A hair-free phase?!

So, I am currently going through a phase of being quite in awe of females with shaved heads. This all began a few weeks ago with the release of Black Swan sending Korea into Natalie Portman swoon-ville. 


Now, she's a good looking girl, yes but next Mila Kunis, really?! In my opinion the latter is much more interesting and beautiful....but, then I came across a picture of Portman with a shaved head:

Source

Now, I get it! Seriously, with a shaved head she looks edgy and her face is strong, without, shes just too girl next door for me (I know she's a damn pretty one, you wouldn't mind being your neighbor right?!)....and so began my new obsession of loving the shaved head look on women.


Its so strong and free (from gender conformity and of course hassle), inspiring and illustrates a huge amount of confidence! Its like a power cut!


Granted, not all people can pull this off (another reason why its terrific) and old Britter's (Spears) did a terrible job of helping me out on this shout out for the shaved head.

Source

Well I only wish I had the balls (take this as you will) or face structure to rock a shaved head and utter respect to those that do, how liberating!

Moments of greatness...

A new school year begins and so comes with it the most delightful/naive/ mistranslated/ humorous English from my students to make us all smile (I hope)...


Today a student brought into my classroom (after school had finished), a dwarf hamster! She was teeny! He informed me in very cute yet broken English that it was in fact a she and her name is 'Ham', which I'm pretty sure he made up on the spot.


She lived in a toadstool house and was being taken home by the lovely 4th grader in a taxi. I was also encouraged to stroke her and pick her up, however after some struggle to catch her we both gave up! Pesky little things.


I love these guys! I only wish I'd taken a photo...apologies.

White Day in Korea

Aha, today is 'White Day' in Korea, one month on from Valentines day and its time for the boys in the relationship to pay back the girls (ridiculous I know). In Korea the gift of choice and of course thats all people's choice (being Korea and all) is sweets!


So, yes, I do have a boyfriend but no I shall not be celebrating White Day (I truly do not enjoy neither Valentines day nor this new day imposed upon me by Korean society). However, in a way that only there sweet little round faces can, my students have made me enjoy such a day, a tad.


They have bombarded me with lollipops and sweets throughout the day and they have looked so very happy doing so! My co-teacher tells me most students probably even purchase the sweets out of there own money (which I'm assuming is 'pocket money').


What they do not realise however is...that in a few weeks when there happy little studious faces get to the beloved and longed for 10 sticker mark in their books and they bounce on over to me for 'candy'....theres a high chance they paid for it!


Every days a holiday here, see also http://globalsnailtrail.blogspot.com/2010/11/1111.html

Volunteer Korea

So I have been wanting to get involved in volunteering whilst here in Korea for some time, it was in fact a big part of the moving out here plan. However, the past year has flown by and any volunteering I was able to find involved mostly more teaching to students who may not actually want to be there. Also I wanted to get involved in Human rights and do some more hands on work.


So, last weekend I got down to some serious research, sent emails etc and joy of joys I now have some wonderful opportunities to look forward to....


1. Volunteering for PLUR 
2. Amnesty International in Korea.
3. Tour guide for the 'House of Sharing' in Seoul.


I will keep you all updated and have a little look see, maybe you can get involved too!

Koreanism's: Petting the Waygook

So, I am foreign to this country and I am a classified as a"registered Alien" whilst living in Korea. When I first received my Alien registration card I thought nooo surely not, we could not get away with such 'lingo' in the UK, however, its pretty accurate to how you will sometimes feel while living here...


Example 1: Intense starring....


So people stare here alot, I think mostly at us foreigners (however I'm sure they at least give each other the once over as appearance IS everything after all). They do not just merely look over at you but hard stare, eyeball you, up and down, down and up sometimes with their faces in closer proximity than you could ever desire to be with a little old lady from the fish stall at Jukdo market or a wobbly Soju intoxicated ajoshi (old man).


My students also like to hold my face in their hands and stare at me very closely, usually followed by opening my eyes wide to look at my 'lenses'.... I've been wearing them daily it would seem for the past 12 months!


This brings me on to what usually follows the stare;


Example 2: The touching of the alien....


My experiences vary from little children's hands feeling my eyelashes (that happens alot?!), my arms (once the warm weather arrives my arms are something to marvel at for them?!), my neck and even back (because they have cold hands, very inappropriate) and prodding my belly...I'm sure theres some I am forgetting.


What made me write this post was a little halmonee (old lady) on a bus the other day who began by touching a ring on my finger followed by rubbing my hand and wrist and smiling whilst telling her friend something ("Ah she feels like cheese too"?? Who knows?!).


I have also had an old man sit next to me on the bus and insist on showing me the pressure points of the body followed by how to relieve stress-massage. on a bus. full body attempted. NOT cool.

Palawan Arrival

Palawan was our final destination in the Philippines and it was worth the wait. We had wanted to visit the scuba diving haven of El Nido whilst there, however, it was a pretty long journey and as we plan to visit the Philippines again during our travels, we figured we would save it for later!


Our accomodation was close to the downtown area of Puerto Princesca City, named 'Hibiscus Gardens'. The rooms were large and of a simple design, we almost wished we had stuck to native huts, however these are almost impossible to find in Puerto (or so we were told). The surrounding garden however was wonderful!

We checked out the downtown area upon arrival and were pleased that it was much less touristy than Bohol. Local restaurants and shops lined the streets, which pleased us greatly after a week of searching through German/Swiss inspired menus for some traditional pinoy food!


There were also numerous wood and craft shops, which made the most amazing intricately designed native style furniture, jewellery and clothing. I wanted EVERYTHING! I know where I am going to furnish my house!


Much of the furniture from the shops was actually situated in the garden of our hotel.

Our first full day arrived and we had to accept that here in Peurto we would have to be full-on tourist with a guide, travelling about in a little van...oh how we hated such people when we were driving through muddy dirt roads, soaked through in Bohol (this story will come soon). However, we couldnt find a scooter here and were advised that some of the tourist locations required registration, therefore it was better to go with a tour guide.


Our first tour was to the Subterranean underground river. The river is the longest navigatable river of its type (underground) in the world and was currently (or at the time) in the running for the title of one of the "7 natural wonders of the world".  So here it is:

Our new friends for the day!

Paul was the light man

Our guide was awesome and we actually made some new friends, one of which might have wanted to adopt me (theres a first for everything), some locals from Manila. After our little tour of the cave, during which the boat guide was cracking a joke a minute, we indulged in some delicious Philippine BBQ and headed back to the hotel. 


We were hoping to go Splunking on the way home, however the rain prevented such an event. However, if you ever go on the river tour you should definitely ask your tour guide to stop at the Ugong rock and give splunking a try. An 84 year old American woman did it so why can't we! 

I am terrible, its official.

Sorry to anyone, who ever reads this stuff! I have been very lame with the blogging since January! However, I have major computer problems atm! Will get all the info on the Philippines, UK and returning to Korea up ASAP!


I plan to also start a blog post named 'Koreanism's' to keep you all in the humorous knowledge of little things you will only see/hear/taste/smell right here, in Korea! There's just too many things not too...


So long for now.