July, 2013

I was sick for a lot of July so I didn't get up to too much. 

My face in this first picture pretty much sums up my feelings about July. The bitch.

I tend to send pictures of myself to my sister so that she doesn't forget what I look like. I like them to be true reflections of my appearance, none of this photoshop or instagram filter business. Here I am, sista! I feel like I've really captured my 'ness' in this one, don't you think?

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My students were part of an ironman contest! No, they're not muscle men, they're just ridiculously smart. The contest was academic (of course) and, although they didn't win anything, the judging panel created and awarded them with a 'yay for taking part and doing a pretty good job' creativity prize. The students were all chuffed to have their names printed on a giant banner outside the school, regardless of the fact that our school is out in the sticks and no one but themselves would see it!

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 Maggie and I went to this cool restaurant in Jochiwon. Well, the interior was cool; everything was wooden and there were Japanese lanterns everywhere, as you can see. Unfortunately, our chicken was raw and we left hungry. Oh.

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 Can we all take a moment to appreciate the accuracy and precision of this noodle splash?!

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Circus kitty gives me mild heart attacks every morning!

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I mentioned in my first post how Fiona sent me numerous threats, telling me to start this blog. This picture accompanied her messages telling me that I had 'until Sunday' to get started 'or else'. It still makes me laugh just looking at it. It's strange to think that she was back in Dublin when she sent me these nerve-racking threats and now she's here with me in Korea.

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Happy birthday, Murrica! Fourth of July rolled around and Salgu had a party in her apartment with 'many delicious foods', drink and, of course, good banter! As the only non-American in attendance, I showed up with a bag full of leprechaun lollipops. I got far too distracted by the mountains of food and completely forgot about them, though. I ended up giving them to my two summer camp students, rationing them out at the end of each day!

 I found this table outside my apartment when I got home from Salgu's 4th of July party. Can you believe someone was throwing this treasure away?! Some people! That being said, once I dragged it up four floors to my apartment, I quickly realised that I didn't want a Hello Kitty table. Robber's remorse. 

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Extreme sleeping.

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Showcasing my ironing skills.

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 Children's toys, party decorations and fireworks. Korean people worry about 'fan death' but playing with explosives at children's parties is fine, so fine.

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They mean well...

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I went to Seoul to get my coeliac and food allergy blood tests done and then went for the first of MANY last suppers with Maggie. Looking at what I had for breakfast makes me feel so ill now. I had French toast which came with strawberries, bananas, cream and jam. I could barely eat half of it as it was mahoosive and it also gave me ridiculous stomach pains as I ate it. I was doubled over in pain but I powered through! I got my results three weeks later and it's been bye-bye gluten and dairy ever since! I've since given up eating meat too and I've never felt so goooooood! I have so much energy and I don't feel like a big sack of crap after every meal anymore! The gluten and dairy had really caught up with me though and I was really out of sorts health-wise. I'm glad that I know now what I can eat as well what I want to eat.

 We all love a good veberage?

Ah, goodnight.

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I got my hurr did! The red had really grown out of my hair and turned fairly orange! After a year of red hair I decided I'd go back to brown. I got my hair done in Seoul after having my tests done. I asked for brown and left with standard Asian black, which I expected! I didn't mind though. I liked it!

 "Be passionate in your life so that you can make professional touch".

 Do you like my alien pod? Unsettling.

 Coming to the realisation that my hair had in fact been dyed black. 

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Salgu modelling her haute couture 'receipt avec chewing gum' bracelet that I made for her because that's what good friends do.

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Written on the subway platform in Seoul.

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 This just sort of happened. I can't really explain it but, considering we had previously decided that Salgu had roughly six months to live after being ill for some time, this sleeping position was quite fitting albeit disconcerting.

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Yeah yeah summer holidays yeah! School's out! Not for me. Sad face.

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Katie came to visit and made us these badass drinks. Soju, 7Up, mango juice and raspberry vinegar.

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The scoreboard from a game we played at summer camp. The girls chose their animals and any time they got a wrong answer I got the points. They named me sloth. How kind.

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A gift from one of my summer camp students' parents. Aaaaaaaaaall the ginseng! 

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Cute-uh cake-uh.

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Becky, Maggie and Salgu enjoying all their gluten and dairy goodness in my apartmtent before watching The Bucket List. At least they let me smell the cake, right?

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Embracing the new lifestyle with soy milk in my cha.

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This was hanging up in the hospital when I went back for my results. Can you see now why I chose that hospital?

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The picture of organisation. Keeping my desk neat and tidy, as always.

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Bit of an all right summer sky in Jochiwon. 

And there you go. See ya later, July, you vixen.

August post to follow before the end of 2013, I swurr! 

Fiona, send your threats this way.

June, 2013

Thursday, the 6th of June was a national holiday so we all had the day off school. I went up to Seoul for the day - Psy, Elvis and a stupid face in tow - to visit Bri, my roommate from orientation. I met a really nice Korean man on the subway from the train station. He assumed I was lost and after asking where I was headed he told me what stop to get off at and showed it to me on the map. I'm pretty sure he just wanted a chance to practice his English, which is often the case here. We continued chatting and after the ten minutes I spent with him, I knew more about him than I do some of my friends! He was cool though and he's lived a very interesting life! I love chatting with friendly strangers. 

 This boy and I were wearing the same shoes. Trying to get a picture with both of our feet in it, without blowing my stealthy cover, was probably the most exciting part. I have no idea why I felt the need to do this.

Essential subway accessory.

I met up with Bri and we went to the trick eye museum before meeting her friends and going to dinner in Sinsa. It was really great seeing her again, so much so that I stayed too late and missed my train. I ended up not getting back to Jochiwon until 1am. Getting up at 6am the next morning was pretty rough but you can't stay mad at Friiiiiday!

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This picture is really random but it saved me from being hit in the head with an empty can as I was walking from school to the bus stop. I was texting Katie at the time and for some reason it was relevant (probably not that relevant) to send her a picture of what I was drinking. In the split second I stopped walking for so I could take the picture without it being blurry, one of the construction workers fired a drink can out the window of his car that was parked by the path. Had I kept walking, it would have cracked me right in the face. So taking this picture saved me that little bit of grief and definitely deserves inclusion in this post! Go on, Gatorade!

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Bus gang hiding in the shade. The dreaded summer is coming!

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Why settle for just a (bloody massive) margarita when you could throw a corona up in there? 

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Jochiwon is trying to be pretty.

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First Korean vocab test yeaaaaah!

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Skyping with these two was so much fun! It was just like being at home and hanging out together. I laughed so much. They really made my day! P.s. These are the censored photos. It got weird.

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After four months I finally found the fancy toilets in Dongdaegu Station. This is a weird post but the other ones are so rank. I was so excited to find these! I felt like I'd found Narnia. Peep that vegetation game, yo!

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Fun T-shirt is fun.

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THIS! I will never live this down.  My co-teacher told me she had posted pictures on the school website and said that I should take a look. This is what I found! It turns out she's been writing 'Rucy' on all of my official documents for the school and office of education. My friends and family have really leeched on to this one and assured me that my new nickname is here to stay. 

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I'd like to take this opportunity to let you all know that I was placed here in Sejong because I had requested to live in a city. Yes, this is a cow just hanging out in the middle of an apartment complex. I rest my case. 

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The last supper! Serious dinner at an Indian restaurant in Cheonan before getting my bloods done and finding out that I'm allergic to everything! 

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Dermot and the band released their debut EP as Shadows & Dust. It was a shame I had to miss their big launch gig but it made my day to receive Dermot's parcel with the hard copy and a handwritten letter. Very proud of my brother from another mother.

You can listen to the EP here.

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Mt fridge is all decked out with the letters and cards I've been sent. And menus of course (they're gone now). Considering it's standing tall in my bedroom, it's nice to have it dressed up a bit! 

This is a hint. Send me letters. 

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My extremely Asian-looking bed. Yes, my wallpaper is the best. You're correct.

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We teach just about everything here.

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Instantly thought of my brother, Eoin! I think he would have shed a tear if he were here. Those Korean crackers are messing with the display. Cheeky.

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Finally, after travelling from Australia to Ireland to Korea, my new camera arrived! I got majorly screwed over by customs going into Ireland but dodged them coming into Korea. Yin Yang.

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I saw this man walking around Jochiwon one day in his shiny purple pumps. I've seen him several times since wearing the shame shoes. It wasn't an accident after all. It takes a real bad ass to pull these off and pull them off he most certainly does. He don't currr!

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Another excellent dinner made by Maggie! She feeds us good and proper! There was even avocado. Our gatherings turn very Hunger Games when avocado presents itself.

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My co-teacher: "Lucy, you should read all of these books and then you'll be an expert."

Emmmmmmmmmmmmmm, no.

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The cat in the building opposite me. He can taste the sweet freedom!

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I win at snapchat.

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I went back to Sejong Lake Park for the first time since my birthday. There were loads of families and a live music stage had been set up. There was a really good atmosphere and the weather had cooled down nicely after another hottuh summer's day.

As I mentioned in another post, Korean couples love to wear matching clothes. HOWEVER, yes this is a matching family! The man in front is even holding a baby girl wearing the same dress. Theyre like the Korean Kardashians. But better of course. I got so distracted by them that I walked into a hanging lantern and nearly fell in to a barrel of silk worms. The vendor loved it. Emotional.

My first meal in Sejong City. Apparently some buildings are actually finished here.

After my very embarrassing run in with the silk worms earlier, I decided I'd show them who's boss at dinner. I ate silk worms for the first and most definitely last time.

Sushi, tuna sausage and sake made up for it though.

And FIN.

Whooooo exhale.

I'm getting there!