Korean Essentials

Jjimjilbang: a large, gender-segregated public bathhouse in Korea, furnished with hot tubs, showers, Finnish-style saunas, and massage tables.
Noraebang: small rooms, rented by the hour, which contain microphones, TVs, tambourines, lighting, alcohol, and songbooks. Think: karaoke (but in Korean) that is only with your friends/coworkers (not in front of an entire restaurant or bar)

War Memorial

I can't believe it's already my third day of vacation! It feels like it just started. I guess because Christmas was a holiday, it didn't feel like that should actually count against my "vacation" (ha!) and also because I was quite busy! Yesterday, I laid in bed all day and, while that was relaxing, it certainly wasn't a good use of my time!

Whirlwind Weekend

Well, as you saw from the previous entry, my mom is in town!!! She arrived on Wednesday night and it was fabulous! I was eagerly awaiting her arrival when the taxi driver called me. I figured he wouldn't know how to get to my building exactly since it is on a side street, but I looked out the window at the front of my building and there was a van and a little blonde standing next to it looking around! I flew down the stairs faster than I've gone in a long long time, and into my mommy's arms!

Yeouido

Today was the last day of Chuseok vacation. I'm sad that it's coming to a close... it has been fun! Today I slept in and did some laundry in the morning. The life of a grown up... excited to get laundry done. LOL - I met up with Tab around 3 at Yeouido station, and we headed to Yeouido park and the Han River. It was a beautiful day and there were tons of people taking advantage of the sunshine.

Seoul Tower, Etc...

Today was jam-packed. In the best way possible!!! I had a mild meltdown last night, and got some incredible encouragement from my mom and also from my Nana via email in the AM. I decided that while I know I'll have my ups and downs, I MUST make the most of this year. I am not a quitter, and I refuse to leave before my year is over. And if I'm going to stick this out, I might as well try to retain a positive attitude even when I am desolate...