Discovery of the week: Sunshine

Discovery of the week : Sunshine

As a pale/almost clear British person the recent addition of the sun to my life has been unexpected and wonderful.

I have always been a summer person. The outdoors, summer dresses and drinks in the sunshine have always made me happy, even if they were 2 days a year events in Britian.

Here in Daegu the city is known for its hot summers. Everyone warned me before I moved hear about how hot it would be and the relentless sunshine. I thought they were mad. OF COURSE I want to live there.

So far we have had 29’ days for a week and its moving close to 30’ this weekend. I couldn’t be happier. The city is built for summer. Buildings are placed ideally to capture a breeze and air cons are standard in every house. I fear winter more than summer if I’m honest.

Soon a outdoor summer pool will be opening where you can drink and be merry all the live long day and I cannot wait. Apart from not being able to buy bikinis here (as Koreans don’t show skin like that?!?) I am completely set and ready to go.I have my factor 50 sun screen already to hand.

I can easily get use to this style of living. Lets just hope I don’t become too accustomed or I’ll never go home to rainy Britain again. ^ㅁ^

Sports Day

After an eventful and lovely teacher’s day yesterday I turned up to school to see it covered in banners and gazeboes as today is Sports Day.

Sports day in my junior school was always one of my favorite days of the year. I loved wearing the home colors, running as fast as my little legs would carry me and cheering till I couldn’t speak.

In Korea its not much different. The 3rd years dress in fantastic costumes and they have as many silly events as we do (thankfully the ‘egg and spoon’ race hasn’t reached Korea)

We have just all come in from a busy morning and I have been warned that this afternoon I will be expected to compete in the ‘hula hoop, skipping race’. I only dread to think what they will have me doing!

These are the kinds of days I love here. Its relaxed and everyone is smiling. The kids are just kids and I love seeing them away from the classroom and in their own element. I got to see a group of them perform the Korean traditional drums and they were amazing. Just as good if not better as some of the groups I’ve seen in organized events while I’ve been here.  

I have taken so many photos! I am going to wade through and get them up here as soon as possible.

I love this school !

Teachers Day

Every day here in Korea I am faced with an alien concept. Its started to become one of the favorite parts of my day. With each week, month and season I am presented with new and bizarre ways for this place to surprise me.

Today’s anomaly was teacher’s day.

Here in Korea the month of May is known as the family month. You have children’s day that gives parents the day off to spend with their children (a fantastic idea as it seems most kids got Lego and any excuse to play with Lego should be made a national holiday), Parents day which is instead of ‘Mother’ and ‘Fathers’ day like we have in the UK and of course today which is teachers day.

On arriving at school I was promptly informed that all classes were cancelled!

Yahoo

Then we were rushed to the Auditorium where all the Students sung for us, clapped us and presented up with a hand made carnation. This is the ‘Thank You’ flower here in Korea. It is traditionally red but has evolved to also be pink. I was presented with a lovely pink one which was extra special since it is my Mum’s favorite flower and has always been mocked by my siblings as the 80’s flower.

I loved it. The kids were happy and the teachers felt appreciated.

I’m writing this mid way through the day but the rest of the day is meant to be badminton for the female students and teachers and football for the men and boys.

Then a giant school match of kick ball. I have been informed I am to compete in the kickball but since I’ve never seen the game beyond the Disney cartoon ‘Recess’ let alone played it I don’t hold out high hopes.

Currently the Students are writing letters to their teachers. I am not expecting any since a smart child would write a letter to their home room teacher who controls lunch, home time and the candy but we will see.

My memory of being a middle schooler (or comprehensive for the British among you!)  was that we hated teachers. They were all weird old and smelled of coffee so it’s quite ironic that we are forcing this cheeky lot to celebrate us. I am proud to say that I am one of those angry, bedraggled, coffee smelling teachers now and it’s a challenge every single day but fast becoming a real joy.

These kids are the devils but ….they are my devils.

P.s CAKE AND MILK has just arrived to celebrate and I’ve been informed our usual 600 calorie lunch (they are very calorie aware here) is 918 today! What delights await us?!

I was also given this lovely white board from the teachers in the afternoon to say thank you for my hard work :D

Discovery of the week: Annoying Cab Drivers.

Discovery of the week will almost always be a good thing but for some reason this one is getting under my skin. I should change the name of this post to day time annoying cab drivers as it only occurs when I am not desperate for a taxi.

These drivers see you, see that you are a westerner and decide you are either a) too lazy to possibly walk b) too lost to possibly know where are c) an easy target.

They will see you from a mile away and beep until they pull up next to you (even in a busy road) and just roll next to you expecting you to get in.

If this happened at night after some/many drinks I’d love it as those people are the ones who want to get home. When I’m at a crossing waiting for the green man and in no way looking for a taxi, it can be annoying.

I understand I’m ‘getting my moan on’ but you have to put it into perspective that this happens about 29 times on my 25 minute walk to school.

I am going to start throwing things at these people soon. NO I DON’T WANT A LIFT!

27 today

Today I turn 27. That sentence seems so alien to me.

I don’t feel 27, I certainly don’t act 27 and I really hope I don’t look 27. When I was younger 27 year olds looked like Mums. When I think of 27 I imagine an adult and I sure as hell am not one of those.

As a child of the 90’s my ‘27 year old’ references were characters from shows such as ‘Friends’ or ‘Sex in the City’. These days I suppose it would be shows like ‘New Girl’. None of these characters that I watch feel my age.

I suppose the way to see if I have achieved these characters age is to look at their traits:

1. They are mostly irresponsible

2. They don’t get youthful references that young people throw at them.

3. They drink a lot of coffee.

4. The dance like fools.

5. They spend more time with friends than family

Hmmm after looking at this list I might have to conclude that actually I have reached their ages as this list is basically my daily schedule.

This also makes me not feel so bad about being 27. Characters like Rachel from Friends, Jess from New Girl and many others were all people I hoped to be one day. I may not have their hair or their clothes but I have their age. I suppose that’s a step in the right direction.

 

When I look at 27 a bit more closely I have to give in that it’s not that bad. I have a tinge of youth still slightly lingering and all the benefits of experience but still the energy to enjoy things.

Hey, maybe this 27 lack isn’t all that bad.  

26

As I near the end of what has been a whirlwind of a year it is easy to forget how much has happened in a such a short time.

I think this year has been one of the biggest upheavals I’ve ever faced and yet it has felt smooth.

This time last year I was living in North London. I spent my evenings in an office animating my heart out and praying that my contract would be extended. I spent my weekend absorbed in pretty vintage clothes shops and lazing around in parks but I still pined for travel.

Moving to live in Korea was obviously one of the biggest choices I made in the year but so much amazing stuff has happened.

I thought I would spend a little time recapping some of my favorite moments of my 26^th year on this lovely planet:

 

. Moving to Korea

. Visiting Rome

. Visiting Scotland

. Drinks at the London Piano bar

. Drinks on the Thames

. Burlesque classes

. Kpop classes

. Making new friends from all over the world

. Snow Day

. Picnic’s in Regents Park

. Seeing the Queens jubilee

. V&A costume exhibition

. Grease Future Cinema with my girls

. Celebrating Steph’s engagement

. Leaving party with the Bridgend boys

. Random night in London with Bowditch

. House party in Kentish town

. Learning to bake a chocolate cake

. Learning to bake fudge

. Seeing the Crazy Horse

. St Patricks day for the Grand Slam

. Christmas at home.

. Driving to Wales with a very full car

. Can I list Rome again?

. Turning up to a run down ruin of a hotel in Greece

. Buying my camera

. Drinking Prosecco alone in heels at Heathrow airport.

. Boxing classes with my Norwegian power house of a friend Randi

. balling my eyes out at the Casablanca future cinema

. Dinner with Jacky before leaving Wales

. Sunday dinners and hugs with my Grampy Jack

. Cupcakes with my sister

. Dancing all night with many crazy Italians and home made prosecco

. Dying hair blonde for 3 days

. A very special and important phone call I had from my brother

. Watching ‘It’s a wonderful life’ in the cinema.

. Drinks in the Savoy

. Learning to wear skyscraper heels

. Embracing red lipstick

.Getting massive glasses

. Being a published writer.

. Interviewing a Dreamworks director.

.Seeing Danny Devito

.Finally feeling happy in my own skin.

Favorite film: It’s a Wonderful Life

Favorite song: either ‘Call me maybe’ or ‘Gangnam Style’ (just because you can’t not smile when they are on)

Favorite drink: Prosecco or homemade eggnog

Favorite food: Crumbly fudge or Stuffed crust salami and cheese London local pizza

Saddest moment: walking away from Jess in the tube station or realizing I’ll miss Christmas this year...also my camera broke so I have a lack of pictures for the year.

Happiest moment: too many to count but dancing in that Roman bar with my favorite person to Nat King Cole ‘quesas quesas quesas’ is up there.

Main thing I’ve learnt: It’s okay to be me.

26 was a great year and I learnt a lot.

Namly that I am a stress head, travelling isn't hard once you commit and also that squid goes well with wine.I can't wait to see what 27 has to offer.