Why?

This song has been in my head for like 3 weeks and I have no idea why!!! I don't even like the band except for I'm a Legend in my Spare Time cause it reminds me of my college radio days.

I think I have Monday sickness!

Jin told me today I was exausted because I had Monday sickness and seriously that about sums it up! I am amazed I actually kept my eyes open all day long! Today was a strange one to say the least. First a rant. I work with this girl named "you suck" and frankly I don't care if she reads this (which she probably doesn't but regardless I don't care). "you suck" is probably the most miserable person I have ever met in my life! She always has a nasty scowl on her face and she is rude to pretty much everyone. I don't talk to her which is no skin of my nose..but today she came in and greeted myself and Raegan with the most phony hellos I've ever heard. I'm not sure why she bothered because then she turned around and said nasty things about us afterwards. She gets her kids to call her mom and she says yo mama! far to often and she calls her kids babies (which I think is a little derogatory considering they are 5 years old but whatever).Seriously I am so excited for late Feb when we are going to have a HUGE teacher turnover with 6 contracts ending! Don't let the door smack you on the way out "you suck"..actually on second thought.

Today was also the last day for my favorite afternoon kid, David. David has been with me for over a year and he and I have been through hell and back to get him to the place he is at today. He makes me laugh and all the kids love him. Due to the schedule change in March with my classes it doesn't jive with his other hagwons so he had to drop. I'm really sad cause I'll miss him!!

Movies

Anyone who reads my blog regularly knows I LOVE movies! Books, films, anything that tells a story. I love a good story! I always try to watch all of the films that have been nominated for an Oscar and I just finished watching The Queen. It was fabulous! I remember that time in history as I was working at a news radio station and I remember the coverage and public scrutiny of the the Queen over her reaction to the death of Diana. I really hope Helen Mirren takes home the trophy this year because her acting in this film was brilliant! While I'm at it I'll give you my picks for this year..

Best Actor - I really think the prize this year should go to Ryan Gosling for Full Nelson. It wasn't a blockbuster however it was a gritty raw film that told a true story of a drug addicted high school teacher. His acting was superb and the film was really wonderful.

Best Actress - Helen Mirren for The Queen as I stated above.

Best Supporting Actress - I would give this one to Rinko Kikuchi for Babel. She played a deaf mute living in Japan who had watched her mother commit suicide. I thought her role in the film very touching and she is a great actress.

Best Supporting Actor- I would give this one to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine. The film was about a MESSED up family on a road trip to bring their daughter to compete in a pageant. I thought Toni Collette was FAB in this film too. Arkin played a drug addicted grandfather and I thought he was excellent!

Director - Babel
Documentary - Jesus Camp
Foreign Language Film - Pan's Labyrinth (THIS FILM WAS SO GREAT!)
Animated - Cars

Lastly....Best Picture - I would give this one to Babel hands down!

Don't you think the new Korean money is pretty? I do. If only they would start making bills larger than manwon!

This is what I have to say to the new blogger..

You can't avoid it ladies and gentlemen they make you switch over whether you like it or not!

My bday

Well my birthday started off with me being surrounded by my favorite people. We had a yummy Indian dinner and then hit Friend Bar. The original plan was to hit Hongdae but we didn't quite make it there. We stayed at Friend bar and I drank and had a good time. Things got a little weird at the end of the night and all I can say is this..I LOVE all my friends and if some of my friends should not love each other..I don't care. I love all of you and that's what matters to me.

Getting ready for my b-day party! If it is anything like my 30th it should be a hell of a good time!

It's been tooooooooo long

RL and I haven't hung out just us in soooo long tonight we decided to do just that. We hit a bar on the way home then hit a meat joint than another bar. The later turned into a shit show and may I just say...

I love the hip hop hip hip hop!

RL made a new friend ;)

More K commercials

So those who don't know finally know who Daniel Henney is..the hottest K man alive (in my opinion!)

Why must I work with FUCK UPS?

I hate it when people who don't know what the fuck they are doing ruin it for the rest of us that do. I have been doing telephone talk at home for TWO YEARS!! Now starting next month I have to do it at school because some idiot slept through their telephone talks and someone else fucked up royally! AHHHHHHHHH That pisses me off!

I did find out who my kindergartens are though for next year which is kind of a good thing although I can't say who my class will be because I guess I wasn't supposed to know so I have to keep it a secret until the other teachers are told what their situations are going to be. I am happy with my future students however they will come with a bit of a hassel....which I will talk about more when I'm allowed to because who the fuck knows what people from work read my blog and if they do (friends excluded) YOU SUCK!

I can't wait for my party Saturday night so I can be with people I love instead of being surrounded by people who waste air just being alive.

To take the lead from Jes

Jes posted one of the most annoying Korean TV commercials on her blog for Sunkist Lemonaid. That commercial isn't half as bad as this one!!! Seriously would someone take it off the air because I want to run around screaming everytime it comes on. It is for Pomegranate Juice and seriously could this guy look anymore like a girl????

Yeah! Jes called and serenaded me with a lovely birthday song. Now I officially feel like I had a birthday. Thanks Jes I love you!

What a nice day.....

Today started with a nice big birthday cake from Owen's grandmother and some thoughtful gifts from my students. Then after lunch we had our Korean Etiquette class to prepare the students for Solnal (The Lunar New Year which isn't even until mid Feb but whatever). We got to wear hanboks, which I love, so it was great.

Happy Birthday to ME!

You have 3 more hrs to get me a present before it's my birthday!

God Bless Canadian Television!

Anyone watched Little Mosque on the Prarie? HA!HA!HA! I love it!!!!!!

I so love Sunny right now

I got off the phone with Raymond and he said he was calling my phone a bunch of times and somebody answered it. So I called Sunny and asked her to call it and talk to the person. Turns out a lady picked up my phone in the cab after I was in it. That was super nice of her except she lives in BUTT FUCK NOWHERE and I have to travel like an hour or more on the train to get to Anyang where she lives! I don't know how this is going to work because the woman is Korean and I don't speak Korean very well..and I have no phone to call her when I get to the station and even if I did we can't communicate. Seriously this blows. So Sunny is calling her now and trying to figure something out for me.

later..

So now I'm off for Anyang..looking at my map it's not as far as I thought. IT IS still pretty freakin far though. I can take my subway line a bunch of stops and then transfer to the train and then a few stops to Anyang. I have to meet this girl at 510 infront of the Lotte Department store..this should be fun. I guess I should bring flowers for her for being so kind and getting my phone.

even later...

That TOTALLY SUCKED! It took me FOREVER to get to Anyang. Since it is so far I had to switch from subway to train and since it is Sunday, the trains don't run very frequently. I had to wait over 40 minutes for the train. When I finally arrived in Anyang the girl with my phone didn't show..I waited for almost an hour. I was calling Sunny in the interm over and over but she wasn't picking up. I was just about to say fuck it and leave when Sunny finally answered and then called the girl (who I guess came but never saw me). She was back with my phone in less than 3 minutes so she must live right by the station. She was super sweet and I was very grateful but it was most certainly a process. NOTE TO SELF Never leave your fucking cell anywhere again!

K Girl's and Canadian girl's Birthday Party...

My head is a little hurtin and I'm upset about my phone..but last night was a good time. I saw EVERYBODY (seriously you don't know how small the world is until you move to a town of like 19 million and run into people you know all the time!) and we ended up everywhere!

The evening started off with Raymond and I going to meet Sunny at the Hamilton Hotel. We met up with her and she said everyone else was going to join us when we got to the bar. So we started off at The Bungalow (which has moved incase you haven't been to the new one and you should!). We opted not to get a room and sit in the sand because it was too much of a hassel to take boots off. We got a nice roomey couch and some chairs and Sunny decided to start the evening off with us doing lemon drops. She gave me a fabulous birthday present (she got us matching purses in different colours!). Then we moved onto martinis and then a real mix of everything else! Everyone came and Lena was sweet enough to get a cake for Sunny, Linda, and I. We stayed for a few hours and had some fun.

We packed our party up and headed to B1 which was tooo packed for us all to get a seat so the girls decided to go to Geckos (I didn't want to go there at all but Sunny wanted to so I agreed). I did run into Max at B1 though and then at Geckos (seriously admit you're stalking me already!). Speaking of running into people I turned around at Geckos and I saw Stewart and we said hello and he wished me a happy new year as he was leaving. However...in the trail of boys walking out with him I saw Marilyn! Whom I met a year ago this weekend at my last birthday party. I don't think he saw me though which is good cause I think I poured beer on him the last time I saw him at James' going away party which was the most unfit form (mentally) I have ever been in so I blame other things not myself. Anywho the K girls decided Hongdae but Raymond wasn't into it nor Linda so the three of us did a round of shots in Geckos and drank a bit more. Max and his girlfriend came and sat with us and we chatted they're very nice people.



Then Jes and Joel started calling so after we closed Geckos (again!) Raymond and I headed up to Queen where it was happening! We pushed our way through the crowd and found Joel and Jes later came but soon left cause it was soo crowded (loved seeing you though!). I headed home at about 4ish cause I was so tired and left Raymond and Joel partying it up!

Did I mention how bumed I am about my phone?? I have NOBODY'S phone number so you have to call me at home. Damn I loved that phone!

I am soooooo mad at myself. I left my brand new cell phone in a taxi!!! GRRRRRRRR! That is so unlike me! I am so pissed off! So if anyone tries to reach me um..maybe some random Korean will answer ahhhh! This is going to cost me so much money!!!

What a day..

Got up (with difficulty) and met Heidi in Kangnam. The plan was to go for tanning but we ended up tanning and getting massages and facials. It was so relaxing and I am so sleepy but I have to get my butt moving and get ready to meet the K girls in Itaewon at 9 for some b-day festivities!

My drunken friends

Tonight I had originally planned on a low key night however later in the afternoon Raymond and Raegan and I decided we should have a cocktail hour after work. This turned into Raymond and I stopping at the liqour store on our walk home and getting a bottle of rum. We polished it off and dipped into my 151. Suprisingly after all I drank I feel pretty sober but Raymond was in a different mental state when I put him in the elevator a few minutes ago to go up to the 4th floor. Raegan staggered home awhile ago to pass out. Now it's 3am and I've got to get my butt to bed because I'm meeting Heidi in Kangnam for lunch and tanning tomorrow at 12:30pm. Then maybe a nap I hope before I meet up with Sunny and Linda for our b-day party tomorrow night. Enjoy my drunk friends :)

It's here!

Yeah it's Friday! I just have to get through this work day and then two days of no work which sounds great to me! No terribly LARGE plans this weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to meet up with Heidi for lunch and some sun tanning in Kangnam and then in the evening I'm meeting up with my K Girls for some birthday festivities. Linda, Sunny, and I all have birthdays in the next 4 days so we're going to go out and celebrate together. That's about all on the menu should be fun though.

Do yourself a favor and watch Babel...it's the best film I've seen in a LONGGG time. It's really wonderful and heartbreakingly beautiful. I hope this one takes home an Oscar.

Is it Friday yet??? I'm soo ready!

My day

We had a laid back kinda day in H class. So we just took lots of pictures.

I don't think Raymond nor I could look anymore wasted then we do is this photo! RL certainly knows how to capture the moment I'll tell ya.

My new best friend

I was fence sitting about joining the gym, the main reason being there are people from work I don't care to see after my day is finished. I found this great little fitness shop walking home one night and noticed this little gem in the window. I finally bought it the other day and plan for the two of us to get very close in the evenings. I'm off to play with it right now! Hopefully I can make it for atleast an hr.

Sorry for not calling anyone back home this weekend but I never woke up on time in the morning to do so. I PROMISE phone calls next weekend! Also can someone tell my brother to get off his ass and call me already!?

A few more pics from last night...

OHHHH...Okay so I don't have a cousin. Well I have many cousins but Marcella isn't my cousin she is my sister's cousin. Makes way more sense now that I'm sober. Thanks for clearing that up Meaghan :)

Strange night at the bar...

Today Joel and I had planned on going to a wedding. I was already to go and he called and asked if I'd rather blow it off and go have lunch instead. Heck yes I did! So we went for lunch and then went back to chill at his place for awhile. Jes came and met up with us for drinks which turned into many which turned into us not meeting peeps at 8 for dinner which turned into us closing Geckos and then us going to homo hill. It was great fun...the strange part of my evening was..


I was at Geckos fairly drunk out of my head when this girl came and sat beside me and asked if I knew some certain people which happen to be in my birth family (I was adopted). I looked at her and said how do you know these people or something to that effect and she said um we're cousins! So after a long chat it turns out she knows a half sister of mine that I know about and have never met and knows all about me. She was cool shit and hopefully we can hook up and have a sober chat. Anyway that's the story of me meeting my long lost cousin (Marsella?) in Korea and our chat ended with her knocking an entire rum and coke into my lap cause she was more drunk than I was :)

Busy day

Joel woke me up at 11am with a phone call this morning and suprisingly I feel pretty good. So I'm up and puttering and I have to meet him at 3 in Itaewon to go to this wedding. Then he and I are going for a few drinks and then I'm meeting peeps at 8 for dinner (I'm looking forward to the yummy Chinese we are going to eat) then I promised Jes I'd booze it with her since none of our other ladies are drinking for various reasons. Today is busy but will be a heck of a good time I reckon!

It's 430am on Saturday morning. Raymond and I have been drinking alllll night. Raegan and her man came over until she drank too much Jack and coke and then they had to leave. I have to someone how get up and beautify to attend a wedding with Joel tomorrow. I must take Tylenol now!

I love shoes

Today after work Rachel Lynn and I took a cab to Itaewon. My plan was to stop at the this incredible shoe store where they sell brand name shoes for like super cheap! I'm not sure where they get them from but I'm just glad they do..and they aren't fakes. RL is having some problems with her feet so the cab dropped me off infront of the shoe store and RL kept going to Paris Baguette where she warmed up with a hot chocolate while I shopped. In the 20 minutes or so we were apart I managed to buy 3 pairs of shoes and 2 pairs of flip flops (for 60 bucks! seriously I got the cutest DKNY runners for 20 bucks!) and a shirt. I am the best shopper ever!

We then went to USMANIA which is a restaurant we have passed sooo many times but never entered. We were joined by the lovely Heidi shortly afterwards. RL and I had tasty dishes however Heidi's garlic chicken was bland and I felt bad enjoying my food so much while she disliked hers..After I got home I had a text from Raymond and we decided to go for beers AGAIN. Only one pitcher this time and home at a decent hr! Now I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is Friday yeah for the weekend! I'm attending a wedding as Joel's date this Saturday afternoon which should be interesting then meeting everyone for dinner and then drinking somewhere...I hate when I make plans with too many people on one day. I suck at doing that!

My new niece is righteous!

Just a quick reminder to everyone my birthday is in 14 days so that gives you enough time to shop and send me something airmail. I'd especially appreciate a jar of all spice and a bottle of Frank's Red Hot :)

um......

I am officially an Aunt

Congrats to Terry and Sam who gave birth to their first child, baby Cosette Noelle on Sunday. If she looks anything like I did I am guessing she is a complete bundle of awesomeness!! SEND ME PICTURES ALREADY!!!!

I love the new guy!

So tonight the new teacher at our school, Raymond, came over to take the extra chair I had because his apartment was left with nothing. I went up to his place and showed him how to use his washing machine..then he offered me a beer..and then another...and then we decided to go out for beer. We ended up closing the bubble castle and now I'm drunk on a school night..SHAME on me! He is super awesome though!!!

You know...tapioca pudding and the thought of it, makes me want to vomit.

wtf?

Angelena Jolie in a Walmart as the Virgin Mary

Please discuss...

This year I will get more done!

As I think back to last year I realize I just did not do enough! I had set many goals for myself and didn't accomplish half of them. I guess that happens to everyone. You set resolutions for yourself but soon realize that life is too busy or you have too many other things going on. Last year I..

1. Went home to Canada
2. Jumped off of a mountain
3. Went to Jeju-do
4. Went to North Korea
5. Went to Egypt
6. Had a REALLY good time with my friends
7. Bettered myself as a teacher

Not bad but not enough! This year I hope to

1. Shed some extra baggage (both physically and emotionally)
2. Get into a healthy relationship (this certainly is not a neccessity)
3. Climb the Great Wall of China
4. Get myself to Hong Kong
5. Go home to Canada again and hug my family more than last year
6. Learn to not take things so personally
7. Get back to Egypt at Christmas
8. Drink Less but enjoy life more
9. Learn to except change at work more readily
10. Be nicer to people even if they don't deserve it!

For today though..I just want to re-organize my closet :)

My final thoughts on Egypt..

Egypt is the place to go if you aren't the kind of person that is always in a rush. If you have patience and can handle taking your time then I recommend Egypt to you. I don't however recommend driving unless you have a death wish or want to drive yourself completely insane. Cairo is a wonderful city full of personality and character. It doesn't have looming skyscrapers like Seoul, or any other large metropolitan area that I've been to, but it is a huge city. It isn't any surprise to be driving down the street and see a traffic jam and a cart pulled by a donkey trying to weave its way in and out. The poverty is depressing in Cairo and everyone is looking to make a dime. If you are in a taxi or car roll up your windows or people will be sticking their hands in trying to sell something or beg for money. The city is old and it is showing its age in some places. There are lovely areas, Zamalek, being my favorite.

The Nile is lovely and divides the city in half, much like Seoul. I couldn't get over the similarities while I was there. There are an abundance of excellent restaurants and the food is INCREDIBLE. I don't think I've ever eaten so well! It is possible to make your way around without knowing any Arabic, however, don't expect any cab drivers to speak English. None of the cabs I was in had a driver that spoke ANY English. I'm not sure how the fare is set as there are no meters in the cabs. This is changing as there are now new yellow cabs that are nice and clean with meters. The traditional black and white cabs don't. My friend always just paid them but as a foreigner I would have had to pay more probably. They might be falling apart or very unreliable but it's all part of the fun :) I do recommend though if you can tour Egypt with someone who speaks Arabic or is Egyptian DO IT!

The shopping is GREAT and if you can swing a good bargin, even better. Egypt is renowned for their silver and I picked up some GREAT pieces. My favorite things about being in Egypt was the call to prayer at the mosques. It is called the Adhan and is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. When I landed in Dubai it stared the second I got of the airplane (yes I cried again...). Its English translation is this...

Allahu Akbar
Allah is Great
(said four times)

Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah
I bear witness that there is no god except the One God (Allah).
(said two times)

Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
(said two times)

Hayya 'ala-s-Salah
Hurry to the prayer (Rise up for prayer)
(said two times)

Hayya 'ala-l-Falah
Hurry to success (Rise up for Salvation)
(said two times)

Allahu Akbar
Allah is Great
[said two times]

La ilaha illa Allah
There is no god except the One God (Allah)

For the pre-dawn (fajr) prayer, the following phrase is inserted after the fifth part above, towards the end:

As-salatu Khayrun Minan-nawm
Prayer is better than sleep
(said two times)

This is what the Adhan Sounds Like. This recording is from Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

I woke up to the call to prayer every morning. I think that is one of the things I'll miss the most. When I visited Mosque and School of Sultan Hassan in Old Cairo, the Muadhan (person who calls those to prayer), sang it just for me. I lost my mind. He starting laughing cause I was crying so hard. Really hearing it echo so beautifully inside the mosque and having him just sing it for me was amazing. I also enjoyed Khan el Khalili market. You can find anything your heart desires. Just remember to start barganing at half the price they offer you and only buy silver that is weighed and priced by weight. Just a tip from me to you :) I could sing Cairo's praises all day but I'll just say it was wonderful and I can't wait to go back next year! Here are some of my favorite pics from the trip..

I am so tired after posting all my photos from Egypt on Flickr that I can't be bothered to do it on my blog. However should you be interested in seeing more you can look HERE .

I will post some