KTO Mission: Yeosu Expo 2012 International Pavilions

Expo 2012 Yeosu, Korea

As I mentioned, I was chosen to join the Korean Tourism Organization as a K-Supporter at this year's Expo in Yeosu, an international event that focuses on the international community's responsibility to the marine sector. There were so many things to do that the weekend was not enough time to explore the entire expo, but below is the list of international pavilions that we were able to journey into and my favorites:

Peru                         Argentina

Thailand                   Korea

Singapore                 Denmark

USA                          Israel

Philippines               Turkmenistan

Italy                         Spain

Belgium                   Pacific Ocean Joint Pavilion

France                     Russia

Singapore - They had multiple rooms, each teaching visitors something unique. The tour began with a brief introduction to Singapore (below left). They had an entire room showing ocean pollution (below right). Fun fact: Singapore has a floating landfill island that will last the country until 2050!

Singapore also focused on how important one droplet of water can be with an exhibit that visitors created by writing a wish and placing a drop of water onto their paper. Truly a thing of beauty.

Philippines - This was an interesting one for me because I got to learn more about a country that I will be visiting in August! It was beautifully designed and shared knowledge with the visitors about the Philippine marine life. They also had different colored sand to be admired: black, white, pink and brown; the kids loved it. Below are ceiling shots.

France - This was a smart pavilion. They had eye-catching rooms (below left), as well as just downright interesting concepts that were portrayed in fun ways. France is currently working with robots in their marine sector, but showed them off in an audience-friendly way by having them play guitars and swing on swings (below right). They certainly have a sense of humor!

Korea - It's not surprising that Korea had their pavilion in the largest building, and it did not disappoint. It highlighted how the oceans have helped shape Korea's history, in both good and bad ways. They also had traditional Korean dancers come out, and guess who they chose to dance with them?! That's right, ME - the foreigner in the front row. Overall, there were 5 traditional dancers and 5-10 audience members dancing around the entire group. It was so much fun to dance around a group of people where the mood was so positive (and this is coming from someone with zero dancing ability). If you get a chance, get up there! No skill required :)

Denmark - If there was ever a country to get their viewpoint across, it was Denmark. They put their money where there mouth is by promoting green energy at the Expo this year. They were voted as 2011's happiest country and I can see why: because they get to play with legos! Okay, that may not be the only reason, but seeing as how legos were invented here, I'm glad that they showed off their skills with some fun exhibits (below).


Highlighted on one of the walls (and one of my new life quotes): "Systematic Creativity: A particular form of creativity that combines logic and reasoning with playfulness and imagination." 

Spain - I'm not going to lie, I was really excited about visiting the Spain Pavilion. It's my next destination after my year in Korea, so I was thrilled about being able to ask questions about my soon-to-be home country. Hence the photo of me!

Russia - The Russian Pavilion was really well executed. And their mascot was adorable (below)! The tour began with a brief introduction video and a walk through an 'ice cave' that also had displays about Russia's history with the Arctic. We then moved onto their movie, which was shown in a boat-like atmosphere. After the movie concluded, we walked around to the other side, and they've completed the vision - it's a boat on the outside too. Just great execution (and that's the advertiser in me talking, apologies).

Overall, it was an eye-opening experience and I'm glad that I was able to partake in it (particularly because I was provided with everything except transportation and food). However, I'm not quite sure that it was worth the 5+ hour journey for a day trip from Gyeongju; this would definitely have to be a full weekend adventure! It made me want to travel to these countries more than anything, which may have been the countries' goals! Here's to international cooperation and exploration!

xo

KTO Mission: Yeosu Expo 2012 K-Pop Concert & Odong-do Island

Making friends with the Yeosu Expo Mascots!

Yeosu was basically my life last weekend. Even with the 5+ hour journey there from Gyeongju, I was really excited to arrive Saturday afternoon at the Yeosu Expo 2012 with the KTO and my fellow K-Supporters, including my K-Supporter partner, Ruth! The Expo was full of a variety of activities, including an aquarium, international pavilions, themed pavilions, international food (!!!) and, on the weekend that we went, the Yeosu Korean Music Wave Concert, which featured top k-pop acts Jay Park, BtoB, 4Minute and B2ST!

Environment preservation has always been an important part of my life. Ever since I wrote a letter to President Clinton in grade school about pollution and litter in my community (true story and his reply is somewhere in my closet back home), I've always recognized how important it is that we protect our marine sector, so I am particularly thankful to the KTO for giving me this opportunity to learn what other countries are doing to protect our oceans.

With KTO CEO, Lee Charm

My partner and I with our KTO coordinator, Harim

 Yeosu Korean Music Wave Concert - I'd say that the highlight of my Expo adventure was definitely the k-pop concert. Not only were we ushered in (like the VIP that we are), but they saved us seats in the front rows! That's right, even in front of the press. Get it, girl. Hosted by the KTO and the Arirang crew, the concert opened with Jay Park and he killed it. I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical of the Seattle-born star, but he proved me wrong. I'm a newly converted fan and I'm not afraid to admit it. Plus, he's clearly easy on the eyes. 

Jay Park

There were four acts total, with BtoB (a fairly new boy group) and 4Minute (a girl group who, oddly enough, was missing one of their members), but the group that really got the crowd going was B2ST. It was clear that they were the crowd favorite, especially among their Beauties, the B2ST fan group. They were also the only group to do an encore. Seeing them with so much energy and enthusiasm has made me want to go to more k-pop events!

B2ST

Interesting facts that I learned about k-pop concerts: 

• Each act only performs 2-4 songs. This basically means that they're actually singing instead of lip syncing their hearts out, which is actually an oddity in the states.
• The crowd doesn't stand up. As excited as those teenagers were to see these fantastic groups, everyone stayed in their seats for the entire concert. Out of politeness maybe?

Accommodation - We booked our room about two weeks before our Yeosu trip via BnB Hero, a really convenient website if you're looking for a room to stay in throughout Korea. Positive - IT'S IN ENGLISH! While KTO allocated a specific lodging to us, it was a really nice place that was actually pretty close to the Expo (2,300 won taxi ride)...as long as you don't get lost...ahem. Side note: My partner and I ended up walking around for 45 minutes because we thought that we could be badasses and just walk home. Hmmm no. My advice? Walk a few minutes out of the Expo and then grab a taxi. Remember to bring your address in both Korean and English, as well as the host's phone number! Needless to say, we ended up getting back pretty late, so we didn't actually try out any of the amenities, but our room was quite large and the view from the balcony was gorgeous (both photos below)! Plus, at a price of 48,000 won per room, it was convenient to have a place to crash for the night. From talking with other K-Supporters, it sounds like the room prices ranged from 25,000 - 55,000 won, so keep that in mind while you're looking!

Odong-do Island - We concluded our Yeosu trip by taking a tour on Odong-do Island, which is right outside of the Expo. There's a tram that goes from the mainland to the island, but it's only a 15 minute walk and it was nice to breathe in the sea air. Our tour was about 30 minutes, where we were able to check out the Seashore Rocks, the Penis Tree, the Lighthouse and the Windy Area. As you can see from the signs below, we missed a few things because of other time commitments (hello, Cave of Dragon?!), but Odong-do Island is a pleasant place to relax. Next time I'm in Yeosu, I'm definitely making my way here again to spend more time in nature.

Gorgeous view

Penis Tree (and yes, it is labeled like that)

 The island trail also had the coolest walking path that I've ever seen! The path is on the right side of the main path and is supposed to be walked on with bare feet, as it made with various materials to massage the foot. It felt good with boots, so I can only imagine how good your feet would feel after walking on this trail with no shoes!

So if you end up making it out to the Yeosu Expo, and I definitely recommend doing so, be sure to check out as many pavilions as you can! And if you can, let me know how the themed pavilions are as well! I'd save the island for another visit down to Yeosu in order to get as much time in at the expo as possible because I was there for two days and couldn't pack as much as I wanted to into that time! Keep a look out for my additional Yeosu Expo posts as well!


xo

Bulguksa Temple

Welcome to Bulguksa Temple
Gyeongju, Korea

After taking more than three months to get our act together, some of the Gyeongju crew decided that it was the perfect time to go explore the national treasure that is Bulguksa Temple this weekend. I, personally, had no excuse for my procrastination; my elementary school is about a ten minute bus ride from the temple (it does, after all, bare the same name). Luckily for us, the temple was decorated for Buddha's birthday for a full month, so we didn't miss out from last weekend. We were beyond thrilled when we walked up the hill and there were colorful decorations everywhere!


Bulguksa Temple was originally founded in 535 to be used by royalty. Legend has it that it wasn't until 751 that reincarnated Prime Minister Kim Daeseong emphasized his Buddhist loyalty by dedicating Bulguksa to his ancestors. There have been several reconstructions, with the latest restoration being completed in 1979. Bulguksa Temple was added to the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1995, and it certainly deserves that title.

Conor, Ariel and I finally exploring the temple
that is in our backyard

Colorful decorations to continue
Buddha's month-long birthday celebration

Drawings from local schoolchildren

One of my favorites from a talented fourth grader!

Golden Pig to rub for luck

xo

One of My Favorite CA Foods, Now in Seoul

FOOD PORN. One of my favorite types of food was introduced to me in high school by some of my favorite people in the wonderful city of Puente Hills, CA. Thai food opened my eyes to a completely different world of Asian food, particularly pad see ew and it's delicious mix of flavors, noodles, meats and vegetables. Complete YUM. This is one of the many, many reasons why I'm going to make my way to Thailand before my Korea journey is over!

Charming Utensils

Pad See Ew

Full Package!

xo

Seoul is Replacing Vegas for 3 Day Weekends

Cheers for three day weekends! This past weekend was Buddha's birthday (instead of the US Memorial Day) and, needless to say, we fully took advantage and made our way to Itaewon, Seoul! Not only did we spend a couple late, laaaaate nights exploring Itaewon and all that it has to offer (including a rooftop bar, all 10+ of us sleeping in one apartment and homo hill), but we made our way to World DJ Festival 2012 to see the likes of ATB, Dash Berlin and The Weeknd! 

World DJ Fest 2012

World DJ Fest (similar to Coachella) was beyond amazing! We got a day pass and while it was a bit of a hassle herding us together, we ended up STARTING OUR OWN DANCE PARTY. Hopefully I can upload the video of a few of us dancing because it's not working right now (and that's such a pity for you readers). It's a shame that I missed out on the silent DJs though...next time! This was definitely one of the highlights of my Korea life and included the legit notion that we definitely do NOT wait in lines and (of course) BUCKETS of alcohol. Another great time with fantastic people.

xo

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Yesterday was full of surprises, to say the least. Below summarizes the events of a not-so-normal Wednesday. 

The Good - I applied and was accepted to the Korea Tourism Organization as a Korea Performance Supporter in March. A K-Supporter is a foreigner who travels around Korea, going to various events and performances, then blogs about them in order to promote Korean cultural experiences. WELL. It just so happens that the first event that I'll be going to is the Yeosu Expo 2012! The Yeosu Expo, with its "The Living Ocean and Coast" theme, highlights the international community's commitment to the marine sector. There are over 90 countries being showcased, each with their own section, recognizing both the individual countries' efforts and the need for international cooperation. I'll be attending on June 9th, when the Democratic Republic of Congo will be highlighted, but all countries have their booths open. It sounds like an eye-opening event! Yeosu Expo 2012 is open May 12-August 12, 2012.

The Bad - Like most Wednesday nights, I made my way to the DK gym near my apartment to take my yoga class. But this time, I decided that I wanted to use their fancy-schmancy machine that tells you things like your BMI, waist-to-height ratio and fat percentage. LORD KNOWS WHY I thought that this was a good idea. Maybe it was my amazing 6th graders or that I had slept more than my usual five hours. Anyway. Needless to say, I was not entirely thrilled with those numbers. Wah wah wah. AKA I'm attempting to change my second home from a hof (a bar) to DK. Good thing I've been training for 10ks! I'm also using the buddy system. Shout out to PB!

The Ugly - Now before I actually quote what was said to me, I'd like to preface it with a couple of facts. First of all, this person knows the word "English". Secondly, he's the head teacher of the English department, so he definitely knows the word "English". Thirdly, he's asked what other things are called in English and has questioned me accordingly. So it utterly surprised me when he pointed to his peeling skin (from a sunburn) and asked "Do you have a word for this in the white man's language?" ...I'm sorry...WHAT? The "white man's language"?  Seriously flabbergasted. I realize that Korea is known for its overall xenophobia, but come on. I most certainly had WOOSA on repeat in my mind.

In other news, we're going to the World DJ Fest 2012 is this weekend! Check out the YouTube trailer here. 

xo

Running Time of 01:05:19

Pink Campaign shirt and medal

This past Sunday was the Pink Ribbon Campaign run in Daejeon, the first run that I signed up for while in Korea; I officially completed one of my many goals when I finished my very first 10k! AND (check this out)... I didn't stop the entire time! My time? 01:05:19. That only means that my next goal is to complete a 10k within an hour. It was great being able to accomplish this with friends and I cannot wait until the Andong 10k on June 2nd. Needless to say, I'm addicted. We might even sign up for a half marathon in July (no, I'm not crazy)! Until then, the training continues!

We did it!

Showing off our medals

 For the benefits of running, click here and here.


Also, happy three month anniversary! :)


xo

If At First You Don't Succeed...

One week later and I'm a new person! I went to Serrano Salon in Daegu for a second time to torture my hair into submission. As I wrote before, I wasn't really feeling the 'semi-wavy-but-really-just-looks-slept-on' perm that I had received the first time. When I came back, I brought TEN photos (just in case) annddd after another two hours, below is the result!

The 'After the First After' Photo

Needless to say, I'm definitely pleased with the result! I felt a bit of buyer's remorse when I saw the initial tight 'curls' (unfortunately, there's no photographic evidence), but running my fingers through resulted in the above shot. Now let's see how long it takes me to complain about not having easily straight hair ;) 

Overall, I would recommend Serrano Salon (and Ji Won) for both cuts and the Magic Wave perm, but with the following advice:

• Bring photos, the more the better. Your idea of 'curly' is not their idea of curly! Confirm that you're on the same page before you start, so that you don't have to do a round two journey to Daegu!
• Make sure that you allocate plenty of time for this procedure. The whole process takes a good 2-2.5 hours (the extra 30 minutes is for a cut/trim), and you definitely don't want them to rush!
• Be a nice client! In my interpretation of this experience, I was able to knock my initial price down by 70,000 won by being friendly.

Directions to Serrano Salon - Make your way to the Banwoldang area in Daegu. Once you get to the main stage of the area, it's about a 5 minute walk to Serrano Salon. Face the center stage (where there is a McDonalds and a Burger King), as an audience member would, and make a left down that street. After a few blocks, you will see a GS 25 convenience store. Turn left down that street; once going down this street, you will see a number of street vendors. Serrano Salon will be on your left. Prepare for magic!

Magic Wave: Not a Harry Potter Spell

After a lot of deliberation and other friends taking the plunge, I decided to lose my virginity.


...


My hair virginity, you freaks!


I've always been a bit indifferent to my straight hair. While I'll admit, it is really convenient to be able to jump out of the shower, run a brush through my hair and take off, it's gotten a bit dull during the day-to-day. Seeing as how I'm looking for some change (as if moving to Korea wasn't a big enough change in my life), I made the decision to get the Magic Wave (also called a digital perm), much to my earlier hesitation of leaving my hair alone for all eternity. 


Based on many recommendations by previous GETs, I made my way to the Serrano Hair Salon in the Banwoldang area of Daegu. Let me tell you - that place is pumpin' with clients. I was greeted (in English!) by Ji Won, who turned out to be my main stylist. After figuring out what I wanted, she quoted me at 160,000 won for a bit of Magic Straight (which I ended up just 'needing' near my roots and thereby dropping the final price to the cash figure of 90,000 won), a trim and the final Magic Wave. Yes, I know that it's a lot, but I had already made up the decision in my head and was not going to back out!

Before

After engulfing my hair in a solution to make my hair soft, the shampoos and the trim (the trim took all of ten minutes!), I was hooked up to this...thing. It's a definite octopus contraption and makes me semi look like Medusa, no? Notice my face in the photos. Please note that those are 100% genuine facial expressions.

And we're just getting started

Almost done getting hooked up!

After sitting in this chair for 30ish minutes, another solution was put in my hair, I was shampooed and BAM! ...Just kidding. It was not a Princess Diaries makeover moment. In fact, I was pretty underwhelmed with the outcome. See below.

After

After, with some effort on my part

So moral of the story, I paid 90,000 won for my hair to look like it does at the end of the day after I curl it, and even that is a bit of an exaggeration to the extent of the 'wave' that my hair has. Needless to say, I was not a satisfied client. I spoke with Ji Won, who apologized that she hadn't initially clarified the amount of curl that I wanted. The thing is, I'm not really angry, as it could have turned out a lot worse (especially with the language barrier). But I'm glad that my mom taught me to use my words and speak up, because I was definitely not okay with the end result. Ji Won was really professional about it and tried to remedy the situation with multiple solutions, ending with me ultimately making an appointment this upcoming Friday. Hopefully I'll have even better photos to show you!

xo