Breakfast Chow

My friends often wonder what a foreigner like me eats for breakfast. Koreans usually eat rice and soup with few other side-dishes in the morning. First meal shouldn't be spicy because it can hurt the stomach (like all people say!). There are days when I make the usual Korean breakfast and on the days when I don't have time to spare, I buy some kimbap from the nearest Kimbap Na Ra or a bagel from Dunkin Donuts.
Most of the days when I'm busy ( err...lazy rather ), I usually eat cereal. It's so easy to prepare and I can spend my extra time to sleep a little bit longer.
I like the ones with almonds like the one shown below. It's mildly sweetened with honey and others are just too bland for my taste.

Lotte World

Went to Lotte World on Saturday. The ticket price is 26,000 KRW or about $25 and it was lucky I got a 50% discount. Since Lotte World is in the heart of Seoul which happens to be one of the most expensive land in the world, it's expected to be small unlike Everland or Seoul land which are not in Seoul. I don't know why Seoul land carries the name of Seoul when in fact it's located in Gwacheon.... anyways
So there I was, 4excited and all.... I bought a ride-all-you-can so I really wanted to try as much rides as possible. I didn't expect it to be so crowded and getting on a ride can take as much as 60 minutes of waiting in line. I only managed to try 4 during my stay.
I tried the world monorail first, it's like a mini train that runs mid-air.... I remember it so well as it reminded me of the drama Stairways to heaven... Song-ju often rode it. by the way, they also have a smaller version of the mural they painted on the drama.
I watched the show of lights called the Fantastic Odyssey. It's quite good but I almost fell asleep inside the theater. Afterwards, there was a laser show which transformed the whole place to a giant movie screen. Next was the comet express that's like a roller coaster but the difference is your seat is swinging to all directions. Lastly, I took the French Revolution, the high-speed rollercoaster which happens to be the best roller coaster ride of all time for me... the trick is unlike ordinary roller coaster everything is pitch black, it's like you can't see anything and you just rely on the feeling and it adds up to the excitement cause you don't know what to anticipate next....
I so wanted to try the Gyro Drop which is a free-fall experience ride at 70 meters above which is the scariest of them all but the line is too long.
I think my next destination will be Seoul land. This time, I'll try all the things especially bungee jumping.

Jang Dong Gun

First was Lee Byung Hoon who hit stardom in Asia via the movie 'JSA' and is known as Song Hye Gyo's former husband. He recently made a hollywood movie with Josh Hartnett and part of the film was shot in the Philippines. But crap! he potrays a Chinese in the movie because Americans think all Asians are Chinese whereas Asians think all 'white-people' are Americans. And now it's JDG!!!
I recently heard from a friend that Jang Dong Gun is going to do a movie with Kate Bossworth! I am so excited to hear this since Jang Dong Gun I think is hot, hot, hot! I was bitten by the lovebug upon seeing him in 'Taegukki' (the Korean flag) with just-as-hot Won Bin. He's said to be the most handsome man in Korea which I so agree by the way.
And Kate Bossworth is one of my favorite actress in Hollywood.... Who can forget about her 'Blue Crush' days before she became skinny as hell, although she constantly denied rumors that she has anorexia. I'm glad she has recovered and gained a few pounds and she looks healthy again.

Another round of 20's

1. Are you good at hiding your feelings?
* not so much

2. How can we tell if you are already irritated?
* I put on a sullen face but I try to be polite as possible

3. How do you treat a person who obviously don't like you?
* I act irreverent towards that person

4. What usually ruins your mood?
* lots of things... traffic jam, bad service, being around umindful and inconsiderate people

5. Who do you see everyday that you wish you just wouldn't at all?
* the noisy college kids next door

6. When was the last time you had a good cry?
* A week ago, I'm missing home so much..

7. How often do you shop for clothes?
* every season or whenever my budget permits me

8. Who is your long time crush?
* Kwon Sang Woo

9. Someone who you just had a crush on?
* can't remember the name exactly

10. Do you have something you wish you just don't?
* yeah! my braces

11. Do you sometimes crave for something that isn't there?
* most of the time I crave Philippine food

12. Do you wish to live in a faraway land where nobody knows you?
* I am now in a place far-away from home

13. Have you kissed a total stranger?
* no

14. What do you want to do at the moment?
* wanna eat Tteokbokki

15. What's the worst feeling for you?
* when somebody cheats on me

16. What about the best?
* being with my family... missing them a lot

17. Ever given your number to someone you dislike?
* sometimes we are forced to

18. What will you say to the one reading this right now?
* hope this doesn't bore you

19. What/Who do you need right now?
* a bigger apartment

20. Happy with your life?
* in a way yes

A post about Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton is in Korea right now to promote FILA and do several endorsements and photoshoots. She arrived at Gimpo Airport in Seoul all clad in her signature color pink of course by FILA. She's staying at Grand Hyatt Hotel, a luxurious and top-of-the-notch 5-star hotel situated in Gangnam, Seoul. I wonder why she isn't staying at the Hilton....
I am excited to see her on TV and know about what she thinks of Korean men. Will she be hitting the nightspots here? I guess not cause she didn't do it in Japan. Well, I just hope to see her soon on TV... I wanna know what she has to say about Korea!

Studying in Korea

For foreign people who are lucky to study here may attest to me that the Korean University Standard is indeed praise-worthy. From the resources, the method of teaching, the well-maintained buildings, to the professors and students are all conducive to learning.
Koreans are stagerring ninety-percent educated, the few who are not are the 'deadbeat' of the society. A household spends about 1/3 to 1/2 of their total income to pay for different educational institutions or 'hagwons'. It's astonishing how engrossed Koreans are in educating their children, even enrolling them in numerous 'hagwons' for math, english, science, taekwondo, and arts aside from their regular school.
It's not uncanny to see school children at midnight here. It's about the time that they finish at their respective hagwons. I can't imagine how stressful it can be! My high-school is as carefree as can be so I really can't imagine being in those kid's shoes. A typical high-school student here wakes up at around 6 am and attends school from 7 am to about 4 or 5 pm. Then they usually go straight to hagwon to study. They come home very late and will have to study again way past midnight and have about 4 hours of sleep before waking up and going to school again the next morning. They go to school from Monday to Saturday so they only have one day of the week to take a rest.
They are studying this hard in preparation for the university exam which is the most important thing for them. All students across the country wanted to enter the top 10 Universities in Seoul. It's very tight competition so all of them must work very hard to secure a spot in those Ivy League Universities. It is as if their life depends on it, but somehow that is true. A person who graduated from a 'good' university has a more stable and secure future. Even in getting a partner it's also important, most girls like men who studies or who graduated from a good university. Those men can get a good and high-paying job and thus, they are popular and revered by korean women.
Universities here are vast and very modern with beautiful and clean surroundings. The campus is surrounded by beautiful trees that changes colors every season, flowers, and colorful bushes. It resembles me of a leisure park where everything is neat and picturesque. They are equipped with swimming pools, soccer ground, tennis, baseball, basketball courts, and some even has pond or lake inside. Libraries are huge and have individual study area. There are high speed computers for everyone to use for free. And what I really like about schools here is that there are all kinds of orgs and clubs for the geeks, the hotties or the average joe. I like school fairs because they usually invite a famous personality, a popular actor or actress, or singers. During this fairs there are tons of funny games and numerous concerts to watch for free.
I'm also very impressed with the architectural design of the buildings. It's more of like an artwork for me. They have combined, modern buildings with Roman and Greek Inspired ones. The statues, sculptures and paintings that adorn the school are precious pieces of artworks that can inspire anyone to be 'artsy'.
The bad side for this is the expense. When you enter these schools prepare to shell out $ 5,000 for a semester. With that money some people choose to study abroad. I don't blame them because the living expense here is very high. Not to mention each campus here has their own nightlife; unlimited hoffs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, cafes, game room, etc., that can really take a huge chunk in a person's wallet.

Visa problems hound Tribu delegates to Busan, Korea

Several members of the group that created the award-winning independent film Tribu won't be able to go to Korea for the Busan International Film Festival because of visa problems.
"Tribu delegates for Pusan Film Festival suffer humiliating discrimination from Korean embassy; by issuing visa effective only after the festival event is over," said Tribu director Jim Libiran. However, the Korean embassy only issued visas for Jim Libiran, sound editor Marc Laccay, and executive producer Dodge Dillague because they were not "first time travelers." The others were denied as they were not able to present the necessary documents.
Mitch Libiran, Jim's wife said that she felt that there was discrimination.
"Sabi sa nag-interview sa amin, hindi raw nila kami kilala. Hinahanapan din ako ng bank statement at certificate of employment. Kahit pa sinabi ko na ang festival ang siyang sasagot sa aming gastos pagdating ng Korea, hindi pa rin kami nabigyan ng visa. Kahit na sinabi ko na huwag naman 15th ang date na ibigay niya sa isa namin kasamahan, hindi rin ako pinakinggan," Mitch said.
She added that the consul officer did not even scan their papers which showed that the group was invited to the festival.
Mitch also said that it appears that the consul general feared that they might overstay in Korea or, worse, go TNT (tago ng tago).
Mitch said that she would leave Oct. 11 for the awards night, hoping that Tribu wins.
"We were hoping na maging lenient sila dahil may sulat naman kami mula sa festival organizers pero nakakainis ang nangyari sa amin. Nakaka-disappoint," Mitch lamented.
Marc Laccay won the Best Sound award in the third Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival while Tribu was the Best Film in the Cinemalaya 2007.
The Pusan film festival is scheduled to be held October 4 to 11 in Pusan, South Korea. Out of the four Filipino films invited to Pusan, only Tribu - which narrates the lives of gangsters-rappers belonging to gangs or "tribes" in Tondo - was chosen for competition.

Missing u

With a beer in my hand trying to get some of my thoughts out in writing. I'm missing someone, badly missing someone. I've never thought that I'd be missing a person this much.
Our lives are so darn complicated, a continous love-hate relationship. Searching for things that would make us both happy to the point of irreverence. We continued to hurt each other with our actions never minding the pain we inflict upon ourselves.
But what's with these dreams...? Why do I dream about him each time I close my eyes. And each time I open all I could think of is going back? For all I thought this is what I needed. A separation from a world that revolves around him.
Why do I keep missing him when all I thought is escaping my wretched existence hiding behind his shadows all the time? Isn't this what I wanted? I begin to thought that this isn't the sweet escape that I have imagined.

Seoul Named Costliest City in Asia

Fact about Korea.


Seoul has been named the most expensive city in Asia for foreign residents.
According to statistics released Tuesday by global human resources consulting firm ECA International, Seoul has the highest living expenses for foreigners in Asia, and the seventh highest in the world.
Japanese cities edged down the list because of the depreciating value of the yen.
Lee Quane, general manager of ECA International Hong Kong said, "Five years ago, expatriates in Tokyo paid 35 percent more for basic goods and services than those in Seoul. But the stronger won has seen foreign expatriates living in the South Korean capital paying 10 percent more for the same items compared to their counterparts in Tokyo."
Tokyo was next after Seoul on the list, followed by Yokohama, Kobe, Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Jakarta.

I'm back to Kimchi Land

I just arrived last night from Manila it feels nice to feel the cold breeze of Autumn, it's really refreshing...^^...
As the days get cooler and frost is in the air, deciduous trees and shrubs put on an autumn show in all shades of red, yellow, purple, and brown. The splendor of crisp fall days and vibrant leaves is truly breathtaking. One can sense a great feeling of relaxation while looking at it. It makes you appreciate God even more for creating such a wonderful phenomenon.
In daytime it's comfortably cool. come night time it's a bit chilly with cold gust of winds. Sometimes the temperature reaches 4 degrees celsius but most of time it's between 13-20 degrees.
Something about the Autumn air that makes me melancholic... For others it brings so many different emotions. People can suddenly become more romantic, gloomy, or jolly in seconds.
Something about the Autumn air that makes me so wanna see my family and just lie down on the bed with them, feeling them, and knowing that they are just near.

Leaving

It's time to leave Manila again, it makes me sad that I have to leave my loved ones behind. But with all the mishaps that had happened here, it kinda gives me the feeling that it's not so safe to be here anymore. I enjoyed my stay here though the weather is at it's worst.
I'm so going to miss Manila for sure!!! I'm already starting to miss the food. I loaded up on things to bring back to my friends, they wanted it to be authentic-filipino so I decided to get them some puto-seko, sampalok candies, pulvoron, yema, and dried mangoes.
Dried mangoes have always been a hit with foreigners. Something about it being sweet but not 'sugary' in a way, and to add it's chewy too. When some of my friends tasted sampalok candy (the ones wrapped in yellow cellophane~~) it reminded them of dried persimmons without the sour aftertaste. They think pulvoron is quite queer and they are amused that we Filipinos eat 'powder-like' snack. I felt that it's strange too but then nobody here thinks it's queer.
I thought about bringing some peanut brittle but I know that most of them can't handle the sugar-overload (way too sweet for their taste~~). Macapuno and pastillas are the same.
I'm going to miss so many things about Manila. I will miss even the noise on the streets, riding MRT which I consider is a great adventure especially when you are going to Makati on a Monday morning! I'll miss taho and pandesal for breakfast, nilagang baka and tinola. Most of all, I'll miss the feeling of being at home.
Ehyu, time to pack my things now~~~

Dae Han MinGuk

It simply translates as "The Great Republic of Korea". Korea is not just the land of the cutest phones nor the haven of pop-star haircuts...it has also been my home.
been staying here in manila for a month, but all I could think about is going back to where I consider Home..... It's something about the unbearable humidity, the pollution, the noise, and the crimes.... All I could think about is seeing the red maple leaves on the ground...it's going to be fall in Korea soon. Hopefully, at the start I'll be there. I'm slowly counting he days..... A month more and I'll board the plane again.
I used to be homesick, as in a lot. I've been fighting homesickness all the time I was there. I do count the days when I'll board the plane back to Manila. But as soon as I arrived, I long for the clean and peaceful country I've grown to love. I spent more than I am supoposed to, trying to find food that resembles ours. Seeing a pack of bananas with the words "made in the PHILIPPINES" written on it brings a smile to my face though I've never thought about buying one here.
I think I should go out more and try to enjoy my time while I'm here instead of sulking in my room thinking all my rants about the country. I don't want to think that Manila lost it's magic to me. I think I'm just in the wrong places.... or with the wrong people.
But God, I do miss the Internet... I miss sticky rice and kimchi.... I even miss the commercials I see on TV which I never understand and I think I'll never will.

Tale of 4's

FOUR JOBS I HAVE HAD

Researcher
ESL Teacher
Call Center agent
TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS reviewer

FOUR MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED OVER AND OVER

The day after tomorrow ( laging may re-run sa cable eh )
I, Robot ( ganun din )
The Mummy ( wala...laging yun ang mga palabas sa lintik na cable na to! )
Shilmido

FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED

Antipolo
Q.C.
Korea
Makati

FOUR TV SHOWS I LIKE TO WATCH:

Sex and the City
Dr. Who
Borat
Kyle XY

FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:

Hong Kong
China
Macau
Korea

FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:

Steak
Pasta
Pizza
Sashimi

FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:

In jeju
Harajuku in Japan
At home in Q.C.
Having a meal with my friends

Life's simple pleasure

10 of life's simple pleasures for me:

Traveling to places I have never imagined.
Blowing my birthday cake while listening to a birthday song.
Celebrating Anniversaries.
Watching Simpsons and laughing my ass off.
Being with my family having a meal together..
Listening to my Mother and Father's laugh.
Watching the sun set.
Seeing my long lost friends and have a good chat down memory lane.
Cooking something for my loved ones,
and hearing them say it's delicious!!!

The highly coveted VISA

I feel bad for so many Pinoys out there who are dreaming to work here in the Land of the Morning Calm but too bad the Korean Embassy temporarily stopped issuing working visas for Filipinos because of the apparent corruption within the Department of Foreign Affairs. I can't blame Korea for doing something like this harsh though many people are going to suffer the consequences. It's bad enough that we are obviously not a good candidate for getting a VISA in so many countries I couldn't count. I could remember when I was at the Embassy in Manila waiting for my scheduled interview. I asked the clerk about the long queue of people looking rather depressed upon retrieving their passports. I was told that those people were denied and when I asked for the reason he said the Embassy is very well aware of our economic situation and that those people have a very high chance to stay abroad illegally had they've been approved.
Korea's economy is getting better and better boasting higher GDP every year. What about us? It's sad that once we were the model country of Korea. They once put us in a pedestal and tried their very best to be at par with our economic progress. But it was in the long past already. And they have become the 12th richest country in the world and us one of the poorest.
Due to their economic stability, they can now enter the US without VISA. It means a regular Korean citizen can enter Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Spain, US, and others I lost count. Koreans know about our sad history, our economic regression, and the rampant corruption and yet they still see a future in the Philippines, that's why it's the top retirement spot for them. They do have that Philippine dream; to live in a big house, with the luxury of having helpers, and basically having the comfortable life they can't have here with their measly pension.

ACNEVER

I was browsing thru a mag and I saw a column about a new skin care line called ACNEVER. The name really is enticing and sounds very promising right? I literally had to check this product out in vieu of the breakouts I need to get rid of. Well the packaging looks fine but the mere fact that it's entirely written in Korean doesn't help. The sales lady did her best to explain in broken english about the product. My gut tells me it's not the miracle i've been looking for. Why? Because there is something creepy about using it in my entire body like what the lady said. I don't know if it's just the girl who spoke very little english but nevertheless I didn't buy.

The breakouts

What's with my face these days??? I'm having breakouts all over my face and I know I've got to do something about it. I've tried several over-the-counter topical creams to combat zits and breakouts but it usually doesn't work for me...PanOxyl or Pond's pimple clearing gel and the likes. It works as a drying catalyst that dries up the pimple faster than I can imagine but it deprives my face of essential moisture responsible for a soft and supple skin. By the way, it itches as hell but if you are not so darn sensitive as me you'll be just fine.
I thought it's about time to buy some skin essentials so last night, I headed out to three of my favorite skin care boutiques here; The Face Shop, Skin Food, and Beauty Credit. I liked Beauty Credit from the three because the place looks the cutest. The Interior design is good, it's spacious, and it has a huge plasma screen TV showing Hyun-bin in a very catchy jingle. I know it's stupid but my thought is that, if they are 'that' willing to go the extra mile then it's probably worth it. I like Missha the best (the one which Jang Dong Gun is representing) but sadly there isn't any branch nearby.
The are tons of skin essentials to choose from. Some has Coenzyme Q10, wine extracts, pomegranate collagen, and green tea herb just to name a few. I chose Acerola Intensive whitening skin care set, skin, essence, emulsion, and suncream. Something about Korean summer...it's very hot and very, very humid. My skin got a lot darker from doing a lot of traveling. How I miss spring where it's cool and the wind smells like pine trees so crisp!!!!
Well anyways, after getting the essentials I looked over the make up counter. it's not my plan to buy but it looked tempting to me. Guys will never understand the need for make-up. In a heaven of superficial people where beauty is the ultimate power for women, it's a commodity. I ended up getting a compact pressed powder, a lip gloss, a mascara, and an apricot colored eyeshadow.

3's about me

3 things that scare me:
the appearance of ghosts
dying young
break ups
3 people who can make me laugh:
Chelsea
Samantha from Sex and the city
my friend Redeemer
3 things i love:
good movies
friendships
family
3 things i hate:
traffic Jam
doing the dishes
vicious cycle
3 things i don’t understand:
politics
men's behavior
women's needs
3 things on my desk:
my cellphone
a calendar
a box of Kleenex
3 things i’m doing right now:
doing this
charging my phone
downloading a TV series
3 things I want to do before I die:
make my loved ones very very happy
travel the world
achieve my dreams or even just half of it.
3 things I can do:
I use 3 different languages on a daily basis
I can cook pinoy, korean, and a bit of chinese food
I can stand cold temperature better than anyone I know
3 things I can’t do:
can't swin
ride a bike
wear high-heels without hurting my feet
3 ways to describe my personality:
weird at times
Incredibly immature
non-conformist
3 things people might not know about me:
I hate shopping
I bite my nails
I can finish a book really, really fast
3 things I think you should listen to:
baby's laughter
classical music
I love You's
3 things I don’t think you should listen to ever:
gossips
people whining and complaining all the time
when parents are fighting
3 of my absolute favorite foods:
sashimi
rib-eye steak; medium well done
new york cheesecake
3 things i’d like to learn:
play Starcraft
speak French
swim
3 beverages i drink regularly:
milk
orange Juice (drinking it right now)
green tea
3 shows I watched when I was a child:
care bears
rainbow bright
sesame street

The Upcoming Trip

I spent most of this month planning about my upcoming trip to Jeju Island next week. Jeju-do is in the southernmost part of Korea which also means 'Island of the Gods'. It is very similar to Hawaii I heard... but I've never been to Hawaii to agree with that. Michael Jackson once offered to buy the Island, but the government refused to sell it.
I've been to Jeju twice before , once in summer and once in winter. It really captivated me. it's my favorite place on earth because there are so many things to see. If nature tripping is your thing then you are going to appreciate it big time! Though it's still part of Republic Korea, it seems like it's a totally different country. The people looks a little different from mainland and they use a different accent so Koreans from Seoul find it difficult to converse with them.
UNESCO claimed the Volcanic Island of Jeju one of the world heritage sites. It's very small but it has a lot of museums, resorts, beaches, buddhist shrines, mountains, etc..... No wonder it has become a favorite spot to shoot Korean dramas and Japanese thrillers.
It is so difficult to get a ticket to go there this time because it's what they claim as their super-peak season considering that students are on their summer vacation and workers will be having theirs too next week.
I made a list of the things I wanted to do there... a submarine cruise is the first on my list. I heard hot-air ballon ride is awesome so I wanna give it a try but heights freak me out. Rafting sounds fun... but I'm not very keen to watersports... my friend recommended it so I'm willing to give it a try. I should hit some parks and museums too or do a little bit of trekking. Can't wait for next week!!!

Memoirs in H.ong K.ong

While in the middle of making toast for breakfast and fixing my drawer I came across a huge pile of tickets, stubs, and several tourist guides from H.ong K.ong. I collect them thinking I would be making an album for all my travels which never happened anyway. I can't seem to find the time to do so. But I like collecting them hence, the pile of mess.
I've been thinking about traveling to H.ong K.ong last winter since I've been having these stopovers there coming here and going back to Manila so I thought why not give it a try. How difficult can it be when I've already been there a couple of times and explored a lot of sites with my sister.
So I made a plan, a three-day stay just before I go back to Manila. I saved all winter so I could do a little bit of a shopping. After searching thru hundreds of hotels, I finally a booked somewhere in K.owloon, apparently it's the cheaper side of H.ong K.ong. Made all the reservations and stuff. I didn't apply for any packaged tour for the thought of saving my cash and I didn't have the best experience in the past with them.
Then I arrived last Febuary 27 at the airport so familiar. It wasn't so difficult to find the double-decked bus that will take me to K.owloon side. Upon arriving, the hotel wasn't even ready for my arrival. Blame it to the huge flock of tourists and they were experiencing some overbooking. Instead of waiting at the lobby, I decided to grab a quick bite outside the hotel. I went to McDonald's cause it's open 24 hours and I arrived past midnight. After I ate, it's about time to go into my room and take a rest.
I woke up early and decided to have a long walk outside. I heard that it was their cold season in H.ong K.ong at that time so that explains the winter clothes. I thought it's rather hot to be wearing boots and fur but whatever... I just wore my plain summer clothes and a light jacket.
I've been to a couple of places... lost my way to the avenue of stars, lost my way to the peak, and kept losing my way going back to the hotel. I took a ferry and went to M.acau, originally I planned a whole day trip there but it wasn't that fun except for the portugese architectural design of the village. I realized, it doesn't matter where you are or how beautiful the place may seem to be if you are traveling alone. My last destination is the M.ong K.ok night market to buy some stuff. I bought myself some jeans, a foxy pair of shades for my sister and some other souveniers.
I finally decided to settle my last night in H.ong K.ong resting inside my room watching cable tv. I don't want to risk any chance of losing my way back to the hotel again. I've had enough of walking and hailing taxi cabs for 2 days so I bought 2 cans of Sapporo beer and I called it a night. I went to the airport much earlier than I expected and have a lot of time to spare. I got really thirsty, blame Marlboro lights so I tried to find a reasonably-priced bottle of water but couldn't find any except for a bottle of E.vian. No way I'm ever going to drink water with the price... water is afterall only water, doesn't matter even if it's from the french alps.