Hellooo January

Supper with Sin Hyeon Gyeong
& ddeokbokki people

As 2013 came to an end, so did my time with my co-teacher Sin Hyeon Gyeong 신현경. I was glad we could enjoy some particularly spicy cheuk seok ddeokbokki after our visit to the bank where the teller was "too happy" Sin Hyeon Gyeong declared. I like to think he had a little crush on me or something because the transactions I required were a pain in the ass. The games I make up in my head haha. I'm extremely sad to see her go but we live in the same neighborhood and I'm hopeful we can still get together to shop, eat, and dance to N'SYNC. It's strange that one person can so quickly become an everyday part of your life and then she's suddenly not. I will miss her. The ddeokbokki cleared out my sinuses as Sin Hyeon Gyeong mentioned that there was a better cheuk seok ddeobokki place in Seoul, somewhere on Subway Line 2 she thinks.

I was thrilled to ring in the new year with friends visiting from Wisco. I met Steph and Alex in Seoul at their hostel in Insadong, which is one of the artsiest areas of Seoul I've been to yet. Close to Gyeongbokgung Palace, galleries and specialty boutiques compliment the quirky architecture and winter-reinforced trees. Lots of walking, it was unbelievable how amazing it was to talk English with old friends.

And despite both Steph and Alex getting food poisoning, probably from a restaurant by the Express Bus Terminal (damn you, Gram Gram!!), it was a good new year. Their good humor ("It's happening") and finding small silver linings kept things light. I feel terrible and somewhat responsible that it happened, but it happened. Hello, 2014. Toilet christened and system cleaned out (for Steph and Alex at least). It couldn't make 2014 look bad at all. I'm very excited for our upcoming trip to Japan, and I am optimistic for the upcoming year.

Some resolutions ::

- Quality time at the Icheon market; buy some squid
- More day-weekend trips (Seoul, Suwon, Busan)
- Take more photos; stop "holding off"
- Take advantage of the built-in days off from work (Malaysia, Vietnam?)
- Wow, internet! Take some time to look up things and learn

- Just sketching something awesome

- Read via transport 

- Be less judgemental and more willing to educate/share thoughts without the intention of being condescending 

- Make a book; book cloth, get in my belly!

- Develop a "Personal Budget"

- Feng shui the apartment; reorganize and rearrange (EXCITED for this one) 

- What is raku firing?

- More podcasts

- Acknowledge people 

Okay,  2014. Lezdothis.

Happiest of new years to you!