♥ 행복 ♥ happiness ♥

Gone are the days where being alone means feeling lonely. After church today I had a lot of things to catch up with but I decided to spend sometime alone and catch up with myself instead. 

I had a very pleasant afternoon of walking, exploring, watching, listening, taking pictures, reading, reflecting. And just being. Just me, myself and I. ♥

A huge change has occurred within me over the last few weeks and I've never felt happier or more content within myself. I am an entirely different person. I have a beautiful life and I intend to make every day as joyful as can be by surrounding myself with beauty and filling my mind and heart with cheerful, gratifying, positive energy.

Spat with a half-wit foreigner

Despite the Lady Gaga concert being oddles of fun, the lead up to it that evening was the exact opposite. As Ruth and I were leaving school (separately, of course) and were about to set off to go straight to the concert, we both realised we weren't actually sure where we were going. There was some confusion about the area of Seoul that we needed, the name of the stadium the concert was being held and the subway station in which to disembark. Long story but basically there are two stadiums right next to each other and although the name of one matches the name of one subway station, it's easier to get to from a different subway station, with a different name. Anyway, with the help of a couple of our Korean teacher friends and fellow Gaga fan friends, we figured it out. Phew.

...But then something else went wrong. Not sure how I managed it but I missed my transfer station, and not by one but TWO stops, which is really quite unbelievable as it's the station that I transfer at on almost every subway journey I take. Anyway this completely messed up my simple and stress-free route and meant that I had to take a total of FIVE trains to reach my destination. FIVE. Just to clarify this absurdity- most areas of Seoul can be reached by two trains; if ever you have to take three, it's considered a bit of a nightmare journey. So never four. And never, ever, in a month of Sundays, five. Leave it to Chelsea to make that happen when she really needed to be somewhere fast.

So when I eventually arrived, all I wanted was to relax and have dinner before the concert started. Did this happen? Of course not. While Ruth and I were queuing up for Burger King, of all places, (there weren't many options for dinner!) I managed to end up in a big argument with possibly the most idiotic foreigner I've had the misfortune of meeting since arriving here. And that's saying something. Shortly after getting into the queue we realised that said stupid foreigner was laying into the poor Korean guy behind her and in front of us. Apparently he had pushed her friend and "it was NOT a accident!" OK, then. The girl was yelling at him, in English of course, and he just had to stand there and take it. He had the occasional response to her ranting but generally he just stood there quietly, trying his best to ignore her, beside his girlfriend who looked so embarrassed by the whole situation and somewhat frightened by this crazy American girl in front of her. I felt so sorry for her.

If the girl had stopped there wouldn't have been a reason for me to get involved, but she didn't. She just kept going, staring at him and talking completely inappropriately about him while still still staring at him. I'm not sure I've ever seen a bigger bully in action. It was really alarming. I almost lost it when she spat the words, "Pfft, what you don't even speak English?! Well there's a surprise!" What a nasty piece of work she was! Why should he speak English?! This is his country! And she seemed to have forgotten, and I get the feeling many foreigners do here, that we are guests in this country. People like her don't even deserve to be here if they are going to go around acting like that. Her and her actions were disgraceful! Such an embarrassment!

So when she wouldn't let in drop, I stepped in. I didn't have any other choice. What she was doing was not fair. It was wrong and I had to stand up to her. And she got quite the shock when I did as did the Korean couple that she'd been screaming at. I basically said something along the lines of, "Why don't you leave him alone?! You've had your say; you should let it drop now because you're embarrassing yourself and you are the reason foreigners have a bad name in this country!" And she didn't like what I said one bit. And just like that, she left the Korean couple alone because all her anger was now directed at me. But I could take it. I could stand up for myself which they couldn't. It got quite heated at one point and she was shouting loudly and by this point the whole of Burger King were watching. They've probably never seen anything like it. At one point she 'invited me, you know as these 'hard people' do, to, "come on then!! You wanna get involved?! Come and get involved!!" to which my rely was, "Erm, I think I'm already involved, am I not?!" She was 'all talk and no trousers' as Ruth so rightly put it and soon after I think she realised that she really had no other option but to shut up and wait for her food like normal people do.

The Korean couple were so cute afterwards. The girl smiled at me as they stood aside to wait for their food and the guy looked so thankful that I'd stood up to her on their behalf. He did the cutest Korean bow to show his thanks. Meanwhile the nasty clueless foreigner stood on the other side and bitched about me. I am so glad I stood up to her. There is no place for such nastiness in this world. It is so uneccessary and it needs to be stopped. I hope she thinks twice before pulling a similar stunt again and I hope the Korean couple's faith in foreigners has been restored to some degree at least. Honestly, we're not all bad.

Rah, rah, ah, ah, ahh. Gaga, KO-RE-AHHHH!!

On Friday I saw Lady Gaga kick off her Born This Way world tour right here in Seoul. And I jolly well loved every minute of it!

First night of Lady Gaga's Born This Way Ball
Seoul Olympic Park Stadium, South Korea
27th April 2012

One of the best things about it was that I bought the tickets just a week before! Amazing! Especially since the UK dates sold out so quickly. 60 seconds?! Come on England, seriously?! And another great thing was how cheap the tickets were compared to how much they would have been at home. They were just £30 compared to the £70 price tag in the UK. 

But when Ruth and I arrived, it soon became clear why the tickets were in fact so cheap! They were soooooo far away from the stage!! The concert was at Olympic Park Stadium which, in my opinion, was a very bad choice of venue and kinda puts me off attending further concerts in similar settings. To add salt to the wound, there were only two tiny, weeny little screens right at the front next to the stage. They helped not one iota. As much use as a chocolate teapot! So unfortunately I didn't see any of her infamous costumes or highly anticipated raunchy shenanigans. We just about made out something seemingly sexual taking place on a motorbike. And that was through severely squinted eyes and an awful lot of concentration.

My favourite costume for my favourite song, Bad romance :) 

The infamous motorbike
(Don't be fooled! These pictures a re NOT mine! I couldn't see any of this! Lol! )

Although I barely saw a thing and I had to youtube the performances when I came home, (Hahaha! Was I even there?!) a great night was had! The atmosphere was great. I was surprised to see how much Koreans actually love her after all the controversy leading up to the concert, particularly among the Christian community and and their attempts to have the concert cancelled. And then the decision to make the concert +18 only. In to response to this, at the beginning of the concert, she declared, "Korea, your government decided that my concert should be for 18s and over... so I'll make sure it will be!" 

Our view....
hahahahahahaha

Getting into the spirit of things! Pink flashy bows! Yeeeeah!

The night was not free of 'haters' however. Upon arrival, as well as all the crazy fans dressed up like her which I was pleased to see, this being Korea and all, we saw protesters holding posters telling her to 'go home.' Then afterwards, on the way out of the stadium, we ran into a group of distressed looking Christian protesters frantically praying for us. But hey, we all survived her evil ways and lived to tell the tale! 

Why don't YOU go home and try finding a grip somewhere along the way?!

More my kind of people :)
Gaga Crazies! Fun times! 

Despite all this, her concert was the second highest attended concert in Korean history! Michael Jackson's concert being the first. Great night, Gaga! So glad I was part of such a spectacular show and on the first night right here in Seoul :)

A weekend of Buddhism

Last weekend I had one of the best experiences of my time in Korea so far and one of the most captivating, thought-provoking, self-reflective weekends I have ever had. I took part in a Temple Stay and it was every bit as fascinating as it sounds and unparalleled to any other experience I've ever known.

I woke up nice and early on the Saturday morning to catch the Adventure Korea tour bus bound for Geumsansa Temple in Geumje located in the Jeollabuk-do providence in the southwestern part of Korea. Although unsure of what exactly was awaiting me, I felt excited and content knowing I had some quality alone time ahead of me beginning with the 3.5 hour journey down there.

On the way there we stopped at a rest stop (I swear every rest stop I've ever stopped at on this kind of journey in Korea looks identical! I always think I'm at the exact same one! It's all very confusing) and I had a lunch of, wait for it, ROAST POTATOES which were, albeit not quite as great as the mother's, very good indeed. I knew there and then it was going to be an excellent weekend.

As we got closer the weather took a turn for the worse with very heavy rainfall which unfortunately lasted the duration of the weekend. Of course it wasn't ideal and I spent most of the weekend feeling damp and cold but it definitely did not ruin the weekend. In fact, and I would never usually find myself saying this, it kind of added to the whole experience.

Upon arrival we were given welcome gifts, handed our monastic uniform and assigned rooms. Luckily I ended up sharing a room with four other fun, like minded girls who I ended up having a great weekend with.

Soon after our arrival we had an orientation meeting with the monk who spoke mostly in Korean with a tour guide/ translator to help relay the information to us. Next we made lotus lanterns which was a lot of fun. And after that we had our first meal which was bibimbap- the only meal the monks eat, three times a day, due to its health benefits and lack of meat. I wasn't complaining. It was delicious and is fast becoming one of my favourite Korean dishes now I've got my palate on par with Korea's love of spicy food.

After dinner we attended a Yebul ceremonial service (devotional chanting) followed by tea and question time  with tea and rice cakes with the monk before bed at 9pm ready for our early morning start the next day. 

The 3am wake up was killer. We got dressed as quickly as possible and trudged across in the dark for another Yebul service. It was so difficult to be awake and having to bow and chant at that time and I only had to do it the once. I honestly have no idea how these people do it every day! It wasn't all bad though because we did get to go back and have a little nap afterwards before meeting up again, still in the dark, for a meditation session (one of my favourite parts of the weekend) and a real monastic style breakfast (the kind of breakfast they would have had many years ago. It's much more modern these days.)

There was more rest/nap time available after breakfast which I took advantage of after a little wander with my camera around the grounds. Afterwards we met up once again and took a walk into the forest for another meditation session. This time in the forest surrounded by nature!! This one was a little strange and it much more difficult to concentrate in that setting but it was a good experience nonetheless. People are always extremely busy these days and as a result it's difficult, and often impossible, to ever stop and just be in the moment. It was nice to put the brakes on life for those few minutes and just be silent in the middle of nowhere surrounded by such beautiful nature. It was a very uplifting feeling. 

When we returned, we had tea and rice cakes with the monk before the biggie. What came next was, hands down, the most enthralling part of the weekend for me. We were given a pack of 108 Buddhist prayer beads and a string which we had to put together while doing the 108 Prostrations (if we could manage it.) And I did! But by heavens was it hard work! It's one of the hardest workouts I've ever done. For the last twenty or so I couldn't even feel my legs (and don't even get me started on how much pain I've been in this week just trying to walk and going up, and especially, down the stairs has been pure hell!) I was determined to do it until the end and there was not a chance I was going to give up until I completed what I set out to no matter how much it hurt or how much I wanted to stop. (My stubborn determination- one of my best AND worst traits.) But more there was so much more to it than the physical aspect. The spiritual and emotional aspects presented me with some of the most intense feelings I have ever felt in my life. And that time really did give me a lot to think about. For each bead we put onto the bracelet we had to say a prayer for something. (And let me just state something here, I am Christian. Was I in a Buddhist Temple taking part in a Buddhist act of worship? Yes. Was I praying to or idolising another god? No. I was praying to MY God. And as controversial as this might seem to some devout Christians, my own relationship with my God is my business. Nobody else. The building and the type of prayer was irrelevant because I was talking to Him and He was listening.) So like I said, for every bead we had to say a prayer for something. Most of my prayers were for the important people in my life and for people that I have known throughout my life, particularly those that have made an impact on my life, good and bad, whether we're in contact now or not. So as you can imagine it was a very emotional time and I was in quite the state when I finished. Physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted but feeling as though I was flying at the same time. It was a very special moment in my life and a memory I'll cherish forever along with my most prized possession; my Buddhist prayer bead bracelet. 

Before we set off on our journey back to Seoul we had our final meal of bibimbap. On the way back and during the days that have followed I've reflected on what that weekend has done for me. It really was one of those life-changing moments that came at exactly the right time in my life. It was a perfect conclusion to everything that I have been through lately. The confirmation that I am on the right track and the inspiration to keep going. One of the most successful soul searching moments to date and a very special weekend that will stay with me forever  ♥ 

Cherry blossoms galore!

Spring in Korea is a wonderful time. Finally beginning to feel warm again after the wickedly cold winter is great. As is the feeling of new beginnings and the being surrounded by nature's blossoming beauty. And everyone's just so much happier in spring, aren't they?! Spring is by far my favourite season and even more so in Korea.

There are so many beautiful cherry blossoms to be admired at this time and you have to make sure you do because they don't stick around for long. Leave it too late and they'll be gone as quickly as they came.

This spring I've been lucky enough to see lots of beautiful blossoms around me on my travels heightening my happy mood :)

I LOVE SPRING ♥

Whatever will be, will be...

OK. After a very stressful and confusing few weeks since getting back from my trip I have FINALLY come to some conclusions. And I'm feeling good.

Last weekend I eventually got round to sending off the required CV and cover letter for the international school job I have had my eye on for a while. And it's been a very positive experience. I finally got round to updating my CV which I've needed to do for years, I produced a great letter that I'm very proud of and I got an almost immediate response inviting me for an interview just two days later.

I had the interview on Monday and, again, it was all very positive indeed. I know that I did the best I possibly could have and I'm confident that I made a good impression, through my knowledge, experience and personality, on both interviewers. I left the interview feeling extremely satisfied with myself.

This week I've experienced some varied emotions and thoughts about the job (mostly concern regarding the two year contract) but as the week has progressed, I have reached a conclusion. And it's as simple as this:

If I get the job, GREAT! I'll stay in Korea.
If I don't get the job, GREAT! I'll go home.

At this stage, and after weeks of considering all my other options, I feel that these are the only two options I have because I no longer have any desire to teach ESL and moving to and teaching in another country right on the back of Korea, for some reason, just doesn't sit well with me. So that's that! It's now out of my hands and up to a higher power to decide.

I would obviously love to stay in Korea; the thought of having to leave any time soon saddens me beyond belief. However, I am going into this with one very straightforward thought and that is, 'whatever will be will be...' Because whatever happens, it will be exactly the right thing for me.

In full swing :)

Okay! So my new plan is in full swing and I could not be happier! I had such a fantastic weekend!

On Saturday I met up, for the first time, with the photography club I've just joined. We took part in a 10km walk to raise awareness for the countries that have been affected by recent natural disasters. The event was organised by Mannam Volunteering Organisation which I have just become a member of and the organisation in which the photography club belongs to. Two birds with one stone and all that! I met lots of new people and I know that I'm going to fit in well with my new photography club. I feel relaxed and welcome despite not having the foggiest about photography!

After the event I finally got round to doing something I'd been putting off for a while; sending off the application documents for the British international school job that I'm interested in. So taking that next step towards the future felt good and a weight was suddenly lifted off my shoulders. An all you can eat buffet dinner with Ruth followed and then Naz's birthday party at a nice bar in Hongdae after that. And to end the night, said birthday boy; a very drunken Naz, passing out on my sofa because he was too plastered to get into his own apartment! So funny!

The Sunday was just as great! After throwing Naz out, I woke up to wonderful news; a positive response to my email inviting me to an interview the very next day! WOW!

Ruth then came round and her and I walked to church. It was great chatting to people at church after the service, explaining how things had turned around in just one week. I was no longer lost and confused; I knew what I wanted, took the first step in hope of achieving that and got an excellent response almost immediately. Incredible! God really did help me last week!

After church Ruth and I had a late lunch/ early dinner with our new friend, Jean, from church. We found a nice little BBQ restaurant between church and my place and the meat was just as delicious as the company and conversation.

A fabulously busy, happy and successful  weekend :)

Wonderful times with wonderful friends ♥

I'm so lucky to have so many great Korean friends. I've had lots of nice times with each of them over the last few weeks...

Hongdae with Seoyoung :)

First ever volleyball game with Ah ram :)

Lunch and coffee with Ga Yeong

Double dinner (and date kind of) with Jong-young

Belated birthday fun with Yuseon

Titanic in 3D with Joohyun