as it looks like we will be putting our money to other uses and will have to put our travel outside the country on hold for a bit. Bye-bye Thailand...for now *sniff.*
However, in country stuff is cheap to travel to so travel we will.
While it is still winter we want to go as north as we can to visit a few places there and we will go to Gyeongju and visit a few places that are on our list. hey look so beautiful in winter. Bulguksa Temple (경주 불국사) is one of the places we want to see in addition to Anapji Pond located in the same city. It also looks lovely in winter.
Here is the same place any other time of the year. It isn't as pretty (to me). There is just something about snow covered buildings and temples that make them cozier than normal. The photo below is even taken from the same vantage point as the snow covered one.
So the point is, we will be doing more in country travel and exploring. Yes!
Joseph does very well with not eating carbs, but honestly, there is something super yummy about baking your own bread and then eating a warm piece of it with butter. *drool*
We walk every day together outside when the weather is cooperative. We are however, starting to get bored with not going anywhere. Yes, we have been to Seoul a lot in the past few months but that was for medical purposes. We haven't explored anywhere other than Daejeon since maybe September. It is starting to get boring.
We are revamping our list of what we want to do in the country as it looks like we will be putting our money to other uses and will have to put our travel outside the country on hold for a bit. Bye-bye Thailand...for now *sniff.*
However, in country stuff is cheap to travel to so travel we will.
While it is still winter we want to go as north as we can to visit a few places there and we will go to Gyeongju and visit a few places that are on our list. hey look so beautiful in winter. Bulguksa Temple (경주 불국사) is one of the places we want to see in addition to Anapji Pond located in the same city. It also looks lovely in winter.
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| isn't it pretty in winter? |
Here is the same place any other time of the year. It isn't as pretty (to me). There is just something about snow covered buildings and temples that make them cozier than normal. The photo below is even taken from the same vantage point as the snow covered one.
So the point is, we will be doing more in country travel and exploring. Yes!
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