Karaoke is EXACTLY like we thought

So karaoke.. we went on Sunday evening. Two hours for $10 (only $2 each!)

I wasn't sure if it would be different than the stereotypical karaoke room that you see on movies and such... wellllll... it was! BUT, they were all really surprised. Most of them are really modern, and we managed to find the sketchiest place in Nampo-dong. (hahaha) We even sent Eric upstairs to scope out the place before we went in.
It had the techno-disco-ball rotating on the ceiling, the leopard print sofas, tiny room.. oh man. GHETTO! But we had a great time. I think you'd love it. The more you dance around, the more fun everyone has. And because it was such a tiny room, we were pretty much bouncing off each other.. a five-person mosh pit. The guys had so much fun, that they want to go next Sunday.. and sing YMCA.. lol. (I informed them of the Village People's "status".. haha.. their expressions were priceless)

So you HAVE to try a karaoke room if you ever come here.. seriously. Much fun to be had.

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Btw.. keep these pics to family only (Show them, because I'm not getting much of a chance lately). I don't want any potential problems in case karaoke is considered a "bad thing" to do. Trying to make as few waves here as possible!

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The TV

The guys.. dancing.. lol

Eric LOVES to dance.. then again.. they all do. They know this dance by a Korean all-girls pop band.. it's called "Tell Me" and it's hilarious when 3 guys are doing it because of some very feminine moves.

The disco-globe.. much like the one Shane gave you.

Ghetto sofas!

My Christmas Wishlist

Dear Santa,

I have been a VERY good girl this year. So here is what I want for Christmas:

1 bottle of Montreal Steakspice
1 bag of Cajun spice (from the Bulkbarn)
1 bag of Chicken seasoning (from the same place, the non-MSG one)
1 box of Tetley tea (orange pekoe)
1 Burger King Whopper
1 Spicy Chicken Sandwich (from Wendy's)
1 tupperware container of Fish & Brewis (with scrunchions.. sizzling)

Thank you in advance. :)

Love, Sarah

(the italicized stuff is a fantasy wishlist.. the other stuff I would LOVE to have *hint!*)

I may add to this list.

Korean Food

I knew it.. I just KNEW I would start to really like Korean food. Which means that when I'm back in Canada I'll miss it! No fair!

I've been getting more inventive with what I try. I still don't really like kimchi, but that in no way limits what I eat. Chapch'ae is a noodle dish that is really tasty..mmm. We have it every Sunday lunch at the hall. And lamien is really good here (read: ramen noodles) Much better than the american version. Also, remember that shredded beef dish that Juno made at the Marshalls? A little spicy and you throw it on rice? Well, it seems that I'm constantly having that... and it's sooooo good. Much better than Juno's Canadian-ized version. It's really really spicy.. and the best way to eat it is to get a medium sized lettuce leaf, put some meat, rice, kimchi (I skip this part), and random veggies in it, throw some red pepper paste on top, roll it into a ball, and stuff the whole thing in your mouth. And you don't have to worry about being rude at this point with your cheeks puffed out and struggling to swallow. :) I love it!

You wanna know what else is growing on me? Everyone sharing everything. Everyone has their own rice bowl, and shares the countless side dishes. It's great. And yes, I do remember the whole germ thing.. and for some reason, it just doesn't bother me. It's just really cozy to sit around with friends and share everything, including hilarious jokes in chonglish (the korean version of "engrish" or whatever it's called)

Anyway, I'm off to bed.

Miss u!

Cyber cafes! My new addiction!

Yesterday I was out and about with some friends when they suggested that we go to a PC bang. What's a PC bang? A super-fancy cyber cafe! These things are awesome. First of all... they're really really cheap. We stayed for almost 2 hours and paid $1.80. So it's $1/hr. The chairs are soooo comfy, the computers are fast, and the games are really fun.
Apparently some people live in PC bangs. They just stay there 24 hrs, order in food, and shower in the public showers that are everywhere. Crazy!

So yeah.. my new addiction.. haha

My Life is Sad..

It's friday night... classes are over.. I should have big plans, right? So what am I going to do???
My roommate and I are going to Mega Mart. Woohoo! We're so excited! It's a trip!!

lol

so sad..

Where are the birds?

In my backyard at home in Canada, there are about 4 bird feeders.. so the backyard is always filled with birds. Sparrows, goldfinches, juncos, cardinals, hummingbirds, etc!

Welllll.. here.. I've heard birds only twice. And both times I couldn't see them, so they may have been pets because they were in people's gardens.

BUT, there is one bird here that I really like. I first saw one last week.. I was walking to work and passing a house when I heard a scratching sound. I looked up, and there was this crow-like bird.. only it wasn't just black. It was black, with bluish highlights like a grackel, and a white chest with some white wing feathers. And he was industriously pulling insulation out from around a windowpane.. haha. Gotta love the crow family :)

Anyway, I found out it was a European magpie.. the Pica pica. And I saw one again this morning outside my window.. and again, ripping apart the building across from mine. People must love these birds :)

Update: Oh! These birds are a symbol of luck over here.. so I guess they ARE loved :D

(and black crows are "evil"... very bad sign)

Sell sell sell!

Korea is big on selling! Everyone must sell, sell, sell. They have interesting ways to advertise their products.. not that they seem to be very effective.. but hey!

One of the first things I noticed here were these little vans that drive around really slowly while the driver yells something in korean. "blah blah blah, hamnida... etc etc" (notice that I can't pick out very many words yet.. haha) Anyway, my sister and I thought it would be something interesting like government propoganda.. maybe against the North?? But alas.. it wasn't so. Apparently it's just a guy driving around droning an advertisement for a particular store or product. SIGH. And the worst part... NO ONE listens to him. So there's one method out the window.

Next.. I noticed that people are really really big on their business cards here. I've been handed several. Most in Korean. I usually nod politely and pretend to read it.. then smile at the giver and put it in my purse --> I read that this is the proper way to accept one.. and it seems to work! It would be extremely rude if you folded it up and stuck it in your pocket.. OR (heaven forbid) you threw it on the ground! Heathen! So then why, I asked myself, are there soooooo many business cards all over the ground?? The answer came to me the other day when I was walking to work. A man was driving a motorcycle towards me.. wearing a helmet with a black visor. This struck me as odd, because most people don't care about vehicle safety here. Then suddenly, he threw a business card at the nearest storefront. AH HA! More advertisements. I then saw an old lady sweeping them into the gutter. So again.. useless.

The last one is the most interesting. I heard this music that sounded like a musicbox tune coming from a motorbike being driven by a woman. She pulled right in front of me and stopped. "ANYONG!!!" Umm.. it wasn't a woman. It was a man.. dressed as a woman.. as a creeeeeepy woman, with a white grinning face. I kinda sideskirted him.. really fast. WELL, apparently it's yet another selling technique. If I had spoken to him, he would've tried to sell something to me. And yet again.. it didn't work on me!!

They need to figure out something that works!

Why do so many look the same?????

 When I was waiting around for 4 hours in Incheon airport in Seoul, I sat and watched the airline employees. Think that's weird? :P But anyway.. I think that airline attendants always look all pretty (or handsome) and polished.
Welllll.. the ones in Pearson have nothing on the ones in Incheon. They're all ladies. Very tall, slim, white-skinned, drop-dead gorgeous ladies. That look the same. Not just a little.. but almost like twins. At first it was interesting.. then I started to get a little weirded out. Do they have a factory where they churn out identical fllight attendants??

Well, my roommate informed me today that Korea is famous for plastic surgery. They get their eyes done first.. to look bigger and more "western". Then they get bigger noses, higher cheekbones, and shave down their jawbones. Can anyone say OW? And the result of all this surgery? The Korean version of the Stepford
wives...

Nothing wrong with looking beautiful.. but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.. not the latest model on the billboards. (This goes for North America too)

Finally! One good thing!

Ok.. I'm inbetween classes so this will have to be quick.

I didn't think I'd find something good today but lo and behold.. my first class today solved that problem. It was an adult women's class, so I wasn't sure how it would go. But to be honest, they are so much better to teach than the children! They have a genuine desire to learn and are heavy on the compliments.. haha. I was told right away that I had a pretty face and very nice curves (imagine the hand motions for that one :) )
So after my first class, I was feeling much better about everything.
Woo!

My First Day in S. Korea... whew!

The point of this blog is so that everyday I find at least one good thing in S. Korea. (partly, so my sister keeps updated, and partly to keep me thinking positively)

As it's my first day.. I will start with the one good thing (because there is a lot of not-so-good at the moment)

One good thing.... in Pusan there is a store the sells french imported breads.. and they're sooooo cheap. (only about 80 cents to a dollar for a small loaf of sweet bread) I dropped in for a look and bought a pineapple fruit-cicle for 80 cents and it was heavenly. Mmmm.

Well, that's the good thing.. the bad: I'm entirely exhausted. I don't think I've been this tired in my entire life (even the 16 hour car trip doesn't top this) I'm seeing sparkles in my periphery and am feeling queasy.. yet here I am.. at the school. Blahhhh.. They seem to think that I'll run on pure ambition or something. Well, when I faint while teaching a class, they'll finally get it.
In fact, I'm not going to stick around for tonight.. yeah! I'm going to bed! YEAH!
Ok, that's the end of that..