October, the good part

Ah, Halloween! My favorite major holiday. It's an excuse to dress like a freak, animal, slut, or some other guise and run around town doing whatever you want ~ what could be better?! In past years I've dressed in varied costumes; princess, gypsy, Barbie, black cat, rock star, belly dancer, Madonna, mermaid... you get the idea. Since I was little my costumes have run the gamut from those I (or my mother^^) put together from things I owned or could make easily, like the princess, gypsy, cat, Madonna, or 2009's Dr. Frank N. Furter from the Rocky Horror Picture Show; to straight out of the package - the belly dancer, mermaid, and Jane Jetson in '07, complete with wig and boot tops.

Then this year, I decided it was time to really exploit my untapped art skills. Now, it should be known that when left with a paper and markers or crayons, I'll usually draw things like kindergarten fish and flowers, or abstract patterns. To say I'm creative is a huge stretch. But I did get the idea for 2010's Halloween costume from an all text webpage of costume suggestions and carried it off without help from anyone else!

I decided I'd be a kissing booth! So I set off to the post office to get a box, and the stationery store for some sticky label paper to make what would be my most creative (and cumbersome) Halloween costume yet.

Kissing booth, before

Kissing booth, after

My night was very interesting in this costume! I had many many propositions for kisses, on the cheek, on the lips, some people even kissed the box! I got 4 phone numbers! I guess it comes with the territory, haha! Plus I got to spend time with all my favorite girls in Korea. It's become a tradition to do Halloween in Seoul with my old friend Jill and her girls so I started there in Itaewon.

Jill, Katie, Shauna, and I in Itaewon, The Loft

After dinner, some drinks, and a good bit of dancing, I headed out to Hongik University to meet my best Busan girl (also in Seoul for the weekend) and a couple mutual friends. They had some excellent costumes, but unfortunately we all neglected to get pics together.

Angela (best Busan girl) as Korean mask/totem pole

Klaralyn, Viking goddess

The Kiss-box with Gaga, Hongik Uni.

October

September is a delightful month in Korea, what with the arrival of winter vegetables, the warm-ish weather hanging on, and the intense blue skies! I'm uploading some beautiful new photos from September so you can see what I mean. I spent some days indoors watching bands play, but I also went outside to the park in Gijang, re-visited my favorite temple, the seaside Yonggungsa (dubbed the "temple on the rocks"), took an evening coastal cruise, and cooked at home more.

Poko Lambro plays at Vinyl Underground, Busan

Yonggung Temple, Busan

Park in Gijang at dusk

Busan night cruise aboard the Nurimaru

Then October brought more blue skies, busier days at work (save last week^^), and some big events. PIFF, BFF, Halloween... The Busan Fireworks Festival was one notable experience for me. I did NOT attend this festival in previous years, intentionally, so as to avoid standing for hours in the cold amid the crazy crowds which pour down to central Busan. But this year my friend got tickets to a nice 2nd-floor buffet where we could escape the crowds, sit in the warm, and still look out the opened window-walls. I was in!

 

  

 

  

 

The Upside of Public School

So my last few days at work have been pretty great! A couple weeks ago, I heard that the teachers had planned a hiking trip with dinner on Friday, 10/29. I already had plans for dinner (and wanted to get ready for Halloween^^) so I couldn't make it; I was told in that case I could just leave school at 2 pm Friday with the other teachers. Then on Thursday before Halloween, I got the news that we would have Monday, Nov. 1st off from work since it's my school's Foundation Day! Happy Halloween indeed.

In addition, upon returning to work Tuesday we found out Wednesday and Thursday this week would be rehearsal days for some sort of school festival coming up. So the students are running about the halls, in and out of the auditorium, practicing their routines and how to sit and all that. I was told I'd be helping to herd them around and keep them in line during this time, but haven't left my warm chair yet :) I do love this place sometimes! It makes up for all the extra B.S. of being the only (or one of only 2) native English speakers in the whole school, or the times I hear my friends complain about their co-teachers (I've been very lucky in that respect as well, though).