So I thought that I should tell you all that know me well and my brother Andrew too. It's official, my brother will be getting married to Joanna, August 2007!!!
I've been chatting with my family a lot these days one, because of Andrew, and the other, my dad had taken ill and was in hospital for about a week, which had us all worried. He's doing well now as he's kicking back at home on the range.
I'm off to Daegu then Kyungjoo for the weekend to join my friend Sandy and her yoga friends - looks like there will be some yoga stuff going on, so it should be interesting!
Have a great weekend all!
23/04/2006
A bull does have friends!
Okay so sometimes I like to check out my horoscope it's normally at the end of the day, however this time it seems to hit it on the nail.
"There's no question that people are important to each other. But for you, people are really, really important. You draw strength and energy from interactions - though of course, they can be draining too. It's imperative for you to be engaged in a world peopled with people in order to feel fulfilled. So take a look at just how fulfilled you feel (or don't feel). An idea or two for how to improve things will likely occur to you."
My past weekends have been fantastic as well as horrid as there was a nasty fight with my roommate that drained not just energy but my patience and positivity that I am trying hard to maintain. So anyway back to the great times I've had...
Last weekend Sandy and her new hubby came up to Seoul for the weekend. Sandy stayed with me as Yatren had a weekend workshop to attend. We put on a huge dinner party that night, she cooked Chinese food on one side of the stove while I cooked curries on the other side, one my Korean friends washed the dishes as we were seriously piling them up. The spread was laid out in my spare room we had, a lamb curry, two kinds of daal (lentil curry) saag paneer (spinach, but I didn't make paneer so I used tofu), vegetable & shrimp stir fry, garlic eggplant in a black sauce, spring rolls, fresh rolls, basmati rice and naan (bread). It was cute to see the line-up. About fifteen people came by I was told later that many of my Korean friends were worried about coming as they weren't so confident about going to an English speaking home however they were in for a shock as it was mainly Korean, in fact Nayan and my friend Phillip asked me where are the English speakers. The party was great I realized that my home was full of good friends and all of which are super creative with big hearts. Let's see we had a dentist, some photographers, a famous singer, two yogis, some artists, a web designer and a fashion stylist, yeah, that's a creative bunch!
This weekend, I had a great meeting with the art group I'm part of, we are planning a show in the summer, however we came together with our work, everyone was super positive and helpful too as I guess it's been a long time since any of is had a critique of our work. A few of us girls then went out for a fantastic Indian meal with a drink later in the Beach Lounge unfortunately the tables that they have in the sand area were reserved so we sat away from that I felt sorry for one friend that joined later as he's really quite tall, he had a hard time sitting in the seats as they were way too short. Anyway this place does the best cosmos! We then went onto another place we ordered a couple bottles of wine as my friend Irene knows her stuff and I have yet to have plonk! Anyway the weekend was great realized how close Nayan and I have become as friends and I am going to miss him as he's moving to India in September. Also I became closer to Irene and Hee-jong, we seem to have gotten closer even though we haven't met as often as we like - we talked about taking a trip to Tibet or something. I even had fun with Nayan's friend who opened up more as the night went on.
Anyway, my friends rock my world, I miss you all!!!
"There's no question that people are important to each other. But for you, people are really, really important. You draw strength and energy from interactions - though of course, they can be draining too. It's imperative for you to be engaged in a world peopled with people in order to feel fulfilled. So take a look at just how fulfilled you feel (or don't feel). An idea or two for how to improve things will likely occur to you."My past weekends have been fantastic as well as horrid as there was a nasty fight with my roommate that drained not just energy but my patience and positivity that I am trying hard to maintain. So anyway back to the great times I've had...
Last weekend Sandy and her new hubby came up to Seoul for the weekend. Sandy stayed with me as Yatren had a weekend workshop to attend. We put on a huge dinner party that night, she cooked Chinese food on one side of the stove while I cooked curries on the other side, one my Korean friends washed the dishes as we were seriously piling them up. The spread was laid out in my spare room we had, a lamb curry, two kinds of daal (lentil curry) saag paneer (spinach, but I didn't make paneer so I used tofu), vegetable & shrimp stir fry, garlic eggplant in a black sauce, spring rolls, fresh rolls, basmati rice and naan (bread). It was cute to see the line-up. About fifteen people came by I was told later that many of my Korean friends were worried about coming as they weren't so confident about going to an English speaking home however they were in for a shock as it was mainly Korean, in fact Nayan and my friend Phillip asked me where are the English speakers. The party was great I realized that my home was full of good friends and all of which are super creative with big hearts. Let's see we had a dentist, some photographers, a famous singer, two yogis, some artists, a web designer and a fashion stylist, yeah, that's a creative bunch!
This weekend, I had a great meeting with the art group I'm part of, we are planning a show in the summer, however we came together with our work, everyone was super positive and helpful too as I guess it's been a long time since any of is had a critique of our work. A few of us girls then went out for a fantastic Indian meal with a drink later in the Beach Lounge unfortunately the tables that they have in the sand area were reserved so we sat away from that I felt sorry for one friend that joined later as he's really quite tall, he had a hard time sitting in the seats as they were way too short. Anyway this place does the best cosmos! We then went onto another place we ordered a couple bottles of wine as my friend Irene knows her stuff and I have yet to have plonk! Anyway the weekend was great realized how close Nayan and I have become as friends and I am going to miss him as he's moving to India in September. Also I became closer to Irene and Hee-jong, we seem to have gotten closer even though we haven't met as often as we like - we talked about taking a trip to Tibet or something. I even had fun with Nayan's friend who opened up more as the night went on.
Anyway, my friends rock my world, I miss you all!!!
12/04/2006
Drunks a chit chatting!
I can never understand why some drunks choose to hangout around my apartment late on a weeknight chit chatting, it's not like there's some joint nearby!!! And to think my neighbors put up with it I never hear anyone complain to them. Anyway I thought I show you what the favorite drink here is like and how favored it is:
And this is what you sometimes see, however the toupee is classic!!!
I feel sorry for some of the older folk here, there doesn't seem to be much for them, as some parks you see loads of them just hanging out.
And I guess some pets don't get out much either!
And this is what you sometimes see, however the toupee is classic!!!
I feel sorry for some of the older folk here, there doesn't seem to be much for them, as some parks you see loads of them just hanging out.
And I guess some pets don't get out much either!
09/04/2006
Sandy's Busan Wedding
Just got back from a long weekend which started in Daegu my old city then Busan. The reason for the trip was to see Sandy and to be present at her wedding. I admit that I haven't been there for my friends on their special day, and I feel guilty but most of all...I missed out.
Sandy is Chinese Canadian, from Saskatchewan of all places. She too has been here in Korea a long time and has bounced back and forth, but things got more serious when she started taking yoga classes and she fell for her yogi! Nothing is ever a boring story with Sandy!!! Anyway, today was their wedding and I am glad that I was there. It was a wedding mainly put on by his parents for a big show and basically to get money as Korean weddings are super complicated and not just about the union of a couple. Her family wasn't able to make it due to the quick planning as they put this together within a month. Neither of them wanted this and would have preferred a quiet deal on a beach around a bonfire, however they added their own flavor to the typical mundane ceremony which is over within an hour, I mean the meal, ceremony and all!
They had flying chickens for people to catch for good luck, a performance by Kenny G's Korean competitor and then a yoga display by the people that work at his studio in Daegu. It ended with a big bang as the yoga performers jumped off the stage to throw conffetti, glitter and string at the couple, which shocked the elderly and conservative crowd! The meal was a few blocks away in a seafood restaurant which wasn't bad except for the dish below.
We had a few drinks ate sashimi and watched as her husband's friends made them play some Korean games with a yoga twist like lying on the floor opposite each other in a yogaish position and kiss. Fairly interesting, but the Canadians felt sorry for her as she was starving and tired from all the photography as well as all the bowing that she had to do during the ceremony. I'm happy I'm home, she's happy it's over and she should be at the beach by now in Busan with her hubby, and I guess I should go to bed as it's back to teaching kids tomorrow! Yikes where did this weekend go???
I also must say that I am super happy to see Sandy ecstatic and in love with her husband and I wish them all the best! ;)
03/04/2006
Loneliness
As much as I try to focus on my artwork, which these days is a lot more than it has been in years I still have bouts of emotional breakdowns of loneliness. Some friends have asked me about why I continue to stay away from Canada where my family and friends are -- I really don’t have an answer, but I don’t think being in Canada is any different.
My feelings are also fuelled by the constant difficulties that I have both at home and at work. I don’t fit in at work, one because I don’t speak the language and two, which is the biggest reason, Koreans will always see non-Koreans as a foreigner even if I was born and raised here. Sometimes this is an advantage as I get away with many things, but it also puts me in a position where I cannot advance, as I will always be the English teacher teaching the same materials year after year without any further responsibilities.
At home some of you may already know that I live with a Korean friend, but that’s not working out too well, not only do we have personality conflicts but cultural too, I guess you may be asking, “Like what?” Well I remember one night when some friends were staying over I was preparing the spare room for one girl to sleep in as another friend (a guy) was going to sleep on the sofa, but everyone was shocked as it was naturally presumed that she would with sleep in my room with me, or with my roommate. This caused a chaotic moment until they told me to go to bed as they will sort it out. That’s no big deal, but the chaos it created was silly.
My roommate’s English is not a problem however we have some serious communication issues which always ends terribly and it’s not getting better.
My loneliness also comes from other aspects too I was just reading about loneliness. which mentioned some reasons why a person would possibly feel lonely, this is what they said.
- you're alone and you don't feel you have a choice not to be;
- you feel that you're lacking attachments you had in the past;
- you are facing changes in your life--a new school, town, job, or other changes;
- you feel there's no one in your life with whom you can share your feelings and experiences;
- your self-perceptions are that you're unacceptable, unlovable, not worthwhile even if others don't share those perceptions.
Well I feel all of the above. I am trying hard to think positive, but it’s hard, I realize that I am becoming a needy person, a person who wants to have people around. Another thing (the selfishness in me) is my roommate is dating and is always around her boyfriend as much as possible, I am happy for them but it also fuels my loneliness as I haven’t had luck in meeting guys, as I have chosen to live in a country that has some crazy narrow minded views on interracial dating.
Many of you ask, “Why stay?” I don’t know an easy answer to that question but I will try to answer it through some future posts. Until then, I need to get some sleep and have some sweet dreams, luckily these days my creative engery is back and I wake up with many ideas.
Sweet dreams y'all ;)
My feelings are also fuelled by the constant difficulties that I have both at home and at work. I don’t fit in at work, one because I don’t speak the language and two, which is the biggest reason, Koreans will always see non-Koreans as a foreigner even if I was born and raised here. Sometimes this is an advantage as I get away with many things, but it also puts me in a position where I cannot advance, as I will always be the English teacher teaching the same materials year after year without any further responsibilities.
At home some of you may already know that I live with a Korean friend, but that’s not working out too well, not only do we have personality conflicts but cultural too, I guess you may be asking, “Like what?” Well I remember one night when some friends were staying over I was preparing the spare room for one girl to sleep in as another friend (a guy) was going to sleep on the sofa, but everyone was shocked as it was naturally presumed that she would with sleep in my room with me, or with my roommate. This caused a chaotic moment until they told me to go to bed as they will sort it out. That’s no big deal, but the chaos it created was silly.
My roommate’s English is not a problem however we have some serious communication issues which always ends terribly and it’s not getting better.
My loneliness also comes from other aspects too I was just reading about loneliness. which mentioned some reasons why a person would possibly feel lonely, this is what they said.
- you're alone and you don't feel you have a choice not to be;
- you feel that you're lacking attachments you had in the past;
- you are facing changes in your life--a new school, town, job, or other changes;
- you feel there's no one in your life with whom you can share your feelings and experiences;
- your self-perceptions are that you're unacceptable, unlovable, not worthwhile even if others don't share those perceptions.
Well I feel all of the above. I am trying hard to think positive, but it’s hard, I realize that I am becoming a needy person, a person who wants to have people around. Another thing (the selfishness in me) is my roommate is dating and is always around her boyfriend as much as possible, I am happy for them but it also fuels my loneliness as I haven’t had luck in meeting guys, as I have chosen to live in a country that has some crazy narrow minded views on interracial dating.
Many of you ask, “Why stay?” I don’t know an easy answer to that question but I will try to answer it through some future posts. Until then, I need to get some sleep and have some sweet dreams, luckily these days my creative engery is back and I wake up with many ideas.
Sweet dreams y'all ;)
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