First of all, I’m so sorry that I haven’t updated anything for a week because for the past week I had NO internet! It was not fun at all because I couldn’t do anything. Amazing how our lives revolve around our cell phones, iPods, laptops, and the internet. I’m technically writing all of these a week later but the day is above when it happened. So, just pretend this isn’t late. I know, me too, it’s been driving me crazy not updating this. I'm having trouble uploading videos which is a HUGE BUMMER since I've captured so many great and funny things on this trip and study abroad! Just be patient with me and blogspot. Blogspot has been having some troubles recently. Darn you blogspot! YOU ARE NOT CONSIDERATE!! Haha lol. But perhaps later or on facebook, I'll post the videos because especially this day, I recorded some of the most funny things that have happened here!
Today was so much fun! Holy cow! I got to try new things and things that weren’t so foreign but done in a different way.
Here’s an advertisement that represents my expressions while I’ve been here in Korea haha. Everything has been like “WOW’ (insert: hold up three fingers on both hands and place them next to your mouth, then open your mouth. If you don’t understand, it’s okay. Haha it’s an inside joke with me and my roommates from P-Town. Yeah yeah!)
First, Young Min 이영민 took me around Seoul 서울 again. It was really rainy today. Haha talk about being in Utah again. One day it’s bright, beautiful, and sunny; the next day, raining cats and dogs. Haha except though, the weather is consistent through the whole day unlike Utah. Our first stop was in Hong Dae 홍대 which is the area by Hong University 홍대학교 (hong-dae-hak-gyo). Even though everything was pretty interesting to look at, it was mostly shops.
It was raining really hard so Young Min 영민 decided that we would go to Sinchon 신촌 (pronounced “shin-chon”). Now this place is hecka fun! If you have a chance to come to Korea, stop by this place. There are a lot of fun things to do for younger adults. I thought we were just going to look around at shops, which I’m totally fine with, but Young Min 영민 had something else in mind.
Hyein Building 혜인빌딩. 이 빌딩은, 뭐 야?? 어디로 가?? /What is this building?? Where are we going?? (ee building-eun, mwoh ya?? Oh-di-ro ka??)
As were walking up, I noticed this sign on the floor…혹시?/Perhaps? (hohk-shi)
When we got to the top to the building, I saw this sign….
Then Young Min 영민said, “Here we are!” And then we went inside. This part was one of the highlights from the trip! I’ll never forget it! We went to this place in Sinchon 시촌 called 내가 만들어 케이크 which means “The Cake that I Made” (nae-ga man-deu-roh cake). Here you can decorate a cakes or cupcakes! This is a place where it’s fun to go with friends, your boyfriend/girlfriend, or even yourself! How it works is that you buy a base cake or cupcake, choose the frosting, and then decorate with fruit, candy, frosting, and so much more! After you’re done decorating, then you take it to the counter, they count how much stuff you used and then you pay. The toppings are pretty cheap but the base cake is a bit pricy. However, it’s just as much as if you went to the store and bought a nice birthday cake. But this is better because the frosting and cake are light. :-) But this place I think is worth the price because of the experience and you end up making something delicious. Double whammie! I had so much fun here! I was like a kid in Disneyworld; yeah I was having that much fun! Whether you’re old or young, this place is so much fun! Also, it makes a great gift for someone; especially since you made it, wanna have some fun, or if you wanna brighten someone’s day! If someone made me one, I’d be extremely happy :-) :-) :-)! If someone took me along and we made one, :-) :-) :-)
내가 만들어 케이크/“The Cake that I Made” (nae-ga man-deu-roh cake).
Lots of examples along with a sentimental Korean message ^^
I guess this place is called TART sometimes. At least that’s what’s on their website. But also, many examples; look at how incredible some of those are!
I had to take a picture of this cake! Done extremely well but a little funny.
Instructions
First, pick and choose a cake.
The blank cake. What shall we do?
Before decorating, pose like an Asian. Haha ^^
Then, add some strawberry frosting.
Strawberry frosting: CHECK!
Add some on top.
Now, add some juicy, fresh cut fruit!
Look at all that delicious fruit! Too bad they didn’t have mangos because that’s what “brings the people and come together!” ;-) another inside joke with the roommates.
The final product! Decided to add some chocolate twists and a message. The message was Young Min 영민’s idea.
Take it to the counter to pay.
They put a glaze on it so the fruit stays fresh and looks pretty.
And finally, put it in a fancy box. Even the box was cute ^^
Here’s some others decorating at the place. Haha they didn’t know I was taking photos of them. I feel like I’m on yearbook again.
It was almost dinner time and so we stopped by a pizza restaurant in town called Mr. Pizza. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, you eat pizza all the time in America! Why would you eat it here? Well, Korean food for now is making me really full so I thought I would try something a “bit” lighter. But don’t worry, I’ll be LOTS of Korean food. ^^ Also, pizza is a bit different. It’s more elaborate and they don’t really consider it convenient food like we do in America. They have take out but honestly, every pizza place is a sit down restaurant. They also had unique kinds of pizza. They only one they had that America has is combination or vegetarian pizza. There were pizzas that had even had sweet potatoes and corn on them. Speaking of sweet potatoes, I love them! I’ve never really eaten them until I got here and they are so addicting! Aunt Sookhee 숙희 이모 roasts them and then we peel the skin off and eat them. Ahh, so good…….. Mom, if you’re reading this, you were so right and we should buy lots of them. J How do you call it, restaurant social norms perhaps, are a bit different in Korea. If you want or need something, you just call out what you need and then they’ll bring it whereas in America, you would never just shout out what you need but wait until a waiter comes by you and then ask. In this restaurant in particular, if you needed a drink refill, you were supposed to bring your drink to the waiter at the counter or they would grab it from your table, refill it and then bring it to you. It was different to me because how the drinks were fashioned was that it was in the open like at buffets where it’s an open fountain where you can fill it up yourself.
Mr. Pizza. Look at how big those pizzas are!
I can’t remember exactly but I think this pizza was called New York Style. It has pepperoni, cheese, bacon, sausage, corn, peppers, olives, onions, and mushrooms. It was so good! Haha you see the corn on there??
Unlimited Salad Bar. Yeah, that looks gross but it’s because we piled many different things in there. It was actually quite tasty. Haha, no we didn’t mix them together, we just put lots of stuff in there at once.
I had to take a picture of this lady! One, she was wearing really interesting clothing for her age. (I think she was 40 and she was dressed MUCH younger than her age). Two, Young Min 영민 and I noticed that she kept going back to the salad bar and was amazed because this lady was really thin! As we walked out, she had this plate with a mountain of fruit peelings! They have this type of fruit that I don’t know what it’s called but it’s brown on the outside (it looks and feels like a hard shell) and the inside is this opaque fruit. It’s almost like a huge cherry. I should have taken a picture of her plate. We were both amazed!
We walked around at the shops and restaurants along the streets and we came across this restaurant. I don’t think I said this yet but if I did then oh well. What’s really cool is that if dramas were filmed at certain places, they advertise and let everyone know that it was filmed there. At this restaurant, the Korean drama 찬란한/Brilliant Legacy/Shining Inheritance (cha-lahn-hahn). The restaurant is called 신선설농탕 (shin-sohn-soh-lohng-tahng).
찬란한/Brilliant Legacy/Shining Inheritance
This next part was another highlight of this trip! Koreans love 노래방!/karaoke rooms! (no-rae bahng). But it’s not like karaoke back in America. Dude, this is legit! They have rooms to rent out and TONS of songs and event the latest ones. They have tambourines and flashing lights. This is where you can see most Koreans let loose and have a good time. They get really into it too! I’ve always heard about 노래방/karaoke rooms in Korea but never gone to them before. Most people will come here after they drink a lot so you get to see LOTS of funny things J Even if you’re with people who aren’t drunk, it’s still lots of fun and you get to see people let loose. 노래방/karaoke rooms, you pay for a room to rent out for an hour or more and then you party! 노래방/karaoke rooms was a lot of fun but it was a bit awkward at first. One, I sing terribly! I was like Tina Fey from Baby Mama when she was playing that Rockstar game with Amy Poehler. Two, it was just me and Young Min 영민 and I’ve only known him for two days. So yeah, very awkward but it turned out to be lots of fun! You can’t be shy when it comes to 노래방/karaoke rooms and not care about what others think. Otherwise, you’ll feel awkward and embarrassed. We sang mostly Korean songs which are actually a bit hard because I can’t sing and read Korean that fast across the screen. It’s already a bit hard with English songs. They had lots of English songs but we sang mostly Korean songs because they had lots of fun ones to sing. I have two videos from here that I must show you once blogspot stops acting lame and allows me to upload videos. One is of Young Min 영민 singing and the other one are these boys going crazy in the other room! It was HILARIOUS!! I still have to show that other half of a video from Insadong 인사동! If blogspot doesn't get its act together, I'll post it on facebook. :-)
노래방/karaoke rooms!
Big screen television with flashing lights.
Comes with microphones and tambourines. Oh baby!
Choose a song.
SING!
Sinchon 신촌 at night!
After a long fun filled day, I brought the cake home to Aunt Sookhee’s family 숙희 이모의 가족 (family=가족 [ka-johk]). We celebrated by putting a Korean candle on the cake. The candles are long and skinny! So fun!
Taking it out.
Add a Korean candle and say "YAY!"
Ready to celebrate!
Aunt Sookhee 숙희 이모 thought it would be fun to sing a "Welcome to Korea" song because that's what the cake said. My aunt, uncle, and cousins have been so cute and kind to me while staying with them. The song was to the tune of "Happy Birthday" which actually worked well but it was so funny and cute! I also have a video of them singing but again with the blogspot acting lame. Again, facebook maybe later.
Today was so much fun! Words can’t express it; I wish you all could be here and participate in what I did! Korea is the bomb dot com J I haven’t had this much fun in a while! The cake was delicious if you wanted to know J J J
Today was so much fun! Words can’t express it; I wish you all could be here and participate in what I did! Korea is the bomb dot com J I haven’t had this much fun in a while! The cake was delicious if you wanted to know J J J
