laura all over!

ooh guess my source is a liar!

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:53:00 +0900

Through some of the 10 Magazine back channels (Thanks Ku Lee at MLA!) we are now able to confirm that the brand new 3-floor Taco Bell in Itaewon will be likely be opening sometime in May assuming no construction delays. (So much for the article we previously linked to saying it would open in March.)

Stephen Row of Taco Bell Korea put to rest rumors that they are also opening a Yeoksam location, saying, “We’re just focused on having a successful opening for our Itaewon location right now.” We’re guessing from the number of times this article has been shared on Facebook that they’re going to have a very successful opening.

We’ll keep in touch with Taco Bell Korea and bring you the exact opening date as soon as it’s confirmed.

Three floors!

A friend told me to check out “Archer”. It’s...

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:26:00 +0900

A friend told me to check out “Archer”. It’s a newish show on FX, and I am now in love with it. (It’s on Hulu for all of you lucky Americans, and easy to find for everyone else.)

It’s almost 7pm, and all I’ve done today is sleep. I didn’t think it was possible...

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:50:51 +0900

It’s almost 7pm, and all I’ve done today is sleep. I didn’t think it was possible to sleep this much. I did wake up around 1 to eat something little and watch the new Gossip Girl episode finally, but then I fell back to sleep. I do feel a lot better, though.

Meet my co-worker Jaclynn. Here she is with the owner of a bar...

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:55:00 +0900

Meet my co-worker Jaclynn. Here she is with the owner of a bar we went to last night. She is ridic, I love it. Today she gave me medicine and we ordered pizza and watched Funniest Home Videos. Now I’m going to hide in my room for the night, basking in my unshowered glory and hopefully catch up on reading or Korean studying. Maybe tomorrow I will actually make it outside.

word on the street is

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:12:00 +0900

TACO BELL IS OPEN! I would like a verification.

Someone wanna bring a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, a bean burrito, and loads of hot sauce to me in my sickbed?

I’m so curious about what their menu will be like. It’s sad how many friends have offered to go with me. You would think it’s all I ever talk about. (It is. My blog comes up on the first page when you Google “taco bell itaewon”. Haha.)

One of my students told me I look like Jessica from SNSD today....

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:27:00 +0900

One of my students told me I look like Jessica from SNSD today.

“Thank you, but she’s Korean. I do not look Korean.”

I don’t know if it was because I was dressed Korean-y with glasses and plaid, but it’s bizarre being compared to Korean celebrities.

On another note that encompasses the general weirdness of my neighborhood, a nine-year-old, chubby, awkward male student of mine asked about my glasses today.

“Teacher, glasses Fendi?”

“Uhh, yes. How do you know?”

“My mom likes Fendi!”

I couldn’t do anything but crack up, imagining how much she has to talk about luxury brands for her odd little boy to instantly recognize their logos on his English teacher’s frames.

The same moms can also be seen forcing their children to speak English-only in the Lotte Mart (“But I want THIS candy!” Stomp, stomp, stomp, pout.), and buying their kids $300 pairs of purple Uggs that they will outgrow in six months. Samsung-dong. Ridic.

Dear Sore throat:

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:44:00 +0900

jgh2:

I took antibiotics last week. I took them as I was supposed to. WHY ARE YOU RETURNING.

For some reason, Korea causes people to get sick an obscenely abnormal amount of times. I don’t think I’ve ever been sick as often as I was last year. It wasn’t ever anything serious, just cold after cold after cold, but it’s so annoying. It’s already started for me and I am not happy!!!

Having a computer and a projector in my classroom means I get to...

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:03:00 +0900

Having a computer and a projector in my classroom means I get to show stupid things like this to my students. Their reactions were pretty good.

it's F R I D A Y !

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:36:55 +0900

My weekend starts in 30 minutes.

I would be really excited, but I think I’m getting sick. The second I’m back in Seoul, my immune system gets attacked by the pollution and germy children. -_- Saturday I’m checking out H&M with a couple coworkers, and Sunday is White Day, which I am rather indifferent about. My big plan for the day is to finally buy a pillow. Exciting.

brooksmatic: coffeeandkimchi: ahopsi: Yes, It’s Seoul . NOT...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0900

brooksmatic:

coffeeandkimchi:

ahopsi:

Yes, It’s Seoul . NOT EGG.

Gangnam folks thinking they’re at the center of the universe ㅋㅋㅋ. Truuueee.

Haha, it is true! My gu is where it’s at.

I’m finally updating my music library, thanks to having a...

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:17:00 +0900

I’m finally updating my music library, thanks to having a ton of free time at work this week and coworkers who like good music.

“Walking on a Dream” - Empire of the Sun

i miss southeast asia

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:13:41 +0900

A lot. Even Myanmar… but not Vietnam.

My apartment, which is nothing more than a big room with a...

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:20:11 +0900

Check out my $50 sheet and $60 blanket

Peruvian blanket = prized possession

My apartment, which is nothing more than a big room with a bathroom and laundry porch attached. The lighting is bad, like in every Korean apartment, but it looks a lot worse in the pics.

Everything is pretty much just how I want it, I only have to fill these two pillow cases I bought in Laos and Thailand and buy pillows for my bed. One of my coworkers lives in my building, and she has found a ton of nice furniture in the garbage in our neighborhood. So I’m going to steal her shoe rack and shelves for clothes when she leaves at the end of April. Piling things under my bed and TV work for now.

Plenty of room for my summer visitors! :D

How does it feel to be back teaching in Korea? What did you miss the most while you were gone?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:16:39 +0900

It’s great! I’m happy with my job and everything else. I missed my friends, having my own place, making money, and planning my next trip. I have to figure out my school’s vacation schedule so I can get on that last one. :)

Snow outside my apartment. In March. WHYYY???

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:01:04 +0900

Snow outside my apartment. In March. WHYYY???

agassinabe: datavis: North Korea | The Craziest Country In The...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:47:00 +0900

agassinabe:

datavis:

North Korea | The Craziest Country In The World

(Click for bigger.)

fuckyesmaps: World map of happiness (click to see bigger) I...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:21:47 +0900

fuckyesmaps:

World map of happiness

(click to see bigger)

I feel like there is no way this is accurate. SE Asian/Buddhist countries seem far more happier than Western ones. MUCH more. I want to know what this is based on; it seems so silly to try to measure happiness.

Couple Let Baby Starve To Death While Raising Virtual Baby Online

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:10:51 +0900

tumblrisforlulz:

gnate1:

A Korean couple allowed their child to starve to death because of their addiction to raising a ‘virtual’ child in a Second-Life-style game online known as Prius, reports say.

Kim Yoo-chul, 41, and Choi Mi-sun, 25, would feed their three-month-old baby only when not at 12-hour-online sessions in a local internet café. The pair were obsessed with raising their internet child, called Anima, resulting in the neglect of their unnamed real daughter.

Read More

I DIED AT THE TITLE

Ughhh. My sister showed me this. :[ Not good media attention for Korea.

samsung-dong

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:15:05 +0900

Like I’ve said 100 times, I love my new ‘hood.

I went into my new little grocery shop for the first time with my coworkers after work, and the owner was so surprised to see me with them.

Him: “New face!”

Coworker: “Yeah, new teacher!”

Him: “Ahh! New teacher!”

Then yesterday, he was very excited to introduce me to his daughter. ”New teacher!” Only in Korea. Lee Hyori also allegedly lives down the street so I’ll have to keep my eyes open for some celebrity-stalking opportunities.

Agatha was in Seoul for a week before finally heading back to...

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:47:47 +0900

Late-night galbi last Monday

Joseph, Ags, me

I have lots of pictures with strangers

Agatha was in Seoul for a week before finally heading back to Chicago. She finished teaching the same time I did, and did a massive four-month trip around SE Asia. It was cool to be able to talk to someone about a lot of the places I’ve been too! It will be weird not having her in Seoul for my second year.