On the back of a motorbike, arms outstretched trying to take flight

So lately I've been struck with a powerful wave of wanderlust. Ready to grab my bag and travel the world. I suppose it's a good thing that Korea is less than a week away. I couldn't be more ready. The excitement and anticipation is building. I'm making notes and planning outfits. I really cant wait to be overseas again. I feel more at home when I am traveling anyways. I'm ready to sit back and see new sights and meet new people and try new things. I'll be back with plenty of stories and pictures. Wish me luck with the parents! ;)

Learning Plateau

I always hate getting to the part of learning a new language where you hit the plateau....or the lack of motivation phase. I'm stuck in it now, at the most critical time for it. I have less than a month till I head off to Korea to meet Kyounghee's entire family and I feel less than accomplished at Korean. I feel immense pressure to master this difficult language if Kyounghee and I are to have any type of future. He mentioned to me today how much he really desires for me to becomes proficient at Korean as he is at English so that we may communicate more smoothly. I feel that if I do not do this well, that he may take offense at this and become upset with me. I also have not been keeping up with this blog due to the fact that I have been practically living at my workplace. Cracker Barrel has indeed taken my soul. I live their most of the time and when I am at home, I am so tired I do not wish to practice Korean or read or cook or any of the things I set out to do this summer. I find myself floating between shifts.

High Time for Photos

I believe that every reputable blog has at least several entries involving photos of some sort that are not copied from websites, but actually attained from real life experiences. This is my weary attempt to conform, and also to battle the restlessness that is standing between sleep and I. Sleep: my clandestine lover, return to me and I shall be faithful. These are a few shots of Japan, my first Asian experience, but hopefully not my last. Japan moved me in so many ways. I can only hope that these few pictures can show you a tiny bit of the magic that was felt there. It was like being transported to another world.

These are the sake barrels at the Mejii Shrine. They were supposedly for the gods to enjoy. So many! And so colorful!


The "Big Buddha"




The Jihzu statues, thought to be animistic spirits that protected the woods


The famous Inari gates in Kyoto. Absolutely breathtaking.


Hiroshima: Heart-wrenching in every way. proof that the past should never be forgotten. Proof that nuclear weapons should be done away with.



Samurai Castle



Mizukashi Shrine



Personal welcome cat beckoning us strangers into her midst.



Japan: A Beautiful and Mysterious Land

한 글

The learning process for 한 글 is slow and frustrating, with little to show for it but random vocab words and bad grammar. Rosetta Stone is amazing, but it is totally about immersion and not about reading through vocab lists. It is the most challenging thing I have ever tried to do in so short a time. Basically, I have to be at a survival level of Korean when I go over in August. Oh! that's right, I am almost 100% sure that I will be traveling to Korea the first week of August. We have almost completely worked everything out. Happy day. But until I go over, I have to haul ass and learn as much Korean as possible. I know it is pretty much impossible to become fluent, but I am hoping that I can at least converse the basic needs and hold conversations with Kyounghee's parents. C'mon Rosetta Stone, get me there!

Also, I have been trying several different Korean/Asian dishes. The most recent were these strange little rice paste balls. They looked innocent enough, prettily colored in pink and green and white, but disguised within was this rather untasty goo. It was clear and sweet with little brown flecks in it. Did NOT like.

This is what mine looked like.

Now some of these are quite tasty. I like mochi ice cream...but for some reason the mochi paste balls or whatever they are called are deceitful in look and manner.
PS- Piece of advice, stay away from the red bean paste flavored ones.

Short, but Sweet

So the boy finally bought the appropriate cords to use Skype at his apartment in S.Korea. yay for me!! I will hopefully get to see his face tonight on Skype. In other news, some happy developments have popped up in regard to his family's affections for me. They really want me to come to Korea this summer and meet them. It has also been hinted at that if I do so, a certain monumental life event may be closer than I first supposed. :)

Well, come back down to earth, Noelle. Anyways...I have an 3 o'clock interview tomorrow at Borders. The hiring manager was absolutely frightening when I met her yesterday, but perhaps it is in their job description to terrify away the not truly serious applicants. Let's cross our fingers that I get this job. I might have to miss the beach because of it, but that's not such a big deal if it means Korea at the end of the summer. Ah...priorities.

Well, here is a lovely picture of the place I hope to be at in July/August.

Hello, Summer? Thanks for showing up.

Well, its been a while since I've written. It seems like after Spring Break the semester piled up on itself. I've been busy with finals and the impending departure of my other half. He left on Wednesday and took my heart with him. I won't see him again until August, so until then...it's just you and me. So please forgive any random bouts of depression you may or may not read on here. It shouldn't happen often. I've planned to keep busy this summer to keep my mind off of Korea's hostage, aka my bf. I'm in the interviewing process at Borders, so lets keep our fingers crossed, ok? I would love to work there. Also, I have a series of goals to accomplish this summer.

• Become intimidating with my Korean language skills
• Cook a Korean meal from my cookbook as often as possible(or as often as mom will let me)
• work out with my sister and brother at the gym until we are all super sexy
• read a book a week
• study for the GRE
• successfully skype Kyounghee in Korea
• perhaps go to Korea for 2 weeks(we will see about this one)
• learn to knit
• buy a bicycle
• write my penpal consistently >_>
  

So...as you can see. so much to do, so little time. I actually just finished an hour's lessons worth of Rosetta Stone Korean. It's soooo hard to pronounce. T_T Even if I could speak Korean...his mother would never understand me!!! *cries to self* I must work harder!! Aja Aja!

Coping Habits

So, as it turns out, Korea is off the list of my to dos for this summer. Seems God is withholding the floodgates of heaven in regard to proper financing. Ah well, it's only three months of my life without my best friend/other half. I'll cope...somehow. I will just work myself into the ground to ward off thoughts of being alone. Or I will drink myself into a general stupor for the whole of summer break. Not really. I have no desire to ever feel that way again. (Note: This is a Christmas break story that should be told at every high school to disencourage students from drinking)

Maybe over Christmas break I can visit his family. I was really excited too! His mother had even offered that I stay at their apartment with them. I felt so touched and blessed. Even though her only son is dating and possibly marrying a crazy white girl who is too tall, has curly messy hair, and cant cook to save her life; she was kind enough to offer me a place to stay. I will send them something really nice. Well, this will be a short entry. I am exhausted from Spring Break, although I thought SB was suppose to cure me of my sleep deprivation. It has only added to it. :( I think hibernation sounds fantastic right about it. Don't wake me until spring!

Gender confusion...only its weather confusion

The weather here in Cleveland, TN seems to be displaying what would be identified as gender confusion, if only weather had a gender. One week ago today, it snowed. Today it was a beautiful 60 something degrees. This is just too bizarre for me. I never know if I will need to wear shorts or a parka people eater. bleh. Not to mention it is the week before spring break and with weather this gorgeous...who cares about school? I seriously have been fighting with my inner self all week trying to justify skipping class to go outside. I ate a really yummy egg concoction tonight at my friend, Jungkyun's apartment. I want to learn to cook it. Kyounghee demands I learn to cook it to become a proper wife. boo. He can cook it himself and then teach me. ;P

Cuteness Abounds

Write write write until I die. That is how life feels right now. If I never wrote another paper I would not be upset. O_o I'm so ready for spring break. Going to St. Louis for an English conference. Exciting, yet terrifying at the same time. yikes bikes. But at least before I go to St. Louis I will be able to go home for a few days. Planning on applying for some jobs for summer while I am home. I'm thinking Borders or possible somewhere in the Old City. Yay for monies! I've already made a list of things I saw at the Korean market to get once I have enough saved.

• A pair of idiot proof chopsticks that were just too cute to pass up!





• Any of the aprons on these guys. They are amazing. I aspire to be this cool.

Korea Town, Atlanta

So Kyounghee and I made an awesome new friend. His name is JungKyun and he is an international student from S. Korea. Last night he took us to Atlanta where there is apparently a Korea Town, where everything is Korean. It was awesome. There was a Korean supermarket, hair salon, restaurant, karaoke, etc etc... It was so much fun! And I ate so much! I tried lots of new things and attempted to be brave in the face of squid tentacles, shrimp eyeballs, and pig intestines.

Pork Soft Tofu Soup<----my favorite

Seafood pancake----> included- shrimp, crab, scallion, and squid tentacles. It was really good!

Then we went to a hardcore karaoke place. I seriously believe karaoke was invented by sadists. I mean, ok, if you love starring on the all-humiliation network in front of all of your friends, or even in front of strangers, then this is the hobby for you, but I want to die. At least I am realistic and fully understand the implications of my singing. You know, glass breaking, dogs howling, children weeping. But my boyfriend and JK really love it. Must be an Asian thing. Kyounghee being camera shy

Jungkyun, always ready with a smile and friendly word.

He is just sooo excited to be singing

This place is hardcore karaoke. I just wanna dance

They wanted to make sure you could see the screen. >_>

It is a proven fact that slush decreases motivation

So lately here in good 'ol Tennessee, it has snowed almost every week on the dot. It let up on us last week so I thought that maybe it was finally saying adieu. Oh no. here we are today. In MARCH. We are going to have to call the break we have in a week Winter Break Part II, not Spring break. *CHO!!!!* (this means cold in Korean)

I'm really hoping that South Korea doesn't snow like this...but it's doubtful as they are more northish than we are. It seems I am fated to live in cold, desolate places.

Oh, one bright spot about the slushy gross weather. NO Ice! Therefore, the trip to Atlanta today is still on. Headed to the Korean market with Kyounghee and Jungkyun. I'm gonna eat japchae!

I really want to learn how to make this. Japchae may look disgusting, but it tastes so amazing. The clear noodles are fresh and the whole taste is very simple. No extravagent spicyness. Add some leeks, seaweed and carrots and voila! Japchae. seems easy enough. alright....
GOAL: Make Japchae this week and succeed to where even my boyfriend thinks it tastes good.

Two very important points to assimilating to Korean culture

• Their delicious food being one ( I'm somewhat obsessed with Korean food. I will become extremely fat, I'm afraid)

• Their adorable clothes that luckily I am small enough to fit into. It would be a tragedy if I couldn't because they are just so darn cute.
  ~~ I'm very hung up on these two facts. Not to mention that the mannerisms in that culture are great. One rule I've recently become acquainted with is the visiting ricebowl rule. I really like this rule. I like it so much I dont mind abiding by it as well. Basically, in Korean culture if you visit anyone that is outside of your own place of residence, it doesnt matter who, you must bring a gift...be it food or material good. Even if that person is your own mother. Bring her food. Now I really like this because the past week I have gained many yummy items in my fridge because of visitors. First, my Japanese friend, Kenichi brought over a huge plate of fried noodles in exchange for proofreading his paper. Then Kyounghee's(my bf) new friend Jungkyun brought over a bag of chicken wings and baskin robbins ice cream in exchange for some food, beer and a cig or two. I really love this culture. I can totally do this too. I love to cook. Brace yourself, my Asian friends, I always repay in kind.

Why having a Korean boyfriend is cool

---The point of this blog is to chronicle my progress into becoming an Asian. This was not something forced upon me, but rather, something I chose to do. The reason is because my future in-laws are old generation Koreans who are extremely homogenous in their mindsets regarding the marriage of their only son. Therefore, I am setting out to embrace their culture open-heartedly and make myself into such a good little domestic that even real Korean wives will be jealous. Anyways- while I start this sucker up, here are a few key pointers as to why Koreans are fantastic....Korean boyfriends to be exact.

• he will introduce you to the most amazing, yet spicy food you have ever had
• he will be randomly sweet and grab your hand or rub your cheek
• his hair will always look cool and stylish, even after going without a shower for days
• he will always be interested in Americanisms that you cant get rid of
• he will force you to go to karaoke with him....but you will end up loving it
• he will be a clean freak(which ladies...admit it...we all like men who can tidy up)
• he will constantly be telling you why Korea is the best country in the world and why you should wish you had been born a Korean
• he will randomly start speaking in Korean, momentarily forgetting that it is not your native language
• one word: Engrish
• Korean men are just hot. hands down..the most gorgeous of all Asians.

**And many more. If you need more persuading as to why Korean men are superior to all others- feel free to send me a message!

In memoriam..

I am no Tennyson, but I feel it is my moral duty to at least attempt a eulogy for the departed.

So my cat died yesterday. Shocking? hardly....try earth-shattering. My cat was named Prince and he was 15 years old. My family got this cat when he was just a few weeks old and we had just moved from Lancaster, PA to Knoxville, TN. It was 1995 and I was 7 years old. I am a 21 year old senior in college now. I grew up with this cat. He accompanied me thru grade school, middle school, and high school and almost all the way through college. Some people would look down on my for being so heartbroken over a cat. " Noelle, it's just a cat", they say. Well, I say they can cram it with walnuts. Prince was a family member. He shared birthdays and holidays with us. He even disappeared in 2001 for 7 months only to return to us from his weary travels. It was a miracle. He was definitely a unique cat. He even had an astonishingly one of a kind personality. He would sleep at the foot of my bed when I was sick. If I was sitting on the couch with a blanket in the lap trying to get work done...Prince just wouldnt have it. He had to jump up in my lap, make himself comfortable and go to sleep, completely thumbing his nose up to whatever work I was trying to get down. He would drool on us as well. He had this bizarre talent for drooling like a dog whenever he was happy and purring. Sometimes we believed that he wanted to be a dog. I had never heard of a drooling cat before Prince. He also has this peculiar habit of drinking out of our toliets when we let him inside. Like I said....he wanted to be a dog. In December 2009, he had been diagnosed with the first stage of renal failure. My uncle on my dad's side is a vet and he provided us with the appropriate diet and medicine and told us that it would help slow the kidney failure for several months. We resigned ourselves to Prince's eventual death, but were at least assured of a few more months with him. That is why, not even two months later, I was no where near prepared for the news I received yesterday. Prince had died, not from his failing kidneys, but from a glitch in the garage door due to a bad windstorm. For all 15 years of his living with us, Prince had always skirted under the garage door and it would automatically go back up, no harm done. Well, this time, the wind threw off the sensors and..well, Prince didnt make it in time. My mom found him the next morning with his neck broken from the door. I cry as I write this. I get angry as I write this. I don't know how to feel. For something that has always been there, to not be there anymore when I go home, my home already doesnt feel like my home anymore. No more drooling, no more cuddling, no more toliet water drinking.....nothing can replace this loss. I just nod my head and smile at people's sympathies. I know they are trying to comfort me and be nice. But they really have no idea how this feels unless they have personally gone through it. Maybe I am overreacting. Maybe I dont care. This is my first experience with a family member dying and I think I am damn well allowed to feel what I feel. So, Prince, you were the best cat a family could ask for. It was unfair the way you died, but maybe God chose this way so you wouldnt suffer down the road. I miss you and love you. You will forever be my first cat. Go well into the night, Young Turk.