Catching Up

So I haven't been very happy with any of my outfit posts as of late, which is one reason for my serious lack of updates. On the other hand, I am in a foreign country and should be taking pictures of tons of interesting things besides the clothes I wear, right? And I have! I'm just getting lazy... But I won't go on about my absence. Let's just do a little updating, shall we?

...deep breath...

I visited Seoul Tower with a few of my friends. Seoul Tower, or Nasam Tower, is a communication and observation tower on Nasam Mountain in Seoul. It's kind of surreal to have this huge, huge capitol city and then to have this mountain hanging out in the middle of it. The hike up was hot (ugh), but it was really beautiful, so, yeah, it was worth it. Took a bus down though...  I didn't need to see it again, haha.
















They had these metal trees and fences where you could attach a lock or chain or, um, cell phone cases. A lot of them had sweet, lovey-dovey sentiments. At least, from the ones I could read. Most the others, I assumed said the same. I mean, what else would be written on a heart? Ah, damn, I should have bought one and wrote something like, "I have to take a poop. FOREVER. Love, Anna".

 

our rendition of a korean drama

my rendition of a map

That same day, we visited a traditional village, also in the heart of Seoul. We found some pretty swell face-in-a-hole cut outs. I think I found the best one.

All right. Next.

 Boots was neutered and declawed. Boy, oh boy! Little guy was a champ though despite some mishaps (notice the makeshift sock-cast around his left paw) the and has made a full recovery!

Moving on.

one of our many sets of twins. luckily, one has since adopted bangs.

I had summer camp. Yes, and I actually had summer camp before my Busan trip from my last post (damn, I am behind...). I taught two small classes of 4th and 5th graders. It was meant to help the students who are the most behind/having the hardest time with even the basics.

Case in point, we spent a week going over and over the alphabet, telling time, and days of the week. We spent the other week reviewing past lessons and introducing the new material for next semester. Yeah, I know, super exciting. I mean, I heard that other kids have to endure Harry Potter or Under the Sea themed classes. God forbid, right?

 We actually made a lot of progress and from the kids who showed up consistently, they managed to get through the whole alphabet, BIG and small! I consider that a success.

Also, this..

Alyissa and I visited the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul. Technically, South Korea is still at war with North Korea ever since the Korean War in the 1950's. Some people just can't let things go....

No, but seriously, it's a shame the two countries can't come together and focus that hatred towards the Japanese...

No, but seriously, seriously. These two countries share such a tumultuous past, but a common past. Somewhere along the line, though, shit got divided and an entire country split. I mean, yeah, this kind of stuff has happened before; countries divide and create new independent countries. But which ones have become such polar opposites that they can't even live peacefully and independently? I mean, North Koreans are forbidden to leave their country to travel to South Korea and South Koreans are denied entry into North Korea. It just feels like things have been left unresolved for so long, I don't think the two countries can ever unite again without some kind of confrontation.

All right, I'm not going to pretend I know everything about Korean relations at all. In fact, I know very little. But I did see some interesting stuff at the memorial, and not all of it was based on the Korean War. Here! Let me tell you all about it in picture form:

 

Whew! That was a lot! I was going to have an accompanying outfit with this post but 1) like I said, I'm not overly pleased with my outfit photos latel, 2) but, hell, let's spread the wealth and make it it's own post anyway, and 3) there's so much shit in this one, there's no real way I could find a way to relate my clothes to anything here.

So yeah. Another time.


Sincerely,
Anna
yay!