Back Home...

I am back in Minnesota.. for whatever that is worth. I am exhausted because I have reverse jet lag! I had to work at 5am and didn't get to bed til about 11pm and was up at 3:30am. ohh. how I hate this. I did take some random pictures of stuff on my flight home from South Korea.
sandy area that looks kinda like a desert

the water on the opposite side of the sand - see the characters reflecting from my window!

this photo is great!

i really like water/mountains

the super long bridge in Korea

they are building this to be the longest bridge in the country!

oh yay! the airport

the plane i was about to board

We were finally in ALASKA! as the sun was coming up.



Well, folks, I am here in the USA now. I don't feel terribly happy to be here, either. I felt really peaceful in Korea.. I'm sure it was the lack of stress and being in the company of someone who helps me to feel empowered. I can't wait until it is my turn to actually move to South Korea. I know it's a different country with completely different sets of norms but I don't mind. I've been reading about this for about 9 months now! I know a lot and nothing has turned me off of Korea. I can be happy there and have that adventure I have always wanted while I am focusing on my career goals.

I might update this randomly with things relating to Korea, but for now this is the end of my adventure!

Leaving on Korean Air

This will be the last "from South Korea" blog on here! I am terribly sad to say that. I have loved every moment that I have been here and I feel so calm compared to back home. Things are busy and loud here but after a while it's just routine so no biggie. I love how nice everyone is and helpful. If you are just standing there looking lost, a Korean will attempt to explain or help you get where you are going or whatever you need. Most Koreans know some English and with me knowing some Korean it hasn't been that difficult. I am going to miss seeing Hangul everywhere I go and I will miss the sound of this intersection in the morning. I will miss the walking everywhere. It saves so much money just taking public transportation or walking. Everything that you need is pretty much within a few blocks.
For my last day, we took it easy since Saturday was so long. We went to the pottery store so I could pick up some gifts, then we went to check out movie times so we could see one later. Then we chilled in the apartment watching this Chinese movie Eat Drink Man Woman. It was pretty spectacular. She had a rugby meeting so we went there and then we came back to the loft, grabbed a bottle of wine and headed to the park. We ended up going through 2.5 bottles in a matter of 2 hours but it was a lot of fun. I took the kitty along that one of my penpals made me and we took crazy photos of it. It was a pretty awesome day just chilling and goofing off.
There are water coolers everywhere, with cute paper cups to drink from.

the water fountain and fake seagulls in the mall

lunch from Emma's - banana milk, cider, sandwich on fruit bread with ham, cheese, apple, pickle, cucumber, egg salad. it sounds weird but tastes great

the backseat of my last cab ride. see - nowhere to hook your seatbelt into!

art on the wall at Indigo - western style cafe where Mel's meeting was

the many flights of the subway station

the last subway ride.. waiting for the train

kitty goes on an adventure

she snuck up on me


finally.. a decent photo of us.. and wine bottle #2

and awww.. we can be serious sometimes

Namsan Mtn and 63 Building

Saturday was full of adventure and pain for the Billi. I opted to wear the worst shoes ever and it was a horrible idea. Nine hours of walking was not a great idea. I'm now very sore and have six blisters on my feet. I did have a great time, though. We went to McDonald's for breakfast and then headed to the station to go to the N Seoul Tower.


The little streamy thing, lots of fish in the water

Me and a big heart!

random comics on the side of a power box thing

the street that McDonald's is on

The bricks are thrown down on sand and the tree roots hold the sidewalk together, all according to Mel.

McDonald's is pretty popular. They don't serve American beef, no worries.

the menu board - pancakes and egg mcmuffins

the food. we got eggs though we didn't orer them haha

a less than fantastic area by the subway station. See, there is poverty everywhere!


Once we got off at the correct station we had a hell of a time figuring out where to go. We walked around to a dead end and then found the correct way. haha. After walking way up this mountain, we caught the cable car to the top so we could 'observe' the city from the top. It was a lot of fun.
Our destination.. so far away!

i couldn't resist a photo of this advertisement on the optometrist window

young girls unchaperoned, does this happen in the USA? NO!

The first bit of our travel up the mountain

the first flight of stairs!

Billi's climbing commentary

We are on the cable car... something I've never done and I'm terrified of stuff like this. I was brave!

view of the city from the cable car

again, a view!

a beautiful little building

finally, we made it!

The N Seoul sign

random grass sculpture

view from the top


A little tear jerking at times but you know, stuff happens. I thought it was really sweet and romantic how many locks were on the fence. When Mel told me about this when she first got here I thought it was so sweet and romantic. Seeing it myself was fantastic and made me want to lock my love on the fence as well, if only I had a romantic partner.
Wow, isn't it amazing

the initial few of these locks of love.

they are all inscripted with messages in english or korean

mushy mushy


There were these smokehouses used to notify Seoul if North Korea ever were to attack. There is a great view from between the smokehouses.
Mel leaning against a smokehouse, admiring the city

I am too short to get up on the wall, so I stand beside the smokehouse!



Then we grabbed the cable car back down the mountain, walked down many flights of stairs, and started our shopping spree.
Mel getting fresh spun cotton candy.

on the ride down

this was the next car coming down! I can't believe i actually did this.



We went to the underground market and then to Namdaemun Market. Mel bought several items while I was more frugal. Eh. Oh wells.
YAY! the underground market

inside the market

They are rebuilding this from when it burnt a few months ago, so there is a wall of what it used to look like surrounding the entire place.

these blankets say MODERN FEEL and COMFORT IN THE HEM. I thought it funny

need some blackmarket US goods, GO HERE!

leaving the market

something was going on, lots of people were outside

The police lined all roads, it was intense.

i just thought this made a cool photo

the swirly thing!

where we had lunch

I had creamy bacon spaghetti. It was freakin' amazing!

Mel has seafood tomato spaghetti

more people, a building. police persons.

another exciting subway stop


Then we made our way to our ultimate destination - the 63 Building. It is Korea's 2nd tallest building and has a lot of cool stuff inside. She hadn't been there yet, either so it was a lot of fun finding it. I took a zillion photos of the view from the top but will only post a few here for you. We got off at the wrong station and walked about an hour to find it. When we left, we realized there was a closer station about fifteen minutes away!! My feet were blistered and ow and I was so frustrated we didn't realize that the other station would be A LOT closer. You live and you learn, right?! We had planned on taking a night cruise but the next one wasn't leaving for another hour and a half. So, we decided to wait and do it on Sunday.

The first of many signs we had to follow on our long walk to the building

the automatic door tells me that the 63 Building is my special story!

my first view

wow, what a city! See the N Seoul Tower? We traveled across the city. :)

this bridge photo looks amazing

the sun was going down

there is part of the floor that is see through.. don't wear a skirt!

from right outside the building.

this random sculpture

yes, i am tiny compared to a 63 story building

this awesome bridge on our walk to the cruise area

looking back at the 63 Building. Isn't it fantastic!?

a different side of the city. amazing

need candy? at the subway convenience store

this almost our stop - Songnae Station

embarrassing photo of the day, Mel face deep in Watermelon