Alright, guys. Why hasn't anyone emailed me about my lack of website updating? I'm clearly lost here. This doesn't look good for my record keeping skills. I tell you what though, for those of you in the know, I'm assuming you probably figure that these many changes going on in my life have taken a bit more importance than my website upkeeping~ but alas, let me dig into the meat of what I'm posting about.
One month ago I posted my Pakistan trip~ which was in February. This time around, I decided to finally upload some GREAT spring pictures, local temple trips and yes, my Hanbok experience. Interesting, let's talk about that a moment.
A word about the hanbok, thanks to dictionary.com:
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Hanbok
Hanbok (한복) (South Korea) or chosŏn-ot (조선옷) (North Korea) is the traditional Korean dress. It is characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. Although the term literally means "Korean clothing", hanbok today often refers specifically to Joseon Dynasty-style semi-formal or formal wear that is worn during traditional festivals or celebrations.-----------------------
Now, every waeguk (a.k.a. foreigner) who stays in Korea outta know, you're obliged to get the Hanbok if you stay more than 2 years. That justifiably classifies you as a quasi-lifer (I hear to be a true Korea-lifer, you need to be on the books for more than 5 years). Well, there were a couple of reasons why I got mine. I'm not yet at the 2 year mark, but surely at 1 year and 10 months, I'm pretty darn close! So read further, that is if I haven't put you to sleep already...
FIRST, check out my Hanbok Collage that I put up on Flikr. Neat pictures indeed.
The idea behind getting the Hanbok was a simple one: I wanted a keepsake to remember Korea. Alright, now that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm leaving, folks. No pre-crying yet! But then again, there has been very little posting---as in much unsaid---since my February vacation. That obviously leads the reader to two conclusions: I'm slacking, and there's no excuse, or... a change is gonna come! (I love Sam Cook, and by the say, for all you IDOL fans, I still think Taylor Hicks rocked my world with his audition song!) So as you can imagine, folks, it's the latter.
Which means... there's a strong likelihood that I may lay this blog to rest. While I've enjoyed updating, seeking new adventures and posting my findings in the last near 2 years of my Korean Experience, I'm refocusing my direction, and I am finding new meaning to my experience here. I may not necessarily lay the blog to rest completely--because I definitely have a lot of time and effort invested in this blog! But there is definitely room to say that I may either start a new blog completely, and convert this one to a picture blog and/or "Korea related" resources to guide visitors, local expats and the like; or, I may slowly roll this blog over into something more like... "The Marriage Experience," or "The Korean Experience Weds Pakistan" to name a few.
Yep, there you have it. Girl meets boy, boy falls in love with girl, pretty soon they are inseparable, and BOOM! They get married. ta-da!The big news. Don't forget to breath!
Not so big news for those in the know---so bare with me because it's old news! For the time being, at least, I won't make any rash blog decisions yet: I'll update this blog as much as I can, being as we're 3 weeks nearer to our Wedding date! May 20th ~ ~ And.. there's SO much to do. I never thought it would be so difficult planning a wedding in a foreign country. But long story short~ the original plans for a big party in Korea (engagement party) and then a family-small wedding in the States turned into one GRANDIOSE party/wedding in Korea because--ahem--the difficulty in getting Ahsan a visa. I guess I should be happy he's from Pakistan! Grrr. Nevertheless, time's counting... and we finally have the wedding hall and date fixed, along with the help of a bridal shop to 'coordinate' pictures, video, makeup/hair and .. dress if we choose. But recently, I came across this beautiful Pakistani dress...
And it made me realize I'd MUCH rather be wearing this down the aisle (in the, yes, Western-style, overglamorized Korean-style wedding hall, mind you..) than some ritzy dress I'm renting for nearly $600 bucks that I'll never wear nor see again. Turns out, this little golden jewel costs $450 bucks! Plus, who's to say I won't ever wear it again? It's absolutely gorgeous, and I'm sure Ahsan and I will be visiting Pakistan again (although let me tell you, I never thought I would after I fell sick on my visit there! lol)
Alas, there you have it. The opening for the theme of the next 3 weeks worth of blog entries: all about Chelsea and Ahsan's Wedding!
Definitely a joyous and nerve-wracking time~ with so little time and so many things to do. Stay tuned for updates from yours truly.
~ Chelsea
