without music, that is. Last night, a group of us went to Soongnyemoon to meet Matt, of the famously infamous "Where the hell is matt?" videos. He is the guy that travels the world and records himself doing a dorky dance. You can check him out here. After waiting for an hour, we realized he stood us up! Well, not really, it turns out he just got lost and was waiting at the wrong place! The 50 or so people that were waiting for Matt to show up decided to make our own video. Here is footage of the group I came with. We had a great time dancing without music, in the middle of the freezing cold city! Check it out...
Where the hell WAS matt?
I would encourage everyone to take a minute to dance on their own after reading this. I think it will really brighten your day! =o)
"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance." -Japanese Proverb
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
moonrainbows and ladyboys
"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..." a white sand Christmas, that is! Although I wasn't home in Wisconsin, surrounded by white snow, I compensated by surrounding myself with the white sand beaches of Boracay, a small island in the Philippines. My trip was great- truly relaxing, once we got out of Manila, that is. Adam, Joshua, Trena, Mia and I all spent 10 days together baking on the beach! Our vacation was great because at the end of our trip I didn't feel like I needed another vacation to recover from vacation! Here are some highlights of the trip:
Manila- a crazy jumble of a city! When I got off the plane I wasn't quite sure to expect. I guess I was expecting something similar to Seoul, but it was nothing of the sorts.

This is a jeepney, one of the main forms of transportation you will see in the city. They are basically like decked out mini buses. They all have crazy names and decorations. We saw Jazz, Blue Kiss, El Shaddai, Everson, King of Kings, Jason, Angel, John 3:16...etc. We spent about an hour outside of a gas station watching them all fly by, packed with people.

Trikes are also another popular way to get around. A trike is basically a motor bike with a little carriage attached. Some also are just pedal bikes. They are very small, it looks like only 2 or 3 people can fit in it , but I saw trikes with 7 or 8 people packed in!
We took a trike downtown Manila on New Year's Eve. Adam and Josh are sitting on the back of the bike with the driver!
On to Boracay...
It took a lot of work to get there! From Manila it was a 35 minute plane ride. Then from the airport in Caticlan we had to take a trike to the ferry station. From the ferry station we took a a small boat over to Boracay. To get on the boat we had to walk down a plank about as wide as your foot, balancing our bags, to get into the boat. One wrong move and you are in the water next to the boat! It was a little nerve racking, but at least the boat guy was there offering his hand to everyone trying not to fall. At the boat station in Boracay we had to take another trike to get to our hostel. Finally!
Boracay is beautiful! We stayed right on White Beach, about a one and a half mile strip of beautiful sand. The beach front is definitely touristy, but if you go to the main road you will find all the local shops and restaurants- and much cheaper prices too! My trip wasn't too expensive, I spent a little under $500, including lodging for the whole 10 days I was gone. Not bad!
Also, I saw a moonrainbow! I have never heard of such a thing, but I definitely saw one. As the group of us were walking down the beach one evening we saw a rainbow coming off of the moon. Obviously the colors weren't as vibrant as a rainbow you would see in the daytime, but it was amazing and unusual!
I also saw a ton of ladyboys, as the locals call them. They were all over the island. It added an interesting dynamic to all the people on the island. I saw men that look better than I ever will as a women! I also saw plenty of men who had no idea they were making out with a man until a little later in the evening. However, I made friends with a few and got to talk with a few of the "girls." I'm not exactly sure, but I think the "ladyboy" culture is very respected. One of the girl s I met, said she had been training herself to be a woman since she was 15 years old. She has done shows in Korea and had recently moved to Boracay from Manila to work. It is not uncommon for young boys to start acting and looking like women when they hit puberty, then they go make money working as a transsexual. The girls I met were great, they were funny and nice and I enjoyed my evenings seeing all of them out and about.
The beach was beautiful, the water was always clear and the most beautiful shades of blue-green.
We truly were beach bums the whole week. It was great!
Here are some local vendors selling various goodies. Bargaining was quite fun. I think I did alright and got some good deals.
We took a boat around the island and stopped at this beach to see the bat cave. I didn't go into the bat cave, but instead played with these cute kids and their puppies.
These guys, Don Don and Godly (yeah, that's really his name) made our week fantastic! They were both extremely nice and we hung out with them all week. Don Don worked for a boating company and he took us out on a boat for the day so we could snorkel. We ended up renting a boat three times that week to snorkel.
One thing that really surprised me about the island were all the local kids running around all the time, especially at the late hours of the night. These kids collected bottles and also did their share of "interacting" with tourists. They were good at it too. The guys in this picture thought the kids were so cute that they always gave them money. I think the fact that the guys were drunk worked in favor of the kids. The night this pic was taken I saw them give out probably close to $15 bucks, or about 600 pesos, which goes a long way on the island.
One night, starting about 11pm, the island got drenched with torrential rain! It was the loudest rainfall I have ever heard, and it didn't stop until about 11am! This is what we woke up to! Our whole hostel was flooded. The owners set up little bamboo planks and stones all over the walkways, but your feet still got wet. This is our path leading out of the hostel, on our way to the beach. We are all standing on stepping stones here. It took about 3 days for all the water in our hostel area to completely disappear. The beach dried up within the day.
Part of one of the local neighborhoods behind our hostel. The area was kind of swampy so it naturally collected a lot of water. This was taken before the big rain!
The corner store Boracay Jesus! The Philippines in general is a very Catholic country. It was not uncommon to see religious figures/ alters set up all over the place. I found this Jesus quite amusing. Notice the poked out eye? haha

There is no need for an ice cream truck in Boracay, they use ice cream boats! This guy would paddle around to all the snorkelers selling ice cream!
Snorkeling was a lot of fun. I saw a coral snake, a lot of fish, and a TON of jellyfish. On Christmas day the five of us went snorkeling and all five of us got stung within the first 10 minutes of snorkeling! Ouch! I don't think this normally happens, but it was high tide and a full moon so I think those were big factors. We ended up moving to a different part of the island to snorkel where it was free of jelly fish.
Here is the whole group chilling on the beach. Our hostel was just a 2 minute walk behind us.
I'm going to leave you with these two videos. The first one is just a pan of Puka Beach. The second one is Joshua dancing with the island kids. Enjoy!
Manila- a crazy jumble of a city! When I got off the plane I wasn't quite sure to expect. I guess I was expecting something similar to Seoul, but it was nothing of the sorts.
Trikes are also another popular way to get around. A trike is basically a motor bike with a little carriage attached. Some also are just pedal bikes. They are very small, it looks like only 2 or 3 people can fit in it , but I saw trikes with 7 or 8 people packed in!
On to Boracay...
It took a lot of work to get there! From Manila it was a 35 minute plane ride. Then from the airport in Caticlan we had to take a trike to the ferry station. From the ferry station we took a a small boat over to Boracay. To get on the boat we had to walk down a plank about as wide as your foot, balancing our bags, to get into the boat. One wrong move and you are in the water next to the boat! It was a little nerve racking, but at least the boat guy was there offering his hand to everyone trying not to fall. At the boat station in Boracay we had to take another trike to get to our hostel. Finally!
Boracay is beautiful! We stayed right on White Beach, about a one and a half mile strip of beautiful sand. The beach front is definitely touristy, but if you go to the main road you will find all the local shops and restaurants- and much cheaper prices too! My trip wasn't too expensive, I spent a little under $500, including lodging for the whole 10 days I was gone. Not bad!
Also, I saw a moonrainbow! I have never heard of such a thing, but I definitely saw one. As the group of us were walking down the beach one evening we saw a rainbow coming off of the moon. Obviously the colors weren't as vibrant as a rainbow you would see in the daytime, but it was amazing and unusual!
I also saw a ton of ladyboys, as the locals call them. They were all over the island. It added an interesting dynamic to all the people on the island. I saw men that look better than I ever will as a women! I also saw plenty of men who had no idea they were making out with a man until a little later in the evening. However, I made friends with a few and got to talk with a few of the "girls." I'm not exactly sure, but I think the "ladyboy" culture is very respected. One of the girl s I met, said she had been training herself to be a woman since she was 15 years old. She has done shows in Korea and had recently moved to Boracay from Manila to work. It is not uncommon for young boys to start acting and looking like women when they hit puberty, then they go make money working as a transsexual. The girls I met were great, they were funny and nice and I enjoyed my evenings seeing all of them out and about.



I'm going to leave you with these two videos. The first one is just a pan of Puka Beach. The second one is Joshua dancing with the island kids. Enjoy!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
ho ho ho!
Merry Christmas!
I can't believe I am actually finding time to write this! It's 2:30a.m. and at 4:15 I will be getting up-assuming I get some sleep- to fly to Boracay, Philippines for Christmas! This week has been extremely busy, so busy that I haven't even had time to be excited for my trip. Finalizing travel plans, Christmas parties and concerts with my kids, shopping, and packing have taken up all my time this week! I'm happy to say that my kids did a great job with their performance and were super cute singing Feliz Navidad!
Now that's all over, I'm packed and ready for the beach! I know I will miss being home for the holidays, but I'm excited for the experiences I will gain traveling. I just wanted to write a quick blog wishing everyone happy holidays! I'm thankful for all my friends and family who have been so supportive to me, it is definitely appreciated. I love you all! I will post pictures and stories from my trip as soon as I can. Take care!
Be merry!
I can't believe I am actually finding time to write this! It's 2:30a.m. and at 4:15 I will be getting up-assuming I get some sleep- to fly to Boracay, Philippines for Christmas! This week has been extremely busy, so busy that I haven't even had time to be excited for my trip. Finalizing travel plans, Christmas parties and concerts with my kids, shopping, and packing have taken up all my time this week! I'm happy to say that my kids did a great job with their performance and were super cute singing Feliz Navidad!
Now that's all over, I'm packed and ready for the beach! I know I will miss being home for the holidays, but I'm excited for the experiences I will gain traveling. I just wanted to write a quick blog wishing everyone happy holidays! I'm thankful for all my friends and family who have been so supportive to me, it is definitely appreciated. I love you all! I will post pictures and stories from my trip as soon as I can. Take care!
Be merry!
Friday, December 14, 2007
the grinch really did steal christmas!
It's snowing as I write this! When it snows, I like to say we have acid snowflakes because of how bad the air is here! We have had a few snowfalls, but it never sticks. This past month has kept me extremely busy! There are so many things to do around the holidays! I've been busy getting my kids psyched up for Christmas, which has been great because I can be as cheesy as I want to and they love it! We have been busy preparing our Christmas concert for the parents. The music teacher is doing a few songs with the kids and then I am preparing a poem the kids will recite and we will also be singing Feliz Navidad- a great choice for working at an English school, right? I just happened to be singing it one day and the kids loved it, so I decided to put it into the show! Today at rally (our weekly school assembly) I was the MC and I went as my alter-ego "Ms. Christmas." I thoroughly enjoyed telling cheesy Christmas jokes (what do elves learn in school? the ELFabet!) and singing with the kids. Christine dressed as Rudolph and I had Morgan dress up like the Grinch and he literally "stole" Ms. Christmas. I escaped and tied the Grinch up in tinsel and Ms. Christine and I converted the Grinch into loving Christmas.It was really entertaining and the kids had a great time!
Besides school, I've been to the doctor a few times. I just got an MRI for my back a few days ago and I am waiting to have a spinal specialist go over the results. I have been very lucky to have some really caring parents in my classroom. One of the moms has done so much for me! She books me my appointments, drives me, translates, and then takes me out to eat! I am so thankful for her and all the care she has shown. She has even had the moms pitch in and they are paying for my MRI (or part of it, at least) as my Christmas gift!
I'm heading to Boracay, Philippines next Saturday for ten days of relaxation on the beach! It will be sad to be away from my family for the first time ever on Christmas, but I think the beautiful blue-green waters and white sand beaches will help console me!
Here are a few pictures of random things in the last month or so. I'm also gonna include some videos because my kids are just so dang cute! Some of the kids are really into it and some are off in space, which is pretty funny! Pay no attention to the horrible singing or guitar playing in the background! haha.
Sorry, it was so gross I just had to post it! I can't believe how many times I see people like this on the street! Side note-it was also extremely cold that night!!
Merry Christmas! Miss Christmas, Mr. Grinch and Ms. Rudolph after Rally. See my gumdrop wall in the background? =o)
So cute!
Morgan, Adam and I have discovered a great new indoors pastime- badminton in the kitchen! We are still working out the quirks, i.e. volleying the shuttlecock more than one time , but we'll get there. 
I couldn't find any pictures of me actually hitting the shuttlecock, but I was close every time, really!
I hope everyone has a great holiday season! Don't freak out in the long lines of last minute shopping, take some time to relax and actually enjoy yourself, and appreciate the time you get to spend with your loved ones. I miss you all! I'm going to end with this...
Merry Christmas everyone! from the bottom of my heart!
Besides school, I've been to the doctor a few times. I just got an MRI for my back a few days ago and I am waiting to have a spinal specialist go over the results. I have been very lucky to have some really caring parents in my classroom. One of the moms has done so much for me! She books me my appointments, drives me, translates, and then takes me out to eat! I am so thankful for her and all the care she has shown. She has even had the moms pitch in and they are paying for my MRI (or part of it, at least) as my Christmas gift!
I'm heading to Boracay, Philippines next Saturday for ten days of relaxation on the beach! It will be sad to be away from my family for the first time ever on Christmas, but I think the beautiful blue-green waters and white sand beaches will help console me!
Here are a few pictures of random things in the last month or so. I'm also gonna include some videos because my kids are just so dang cute! Some of the kids are really into it and some are off in space, which is pretty funny! Pay no attention to the horrible singing or guitar playing in the background! haha.
Merry Christmas everyone! from the bottom of my heart!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
randomness...
Sorry for the lack of blogs lately! The past month has gone by too quickly, leaving me little time to do much blogging. Anyway, here is my feeble attempt to catch people up on life through pictures. I know they are all completely random, but then again, I am known for being a random girl. =o) Enjoy!
The weather here has been beautiful! It just started getting cold this week, I might actually have to break out my winter coat soon! I have been taking my kids outside as much as possible to enjoy the nice weather. We went to a park to collect leaves, it was a beautiful day!

Our school also got the privilege to go see the "elephant show" at a park. I can't say I am the biggest fan of seeing elephants unchained for an hour or 2 each day so they can perform a "show" for people, but nonetheless, my kids loved it! From the picture, I am sure you can tell how entertaining it truly was.
In my eight months of being in Korea, I haven't had any run-ins with huge spiders, until recently. It is hard to tell from the picture because there is nothing to compare it to, but this spider was a little smaller than my hand! Yuck!!!
We got to ride the elephants after the show!
I have discovered a new level of shopping! Namdaemun Market is a huge outdoor and indoor market with thousands of vendors selling everything imaginable! Each stall is small and cramped and filled with people. I can only handle being in the market for so long before I freak out because of all the people. You take two steps without being pushed over by an "ajuma" (old korean woman) who is trying to get her shopping done. If you can handle the crowds, you can find some good deals on almost anything.
This is a paper vendor at the market. The "stall" was just a little hallway filled wall to wall with paper.
On to Halloween... Good times were had by all. My original costume idea of being half of a ying-yang, with Christine being the other half, didn't work out. We settled on "good and evil." Obviously, I was the good one! =o) I danced the night away and got home at 7am! Most Koreans do not celebrate Halloween, so after we left the bars for "foreigners" we got some pretty funny looks! You can imagine an angel and a can of pop saying hi to you at 7am would be rather amusing for an old Korean person! I think Morgan and I made the morning of many people!
Here we have Joe, aka "God's gift to women" and Morgan, aka "Milkis," a popular Korean drink here made of carbonated milk. It sounds disgusting but it is quite good. Evil Christine and Adam, aka "Borat" are in the background.
Have you ever walked down the street at 3 in the morning and gotten a craving for oysters? Yeah, me neither! I just happened to find an oyster truck parked on the street a few weeks ago. There are a lot of food trucks out on the street that sell food, but this is one of the first times I have seen a seafood truck. People stand outside the truck and eat the oysters. I'm not sure they are cooked either. I have also seen a crab truck selling crabs, but didn't get a chance to snap a picture.

Soap on a stick! If you read one of my earlier blogs about bathroom behavior, then I hope you will appreciate this picture. This is a picture of the soap that is in some bathrooms here. It always seems so unusual to me to wash my hands on a stick of soap!
I went hiking, with a few thousand people, a few weeks ago at Bukhansan, a mountain in Seoul. Hiking is a major hobby for a lot of people here. Since South Korea is 70% mountainous there are a lot of opportunities to hike. Every day, especially on the weekends, thousands of people escape to "nature" and do some hiking. It is a nice break to be "above" the city, because we are technically still in it. Here is just a small portion of Seoul that you could see.

We made it to the top of a peak! It was windy and cold (note the absence of guardrails anywhere!) Also take note of the hardcore "hikers" in the background!
I thought this was hilarious! The security camera at the top of the peak was made to look like a tree. The branches sticking out are fake! I definitely appreciate the efforts made to make everything blend in to look natural!
Ok, I guess that is a quick update! Sorry for the lack of quality or details, I just wanted to get a blog out there. Also, in the three days it took me to write this, we got our first snow! For about 2 hours we got huge, fluffy flakes and it was beautiful! Of course, nothing sticks, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
I'd also like to say that I've been reading some amazing books! I just got done reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Housseini, the author of The Kite Runner. Both books were amazing and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a good read! I will leave you with a quote from the book:
"One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, or the
thousand splendid suns that hide beneath her walls."

Ok, I guess that is a quick update! Sorry for the lack of quality or details, I just wanted to get a blog out there. Also, in the three days it took me to write this, we got our first snow! For about 2 hours we got huge, fluffy flakes and it was beautiful! Of course, nothing sticks, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
I'd also like to say that I've been reading some amazing books! I just got done reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Housseini, the author of The Kite Runner. Both books were amazing and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a good read! I will leave you with a quote from the book:
"One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, or the
thousand splendid suns that hide beneath her walls."
Thursday, October 25, 2007
go ahead and make yourself...
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