i suck at blogging.

clearly.

my relationship with my blog ^

monday blues

i forgot my coffee this morning.
this is all i want to do right now
ya feel me?

what i like about you *

February 19th 2013 not only marked the date I quit smoking (four days in but it feels like more… seriously, how long until I don’t think about it anymore? Gah), but I digress – February 19th 2013 also marked my 6 month anniversary in Korea. It’s hard to believe that I am half done my contract … holy time warp.

The first few months were a blur as I wanted to do everything and see everything Busan had to offer. It was a fast paced first few months but the good times and memories were endless.

The winter has slowed down a bit and I can attribute that to it being cold … really cold. One of my co-teachers nicely pointed out one day that Canada is also cold. Yes, that’s true ..BUT… there’s a BIG difference. Sure, Canada is cold in the winter, but once indoors, you have the protection of heat and warmth. However, in Korea, I am cold all day since there is no heat in my office or classroom. Once I get home, I bask in the glory of my floor heater and electric heating bad. So naturally, I am pretty close to obtaining hermit status during the week unless I go out for dinner with friends, which sometimes, takes some effort. Exploring my city has been replaced with hot chocolate and shabu shabu. I am perfectly content with my life decisions. You go climb your mountains in freezing weather… show me the good spots come spring.

 

Shabu Shabu.. One of my FAVOURITE meals in Korea. Yum.

(Stay tuned for the post where I inevitably will complain about the heat in the summer time) 
Ultimately, there have been ups and downs in Korea. There are things that I cannot stand about living here but also things that I love. So in the future when I am seriously considering doing a midnight run (leaving in the middle of the night to run back to Canada without looking back), I can look at this list and remember the nice relationship Korea and I can have…

Disclaimer: Everybody has an opinion, and these are mine but everyone’s experiences are different. :)

1.) Technology in the Classroom

My teaching style is responsive to 21st century learners needs. Students in this generation are immersed in the digital era. Utilizing technological tools in the classroom engages students while providing an authentic learning experience. Today’s students thrive on the use of multimedia in lessons as they are stimulated by technology every single day. I love using Youtube videos to hook my students’ attention while allowing students the opportunity to find answers to their own questions through an inquiry-based approach. Using technology in the classroom provides endless possibilities while providing the best learning opportunities so our students become critically thinking globalized individuals.

If you went to teachers college, you will recognize a lot of words I just used that have been drilled into our teaching pedagogy. Nonetheless, I do agree with it and my teaching style thrives on being able to use technology. However, in my teaching experiences back home, the tools were not there to support this type of learning, despite the glorification of technology in teachers college. The classrooms I worked in did not have a wireless internet connection, Youtube was blocked, the classroom was not designed where I could set up my laptop, and the school/classroom computers were so slow that students avoided them altogether. In laymen’s terms – the technology sucked. I was constricted to a document camera that every teacher on the floor had to share and only had the ability to use powerpoints in one of my three classrooms. 

A document camera for those who don't know. A modern day LCD projector
 Although handy.. it wasn't enough. 

In Korea, the schools (at least in the school’s I have had experience in) all have a big screen T.V., a computer, an internet connection and even computer screens attached to the group desks. I love using songs and videos, interactive PowerPoint's to teach content, and incorporate media that is relevant to Korean students (such as Kpop stars) whenever I can. Although there is a language barrier, I am able to engage the attention of my students’ through incorporating technological tools to enhance my lessons. If the schools back home had this set up, creativity in lessons that captivate students’ interest would be endless.


2.) Public Transportation

I LOVE TRANSPORTATION HERE AND NEVER WANT TO GO HOME BECAUSE OF IT. In Canada, I live in Thorold … a little town not even on the map but near St. Catharines (Niagara region). By car, it would take about 10/15 minutes for me to get to my old job. Unfortunately, I do not have a car and the bus system in Thorold SUCKS. To get to and from work would take an hour and a half and three buses. Let’s just say it was usually an unnecessarily long work day. The bus schedule is whack and there is no subway system. Cabs are too expensive and I would often resort to illegal, cheap “speedy cabs” to get to my destination if I needed to get somewhere quick. (more times than not, I feared for my life).

In Korea, the subway system is running all day every day (and its cheap! Less than a dollar to get to where you want to be!), cabs are CHEAP (honestly I have never paid 5$ to get from point a to point b back home unless I am just taking a cab down the street .. but here, it happens :) ).
If I want to go to other cities, buses and the KTX are always running and usually cheap. Ugh, everything is just so convenient and inexpensive that it makes travelling that much better.
Next weekend we have a long weekend so me and some friends are going to the other side of the country …. Yupppp... from Busan to Seoul via KTX (getting a table because there’s four of us) will cost 65$ there and back. Perfection.


3.) Easy Travelling

I just went to Philippines in January. I am planning on going to Thailand, Japan, Cambodia and Taiwan eventually and, it’s definitely possible. We have a long weekend coming up and my friends are going to China. Any questions? It is unreal living in Asia. The opportunities to travel while living here definitely make everything worth it.

4.) Always something to do (nature, festivals, etc)

I live in Busan and could not be happier. There are always festivals (lantern, music, firework etc) to keep me busy. If you want to be one with nature, you can hike and explore all the mountains, go and see one of the many temples scattered around the city, head to the beach to sink your feet in the sand, or check out one of the many outdoor “gyms” (the last one was a joke). Busan is beautiful and there’s always something to do/see. (When it get's nicer out though).

5.) Nightlife

There is always something to do during the day but there is always somewhere to go at night. There are no laws permitting people drinking in public so walking down the streets with a bottle of Makgeolli or leaving a bar to have a beer at 7/11 is perfectly acceptable. My favourite area is Kyungsung where one can chill and play board games at Fully Booked, dance away the night at Blue Monkey, or chill and smoke some hookah at Eva’s. If you want to go out on the weekend (or lesbihonest - even during the week), you will not be limited by places to go. Koreans work hard but they also play hard. It is not surprising to see a Korean man in a business suit passed out on the sidewalk after a few too many sojus. Check out  BlackOutKorea if you're skeptical. .

6.) My Students
My students are amazing. Of course there will be those students who may not be the most cooperative and cause me to bring out my teacher’s voice every now and then … but that’s every school/class. But really, my students’ are amazing. English is hard to learn but the kids do try. It isn't pretty sometimes, and I want to face palm every time my students say “nice to meet you” instead of “nice to see you” but for the most part, they participate and work hard in my class. They bow to me in the halls, tell me they love me while I am walking to my office, seek my approval when learning a new concept/phrase and are generally hard-working individuals. My students are the reasons I love being a teacher. Despite the stressors that come with teaching in Korea, I am proud of my kids … even when they drive me nuts.

7.) Convenience Stores
You cannot walk three feet without walking by a 7/11, family mart, G25, or ministop. Convenience stores are everywhere and guess what … it’s really convenient. If I want snacks, water, orange juice, eggs, milk, toilet paper, paper towel, laundry detergent etc .. I just walk out of my apartment and have the option of four convenience stores to choose from. I also have this strange habit of wanting to spend money after a night of drinking. I am sure the midnight staff already know me as I make the most zoltron purchases between 5-6am usually including a few items I mentioned in a few sentences back. I am no longer surprise waking up in my apartment Sunday morning to find I have purchased the items on my shopping list the night before. Hey, at least I don’t have to run out to get paper towels on a hangover day.

8.) Restaurant Call Bell

Every country needs this. Instead of waiters and waitresses coming by every few seconds (usually when I have a mouthful of food) to ask if everything’s okay, Korea has a buzzer that buzzes a waiter when you need it. Glorious, mind-blowing… INNOVATIVE are words that come to mind when I experienced this.

9.) No Tipping

Unfortunately, I assume the call bell is only possible because there is no tipping in Korea. A 7$ meal cost 7$. No worrying about what to tip or if I tipped enough. This also ensures there are no waiters in your face making sure everything’s okay because they want to make a good impression. I have not come across a waiter or waitress who has been rude and all definitely deserve a tip but here, you just don’t and I definitely am not complaining.

10.) Bringing your own booze/food to events 

Going to a show, concert, sporting event, amusement park etc back in Canada was never cheap despite the deal you got on the tickets. This is because it cost an arm and a leg to eat and drink. 9$ a beer at the Air Canada Centre while watching the Leafs play the Predators can get a little expensive after the first one. So what did my cousin and I do? We snuck a Mickey of vodka into the bathroom stalls and chased it with orange juice like highschool kids. Although fun, I believe it’d be more fun to bring that bottle into the stadium to cheer on my (not her) favourite team. A shot every time icing is called? A shot every goal? Two shots per fight? Oh the drinking game possibilities could be endless.

One of the first couple weeks in Korea, I went to watch the Lotte Giants (Busan’s baseball team) with some friends. We got great tickets and then I was informed that we can bring our own food and drinks into the stadium. I was ecstatic. 6 pack of beer and some snacks… a great, cheap, fun sporting event. Winning.






There are other things that could also be included on this list but I'll leave it at ten. Eventually I will post ten things I do not like about Korea so much.. but let's stick to being positive today.. it is Friday after all.

HAPPY FRIDAY :) 

no ifs, ands, or butts *

So I haven't posted in a while - SORRY but I will start posting more soon. I eventually want to blog about my trip to the Philippines I had in January but at the present moment it is so cold in my office that I can't even think properly to formulate proper sentences. I think I'll start blogging again when I can feel my fingers and don't need to wear gloves indoors...welcome to winter in Korea, friends.

BUT

 BIG NEWS  

and this deserves a quick blog to keep me on track....

If you know me, you know that I smoke. I wish I never started and we could think about all the "should have, could have, would haves, but the bottom line is - I have been smoking for way too long. I can still remember being disgusted when  I was younger with my brother and father for smoking so much but it wasn't long before I followed suit.

I have been smoking for over 9 years.
I am 23 years old.

It's time to stop and for the first time in my life, I have set a quit date.

I am not the type of person who can wake up and say "alright, I am going to stop smoking today". That is not the way I function. I need a goal. So with the help of a few drinks in the Philippines and chats with my friends Shannon and Marta, I have set a quit date:

FEBRUARY 19th 2013 

Now, even though I have smoked for almost too many years to count on two hands, I am not a "heavy" smoker like other members in my family. If I am at home, doing nothing - I do not think about going outside for a cigarette. I am perfectly content going days at a time without a cigarette... as long as I am upholding hermit status.

With that said, I consider myself a social smoker. If I am outside - I'll have a smoke. If I am in a car - hmm, ya let's have a smoke. If I am out on the town with friends having one too many beverages - ya, I think I'll have a bunch of smokes. The problem in Korea = I go out and have more drinks than I did back home, therefore, smoke more.

HOWEVER.

Although cigarettes are super cheap here, my friends in Korea don't smoke (not including those friends who become smokers after a few beers), so I think I will have the support system I need and might need to avoid Blue Monkey for a bit (legit a big smoke pit). Back home, I am constantly around people that smoke - people I worked with, my family, my close friends... so I never actually had the desire to want to quit.

I have never set a quit date before because I never wanted to stop or thought I could but now, I think it's time for a change. Wish me luck friends! 

Side note:

I have been around people quitting smoking before ... so I am going to apologize to my friends ahead of time if I seem a little "on edge". 

I can't read human

Want to know what I did last Friday? I stayed in. Yes, I sat on my couch and watched Dexter and it felt great. My friends did as well, so we were feeling pretty good Saturday and decided to check out the Busan Aquarium.

Now let's pause for a minute to ponder something. I spend Monday-Friday talking to children, teaching children, listening to children, and ultimately only interacting with children .. so, you would think I would want to go somewhere, anywhere, other than a place that will inevitably be running rampant with children. Ya sure, one would think but that's just not who I am; so if you can't beat ;em, join 'em .. or at least stick the elbows up and push your way to the front so you can gawk at the sea horses like I did... oops?

Just blending in, planning my attack

The aquarium was neat. It was smaller than I expected but it was beautiful none the less. Lots of colourful aquatic life, enough English throughout the exhibit to keep me entertained, and plenty of photo ops so I was happy. 

Must be mating season, sorry Mr. Crab.

And for you music lovers out there...

I think I also met a potential husband. We make a good couple eh?

I like these people. And jellyfish.

I'll always be a child at heart. 

And always remember:

"When life gets you down do you wanna know what you've gotta do?

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim"

Dory was a wise fish, and she read human. 

ASSA

Me - “What did you do last weekend?”

Student 1 - “I visited my grandparents”

Student 2 - “I ate pizza”

Student 3 - “I played with my friends”

Student 4 – “Sara Teacha, what did you do last weekend?”

Me – “I went hiking with my friends”

The joys of teaching past tense to fifth graders. No need to go into detail with fifth graders trying to learn English but I really did have a great weekend. I might as well document it before my gold fish memory kicks in.

Friday

Is it surprising that I’m sick again? Probably not. But Friday creeped up a little too quickly, and I was sick again and not mentally prepared for another weekend in Busan. I definitely wasn’t mentally prepared for an outing with the entire staff at my public school topped off with a dinner. I cringe at the thought of walking in silence for a few hours. 1) Because I hate being silent and 2) I get bored easily. Basically, I stay silent as they speak in Korean and once in a while, I'll give the random smile and head nod to indicate I’m still breathing. If you know me, I’m not a quiet person but in a room full of Koreans who only speak Korean, I become the lost puppy trying to occupy myself by counting the ceiling tiles. 

Turns out, there are some pretty hilarious staff members at my school. The physical education teacher drove me to the destination [Igidae Park] and cracked jokes about alcoholism the entire way there. 

Do you like going to Kyungsung? “Yes, I like it there” “You go there when you get thirsty. Ahahaha ONE SHOT”. …. He knows. Kyungsung is my favourite place to go on a weekend to dance and drink. I mention Blue Monkey a lot. To me, it’s the heart of Kyungsung. To others – it’s a black hole.

“My English, like Drunk English” After he said “children” when he meant “friend”. 

"Soju steal soul sometimes"

It was a fun car ride. 

The hike was quiet but pretty. It’s easy to be a hero in Korea. All you have to do is jump on a few rocks and go a little closer to the edge of a cliff to get a good picture and you’re considered “brave”. I Google translated the message sent out with the itinerary. And although the translation referred to this outing as a “climbing contest”, there was not much climbing involved. I think my “bravery” should be an automatic win. Where do I collect my prize?

Sujeong Elementary School Staff :)

The dinner was a classy Korean Barbecue. I definitely sat at the wrong table because the table behind me had a few of the teachers and vice principal pounding back shots. On a normal outing, I would have definitely joined in but Saturday was going to be a busy day so I tried to avoid death by Soju as long as possible. It didn’t take long until I was given shots of beer, soju and double fisting. Oh Korea

“Sara, this is Cass. It’s Korean beer. Do you drink beer?” .. asked by my Vice-Principal. Good to know this man has never seen me out on the weekends. I take full advantage that there are no laws in Korea prohibiting one from enjoying a beverage while walking in the streets.

Sitting on the floor: Korean Style

My co teacher who I swear was not raised in Korea but is from the West wanted to leave early. She looked at me, and said let’s go and literally sneaked out of the restaurant. I was okay with this since I wanted to have a calm night for the adventures I had planned on Saturday.

I ended up at Eva’s with some friends for a little Hookah action… Although I was sober, it’s never a dull night in Korea. Right, boys?

Grant Bryan and Daniel just having some good ol' fun

Saturday:

The morning started with meeting the girls to volunteer at the Women’s Shelter. Unfortunately, domestic abuse in Korea is often swept under the rug. There is not a lot of government support and a stigma attached to those who leave their abusers. I used to volunteer a lot and thought this was a great opportunity to give back to Busan. The morning was spent doing Thanksgiving crafts with the kids and being cute-struck the entire time. The children were adorable. I definitely will be going back.

Shannon ; Gill ; and I
and Gill's minion

Sometimes, I forget I'm supposed to be the adult

Marta Me and Shannon

After volunteering, we had planned to hike to Seokbulsa temple. Now, I have already attempted this once. It was supposed to be a group thing but too many soju cocktails the night before meant only Chris and I showed up. We explored Geumjeong mountain for a bit but didn’t make it to the temple. So I love doing this twice (seems to be the norm for me lately), round two was a go. I have been here three months and the idea of a temple isn’t as exciting as it used to be. They all look the same so after seeing a handful, the love at first sight feeling fades. However, Seokbulsa was entirely different. Seokbulsa means “stone Buddha temple” and it definitely lives up to that name. Statues are actually carved into the face of the rock. It is beautiful. Definitely worth the hike there and back, despite me feeling like a lung was going to collapse. I think “quit smoking” needs to move up a few numbers on the bucket list…..

Saturday night came quickly. I needed a shower and a quick rest before it was off to Gill's for the pre-drink. The Canadian girls (minus Marta due to her teaching on a Sunday) headed out to Gwangalli for girls night + one. 

Things I learned Saturday Night:

Thursday Party is always fun. But I will always end up at Blue Monkey
If I tried to dance on the chairs and tables back home, I’d get kicked out of the bar. In Korea? It’s encouraged
Drunk Korean chicks can be feisty. “SHUT UP”
Who needs a therapist when you have Blue Monkey at 4am and a good friend? Do ya mind if I tell you every last thought I try to suppress? No big deal. It’s Blue Monkey after all. I’m sure vibrator girl could have used a good therapy session … or two.
5:30am comes too soon.

Gill and I ready for a night out 

Girls night :)

plus my biffle

Sunday was a bust. We attempted to go see 007 but learned it wasn’t playing at the theatre we went too anymore. So, we ended up getting icecream at Baskin Robbins. On second thought, maybe it wasn’t a bust. MMM Black Cherry ice cream

Tomorrow is Friday again. Seriously?

Oh. By the way. “ASSA” means “awesome” in Korean. Look, I learned another word J Two points for me.

wake your dreams*

Let's be honest. If someone asked me five years ago where I'd be today, it'd be likely "teaching and living the dream in South Korea" would not have been my answer. As I reminisce about my life - the mistakes I've made, the people I've lost, the hills I've climbed and the times I've given  almost given up; I have definitely made some memories in my twenty-three years. There is so much more to my journey as I have barely stepped outside the comforts of the Niagara Region. There is a whole world left to be seen and so many things I want to experience and do before I "kick the bucket".

No one gets anywhere without dreams or aspirations. I said I wanted to teach in South Korea, and I did what I needed in order to get here. I consider myself a spontaneous person and my dreams and aspirations change ... by the minute. But there are things I definitely want to do in this lifetime. 

I am starting a new unit with my fifth graders where they will learn the question "What do you want to do?" and an appropriate reply "I want to...". One of the writing activities I plan to do with them is to teach them about a bucket list and have them create a small bucket list on things they want to do when they are older. 

So South Korea got me wanderlust, and I'm on a quest for adventure. I decided to write my own bucket list and cross it off with a date when I have accomplished each goal. 

The only thing I am leaving on that I have already done is #1 - Teach and Live in South Korea because this is where it all started. There have been so many "firsts" done in Korea that would have been on a previous bucket list but I want to keep this list specific to the adventures awaiting to happen. 

1. Teach and Live in South Korea  August 26th 2012 - August 26th 2013 and August 27th 2013 - August 25th 2014 

2. Travel to Thailand January 17th 2014 - January 30th 2014 
                       This was a dream come true. I LOVED this country. The food, the adventures, the weather, the scenery, the people, the beer. Everything was perfect. We went to Chiang Mai, then Bangkok and finally
Kho Samui. I'm hooked... pretty sure I will be going back ! 

3. Pet a tiger in Thailand January 20th 2014 
                                  I pet, I cuddled, I laughed, I couldn't stop smiling. We went to Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai and got to see all size tigers [smallest, small, medium, and large]. The smallest were my favourites! 

4. Get out of debt - the climb to overcome this hurdle has started and progress has been made

5. Visit 100 countries before I die [Next week will be 9: Canada, America, South Korea, Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia]

6. Stand on the Great wall of China 

7. Visit Japan  August 5th 2013 to August 12th 2013 
                        Along with my two best friends from Busan - Shannon & Marta - I spent a great 5 days in Japan. We started in Tokyo and moved our way to Kyoto down to Osaka. It was a great trip. There was tons to see, great food [I TRIED MY FIRST PIECE OF SUSHI... and ate the country out of edamame], and the people were so kind! You definitely need to make your way to Japan. If it wasn't so expensive, I would have loved to teach for a year there. 

8. Do a temple stay Gyeongju November 10th 2013 - November 11th 2013
                                   My friend David and I bused out to Gyeongju, another city in Korea for an overnight temple stay. We did the Golgulsa Temple Stay. Although I am glad we did it, it is not something I would do again. I am not a very spiritual person, so it was very difficult for me to connect to the calmness of Buddhism. We prayed, learned about Sunmondo, did a eating ritual, woke up before sunrise, hiked, had tea time with the head master, and watched a Sunmondo performance on the last day.

David and I looking tired from waking up at 4am to pray 

9. Check out a volcano

10. Travel to the Philippines  January 12th 2013 - January 27th 2013
                       Had an amazing time in Manila then Boracay Island. An absolute dream come true and beautiful  country to see! First vacation EVER was definitely a success.

11.Shop in New York City

12. Learn how to play an instrument (maybe Piano)

13. See Fun live  July 28th 2013
                      This was hands down one of the best performances I have ever seen. A few of my friends and I decided to camp out for the weekend at the Ansan Valley Rock Festival. It was an unreal weekend - never a dull moment and so many amazing bands. But FUN hands down made that weekend for me. Their entire hour performance was complete bliss. <3

Nate Ruess ; LOVE <3

14. Travel Malaysia 

15. Backpack through Europe

16. Go to Cedar Point

17. Visit Cambodia January 30th 2014 - February 1st 2014
                  I wish we had more time in this beautiful country. But I am so lucky we got to see it. We explore Siem Riep, mostly the Angkor Wat temples then bused down to Phnom Penh to visit the Killing Fields.

A few monks posing at Ankor Wat 

18. Stay in a Hostel January 12th 2013
                  Don't ask me why this was on my bucket list... Since before Korea, I NEVER traveled, seemed like the thing to do. So it was done on my trip to the Philippines. The first hostel we stayed at was "Our Melting Pot" in Manila .. it was really nice with free breakfast every morning, hot showers, and wifi!. The second hostel was "Trafalgar Cottages" - had a sweet hammock that I was obsessed with and a toilet that required a bucket of water to flush.
19. Volunteer in Africa 

20. Snorkel a coral reef  [January 2013]
                 I can't remember what days we did this but went twice while in Boracay Island, Philippines. It was amazing. The fish were so colourful and it was unreal having them swim around you. The second time we went we took a piece of bread and this fish literally swarmed your hand nibbling at the little treat. So cool.  

21. Demilitarized Zone  October 5th 2013 

22.Go watch the Leafs play in a playoff game [harhar]

23. Rescue a puppy

24. Go skydiving. 

25. Visit Taiwan August 12th 2013 - August 17th 2013
                             Marta, Shannon, and I spent the second half of our summer vacation in Taiwan. We only stayed in Taipei but it was PERFECT. I love this city. It is super cheap, the weather was beautiful, and there was never a shortage of things to do. We ended up meeting one of my friends from high school who showed us around. From bubble tea and dumplings to penis shaped waffles - Taiwan was definitely a country to indulge in .. and did we ever! 

26. Zipline through a rain forest  January 19th 2014
                This was so much fun. We chose to go through Flight of the Gibbon in Chiang Mai. Our tour guides were hilariously awesome. And it was an unreal experience to fly through the beautiful rain forest. Well worth the money

27. Take a picture with the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park

28. Go on a cruise

29. 

30. Attend MudFest in Korea.  July 20th 2013 
                         Another unreal weekend with the friends I have made in Busan. It's exactly what it sounds like - you get covered in mud and have a good time. The night consisted of an early start on the party bus, mud wrestling, bouncy slides, obstacle courses, friends, the beach, fireworks and the ocean. More amazing memories.

two of my best chingus <3 

    

31. Move to Alberta, Ontario, Canada [or somewhere out West - Get out of Ontario] 

32. Road trip across Canada

33.Grow out my hair and donate it to locks of love

34. Gamble the night away in Las Vegas

35. See the Grand Canyon 

36. Crowd surf [February 13th 2013]
                  Yes, this definitely happened! I have always loved concerts and shows - no matter what kind of music from Punk/Rock to Country. My friend Alex introduced me to Japandroids (two guys from Vancouver, Canada) who were coming to Busan. Their music is definitely a sound I am into and was ecstatic to go to my first show in Korea!. Wherever there's moshing .. crowd surfing is sure to follow. Usually I just help the people jumping into the crowd, this time I was determined to do it myself. With a little encouragement from some random people I met in the mosh pit .. I got up on stage and jumped ... twice. Unreal experience

37. Ride bareback on an elephant  January 22nd 2014 

                     Another fantastic day. I went to Baan Chang Elephant Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This is a place for rescued elephants.

38. Get my Masters in Special Education (or SOME field as i change my mind daily)

39. Swim with DOLPHINS. ah. <3

40. Learn to play poker 

41. Visit Angkor Wat January 30th 2014 and January 31st 2014

Sunrise over Angkor Wat temples 

42. Go white water rafting January 21st 2014 
        Went with Chiang Mai Adventure Tour and rafted down the Mae Tang River in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

43.

44.  Explore India. 

45. Get my primary teaching qualification 

46. Go to Australia 

47. Donate blood [ive got that rare stuff ;)]

48. Snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. 

49. Quit smoking. [Quit Date -February 19th 2013] 
                  The time has come .. after 9+ years of being a smoker, it is time to stop. This is not going to be easy but it needs to be done! See ya, habit. Update ... this needs to be done again. Relapsed. oops.

50. Learn how to snowboard

51. See the Ganges River
52. Hike Jangsan Mountain and not get blown up by the active land mine field
53. Ride a horse
54. Learn to drive stick shift
55. Roadtrip through New Zealand
56. Explore Seoul, S. Korea October 4th 2013 - October 6th 2013 
            FINALLY. I had to add this to my bucket list. I was in Korea for over a year before I made it to the country's capital. It was about time but went with two awesome ladies, Nicole and Emma. We checked out the DMZ, drank too much in Hongdae, and battled hangovers in Everland. Successful weekend trip :)
57. Stand on every continent (minus Antarctica because I have no desire to go there...)
                       a: North America: 1989-2012
                       b Asia: August 2012 - August 2014
                       c Africa
                       d South America
                       e Europe
                       f Australia

                 

that's it for now ... i'll add more as I think of them