Saturday, May 25, 2013

Busan Wedding

After Seoul Jazz Festival last weekend, Lindsey, Nyeasha, and I stayed in a hostel overnight. Early the next morning, Lindsey and I caught the fast train from Seoul to Busan. The KTX is amazing. At some points you go almost 200 mph! It's so smooth, so I didn't get motion sick. They even have restrooms and vending machines on the train. It's certainly worth the money.
 
 

All aboard!

Welcome to Busan!
 
 
 
 
Off to Jenny's Wedding. Now, everyone must know... Koreans do not do weddings the same as we do in the states. It is certainly beautiful, but still different. First of all, it's very informal. People talk and text during the wedding like it's noooo big deal... during a wedding! I didn't like that very much. When we arrived at the wedding hall, the groom and his family were outside the ceremony room greeting guests in hanboks, the traditional Korean attire worn during holidays and celebrations. The bride (a former Korean teacher at SLP) was in her wedding dress greeting friends and family in a separate room. SHE LOOKED LIKE AN ANGEL THAT JUST FELL FROM HEAVEN!
 
 
 
We took our seats at one of the round tables and waited for the ceremony to begin.
 
 
The mothers walked down the aisle first and lit candles. Then the groom came down, then the bride with her father. The officiate went on for awhile (I obviously don’t know what he was saying), then there was a song, hilariously performed by the groom and his friends.
 

 
After the bride and groom bowed to their parents, they walked down the aisle and the ceremony was over. Korean weddings don’t include typical receptions. Instead, you get a meal ticket and go to a cafeteria of the wedding hall to eat with the other guests.
 
The bride and her groom. They are so cute!
After the wedding, we get lost being driven to our hotel. Got lost walking to our hotel. And we couldn't even check in till six. So, I joined Ali and her friend Cory at the Busan Aquarium!
 
 
Upside down jellyfish?! Never seen or heard of them... They were awesome!
 
So cute and so ugly at the same time.
After the aquarium, we went to the beach. Such a beautiful night! Great weather, friends, drinks, and fireworks... what more could you ask for?!
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next day, Lindsey and I took a mini adventure before we had to travel back home. First, we went to the fish market! There is a massive building that sells all sorts of seafood, but there are tons of street vendors selling food as well. Some sights were fascinating... others rather disturbing, like freshly skinned eels with their heads removed still wriggling around in their buckets.
 
The fish market...
 
Inside...
 
 
Oh hey little guy...
 
Street vendors
 
 
 
 
 
 
 We decided to be brave and try some fresh fried fish and I mean FRESH... alive right before we ordered it. It actually turned out to be ridiculously delicious... you just have to watch out not to eat the little bones...
 
 
 
 
We also ran into a Lotte Mart and stumbled upon a free water show! We enjoyed some Baskin Robbins while we watched :)
 
 
 
Then, sadly our adventure had to come to an end. We had to take the slow train home and didn't get into Suwon till around 12:30. Once we got back to the SLP house all I wanted to do was go to bed. Unfortunately, they had done construction in our rooms while we were away and I came home to a locked room. I may have had an emotional breakdown at this point in time. Luckily, I have sweet friends and Lindsey let me sleep in her bed. She is so kind and thoughtful! My boss came the next morning to unlock my room so I could get ready for school. IT'S ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE HERE IN SOUTH KOREA....!
 

SJF 2013

Best day ever! Seoul Jazz Festival was held at Olympic Park in Seoul. It was a two day event with dozens of artists. I was just able to go on Friday due to a wedding on Saturday, but I was more than okay with that because all I wanted to do was see MIKA! I had a blast and so did my sweet friends. What great memories we have now!
 
 

Everyone's going to love today <3
 

MIKA!

 
 
Also, awesome band everyone should check out: The Parov Stelar Band
They put on an amazing show.

More gems!

Just some little things...


I splurged and bought beef the other day (beef is so expensive here!) and made vegetable beef soup. I had enough to last me two weeks! It was so tasty! Well worth the extra "penny"... or in this case "won".
 
This better not have happened to me! I found this writing  a couple of days before I actually lost my wallet... don't worry, I found it hidden in between my suitcases.

Being thin and not wearing glasses make for an excellent role model... I guess that excludes me!

I stumble across cute things when I check my students homework... But this girl has made it quite known to me that she hates the world and me along with it... I feel a bit better about life now...

I feel so comforted...

Reach for the stars!

Lotus Lantern Festival

The annual Lotus Lantern Festival is held in honor of Buddha's Birthday. A couple of weekends ago, I made my way down to base to witness this highly anticipated event. Sadly, I was recovering from tonsillitis at the time, but I had my dear nephew Rocky to help me recover until it started :)
 
 
Anywho, what also made this parade really exciting was that I found out how I could get seats for us foreigners. I signed Melissa, Nyeasha, and myself up for them and we were also guaranteed our own lotus lanterns... I'm modeling one below... ohh lala...
 
 





Monks!
 
Rainbow hanboks... I want one!




Adorable little ones :)


uh oh, the lanterns are going digital...


I thought these lanterns were awesome because they were Hangul, my picture does them no justice... :(

My video doesn't really help either...
 





Don't everyone freak out, the swastika symbol in Buddhism means auspiciousness and good fortune...

So lovely...


 
 
This dragon was actually terrifying! Children were screaming!
 
We got hungry and ate some famous Korean street food: WAFFLES.


Choco waffle.


The families of foreign couples in front of us had a lot of children with them. Left and right, they were being handed lanterns from the parade! I about lost it when this little kid came back with this massive lantern! It was hilarious to see his parents reaction!


I found this rather humorous as well.. a lantern caught on fire and was burning out across the street. Best parade ever!