Hallowe'en in the Bu!

Hallowe'en in Busan was one of the best times I've had in years!  I actually got to celebrate my favourite "non-holiday" 3 times in my new city.  The fun began back in September when the head Kindergarten teacher mentioned that we would be ordering our costumes soon.  We'd be wearing non-DIY costumes at our Hagwon Hallowe'en?  SCORE!  After having been called "Snow White" all throughout my time at Queen's University, I got to live out my Disney Princess fantasy in a costume that was labeled "Sexy Snow White", but actually wasn't ridiculously short.  I had dyed my hair a dark brown since my roots were coming in and since winter is coming I figured - why not?  Some of my students were so amazed they thought it was a wig.  One of my students said: "Wow!  Teacher, your hair looks better!" and some others said it looked really beautiful which melted my heart a little since these kids tend to be a little too honest about fashion, weight, and other things about which we westerns might not be so forthcoming.

 

Rather than having our normal Kindy classes in the morning, we came into work for our afternoon classes then got to hang out after school and have a little party with our students.  There were 3 kindergarten Snow Whites, and we got a picture together but I'm not going to post it here because, you know, they're kids and stuff.  The 3 classes performed some songs (with choreography!) and made speeches about their costumes.  It was adorable to see them get amped up, and all of their speeches were delivered perfectly (some to our surprise!).  It was also cool to meet their parents.  These kids have such big personalities (and wardrobes) and it's cool to see who they're more like - their mums or their dads.  From what I gather, the parents are far more active in their children's lives in Busan than in Seoul.  It was really nice to be introduced to them by my students who were so proud that night.

The next day, I got to show one of my classes the movie "Hocus Pocus".  I don't think this movie is quite as classic in the UK as it is in North America (the other 2 foreign teachers here are from England), but my kids really enjoyed it and I got to have a nostalgic moment.  The rest of the classes involved taking pictures and playing Halloween games, trick or treating, and some gory facepaint care of one of the Korean teachers who grew up in California.  It was really neat to see everyone get so into the fun!

L, S, and I had planned on going out for Hallowe'en dresses as Cher, Dionne, and Tai from "Clueless".  Having checked out Seomyeon's vintage shops (a whooooole other post needs to be dedicated to these awesome places) as well as H&M, Zara, and a few other stores in the neighbourhood, we ended up deciding against this trio costume because it was just too hard to imitate the Dolce & Gabbana yellow plaid suit that would really stand out from the crowd and be indicative as to who we were imitating.  I had found a denim overall-style skirt that would have been perfect for the scene where the Mighty Mighty Bosstones (remember them?) were playing (and where Tai fell down the stairs).  Eventually, we decided the best route to go would be "Dreamgirls" as we had found matching gold-sequined crop-top/ high-waisted skirt outfits that would be just the ticket for our club crawl that, coincidentally, started at Eva's Ticket.

For KRW 20,000 (about $25 Canadian) we got cover to 5 bars in the KSU area of Busan (Eva's Ticket, DrunkenMaster, HQ KSU, Eva's, and Almost Famous), and got a drink and a shot at each spot for booking early.  There was a costume contest and several raffles, none of which we won as we only picked up our drinks from 3 of the locations (Eva's closed early and we didn't end up going to Almost Famous).

We did, however, get our groove on to "Hotline Bling" (because Drake), meet a bunch of Kakaotalk Friends (because Korea), and take a bunch of group shots (because when else are we all going to be wearing matching gold sequined get-ups?).

A colleague of mine had grabbed my Snow White costume as a gag.  We weren't quite sure if he was going to wear it out for Hallowe'en, but when this image came up on Koreabridge I was proud to say he most certainly did have the nerve to wear it out.  I will not insult myself with a "Who Wore it Best?" side by side image, because of course he did:

There you have it!  Hallowe'en in Busan was wicked and I'm excited for any other opportunity to get dressed up in costume and go out on the town.

Cheers!

xoxo

The Great Korean Gym Debate

As many of you probably remember, I've been working diligently to shed weight while in Korea.  I didn't get a scale until April or May, and I figure I ballooned when I first arrived in Korea seeing as I had brought a bunch of Cadbury Creme Eggs I never ended up giving out (which I obviously finished within about a week and a half).  I was also in transit moving to my new school, didn't have pots and pans yet, and hadn't really figured out how to cook tasty meals using a glorified hot plate.  

I had been working out at Eco-Gym from March 2015 just up to my Shanghai vacation over Chuseok (September 25th - 28th).  Things were going pretty well and I had been losing weight steadily even if it was a little slow for my liking. 

Enter Velocity Fitness.  This fitness franchise was set to open at the beginning of October 2015 in Hwamyeong.  Look at us - getting a Subway Sandwiches and a snazzy new gym reminiscent of Good Life Fitness all in the same month.  Things finally started to be turning around for our little out of the way suburb.  What could be next, a Thursday Party location?  Maybe a Sharky's Nakdong River location?  The sky seemed to be the limit - I mean, Koreans do have a tendency to build up!

I was so excited to be in a new gym with my friend G.  Whenever the creepy Adashis at Eco-gym would leer at us on the bikes or during our squat routines we'd look at one another and chant "Velocity...just think of Velocity..."  Sadly for me, Velocity never came and would never come.  We were told the new gym would open the first week of October, which meant there was no reason for me to buy another Eco-gym membership as upon my return from Shanghai I'd have a beautiful new fitness facility to enjoy.  No such luck.  We were told that the opening day was being pushed back to the 15th.  No problem.  Jillian Michaels and I had done great things together through her "30 Day Shred", and I wasn't about to put back on all the weight I had lost by this point.(I'm estimating about 25 lbs from my heaviest in Korea).  I cut way down on calories and started doing 2 or 3 workout videos a day just to keep edging down.  When Velocity told me that the day had been pushed to October 26th, I was really peeved but just kept going.  

Fast forward to Saturday, October 24th.  While enjoying the fireworks at Gwangalli Beach, I received a text message in Korean from the guy who had registered G and I (in perfect English).  I used my translator and found that November 6th would be the new grand opening date.  That was the last straw.  After having the day pushed back 3 times with no guarantee in sight that this would be the last time, I spoke with the sales rep last Tuesday, saw the facility in such disarray that November 6th was a pipe dream, and got my deposit back.

A colleague of mine takes her fitness quite seriously and mentioned to me that her gym might be cheaper than Velocity (and, of course, was already open).  She called SPO+ Gym (now WINS Fitness) on my behalf and got some details for me. She even generously offered to go with me to speak with a manager there.  It's a block away from Velocity (so 3 blocks from my apartment) and was over $100 cheaper for a year.  I also negotiated a yoga class every week as well, so there's really good bang for my buck.  I got back into the gym last Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, skipped Sunday, and went back today (Monday).  The gym is fantastic and I've been spending anywhere from an hour and a half to just over two hours every visit.  With my year-long membership I get access to the entire gym plus my yoga classes, I get a locker, uniform (and laundry!), and towels, as well as access to the biggest sauna/ steam room I've ever seen.  SPO+ Gym offers spinning classes, Vinyasa, Aerial, and Hot Yoga, Zumba, an Adidas fitness course, and a few others I haven't yet translated.  They also offer Personal Training from Korean fitness competitors (bikini and bodybuilding/ women and men) should I ever feel like learning some new moves.  I also really dig the friendly faces of the staff who circulate the entirety of the gym, making sure to throw an "안녕하세요!" your way every 20 minutes or so.

When I get on the treadmill, there are floor to ceiling windows offering an 11th floor view of the stunning mountain vistas I so enjoy in Hwamyeong.  The walls are plastered with motivational phrases like: "If it was easy, everyone would be doing it", "Just keep running" (my mantra every time I'm on that dang treadmill!), and my personal favorite: "Just do squats".  Ladies, that booty isn't going to grow itself - get squatting!

I'm now down 35 lbs from what I gather to be my heaviest weight here, am 5 lbs away from the last time I fit into my graduation dress, and am 14 lbs from my graduation weight.  I can fit into a pair of jeans that I bought in Vancouver in 2008 and haven't fit into properly since 2011 (yes - I realise I'm crazy for keeping some of these things, but if your favorite pair of jeans is still in good condition you keep 'em).  I usually eat the same things every day Monday - Friday, modify on Saturday, and have my cheat day on Sunday.  

Typically I'll have either a yogurt cup or a 99 calories granola bar for breakfast before the gym.  For lunch I'll have an egg scramble with onions, peppers, broccoli, and sometimes zucchini sauteed in half a tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil.  I'll add a portion of either ham or chicken breast, calorie-controlled colby jack cheese, and 2 eggs and then serve it up on a bed of mixed greens.  

I have a snack of protein powder and water halfway through the afternoon (I order Cellucor brand protein powder from iHerb every couple of months - it usually arrives within 3-4 days.  The Cellucor brand actually tastes really great just shaken up with water and it's 130 calories with 25 grams of protein - one of my kids thinks I reeeeeeeally like coffee ^^).  For dinner, I usually have some rice, chicken, and mixed greens again.   I aim to take in 1200-1300 calories in order to continue to lose weight.  This is definitely on the low side (never go under 1200 calories, women!  You'll start storing what you take in as fat) but I do feel full and I'm trying my best to listen to my body to find a balance.  I get in 45 minutes to an hour of cardio 6 days a week plus 45 minutes to an hour of weight training.  Sundays are for me, and if I want to sleep in I will, and if I feel like hitting the gym then I can (but I usually don't).  If I want to have pizza or fries on Sunday then that's the day to do it.  Monday morning rise and grind starts all over again.

Update: For breakfast, I mix Cellucor protein powder (120 calories and 25g of protein!) with water in a shaker bottle (all available at iHerb - click here for 10% off your first order!).  I have a 99 calorie granola bar as a snack, go through 3 - 4 L of water every day, have a turkey sub for lunch loaded with veggies and only the tiniest bit of mayo or mustard, and for dinner I usually make some combination of a protein (one of chicken, ground beef, eggs, bacon, or cheese), squash, peppers, and salad.  On the weekends I allow myself to go out with friends and enjoy a nice meal.  Once you shift your perspective from short term restriction to a long-term habit of fueling your body, making healthy choices is a lot easier!

While I'm really bummed about Velocity Fitness and not being able to work out with the group of local buds that have also joined, I'm really happy to be back in the gym and working on my fitness level in a space that isn't also my kitchen, living room, and bedroom (I have a studio apartment).  A few of my friends are interested in joining SPO+ Gym, but sadly G is sticking to her guns with Velocity (she got a pretty stellar contract renegotiation so I don't blame her, but it seems she was the only one who got any benefits because of the delays upon delays).

Had you told me a year ago I'd be rockin' a crop top for Hallowe'en 2015, I would have called you Bananas.  I genuinely thought that because losing weight in Toronto had been so incredibly difficulty I'd just kind of...be fat forever.  It's not easy and I don't think this lifestyle ever will be, but I'm enjoying it more and more each day.  I love getting up and walking to my new gym.  Getting a good sweat on is one of the best parts of my day.  I crave hitting all my macros and cooking with tons of vegetables.  The routine I've developed over the past few months has given me a sense of calm as well as a sense of fulfillment.  As of this past weekend, I'm also enjoying the attention I most certainly was not getting back in Toronto.

Are you losing weight in Korea?  Have you found a gym that revs your engine every time you walk through the front door?  Have you developed a plan you're sticking to, but need a support system?  Let me know in the comments section! xoxo

Reasons I think you should move to Korea

...you know, if you feel like it and stuff.

There are tons of these posts out in the bloggerverse, but I wanted to include my own take.  Of course you'll see blogs talking about the internet here (there's wifi everywhere - even the subway!), the service here (it's easy to get your server's attention and there's no tipping unless you're at an expat bar.  Plus sometimes free food/ drinks arrive at your table on the house), the cheap booze (Soju and Tall Boys will rule your Friday nights hanging outside a convenience store), and nightlife particular to the city in which the blogger lives.  These, however, are the reasons I'm so glad I made the move to Korea:

You're a novelty

I'm 5'8" tall and have blue eyes.  I was heading in the direction of blonde hair too but trying to get my brown/ gray roots to match is difficult.  I finally found a medium/ light brown hair dye at Olive Young (a makeup boutique chain that offers a variety of imported goods) and will probably stick with that for a while.  Babies love looking at blue eyes.  They're absolutely fascinated by such a foreign eye shape and probably the fact that I'm so much taller than the average woman here.  When we're out and about elementary school children will often start conversations with us to practice the English they're learning at their academies (or they'll run by screaming "HELLO" because they're scared to stop and talk to a stranger).  In taxis we are almost always asked: "Where are you from?" and when we say "Canada" the drivers eyes light up and they repeat our homeland's name in awe.  More often than not people who ask us where we're from will have an anecdote about their sister's son going to school in Vancouver, or that time their Doctor visited Niagara Falls and caught a Blue Jays game in Toronto.

No Rent!

That's right - I live alone in a building right next to the school.  Rent is covered by my school as part of my contract, and I pay for my internet ($30/ month) and utilities (usually about $65/ month).  My rent back home was through the roof plus Rogers Cable Internet/ TV, although my utilities were about half that.  It came with a table, two chairs, and a single bed.  Since I plan on staying in Korea for another year for sure, I bought a larger bed (I like to sprawl), I sourced a couch (it was left in the stairwell of my apartment and ended up being a little bit of trouble!), a full length mirror, and some plants to make the vibe homey-er.  You can find pretty much anything and everything you might need on KoreaBridge - a network for jobs, blogs, and buy and sell in Korea.  I check Koreabridge a few times a week for things I need or for points of interest on what's going on in Busan.

Cost of Living is Cheaper (but still not cheap)

I try to budget about $150 a week for food, entertainment, transportation, and incidentals.  I can do it when I'm not being careful about what I'm eating, but ultimately if I want to cook for myself and have healthy meals with protein my weekly average goes up.  I also like to enjoy the sights of Busan and Korea on weekends which drives up my weekly spend.  Factor in the desire to see countries outside of Korea and within Asia on my short, pre-designated vacations and the price goes up and up and up.  My cell phone bill for 100 minutes and 3 gb of data is $46/ month (less than half of what I was spending with Telus in Toronto).  If you have no desire to see the world beyond the town or city in which you're placed, have no friends with whom to socialize, and are fine eating a ton of cheap rice and veg then you'll easily save money.  If you want to enjoy your time here and make lasting connections you're going to spend a little more.

You'll Shop Less!

If you're a North American body type chances are you'll save a lot of money by only shopping for essentials.  H&M, Zara, Forever21, and the random tee-shirt/ sweater shops will become your best friend when you need new tee-shirts or to replace a pair of basic black pants.  Beyond that your shoe selection is extremely limited (you literally can only buy shoes at H&M) if you wear beyond a North American size 7.  Your washer will be really hard on your clothes too, so being fashionable is no easy task!

You're a celebrity at work

When I walk by my students in the street they get so excited to see me outside of Academy and in the wilderness that is my tiny neighbourhood.  One parent actually chased me down the street to bring me a cake after a chance encounter where I encouraged her daughter (my student at the time) to speak a little English to my foreigner (and also teacher) friends who were with me.  When I walk into school every day I have kids yelling: "KATE TEACHER!" before running up to hug me and say hello.  Kids spend so much time at academy because their parents are working so much that it's encouraged to love them and give them hugs when they want them.  It was such a foreign concept to me when I first came to Korea - I wanted no physical contact whatsoever for fear of..."trouble".  My kindergartens especially love to be picked up and thrown around, and whenever we go to the park or on a field trip they feel important holding "Teacher's" hand.

Nobody will harass you about work after you've clocked out

I've received ONE text message from my Korean Head Teacher outside of work hours.  This was on my birthday when she was busy and forgot to say good-bye and Happy Birthday to me.  This is such a wild, bizarre, and wonderful change from the 7:30 AM micro-management calls and texts to the ones I would get at all hours of the late night and morning from employees who couldn't solve their own problems any given day of the week.  Having my evenings, weekends, and even some mornings to myself feels like such a luxury.  My stress level was through the roof!  Now, my biggest stresser is staying on top of Skyscanner to get the best deal for my flights at New Years.  Really - life is good.

You get to see and try new things!

If you were open to it every day could be a new adventure for you.  Korea is what we call "Asia-lite", so it's an easy transition into life abroad.  Beyond all the signs being in Hangul, every day life here could easily be compared to my life while in University in Vancouver.  On the weekends, however, getting out and being with nature is so accessible.  We have the train station, the subway, and an intercity bus terminal close-by that enable you to explore to your heart's content!  I've traveled from Gwacheon to Changwon and between Changwon and Busan.  My second weekend in Busan I traveled to Hadong and Jirisan National Park to visit Ssanggyesa Temple.  I could read a little Hangul but had no real speaking ability under my belt just yet.  Still, we made it through the cherry blossoms, over the green tea fields, and up the mountain to the temple I was so excited to see.  

 

I've tried new foods (traditional Korean food at Makgeolli bars isn't exactly my jam, but I do love going for beef BBQ, bulgogi bibimbap, or the oh so famous Korean Fried Chicken!).  There are 2 major sports in the summer (I love going to the baseball games!), and I'm certain there will be a ton of festivals in the winter.  I've been on a bus tour with incredible student tour guides (now friends!) from Dong-eui University.  I've sailed into international waters (and was violently seasick) on a yacht will 11 other expat pals.  There is always something to do in Busan (even just a trip to the beach is exciting!), and if you get antsy it's definitely not tough to leave!

Life is Safe

The crime rate in Korea is really low.  Especially in this little pocket of Busan I feel exceptionally safe going anywhere at any time.  There are buttons around my neighbourhood with a direct line to the Police should you need them.  There are various numbers for foreigners in need of a translator or assistance as well.  Even on that random glass floor well above Gwangalli Beach I felt safe.  The scariest thing that's happened here is when a Taxi driver took us to the airport instead of the subway station I had shown him and then he took us on a wild goose chance without turning off the meter.  Eventually after about 45 minutes he got us to our destination, and because of his major errors refused to let us pay.

Life is easy

On Mondays and Wednesdays I wake up around 9, hit the gym at 9:15, workout for about an hour and a half, then grab a coffee and head home to leisurely get ready for work.  On those days I work from 12 PM (starting classes at 12:45 PM) and go through until 7:30 PM with a one hour break.  On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I start at 9:30 AM - 7:30 PM, but have a break from 12 - 3 making a lengthy gym trip a no-brainer.  My colleagues are awesome, my kids are great, and I'm not stressed out over timelines or egos.

My evenings are to myself.  Since I live in a contained area of Busan a little far from any of the downtown areas I tend to stay here on weeknights meaning I meet up with friends for dinner or just enjoy relaxing after work.  Because I've usually fulfilled my gym duties earlier in the day I'm not stressed to go workout if I'm tired at the end of the day, but if I feel like walking or biking there's a massive Eco-Park right next door.  

There are tons of great places in Hwamyeong for BBQ, Chi-Maek (Chicken and Beer), Kimbap (Korean "sushi" rolls), Sushi, Japanese Izakaya, Cafes, Sandwich Shops, and a plethora of "Italian" restaurants.  Everything I need is within a 3 block radius including a train station (to get around practically all of Korea on the "Slow/ Cheap" train) and the subway.

My biggest comparison would be to University life.  If you miss the responsibility-free life of University, then come to Korea.  Here you get to live like you did in college without papers to write (well, you'll have some to grade!) and with money this time!

Your friends reaaaaally understand you (Life is good)

Most of your friends here have or will have encountered just about any situation or problem you're facing.  These people understand issues you may be having with friends back home, feelings of loneliness, and will be there for you when tragedy strikes and you just physically can't be there for the people back home who need you.  These awesome people will make your time here exponentially better not only because they understand all of these problems, but also the excitement of being in a new country, experiencing new things, and wanting to see and learn more.  You'll build relationships quickly and will find so many great people with whom you have a ton in common.  You'll always have someone who is ready to take on a new adventure with you (today we're heading to Gamcheon Cultural Village), make a trip across the country (we're headed to Seoul for Hallowe'en!), or sit in a corner of your favourite cafe for hours on a Sunday getting work done (ie. blogging/ researching travels) and having the giggles.  I often say I'm getting new and terrible wrinkles just from laughing so much.

What are your reasons for wanting to move to Korea?  Why are you glad you live here?  Let me know in the comments! xoxo