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12 little ways life is different in Korea

It’s strange how a period of time can simultaneously feel like a moment and an eternity.   It’s been 45 days in Korea, now. I remember the day I arrived like it was yesterday, but it feels like a year’s worth of experiences crammed in, since. I’ve been told that all expats go through “culture… Continue reading 12 little ways life is different in Korea

My New Life in “Dynamic Korea”: A Photo Essay

Koreans love to use the word “dynamic” when describing their country. In fact, I think it may even be their official national tagline. While the word may be another case of poor translation (the Konglish around here is prevalent, puzzling, and hilarious), I’m pretty sure that what they’re going for is the idea that Korea… Continue reading My New Life in “Dynamic Korea”: A Photo Essay

Day One on the Job in Korea: Diary Style

My computer, my classroom key, and my class schedule

Stayed up most of the night preparing my powerpoint presentation for the first class lesson. Walked to school and genuinely hoped I wouldn’t poop my pants in nervousness. Had a morning assembly where the teachers walked on stage and were introduced—I didn’t recognize when they said my name, so someone had to tell me I… Continue reading Day One on the Job in Korea: Diary Style

Seoul Delicious: My First Impressions of South Korea

My bags were too full, so to get through security I had to wear several jackets and stuff pants and shirts into all my pockets. At the Korean airport, my overweight suitcases spilled off my cart into the middle of a crowded walkway and people stepped over me with wayward glances. When the bus dropped… Continue reading Seoul Delicious: My First Impressions of South Korea

Near death, new life, and getting ready for Korea

Last week, my step brother died. It’s a fact he was excited to hear about.   *** When it happened, I was sitting at my parents’ kitchen table with my head in my hands, trying to digest the events of the last few days. Vignetted memories surged through my mind of the smiles, the laughs,… Continue reading Near death, new life, and getting ready for Korea

{Photo Essay} The Santa Barbara Mission

I woke up on Sunday with my ears ringing and my head clouded. While it was more likely a severe case of “I celebrated too much last night and there are pictures of me drinking wine straight out of the bottle because I’m a classy lady like that”, I’m going to chalk it up to… Continue reading {Photo Essay} The Santa Barbara Mission

Guns: And That Time I Got One For Christmas

Now that's what I call a father-daughter portrait

It all started in 2011 with a recurring nightmare. The dream manifested itself each time within a different scenario, but it always ended with someone shooting me in the neck: an angry man in the grocery store parking lot; a disgruntled ex-roommate; a serial killer chasing me around my house… Granted, it was not as… Continue reading Guns: And That Time I Got One For Christmas

The Pre-Korea Food Fest of 2013

I’ve been spending a lot of time this week in facebook group chats with the other teachers heading to Korea soon, and someone recently posted a story of how one guy arrived in Korea only to be sent home because he weighed 30lbs more than he listed on his application. Questionable veracity or not, this… Continue reading The Pre-Korea Food Fest of 2013

My New Year’s Non-Resolution

I’m not much of one for New Year’s Resolutions. First of all, I’m a little late on the uptake to be posting about my resolutions, seeing as the date is what it is; I almost decided to resolve to post twice every week, but I’ve clearly failed at that already. Making a New Year’s Resolution… Continue reading My New Year’s Non-Resolution

Sandboarding and Surviving My Own Near Apocalypse

In honor of the fact that the world is supposed to implode today and yet somehow–LOOK! we’re all still alive!– I thought I’d share a story of another day in which I thought I might die. Only on more realistic terms. This little (long) story is from my time in Argentina a few years back…… Continue reading Sandboarding and Surviving My Own Near Apocalypse

Stuck in Limbo

Just a little card I found at TJs one day that I've hung in my office for inspiration :)

There have been more tears this week than I care to admit. It would be easy to blame the tears on the Connecticut tragedy, as that truly did upset me on a very deep level, but that was really only one dip in the emotional rollercoaster I’ve been riding lately. The end of the year… Continue reading Stuck in Limbo