Globe trotters

"I saw the sign"

2011-07-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

AK Plaza (formally Samsung Plaza)

Back in the Boonies

2011-06-30T22:54:00.000-07:00

View from Jeongja Station

Gisa shikdong 기사식당

2011-06-29T04:18:00.000-07:00

감자탕 gamjatang

Recently had the opportunity to cross paths with Yaeri Song and share in her first gamjatang experience as well as Chris's last in Korea (for now anyways!). We went to a delicious gisa shikdang 기사식당 (literal meaning = driver restaurant) for some gamjatang. The restaurant is tucked away in Hongdae in an area infamous for its Taxi driver clientele.

Yaeri is the Editor in Chief for Seoulist Magazine an online zine that "features the best of Seoul affairs, characters and curiosities." Make sure to show your love & support this unique space online.

Hipstamatic Times

2011-06-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

Will continue to upload series of Hipstamatic shots from around the city. These are taken around Gangnam and during my daily commutes on the subway.

Let the foodie fotos begin!

2011-06-24T23:37:00.000-07:00

Been jonesin for these thick jajangmyeon noodles!


jjimdak... oh how I have missed you. Please come to LA.

Essentially I can find most of my favorites in ktown however there are many dishes that I have been searching all over town for (ie jjimdak) or have found and just simply aren't the same (ie jajangmyeon noodles). Bring it on!

LAX-YVR-ICN

2011-06-23T23:26:00.000-07:00

In the words of Joni Mitchell "Oh Canada... I could drink a case of you."

Tranquil bus ride from Incheon to Bundang

It was time to re-pack my bags and set off on yet another journey back to Korea...

After a short but sweet layover in Vancouver (first time to Canada!) and a delightful flight sitting next to a very sweet and curious (was very interested in my KAD experiences) ajoshi (older Korean man) I have arrived back and am flooded with many emotions. It has been two years since I was last here and so much has changed. At the same time I still find comfort and strength in the things that made it feel like home before... it feels good to be back.

Peruvian Pitstops

2011-05-11T23:55:00.000-07:00

On our way to and from Bolivia we stuffed ourselves silly in Lima... pisco sours & cerviche... fantastico!

More photos from Peru HERE

Bolivia!

2011-03-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

After digging back deep into my blog, I have been re-inspired to post and continue to share life's journeys. Need to first catch up on some globetrotting that took place this past June...

After over four years in the making, Lilian and I were finally reunited in La Paz. Our friendship began in 2006 when we first met while working together at Cedar Manor Elementary School. When I first started, our principle at the time, told me she thought we would become good friends. She was absolutely right. Lilian has been a very special friend who despite the long distance over the years, has been a constant presence in my life. I was so so blessed to be in her hometown, finally meet her husband Diego and their beautiful families, and be at their wedding. It was also extremely special to have shared this trip with both Ernest and Craig--two incredible travel companions.

More photos from Bolivia HERE

Nothing to Declare

2010-05-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

David Choe is returning to his hometown after a six year absence with 'Nothing to Declare' (23 April-23 May). Driven by an unquenchable thirst for life, Choe saps every possible drop of experience - good or bad - out of his remarkable adventures. From incarceration in a Tokyo jail to hitchhiking down the Mississippi River via paddleboat, freight train hopping city to city and hunting for dinosaurs in the Congo jungle, David weaves these encounters into his work projecting a dramatic and fantastical, often sexually explicit, vision of the world he so lustfully inhabits.

"it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood"

2010-05-17T21:54:00.001-07:00

in california i dream of snow
and all the places we used to go
with the night falling down
now i'm living in koreatown
waking to the sound of car alarms
-neko case

Rumi

2010-05-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

My Ktown roommate

A New Year; A New City

2010-05-14T18:53:00.003-07:00

It has been a little over eight months and I am finally getting situated in Los Angeles and learning how to appreciate this crazy city (will be honest it's been a love/hate relationship). After spending the summer back in Korea, I made my way back to Minnesota and was offered a community organizing position at the Korean Resource Center in LA. So I immediately packed up my bags again, loaded my Corolla full of my essentials and had my amazing sidekick Fifi help move me across the country. We had an incredible roadtrip which included: seeing J-9 & her hubby in Denver, camping in Zion National Park, exploring Los Vegas (what a strange place- probably one of my least favorite cities I've visited).
These days I am enjoying eating my way through Los Angeles and have been inspired again to start posting photos as I learn how to make another city my new home...

Buyeo

2009-10-07T20:04:00.003-07:00

IMPORTANT! Help support Resilience

2009-08-27T21:53:00.005-07:00

http://www.resiliencefilm.com/

Help support this incredible documentary that takes a unique look at international adoption from the perspective of a Korean birth mother and her American son.

Message from Director Tammy Chu:
Resilience is nearing completion but in order to finish the film in time we need your help. We need to raise at least $10,000 (USD) by September 1 to pay for final post-production expenses, such as sound mixing, subtitling, and tape copies.

Please consider supporting Resilience by making a contribution. Contributions of any amount are appreciated. If 200 people donate $50, we can make our goal. If you are unable to make a donation, there are other ways you can help.

By contributing to the making of this film, you are helping to create awareness and a deeper understanding about a side of adoption that is rarely looked at.

Click HERE to see clip from film

Let's bring this to the Busan International Film Festival!

Gyeongju 경주

2009-08-02T12:53:00.004-07:00

Have always wanted to get down to the historical city of Gyeongju which is located about an hour away from Busan so after staying an extra night in Busan at my Emo's house (met one of aunts and two cousins for the first time!) my brother and I took a day trip to the infamous city known for its thousand year long history and traditions.

When we arrived my brother (a big fan of Gyeongju and frequently goes to visit) had big plans for us. With destination points already in mind, he rented us bikes and took me on one of the best tours I could ever imagine. In one full day we visited five historical, breath taking sites. If the weather would have cooperated I would have stayed another day to visit the National Park but alas rain was in the forecast. The places we visited included: Bulguksa Temple, the stone pagoda of Bunhwansa, the Seokgulam Grotto, the Cheomseongdae Astronomical Observatory, and the Daereungwon Royal Tombs.

"F4" Busan trip

2009-07-31T12:42:00.002-07:00

Dinner party @ Chef Sebastien's house

2009-07-27T18:47:00.005-07:00

Before leaving Korea in October, my friend Sebastien had just opened up a new French restaurant which also specializes in catering. Since then he has really created a name for himself and his business is doing phenomenally well catering to some of the top businesses in Korea, Korean celebrities and even the Pussycat Dolls when they were visiting Seoul for their recent concert. So excited for you Sebastien~~Cheers!

TBS

2009-07-23T19:14:00.002-07:00

Visited Chris at TBS during his live half hour corner with host Steve Hatherly.

2009-07-22T20:57:00.004-07:00

Stumbled across this new structure while wandering around in Hyehwa. Apparently it is for 서울여자대학교 (Seoul Women's University) which was established in 1960 and opened its doors to students a year later in 1961.

Jongmyo

2009-07-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

Had a delightful afternoon with Chris visiting Jongmyo. Jongmyo was built during the 14th century and is the main ancestral shrine of the Joseon Dynasty. Jeongjeon, the building pictured below, was originally built by King Taejo and later expanded by King Sejong. Today it holds 19 memorial tablets of kings and 30 of their queens. In 1995 it became an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Summer '09 in Korea

2009-07-06T01:02:00.003-07:00

Back in Bundang!
After over six incredible, unforgettable months back in Minnesota with family and friends I now find myself back in Korea.

Arrived June 25th and will be staying for the summer until August 25th. It certainly feels very different to be back with a fresh new perspective after being away for eight months. At the same time it also feels as though I never left. Things simply have picked up right where I left them and it is quite nice to be back.

It has been lovely re-connecting with the adoptee community here and already have been busy organizing and attending events. Recently organized and moderated GOA'L's Post-Reunion Discussion featuring two adoptees from the States. It was well attended with 21 community members living all throughout Seoul and even one adoptee who came from Daejon to participate in the event.

Yesterday I attended the Korean Adoption Studies Forum where we examined Frantz Fanon's Black Skin/White Mask and discussed the issue of interracial dating. Very interesting dialogue that still has me thinking... I anticipate going to more of the forums which are held every two weeks at GOA'L's Adoptee Center in Hongdae.

More info:

This is an invitation to come and participate in the newly established Korean Adoption Studies Forum. The Forum will meet regularly and discuss texts that are related to the academic field of Korean Adoption Studies. The format is an informal academic study group.

The Korean Adoption Studies Forum is open for anyone interested. There will be short presentations about the distributed texts followed by an open discussion. In order to get the maximum benefit from the Forum it is recommended that each participant come prepared by reading the distributed texts.

The first forum will be held at the GOA'L adoptee center and afterward we will continue the discussions at a nearby restaurant for those interested.

Contact Kim Su Rasmussen for more information at: seokilseung@gmail.com

Tacome Pai

2009-05-16T12:06:00.003-07:00

as i am trying to catch up with posts and capture the rest of my time in india, i continue to stumble upon memories from various places that i long to go back to and re-live... this is one of those moments

Chennai

2009-05-15T18:58:00.003-07:00

Varkala!

2009-05-15T18:38:00.003-07:00

2009-04-04T19:06:00.001-07:00

big up to video footage! just discovered that i can upload videos... had tried many times before and it wouldn't work so i am excited that it is now working!
a picture truly is worth a thousand words, but isn't it pretty darn cool to see parts of the world via video camera?

Goa Going Gone...

2009-03-31T18:29:00.002-07:00

goa goa goa

2009-03-11T14:52:00.017-07:00

a little over halfway through my time in india, morgan and alexis's grandfather passed away. after much thought, they made the decision to go back to minnesota to be with family and friends. i was very happy about their decision to go back and be with family. we all knew that india would still be there when they returned back in january, and without a doubt family situations such as this are extremely important and hard to be away from. with this in mind, my dynamic duo jumped on the next plane out of bombay the following day. it helped that we all knew that we would be seeing each other once i got back to minnesota for christmas. despite this, i must also admit i was a little anxious about being without them. the three of us were fabulous travel companions and i knew the moment they left the rest of my time in india would not be quite the same. i must also admit that a part of me wanted to jump on the plane with them since at this point i had been on the go for over 2 1/2 months and was getting a bit anxious to be home for the holidays since i hadn't been home for christmas the past two years. after thinking things over, i realized that it was important for me to stay and enjoy my time in india. i had fallen in love with india and knew that i wasn't ready to leave quite yet. india still had a lot to teach me. amongst other things, i still needed time to process all of the transitions that had occurred since leaving korea before going back to america. so the original itinerary was put to the side and i let india guide me to my next destination points.

while in bombay a good friend scott (who morgs, alexis and i met while in delhi) met up with us. up to this point, during the course of our travels, our paths continued to cross with him and we were able to share many incredible experiences together. it worked out perfectly that he was there and heading down south as well, so the following day we hopped on the next overnight bus out of the city headed to goa.

after a long night on the bus, we decided to head to arambol. the morning we arrived we kicked off our sandals, scurried to the beach and enjoyed a cold beer with our breakfast.

things i enjoyed doing while in goa...

relaxing on the beach every day... doing absolutely nothing.

waking up every morning at 7 and studying yoga with mahi... if ever you are in dharamsala you should connect with him!
http://www.mahipoweryoga.oxs.in/

watching the sun set every night...

going to the main beach in arambol and smiling at images such as this...

meeting these beautiful people...

chaos

2009-02-20T18:11:00.006-08:00

2009-02-19T17:46:00.003-08:00

scaling + filling= 1,200 INR or $25

word.

Udaipur & Jodphur

2009-02-14T15:23:00.001-08:00

knitting my way through india

2009-02-11T17:40:00.005-08:00

photo courtesy of Alexis Rebane

mission: find knitting needles
after searching far and wide for a pair of knitting needles, we finally accomplished the mission in the charming city of jodhpur. while wandering through the market, a nice gentleman took it upon himself to help out the cause and asked stand after stand where we could find a pair of needles. sab kuch malega! after many "go left and then strait..." we finally approached a stand that had a cute little pair of size 10 knitting needles! humdullah! after my excitement died down (knitting needles whooo whooooo!!!), morgs went above and beyond any fish kid requirements and patiently helped me unwind two balls of yarn while we roamed about the crazy streets (see above photo). this is why i love him... oh elphaba

i interrupt this bloggin'...

2009-02-02T17:54:00.004-08:00

will be heading to LA this month and have been looking forward to this event~~^^ if you're in the area you should come and support Kollaboration

Pushkar

2009-01-09T17:48:00.005-08:00

mmmmm

view from the top of the mountain just in time for sunset. fun fact: during my way up and down the mountain i puked three times... it was worth it though!

the pushkar family

drilling at the holy lake

view from the top of our guesthouse

we had the joy of spending a delightful evening at our friend abloo's farm which is located a few kilometers outside of pushkar in the desert. abloo hopes that one day his farm can be a WOOFing site.

one of my amazing yoga instructors amrisha who is from chile and my dear friend murugan who just opened up a new shop in chennai called Out of the Blue

abloo made us an incredible rajasthani feast! morgs and i fell asleep next to the fire blanketed by thousands of beautiful stars

i left part of my heart in pushkar...
this little oasis became one of our favorite spots in india. the people are wonderful and it is here that i finally let my guard down and was able to fall in love...

LUCID

2008-12-02T19:53:00.004-08:00

The Key West Film Society invites you to join the filmmakers as they celebrate the screenig of LUCID. Film screening at 8:00 December 2nd

LUCID, AN INDEPENDENT FILM 7 YEARS IN THE MAKING FINALLY HITS THE BIG SCREEN AT THE TROPIC CINEMA. SHOT ON LOCATION IN KEY WEST AND DIRECTED BY LOCAL FILMMAKER MICHAEL MARRERO, (SOUTHERNMOST POINT, SQUARE GROUPER, STOCK ISLAND PICTURE SHOW), AND PRODUCED BY LOCAL AUTHOR CHRISTOPHER SHULTZ.

IT STARS A COLOURFUL KEY WEST CAST INCLUDING RICHARD GRUSIN, GEORGE MURPHY, ROBIN DECK, JENNIFER COHEN, MICHAEL "CHAMP" JOLLY AND DOZENS MORE

check out my brother's film!
big up bro!
cheers!

the taj

2008-12-01T01:18:00.003-08:00

kajuraho

2008-12-01T00:55:00.003-08:00

varanasi

2008-12-01T00:40:00.002-08:00

dharamasala

2008-12-01T00:28:00.003-08:00

2008-11-26T21:38:00.003-08:00

update: woke up this morning to the headlines of what's happening in mumbai...
wanted to inform you that we are safe and sound up in rajasthan.

kashmir

2008-11-22T01:21:00.007-08:00

after a minor communication error, i was pleasantly surprised and relieved to be welcomed by these two crazy cats at the airport. oh dios mio it was so good to see them!

more from thailand

2008-11-19T05:31:00.006-08:00

been meaning to share these!
Jang Teo korean restaurant in Bangkok~~ make sure to stop by if you're jonesin' for some kimchee! after a day away from korea i was already missing korean food... mmmm samgyeopsal...

had loads of time to kill before picking up ernest at the airport so i hung out with the owner kim who is an amazing soul living outside of seoul. he had a korean restaurant in india for four years before moving to thailand and recently opened this one

beautiful ko tao...
the view outside our bungalows at O.K. Bungalows II (highly recommend)

sunsets at sairee beach

2008-11-03T21:12:00.003-08:00

namaste!

greetings from india!
yesterday i sadly departed thailand after a month filled with unbelievable memories. ernest was able to visit me and together we traveled down south to the lovely "turtle island" aka ko tao and relaxed along the many beaches, went snorkeling, and enjoyed eating masaman curry every chance we got.

now i am about to head up north to kashmir with morgan and alexis and i will do my best to update when i can :) we have quite the itinierary (see below) and i anticipate all the many new places and faces we will encounter.

hope y'all are out getting out the VOTE! it is time for CHANGE.

be the change.

tentative india itinerary...
Nov. 3- Morgan, Alexis, Robyn arrive in Delhi
Nov. 4- Go up north to Kashmir. Afterwards head to Amritsar (5.5 hrs by train, 7:20 am) to see the Golden Temple
Nov. 5- Go from Amritsar to Dharamsala (6 hours by bus, 1-2/day)
Nov. 6- Stay in Dharamsala to see...
-working with Tibetan kids
-TC Guesthouse
-Tibetan Nuns
Nov. 11-12- Go from Dharamsala to Delhi (12 hours by bus, 8/day)
Nov. 12-13- See Christopher, hire rickshaw for tour around the city
Nov. 13-14- Go from Delhi to Varanasi (13 hours by train, 6:30 pm) to see...
-City of Shiva, pilgrimages
-Ganges
-Life and Death practices
-Ghats
+~3 days- Go from Varanasi to Khajuraho (12 hours by bus, 2/day, 4:30 am) to see the Kama Sutra temple
+~2 days- Go from Khajuraho to Agra (8 hours by bus, ? by train heading to Delhi or Jaipur--OVERNIGHT) to see the Taj Mahal.
Go from Agra to Pushkar (9 hours by bus, SAME DAY overnight train if possible) to see...
-yoga
-chill out
-lake surrounded by ghats
-Brahma temple
-camel fair
+~4 days- Go from Pushkar to Jodhpur (6-7 days by camel) with
+6 days- Camel safari (R450-550/day, includes food/blankets, bring h2o)
+~3 days- Jodhpur to see the Blue City (old city), Meherangarh Fort
+~2 days- Go from Jodhpur to Udaipur (5.5 hours by bus, 7 daily for R60) to see City Palace- floating, "Venice of the East"
+~2- Go from Udaipur to Vadodara/Baroda (Mumbai=16 hrs by bus, Vadodara halfway) to see Champaner- unesco heritage site: "mosques lost in the landscape..."
+~2 days- Go from Vadodara to Mumbai (7:15 hrs by train, 11:10 pm SLEEPER, but other train options too) to see Bryce's friends,
Dec. 11- Go from Mumbai to Jaigaon (8 hrs by train)
Dec. 12- Go from Jaigaon to caves (either Ajanta or Ellora)
Go from caves to Aurangabad
Dec. 13- Go from Aurangabad to Mumbai (8-9 hrs by train)
Dec. 14- Go from Mumbai to Goa (12 hours by train, 11:30 pm SLEEPER)
Dec. 19-20- Go from Goa to Mumbai (Robs)
Dec. 21- Go from Mumbai to USA (Robs)

Chiang Mai

2008-10-24T04:26:00.007-07:00

my roadtrip buddies: Ning, Bang, Leg, and Dice

View of Chiang Mai atop the mountain at the famous Wat Doi Suthep

With Fai, Kate and Nha's niece, who is an engineering student at Chiang Mai University.

After spending 15 days at the farm, I sadly had to part ways and make my way down to Chiang Mai. Kate's sister Nha and her husband Kim graciously invited me to join them back down to Chiang Mai and welcomed me into their home for the night. I was blown away by their kindness and warm hearts. One thing I will take away most from my time in Thailand is the amazing families that have welcomed me into their homes and shared their lives with me. This has truly touched my heart.

Bang with his mother and sister who own a delicious noodle spot close by Nha and Kim's house

Wat Phra Singh

The lovely Kim and Nha. Kim is a mathematics teacher and instructs high school students preparing for university. Nha (Kate's sister) is also a teacher. She works with elementary students at a school nearby their house teaching them English. They both have hearts of gold and smiles that melt your heart. Thank you thank you thank you for an incredible time!

2008-10-24T04:10:00.003-07:00

more from tacome pai-- one of my absolute favorite spots in the world

sandot's adorable parents

before...

after...

pai canyon

2008-10-19T00:40:00.001-07:00

Greetings from Tacome Pai!

I'm organising our second Pai Maculture Music Farmer Culture Festival with five local villages this upcoming December 11-13 in the rice fields at Tacome Pai. We will be celebrating the rice harvest, traditional tribal culture and new permaculture practices.

Everyday there will be all sorts of local foods, different things to learn, folk songs, Hill Tribe music, mural painting, poetry and other various activities.

If you are able to join in the festivities, our bamboo bungalows will be available first come first serve. Once they are full there will also be tents available.

We hope you are able to join us! It would be wonderful to see you!

-Sandot

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at:
tacomepai@gmail.com
mobile phone: 0861123504

Tacome Pai

2008-10-16T01:32:00.006-07:00

sandot and the hot springs

tacome pai meeting with hill tribe community members

hitchhiking to pai

mot the dog... who recently was run over :( and is healing his hurt leg

alloy! alloy mak mak!

my beautiful mud house

anne from france and choi from korea

dancers from burma at music festival

sandot's wife kate (on the left) playing with elementary students at festival

2008-10-07T20:55:00.005-07:00

alive 'n kickin'

2008-10-07T05:34:00.003-07:00

sawatdee!
a quick update (sorry no pix this time!)
some highlights thus far:
- first thing off the plane, met a korean who is a tai boxer who helped get to to the right area to stay in bangkok. he also informed me about the koreatown in bangkok... so if i'm really jonesin' for some kimchi i know where to go!
- overnight sleeper trains rock my world. although i've experienced one in spain, this one was quite nice as well and i got to sleep up top which was quite exhilarating. although it took around 15 hours to get up to chiang mai (crap that's a long time!) due to some unexpected delays, i had a delightful time and met some cool cats.
- went with some of these cool cats on a bus to pai that traversed its way through the highlands. stunning scenery.
- made it to pai! a cute little hippy town located approximately 4 hours northwest of chiang mai. will be heading to a bonfire in a bit :P
- am meeting up with sandot tomorrow and will head to the farm! not sure how long i will be staying there, but am looking forward to contributing as much as i can and will enjoy having a 'base' for a bit where i can relax and digest all that has happened within the past few days.

leaving korea was ridiculously hard and i still get choked up thinking about it. thank you my friends for an amazing send off. i miss you all terribly and will be back sooner rather than later!

will post photos when i can... will be mia for a bit while i'm at the farm but look forward to updating my experiences and sharing some good stories.

paz.

윤도현!

2008-09-30T19:20:00.008-07:00

last night sarah made a long time dream come true... i got to meet my korean dream boat yoon do hyun! THANK YOU girl!
since sarah co-hosts kpop connection with him (check out their show!) she was able to get us tickets to his kbs television show "love letter." after the show we were able to go backstage and meet him! completely star struck i was at a loss for words until we were on our way out and i was able to strike up a conversation with him about his upcoming album :)

EWHA class

2008-09-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

Field trip to the National Museum of Korea with EWHA Korean language program. During our field trip we had the opportunity to make a Korean dojang 도장... note to self: don't become professional dojang maker

absentee voting

2008-09-26T20:12:00.001-07:00

Vote From Abroad

Federal Voting Assistance Program

out & about

2008-09-21T18:19:00.004-07:00

2008-09-15T17:50:00.002-07:00

and then there were six... soon to be five... bumblebeeeeeeeeeㅠㅠ

gettin' old

2008-09-10T21:43:00.005-07:00

photos courtesy of benjamin :)

transforming

2008-09-07T05:26:00.015-07:00

things have been busy to say the least. have been behind in the bloggin' world and will do my best to quickly update on what has been crack-a-lackin'...
it's official... i will be hittin' the road again in less than a month. purchased my plane tickets to thailand, india and yes, finally, america!
tentative schedule:
October 5: head to the airport with my special friends and depart seoul; layover in hong kong before arriving in bangkok
October 6-23: head up north to pai (located near the border of thailand and myanmar) where i will work at the same organic farm that morgan, alexis, jasmine and adam volunteered at. (check it out at Tacome Pai). after the farm i will wander around chiang mai and other areas in the northern part of thailand. will essentially just follow my feet to wherever they take me!
October 24: ernest arrives in bangkok! <3
October 25: ernest and i will head down south to go island hopping-- ko samui, ko pha-ngan, and ko tao.
November 2: return to bangkok
November 3: depart bangkok and arrive in dehli where a month and a half of adventures in india with morgs and alexis await me... taj mahal here we come!
November 4: hang out in dehli and watch OBAMA become our NEW PRESIDENT!!
November 5-?: head up north to dharmsala
mid November: backpack around rajasthan and continue to move down south to mumbai. after which we will head down to the beaches in goa. from here i will depart morgs and alexis and head back to mumbai.
December 22: depart india and head to america where after two years of being MIA i will finally spend the holidays with family.

so that's the plan. i'm still fleshin' out details but i know a lot of it will materialize as things come up along the way. am excited for the adventures that await me. aside from a brief trip to london, thailand will be my first time traveling by myself. i look forward to the things i will learn, taste, smell, touch..and of course the people i will meet on the road.

these days i am enjoying every minute in seoul. it is very strange to suddenly be faced with a 'limited' amount of time here. time is flying by... i am full of emotions these days and frequently find my misty-eyed self riding the subway across the han river wondering, "why am i leaving this place?"
i've been severly bitten by the korea bug.

will work on uploading photos highlighting the summer events in between studying for finals, renewing visas and teaching :P

Pixar Exhibit

2008-08-18T09:37:00.006-07:00

from july to september, the seoul art center (located near nambu bus terminal) is hosting pixar's 20 years of animation exhibit. it's pretty darn cool. a tad bit expensive (14,000won) but definitely worth checking out. the sweetest part of the exhibit was the zoetrope (a spinning plaything) which since i didn't have my camera, can be seen in the video below which i found on trusty youtube. the video doesn't quite do it justice, but nonetheless it gives you an idea of how freakin' brilliant pixar is.

jang mi-ran

2008-08-16T09:12:00.005-07:00

she's amazing!
was at a bar tonight and the whole place was going crazy. it was quite a moment.
186 kg!
oh my kikamakhyo.

"좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈" the good the bad and the weird

2008-08-15T22:06:00.008-07:00

the east meets the west...recently saw kim ji woon's "좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈" (the good the bad and the weird) which was inspired by "the good the bad and the ugly." according to YONHAP news, it attracted more than 6 million viewers to the theatres within the first few weeks of its release.
mmmmm Lee Byung-Hun... i can see why.

대한민국!

2008-08-14T08:00:00.001-07:00

Last week went to watch a pre-Olympic game against Cuba. It's pretty exciting being in a different country for the Olympics. Especially Korea. My students ask me, "Teacher, who are you cheering for? Korea or USA?" and then they follow this by saying, "Teacher you are Korean." Will admit, I definitely was cheering for Korea's "Marine Boy" Park Tae-hwan over Michael Phelps... (he has so many gold medals already!)

ROcK out this weekend

2008-08-14T02:59:00.010-07:00

yo yo yo!
below are some stellar events that are goin' down in seoul this weekend.
come join in the festivities!

FRIDAY 15.08.08

KoRoot's 5th Anniversary!
Time: August 15, 2008 at 6:00pm
Place: KoRoot (Jongrogu, Chungwoondong 53-56)
Contact: 02-3210-2451
010-5444-2451

It has been 5 years since KoRoot first opened its guesthouse for adoptees. Since then, we at KoRoot have been doing our best to better serve adoptees returning to their homeland. Over the past 5 years, approximately 1,000 adoptees have stayed at KoRoot and in total 15,000 nights of housing service have been provided. KoRoot has held some 100 various cultural events and lectures in order to support adoptees in fulfilling their lives.

KoRoot runs a program called 'HIBSOK' aiming to help adoptees settle their lives in Korea, economically & professionally. A documentary film 'Resilience,' which seeks to tell the stories of birth families and adoptees is also in the process of being finished.

Coinciding with KoRoot’s 5th Anniversary, we have been putting great attention into the field of publishing. The Korean language edition of a book written by the prominent scholar and Swedish adoptee Dr. Tobias Hübinette (a.k.a. Lee Sam Dol) is just being published. The great work entitled Overseas Adoption and Korean Nationalism (original title, Comforting an Orphaned Nation).

Therefore, KoRoot would like to commemorate our 5th anniversary together with a celebration of the publishing of the Korean language edition of Dr. Hübinette’s book.

We would love to have you visit us to help mark this milestone and share the joy!

FRIDAY 15.08.08

Please join us for our our annual fundraiser!
Friday, August 15 from 9p-12a
@Jane's Groove in Hongdae

~Play Bingo, Win Fabulous Prizes, Support ASK~

SUNDAY 17.08.08
PB&J 29: Benefit Showcase for Migrant Trade Union
6:30pm-8:30pm
Agitpunkt in Hongdae - www.agitpunkt.org/blog or 02-323-9606

A night of film, performance, music, readings and poetry in translation. In conjunction with KEEP (Korea Exposure Education Program), PB&J is honored to present a benefit showcase for Migrant Trade Union. Featuring poet Jennifer Kwon Dobbs, who will be reading from her debut collection, and the incisive musical stylings of comedian PK, this Sunday’s performance also showcases video from artists Jane Jin Kaisen and Bum Lee, and readings from Su-Yoon Ko, Krystn Lee, Chee Wan Kim, and one of the PB&J organizers.

About the Beneficiary
The Migrant Worker Trade Union works to protect and promote the human and labor rights of the approximately 400,000 migrant workers living and working in Korea. In addition to individual support, such as direct mediation on behalf of workers who are not receiving wages or compensation for industrial accidents, MTU is also working on a broader scale to establish a work permit system, stop forced deportations and to legalize all undocumented migrant workers. http://mtu.or.kr

About the Artists
Jennifer Kwon Dobbs
Poet, librettist, teacher, and critic, Jennifer Kwon Dobbs was born in Wonju, South Korea. Paper Pavilion (White Pine Press 2007) is her debut poetry collection. She lives in Minneapolis. www. jkwondobbs.com

Jane Jin Kaisen
A visual artist working with film, video, performance, text, and photography, Jane is a co-founder of UFOlab, and the collective Chamber of Public Secrets. www.janejinkaisen.org

Chee Wan Kim
A Korean who writes for Americans, an adult who writes for children, Chee Wan Kim is a 2008 graduate of the New School’s MFA program and lives and works in New York City.

Su-Yoon Ko
Su-Yoon Ko is an adoptee. In Minnesota she was involved in theater, drumming, and was 1/3 of Mongrel, a spoken word group, until she relocated to Seoul and co-founded Adoptee Solidarity Korea. www.adopteesolidarity.org

Annie Koh
A full-time instigator and part-time editor, Annie is working on finishing her masters degree in Korean Studies and translating testimonies by former comfort women.

Bum Lee
An animation artist and freelance illustrator, Bum was born in Korea and raised in New Jersey. After graduating with a degree in computer animation in 2006, he received a Fulbright grant to study animation theory in Korea. www.bumlee.com

Krystn Lee
Krystn Lee is a lover of languages, a writer of fiction, and a teacher of literature. Most recently seen taking Spanish classes in Guatemala and on her way to Columbia,she is currently on her way to completing a short story collection.

PK
A Los Angeles based Korean American comedian and the founder and director of Prokreation Productions as well as Kollaboration, the annual Korean American talent showcase. www.prokreation.com

**PB&J description is from PB&J's website.

summer nights in sinchon

2008-08-13T09:58:00.002-07:00

this summer has been HOT. recently had a conversation with a fellow 'hasooker' about how our hasook life (ie. no aircon) has been manageable despite the heat. it was almost as though we had won a battle. we were proud to have come out both alive and unscathed. victory. the worst part of the battle with korea's summer heat had come and gone and the rest would be smooth sailing right?

we spoke too soon.

this past week has been ridiculously hot. my fan is my new best friend and i cling to it like rice on kim. i'm not a big fan of showering but this week has pushed my limits resulting in me having to take not one but TWO showers...ay caramba! in addition to the cold showers before bedtime in my jim-jil bong (aka my room) i soothe my hot s[e]oul with a frozen towel firmly planted on my face. learned that trick courtesy of going to jazzercise with my mom. try it. you'll like it.

Congratulations GOA'L!

2008-08-13T01:43:00.006-07:00

Cheers to GOA'L's 10th Anniversary Conference! This year's conference was a milestone event and celebrated the past ten years of community building. It was exciting to be here for this event and have the opportunity to attend workshops created by community members.
GOA'L was the first adoptee organization that I became involved with when I arrived here two years ago. I simply cannot imagine my life without GOA'L. The community I have found here has been absolutely incredible and life changing. I have met some truly fascinating individuals. Individuals who continue to enrich my life and challenge my worldviews in so many new and exciting ways. As I am preparing to head back to the States, the thought of not being surrounded by this remarkable community already makes my heart ache...

Olympic Park

2008-08-09T01:54:00.001-07:00

View from hotel

happy birthday mr. morgan!

2008-08-08T00:44:00.002-07:00

birthday cake tradition!
before...

during...

after...

i love ya bud!

after party is the after party

2008-08-01T08:00:00.003-07:00

This weekend I will be celebrating GOA'L's 10th Anniversary Conference at the Seoul Olympic Parktel. Have been looking forward to this conference for quite some time now. Along with other things, it was one of the main reasons I decided to stay longer in Korea. I anticipate a delightful weekend surrounded by an amazing community and fabulous entertainment. There's much to celebrate!

oppa

2008-07-31T05:15:00.001-07:00

2008-07-29T05:11:00.001-07:00

Rainy nights in Gangnam

meowowowow

2008-07-28T05:07:00.003-07:00

just can't get enough of this place... yumi and siah would love this place!

Pegasus Reunion!

2008-07-26T04:45:00.006-07:00

After months of planning, our schedules finally all aligned! We had a wonderful afternoon in Bundang at a fun new kid's place called TioVivo. Here you can jump around in a pit of balls, make sandcastles, cruise around the racetrack, shop at the grocery store, host a news show, become a photographer, or simply do what Pegasus enjoys most-- run around the whole place with Robyn T chasing after you. Oh my it was so good to see my old Pegasus class! They have grown so much since the last time I saw them. My time with them has been unforgettable and I am so thankful for the opportunities to still see them post-Pegasus days.

moooooo

2008-07-25T01:25:00.003-07:00

these days, the US beef demonstrations and dokdo protests dominate the streets in certain areas of seoul.

chillin'

2008-07-24T00:14:00.001-07:00

sinchon

2008-07-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

strolling around the neighborhood...

rain rain go away...

2008-07-21T16:00:00.003-07:00

the joys of monsoon season...

these days when it rains, it pours

meow

2008-07-20T16:00:00.003-07:00

Had a delightful Saturday night filled with food, drinks, good company and plenty of dancing at the Pink Button. While roaming the rainy streets on our way home, Alexis and I stumbled across this lovely establishment located between Hongdae and Hapjeong. The ambiance is romantic and cozy. Colored lights dance throughout the bar and there are two adorable kittens who warmly welcome you. Perrrrrfect for a first date or having an enlightening conversation with a friend while enjoying blueberry or chocolate cheesecake, this place is quite a gem.

PROPS!

2008-07-20T03:37:00.007-07:00

courtesy of the artistic talents of my sister jessica, globetrotters dusted off the cobwebs it had accumulated over the past two years and has a wicked new header to go along with its new 'do. my girl has got some mad skills and is going to rock the graphic design scene.
cheers and thanks love!

"Our Space: Reflections on 10 Years of Community Building"

2008-07-19T20:25:00.013-07:00

G.O.A.'L 10th Anniversary Celebration & Annual Conference
August 1-3, 2008
Seoul Olympic Parktel, Seoul, Korea

Introduction:
March 5, 2008 officially marks G.O.A.'Ls 10th anniversary. To celebrate and commemorate this milestone, entitled "Our Space: Reflections on 10 Years of Community Building," we wil celebrate our 10th anniversary in conjunction with the annual summer conference.

G.O.A.'L. invites all past and present leadership, adoptee members, volunteers, sponsors, community leaders & friends to join us as we retrace our historical achievements in forging our vibrant global community over the past 10 years, and look ahead to an empowering next 10 years.

Program:
The 2008 G.O.A.'L conference will provide a variety of events, activities and opportunities for all members of the community to enjoy themselves while learning from and sharing each other's stories. Main program highlights include the 10th Anniversary Celebration reception & dinner with multi-media presentation, opening reception for "Our Space: Six Perspectives" Photo Exhibition, a diverse selection of workshops & presentations exploring the many facets of Korean adoption, post-conference Social Gathering, live entertainment -- comedy by Kevin Shea and music by Denis Sung-ho Janssen, and trip to see "JUMP" - Comical Martial Arts performance.

Photo Exhibition:
Curators: Kim Stoker and Benjamin Kaplan
Artists: Lia Hyun-joo Barret (USA), Raphael Bourgeois (BE), Todd Heckert (USA), Eric Perriard (FR), Kim Sperling (DE), Aram Tanis (NL)

We are proud to announce a special exhibition of photography "Our Space: Six Perspectives" in conjunction with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of G.O.A.'L. This unique exhibition will feature the photographic artworks of six members of our Korean adopted community from around the world. In light of the ten years of community building, this curated exhibition will show the diverse perspectives of six adoptees that have returned to Korea and been inspired to express their impressions and observations through images.

Looking through the lenses of trained and seasoned eyes, we have invited these artists to share their individual angles of vision. Through the exploration of the specific points of view of each artist, we hope to convey a sense of the universal and shared experiences that all adoptees encounter upon returning to our land of birth. With this exhibition, we invite you to take a fresh look at Korea, a place we have all known and imagined in our minds, realized through the points of view of six adoptees who have chosen to make the journey back to where they were born.

Workshop Nik and I have been working on and are presenting...

Post Reunion Stories [English & French language]
Panelists: Tammy Chu, Myriam Cransac, Lars Liebing and Jane Jeong Trenka
Moderators: Nik Leschly and Robyn Shultz

Session Description: Through four unique reunion stories, this moderated panel discussion is for anyone who is curious about other adoptee reunion experiences and what has transpired since the initial meeting, as well as what the current relationship is like. We hope that this discussion will help others who are encountering similar situations, questions, emotions, or concerns.

Tammy Chu was born in Seoul, Korea and adopted to the U.S. with her twin sister. She wrote and directed her first film, Searching for Go-Hyang (www.wmm.com), an award-winning documentary about her personal experience with adoption and reuniting with her birth family. Searching for Go-Hyang has been broadcast on U.S. Public Television (PBS), Korean TV (EBS), and screened internationally at over 25 film festivals, museums and events. She has been living in Seoul for several years and is part of the film collective, Nameless Films, and is a co-founding member of Adoptee Solidarity Korea (www.adopteesolidarity.com). She is currently working on a documentary film about Korean international adoption and natural mothers called Resilience (www.resiliencefilm.com).

Myriam Cransac was born in Mapo-gu, Seoul in 1983 and adopted to France in 1984, where she grew up with French parents and her younger brother, also adopted from Korea. She majored in politics in 2007. During her studies, she spent one year abroad from 2005-06 studying in Korea at Ewha Womans University. There, she studied Korean language and Asian sociology and history, and enjoyed Korean lifestyle and culture. It was during this stay that she was reunited with her Korean father, thanks to the help of a Korean friend, and heard that her mother had already passed away. Now she works at G.O.A.’L, contributing to the dual citizenship campaign, as part of her Master’s degree in Asian studies at La Rochelle University.

Lars Liebing is 33-years-old and the oldest of a set of identical triplets, two of which were adopted together to Denmark in 1975. He and his brother Jesper were reunited with their Korean family in 1996. He received his Master’s Degree in Humanities from Aalborg University in 2004. After working for a few years in London, he returned to Denmark and began working as a copy writer in Service Documentation with Bang and Olufsen. In his spare time, Lars is also a Taekwondo instructor.

Jane Jeong Trenka was adopted to the U.S. in 1972 at the age of 6 months with her older sister, who was over 4 years old at the time. They have been in continuous contact with their Korean family for about 20 years. Jane has lived in Korea since 2004, and is the author of The Language of Blood: A Memoir, and co-editor of Outsiders Within: Writings on Transracial Adoption. Her next book, Fugitive Visions, will be released in 2009. She works at Yonhap News Agency in Seoul.

summertime..

2008-07-14T03:14:00.000-07:00

celebrating seda's birthday down by the river

LAyover

2008-07-09T05:39:00.002-07:00

24 hours in LA before heading back to Seoul...

the minneAPPLE

2008-07-05T01:12:00.000-07:00

happy 4th of july?

2008-07-04T01:48:00.006-07:00

america the beautiful...

change.is.coming...

"we are family"

2008-07-02T23:59:00.011-07:00

cheers to 60 wonderful years!

my adorable niece and nephew

cotton candy boy

go twins!

Jackie rockin' the air guitar at our 1st annual talent show

More from LAla land

2008-06-30T15:55:00.002-07:00

after a total of six flights, two trips to king tacos, a road trip to santa barbara, disneyland, wicked, beautiful california beaches, dance offs at clubs, water balloon tosses with my niece and nephew, home cooked food, many many grainbelts, sweet potato fries at Longfellows/Edina Grille, mom's 60th birthday coupled with Jackie's 40th birthday, talent shows, jimmy john's, tubing on the lake, canoeing on father's day, chocolate stout at chatterbox pub, resume and cover letter writing, and of course just being able to spend quality time with family and friends... i am happy to report my time in the states was exactly what i needed right now in life. a chance to go back home, re-charge my batteries, spend some much needed time with people i have missed and figure out some life plans. thanks for all the beautiful memories! unfortunately due to time constraints, i did not get to see everyone i would have liked to (rain check?!) so next time lunch is on me!

just got back to korea and am working on uploading photos, etc. so i will do my best to highlight my trips. in other news... am also happy to report that thanks to the help of my friend nik, i have a place to unpack my bags for a bit! am living right next to ewha women's university where thanks to GOA'L, i have a scholarship to study korean for another term--i start classes today! am going to go out with a bang!

Photo summary of one incredible week...

celebration dinner...olive oil ice cream! it's absolutely divine...

Wicked fun at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood

Re-living childhood memories at Disneyland. Went on Space Mountain for the first time and can't believe I missed out on this stellar ride growing up.

Congratulations Ashley!

move over dos tacos...mouth watering king tacos...

road trip to santa barbara

robinet: i can't believe you live here!
tuma toomey: meh! what can i say!

cara and her beautiful garden

tuma toomey jammin' at a house party

LA!

2008-06-24T08:08:00.006-07:00

after roadtrippin' it to busan, i did my best to turn my clock around and stayed up as long as i possibly could (only lasted until 4am) before jumping on a bus (thanks g1 for getting me out the door!) and heading to the airport. managed to successfully stay up throughout my flight to japan and only after we were cruising over the pacific did i finally crash. after almost a day of traveling in addition to 10 months of waiting... finally arrived to see LA

paradise cove in malibu where i had my first of many 'american' meals...

'voluptuous fountain' at the getty museum

santa monica had me at hello...

the new ferris wheel... last april the pier's old ferris wheel went up for auction on eBay and starting bid was $50,000. half of its proceeds were donated to the special olympics.

santa monica pier

the perfect place to end my first day...

Matt was in Korea!

2008-06-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Matt's new video featuring South Korea! Can you spot us?

busan busan busan!

2008-06-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

roadtrip!

oh the times they are a changin'

2008-06-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am back in the states for the month of June... leading up to this trip, my days in Korea were filled with many changes...

Had my last day at Sullivan School with my amazing elementary kids...

Packed up my bags (again) and moved out of my hasook...

Said my farewells to my absolutely adorable ajuma and ajashi who were the caretakers at my hasook... highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a place to live. She makes delicious panjan--and lots of it!

Went on a roadtrip with my special friends to Busan! More photos to come...

america or bust.

2008-05-21T19:11:00.005-07:00

am getting ready to wander back the states for a month to see family and friends.

counting down the days... can't wait!

it's about that time to re-charge my batteries...

timeline:
june 2-9th: los angeles and santa barbara
june 9-27th: home sweet home- MN!
june 28th: arrive back in seoul
july 2nd-September 19th: EWHA Korean class

유월에는 미국에 갈거예요. LA와 Santa Barbara와 Minneapolis에 갈거예요. 가속이 너무 보고싶어서 이번 여행을 삘리 가고싶어요!

2008-05-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

2008-05-19T18:51:00.002-07:00

3rd Annual Dinner for Adoptees and Birth families
Celebration and Recognition of Adoption Day at KoRoot

The Korean government officially declared May 11th as "Adoption Day" in order to promote domestic adoption within Korea.

busan vs. doosan

2008-05-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

Look who I ran into! :) SLP re-union!

2008-05-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

EWHA

2008-05-16T16:10:00.001-07:00

EWHA's new ECC

2008-05-16T07:10:00.003-07:00

SNU Korean class friends~~"Ramyeon Day"

Yuya and Gin... Gin's first time eating Japanese ramyeon

After three bowls... Happy Yuya! He has missed his ramyeon...
"마음이 너무 좋아요!"-유우야씨

2008-05-11T18:41:00.001-07:00

Delicious Japanese Ramyeon spot in Hongdae where you can always expect a line of at least 15+ hungry individueals anxiously waiting to get inside.

"Invocation and Dance"

2008-05-09T09:26:00.002-07:00

An evening at KoRoot filled with classical guitar and contemporary dance

Bowling Club

2008-05-08T02:45:00.003-07:00

tea time

2008-05-07T06:47:00.003-07:00

sippin on 모과 차 with chicas in my korean class

Hogwarts

2008-05-05T09:22:00.006-07:00

"i feel like i'm at a feast at hogwarts!"-hufflepuff

better now than never...
after a recent conversation with an avid HP fan, i finally bought my first harry potter book. yes, yes i know--about time right? after many misty-eyed moments on the subway, i rushed to what the book in itaewon with another fellow hp lover to purchase book number two and book number three (because like pokemon, you "gotta catch 'em all"). amongst the craziness and stress of finals for my korean class, i am demolishing book number two and these days, as homesickness is once again rearing its nasty slytherin head, hogwarts is becoming my new home away from home away from home...sigh...so like everyone else who has already experienced this international phenomenon, i too have fallen deeply in love with hp.

in other hp tid-bits...after feasting on goblets of soju and samgyeopsal, i made my friends perform this tasty little treat with me in the middle of the back streets of nonhyun :P (warning: this little jingle may stay in your head all day)

late night study sessions in hongdae

2008-05-04T08:26:00.002-07:00

large mochas, tiny espressos, not to mention an extensive wine list-- this cozy coffee shop has been the ultimate study spot.

Sabastian and Jeong-Yeon's Wedding

2008-05-03T21:15:00.006-07:00

Ceremony at the Korea House...

Preparing for the reception at KoRoot...