Saturday Stream of Consciousness

It’s a rainy Saturday here in Ulsan, so I decided to spend some time at a cafe and do a little writing. The following is what I penned in my notebook:

It is grey and raining in this cafe where the tables look like Morocco: blue, patterned. I am drinking my iced latte, my favorite simple pleasure. And I want to cry like the rain. Croissants. Scones. Chitter chatter. I’m never alone, even though I feel like I am sometimes.

The barista is bringing out more pastries for display and the music isn’t my favorite,  but it’s pleasant. Cars are driving by on the tiny street and I see my apartment from my seat. Why do I love coffee so much? I used to hate it. This place is filled with bamboo and other big, leafy, green plants. The sign on the door says “coffee is always a good idea” and I agree. And I’m looking at the seafood restaurant across the street, but it’s probably too expensive. But the pictures of the lobster look so good.

The rain is rolling down the windows and drip dropping on the outdoor benches. I’m waiting for a package. I wonder when it will come. I wanted to go for a walk today, but the rain.

MUST. ESPRESSO. BLEND. CODE BLACK. That’s what it says on the card on the saucer that my coffee came on. And I think about how many cafes I’ve been to and how much coffee I’ve had with friends, boyfriends. I love it.

Dark chocolate. Cacao. Cashew nut. Mandarin. Good body. (The other side of the card.)

Balance. Am I balanced? The Lexapro makes me feel like I am. Until I feel overwhelmed. Anxiety. Boom. Fuck. I can’t breathe. I can’t make everyone happy, but I can make me happy. This coffee helps. I’m going to Taipei. That helps. Food and art. Food and art. Probably my most favorite things in the whole wide world. I’m going to eat xiao long bao and bubble tea and beef noodle soup and Taiwanese breakfast. Give me culture. Give me experience. I’m not going to just pay bills and die. I’m going to live. I’m going to do everything I want and more!

Colombia “Narino” Supreme. Guatemala “Fraijanes Palo Alto Azul.” Indonesia “Aceh Gayo.” (More from the card.)

I keep looking at it. I didn’t bring an umbrella. And I’m wearing sandals. I don’t really care. I think the rain’s getting heavier. 종가2길. My Korean should be better after all this time. But it’s not. Is not giving a fuck an art? If not, can it be? A family just walked in. The little boy is in awe over the pastries. Mom is wearing neon green and black striped socks. The boy’s wet shoes are squeaking across the floor. Dad looks tired. I look tired. It’s fine.

Origin. Origin. Origin. Origin.

The croissants are looking mighty good. The espresso machine is beautiful. MUST. Custom? Italian? I’ll have one someday.

Purple poncho. This guy is outside leaning on his motorbike, drenched. Driving away. I don’t miss driving. 가위 바위 보. Rock, paper, scissors. An older couple across the street is playing, smiling. They look happy. I like that. 

Pensive. I like that word. I like a lot of words. History. Defined.

Is this Oasis? Shazam. Yes, it is. “Married with Children.”

Eclectic. Marble. Wood. Brown. Black. Cream. The light is soft.

Do other people scream internally? Because I feel like I do that a lot. Sometimes I look at people and wonder how they’ve made it this far. And they do some stupid fucking shit which makes me open my big, fat Jersey mouth. Whatever. I didn’t used to do that. I think living here has made me more fearless. That sounds cliche. Wow. But seriously. I can’t stay quiet anymore. Is it growing up? I don’t know.

I love myself.

My Kindergarten Job in Korea

When I taught in Korea in 2015, I worked with elementary and middle school students. I figured out almost immediately that middle school was not an age range I enjoyed. So, when I decided to come back last year, I accepted a job teaching kindergarten and elementary.

I work at a private academy (or hagwon), which is different from government-run schools. My working hours are from 9 AM to 6 PM, with 10 days of paid vacation (determined by the school), national holidays off (there are quite a few), health insurance, and a rent-free apartment near school. I am currently the head foreign teacher and make 2,300,000 won/month before taxes. 2,100,000/month is an average starting salary.

My kindergarten classes are between 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM. After that, I teach elementary classes. At my school, I have one homeroom class that I spend the majority of my time with. They are seven years old. I teach them language arts, writing, and project where we do research on a specific topic for two week periods. Additionally, I teach art to my homeroom class as well as the four other kindergarten classes during the week. It completely worked out by accident that I ended up being the art teacher, but I’m really happy about it. It almost feels like I’m using my college degree.

Kindergarteners also get snacks and lunch provided by the school (teachers get lunch, too). It’s usually a well-rounded meal with rice, soup, a protein, and veggies. Most of the time it’s traditional Korean food, but we’ve had things like spaghetti and chicken tenders before, as well. Our cook is freakin’ awesome. I love being able to try different foods at school every day that I might not have been exposed to otherwise.

Fridays are usually special days at school. Sometimes we do cooking classes. Other days, we do field trips (we’ve gone to the whale museum in Ulsan) or have events (we recently did a huge water gun fight). We also have a big birthday party once a month.

After my regular kindergarten classes end, I teach an accelerated reading class to two students twice a week. I also teach two lower level reading classes and a more advanced reading/writing class. For the most part, curriculums and materials are provided. However, I like to supplement with materials I create or find on my own. I’m really grateful that there is a lot of room to do my own thing at work.

This job is so different from the one I held in Korea previously. I am so happy to work here and look forward to coming in every day.

Do you have any questions about teaching in Korea? What’s your job like? Feel free to leave me a comment!

The Squat Toilet

• This post is a little TMI, so if you prefer not to read about my bathroom misadventures abroad, stop reading now.

Call me spoiled, but I have never been particularly fond of bathrooms without “real” toilets. In fact, they strike fear and anxiety in me that will probably (unfortunately) lead to a bladder infection one day.

It all started in elementary school. My mother and I were at the family friend’s party in upstate New York when the septic tank crapped out (pun absolutely intended). They told me I had to pee in the woods, and I simply couldn’t do it. Instead, I cried and had my mom drive me into town so I could use the restroom at the local toothless bar. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than the woods.

A few years later, on a trip to Greece with my mom, her friend, and her friend’s son, we had decided to take a road trip from Athens to Halkidiki (about six hours). I was completely unaware of the concept of “Turkish toilets” and naively downed a bottle of Fanta before our departure. Not too long into our journey, I had to use the bathroom. We pulled over and, to my horror, the bathroom was nothing but a hole in the ground with a footprint on either side of it. I ended up taking a nap in the car to keep my mind off the fact that my bladder was going to explode.

Let’s fast forward to Korea. 2015.

I was meeting my friend Hannah in Daegu. After a long bus ride, I finally arrived at the terminal and figured I’d use the restroom. The line was long, but I waited. Finally, a woman exited the stall and it was my turn. I pushed the door open and there was nothing but a squat toilet. Panic. I paused for a moment before turning around and walking away very quickly. I had to pee pretty bad at this point. And, it turned out, that Hannah was across the city at another terminal. So, I took a taxi to find her and we wandered around until we came across a Mom’s Touch (a popular fast food restaurant) where I could use the bathroom.

And we’re going to fast forward again. Korea. 2018.

Krysta and I were in Busan. She was getting her hair dyed, which was a long process (more than 6 hours). I sat with her, watching TV and drinking cold water because it was so brutally hot outside. Finally, it hit me. I had to pee. So, I asked the manager where the bathroom was. She grabbed a key and led me to a door outside. She unlocked it. I froze. It was a squat toilet.

I awkwardly walked inside and closed the door behind me. It was oppressively hot. Terrified I was going to pee on myself, I removed my pants and underwear and hung them on the doorknob. Looking back, it was probably pretty stupid, but I didn’t want to take any chances. As I placed one foot on either side of the “toilet” and proceeded to squat down, I had an overwhelming fear of falling over and reached out to grab the wall on either side of me. What a position I was in. I finished up and went back inside the salon. There wasn’t even a sink, so I slathered my hands in hand sanitizer and waited for Krysta.

I have never felt so embarrassed in private before. As well as mildly traumatized. The entire experience was as bad as I always imagined it to be, and I hope I never have to do that again.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? Do you have a bathroom horror story from abroad? Feel free to share in the comments!

A Weekend in Busan

It’s been well over a year since I’ve written a post, but I felt it was time to start doing so again. Matt and I have been living in Korea since December 2017 (time flies!) and it has been a much better experience for me this time around.

I was inspired to start writing again after an amazing weekend I had in Busan with my friend Krysta. We experienced some next-level hospitality, had a lot of fun, and I really wanted to share.

Saturday morning, Krysta and I headed from Ulsan to Haeundae. I had an appointment for a Korean magic perm, which is a popular permanent straightening process here. The heat and humidity have been quite unbearable lately, and my hair has been an absolute frizz fest. We went to Two Two Salon, which had wonderful reviews from other foreigners on Facebook.

We met with Sophia, the owner, who was extremely welcoming as soon as we walked in the door. She was an older woman, with blue hair and a bubbly personality. Her English was minimal, but we communicated just fine. The entire process took about 2.5 hours and cost 200,000 won ($177). While Krysta and I waited, Sophia and her staff made sure we were fed and hydrated (they even bought us ice cream). As we were leaving, she even gave me two small bottles of argan oil to take care of my hair at home. I was so happy with the results.

After, we walked down the main street in Haeundae towards the beach. It was around 2 o’clock, but our hotel check-in wasn’t until 4. We decided to go to the hotel anyway and see if we could check in early. The man at the front desk informed us the room wasn’t ready, but offered to take our bags and said we could come back at 3. That was good enough for us, and we headed to lunch.

Krysta and I decided to eat at the Haeundae branch of Galmegi Brewing Co. They’ve been around since 2014 and are Busan’s first American-style microbrewery. I am a huge fan of their yuja gose! For food, I got chicken tacos and Krysta got a pulled pork sandwich with fries. Their food is super authentic and delicious.

After lunch, we continued on our “treat yo’self” adventure. We took the subway closer to Jangsan to get our nails done at Lana Nail Busan. Her shop was a little difficult to find. As we were walking around the complex, Lana called my phone to tell me she saw me and directed us to the shop. When I booked the appointment with her, she had told me that she would be the only one working. However, when we got there, she had asked another employee to come in (on her day off!) so we could both get our manicures done at the same time. Lana’s English was excellent, and she was so fun to talk to. I decided to go for a fun, brightly colored design (I usually do darker colors) and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

We relaxed at SpaLand and had dinner near the beach before heading back to our room for the night. The next morning, we went back to Two Two so Krysta could get her hair dyed. This time, Sophia not only made lunch for us, but shared freshly picked peaches from her rooftop garden as well as rice cakes (they were still warm) made by another local shopkeeper. Lunch consisted of purple rice, radish soup, water kimchi, and an assortment of side dishes. I have never, ever, ever experienced such hospitality in my life.

I had a great weekend, but wish it was just a tiny bit longer. Next weekend, though, Matt and I head to Osaka for one week for summer vacation and I am so looking forward to it.

What are your plans for next weekend?

Dreams of Becoming a Digital Nomad

Hey guys! I know it’s been a while, but I’ve been focusing most of my time on the food blog I share with Matt (which can be found here) as well as our Instagram page (which can be found on our blog page). I wanted to come back to my personal blog, though, to write about what’s been on my mind lately.

Recently, I started binge-watching The Amazing Race from season one and it has seriously reignited my desire to start traveling again. I’ve been scouring the internet to see how some people have made their dreams of living abroad and traveling long-term a reality. Some blogs I’ve found truly inspiring are The Intrepid Introvert and Nomadic Matt, as well as Eat Your Kimchi (who I have loved since before I lived in Korea.)

Then, I started thinking of things that I could do to make income while living abroad. Of course, the first thing that came to my mind was teaching English since I have experience and I have passion for it. So, I started researching some purely online options to teach. After making a post on Facebook and talking to a couple I knew in Korea, I think I am going to try and apply with VIPKID. The hours are flexible, they provide all the teaching materials, and they offer a great base rate of $14/hr.

Ideally, I’d love to travel while teaching to support myself. There are so many places I want to see and things I want to do. Sometimes I feel stupid being 26 years old and not having a stable 9-5, but I don’t think that is something that is ever going to make me happy.

Does anyone else teach English online through a platform like VIPKID? Please tell me about your experiences!

Or, if you are traveling abroad and working remotely doing something else, tell me about that too!

Matt and Tia – A New Blog for Foodies

Hi everyone! I know I’ve been terrible about keeping my blog up-to-date (again). But that’s only because I have a new project to tell you about!

If you like food – eating, cooking, looking at pictures that will make you hungry – please check it out the new blog my boyfriend Matt and I have been working very hard on: Matt and Tia. Matt is a professional chef and I just really like to eat.

We want to bring you reviews, videos, recipes, pictures, and just about anything else you can think of that has to do with food.

We have also set up several other social media pages and we would really appreciate it if you could follow them, as well:

Facebook

YouTube

Instagram

Thanks so much and looking forward to seeing you all on our pages!

30 Day Yoga Challenge: Day 26

Today, I did day 26 of the DO YOU YOGA 30 Day Challenge. It was called “Like a Tall Drink of Water.” The video was a great combination of backbends, forward bends, and twists. I’m still working on my balance, and I really did have to focus today. Today’s practice also helped to relieve some tension that has been building up in my back.

Unfortunately, I woke up in a bad mood and with a bad headache. Today’s yoga practice didn’t really put me in a better mood, like I hoped it would. Instead, my mom and I ended up going out for lunch. We went to the Committed Pig in Manasquan, NJ. It was our first time there and I was incredibly impressed. I ordered the baked brie burger, which had brie, bacon, and fig preserves. My mom ordered the triple b, which was bacon, blue cheese, and balsamic glaze. We both got side salads instead of fries. I’m sure the burger sent me back a million calories, but it was delicious and I have absolutely no regrets.

After, we went to visit a former co-worker of my mom’s who had recently opened a party supply store in the area. It was nice to see her and her business.

When we got home, I watched an episode of Twin Peaks and took a nap. I still don’t feel 100%, but I hope this headache goes away by the time I have to be at work tomorrow.

30 Day Yoga Challenge: Days 21-25

Hi everyone! I apologize for the lack of updates – I have not forgotten about the DO YOU YOGA 30 Day Challenge! Life and work have just been super crazy for the past few days. Here are the videos I’ve done:

Day 21 -“Yoga on Your Back”

Day 22 – “Hamstring Flexibility Part II”

Day 23 – “Standing Eagle Flow”

Day 24 – “Half Moon Flow”

Day 25 – “Yoga to Restore”

I have no complaints about any of these videos, and I am feeling more flexible every day. Today’s video, “Yoga to Restore,” was slow, but my body definitely needed it. It was very soothing and provided some deep stretches. I also repeated days 13 and 17 for fun. I just wanted a little more from my workout.

On Sunday, I went into Manhattan to visit my friend Brit. We went to MoMA to see A Revolutionary Impulse: The Rise of the Russian Avant-Garde. It was a wonderful exhibit and featured works by El Lissitzky and Kazimir Malevich, two artists I really enjoyed while I was studying art history in college. We also saw Francis Picabia: Our Heads Are Round so Our Thoughts Can Change Direction. It was a retrospective and I found it to be absolutely brilliant. I wish I had taken more pictures.

For lunch, we went to a Korean BBQ place called Jongro. We had samgyeopsal, tteokbokki, and haemul pajeon. Everything was very authentic and delicious. We also wandered around a bunch of Korean cosmetics stores and went into H-Mart so I could buy some snacks I missed!

How is your week going?

30 Day Yoga Challenge: Days 19/20

Yesterday, I did day 19 of the DO YOU YOGA 30 Day Challenge. It was called “Energizing Yoga Flow.” It was a little challenging because it moved more quickly than most of the other videos, and I tried really hard to focus on my breath. When I had finished, I definitely felt ready to tackle the rest of my day.

I went to the gym and used the elliptical for 30 minutes. Then, I went out with my mom to run some errands. At the supermarket, I bought a variety of healthy foods: oatmeal, quinoa, veggie burgers, yogurt, Special K bars. I’ve been making a serious effort to eat healthier lately and I’m proud to have stuck with it so far.

In the evening, I actually drove up to Jersey City to see my friend Michcella for her birthday. We went to college together and worked at the radio station there. Our friends Maria and Steve came out to celebrate, too, neither of whom I had seen since they graduated. It was a really nice night. As far as food goes, I had one Miller light, a mozzarella stick, one chicken tender, and a small piece of birthday cake (which was INCREDIBLE).

Michcella, Steve, Maria, and me!

It was a long drive home, but I made it!

Today, I woke up and did day 20 of the challenge. It was called “Twisting Yoga Flow.” This one was really great for my back. Some of the poses were a little hard to balance in, but overall I found it to be another energizing video.

I have to be at work in a couple of hours, so I’ll be back soon.

How are you spending your day?

30 Day Yoga Challenge: Day 18

Today, I did day 18 of the DO YOU YOGA 30 Day Challenge. It was called “Pigeon Served Four Ways,” which was essentially four variations of pigeon pose (it also happens to be one of my favorites). It was really awesome for opening my hips; they were feeling rather tight from going to the gym last night. I felt quite rejuvenated after this video.

For breakfast, I had a spinach feta wrap. Then, my mom and I went out to do some shopping before work. At Kohl’s, I got some really nice socks to wear with my combat boots. At Marshall’s, I got a Betsy Johnson bag, an adorable electric blue bag, a new dress, and some beauty blenders. Everything together cost $54. After, we went to Applebee’s for lunch. I got the Thai shrimp salad, and it only had 390 calories.

I worked from 2:30 to 11 tonight. For a snack, I had a coconut almond Kind bar and for dinner, I had the zesty black bean chicken salad. When I got home, I was pretty hungry so I had some leftover beef and vegetables.

Also, I’d like to make a note that I REALLY REALLY wanted to stop for fast food on the way home. But I didn’t. Hell yeah, self control!