The long-awaited first entry (aka: ten month recap)

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So, as the new year approaches, I decided I'd make good of the second of my two weeks' annual vacation leave, and write my first blog entry. Plus, Barbara's been waiting so patiently.

Well, today I took a trip up to Seoul for my visa interview with the Indian embassy. I'm not quite sure why I spent nearly two hours travelling (each way), only to spend about four minutes telling an uninterested man what he'd already read on my application form. Anyway, my application was approved, and I should receive my passport and visa in about a week's time.

It's been a strange year. I've met some amazing people, but also been utterly baffled by some that are so bad at life, it's a wonder they can make it out of bed in the morning, let alone to another country. Korean school applications should begin with the question: 'Are you able to wipe your own arse, or will you require special assistance in doing so?'

Although I wasn't aware of it until I started actually enjoying my life here, the start of my Korean adventure was pretty boring and miserable. Sure, I had fun, went on weekend trips and the like with the very few awesome friends I had made (namely Grace and Laura), but I never really felt alive. I was just plodding along. Anyway, before leaving Korea, my friend My introduced me to some of her friends, and I now have a social life to speak of, and no longer spend my days questioning the sanity and integrity of those around me!

Of course, the major lowlight of the year was losing my wonderful Nan, but I was grateful to have had a few days with her before she passed. I'll never forget wheeling her outside for some (ahem) 'fresh air', and whispering in her ear that if the three wasps that we were watching came our way, she was on her own. It was the last time I heard her really laugh. I told her I wasn't joking, and two minutes later, I proved as much. Of course, getting the time off work for such an occasion was a drama in itself, but that's neither here nor there now. My lesson learned was never to expect compassion during times of need, lest you be disappointed.

There have been numerous highlights, mostly revolved around travel. I think diving with sharks in Busan Aquarium tops the list. It was an awesome experience, and I would totally recommend it. There was a moment when I thought I wouldn't be able to see it through, as I struggled with the scuba training, but I'd been looking forward to it for so long, I persevered and made it into the main tank. Once I was four metres deep, the panic of whether or not I would manage to breathe properly subsided, and I had a fantastic time. Even falling backwards in slow-motion whilst being watched by hundreds of aquarium-goers was amusing!

Another highlight was my summer vacation on Jeju Island, where I obtained my annual dose of sunburn within 24hrs of arrival. You'd think my brain would retain the memory of previous years' pain, but alas, I continue to frazzle my glow-in-the-dark skin to the colour and texture of a sun-dried tomato. In five days, I saw all four stunning corners of the island, and tasted the best samgyupsal ever!

Other highlights included a girls' weekend in Anmyeondo (fishing, barbeque, singing along to 'Moves Like Jagger' with Gracie in the car), Naver parties, the DMZ tour with Rachel (and taking sneaky photos that would've been deleted, had I been caught), seeing the look on Mariya's face as she arrived at her surprise birthday meal with the Kevster, my first ever Thanksgiving dinner, trying my hand at skiing (won't happen again, but snowboarding is still on the cards), various school events (hospital day, being a witch on Halloween, and brimming with pride at my babies' Christmas Show performances), and numerous nights out in Chungdae with the gang (the "Ain't nobody got time fo' that!" and "A$$, A$$, A$$..." nights stand out most prominently in my mind, right now).

Korea is an insanely entertaining, yet equally frustrating country. Some days, the struggle to elicit a straight answer from someone will have me in fits of giggles, yet on other days, it makes me want to throw someone out the window. Still, it's a cultural difference that one simply must adapt to. Similar to the obsession over appearance. Now, all countries have an ideal. Wherever you go, you see posters or magazine covers promoting the way society believes you should look. Well, in Korea, people will stright-up tell you, too. It's funny, something important regarding work will be danced around for days, yet a comment on one's weight or looks won't cause so much as a batted eyelid. The woman in 7Eleven repeatedly beat my arse for months, telling me in Korean that I need to lose weight, until I finally lost some, and she started complimenting me. A slight tan will be met with disapproval, since pure white skin is considered attractive here, and when I straighten my hair, I am told that I'm beautiful and unrecognisable. I guess this means I'll have to drag my ugly self out of bed earlier every morning in order to maintain my straight-haired beauty. I guess I could always make a note of the cosmetic surgery advertisements that are plastered everywhere, and just transform myself completely!

Another funny yet annoying thing about Korea is its taxi drivers. These guys - seriously! Never hail a taxi that's driving in the opposite direction to which you wish to go, unless you're happy to put up with the tirade of abuse that follows. Some days, such nonsense is easy to dismiss, on others, I feel like screaming: "See that round thing in front of you? It's called a steering wheel. It ain't there for decoration, pal - f*cking use it!"

I will never get used to being pushed around at the supermarket. Ever. Nor will I ever understand why people can't respect personal space at the checkout. Strangely enough, I don't really want to feel your warm, smelly breath on the back of my neck, thank you very much! Sometimes they get so close, I wonder whether to move or pull out a condom! This is why I buy in bulk and only shop once every few months. Just to clarify: I buy groceries in bulk, not condoms.

Yes, I'm a foreigner. Please stop staring at me. Especially when I stare back. It's awfully rude.

There are also many wonderful things to appreciate in Korea. The food is absolutely amazing! Despite my apparent intolerance of pork, I can't resist samgyeopsal (삼겹살). Sling a bit of garlic and white kimchi on the hot plate, order some kirum jang (sesame oil), and off you go! Munch! Mul naengmyeon (물 냉면) is a cold buckwheet noodle soup-type dish, and sooo refreshing during the hot summer months! It also goes well with samgyeopsal. For cold winter evenings, kamjatang (감자탕) is a spicy pig-spine soup. Favourite snack foods include kogi mandu (meat dumplings), gimbap (seaweed and rice wrap with various fillings, often sliced), and ddok bokki (long rice cake in a spicy sauce). If tentacled seafood dishes are your thing, you'll be in Heaven here. Unfortunately, it doesn't float my boat. Likewise, if you're a coffee-drinker, you won't have to go far to satisfy your thirst.

The people are generally lovely, and so willing to share their culture with us foreigners. My friend Gracie pretty much spends her life helping foreigners settle in Korea, no matter how annoying or rude they are! Korean people also embrace our learning of their language, although they do tend to find it quite amusing, too. I used to feel quite self-conscious about this, but now I pause in confusion if I'm not laughed at when I speak.

Korea is full of beautiful places, and although I've visited a number of them, I know there's far more to see. If I was more into walking for days on end, I'd hike Seoraksan. Unfortunately, I'm not, so I'll just marvel at others' pictures. I loved the traditional hanok village in Jeonju, and Jeju's Hyeupjae beach. Cheongju Fortress makes for a nice, local afternoon stroll.

If you like sweating like a whore in church during the summer, you'll love Korea. If you like being so cold that you lose feeling in your feet (despite wearing three pairs of socks and snow boots) during the winter, you'll love Korea. I've never been a lover of extremities. Spring and Autumn suit me fine.

So, I'm drawing to the end of my twelve month contract, and despite previously wanting to stay another year in Korea, I have decided to move on and seek a new adventure. Before this, however, I have an epic three-month trip planned, taking in Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Nepal, Germany, Poland, Belarus, and Latvia. I'll be meeting friends that live in most of these countries, and others who will fly out to meet me, or just happen to be crossing my path. I'm so excited, I'm almost willing away the next two months! Visa processes are underway, flights are already booked, rough itineraries drawn up....woop woop!

I probably won't post again for a while, cos it's taken me almost a year to type this, so HAPPY NEW YEAR! Bring on 2013!

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Photos

Oh yes, I got up-close and personal with these bad boys!
Ok, they're not actually bad boys; they're sand tiger sharks.

Clowns!
Jayden and Daniel

Girls just wanna have fun!
Sua, Sally, and Nakyung.

Comments

[Barbara Jurado]

First step
Could visualise you sitting in your room looking out of the window! surprised you had to travel so far to get a Visa, still, you got to see more places on route. May be a good idea to have a bum bag if they still make them that is. Can't wait for next step xxxx be careful xxxx