My new friends

A very nice couple in Mokpo is going back to Canada and had to find a home for their fish. So lonely old me offered to give them a new home. When I went to pick them up last night Matt and Kara had informed me that one had past away and now the one little guy was depressed and lonely. Ohhh I feel your pain little buddy. So I ran to E-Mart to get him a new friend for a whole .50 cents. Now they are both happy and keeping me company.

Hi Fishies!

Birthday present to me

Here is my new sweet ride I bought for myself today.

Hope I can get some sick air with it!

Back to Mother Korea

Well I made it back to Mokpo in one piece. However, there were times that I didn't think I would be in one piece at all. Specifically the plane ride from Beijing to Guilin, now labeled the WORST plane ride of my life. Myself and the other girls I was with were seriously frighteneing for our lives. After waiting in the Beijing airport for 10 hours (due to major fog) we finally boarded the death plane. Apparently it was safe to fly. About and hour or 2 into the flight Shannon points out to me the front seat we have to the lightening storm we are flying through. Great. Turbulance like I've never experienced before. I was waiting for that creature from that episode of the Twilight Zone to climb up to my window from the wing of the plane.









We had to make an emergency landing in a city past the one we were supposed to land in. We thought, oh good, we're on the ground. Let us off this tin can, put us up in a hotel for the night and let's fly out in the morning. Nope. Let's wait on the runway for over an hour for the "storm to pass". Yeah right! So we wait, and back up we go. This flight was even worse then the first one! We eventually made it to Guilin at around 2 in the morning to take an airport bus to some hotel only for them to say to us that they have no rooms available. Bullshit. They did and we finally got one after much discussion between the clerk and Rochelle. We asked for a cot but apparently a cot in China means an entire bed. So there we are, having a furniture rearranging party at 4 in the morning to get this bed in the room. Uhhhhhhh.


Aside from this episode, China was pretty awesome. We were very busy and saw and did a lot of cool things.



The highlights were:

The Wall and taking a tobaggan type thing down part way.

Forbidden City

Temple of Heaven

Acrobatic show- amazing.

Boat ride down Li river from Guilin to Youngshou

Shopping/markets

Some interesting things I saw:

Girl puking as she got off the bus

Girl puking outside on the street outside of KFC
Homeless looking man with his pants falling down with his penis hanging out

Child peeing into a plastic bag on the bus

Bathrooms (squatters) with no doors ( that was fun)

There are lots of other stories but that's it for now.

Beijing Bound

In 5 hours I'll be on a smelly bus with a bunch of Koreans heading for Incheon airport just outside of Seoul. Actually the bus is pretty nice but I do expect it to be some busy with the Lunar new year holiday being this weekend.

Almost everything was closed today for family get togethers and celebrations for the new year. I cannot imagine what China will be like and I hope I get to see some neat performances and new year festival type things.

I will have access to a computer in the hostels I will be staying at so hopefully I'll have some good stories to share very soon.

I hope it's not too cold!

Big Trouble in Little China

Think I'll be able to buy that movie on the black market while I'm in Beijing!?

Since I haven't had much else to do this week being back at school for graduation, which is code for having all the teacher's back at school so they can have tea, chat, sew and look at pictures, I've been printing off info about Beijing and counting down the days until I leave.

Right now we're at 3 days. I'm very excited to see all of the history and amazing palaces and of course the wall. I am scared though that it is going to be one cold mother out there on that wall.

Today is also Valentine's day here in Korea except that it's a little different here much like everything else. On this day, the ladies buy gifts for the men and then there is another fabricated bullshit consumer holiday next month where the men have to step up and buy their ladies something. Probably some kind of kitchen utensil so she can get back in the kitchen where she belongs and whip him up some rice and kimchi!

Traditional pottery in Muan

Pottery in Korea is very popular with many museums and art exhibits dedicated to it. Although looking at an entire museum of pottery is not that interesting, making it sure is.

Yesterday a few of us waygooks went on a day excursion with some of Stephanie's adult students and went to the county of Muan, which is about 15-20 minute drive out of Mokpo. It was great to get out of the city and enjoy the mountains, the fresh air and the quiet. The area we went to is an artist community. There were lovely traditional homes with lots of animals running around and an old school teacher who has lived on his property for 13 years and fed us processed cheese and crackers along with some fabulous wine!

The house we spent the most time in was made out of clay and included a pottery exhibit inside and of course an area to make, teach and learn pottery. I think we all started off with the intention of making a small cup but they all seemed to turn into either a bowl or a vase? It was a lot of fun to do something traditional and get our hands dirty. Meanwhile there are ducks quacking outside, cows mooing, dogs barking, puppies running around inside causing trouble and some cat who was meowing like she was in heat. It was a fun day.

VOTE

Ok, there has been a request from someone who disagrees with the title of worst movie ever given to Full Throttle, and would like to put it to a vote. So if you care to place your vote please do so.

And no, I don't have anything better to do with my time!

The WORST movie EVER

Now I know Darren will disagree with me on this one, but the movie Charlie's Angels, Full Throttle has been on tv a few times here and without even watching the full movie I give it the award for the WORST movie ever. The only reason I can see anyone enjoying this movie is if they are watching it strictly for the ladies. The acting is horrible and the movie in general is so absurd. Since when have ALL of the Angels been able to fly and perform ass kicking ninja kicks along with being able to ride a motorbike and do tricks in the air and oh, did I mention fly!? What the hell is that! The ass kicking should be left to the asians, in this case the beautiful Lucy Liu. I absolutely cannot stand this movie. Even though I am hurtin for anything English, I refuse to watch this.

I wonder what Jacyln, Farrah and Kate think of it?

Happy Birthdays!

February includes the birthdays of many friends and family so here is a big Happy Birthday to you all!

Crystal Stewart - Wpg

Marnie Diacon - Mokpo (Moosejaw)

Cousin Courtney - Calgary

Auntie Suz - Wpg

Caley - Edm

myself - Mokpo (Wpg) 30! I can't believe it

That's about all I can think of. I'm sure gonna miss having a Jeanne's cake!

Still here

Yes, still here in Mokpo and instead of fighting the lonliness/boredom I am trying to embrace it by not feeling guilty if I sleep in and watch On Style for hours on end. When will I have the opportunity to just do what I want, when I want in my life without having to go to work etc etc.
The weather is amazing in comparison to Winnipeg. No snow, no -40 so no complaints from me. I am ready for it to get warm again though. Now that I bitched and complained to get an air conditioner in my apartment.
No exciting adventures have taken place lately. I usually go for a coffee everyday, go to the gym and have seen EVERY English movie that is playing in Mokpo. Am trying to save $$ for my trip to Beijing this month. Am really looking forward to that.
Hope everyone is well and keeping warm!
xoxox