Things to Do: The Sequel

Alright! Time for some more things to do here in Mokpo!

4) Movies

Mokpo has 4 movie theaters. The unfortunate thing is that the movies are shown for a very short period of time. Say around 3-4 weeks. After that, it's GONE. I've been wanting to see Tangled recently, but waited too long and missed it by the time I finally went over to Lotte Cinama. Shame. But wait! In Korea, everyon downloads everything! Movies, music, you name it! It's downloaded. Which is actually really sad if you think about it. Not exactly the best mindset to have about those kinds of things. But I digress.

5) Bowling

If you don't feel like hitting up Lotte Cinema, just head down a few floors and go bowling! That's right, the bowling alley is in the same building as the movie theater. Crazy. Here's a warning: if you ever go bowling in Korea, prepare to get beaten. Koreans have some kind of supernatural ability when it comes to bowling. They're all good. And they're hardcore too!! Lots of older men wear the hand contraptions that do whatever the heck it is that they're used for.

6) Screen Golf

Screen golf? What's that? Well, my friends, it quite an amazing thing. There are many golf places around town, in which most of them have a small practicing area so they can work on their game. Some places, however, will have screen golf. These are separate rooms which your party goes to. Inside said room is a platform. On the platform you can practice your swing by literally hitting a golf ball at the screen alongside a wall. A few friends of mine have already tried this. Let's just say that is was fantastically awesome as well as slightly embarrassing. Not only were men looking into our room and watching us most of the time, but we also took the longest amount of time possible for 9 holes. For reals. One of the workers came into the room and told us we set a record for taking the longest. We still had a hilarious, fun time.

7) Hiking

There are many mountains in Korea, and most mountains will have some kind of trail that you can hike up. Wait, let me clarify that. Most mountains will have thousands of sets of stairs that you can climb up. Also, there's usually some exercise equipment at the top, so after you spend all that time climbing stairs, you can do some more exercising at the top of the mountain before heading back down! It's not that bad, though. It's when the old men pass you in their hiking clothes that you feel bad about yourself for not being able hike any faster.

That's a majority of the things that are possible to do here. On a completely different note, I went to my first k-pop concert last week!!!!!!!!! We went to see only the best group of all time, BIGBANG. The excitement cannot even be expressed here. Anyway, once we got to Olympic Park (where the concert was being held), we noticed the massive amounts of young girls in our midst. Oh dear. Whatevs, can't let the young-ins bring you down! I even bought a light stick and awesome headband with the shape of a crown on it (a symbol for BIGBANG apparently). So when we were finally being let in, we get to the bag check when we're stopped!! We weren't allowed to bring our cameras in. The only way I got caught with mine was because I had the case in my purse. If only it weren't so! So we were then "shown" where to take our cameras. And by "shown", I mean the person gestured to an ambiguous area and said "There." K thanks for the help. Not. Anyway, so we had to say goodbye to our cameras, get back in line, and get our bags checked (again). Whew. Anyway, we made it in!! We were pretty far back, but the set up for everything was actually a lot better than I had expected. I snapped a few photos on my phone (which they didn't make us leave behind), and my anticipation grew as the starting time moved closer. Let me tell you, it was......FANTAWEWONDERSUPERSCRUMPTIOUSLY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are an incredible group to watch live. They know how to work a crowd and had great transitions between old and new songs. They also showed a video about halfway into the concert. It had to deal with a korean drama that was super popular a few months ago, in which they did their own parody version. HI-larious. I was able to capture a couple videos on my phone, when--what?!?! One of the security people called me out of the stadium to delete the videos I had taken. FOR REAL?!?! They're hardcore about capture content at concerts. Lame. Anyway, it was so spectacular, I don't even think another concert can do any better. Yay, long blog! And finished.

Things to do in Korea (yeah, I know, real creative...)

I feel like I've had an epic blog fail, due to the general lack of all things Korean on it. Lots of people have been asking me what there is to do here in good ol' Mokpo, so here are a few:

1. Coffee Shops

Korea has about a bajillion coffee shops. Of course, there's the chains like Caffe Bene, Angel in Us, Tom n Tom's, Holly's, and so on. (Sorry, folks, but Starbucks is completely absent in Mokpo. It's in other- bigger -cities though!) Then there are the independently owned shops, which offer their own unique vibe. And don't forget the cute baristas (hur)!! We frequently go to coffee shops because, well, there isn't that much to do in Mokpo. Unless you do the few number of things ALL. THE. TIME. Anyway, I've gotten much more into coffee shops. Stamp/point cards fill my wallet.

2. Noraebongs

Into karaoke? Don't want to go to a bar and have to sing in front of complete strangers? Never fear, just hit up a noraebong!! Noraebong is literally translated as a "singing room", and that's basically what it is. Once there, your group of friends are shown to a separate room just for you. Each place differs, but there are couches, a table, a ginormous tv screen, some neat lights, microphones, tambourines (some of them light up!!), and you're good to go. Feel free to goof off without embarassment (usually ^^). Sing whatever kind of song from the selection, and have a blast!

3. Shopping

If there's one things that all Korean's love, it's fashion. For cereal, I've never been in a place where looking good is so important. I feel awkward going out in just jeans and a t-shirt. This also means that I've gotten much more into shopping here. Like coffee shops, there are a gaggle of clothing shops, Some being brand name, and others are small boutiques (some of which can only hold a few people comfortably). The downside to shopping in Korea: things are much more expensive than back home. But to be completely honest, if I'm going to wear it that much, and it's better quality, then I'm going to buy it.

Then of course, there's the fashion statements. While tons of people back home wear flip flops, Korean women wear heels. Yes, heels. Everyday. And not small heels either; some of these shoes are killer. High school and college students also love their Converse shoes. In the winter season, there are some pretty sweet fashion staples. Here they are:

1) Shorts with leggings: I thought this was such a weird thing to do at first, but now I think it's fantastic and I can't wait to try it. I'm a bit nervous about it, seeing as it would probably look totally different on a non-asian person. But whatevs.

2) Puffy, shiny coats: I don't know what it is about these kind of obnoxious coats, but people love them here. Fubu (yes, Fubu) sells them. Outdoor clothing stores sell them. Millions of Koreans have them.

3) Green coats (usually with some kind of fur lining): they're everywhere. Guys, girls, they almost all have them. The styles vary, but the general army green color is seen anywhere you turn.

4) Uggs (or Fuggs): Unfortunately, these shoes are also popular here. I don't care about them enough to comment on them.

5) Skinny everything: Since Koreans are so stick-thin and have no hips, they can pull off having everything being super tight. Skinny jeans, suits, skirts, you name it. This also makes it practically impossible for me (or anyone else with hips) to buy pants here, because they don't carry larger sizes.

6) Lots of loose fitting things: Despite the coolness of skinny things, most girls will also have loose fitting shirts, sweaters, and sweater dresses. They're able to pull off so many looks, it's ridiculous.

7) Couple outfits: There is nothing as fantastic as a couple wearing matching coats, shoes, shirts, or all of the above. They look so cute when they do it!! There's even couple lingerie. But there is no possible way that matching outfits will fly back home. You'd just get straight up made fun of. People would think you're crazy ridiculous. Shame.

How adorable is this??

There are even more fashion styles I could talk about, but I first started off that last point with the amount of shopping that can be done. So yes. You can do a huge amount of shopping here.

I'll continue with more things next time. Until then, 잘가!! (Literally means "go safely", but it's used a lot when saying goodbye)

Halfway there!

The time has finally come when I've been here for 6 months. Let me tell you, this last month went by so. slowly. I felt like I kept saying "I've been here for about 6 months" for the past 2. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't eventful! Here's the lowdown:

The last few days of December and early January were spent in Seoul. My mom and sister came to visit!! Words couldn't describe how excited I was. They would say things that they noticed were interesting, which made me realize how immune I've become to the way things are here. Anyway, it was also my second time in Seoul, so I was the fearless (or maybe not-so) leader as we navigated our way through the city. We had some pretty stellar times.

This month is pretty much a gateway to exciting things to come. We had originally planned on going to Jeju for Lunar New Year (this Thursday), which is pretty big. The few traditions I know of are: the consumption of 떡국(duk-gook, or rice cake soup), spending time with family, and playing 윶놀이(yut-nori). Nori mean "game", and the game involves 4 wooden sticks. The giving of gifts is a big deal, and I've gotten a few gifts from my students already. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

In the meantime, I've moved to a new apartment. I love my new place, but the entire moving ordeal was...interesting. First of all, I didn't know that I was moving until the night before, when my director came into my classroom while I was teaching and asked "Is it ok to move your furniture to 208?"

...What? 208? Why does my furniture need to be moved?

After we got on the same page, it was settled that I would move the next day. Fortunately, I already had 1 1/2 suitcases packed. The worst thing about the whole situation is that the landlords have zero communication with me. They would come and show my apartment without letting me know beforehand. The first time was ok; I was at work so it's not like I had to talk to them. Then again, who's to say that they couldn't take anything? The second time wasn't as great. It was a Sunday and I was just about to get out of the shower when my doorbell rings. I stood there thinking "Who could be at my door?" It wasn't until I heard my door unlocking that I started to freak out. So I did as much as I could: "Hello?...Yes. Hold on a minute." (This was all in Korean) So I rushed out and hurried to get some clothes on. I don't think she realized what she was about to walk in on until I answered the door with towel around my head. So there I stood, waiting as these strangers looked at my mess of an apartment for a few minutes, then left.

..awkward..

I brushed it off. Moving back to the day before I moved. I slept on the floor (my bed had already been moved, and it was actually nicer than I thought it would be). The people that moved my furniture did a fantastic job, let me tell you. They removed the food from my fridge before moving it to the new place, my washer, and my bed. They must have thought "She's probably a strong person. Let's let her move the tv, couch, and desk as well as all of her other stuff." AWESOME. Thankfully my couch can be separated into 3 chairs, so carrying them wasn't that bad. The kicker was Saturday morning, when I was woken up at 8am by the landlady coming into my apartment to clean the bathroom. Yes, please, just kick me out of my apartment. Anyway, I'm officially, officially settled here (it only took this long).

Ok! That is quite a lengthy story. I apologize. I tend to go into too much detail.

Since the Jeju trip fell through, I'm going to Seoul! That's always an exciting time. The end of February is going to be the series of LEGENDARY events (yes, that is stolen taken from the book series). Friday kicks off the weekend with only the BEST CONCERT Seoul will see in a long time. That's right. Big Bang. The Fantastic 5: G-Dragon, TOP, Seung-ri, Daesung, and Tae-yang will bust a move at Olympic Park in front of thousands of adoring fans. I'm psyched. Saturday night I'll be hitting up a different show: Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida". Korean style. I've been meaning to see a musical, and I had to take this opportunity!

From here on out, instead of counting how long I've been here, it'll be how many months are left (eek!) So much time, not enough to do! Strike that, reverse it. So much to see, experience, and explore! Anxiously awaiting warmer weather...

PS: I feel like I should add some kind of Korean phrase to show off--I mean, demonstrate my Korean skills! Also, you can learn how to say something in Korean! Ok, let's learn: "I can('t) play the piano"

Alright, let's build it up:

I = 저는 (jeonun)
piano = 피아노를 (same pronunciation + r/l-ul)
can play = 칠수 있어요 (chilsoo issoyo)

Here's the grammar: 저 is the formal version of "I"
는 denotes the subject of the sentence that focuses on the object.
를 denotes the object of the sentence.
치다 means to play and from what I know so far, is used for playing at least piano and tennis
     -since you want to say that you can do it, take the verb before the infinitive ending (다).
     -this verb's last sound is a vowel, so all you have to do is add -ㄹ수 plus the verb 있다 (which is not
      conjugated at this point and means to be)
     -let's use the informal formal verb ending (that's right, within the formal conjugations, there is a
      formal and informal). Separate 있다 from the infinitive ending. The last vowel sound is ee, and
      when that is the last vowel sound, the next vowel sound in the verb ending is uh. The final "yo"
      sound isn't needed if you're talking to:
           -a close friend
           -someone younger than you
      but I'll keep it in here because you add it for everyone else.

And that's how it works!! So here's how it is all together: 저는 피아노를 칠수 있어요 | jeonun pianorul chilsoo issoyo.

To say that you can't, you only have to change one thing: the final verb. Instead of saying issoyo, say ohbssoyo (which looks like this: 없어요 and means to not be)

Yay! You're a trooper for making it through my language explanations.

Oh, there’s no place like Korea for the holidays…

I’ve been trying to figure out how I would feel about Christmas for a while now. To be completely honest, it still doesn’t feel like it’s going to be Christmas tomorrow. Then again, that usually happens every year. There’s something about being in a different country that alters your mind set. You stop thinking about how things are usually done in your home country and accept whatever new situations arise, despite how different they may seem. So that’s what happened with Christmas.

Yes, I miss home. I miss the overall Christmas spirit that everyone is a part of, Christmas carols, lots of snow, fires roaring in the fireplace, but mostly the family togetherness. At the same time, I’m really excited that I’ll get to spend Christmas here in Korea, with my friends. There will be laughter, food, movies, and friendly togetherness. A fairly low-key Christmas. The biggest difference between Christmas here than back home is that it isn’t a huge deal. People don’t peruse catalogs and ads Thanksgiving night thinking of all the swag they’re going to try and score in the wee hours of the morning on November 26th.. There’s no big hullabaloo about working on Christmas Eve (even though I did that back at good ol’ Chili’s). I’ve been asking my students and friends what they plan on doing Christmas Day. Most responses have been “nothing much.” The normalness of Christmas is such a huge contrast with how it’s celebrated in America, and that’s the oddest thing for me. Although in the past few decades or so, Christmas has been a growing holiday here. The part that’s celebrated, however, is the secular aspect. Gift giving is done by some, although with the rise of Christianity in the area there are a growing number of people who celebrate the religious aspect (woohoo!).

So that’s my Christmas observation. On a completely different note, there have definitely been some interesting things that have happened lately. Sticking with the Christmas theme for now, I’d love to mention a great commercial that’s been showing. It’s for a bakery called Paris Baguette, and I think they’re trying to advertise to singles around this holiday season. It shows a man sitting in a couch alone watching a romantic movie. He then hangs his head, somehow showing that he is in such misery, when lo and behold! A snowman comes out of his tv, handing him a cake. If that isn’t odd enough, then the additional music tagline “You are not alone” will surely get to you. Thank you, Paris Baguette, for telling me to feel miserable for being single and alone. Oh wait! If I eat cake, then I’ll have food for company and feel great!

Moving on, what did I do Christmas Eve? I worked. But I was super excited to walk out of my apartment and see snow falling!! It snowed a good majority of the day, so it looks like Mokpo will have a white Christmas (another side not, it is impossible to find White Christmas online to watch. Terribly depressing). I headed to school with my bag of goodies for the students, as well as gifts for the other teachers. Kindergarten went well; we made snowflakes, played games, and made reindeer cookies. We also gave out presents that the students’ parents’ brought in. And guess who got to dress as Saint Nick? Yours truly. Of course, the moment I walked out, everyone kept saying “Maria Teacher!!” I then had to firmly deny this. But how can you do that well when costume resources are low and I decided to do it the day before? I did as well as I could, I guess. Anyway, everyone got to open their presents and many, many pictures were taken.

 Some of these parents go all out, man. There were 2 students who got a cell phone. Let me remind you that those kids are 7. Seven. 일곱. Siete. Sette. But it’s Korea. Everyone and their unborn children have cell phones. Another student got a Nintendo DS. There were Lego sets, books, toys, and other gifts. It was still a great day. The afternoon was less exciting, since we weren’t doing anything Christmas-y for those students. How is it that we have a whole day of Halloween, but only a half-day for Christmas?

Anyway, the rest of the day went by, and then it was time for church! One 25 minute taxi ride later (thank you traffic/snow) and 6,300 won poorer, I got there! Usually it takes 10 minutes, and only costs around 4,000 won (depending on traffic and lights). Anyway, Mass hadn’t started because of how bad the traffic was. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but I’m the only American that goes to this service. Mostly everyone else is Filipino. Not that that’s bad, because it’s not, but it just shows how many Korean people are Catholic (actually, that’s not a good statement. 1- It’s the English service. 2- there are Korean people that go to said service). Anyway, after Mass, they all eat dinner together on a different floor. I went a couple times when I had just started going there (and they asked me to join), but since then I haven’t gone. Today was a different story. After Mass, they all wanted to take a “family” picture. I got to be in it too. Little awkward, slightly embarrassing. Then one of the younger guys wanted a picture with me. Sure, I’m the token American, take a picture with me! I was then invited to dinner. I gave it a shot. I really do want to be a little more engaged there so that the culture difference isn’t so palpable. Boy, am I glad that I did. Another guy, Neb, started talking to me, and we got talking. We ate, talked some more, and I got to meet his friends. We have a huge thing in common: we’re all foreigners living in Mokpo. A few usual antics pursued, such as a guy named JV (not sure if there are vowels involved or not) asking if I could teach him English, whether or not I have a boyfriend, etc. Today I got a new one: “Do you need a bodyguard? I will apply.” AWESOME. They were a hilarious, friendly group of guys, and I am so glad I stuck around.

Well, that’s it for the Christmas edition. Sorry for making it so long. I have lots more to talk about, but 1) it’s not Christmas related and 2) I’ll just write later. Wait, I’ll have even more to write about because I’ll be going to Seoul to see my…….MOM AND SISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess you could say I’m a little excited. Oh my. Look forward to reading more from me soon!!



Merry Christmas to all!! Stay safe and warm, and enjoy it!!

It says Merry Christmas in Hangul. 메리 크리스마스!

November in Korea

This month went by rather slow actually. But there are some pretty sweet things to mention. Like...Pepero Day!!! It's kind of a combination of sweetest day and valentine's day. Couples get all mushy gushy (even though they already kind of are in general) by getting peperos. Some even come with small stuffed animals! The range between basic peperos and extravagent ones is pretty ridiculous. What is a pepero? It's a snack comprised of a cracker stick that's dipped in chocolate. In Japan, they're known as Pocky, which I know are selled in the States, so if you're familiar with those, then it's basically the same thing. Except that there are a bajillion different kinds of them!! You can get bigger ones, ones with nuts, ones that are also dipped in strawberry, ones with caramel, etc. Being the nice teacher I am (hah), I bought some for my students. How often am I going to celebrate Pepero Day? I also received peperos from my students. It wa a bit overwhelming at how much I got! Here's what I accumulated from the kindergarteners:

It was pretty fantastic. Moving on, since my friends and I didn't want to hang out and be totally surrounded by couples in their matching outfits and overall cuteness, we had our own pepero party. Nothing elaborate, but lots of peperos to eat! It was a fun day.

I also went to Gwangju for the first time. Well, technically it was my second time, but the first time was solely spent in the bus terminal. Anyway, we were in Gwangju. Our mission: shopping! There was a pretty big shopping area that we traversed. We walked. We browsed. We shopped. It was a good day.

Work has been pretty much the same. Lots of work to do. I'll save you from the boringness.

We had Thanksgiving at school though! Just for the kindergarteners. They did a few craft activities, and we made mashed potatoes and an oreo dessert. My friends and I had our own Thanksgiving "dinner" which was oodles of fun! Turkey is not available in Korea unless you want to spend lots of money on one. Green beans are also considered a foreign food, so no green bean casserole. Well, we could have made it by getting green beans from a special store that sells foreign foods in Gwangju, but we weren't able to get them in time. Anyway, we had chicken, mashed potatoes (regular and sweet potatoes), cheese and crackers, crescents, pumpkin, and deviled eggs. Pretty good! We even had a pecan pie (say what?!?!) Pies aren't common in Korea. It's a cake country. They're totally missing out. Anyway, it was a great night to enjoy with friends.

Now it's Christmas season!! Lots to do, lots to do! So I'm definitely keeping busy with work, learning Korean, planning trips, and relaxing on the side.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!! 4 months down, 6 to go!

It's been so long!

I figure it's time for an update. I haven't written in quite a while, but frankly, there hasn't been much to write on. Which means that I need to do something new! Thank you Mokpo for being a little boring from time to time, but I still think you're a cool place.

October wasn't very thrilling, and I pretty much just worked all the time. That's kind of how it's been lately, so why bore you? Anyway, there were a few things that you might find interesting. We had a Halloween party! Korea doesn't celebrate Halloween, but kids who go to English schools know about it. Some schools do something, some don't. We got to be one that does! The entire day was dedicated to Halloween. Usually we would just do something with the kindergartners for part of the time, but definitely not a whole day dedicated to a holiday! There was lots of prep work to do, and the day was tiring, but it was still fun! The kindergartners dressed up as vampires and princesses (boys and girls, respectively), wearing capes that we made for them and donning masks they got to decorate. They also got to make treat bags, paint pumpkins, and of course, trick or treat. Except that the trick or treating occurred in just our school. They still loved it though! In the afternoon the kids did things a little differently. Some dressed up on their own, but others didn't. They also got to make treat bags, go trick or treating, and bob for apples. Stellar. Oh, there was also a haunted house! We used one of the rooms to create a room of horror. The kids thought it was pretty sweet. So all in all, my Halloween was pretty nice. Oh wait, it was on the 22nd. So when actual Halloween came around, it was just a regular weekend. I didn't really miss it all that much.

Another event---ok I have to interrupt this to write just a smidge about something on tv I just saw. There's a group of runners and they were warming up a little beforehand, listening to music. They did a few hand movements to..."Tik Tok" by Kesha. Fantastic. Moving on!

There was an event in Mokpo and Yeongam: F1 racing. This thing was HUGE. There was a massive influx of people in the city, which also included large amounts of foreigners. Now, not to bash foreigners since I am one myself, but I got used to seeing only Koreans. So when I saw foreigners, I felt like they were invading my city!! I was a bit anxious for the weekend to be over so that they would leave...mean? Yes. Maybe I've gotten too accustomed to living in Mokpo.But I'm getting off topic. The event kicked off on a Thursday night with a concert in Peace Park. Who was performing? 2NE1, only one of the most popular groups in Korea right now!!!

I was beyond psyched to see them. All I had to do was finish decorating the school for the Halloween party that was going to happen the next day and I was free!! Wait, what's that? We're going to be decorating until 9:30? I'm going to be at school for almost 12 hours? *hopes crashing down like shattered glass* there goes that. But alas, there is still hope! I heard that SHINee was going to be playing on Friday!! SHINee is also another super popular group.

Yes, I am aware of the horrible leopard-ness matching going on here.

So all my hopes were then magnified for Friday night! We listened to a few groups beforehand, some of which were pretty good. Time kept passing...where was SHINee? Turns out they weren't there...super lame! I still had a good night regardless.

October flew by, and November is doing the same! A quarter of my time here has been completed. The next quarter is going to be great! We're having a Thanksgiving Day party at school this coming Friday (I know it's early, but our school schedule couldn't let it be another day). Lots of preparation to do! My friends and I are also having our own Thanksgiving shindig. Although, there won't be turkey. Green bean casserole is a possibility! Mashed potatoes are also do-able. So Thanksgiving will be quite an adventure.

December means...my mom and sister come to visit!!!!!!!! So it's time to plan. Lots of things to do! It's a bit hard to plan when I work a lot and have 2 Korean lessons each week, but I'll get there! Korean is going well; my teacher says that I am learning very quickly, but I need to work on speaking. Writing can only do so much!

I guess this wasn't that uneventful. Then again, I talked about 2 events that took up 4 days in the past month and a half. I need to do some new things and go to new places!! A little tough when I'm saving up for other things. But things are going well. I haven't taken many pictures as of late, so next time hopefully I'll have something more interesting!

Kickin' it up in Busan

So this is wayyyyy overdue, but it's time to talk about Chuseok! I traveled to the wonderful city of Busan, also known as the second largest city in Korea. Let's see, how shall I describe Busan...

Well, it's pretty fantastic. It has actual beaches, as opposed to the rocky, slightly sandy seashore that Mokpo calls a "beach." We had gorgeous weather and were able to do a lot of things.

The first night was mainly traveling, taking the train to Masan, about 45 minutes from Busan, and then a bus into the city. But the traveling doesn't end there! After the bus, we hopped on the subway to Haeundae, the area our hotel was at. After lugging our things into the room and settling for a bit, we hit up Gwangali Beach. It was super nice out, breezy, by the ocean, all those good things. Got to listen to some swanky music by some duo. I think my favorite was "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Perfect. I just tried uploading a video of it on here. It didn't work :(

The next day was Chuseok, so many places weren't open. We found a building with numerous western restaurants open. We had Bennigans. Delish. It was rainy, so we found something inside to do. What was that inside place. The Busan Aquarium!!! That's right, folks, the aquarium. It was fantastic. The whole thing was underground and quite big. Now, it's no Shed Aquarium, but it was still pretty stellar. Afterwards it was still rainy, but luckily there was a heavenly place just across the street- *cue choir singing softly* Angel in Us. Delicious coffee was then consumed, followed by our own crazy antics.

Later, we found Chinatown. It was probably the shadiest Chinatown I've ever seen. And also the one with the most Russian shops too. Rain continued to fall, so we went to the Bus Terminal nearby for a while, then headed back.

Thursday we traveled to a huge fish market. Now I've never been to a fish market before, but it was better than I thought it was going to be. Thank goodness it wasn't inside so the smell of fish didn't completely consume me. There were many interesting things I saw, some of which were a bit odder than I would have liked. Close to the fish market was a ginormous shopping area. And when I say ginormous, I mean GINORMOUS. You can easily get lost within all the different side streets. It was also packed. But it was still fun! Many hours later, we had some bi bim bap for dinner and headed back.

Friday was a beach filled day. We had some lunch, then Lisa, Naomi, and I walked along the beach to find the observatory. Pictures were taken, but that's not unlike us. The observatory was, well, I don't know if you should call it an observatory. There was a building, which is where there was some national leader's meeting or something. And then outside of that, there was a walking area, trees, things like that. I guess when I think of the word "observatory" I think of a place with a huge telescope where you can look into the sky, but this place would be one where you can walk around, sit, and observe the ocean, other building, those things. Still pretty neat.

We met up with Yuyong (I have no idea how to spell it in English. His english name is David), Naomi's friend. Had some dinner, then went to Shinsegae. We got there a bit too late, because it was closed. But not everything in there was closed! Their movie theater was still open. Oh, I should mention. This Shinsegae is the largest department store in the world. !!!! To say that it is huge is an understatement. Not only did this place have a movie theater in it, but also a skating rink, multiple restaurants, a huge bookstore you can spend hours in, a driving range, a spa, plus the actual department store. Anyway, we went to a Korean movie! Cyrano Dating Agency. It was so cute!

On Saturday we went back to Shinsegae since it wasn't open the day before. We did some shopping, had lunch, and checked out the skating rink as well as the bookstore. It was fantastic and way expensive (most things). Then it was time to start heading back to life in Mokpo. Our trip to Busan was fantastic, and I very much liked the time off from work. Now I've been back to work, the usual stuff. Lately we started planning for Halloween. It's going to be pretty stellar. Not to mention exciting! Can't wait.