News, News, News

Many of you know already, but for those of you who do not...

I'll be staying in Korea for another year!  

Bring on the kimchi, summer heat, and chopsticks!

Stay true, stay real.

H.

To Robert and Darla

Happy anniversary, you two love birds.
31 years is incomparable, especially with an annoying pest as a daughter.
I love you both greatly. 

Written November 11th, 2013

People from Oklahoma often have the same story.  Go to school.  Get a degree.  Find your soulmate.  Get married.  Have babies.  Live happily ever after.  For the most part, my parents’ story is much like other Oklahomans.  And maybe I'm being biased, but there's something rare about my parents' love story--something unique and beautiful.  Sure as a child I never quite understood the divine and unwavering love each one shared for the other. Actually, the moments that stand out in my mind are the dark ones.  I remember the times that they would argue and one would be in a car speeding away because the pain and stress of the moment was too hard.  I thank them now for knowing when to walk away, but they always came back and they always forgave.

 It wasn't until this past year that I myself fell in love with my parents' story.  I distinctly remember my parents taking my sister and I to the exact place my mother first laid eyes on my father.  She was walking down the hallway of her universities broadcasting department offices.  She saw two people having a meeting and one of them was my father.  I believe the reaction we grew up hearing from her was "Oh man, who is that hunk," or something along those once embarrassing lines for a nine year old.  But now, I treasure that memory of walking down the exact hallway my mother found her "knight in shining armor."  I often find myself looking back at the specific date this cosmic sighting happened.  What was my mother wearing?  What did the place look and smell like?  Minute details really, but I can't help but want to know everything, every detail.  Exactly when they both knew the other was "the one."  How they felt when they knew.  What dreams as young 20 year olds they had together.  Of course, the story doesn't end there.  My mother virtually stalked my father until he finally asked her out.  I imagine that if there had been Facebook at the time, my mother would have spent most of her nights checking my father's Facebook page waiting for a new status update or a new profile picture to salivate over.  This could be viewed as over excessive, but her persistence was successful.  

Growing up I would ask my parents whether or not they were going to get a divorce.  At the time my logic was reasonable.  Many of my friends' parents were or already had gotten one, and I heard they got two Christmases.  What kid wouldn't want that?  Now I know that it's much more than two Christmases to have my parents still happily married after only dating for six weeks, then marrying eight weeks later.  It's unheard of to share a bond so deep with someone when you've really known for less than two months.  My parents' relationship is a testament of devout love for each other.  After 30 years of marriage, my father still makes my mother laugh like a high school girl falling for her first love.  His jokes are terrible, but when I see the smile on my mother's face after the corniness has enraptured her heart, I know they're golden.  And my father-- where to begin.  He is the one person that will truly never leave my mother.  When he married her, he unknowingly signed up to be in a household full of three strongly opinionated, highly dramatic women.  And yet, he can still pride himself in saying, "those are my girls."  It's true that my parents have had some hard times.  They've been poor and they've disagreed many times.  In today's society, that calls for a divorce without the thought of counseling or trying to make things work, because it would jut be too hard to be struggling in life and married.  What my parents have taught me throughout my 23 years is that, love is forever.  Love is heartfelt.  Love is hard and messy, but it's also beautiful and amazing.  I, too, would love to have a marriage just like my parents', because being married to my best friend looks like a wonderful, wonderful blessing.  Or at least that's what my parents taught me. 

Stay true, stay real.

H.

Korean Kids are Kinda Cute

To these kids, I'm "funny teacher."  In reality, they're the ones that keep me laughing.

Stay true, stay real.

H.

A Weekend Away

This past Monday (Children's Day) and Tuesday (Buddha's birthday) were red calendar days in Korea, which meant a small girl's vacay out to Sokcho!  We enjoyed a beautiful Sunday in Seoraksan National Park, then hit up the beach to play some volleyball.  Oh, I can't forget to mention the eye opening world of the fish market.  So much new and delicious food was consumed, as well.

Here's what my phone got a glimpse of.

Enjoy :) 

We got the food party started with hotteok. 

 Then, fish market madness ensued...

...and squid sundae was eaten.

After our adventures in the fish market, we were in need of some good ole' deep fried chicken.  Lines upon lines were formed in order to get this popular chicken.

Typical.

The next day.

Below are two pictures captured inside Seoraksan National Park.

Happy Birthday, big guy.

Then, it was time to head home...on the bus. The crowded, crowded bus.

The beautiful beach.

The beautiful burger.

The beautiful beach babes.

The last day.

This lady was busy gathering kelp.

Love the authenticity Sokcho exudes.

Alas, the trip had to end, but I leave you with this to cherish forever and always.

Because I'm full of "dopeness," clearly.

Stay true, stay real.

H.

The Lady at the Cafe

Due to some resent encounters with the sweetest Korean lady who works at the cafe in my gym, I'm a happier person.

The encounters go as follows:

The first month or so-- both smile and nod.

The first few weeks following the first month or-- more smiles and nods, but with a slight twinkle in both of our eyes. 

This past Saturday-- upon entering the gym, she was standing at the counter.  She then proceeds to walk with me into the gym and starts small talk.  We exchange names--hers is Jong.  We chat for a little longer and then I let her get to work.  When I come out of the locker room to begin my stretching, she asks if I like coffee because she wants to give me one when I am done working out.  I enthusiastically agree and begin my work out.  After many more smiles and nods-- since the cafe is right by the ladies' locker room-- I meander her way to chat and receive the sweet gift she offered me.  Not only had she made me a coffee, but she treated me to a crepe, as well.  See, the sweetest.

Today--I made sure to stop by the cafe before starting my work out, since, you know, we're BFF's and all now.  I was pleased to know she hadn't forgotten about me and had a big smile on her face when I stopped to talk to her.  I decided to buy a crepe after my work out, this way we could chat some more.  She kept thanking me for buying her "very healthy" crepe.  She added a hard boiled egg as today's "present."  If she had only given me the hard boiled egg as a gift, I would have been elated, but instead she added to it.  Right before I left, she explained to me that when she sees me walk by after running, and I smile at her, I give her the "happy virus."  

Happy 11 months in Korea to me.

Stay true, stay real.
H.

An Abundance of Happiness

While walking down a dusty dirt trail this past weekend, I was talking with a friend about how she always felt that she was an "outdoorsy" person until she came to Korea.  My response was that I didn't feel like one until I came here.  Granted, when I say I feel outdoorsy, I'm referring to the fact that I walk to work (outdoors), I walk to the bus (outdoors), and I have climbed to the top of a mountain since coming here.  So, ya, I'm more outdoorsy; and from this new found gratitude for the world outside, I've noticed how beautiful life can be.  The people you meet and the adventures you can go on are so incredibly fulfilling that I never want to consider myself an "indoor" person again-- unless my allergies decide otherwise. 

With that being said, here are some reasons I'm being so sentimental this evening.

Enjoy the amazing view of cherry blossoms, new friends, and an adventure of a lifetime.

Don't cross a hungry model, you'll get this look.

MATCHING COUPLE.

The cutest moment happened when this man decided to educate us on royal families and their guidelines to manage a household.  Also, FW has his beard rubbing down. 

For my Madikins.

Typical Jordan and Koontz.

Typical me making friends with people 20 years younger than myself.

Enjoying some injeolmi. 

Playing a traditional Korean game, Tuho.

And then the foreigners' attempts...

"Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me"--Koontz

     

Because no trip is complete without a jumping picture.

Stay true, stay real.

H.

P.S.  I met a guy from Tulsa, Oklahoma on this trip.  Crazy how far one has to travel in order to find a little piece of home.