Briana Land

Thanks to all...

2011-10-07T05:33:00.002+09:00

Thanks to everyone who has followed this blog! If you wish to contact me, I am not at uluvbri@gmail.com

The Last Post

2007-12-09T21:36:00.000+09:00

Sayaka and I in the gardens of the temple at Asakusa Does anyone see the irony here?

Random Geisha Saying a prayer to Buddah
Merry X-mas
Taking the sushi off the belt
I look so happy in this photo...

Ta-da! Dinner at Sayaka's Sushi- Can you see the eyes of these tiny fish? Delicious!
This is my favorite sushi- baby octopus
In Kimono outside the temple entrance
Kimono

Over the dance floor at DP Meryl and Jess
Wash your ass
Robot Rock
You know you love the sweat stains on my shirt

CRABS!

So here I am, one week away from coming home. In the past few weeks I have been making myself too busy to keep this updated (obviously). Two weeks ago I stayed at Sayaka's house with her family. Her mom prepared a wonderful homade dinner of tempura, soba, oden and more! Then, I wore a Kimono with Sayaka and went to a beautiful temple in Asakusa in Tokyo. It took about an hour and a half for us to get into our Kimono's, and once I had it on I realized I had no clue how to walk in one. I had to take small steps and go one-at-a-time when taking staris (which was especially hilarious in the subway stations). The best part about wearing the Kimono was being famous; I mean everytime I turned around someone was taking my picture. Japanese people and other foreigners wanted their picture with us. It was great! Wearing a Kimono is really meaningful and special to Japanese people, so being a foreigner wearing one is a HUGE deal. We also went to a great sushi bar near the temple, did some shopping, and went to Ueno Park in downtown Tokyo. I must say, after 6 hours of wearing the Kimono, I was ready to take it off. I could hardly breathe at times, and it took so long to go to the bathroom everytime (many layers). Once it was off I did serveral grande jetes in the street.

This Friday night I went to dinner at Saori's house. She made crab and I ate with her mom, sister, and her boyfriend. The crab was SOOOOO good, and I totally stuffed my face. I also had some delicious Tofu from the restaurant that she used to work at that had the most creamy texture. I realized that Japanese really have the whole healthy eating thing down. The food here is simple, but so delicate and delicious.

Then there was Saturday. A break from tradition. DAFT PUNK! The concert included names such as SabastiAn and Kavinsky, who got the crowd moving before Daft Punk came on. We were so close to the front (thanks to my elbows) and we danced our little hearts out. Meryl and Jess, (also Westgaters) are the two lovely girls I had the pleasure of going with. The show surpassed my expectations, and I felt totally enthralled by the performance at times.

I also just returned from a "maid cafe" in Akiharbara (the "technologic" center of Tokyo). The maid cafe is an interesting phenomina that is catching on in Tokyo. You go into the cafe, and girls dressed in maid uniforms wait on you. They are super over-the-top polite and bow a lot. So you basically sit there and eat your cake and drink your coffee and feel like you have a lot of money. The girls are all really cute too (of course). We couldn't take pictures with the workers (boooo) so their image has to live in my memory I guess.

I should be back in Kalamazoo late on the 16th. I will have the same cell phone number as before. See you in a week!

And then I thought to myself; "Why is it rude to eat and walk at the same time?"

2007-11-25T14:08:00.000+09:00

HOW TO MAKE A GRAPEFRUIT SOUR: Step 1: Get the booze and half a grapefruit and juicer from the waiter and press down.
Step 2: Press REALLY REALLY hard and ask for help if injury seems likely.
Step 3: Pour the juice in the booze and ask for a towl to wipe the sweat off your brow.

Some cultural rules amaze me...this being one of them: In Japan it is rude to eat/drink and walk at the same time? Why you ask? For this question I have no definite answer. Probably for the same reason it is rude to blow your nose in public, or why some Japanese girls walk with their feet turned in. I am guilty of only breaking one f these, and if you know my love of coffee and food you know which one it is.

Lately I have been getting nervous about my job here ending so quickly! Where did the time go? I have 20 days leaft!!! I gotta get better about updating this thing...

4-Ever and a day

2007-11-18T19:53:00.000+09:00

Where has the time gone? It's been 2 weeks since my last post, which I can attribute to 2 reasons: 1) 2 weeks go, having gone dancing 2 full nights in a row, and sleeping all day. 2) Being sicker than a dog this week and broke = not doing anything.
So, I have been a little bored to say the least. I would recap the weekend before, but I was a little "foggy" on the details. My friend got into a street brawl with some Portuguese guy, I do remember that. Otherwise, the usual dancing all night, draggin my butt home, sleeping past my stop sort of stuff.
This coming weekend promises to be far more exciting. I will get my hair straightened, go to a Thanksgiving party, go clubbing, and go to an isakaya. More to come!

I heart Mt.Fuji

2007-11-04T11:48:00.000+09:00

Check out these great shots of Fuji. The little car you see in the corner of the one photo is the cable car we rode in.

Being a Tourist

2007-11-03T22:24:00.000+09:00

I'm flying!!!! Why don't we have beer vending in the USA???

The Gondola. In Japan. Hm.....

In the Japanese robe with Allison

Tower of TERROR!!!

When you live in another country, doing tourist stuff can be quite strange because it's like you haven't gone anywhere, but you are somewhere different. That really does not make sense at all but hey, I am running on coffee, beer, and like 3 hours of sleep last night. Anyway this was quite an eventful week. On Thursday I went to Disney Sea (which is like the more adult version of Disney Land, and on the bay. It is much better than Disney Land, or so I am told). I met my friend Saori there, and her friends as well. I was actually quite impressed by the whole thing. This was not some rinky-dink theme park; it was quite large and grand. We went on a ton of rides, but Tower of Terror was by far the best. The 3 story drop almost made me pee my pants the first time. There were also some shows. We saw all the characters come out on boats and of course there was singing and dancing and fireworks at night. The weirdest part was hearing all the characters speaking Japanese, but in the same kind of voice you would attribute to Micky, Chip n' Dale, etc. Normally I am not a theme park person, but I was totally impressed by this one and the rides were great. Oh yeah, and did you know Indiana Jones also speaks Japanese? Who knew! Now I love him even more.

The following morning I went to my University's festival and saw one of my students dance the flamenco with her dancing club. Surprisingly professional performance. There was a girl singing in Spanish, 2 guys playing the guitar and one on drums, and the rest of the girls dancing their hearts out. They were well rehearsed and very much in character.

Immediately after that I headed out for Hakone, a very natural area in the mountains with great scenery. It took 2 transfers on the train and a bus to get there, and since I was meeting people I was traveling alone, but I didn't get lost! My friend Allison, 3 guys she works with, and myself all stayed in a guesthouse in the middle of nowhere. We took a cable car through the mountains, took a gondola (yes I said gondola) on the sea and went hiking around the hot springs. They had these special eggs that had been hard boiled in the hot springs that they were selling along the trail. The shell was turned black from the sulfur (as you know there are hot spring because Mt.Fuji is a volcano) and they were delicious! Not to mention the fact if you eat one it's supposed to "increase your longevity by 7 years". 2 eggs = 14 years but I decided one was enough. People were just going nuts over these things! Everyone was eating them.

On the home front, the big news this week is that my sister is engaged. So, I was really excited and happy to hear that all the way over here. Congrats sis!

Enjoy the videos!

Cheers!

Happy Halloween!!!

2007-10-31T12:12:00.001+09:00

That is Mt. Fuji in the background. This was taken from the parking lot of IKEA of all places. Also I think I had been awake for about 35 hours at this point...

Cindy and I..... I love this girl. She is really not as evil as she looks in this photo :)

Oh the ride home the following morning can be sooooooo long.....
Shibuya on a fantastically blue day...it's times like these I think I could love in the city.

Hey!

So what's the word on Halloween in Japan??? Well...they decorate for Halloween and you can see the "theme" everywhere, however, they don't really do anything to celebrate. So, it's just another day here.

I would really like to tell you what happened this past weekend...because it's a mad story...however there are certain things I just can't post on the Internet for all to view. Let's just say I went to this party...it was in what was obviously a front for a business...and I met all sorts of shady characters...and I danced for 6 hours straight. I met this model who was on the cover of Elle magazine, among other things, and hung out with her the majority of the night. Colm also came out with me; you have to have backup in strange situations. For the whole story, talk to me when I get back. It was perhaps one of the strangest nights of my life...

So here are some recent pics. Tomorrow I go to Disney Land and the following day to my school's festival and Hakone...so I will have lots more to talk about after that.

Payday is the best

2007-10-20T17:15:00.000+09:00

Sunrise from the view of the train.

Some of my favorite students! From left- Komoko a.k.a"mocha", me, Kana, Keske, Yoshimi a.k.a. "Yoshi-yo", and Madoka.

Colm. What a cornball.

Does this picture make me look badass?

Downtown Tokyo.

Finally money! I can afford to eat sushi again!
Everything is going swimmingly here. Ballet and hip-hop class keeps me busy after school, and although I have not had much time to explore other parts of Japan, I feel content with what I have done so far. I did get a chance to go dancing at the club. My friend Colm (Irish guy I mentioned earlier) and I went out clubbing at a nice spot in Shibuya. It was such a fantastic outlet for me, I was all cranked up and ready to roll at 11:45p.m. when we took the train in. We went into the club around 2a.m. and took the 5:30a.m. train home. Needless to say the following day was a wash, but hey, it was worth it.

Also Scratchie the cat came around again today, looking for food. I gave him some dumplings.

Gettin' down with tradition

2007-10-13T22:17:00.000+09:00

Ok, don't let anyone tell you different. Tokyo is damn expensive. And, since everything is so freakin' availible all the time, I find myself spending money on the dumbest stuff. Anyway I have been pretty boring since my last post, just going to work, coming home type of stuff. I have been lucky enough to have dinner at my friend Saori's house with her family twice (pic of her mom, Saori, and her sister above). Homecooked Japanese is the best! We also did Kereoke (im terrible). Today I went to Harajuku, a very touristy place in Tokyo. We walked around, saw a temple, and we were lucky enough to see part of a wedding ceremony. I made a wish and bowed and got my fortune on a small piece of paper for 100 yen. It said,

"Let your heart be as bright and clear as the rising sun. Happy indeed is he who brings all the acts of his daily life the peaceful freshness of the sunrise."

I have decided to make it my new mantra.

As far as my school, you can see the picture. It is the view of the campus from my classroom window. My students have begun to open up a bit more, telling me interesting tidbits about their personal lives.
I don't miss American food...yet.

Here are some more recent photos (yes they are real crystals)

Surf's Up

2007-10-06T23:17:00.000+09:00

Fun times at the Lifegaurding Games!!!

Hey everyone!

Since I have last posted so much has happened. There was another small earthquake, but I hardly felt it. Also, there is a typhoon on it's way! WOW! Japan is so volitile, just like me!

I have also committed to "going all the way" with Japanese lifestyle. I eat a Japanese breakfast every morning including rice (in my new rice cooker), miso, tofu, and (to be added this week) fish. It actually makes me feel a lot better. So what, wanna fight about it?

Today I went to the lifegarding games on the coast near Yokohama. It was the National Competition, and really fun to watch. I met up with Sayaka and 2 of her friends and had a really fun day filled with ice cream, sake, and some really hot dudes in Speedos. I also got to see a great sunset.

The other pics you see are just random, mostly from my neighborhood. Tomorrow I am going into Tokyo to wander around the Imperial Palace and gardens.

EARTHQUAKE!!! and other stuff...

2007-10-01T20:50:00.000+09:00

Konichiwa! Here are some images from my hood. There is a stray cat I names "Scratchy" that hangs around here sometimes. Top right is the view out my window. I live a little bit in the country, so there are many veggy gardens and fruit trees around. It is pretty quiet, aside from the occasional speeding motor bike. The wierd thing is there is a huge mall within 20 minutes walk of here, but around my place not much is happening.

It takes about 25 minutes to walk to the subway station to go to school every morning. Then, another 15 minutes on the train and another 10 minute walk after that. I don't mind it though; it gives me a chance to wake up. Here are some pics of my apartment:

I am really pleased by the size of it. It is much bigger than my apatment in Korea. I also have a loft (pic 3) which is great for storage.

This past weekend I got to explore a little. I went out in Machida and in Tokyo to a couple "Isakaya", which are basically places you go to drink and eat a lot. This is a huge part of youth culture here. I had some great saki and plum wine.

Also I wandered around Ueno area, and hung around in a really nice park with my friend Allison, who I met on the plane on the way over.

OKAY, now for the CRAZY news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night there was a big earthquake, measuring a 5 in the Kanagawa area. Around where I live, it was about a 3. For about 10 seconds my apartment shook like there was no tomorrow. I was so scared! My futon was moving! Aside from a few things falling over in my apartment and some trains being delayed, nothing else happened and I am fine. My first earthquake! So exciting!

Until next time....

New Home!!!

2007-09-27T21:41:00.000+09:00

Madness! I am finally with internet. So much has happened since I been here and I feel like time is already flying. I am teaching at Kokugakuin University, which is soooo fun. Teaching college students is great. They are all really excited to learn. I work Mon.-Fri. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., which is a lot but I only teach about half the day.

My apartment is quite nice, and has a bit more space than the one in Korea. I have not done too much around town yet, but the crazy thing is I walk through a mall to get to and from my house everyday. I have been wandering quite a bit, finding shortcuts and stealing persimmons. An Irish guy named Colm lives in my apartment building and is teaching at the same school as me, so we have become good buddies. I have learned a little Japanese, but not much. I think I may take a class.

Also Japanese food is treating me well. Not as spicey as Korean, but tasty. Sushi is the bomb, seriously.

12 hour countdown..

2007-09-18T12:23:00.000+09:00

12 hours until I....

- Watch customs manhandle my panties

- Throw down for an isle seat

- Get drunk off duty free

- Become a bitch to the person sitting next to me

- Miss the toilet during turbulance

- Realize I forgot something sooooooo very important

- Wish I had shaved...haha

Flying. Love it.

Miss you too Craig! Shout out to tha PClub.

More to come....

The best pug ever...

2007-08-16T05:58:00.000+09:00

YAY EDGAR!!!

New Adventures!!!

2007-08-16T05:53:00.000+09:00

In almost exactly one month from today I will be heading to the land of the rising sun for 3 months. I am really excited to teach ESL at the University level with small class sizes.
Although I am not sure where in Japan I will be yet, I will keep you all posted.
Love,
Briana

See ya August 20th!

2006-08-17T13:03:00.000+09:00

In case you didn't know (or don't care), I will be back on August 20th late at night. Gimme a call and let's "par-t".

I'm at Camp Suckas

2006-07-19T21:23:00.000+09:00

Just to let you all know, I am at English camp for the next 2 weeks. I will not be updating my blog because I am too busy and can't put up pics. Anyway Iwill be back August 6th. Check back then. Leave me a message, drop a line, etc. Also come to my homecoming party on September 16th. Later.

2006-06-26T23:34:00.000+09:00

Boys dressed in drag. They had a "Miss Sadang" pageant at the camp. Wierd, I know. But f-ing hilarious.

2006-06-26T23:33:00.000+09:00

Girls at camp. Second from the left speaks almost perfect English.

2006-06-26T23:32:00.001+09:00

Oh the 1st grade boys. Gotta luv 'em.

2006-06-26T23:32:00.000+09:00

Mountains at camp.

2006-06-26T23:31:00.001+09:00

Perhaps the coolest flower I have ever seen. It was at the herb farm.

2006-06-26T23:31:00.000+09:00

A really pretty herb farm.

2006-06-26T23:30:00.000+09:00

DANGER: Snowmen

2006-06-26T23:29:00.000+09:00

Sea of Red

2006-06-26T23:28:00.000+09:00

Red Devils! Here we are about to loose the game.

2006-06-26T23:27:00.000+09:00

The thing on my right is a kimchi pot; kimchi ferments in here.

Teaching E-S-L

2006-06-26T23:10:00.000+09:00

So I have this one class that could possibly be the worst class I have ever had. I don't feel too bad about saying that because their behavior is so aweful they have been formally repremanded a number of times by the school. In one day, I collected a comic book, 2 cell phones, and a live mouse. Another day I told 3 students to get out. I know what you're thinking. What kind of teacher would send students out? Well try teaching class 2 in grade 3 then say that to me. Man.
Anyway I only have 2 more classes with them so I'm not gonna take it too hard.
On the bright side, a lot has happened recently! I went to a short camp for 3 days with 1st grade students where the teachers didn't have to do anything and we pretty much ate the whole time. Soccer season has been really fun, but it came to a tragic end with Korea's loss to the Swiss. Damn them and their cheese. Anyway last Friday we went to the stadium to cheer and stayed up all night (the game was at 4am). Got home at 7am rather disappointed. Anyway it was pretty fun getting all decked out in Red Devil wear.
Holla!

2006-06-11T12:55:00.000+09:00

Me in the National Cemetary on Memorial Day

2006-06-11T12:54:00.002+09:00

Big F-in Goldfish in the Secret Garden

2006-06-11T12:54:00.001+09:00

Lillys

2006-06-11T12:54:00.000+09:00

At Cheongdam Palace in the Secret Garden area.

2006-06-11T12:53:00.000+09:00

Can you see the Soju Bottles and Shots next to the flowers? Koreans believe that the dead can eat and drink even after they are deceased

2006-06-11T12:52:00.000+09:00

Memorial Day in the National Cemetary

WATCH SOME VIDEOS!

2006-06-04T16:16:00.000+09:00

Hey biotches!
I'm all excited because I just discovered youtube, which is a way to publish videos to the web. I am currently uploading some videos from the hip-hop festival and a few others so check 'em out! Follow the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWk44jab5_o

2006-06-04T15:54:00.000+09:00

Street Jam 2006. This is one of the best shows I have seen in Korea. Tons of wonderful hip-hop dancers, poppers, house dancers, b-boys and the like putting on awesome performances.

2006-06-04T15:53:00.000+09:00

Great hip-hop teachers and all around fantastic people.

2006-06-04T15:52:00.001+09:00

Watching rehersal in the studio

2006-06-04T15:52:00.000+09:00

I am making nice with the hottest police woman in Korea...who told me I was a good shot in a shooting simulation.

2006-06-04T15:51:00.000+09:00

Police Museum Field Trip

2006-06-04T15:50:00.000+09:00

I hope if any of these boys are ever in a real police car they are on the right side of the law...

2006-06-04T15:49:00.001+09:00

Awww...this student is so cute! Yay 1st grade!

2006-06-04T15:49:00.000+09:00

I love being the minority! These guys are from debate club and they are wicked fun!

My Love/Hate Relationship with Seoul

2006-05-30T09:13:00.000+09:00

Well, I can officially say I have been here long enough to see the turn of seasons. It is once again hot in Korea, around 75 degrees these days. The subway makes me sweat automatically when I get on the train, and my school building gets hotter the higher you go up in the building. It's not only hot but humid. At my hip-hop center the studio fogs up so much you can't see yourself in the mirror and no one can see in. Mosquitos are once again magically appearing in my apartment, and I end up killing 3 a day or so.
Summer is also the time when I realize how increadibly dirty Seoul is. I read somewhere that it's the second dirtiest city in the world (next to Mexico City) and I would belive it. When I blow my nose, it's black. Sick.
Anyway despite all the griping I do about it I really do love this city. It is the first time I have lived in a big city, and I am thinking I would like to do it again. I love how everyone is busy and looks important. I like how things are open late. I like the lights and the sounds of traffic in the morning waking up. It's not bad at all :)
So that's my love/hate realtionship with this city.

2006-05-16T22:44:00.001+09:00

Being a Sailor

2006-05-16T22:44:00.000+09:00

Briana and Hugh

2006-05-16T22:42:00.000+09:00

On the coast in Sunchon

2006-05-16T22:41:00.002+09:00

Green Tea Fields

2006-05-16T22:41:00.001+09:00

Waterfall

2006-05-16T22:41:00.000+09:00

Market

2006-05-16T22:40:00.001+09:00

Janna and Briana

2006-05-16T22:40:00.000+09:00

Moutains out the train window

Weekend trips and suicide fish

2006-05-16T22:16:00.000+09:00

Ok so if anyone is actually STILL reading this I must apologize. I have been a busy girl. Janna, my cousin came to visit me for one week. We did a ton of touristy stuff and had a ton of fun. Also we went to a Buddah's B-day celebration at the temple in Seoul. Janna took to Seoul like a fish to water, and was speaking some Korean by the end of the week. The weekend before that I went to Hugh's hometown, Sunchon, a mid sized city on the Southwest coast. We did a ton of stuff there, but my favorite thing was seeing the green tea fields where much of Korea gets it's tea. They were up in the mountains and beautiful.
This past Monday I went to Guncheon which is a really fun city outside Seoul where there are a lot of outdoor activities on the river. Also we saw a great waterfall. There were a few dead fish at the bottom which I decided were "suicide fish".
So what better way then to tell you my stories in pictures! Here they are! Happy mothers day mom, and happy birthday Kelly (sister), Kelly Thomes, Mara, and mom!

2006-04-16T21:43:00.000+09:00

Great view from the roof of Hanyang University's Humanities building

2006-04-16T21:42:00.000+09:00

Hugh (right) and his student (left) at the ramen bus near the Han river

2006-04-16T21:41:00.001+09:00

Skaters in the park

2006-04-16T21:41:00.000+09:00

This is not even close to being busy.

2006-04-16T21:40:00.001+09:00

Cherry Blossoms

2006-04-16T21:40:00.000+09:00

The view from my school. Yeah I think I'm allowed to brag about this one.

2006-04-16T21:39:00.000+09:00

Science day. No teaching for me. Ahhh.

2006-04-16T21:38:00.000+09:00

Aw, friends.

Differences Between Korean Girls and American Girls

2006-04-06T10:35:00.000+09:00

1. Korean : they have non-creased eyelids. Many girls get plastic surgery to get creased eyelids.
Amercian : They don't understand the word, "double eyelids"

2. Korean : They really care their face. Many of them change their face to be more pretty.
American : Many girls want to get big boobs so they spent a lot of money to get bigger boobs.

3. Korean : They like to wear same clothing as their boyfriends which is called "couple clothing."
American : they think it is weird that a boyfriend and a girlfriend wear clothing which has the same patten.

4. Korean : In terms of sex, it is kind of taboo subject to talk to. Many do not want to talk about it that much caz they do not want to give others impression that they are those kind of girls. They, however, talk about it to their female friends.
American : When it comes to sex, they are more straightforward. They don't mind talking about sex with other people. Actually, it's kind of interesting topic to talk with guys.

5. Korean : They care about their weight a lot. So many think they are fat even though they are skinny from American's view point. But, funny thing is there are not many people working hard to lose their weight.
American : They less care about their weight than Korean girls. If somebody is called fat, she is gigantically fat from Korean's perspective. Many American girls also want to lose weight so many of them jog everyday from what I gather.

***Written by Hugh

Derth of Posts

2006-04-06T09:56:00.000+09:00

Happy April! This past month has really flown by. I have had to do 2 big presentations in the past month, so I have been keeping myself busy. I have done a lot of really fun things in March though. Thanks to Hugh, I have got to see a lot of Seoul that foreigners would not normally see. For example, a big part called Seoul Forrest that was really nice. I have also been to some great restaurants, 2 of which I was the first foreigner to ever come there. One was in my neighborhood and sold cow intestines that are prepared in front of you on a grill (like a lot of food here). Actually they were really good. Kind of tasted like bacon. I also got to eat some spicy Eel. The cool thing about eating eel is that the bones are so thin that you can just eat them and you hardly notice they are there. Anyway eel is a really soft fish. Tasty. So, I feel lucky I can try these things. Hmmm...what else. I went to a Korean salsa club with Hugh and Katie when she came up to visit me. It was this little place in the middle of nowhere that looked really scary from the outside. As I walked in though, I could tell this was not you average Korean hang out. There were women in little cocktail dresses and 3 inch heels, men with button down shits with their chest partially exposed, and everyone was dancing and having a good time. It was obvious we were probably the first foreigners in there. Hugh used to belong to a salsa group before he got too busy with school, so his whole group was there and they put on a performance for everyone in the club. Then there was a belly dancing performance following the salsa. Both were amazing and really fun to watch in a relaxed setting like that. A few guys from the group tried to teach me salsa, which was interesting (I was aweful) but fun. It's nice to be around someone who likes dance as much as I do :)
Hmmm...what else...went out for galbi (Korean BBQ) with teachers last night. Hip-hop is going really well, I feel myself getting better each week. I am happy everytime I go to the club and I can move better than before. As far as my recent sickness (that pretty much lasted the whole winter) I have been a lot better this past month. The doctor has me on super vitamines that are all natural immune system boosters. They were damn expensive ($45 for a bottle) but I haven't been sick since I have started taking them.
I also found out my best friend Mara Faust is getting married! That makes 2 of my best friends who are gettin' hitched and both of which I am the maid of honor for! AHHHH! I am sooo excited I love you Friends I will do my best not to kill you on you Bachlorette par-t.
So that's March in a nutshell! I just found out my cousin is probably coming to visit! I am GEEKED!

Slutteria

2006-03-27T23:00:00.000+09:00

Ah, Lotteria. The Korean McDonalds. Here you can find your traditional fast food fare, as well as “Koreanized” fast food. What does that include? Kimchi burgers, squid burgers, nasty processed chesse fries as well as other indistinguishable items. It’s a regular part of Westernized life in Korea, much like a full night of clubbing. Actually, the two have more in common then you might think. Allow us to explain.
Usually a night of clubbing begins long before arriving at the club. At about 6pm, the stream of phone calls and text messaging starts to flow. “What r u doin 2nite?” or “U goin out 2nite?” or from your friend whose already drunk “Cum out bitch!!!” Deciding where to go is a long process, and 12 foreigners do not easily reach a decision. This is just as difficult as trying to get everyone to agree on a fast food restaurant. Imagine a car full of 20-somethings who are all really hungry. In the drivers seat you have the ultimate decision maker who is generally pretty annoyed. Why? Because all of the passengers are debating the pros and cons of various fast food chains. After driving around the same block 5 times finally the crew agrees on McDonalds. Just as the driver pulls into the lot someone in the back seat shouts, “BURGER KING!” and the whole process repeats itself. After 4 hours of continuous calls and texts the driver is one fry short of a happy meal and screams “Alright! We’re going to Taco Bell!” And the decision is final.
So now you are at the club. In your hand you clutch your most valuable possession, your ticket that reads “One free drink (up to 6,000won)”. As your eyes wander over the drink menu, you try to find the magical drink that not only posses the most alcohol but is also as close as possible to the 6,000won limit. Similarly, by the time you order your food you are so hungry that you have trouble making a decision. Nuggets or double cheeseburger? Do I want to Supersize? Umm… Then finally you make the call. “I’ll have a number 8, hold the mayo.”, or if you’re at Lotteria in Korea, you say “Chicken burger set-uh 8, my-o-naise no” (as you make an ‘x’ with your arms). You are satisfied with your decision until you see your friend stuffing a cheeseburger in his mouth. It looks so good. The cheese is perfectly melted, the patty is perfectly rounded and it was on sale. DAMNIT! Why didn’t you see the giant banner marked “Big Event: Cheeseburger 1,000won”? Not to mention the fact it’s what everyone else was ordering. So at the club, you stare at your measly rum and coke with contempt as your friend throws back a tall Long Island as asks, “Dude, why did you order that? Didn’t you see the banner?” Damn.
As the night wears on and you stop tasting the rum in your coke (yet you continue to drink them) and your fries become cold (yet you continue to eat them) things get a little… outta control. You are no longer in the drive thru, you ARE the drive thru. Lotteria has changed it’s name to “Slutteria” and you have a line of cars wrapped around your establishment. Number 8 is the combo of choice. “I’ll have a double ass-grabbing combo, with a side of heavy grinding. Hold the face licking.”
If this keeps up you might one day start a franchise. Mind the banners and ignore the kid in the back seat. Just before you start throwing free happy meals at patrons, thank God you have a “manager”, a.k.a. best friend who can announce over the intercom, “Sorry, we’re out of the Rodeo Burger.”

*Written by Katie and Briana

2006-03-13T22:11:00.000+09:00

I have to give credit to Bridge for finding this one. It is too good to have on only one blog :)

2006-03-09T21:48:00.000+09:00

Ducks on the Han. How rediculously cute.

2006-03-09T21:47:00.001+09:00

Moldpork! YUM!

2006-03-09T21:47:00.000+09:00

I look like a fatty in this pic for some reason but I like that I am riding a lion.

2006-03-09T21:46:00.000+09:00

Bar show. Yeah Johnson!

Michael Jordan is back with a new name

2006-03-08T11:54:00.000+09:00

That's right, MJ is back in action and now in 3rd grade. By pure coincidense he is dead center in this particular class. Today we made name tags and he decided to chage his name to Rain, after the famous Korean pop star. He then did a Rain impression after choosing his name in which he ran his hands across his chest and did a little dance in his seat.
Many of you maybe have forgotten about this legendary Korean student who has become famous for his off the cuff classroom commentary. If you have, look in the archived posts for "Michael Jordan quote of the week and month" posts. There you can find samples of his comments from last year when he was in second grade.
Today he was his usual smiling self, nodding even when he doesn't understand and tossing in the occasional "YEAAAHHHHH" and "ok ok." I told the class I went to China and Rain (MJ) replyed with, "Oh, I want you." Actually he meant "I want to", and no one else caught it but me so it made it all the funnier for me.

Off the Rain topic not too much has been going on. I'm dating a Korean guy now, (I know I know, I said never BUT things change). His name is Kim Dong-Hyu, English name Hugh (you can see the previous pic from Busan). His English is perfect so we don't have any communication problems. He spendt some time in the USA and Austrailia. Now he is an engineering student at a University in Seoul. He is my age, (born on Christmas, 1981. Yeah I lost that bet). N.E. way, if you wanna know more then email me cause I am not going to be one of those "reveal all" bloggers. Booooo.
So now school has started full time and I am back in teaching mode, although I am totally exausted today. That's all I got for now. PEACE!

2006-02-27T17:40:00.000+09:00

Excellent Konglish.

2006-02-27T17:38:00.000+09:00

Dog on bike.

2006-02-27T17:35:00.000+09:00

Sand sculpture

2006-02-27T17:34:00.001+09:00

This is where APEC was held

2006-02-27T17:34:00.000+09:00

Briana and Hugh

2006-02-27T17:32:00.000+09:00

Life is good on the beach

2006-02-27T17:31:00.000+09:00

What's that? It's a kite!

2006-02-27T17:30:00.000+09:00

Rugby players

2006-02-27T17:27:00.000+09:00

Kicking it at the foreigner bar

2006-02-27T17:26:00.000+09:00

K-1 arena

Goodbye Seoul, Hello Busan

2006-02-27T17:08:00.000+09:00

This weekend was full of great times. Our group of friends took a huge trip down to Busan (also sometimes spelled Pusan) on the Southern coast of Korea. I have been here before, but this time I had time to do a lot more and went with a huge group instead of by myself. We took the KTX high speed train down and stayed in love motels that were right on the beach. The weather was really great (as you will see in the pics). A little cold, but definitly warmer than Seoul. Not really warm enough to go swimming, but somehow I managed to get dropped in the water two days in a row (thanks Hugh). On Friday night we went to a foreigner bar called U2 and played some pool and darts. On Saturday we went to see a rugby game that Em was playing in on the beach and a live K-1 fight which was awesome! I have never been to anything like that. Saturaday night we went clubbing.
Now I am back in Seoul and actually kinda disappointed to be back. It was good to get away, and now it's back to work and the usual routine (with a few exceptions). I have more to write about but for now I have to get ready to go to hip-hop. Later!

Why Tuesday is the worst Day

2006-02-21T09:44:00.000+09:00

There is no other day that is neither here nor there like Tuesday. It's not the beginning of the week, not the middle, and it's so far from being Friday that it REALLY sucks. Anyway it's getting warmer in Korea. I can finally wera my fall jacket and it's sunny almost every day. I am told that by March it's smooth sailing. Latly hip-hop class has been kicking my ass, getting harder and making me a lot more sore. I also have two HUGE bruises on both my knees from God knows what at the club this weekend so that doesn't help. Getting unknown injuries seems to be a common theme for me in this country.
Right now I am working half days teaching conversation at my school. It's easy and I get paid for working dull days, so that's sweet. School starts March 2nd so I will be working full-time again starting on that date.
Well that's my mini-update. I have class now so I will throw some pics up later and please the masses (or the few people that continue to read this garbage). Peace!

2006-02-13T13:31:00.000+09:00

Briana and Kelly post-clubbing

2006-02-13T13:30:00.001+09:00

Seoul is dense baby!

2006-02-13T13:30:00.000+09:00

SNOWWWW

2006-02-13T13:29:00.001+09:00

Are you sick of palace pics yet? Yeah, me too.

2006-02-13T13:29:00.000+09:00

Gyeongbok Palace

2006-02-13T13:27:00.003+09:00

View from Namsan Tower in Seoul

2006-02-13T13:27:00.002+09:00

3rd grade graduation

2006-02-13T13:27:00.001+09:00

Old city gate

2006-02-13T13:27:00.000+09:00

The national palace of Korea

2006-02-13T13:25:00.000+09:00

My dad drinkin' tea

2006-02-13T13:24:00.000+09:00

Katie and I belting it at Noribong

2006-02-13T13:23:00.000+09:00

It's my Birf-day!

Lyndsay Lohan in not a real Blonde

2006-02-13T13:05:00.000+09:00

Yikes! E-News is catching me up on all the hidiousness of Hollywood right now. Anyway the fam is gone but the legacy lives on in my apartment which is a mess right now. Highlights from the week include:
1. My dad getting shut out of the subway gate at least once a day.
2. My mom asking how much 4,000 won is about 3 days into the trip (4,000 won= $4)
3. Going to hip-hop class, the bar, and clubbing with my sister who is incapable of standing still at a club (just like me!)
4. Puking my guts out because of a 24 hour flu (not exactly a highlight, but worth noting)
5. Eating for free!
6. Seeing all the sights in Seoul I have been to lazy to see myself.

We also went to graduation for the third graders at my school and to a traditional Korean dinner with my coteachers. Here are some pics!

Ahh the joys of not being alone...ever

2006-02-07T23:20:00.000+09:00

I don't think I've been alone for more than 2 nights in the past 2 weeks. Actually, it's been great. In fact, as wierd as it sounds, I am so happy my family is here keeping me company and special thanks to Katie and Woogie for the same reason. Time has been slying by lately, I am so suprised it is already February. WTF?
Anyway for some reason quite recently a lot of old friends have been coming back around. I think I almost have Andrew convinced to come visit from China even though the boy is so poor and his girlfriend is...well I won't get into it. I told him I'd pay him $100 to come. Nick Lucking emailed me to tell me about some wack dream he had with me and my dad in it, and Mara has been Mara, always there no matter what.
Also been getting out on the town a lot, doing the usual clubbing along with being overly social and making too many plans. Back on the Soju train...WOOO WOOOO! Who wants a ride?
So I mentioned that my family was here, and staying with me might I add. It's hilarious, actually, to watch them make all the same mistakes I made when I first came here. Seoul can be a hard place to adjust to sometimes, but they seem to be doing quite well.
Well when I get more time I'll throw some photos up here, but for now I am too busy to even put them on my computer.
Also, been giving a lot of thought to what I should do after South Korea. I will for sure go home for a few months (don't worry Friend), but after that I am not quite sure. So I have decided to use this post as an open forum for suggestions. Write a comment and make one! I will take it into account. And no, I will not be a stripper at the Mermaid lounge. Unless they pay me in choco muffins from Starbucks, in which case I would consider it...if they were fresh...and warm...ok I'll stop.

2006-01-27T00:07:00.000+09:00

Sunny Daechon

2006-01-27T00:05:00.000+09:00

Play performance

2006-01-27T00:04:00.000+09:00

Daechon Beach

2006-01-27T00:03:00.001+09:00

The Boys! (what a sexy group of English teachers!!!)