Dear readers,

It has been more than nine months since my job ended in Korea and more than six months since I was last on Korean soil. It’s been kind of nutty. I’m trying to restructure my life, get a handle on my ADHD and teach myself better habits and routines to deal with how it affects my life. My ADHD wasn’t a topic on my blog while blogging from Korea, as I didn’t want my school to discriminate against me.

I have been catching up with family, trying to find places for my things, get rid of clutter, organize, and go through almost three years of photos. I’ve been cooking a lot, taking pictures and not blogging very much at all.

I’d like to keep blogging here – although I haven’t written anything about readjusting to life in America – I think there are things I need to write on that topic.

However, since I am no longer living anywhere near Seoul the blog title really ought to change.

A related (promise!) tangent:

When I was in Jeonju a taxi driver asked me to talk to his middle school daughter on the phone and check her English skills. Usually I would politely refuse, but he was exceptionally nice to me.When he couldn’t find the teashop I wanted to go to – but he stopped his meter, called them and had them meet us at a point he could get to easily and then apologized profusely for the trouble. He told his daughter that a “Miguk Eonni (미국 언니)” was on the phone for her (an American older sister). I thought that was a really cute name for me.

Then, when I traveled in Cambodia I met a Korean family. The little boy called me ***-nuna (누나) as they were my adopted family for a few days. I later visited them in the Philippines, where they are living as a goose family, and the whole family referred to me as ***-nuna .

Thus, blog will change titles from “Funk Seoul Sister” to “Luna Nuna- Miguk Eonni.”

Furthermore, Wordpress will be getting upgraded to a more recent version (hopefully more hacker proof as I’ve been compromised several times now). This means I’ve had to go back and make sure that all my posts with Korean in them will be recoverable. In other words, cut and paste copies of the Korean so it can be fixed after the upgrade. Otherwise all the Korean would be lost and turned into cute little squares.

I was hoping to do all this sooner – but it’s something of an undertaking to make sure none of the posts are overlooked.

Yup. Anyway. ^.^

Lets hear it for a new year! New starts, renewed energy, a new blog title, an updated blog and new posts!

Happy New Year to you all! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season full of warmth and love. May this year be a better one for everyone.

Apparently Wondergirls will be on So You Think You Can Dance tomorrow evening on FOX at 8pm/9pm Central.

I guess it’s old news on the Internetz, but I was pretty startled to hear that announcement at the end of the show. I wonder what song they’ll do? Heh.

In other news, dear readers, the three of you that are left. I am still alive. I’ve been going through cycles of great productivity and then burnout. Hooray for restructuring your life.

I’ve got some posts in the works that will go up soon, and will trying to be a better blogger after the holidays are over!

I hope you are all warm and happy.

I’ve been watching this season’s Top Chef, and one ingredient keeps popping up in the “Quickfire Challenges” and the “Elimination Challenges”. That ingredient is yuzu.

Yuzu fruit, from Wikipedia

After hearing it mentioned for the umpteenth time in a dish description, and never seeing a glimpse of a yuzu being broken down for a recipe, I finally googled yuzu.

Wouldn’t you know it, yuzu is 유자.
Yuza, or Yuja as it’s called in Korean, is a citrus fruit that looks a lot like a grapefruit. It’s able to withstand much colder temperatures than other citrus type fruits, and is used in Chinese, Japanese and Korean food cultures.

I realize I am not the first K-blogger, or ex-K-blogger in my case, to write about Yuzu or Yuja. However this was kind of a shock to me, so I hope I can be forgiven for duplicating information that’s probably already been put out there.

Yuzu is 유자 (Yuja)!
Korea based readers would be most familiar with 유자 as the main component in 유자차 (Yujacha, or Yuja tea sometimes labeled as Citron tea*). It’s ever present in the teacher’s room alongside the green tea, and Maxim instant coffee sticks (in both Mocha Gold and original flavors).

You can also get it in most convenience stores from the hot drink box near the front of the store (next to the other good-for-you drinks).

*Although, technically it’s not a tea since there are no tea leaves in the mixture.

Homemade yujacha in a jar, from Wikipedia

유자차 (Yujacha) comes in a big jar and looks an awful lot like marmalade, as you can see above. In fact, I used it as a marmalade often when I was living in Korea.

I asked my co-teachers about 유자차 (Yujacha) on more than one occasion. They stressed the health benefits of drinking it, especially during cold season. I asked if the fruit was ever eaten outside of 유자차 (Yujacha) but my co-teachers couldn’t remember ever eating it. Apparently the fruit is best as a preserve to counter the fruit’s natural bitter and sour flavors.

To make tea from 유자차 (Yujacha) you just need hot water, and a spoon. One spoonful of 유자차 (Yujacha) is mixed into the hot water, or more according to taste. The taste is bright and citrusy.

Yujacha jar, from Wikipedia

Intitally I’d only had 유자차 (Yujacha) as a hot tea, but tried it Hongdae as a sparkling drink at The Aa Design Museum earlier this Spring.

The Aa Design Museum in Hongdae.

Iced sparkly 유자차 (Yujacha) at the Aa Design Museum in Hongdae. Note the back of a certain prolific Korean food blogger’s laptop.

It was so tasty as a cold drink that club soda and 유자차 (Yujacha) topped my grocery list when I got back to Atlanta.

유자화채 – Yuju Hwachae
Yuju is also in 유자화채 (Yuju Hwachae) , a fruit punch from the Joseon dynasty and a local specialty of Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces. Since the majority of the Yuju grown in South Korea is from the southern part of the peninsula, where these provinces are, I’m sure it’s tasty.

Sadly I never got to try 유자화채 (Yuju Hwachae), has anyone had it before?

Earlier this week there was a lot of flooding in Atlanta. Although people not far from me were affected greatly, losing houses, cars, and possessions I’m lucky to live on a high high hill and I wasn’t affected. My family is fine as well.

I’m taking a road trip to visit the SO’s family and some of my family up north tommorrow. We’re taking along our mountain bikes. We haven’t been able to ride for almost two weeks because of all the rain here and now that the rain has stopped the trails are flooded. I’m sure it will take a great deal of work to fix the trails and hopefully we’ll both volunteer to help rebuild them.

So I’m pretty excited about my trip. Biking, family, and fun!

ps. I was on an unintentional hiatus from posting for a while. I’m hoping to start posting again when I come back from my road trip. Since I’ve gotten back to America I’ve had a lot to write about. However, it all kind of got clogged up and stuck and I didn’t write at all! So – here’s to baby steps and getting back on the ball.

Charlie Sheen does, Michael Jordan doesn’t.

Speaking of Korean food in America…
I’m ruined for life as far as Korean food goes. I had a Dosirak at an H-Mart food court. I couldn’t even finish it. The kimchi tasted factory made, the chicken was super dry, even the fried veggies were lacking.

Please send me kimchi!

Ps. I’m still alive! See? =D

Remember how excited I said I was for their release?

They came out yesterday. I got some today, when I closed my bank account and withdrew allll my money (in cash). I was only allowed 500,000 W worth of 50,000 W bills. I tried to get more by telling the bank teller that my Dad invented the security strip, and even showed her his business card (which also has the same kind of technology on it) but she couldn’t give me any more. Because it’s so new, there isn’t that much in circulation yet, so tomorrow I’ll go back to the bank again to try to exchange for 500,000 W more to take back home.

As far as I could see the only other K-blogger who mentioned the new currency release is Brian in Jeollanam-do.

In other news, I have three days left in Seoul before going back to “my hometown” for good.
After traveling for two months, I’ve just been relieved to be back where I know what’s going on, it hasn’t really hit me that this time I’m flying out and not coming back again. I can’t even start to list the things I’ll miss about life here, or the things I’m looking forward to in the next stage of my life. Hopefully I’ll get better about writing again as I’m able to decompress.

Dear Readers,

If any of you are left – I’m now in the Phillipines. Cambodia was amazing. So full of history and beauty and well, contrasts, that it was exhausting. That’s even without the heat.

I stayed in Siem Riep for just a few days and met a lovely Korean family who I traveled with while there. I had a much better time because of their company, and we ended up becoming good friends. I’m actually writing from their house in Baguio now!

After Siem Riep – I went to Pnomh Penh, which was even hotter. I saw the Grand Palace and the Riverfront. I went to eat at a cool cookie botique that helps street children, and ate at it’s sister restuarant that helps an orphanage. I saw a shadow puppet show, and met the nicest most articulate taxi driver on the way to the airport.

After Pnomh Penh I headed to Kuala Lumpur. I was planning on eating and enjoying civlization but I ended up getting really sick instead. I couldn’t really eat anything. I was exhausted and burned out. I explored a little bit, got whistled at for no reason, was approached by a fortune teller and scammed by an imitation monk. I found a Borders – which made me really happy, even though I didn’t buy any books there. I went to see Wolverine, and spent a lot of time in internet cafes.

I like Kuala Lumpur and would like to explore Malaysia, I wish I had been feeling better.
I decided to come to the Phillipines, versus Indonesia, because of the lovely family I met in Cambodia. They offered to let me stay with them and “take a rest” which I needed pretty badly. So here I am. I was in Manilla few nights too, just resting and recovering, but I’ve been here four nights already.

Actually three nights, one night was in Sagada, 7 hours by bus north of here. =D Which is another story entirely.

Tonight I’m taking a night bus to Manilla, then flying to Cebu and heading to the small island of Malapascua to dive with thresher sharks and all sorts of other assorted marine life.

I feel rested and excited again. I’m really happy, I’m looking forward to the last leg of my trip (Hong Kong -> Beijing) and going back to Seoul.

I’m not looking forward to saying goodbye. There are a lot of people in Seoul I didn’t say goodbye to, because it was just too hard. I’m not good at goodbyes. I cry a lot. But I will enjoy seeing my friends again anyway.

My life is changing, again, but I think I can handle it. I’m even a little excited, even if it’s colored around the edges with sadness.

Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles, I’m not exactly sure how it got that name, but it’s true that most situations in Thailand are dealt with using a smile. Like in Korea, losing face is bad, and the prefered way to avoid conflict is to smile and keep going. (similar to The Yes-but really-No in Korea, or the Maybe-which-means-NEVER)

I even found a link about different kinds of smiles in Thailand.
Which I think is interesting because each smile has a specific name. I’m pretty sure that other cultures use these facial expressions as well, but at least in American culture, they don’t have individual names.

Although I haven’t exactly been immersed in Thai culture, I’ve been here long enough that I subconciously expect to see smiles. When I didn’t see people smiling at me (for example at the Full Moon Party) I found it really disconcerting.

Obviously foriegners (farangs, although in my head I still think Waeguk) have a harder time understanding which smile is being presented. At least that’s what the guide books all say.

But I wonder if it’s really that different. I’m reminded of a study in a book I read about people being able to distuinguish genuine smiles and fake smiles, and another study about learning to read people’s expressions by studying the facial muscles. I wonder if there are expressions that cross culture boundaries (sadly I can’t recall the book at the moment!). Does the “I’m-being-forced-to-smile-even-though-I-don’t-want-to” smile cross cultural boundaries?

I’m curious.

Anyway. The reason I’m thinking of this is because my shuttle-van driver and I were chatting on the way back to my hotel.

(His name is A, he’s 30 and seems more genuine than other drivers I’ve talked to.)
At the end of our conversation he told me I had a really beautiful smile (not in a I’m hitting on you way), a Thai smile. “Same Thai smile.” he said. “Like when you don’t know but you smile anyway, Ok Ok, I understand. But maybe don’t.” (slight paraphrasing – but you get the idea right?)

I told him I learned that smile in Korea, and thanked him for the compliment.

Smiles from Thailand

Landed in Phuket yesterday. I haven’t seen much of it. Yesterday was spent getting here.

I had arranged a ferry ticket and flight from Koh Samui but somehow the travel agent put the wrong day for the flight despite having a lengthy conversation assuring me that waiting for three hours at the Koh Samui airport wouldn’t be so bad because there is “shopping”.

The flight I thought I was taking was full, and I had already paid for my room here in Phuket, so I was pretty stressed about waiting on standby, even if I was the first one in line.
I ended up on the very last seat on the plane (literally, it was right next to the door!) and made it to Phuket anyway. Thank goodness.

Had a bit of hassle at the airport, the meter taxis wanted to stack on another 100 baht to the 50 baht surcharge, which I was too annoyed to deal with after the irritation of waiting on standby for three hours. I went in a limo/fixed rate taxi instead. He pulled over about 1/3 of the way to the hotel at a travel agency to “sign something”. A woman came out and tried to “recommend” a different hotel to me and ask how long I was staying. I pretended to be ditzy and lied that I was meeting people and I wasn’t sure, and I knew it wasn’t right in the middle of the action and that was fine with me. I was a little annoyed by the whole thing – but I’ve learned to just take it in stride. I managed to get here fine.

When I finally checked in (my bags were carried to the room for me! luxury!) and unpacked I realized that I had forgotten my camera charger and converter plugged into the wall at my hotel in Koh Phagnan. Ugh. I eat camera batteries.

I was able to get hold of the hotel, and they found my charger and converter, and I faxed them my contact information here. It should be here in two days at most and I’ll have to pay for the delivery but that’s easier than buying/finding a new charger and spare battery. So *phew*

Next I’m going exploring in Phuket, and Koh Phi Phi hopefully.

Whops. Looks like I have to call back. I’ll post more later.
Here are some pictures in the meantime from my Zooomr account, haven’t been able to upload to my Gallery while traveling.

Read the complete article »

After spending entirely too long in Bangkok I made my way up to Chiang Mai for jungle trekking and cooking class. I like Chiang Mai. I got crazy blisters from trekking and skinned my arm falling down in the jungle, but it was a lot of fun.

Then I headed back to Bangkok to take a night bus to a ferry to Koh Tao for scuba lessons. I’m not good at sleeping on buses or trains. I’m pretty much over them. Koh Tao was busy busy busy. I spent the first four days getting my Open Water Certification (PADI) and then decided to stay an other day and a half to get the Advanced Open Water Certification. The second certification definitely was more fun, less skills, more diving.

Unfortunately I got seasick on the night dive. I ate a bunch of junk (we had approx 15 minutes to find and eat food before heading out for dive number three that day) and then the sea was extremely choppy. I threw up on my way back from the dive sight while still strapped into my gear. Oh embarassment. I had to sit in the middle of the boat, and retch until getting back to shore. I was a sad sad diver.

The next morning the seasickness came back, I guess once you give in it’s easier to get seasick again, and I felt really naseuous between dives. Once underwater everything is peachy, it’s the bobbing up and down, and inhaled boat exhaust that makes you feel really sick.

Anyway despite the seasickness I had a lot of fun and I’m really glad I stayed for the Advanced Certification. I miss my dive instructor, my dive buddy and my other dive friends. I arrived on Koh Phangan two days ago for the full moon party, in the pouring rain. The hotel didn’t send a car for me, so I had to take a 100 baht taxi with a bunch of other people. Everywhere on the island is 100 baht it seems. I’m wondering if I should just rent a scooter.

I headed to the Full Moon Party at about 11:30, some English girls who I had met on the night bus (same travel agency) ended up on the same taxi. The ride is pretty hilly sittng on the back of a pickup truck. I’m glad I was sitting towards the front, where I had enough things to hang on to so I wouldn’t fall off.

The girls grabbed me after I wandered around the Full Moon Party, and we hung out for a bit at the Full Moon Rave but I ended up going off on my own. They were really sweet, but I got tired of them being concerned that I wasn’t having a good time, asking me to drink buckets and such, and they were staying in one place. I came back later, but didn’t see them. I hope they didn’t spend too long worried about me.

The music was anthemy and cheezy in some places and not always in a good way. There was some decent jungle, and I danced for about an hour there. I ate some good food, and got tired of watching people drink themselves sick. A lot of kids were carried off the beach by their slightly more sober friends, it got depressing. I’m just past that stage in my life. I don’t need to drink myself silly to have a good time. Not to mention that the “buckets” tasted like cough syrup. Ick. I left around 4:30 or 5, and had to wait for a taxi to fill up before getting dropped off at my hotel. I was up in time for breakfast – where someone asked me if I stayed at the “rave” until sunset (they meant sunrise) but were still drunk. I explained I had just finished nine dives in five and a half days and was sunburned, old and tired, so no, I didn’t stay for sunset. ^.^

When did I get so old?

Still, I’m glad I went to the rave, but I’m also glad I didn’t stay longer, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it. Sunrise on passed out kids is not something I haven’t seen before, and it’s not magical because it’s on an island in Thailand. I’m jaded.

I spent most of yesterday catching up on my sleep and drinking water. I ate a really fabulous dinner of steamed red snapper stuffed with lemongrass and ginger and other aromatics, with rosemary garlic potatoes and steamed, buttered vegtables. I went back to my room to digest all that yummy food and devoured a book.

It’s noon now here, and I’m not sure what I’m doing today. I caught up with the SO on Skype,
and need to figure out my money and get my bearings.

I think I’m supposed to check out tommorrow morning. Not sure where I’m headed yet, so I might have to extend by one day or so. I’m ready to move onto other countries, been in Thailand since April 23 or so.

I might renew for another day here before heading out to other places. I’m still sunburned on my arms, but not so bad it hurts anymore, but I don’t really want to get burned again anytime soon. It’s been overcast, but I’m not sure I want to go snorkeling or diving for a day or two more just in case.

I think I’m supposed to check out tommorrow morning. Not sure where I’m headed yet, so I might have to extend by one day or so. I’m ready to move onto other countries, been in Thailand since April 23 or so.

I wish I had pictures to share – but it’s been a real pain in the ass trying to upload photos. Hopefully I’ll find a nice, reasonably priced Internet cafe with air conditioning and I can get my photos up.