Independent or lonely?? sometimes a fine line between the two...

I have been in Korea for over a month now, I've endured some difficult times and have grown so much in just this short time period. It's always fun to look back on what has happened and laugh at yourself for how silly you reacted during a situation. For example, I about died when my computer broke during my first week in Korea. I thought the world had dropped out from underneath me and I was falling into a black hole. Once I got my computer back and became one with the world I started watching the news and it made me sad and angry at myself. I am so thankful for what I have in my life right now. I have loving friends, family and support even if it's across the world. I have new friends in Korea, I have a job, I have food on my table everyday, I am healthy, and educated. The list could go on and on, which is why I get so mad at myself because crying even one tear over my computer is so stupid when you compare it to the problems of the world.

So much fighting and anger in the world. It's so frustrating to watch the news because it's all BAD news, and the even remotely good news is always glossed over in a 20 second clip. It is weird watching American news in a foreign country. I feel as though I live in a time warp here, because I feel so detached from America, but the news still gets under my skin.

I've always considered myself an independent person, I'm an only child and once I found a bit of self confidence during college I knew that I could do just about anything on my own. Hence packing my life up and moving to Korea. However, I've found that independence can easily turn into loneliness if not carefully monitored. I spend many of my nights during the work week coming home around 6ish with my entire night left for whatever my heart desires. Well shoot, I have so much time I can just fill it with all sorts of wonderful things to 'better' myself..work out, cook dinner, watch the news, watch TV on my computer, learn another language, read a book, write blog posts, meditate, do laundry, clean...the list could go on and on. Now don't get me wrong, it's absolutely lovely having so much time when I come home from work to do anything. However, I end up getting so consumed with doing all these things to 'better' or essentially 'find' myself that I end up right back where I started...a crazy psycho who over analyzes everything and needs about 45 to-do lists a day and needs to plan out every minute of my night. Well shit where's the fun in that? So my new thing is not worrying about if I accomplish every task everyday every night. It's OK that I didn't get my 30 minutes of reading in tonight, I am no less off than if I had. I need to stop putting so much pressure on myself, because I'm just clogging up my mind with meaningless crap if all I care about is making sure I can fit in all these things in one night. I'm not allowing myself to enjoy them or live in the moment and figure it out organically if that makes any sense at all. Basically it comes down to me having all this new found “free time” even with a job that I feel guilty for not filling it up with other stuff. The Western way of life has really taken over my psyche because I feel I have to constantly be doing something or that means I'm lazy or something on those lines. I guess I still have time to figure it out all out...whether that's the meaning of life or simply how to relax and enjoy free time..I don't know yet, but I'm excited to figure it out.

Korean Baseball and New Friends

One of the pieces of advice I received when coming to Korea was 'I ABSOLUTELY HAD to go to a baseball game in Seoul'.  They are apparently a site to see, and a wild, fun time.  Therefore, I kept my eyes and ears alert for any mention of a baseball game and if anyone was going.  Luckily, one day at work a co-worker of mine sent me an invitiation for a baseball game via Facebook.  She wasn't going, but a bunch of her friends were and so she sent me the link.  So I messaged the event creater on Facebook and introduced myself and asked if there were more tickets available.  It's not easy to throw yourself out there and try new things, especially if you don't know anyone.  I wasn't going to let that stop me though, because I wanted to go watch baseball!  I received word that tickets were still left and so I got '1 ticket' and was ready to go.  My co-worker Mia told me her friend Charlotte was going to the game and she was so nice and messaged her for me and asked if I could go with her so I could find the stadium and everything as it was a ways into Seoul.  Charlotte was so great and said of course I could go with her, and she was actually leaving a bit early to meet up with a few of her friends for lunch beforehand.  Awesome, I'm finally going to a baseball game and am going to meet tons of new people! At the game there were about 15 other foreigners from the area of Korea I live in, Bundang.  It was so cool to meet them, because some of them had been friends with a guy named Stephen Sessions who is Jenna Sessions brother and Jenna is a girl I used to work with at Moss Adams.  Wow...yeah follow that one, but basically it's a small world of foreigners out here and it felt good to meet people that new Stephen and he had actually messaged them to tell them I was coming to Korea.  They were all so welcoming and fun, it made me feel really comforted and excited also for the rest of my time in Korea. 



Me and Charlotte. She is from the Carolinas back home and has the best southern accent.



It's hard to see, but there are cheerleaders up on the box part.  Yes...they have cheerleaders for baseball in Korea!  They dance to KPOP songs and everything during the breaks.

They have jumbo screens and all...even in Korea.

These teenage girls were so funny.  They were all dressed in their school uniforms and had cell phones and were taking tons of pictures of themselves (Koreans are very vain and take pictures of themselves all the time and everywhere)



More new friends :)



It wouldn't be a Korean event without a bottle of Soju (green bottle with its own seat behind me).

I love baseball!

Hike during the day and party at night!

Yay! Corey would be proud of me, out hiking and being one with nature...or something like that :) Anyway, a co-worker of mine and two of her friends went on this awesome hike in Bundang. It was only about 8 subway stops from where we lived. The weather was absolutely amazing and it was just a perfect Saturday morning activity....before a long night of birthday celebrations. (more on that later)

The hike did not take long to get to the top. There were some gnarly stairs involved, but well worth it, because at the top was an amazing view of the entire city of Seoul. It was so surreal to see just how large Seoul really is. Seoul is one of the largest cities in the world. FYI – Geography lesson...I live in a city called Bundang which is south of Seoul. Anyway, such a great view, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

At the top!

On our way to the mountain. Such a beautiful day! (Sorry the pictures didn't load in order)

My hiking pals - Courtney, Tammy, and Taylor!

Around the backside of the mountain there was a large cemetary.  Kind of spooky.

Really cool trails and along the way there were tons of nice benches and seating areas to take a rest.

SEOUL!!

Beautiful :)

Me and Courtney taking a breather.  This was around the time the creepy Korean man stopped to talk to all of us.  Not ok!

It's so crazy to think this is all in Seoul.  Such a big city. 

One thing I've noticed about Koreans is how active they are. I always see them out walking along the river at night, or working out at the random workout stations on trails and such. There were a ton of people out on the trail while we were hiking. More people to stare at us is what it really was. Foreigners are like celebrities here. We get stared at all the time and Koreans love to say 'Hi' to us in really excited voices, especially the children. We were waived at, stared at, smiled at, followed by a creepy Korean, and much much more during the hike. Very uncomfortable to say the least, but I'm sure I'll be expecting that sort of attention when I return home to the states....just kidding :)

After some R&R after the hike it was time to get ready to head out to Itaewon for the evening. Itaewon is the foreigner district of Seoul and is one of the major shopping and entertainment districts. It is heavily populated with foreigners as a military base is located there. 

This was actually a night out in Hongdae the college district.  All the people in this park we stopped at had large headphones on.  They were having a 'Silent Disco Party'.  Not really sure what that is, but sounds awesome.

Korean gangsta rappers in the middle just bustin' a rhyme in the park.

People, cars, stuff EVERYWHERE..all the time.

We went to see a band called the Rock Tigers.  They are a rockabilly style band from Japan. 

She's pretty badass...the lead singer of the Rock Tigers.  Japanese punkster.

Me and Courtney!

Courtney, Tammy, and myself.  Celebrating Courtney's birthday in Itaewon.  We went to a great place called Craftworks that serves actual delicious draft beer.  Side note - beer in Korea is terrible so it's a blessing to find good draft beer.

Courtney, Taylor, and myself.

The 2 newbies...me and Taylor!

People, cars, stuff EVERYWHERE....again.  There's a bar in the background called 'Goldfish'..haha

Field Trip Day!! (I haven't had one of these in ages :) )

Friday we went on a field trip with our kids to the Suwon History Musuem.  I'm just going to post pictures for this one, because the kids are just so darn cute!

2 out of my 3 girls.  Irene and Annabell :) Amy was absent today.

2 of my boys! Kyle and Daniel.  So stinking cute!

So serious...this is Jade!

Daniel always has a confused look on his face, but he's always happy and excited!

Me and Jade :)

These are girls from the other class on the bus.

Peace man!

This is Hue. He's from a different class.  Still super cute.

The wheels on the bus go round and round.

Waiting to start the tour of the museum.

Ooohhh...Ahhhhh. Look at this teacher.

There was a lot of old calligraphy and scripts.  Very cool.

There was an old town set up with a pretend market and fake people, etc.

This is Irene's serious face.

Kyle, Jade, Irene, Daniel and Annabell (she's my little model poser girl :) )

Peek-a-boo!

Lunch time. All the kid's mom's packed them tons of food for lunch...more for teacher to eat.

So cute :)

Be a tiger! Rarrr

Sweet little Annabell.

This is the traditional wine bottle from Suwon.  I wish my wine came in that size bottle.

Big hand. Little hand.