Cat Rounds

I don't remember where I know this from - don't even remember from which language I learned it from, but I was once told about the idea of "cat rounds": just how cats wander around new places in circle, slowly increasing the size of the latter until they get acquainted with all their surroundings...

That's what I'm doing right now, at least, that's what I try to do. The fact that the weather is so cold right now does not help me go out when I finish at work (10pm : COLD) and in the morning, for now anyways, I am trying my best to keep learning the stories and songs I will be tested on this afternoon at 1:30. Meh. Not like I can do anything with my brain: I am still a bit jet-lagged so I get tired quickly at night and I never was a morning person when it comes to study. 

I initially thought bringing my cloak-like coat to Korea would suffice for the humid winter of Korea, thinking that wearing warm clothing underneath would be enough, but I was wrong. I decided to get a coat here (with actual sleeves) as well as a scarf and mittens. That should keep me going for a while I think. 

I really like the fashion here, but I realized that at least 80% of what I like here is way out of price: I found a nice coat in a store that had nice shades of green (color I don't have much so it would make a nice change) and when I looked at the price - $780; I look at small not-supposed-to-be-pricy items to hang after cellphones, I pick the only one that is $30 (the rest being between $3-$10). The coat I ended up buying is orange (!!!) and was %50 off. I got lucky, I think that color of falling out of fashion, so I got it cheaper, but I don't really care about what's in and what's out: I am more of the I-like-it-then-that's-enough type of buyer.

One of the Cafés I was introduced to is Café Towb. It has that homey feeling to it that I like very much. There actually is a second floor but I haven't gone yet. The coffee shop is right by the place I work and they have free wifi so I might end up there often to study for my classes or just chill. Their coffee is really tasty and they bring tea to you in very nice looking china. I haven't tried tea yet but it's on my list. I love to have warm drinks when it's cold outside: makes me happy. 

Oh, and the people who work there are all good looking. If I ever open a store, I want to have that: people can say what they want to delude themselves, good looking people make a place much better in so many ways.

I'll keep doing cat rounds, see if I find other interesting Cafés and keep updating when I find the time

A-Class Academy

Today I followed the teacher I'll replace in February in three different groups she teaches to. There are two things I can say for sure after today: the place looks awesome, all the rooms are bright and well decorated, nothing looks cheap and everything seems brand new; and the kids are incredibly adorable. My favorite classes are what they call the Meysen groups of young kids, a name that comes from a Japanese curriculum using songs to teach English. I've seen level 20 of young 8ish years old kids, who are actually really advanced, but I found it amazing how they love learning. It might just have been because their teacher is really good at what she does, but well, at least I have got to see an awesome example <3

I like the small kids' classes better than the older ones because there is more energy and movement, but then, I was told that the older students I saw today were particularly amorph if compared to other groups. I'll be watching classes all week and should start co-teaching starting of next week. Now the challenge is that I have to learn all the songs and stories for level 1 and level 20 kyaaa >.<

This is the desk of my roommate of the moment, a sweetheart who's got
a lot of stories to tell

Doesn't that look awesome? I'll take picture of the classrooms later.

Here is the very inviting A-Class Academy hall

I just realized I hadn't had any picture of me taken since I came
here! Truth be told, I don't really like that picture because it looks
like my waist is super large T__T

Korea, 1st day

Today is my first day in South Korea.
The weather is cold and humid (-11), a bit windy and the ground is icy and slippery.
My dad told me it's going to be cold in SOKO for at least the coming two weeks.

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Saturday morning at 3AM I woke up from Montreal's Maritime Plaza and my parents drove me to the airport to take my flight at 6:55AM. The previous day, we had driven 8 hours to get to Montreal by car, and gotten up quite early (5:30AM) to get there in time as I had to pick up my E2 Visa and Passport at the Korean Consulate of Montreal before it closed: it was Friday and I was going to take my plane the very next morning, so you can imagine the happy stress of the whole thing.

Everything went smoothly, even the flights. The first plane I took was quite cramped and crappy: an American Airline so small we could not even keep our cabin luggage with us. The plane, I believe, was even smaller than the planes we take from my hometown to Montreal, but then, I suppose the distance between Montreal and Rouyn is quite similar to the Montreal/New York one. I was really dead tired so I did not really care about that flight: I basically slept through it as soon as I saw that my carryon luggage was put in the actual plane (every time I travel, my only stress is to make sure my luggage is coming along with me: I have heard too many horror stories of friends who got theirs only weeks after their arrival).

New York airport is awesome. There are those things everywhere.
Sadly, I did not need to use them at the time and there're none in
Incheon airport...

Found out that Nintendo 3DS has its own Internet connection when in airports!
Happy happy me using facebook with my nintendo. How nice is this?????

New York Airport is huge. Tons of different terminals, all the size of a regular airport. I was so tired though T)))T once more, I haven't paid that much attention to the details, except those who were really jumping to my face. I took a happy (yes, happy) croissant sandwich and milk; whatever I could afford with the little American money I had.

Then, I took the Asiana Airline plane. How I love Asian planes. Starting off with the attendants' uniform (I had to hold back asking them to take a picture with me for a souvenir) up to the service and food, nothing was amiss. They even had tooth brushes and toothpaste in the toilets to freshen up.

One of the nicest meal I had in a plane. I am always amazed how in Asian planes, the asian food is so legit, whereas
the White food always looks like dog food. Damn us and our lack of sensibility for small details. Notice the METAL
utensils :fork, knife and spoon (all with Asiana Airline written on it) why are those still allowed while we can't even bring a nailclipper on the plane anymore? Another of life's mystery...

The plane had its own individual hot pepper sauce (gochujang) !!!

While I know these are actually good, I never really liked to eat stuff of which you can
still see the head and eyes. The problem I am sure, comes from the eyes. This is the only thing
I did not eat in my Bibimbap

Travelling Tips!

Fact: If you travel from North America to Asia, you will get out of your plane smelly, gross and feeling tired and sick of everything: in the plane you keep on getting too cold and too hot non-stop.

1. Make sure you wear something that is not too tight around the waist and ankles; you'll be seated way too long to be comfy.

2. Wear something that will keep your feet warm (bring a pair of warm socks that you can wear only in the plane when you take your shoes off - because taking your shoes off is a must in such a long flight, plus, your feet get sort of inflated since you don't move much).

3. Bring, in small bottle, the necessary to (1) wash, rince, cream your face and brush your teeth (2) wash your body; body soap - I prefer liquid one - (3) wash your hair, and a hand towel.

4. Bring a change of clothes (if the comfy clothes you are wearing look like crap), socks and underwear.

5. Take your makeup.

POINT: Two hours before landing, go to the toilet with your stuff. There you'll get to go to the toilet, wash your face, brush your teeth, wash your hair (I usually just wash my bangs, really, that's what makes the hair look dirty) and body with the hand towel. Then change your clothes and put a bit of makeup: MAGICAL TRANSFORMATION!

**Worrying about taking up space in the toilet? Well technically it takes maximum 10 minutes. People make other wait even more just to shit sometimes: I rather use that time to NOT look and feel like crap when I get out of the plane. Plus, there is never only one toilet in such a big plane as those flying from North America to Asia.**

Very first sight of South Korea

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I haven't got to do much since I got to SOKO, I don't even have my own apartment yet. I will when the teacher I am replacing will leave. Meanwhile I am staying with another teacher at the same school, who's been there since the summer. She is a sweetheart, we've been walking around Gunpo, a suburb town near Seoul (still on the Seoul metro line). She says everything basically is in walking distance and showed me a couple of nice coffee shops near work, that is around 10 minutes by foot from the apartment building. I feel bad I am making her apartment look messy with all my luggage ;_; can't do much about it though...

I have the day off so I have been around and bought a few trinkets. I feel quite tired even if I slept a lot on the plane so I wonder what I should do: I feel like going to a Café, but then, I'm lazy... I'll see what the rest of the day will bring me.

The first official Korean meal I had: Korean BBQ <3 yum (meat had yet to arrive)

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I found the same toys we went shopping for my niece, my sister and I, last Christmas <3

Bad resolution, stupid camera... Isn't is the cutest coat?

Second meal in Korea :) It's a restaurant that my new roommate calls
the Ajumma's kitchen, as you basically eat what she makes for you,
and for a full meal you pay 5.000 won ($5)

Isn't this coat just insane? There are googles on it XD

Bought a Yearly planner <3

Adventure Teaching - Teach in Korea

Wow, December 14th... this is crazy. There has been this end-of-the-world-crazy talk going around lately - it is the 12.12.12 or the 12.12.20 anyways? Am I late in the end of the world count? - and I realize that the end of the world just depends on perspective. I am going through all sort of preparations to get both my working visa in Korea and try to figure out how I deal with everything that will stay here during my contract time (the most important one of these being my boyfriends :3 ).

I did not dare write about everything in detail yet, I guess I am a bit into superstitions, since I was afraid something would go wrong. I'm always like this with important things. 

But now, everything is set, the contract is signed and I sent the most important documents to Korea with happy FedEx today, before 4PM :)

I will be teaching small kids in Anyang (800.000 inhabitants city down Seoul - 40 min by train to get to dt Seoul is not too bad) in a Christian school for a year. It's a full-time job and I am really looking forward to see how everything will be like. I will have my own apartment around Pyeoncheong station and I get reimbursed the plane ticket so all in all, I think this is a nice deal. The people I talked to that are in the school I will teach at seem to be very nice people <3 

I got my teaching contract through Adventure Teaching and I can say that up to now everything is going smoothly. The people that take care of my going abroad teaching are very friendly and it is always nice to talk to them. I did not even have a TESL liscence/certificate and could do the course online to get their help in finding a nice job/contract in Korea. I am currently doing an online course that I can continue while I am in Korea without stress.

I'll try to keep up the updates when I get there :)

Le Cachottier

There is a new Tapas/Bar that just opened last week in my hometown. They completely painted anew an ancien bistro that was on the Principal Street. It is a partnership of three people who decided to open the place. Le Cachottier's main trait is that the kitchen is an open one, with large counters surrounding it, so even cooks have the feeling of being with everyone. The food is all in small quantity so people can actually order one plate with alcohol to have a snack on the side, or order many to have a meal. The food is around $6-$9 and has a subtle particularity to it. While I see room for improvement in the plates, they definitely have a nice formula for the bar, one that did not exist in town before so I believe they can do well. They often use the mint yogurt dipping to go with the meal, that I especially enjoy.

Ceviche with chips

White fish and vegetable rolls with mint dipping

Lamb and sweet potatoes with apple sauce

French toasts with blueberries and maple syrup cream

 I really enjoy going there, and there is an aspect I particularly like, that is they have a large and comfy waiting area for people waiting to have seats where they can enjoy a drink meanwhile. In Asia there often are waiting areas or at least benches where customers can wait, but here it is very rare so I hope they keep it this way. People here are not used to that concept so I fear their complaints about the waste of space might make the owners change the place into a regular table, but well, I cannot do a thing about it, but brag about the awesomeness of a waiting area. I hate to have to find other things to do while waiting for tables to be free when I go somewhere.

Over 7K!

Thank you~~~! I just realized I have over 7K views! Makes me feel so mean to have neglected my blog for so long. I suppose I have been busy, but then I don't know, sometimes you just don't endup writing for so long and you just loose the habit. I actually took many pictures in order to write some post, and they just never ended up being posted at all. 

Fall season! Halloween already over, now Christmas coming soon. Work is keeping me busy, bf is keeping me busy and enjoying nice coffee/restaurant/drinking time with the Bordeleau sister keeps me happy. Time is getting colder though so I bought quite a lot of new outfits and coats. I'll try to upload pictures of my new friends here whenever I take my lazy ass near my computer.

Bought this awesome strawberry cup and plate for $1 at La Ressourcerie Bernard-Hamel
Love them, those times you walk in there and you find an unexpected treasure.

I went to Montreal for Halloween, as planned a few months ago, and ended up staying much longer than I planned. See, I actually have a defect in my auditory nerve, on the left ear, resulting in my hearing being much much hindered (put both of your finger on your ears, press hard, then have someone talk to you: that's about what I can hear from my left hear). So yes, I went from a doctor to another, doing test, getting samples and they still can't find the problem. At this point, sadly, I think it can't be helped: at least we still might find a way to make sure my other ear doesn't get the same, and prevent the right one to get worse.

In my trip to Montreal I got to go shopping <3, eat delicious food, try the new Karaoke bar La bouche (not so new I know, but I still hadn't gotten to go up to now so whatever). I'll try to upload pictures, but basically I bought shoes and pants: yes pants. Up to last winter I had only one pair of white jeans. I never wear pants. MC got me to like pants when she made me try hers: I then realized that you can look very nice in pants, provided that they are skinny enough and fit you well.

Halloween Clubbing with Lala and Melissa <3

Few pictures of awesome shoes: Red ones from Semy, a store on St-Hubert, selling imported shoes from Italy, all of awesome quality and fit for a wedding ($350),  Shiny ones from Boulet, still on St-Hubert, where all the shoes are $30, and at the back of the store they own awesome quality Cowboy boots - around $250 - in amazing colors and all in really good quality leather. I will go buy a pair next time I go: this time I had no more room in my bag. The beige ones were around $40, bought also on St-Hubert, I cannot remember the name, but St-Hubert has tons of shoe stores, just walking around, one is bound to find awesomeness: just need to keep the eyes open.

Went by Holt & Renfrew to buy new concealer at Bobbi Brown and ended up buying a case of brushes! My very first case ($125). I really love to use different brushes to put on make up, not only because the result is much nicer, but also because the feel of the brushes on the skin is really nice. much nicer anyways than cheap pharmacy brushes.

New nails~~~ I sort of stopped doing my own nails for a while, since working as a waitress sort of makes me worry that my polish will chip and fall in the food of the customers. Instead I decided to try the Vietnamese store in my hometown that do UVGel nails, for a result that holds much longer. 

When I got those done, bf said they looked like I had my nails dirty. Mean mean bf. The second one, MC qualifies it as a "Care Bear" nail polish. Oh well, can't please everybody.

When I went to Japan I bought a make your own bead accessories thingy to see if I liked to do it. The result was okay, and I bought more on Internet, through a Japanese friend (they only ship in Japan). Last week I finished this awesome bear in dress, and now I feel so awesome I feel like no beads pattern is too difficult for me muhahahaha.

The fact that you can do those in parts, and that you see the result quite fast makes it funnier to make that, say for example cross-stitches, of which I haven't kept doing since I moved from Montreal. Mean mean mean me. 

Gave this one to darling Rock-See for her BD a few days ago <3

My parents went to Cuba for a Velo trip, lucky ones, so we went cooking at my place (no fear of disturbing anyone) and in the end bf never even let my touch the pans: I just ate. What can I do, he is Mr. picky and can back it up by being an excellent cook.

Random Picture of me because, why not?