Dinking around outside: Korean style!

Yowza, another month goes by without a post!

How am I, aspiring Expat author of globe trotting adventures, supposed to build up an audience if I don't publish our faily experiences of awesomeness?

Right Watson. The holidays sped us right into a season of English camps, my visa trip to Fukuoka, and landing me in crutches with a sprained ankle for a week!

Check back for the following link updates:
* Everything you ever want to know about taking your E-2 visa trip to Fukuoka, Japan (with video, step-by-step explanations & recommendations!)
*  A new *writing section* that I'm starting on my blog (whoop! But no specific title yet..) Yes. The secret is out: I'm writing a book!
* Recent Kid outings and where to go for real fun in Daegu! 
* And yes, a new *kid korner* devoted just to my kiddos (photos, videos, artsy stuff, and their little oh-so-fast growing up ramblings!)

So as you can see, there is much to update. But for today...the cool weather compells us outside for some playground play!

~Chelsea

What to do while you're waiting for a Skype call...

So what does a momma do to occupy a 2 year old and a 4 year old while waiting at the computer? Well, you can do this: watching how candy canes are made! Or...

Play with photos like we did! Yes, and while we waited for family to join us for a pre-Christmas Skype call, we had our fun taking pictures on our laptop. Sometimes a 15 hour time difference (South Korea to Alabama) can make it difficult to stay in touch---but when schedules finally align and you get to see family you haven't see in way too long... it makes the wait all the more worth it!

Great talking to you Mom, Brandon, Amy, Carson, Camron and baby Calen! We love YOU!!! 

xox Team CAZ

Mapping the Madness: Another teaching guide to South Korea..

I'm not usually keen on blogging about other people's blogs, but this one caught my eye. I think it's a pretty good low-down for those of you considering coming to work/teach in Korea. Check it out!

Mapping the Madness: Another teaching guide to South Korea..., Work in South Korea

As always, eat your pickles!
~ C

Monday Madness: Follow-up to the Mogyeoktang & our Weekend!

Alright. It's Monday, already. Where did the weekend go?

I know, we were home all weekend because the kids were sick! Ack! Well, ok, not quite.

Now mix a little 'cabin fever' being stuck indoors most of the time with some videos, and you get this video! {so, click it!} Just one of many posts forthcoming of videos and pictures taken during this oh-so-long weekend (indeed, we desperately tried to amuse ourselves with limited space, no t.v. and only ourselves and the computer for company!)

I'll tell you what though. For all those spicy mommas in foreign lands like me, one quick solution lead us out out to the local coffee shop. And it's only about a 5 minute walk from our villa. Now, you ask, how do you occupy young kids in a coffee shop? I've got the solution. It's called, you bring games! Indeed. One particular game we brought was a Korean style balancing game using green, orange and yellow wooden stars on top of a 'moon' block. It was quite fun! And yes, it helped to buy the kids their favorite 'snack' on the way over there: gum!

So as you can see, Ayden & Zynia did a fine job chilling when their momma so needed a little coffee-chill time. They were bundled up quite well, and they even listened to me when I told them they needed to hold hands and walk together on the way home (check out picture; cute, huh?) We even ran into an old co-worker of mine way back in the day when we worked together at Yeungjin~ Julian! So good to see old acquaintances, especially this holiday!

Boy, isn't it getting so cold lately? Even a trip out to the nearby tree-a-la-garbage-pile to dispose of daily waste gets to be a fingertip-numbing experience! And we're in Daegu! Gadzooks..imagine how much colder it is up in Seoul!

Ahem, side note. {Mom, are you reading this? Yes, I bet it's warm in Alabama where you are now. Sitting by the fire. Under Brandon & Amy's wonderful Christmas tree. Watching Carson and Camron, running around in joyous play, giggling and laughing, while Amy nurses Calen and Brandon sips on a beer. Lucky you! And Chelsea, the black sheep of the bunch, is sadly stuck in colder than a tit on a boar in the forrest, Daegu...Boo! Hoo! Well, at least my butt is warm with our floor-heating system! Sheesh!!} Now, what was I saying..

Oh, yes, yes..today. What's on the agenda today? Well, my Monday-off has been filled with working on my TESOL lesson plans (this is the last week, thank goodness!) and preparing some comedy-skits for my crew at Yeungjin to perform on Thursday's Christmas year-end party. This should be something--maybe a knee slapper or a sympathy clapper. I'm hoping for the former! We'll see. Stay tuned for an update on the matter! Until then, I'll be silently wishing I were home & with family for Christmas! :)

Until the next post, eat your pickles!
~ Chelsea

Three Korean Syllables = One great CLEAN weekend start!

So here it is. The weekend. Classes are over. Kids will be picked up from their Korean daycare soon. And you know what's on my mind? It includes getting naked, getting into something hot AND cold, and it costs roughly 9,900 Won for us to go. Any guesses?

Here's a hint: It involves doing something us Western folk would normally think of an activity we consider a private matter. Now you give up?

Ok, no more torture, my little pickles. It's called the mo'gyoek-tang(모굑탕). Otherwise, the public bath. And it's the kids' favorite Saturday morning activity! Who would have thought! And no, it's not quite the 'spa' experience, either. It's seriously a cleaning fest!

Check out this funny video I found on Youtube concerning Korean public baths. The animation is quite dead on with what you'd find in the women's bathhouse!

A lovely little thought back to when I posted about the Korean public baths  back when I was quite the newbie to Korea and Korean culture (and as a side note, I can't believe I posted that in 2005, well-over 6 years ago!) Rereading it made me snicker (and somewhat shutter!) from the memory of it. So, happy reading down memory lane :)

What is boils down to is that Korean absolutely love the idea of getting clean. In fact, I would almost call it a sacred, cultural act. But you don't have to take my word for it. Check out the following articles for some interesting reads about Korean Bath culture: the KNU times, fellow blogger, or even the LA Times.

Until the next post, happy scrubbing, and eat your pickles, kimchi and coffee!

~ Chelsea