Fordpride

There are numerous cultural and whatever else differences between home and Korea-this is obvious. But there are a few things I wasn't expecting to get so used to: 1. Like having strangers fall asleep on your shoulder on the subway. This happens. A lot. A couple days ago this guy, probably not more than a couple years younger than me, falls asleep. His head slowly but surely makes its way to my shoulder. It's just more comfortable that way. This happens more frequently on really early and really late trains, but I never count it out. The Koreans are too good at falling asleep in moving vehicles. (and they have a magic ability to wake up right before their stop. amazing) 1a. I do not have this ability 1b. I haven't fallen asleep on anybody yet, but I hope to do it before I leave. Preferably on a hot Korean. Or an ajuma (grandma). Because that would be just too funny. 2. Men peeing on the street. A lot. As a sidenote, I've seen about a millio...

Right now my fb status says "dreams DO come true. thanks, bsb". And it's true. It did start with a dream. Well, it probably started more with a song, and then a dream formed. I guess I don't really come across as someone who would like Backstreet Boys. I mean, I had a few surprised responses from friends when I mentioned I was going to the concert. But I can't deny it. They're good. They're very good. When I was younger I was in love with them (ok, i still am). I had posters covering my walls and I would sing along to their CD's in my room. I had a little tv/vcr combo in my room, but I didn't have a cable line in there (for awhile at least-it would come and i would love it). Anyways, point of the matter is, I would watch MTV religiously (most importantly, TRL) and I would record music videos, interviews, or whatever else I desired, so that I could have it all on tape, so that I could watch them over and over again in my room. I was seriou...

...I'm digging on: Korean Mens Volleyball games, with friends Good times in P-taek with other friends (but I don't dig saying goodbye to any friends when they decide to go back to America six months in...) Also, fuzzy blue sweaters found on the street for only 2,000W (a steal!). AKA my cookie monster sweater Being able to buy whole chickens and knock-off wallets within inches of each other Teenage Korean graffiti Also, (picture-less) honorary mentions: The Olympics, Spring vacation (no school=awesome), naps, meeting Taekwondo masters on the bus, basic conversations in Korean (very basic), Tobias Funke, and living the dream.

You know, after being here for five months (crazy!), I've gotten used to living in Korea. I don't get lost on the subway, I like Korean food, and it has become my home. But every once in awhile, I look around me and I get wake up calls that I actually live in Korea. Along with these wake up calls, I get giant surges of love for my life here. I just love it so much. Today was like one giant surge of love for Korea, in case you couldn't tell. And this time I'd like to give props to my cab drivers (like I said before, there are good ones and bad ones). I had to take the cab just a short distance to meet up with some friends. I flagged a driver down and got in the back seat. A good portion of the time, a single rider will just get in the front seat, but I prefer the back. So I sit down and tell the driver where I want to go. He repeats it back to me like 80 times, laughing at what was being said. I had no idea why, but he was just real giggly. Because he started l...

Growing up is so tough. Against my intense disinterest in ever owning an umbrella, I finally broke down and bought one on the way to school last week. It was raining and I didn't have a hat that day and it was necessary. I still hate umbrellas, but I have been trying to focus on its positives. Like it makes a really good pointer. Also, I have showered 13 of the last 14 days. Believe it. You probably won't even know me when I get back to America. But hopefully you'll still love me. (it rained like crazy when we were in Kyoto. I maintained my umbrella hatred until the tour guide felt really sorry for me and forced one upon me. this picture is at the Kyoto Imperial Palace gardens, in case you wondered)

To my permanent Valentines: Love you! Happy Valentine's Day to the world.

Its been raining here. Almost every time I leave the house, I must bring an umbrella. This is not awesome. I hate umbrellas. Because of this, I walk outside only when necessary. So along with not having to teach this week (which I was told I would teach), I've had a lot of free time. Indoors. Away from the rain and umbrellas. It's been good though, because I've been able to catch up on some of my fave tv shows. Thanks internets! Let me first declare how excited I am for the next season of Celebrity Apprentice starting up in March. I seriously can't wait. The last two seasons have been high qual and I'm expecting even more with this one. I'm most excited about seeing the following celebrities: Bret Michaels (in his bio on NBC.com one of his highlights is "Poison's music has been featured in such big screen flicks as "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Grandma's Boy" and "Deuce Bigelow-European Gigolo." hahaha lame), Cyndi La...

...there was Jackie Chan. Photo proof of our obvious connection: I can't wait to see him again. And don't let his petit Asian-ness fool you. He's built. (not Joe Semanoff built, but really who is?)

More to come.

At Osaka Castle, I totally destroyed a bunch of Japanese boys: See the fear? The look of life flashing before their eyes? More product in their hair then I've used all year? Best 300 yen I spent. Thanks for the costume Osaka. And I want this hat for Christmas, fyi.

A temple in Kyoto. Chion-in, to be exact. A giant paper mache looking prostitute women hiding behind one of the buildings. Come hither...to worship at the temple! Yeah I don't know why this was there. But why not?

Chubby Japanese babies are cute. Maybe the best shot of the trip.

The places I was most excited to visit, and also my favorite places in Japan. So cool. Up first: Hiroshima. The Atomic Bomb Dome. Memorial Peace Park. The start of inspirations. A specialty of Hiroshima: Okonomiyaki. It's a kind of pancake but not. It's made out of vegetables, noodles, and whatever else you want. Ours had some octopus, shrimp, onions, egg, and other things I can't remember. One of my favorite meals in Japan. Miyajima! When the tide is higher the shrine 'floats', but this was not the case for us. But it was cool to go up to it. One of the most beautiful places. It was all misty and magical. And maybe I took my shoes off for a little wading in the water of Japan. Peace.

I'm pretty sure I fell in love with one, maybe two people in Japan. And let me clarify. I'm talking about LOVE. Not lust. Although I did find myself attracted to Japanese men more than Korean. But since being back from Japan, I find Koreans a little more attractive than before. It's a testy thing, this yellow fever. But I'll embrace it while I'm here. Literally. Kei worked at the hostel I stayed at in Kyoto. So if he ever googles his name and the word Kyoto hopefully this post will show up and he can see how creepy I am. But I won't put his last name, just to make that less likely to happen. Kei was there when we checked in our first night. We were pretty tired from our day of traveling but we were also hungry, so being able to ask him where the best places to eat was the perfect ice breaker. (sometimes i struggle for icebreakers when i'm talking to foreigners. i can't use my go to 'thats what she said' comments and it makes things d...

So, here's the deal. First off, thanks for being impressed with my photo skills (even if you just said it because i told you to. and Jill, don't even try to pretend). Just wait until you see the other pictures I took on self timer. It really is quite unbelievable. Who needs friends when you have ten seconds to run and jump into a pose before the red light goes off? Also, I don't know how to really explain my trip to Japan. It was both what I expected but not what I expected. I seriously haven't ever been on a trip like this one. I don't know if its because I'm older or more mature (probably not) or what, but I felt like Japan changed me a little bit. I think its moreso a result of the last few months living on my own in Korea, but Japan inspired me. It inspired me to be better. My theme from Japan was, get this, Inspiration, and its sticking with me. Bet its not really what you were expecting. See, me neither. I met a ton of super cool people, both ...

It all started when I got to my seat on the plane. Only seconds after I put my stuff down, a nice Japanese flight attendant approached me and told me I had been upgraded. Hello leg room. Hello table cloth. Hello free champagne (joke!). Hello perfect flight. If this was a sign for my adventures in Japan, I knew I was in for a classy and smooth vacation. Stories, inspirations, and more to come tomorrow. As for now, I still have to plan my lesson for tomorrow! Yucky. (ps I really really want you to be impressed that I took this picture using my self-timer)