with eyes wide open - life, travel...and reasons to Smile....

www.AdventuresWeSeek.com

2012-07-14T19:18:00.002+09:00

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Bookmark it, Follow it, Be Inspired!

New Domain

2012-07-05T09:42:00.002+09:00

For all of our followers... we officially have our own domain and our blog has moved. Please follow us via www.adventuresweseek.com On the right hand side you can click follow us and you will be emailed (i think) every time we post.
Thanks for following!
Adam and Nicole

new do....

2012-06-19T01:22:00.001+09:00

so, for a while, Nicole had her hair all nice and long.....

and I was all..........

but now, she got her hair all cut and short......

and i'm just like..............

put a ring on it,
adam

Drying laundry

2012-06-17T12:22:00.001+09:00

Without a dryer or a balcony this is how we dry laundry in the SOK... Everything comes out a bit more crunchy than in the states but we just think of it as a free skin exfoliant.

Yoga!

2012-06-11T13:18:00.001+09:00

Adam has been back to his gym routine for a month now and I finally signed up for yoga.
The studio is across the street from work and super convenient.. for 6 months it is only costing $417 us dollars.
After signing the contract I noticed that the center is categorized under entertainment. Tonight is my first class so we shall see what kind of entertainment it specializes in :)

Ridge...back.

2012-06-03T10:13:00.001+09:00

Two years later we trekked it back up the bongsun ridge that we hiked so many times before. The unfortunate yet extremely entertaining site of Nicole freaking out over a massive clap of thunder made our decent rather speedy but as in everything we do...an adventure was born.

Ride the lightning,
Adam

Delivery

2012-06-03T10:09:00.001+09:00

Last weekend we ordered our first delivered meal with the help of.our concierge. We stuck with pizza and chicken... but next time we will venture into Korean food territory where yes ladies and gents...they deliver on real plates and come back to pick them up.
This was our order...

치킨+팬피자+콜라 새트
콤비네이션피자
마늘간장치킨
디핑소스 ~2

851~9069

apartment #1332
010-2511-1211

No paper in these sewers

2012-06-03T10:07:00.001+09:00

Here in Korea... there is a rule that we only sometimes follow... but this sign had me shakin in my shoes with the little devilish character making sure I did as I was told

from the barely beating heart of a Soko student....

2012-05-23T23:25:00.001+09:00

Happy Wing

2012-05-15T12:09:00.002+09:00

Ah yes, I have been eyeing this little "Happy Wing" for the last week across the street from work at a store called Art Box. designlaam created it. Their website isn't up yet, but it is based in Seoul.

No I don't have Internet at home yet, A Cell Phone or cable, but I do now own a little leaf that allows me to lift the toilet seat without touching it with my fingers...

Priorities People!

It was only 5,000 won or 4.50 so it wasn't that big of a deal.

a Catcher with nail polish

2012-05-14T17:21:00.002+09:00

Adam and I love this commercial. It is the Kia Tiger's (Gwangju's baseball team).

The World's Fair, 2012

2012-05-14T17:05:00.000+09:00

Ah yes, The World's Fair. This year, is being held in you guessed it! South Korea. Yeosu.
The official website is here.

The fair began this weekend.They are expecting more than 8 million people to visit in the next 93 days! Tickets are on average 33,000 won a person, or about $30.

The theme for the expo is "The Living Ocean and Coast." Since Yeosu is located on the coast, it does make perfect sense.

Adam and I will venture over there in early July to partake in the festivities. As more articles and news comes out about the events and the expo overall, I will repost.

Decals

2012-05-11T17:35:00.001+09:00

So I can spend hours scanning across Gmarket, Korea's online shopping site for all sorts of stuff. But lately I have been fixated on all of the decals you can find. In America, these tend to be pricey, but here they are cheap and for every possible decor. This link will take you to the Gmarket decal area. There is an English button on the top right of the screen. Once you click on one item, the page will have tons more to choose from. Definitely check some out if don't have anything to do with your day.

...kids write the darndest things.

2012-05-10T23:26:00.003+09:00


note the underlined phrase......she's 11.

hide your kids,
adam

Skin Food

2012-05-10T08:16:00.001+09:00

Korean women, and men for that matter take skin care and any appearance quite seriously. I have done my best this last month to jump on that bandwagon and take care of mine (every day, twice a day and not skip any!) I trucked over to SkinFood, which is really only 2 blocks from my work and compared the different treatments. For a little under $50 I was able to purchase the full regimen for troubled skin. It consists of a cleanser, a toner, spot treatment, essence, emulsion and cream.

Seeing as though we were starting from scratch here, I also picked up shampoo, conditioner, lotion and soap. And, slowly as my makeup runs out, I will replace it with SkinFood. I am not sure if it is their marketing or all their free masks and samples they throw in my bag when I shop, but I am hooked.

Their motto:

Delicious Cosmetics Made of Delicious Foods
Food Cosmetics, SKINFOOD

Under the motto of 'good food for health is also good for the skin', SKINFOOD is the first food cosmetic brand developed
with a differentiated unique concept of 'food'.
SKINFOOD delivers complete nutrition to the skin through the strict selection of foods that are good for the skin including avocado,
which is even listed in the Guinness World Records, rice that is reliable for taking care of health, fresh milk, and sturdy tomato.

Our products are scented and bottled according to their design and formulation concepts, to indulge you with the freshness and
nutrients of their main ingredients. SKINFOOD always looks for skin-affinitive food to bring you the best products.

Although no where does it say made from 100% natural ingredients, that I can find anyway, I still like to believe I am smearing avocado on my hair everyday when I am washing it.

linens

2012-05-09T10:25:00.000+09:00

If you need linens in Busan, and don't know who to contact, here is a great interior designer. His prices are reasonable, he has a ton of material to choose from and will even install everything.

Even though he doesn't speak English, and I don't speak Korean, we were able to figure out an order after a few hours of changing my mind and drawing pictures.

New handmade curtains and pillows (3 large and 3 small) cost a little under $300. I know it may seem like a lot to all of you in the states, but for some reason any type of linen here is incredibly expensive. We don't even have sheets yet. A set can be over $100 for the cheap ones (I know Mom is sending some for my birthday) A nice comfortable duvet starts at $400 and curtains are usually over $100. Towels, forget about it. Most are only hand towel size and to get one that actually covers your body, can run easily $25 a piece.

Check out the apartment blog to see more pictures.

http://theseoulsurvivors.blogspot.com/2012/05/furnished-and-complete-apartment.html

heavy stuff and cool old dudes.....

2012-05-09T00:20:00.003+09:00

Soooo...those who have followed the blogs within the past two months will know that the gym routine lately has been anything but..... and the art of lifting fire extinguishers and suitcases was a practice I was glad to leave behind in Japan.

Upon our arrival back to Gwangju, our first order of business was to renew my membership at MIR fitness just down the street. MIR is a cool gym for people that don't wear matching color gym clothes, squat while on their bluetooth, and grunt like they are expelling a live chicken from their.....well you get the idea. Its a bare bones gym for a bunch of regular Korean peeps that look average, but can more than likely bench half the Kia's in the city.

Signing back up I was somewhat surprised to recognize every single person in the gym and the recognition was reciprocated with friendly bows, excited handshakes and looks of bewilderment at my lack of hair. Remember last time I was the son of Elvis. Pretty awesome though to know that for the past 2 years in my absence, the same dedicated 60 something's have been workin hard and lovin it.
Its a good place to start your day. At 7 am I arrived this morning and was summoned to the old folks round table for a pre-pump coffee and rice cake tasting. I mean seriously, what LA Fitness is gonna do that....its enough if the front desk bimbo looks up from her cell phone to scan you in. Sorry, maybe she's not a bimbo but nobody needs that much foundation and eye shadow in a gym.

The other day the owners son brought me behind the desk to show me the photo of Nicole and I he had placed under the desk glass in our honor and proclaimed how happy he was to have me back if only for a little while.

Going to the gym has always been a part of my mental and physical balancing act. It keeps me loose, happy and free from the petty things in life that might drag me down otherwise. Its an added bonus to find a spot like MIR where i'm welcomed in even with my lack of language....because when i shoot a thumbs up to the 73 year old dude doing dips like an college kid....he reads me loud and clear.

can I get a spot?
-adam

learning Korean

2012-05-08T22:33:00.000+09:00

I have tried to once again throw myself into the deep realms of learning Korean. Now that I have many hours to myself, I have begun studying. Here are some helpful phrases for you. I honestly believe though, that the best way for me to learn is to write up scripts that use common survival language and have someone translate them for me...then practice them.

Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal

English	한국어 (Korean)
Welcome	환영합니다 (hwangyong-hamnida)
Hello	안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) - frm, 안녕 (annyeong) - inf 여보세요 (yeoboseyo) - on phone
How are you? I'm fine, thanks.	어떻게 지내세요? (eotteohke jinaeseyo?) 안녕하셨습니까? (an nyeong ha siut seum ni ka?)
How are you? I'm fine, thanks.	잘지내요 (jaljinaeyo)
Long time no see	오랜만이다 (orenmanida)
What's your name? My name is ...	당신의 이름은 무엇입니까? (dangsinui ireumeun mueosip nikka?) inf 성함이 어떻게 되십니까? (sungham ee uttoke daesipnika?) frm
What's your name? My name is ...	제 이름은 ... 입니다 (je ireum-eun ... imnida)
Where are you from? I'm from ...	어디서 오셨어요? (Eodiseo osyeosseoyo)
Where are you from? I'm from ...	저는 ... 에서 왔어요 (Jeoneun ... eseo wasseuyo)
Pleased to meet you	만나서 반갑습니다 (Mannaseo bangapseumnida) [frm polite] 만나서 반가워요 (Mannaseo bangawoyo) [inf polite]
Good morning/ afternoon/evening	안녕하십니까 (annyeong hashimnikka)
Good night	안녕히 주무십시요 (annyonghi jumushipsiyo) - frm 잘자 (jal jja) - inf
Goodbye	안녕 (annyeong) 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo) - you are leaving 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo) - you are staying
Good luck	행운을 빌어요 (haeng un eul bil eo yo) frm 행운을 빈다 (haeng un eul bin da) inf
Cheers/Good health!	건배 [乾杯] (geonbae) lit. "dry glass", 위하여 (wihayeo)
Bon appetit	잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokkesseumnida) - before a meal 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeosseumnida) - after a meal 맛있게 드세요 (masitkke deuseyo)
Bon voyage	잘다녀오십시오! (jalda nyeoo sip sio!)
I don't understand	모르겠습니다 (moreugesseumnida)
Please speak more slowly	천천히 말씀해 주세요 (Cheoncheonhi malssuemhae jeseyo)
Please write it down	적어 주세요! (Cheogeo jeseyo!)
Do you speak Korean? Yes, a little	한국말 하실 줄 아세요? (hangukmal hasil jul aseyo?) - frm 한국말 할 줄 아니? (hangukmal hal jul ani?) - inf
Do you speak Korean? Yes, a little	예, 조금요 (yae, jogeumyo) - frm 응, 조금 (eung, jogeum) - inf
How do you say ... in Korean?	... 를 한국말로 어떻게 말해요? (... reul hangukmal-lo eotteoh-ge maraeyo?)
Excuse me	실례하겠습니다! (shillehagessumnida)
How much is this?	이게 얼마예요? (ige eolmayeyo?)
Sorry	미안합니다! (mianhamnida)
Thank you Response	감사합니다 (kamsahamnida) - frm 고맙습니다 (komapsumnida) - inf
Thank you Response	아니에요 (anieyo)
Where's the toilet?	화장실이 어디예요? (hwajangsiri eodiyeyo)
I love you	사랑해 (sarang hae)
Leave me alone!	혼자 내버려 두십시오! (honja naebeoryeo dushipshio)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year	즐거운 성탄절 보내시고 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (jeulgeoun seongtanjeol bonaesigo saehae bok manhi bateusaeyo)
Happy Easter	행복한 부활절이 되시길 (haengpoghan puhwarcheori toesikir)
Happy Birthday	생일축하합니다 (saengil chukha hamnida)
One language is never enough	한 가지 언어는 충분하지 못 해 (han gaji un u nun chung boon ha ji mot hae)

Yum yum

2012-05-08T08:42:00.002+09:00

My new favorite purchase from the Market. Once a week we go to the huge Bujin Market in search of our favorite Kimchi Stand. There, they have this mix of nuts and beans. Its sweet and so delicious....and very good for our brain health!

Our friend Sun thinks it is a type of Ganjeong...(a traditional food, but this one is made in a much more modern style)

Fire in Seomyeon

2012-05-07T16:10:00.000+09:00

Saturday night, a fire broke out in Seomyeon, only 3 blocks from where I work and a 10 minute walk from our apartment. A karaoke bar on the 3rd floor of a building caught on fire. 9 people died, 3 foreigners and 6 Koreans.

Adam and I didn't even hear the sirens. We were watching a movie at home. This morning I had a message from my friend Nicole back home checking in to make sure everything was okay. I guess this blaze made national news.

Gwangalli Eobang Festival

2012-05-07T10:21:00.001+09:00

Last weekend we ventured down to Gwangalli for the Eobang Festival. The festival is a celebration of spring and the ocean. Eobang is translated as the spirit of the fishermen and you can see a reenactment of the old traditional costumes of the fishermen. The kids also fly kites, there are a ton of arts and crafts and styrofoam blocks for the kids to build forts with.

Of course there is a ton of Soju, Mackgoli and food.

To get to Gwangalli beach which is really much better than Haeundae (if you are looking for a nice day to relax seaside) Take line 2 heading towards Haeundae on the busan subway and get off at Geumnyeonsan Station. Exit and head straight towards the beach. (I am pretty sure any of the odd number exits will take you east towards the beach)

Furnished and complete Apartment

2012-05-07T10:05:00.001+09:00

Our linens are here.

our bed is completely functional as a sofa too

Our traditional Korean figurines

Our gifts from a friend in Japan

Olive is here with us

Jalgalchi Fish Market

2012-05-07T09:54:00.002+09:00

On a rainy day two weeks ago, we took the train to Jalgalchi and went to the Fish Market there. We don't have many pictures of the inside because the fish stall workers kind of scared us with their stares of death if we didn't buy their fish.

This is the fish market on the outside. The whole first floor are fish vendors who will filet your fish or crab or any other sea dweller after you purchase them. Upstairs are tons of restaurants where you can get raw fish or stews along with Soju of course. We decided to splurge and spend 30,000 (which really is splurging here) on lunch and had a nice array of raw fish, some free stew and a ton of sides. We had a great view of the water on the other side of the building

Outside of the Fish Market is a very long street selling similar items to inside and the food is less expensive. The women are definitely full of smiles here.

We have no idea what these are below, but when bought, they are cut open and the insides are packaged for eating.

The smell is not over powering (maybe my tolerance is high) there are fish of every size and color.

a meal, by my sad standards

2012-05-05T12:22:00.001+09:00

With Adam living in Gwangju during the week, I am finding it hard to really want to prepare full meals for myself. So, the other night when I got home from work...this was my dinner. It reminds me of my single days before Adam...really without a thought of what I was going to consume, but just what was in reach and sounded good at the moment.

(a glass of wine and a bowl of goldfish)..picture to come soon.

goin all Emo....again

2012-05-03T23:20:00.001+09:00

...a major benny in returning for my temp assignment at Reading Star in Gwangju has been the return to the culinary mastery of the in house cook, Emo. Not her real name but the name that I consider synonymous with uber delish Korean dishes served daily on the rooftop of our school. While immediately complimenting Nicole on her always beauteous self, Emo also recognized the frail state I was reduced to in the wake of our Japanese experience. Willing to make it all better she has been whipping up some hearty plates for the paste few weeks to get me back to my old teaching weight ;)

Great to have her food back for at least a while and to make sure I am respecting her efforts, I earn my membership to the clean plate club everyday.

Thanks Emo!

Kimchi is the new black,
adam