One Up

Belts. Yellow Belts. Ok, Yellow belt

I finally received my yellow belt in Hapkido. I'm feeling awesome. 

BANG BANG BANG

"A moment of impact"

When I came to South Korea everyone asked me if I'm scared because of the tension between North and South Korea and I said "NO". Today I could say that I'm a little confused about how to answer that very same question. 

Back in the Bu

- Lazy and a whole lot of crazy- 

After having Friday afternoon off, making this weekend a long weekend, I headed to Uijeongbu for the weekend to visit some friends. But first I met up with my darling friend, Reberta (South Africa), for lunch, catch up and solutions to South Africa's problems. We came to the conclusion that we have to build 10 more Universities each with a different language t-option, thus a Zulu-English, Xhosa-English etc. We also came to the conclusion that we should reinstate the rule that all men (and woman) should go to the army for at least 2 years after school. No 18 year old kid knows what they want to do with their life and putting them in the army would give them the time to figure it out whilst being productive and ultimately it would create jobs. Productive conversation right? 

Alone and extravagant or together and memorable.

Life can give you lemons, strawberries or even chocolate cheesecake but if you don't have someone to share it with you are pretty much only going to enjoy it for that few minutes of eating it. You see, people ( or animals actually) are social species and we attach meaning to everything we do but even more so if we do it with somebody we know or care about.

Korea at its best

Meeting and greeting people with the same mindset as you, to travel the world, creates some interesting stories and insights.

After Thailand my mother joined me in Korea for the rest of the week. First, we sat on a luxury bus for about an hour before reaching Uijeongbu. We got off the bus and was surprised with a lady handing each of us a bottle of water. She obviously saw we were extremely hot and tired after our flight to Korea.

Thailand with my Mom

I'm definitely an adult now

Completely over eager I got up early this morning and rushed to the bus station. I had some stuff to buy before heading overseas but I didn't have to do it at 10am. Now i'm on my way to the airport about 5 hours early. Yeah a bit over eager. But I'm definitely excited to see my mother for the first time in 4 months. 

The 18th Boryeong Mud Fest 2015

Let's get dirty.

Well this weekend started with a bang, literally!!! 9am we climbed on the bus and somebody didn't check the volume of the speakers and the first song that came up started with a big drop. Heart attack! But after that things just escalated with awesome club music and surprisingly, South African music. Strobe lights and coloured lights lighting up the bus in the tunnels. It's definitely going to be some weekend to remember.

And that it was. I had a splendid time. The group we went with was amazing. We arrived at the pension around noon. It wasn't long before we left the pension on our way to the Mudfest. We quickly grabbed something to eat, got our entry tickets And off we went. 

There was great music and so many things we could do. First we went to stand in line for an obstacle course where you start off by getting thrown with mud. And as you go through this course they also dump mud on you so by the end EVERYTHING was full of mud. There was mud in my mouth, eyes and ears. 

Thereafter we went to a mud pool where we had to dance in a circle singing a song. When the woman scream a number we had to make groups and if you're not in a group or if your group is outnumbered you get splashed with mud by everyone else. So once again mud EVERYWHERE. Next, we went to a giant slide where you had to race up with your partner. They splashed you with water at the top and as soon as you get to the bottom you were once again covered in mud. I definitely felt like a kid again. 

It reminded me of how I used to smear myself with mud as a kid at Robertson where we used to camp. It was great fun back then and awesome to relive it in a way. 

We took a mudbath and went directly to the ocean to wash all the mud off and semi clean ourselves. Splashing in the water was great fun. But with all the salt on our bodies a good shower was necessary. Knowing our pension didn't have a bath or shower a public fountain on the way home made up for that. It was quite refreshing. 

We had dinner at the pension and then headed out to find a noribong (kareoke bar). We had a blast singing all the legendary songs we have known all our life. But after being there for an hour it was time to move to the next thing. There was a big fireworks show on the beach so we headed off to the beach. It was truly amazing and really romantic. 

We played some frisbee and did some sand drawings before heading to town. 

Strolling around in town we came across a fun park with a Tornado ride and we just had to ride it. And so we did. I tried to surf this ride but that G-force pushed me right back into my seat and at one point me and King (friend) both tumbled over each other to the middle of this thing. It was great fun. 

There after most of the group went back to the pension but King and myself didn't have enough. There was a SSUM club waiting to be explored. We danced so much and had such a fun time at the club. But round 4:00am this morning it was time to head back to go to bed. We still had quite a walk ahead of us or at least at that time of night it seemed really far back home not to mention that we got lost in a parking lot. 

Thank you Leigh, Ashleigh, Mashadi,Tubs and King for making this one weekend to remember.

Playing the 6 String

"Music gives soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flights to the imagination and life to everything" - Plato 

On Saturday night I went to watch a gig of my good friend Phillip and I thought I would share his one song with you. It's quite nice to just go out and listen to so many talented people. I love to musical culture of South Korea. In most coffee shops or bars there will be someone sharing their talents. In certain parts of town streets are closed off to allow street performing to take place. It's quite cool. I will post some awesome stuff when I see it again. But first a video of Phillip... 

Pakkie Huis

Home is where my story began.

Ek kom ook nou agter my afrikaans is so bietjie vrotter as wat ek gedink het dit is. Kom van heeltyd engels praat. 

Met speckled eggs wat ek gewoonlik geëet het as comfort food in stresvolle eksamens en droppies wat ek net verbind aan 'n liefdevolle ouma wat ek vir altyd bierbaar sal wees voor en tee wat my ma vir my gegee het van baba tyd af as ek siek was, hartseer of net om 'n koppie tee saam te geniet kan ek sê my dag was gemaak. En koekies om my besig te hou as ek die dag te veel dink aan huiskos. 

Ek het ook 'n bottle mayonaise en Chutney gekry. My vriendinne wat my ken weet al elke bord kos kort chutney. Dis maar net een van daai dinge. Dis net te flippen lekker. En dan die Chicken spice... hoe kan mens sonder dit gaan. Dis die beste ontdekking in die mens se geskiendenis van speserye. 

My moeder het ook vir my 'n baie mooi christelike boek ingepak wat ek begin lees het om my steunpilaar in my lewe terug te kry. Ek dink dis belangrik om te weet waar jou wortels le en om dit by die regte plek te hou. Maar 

Dan supplies... Korea het wel Tampons maar dit het sy verskyning eers twee jaar terug gemaak wat beteken dat die verskydend minimaal is. Ek neem aan dit het te doen met die konserwatiwiteit van die Koreane en die stiegma wat daarmee gepaart gaan. Enige vrou sal vir jou kan sê dat hulle wel dit waaraan hulle gewoont is verkies in daai sektor. 

Elkgeval dis awesome om tenminste net 'n paar van jou vorige lewe se daaglikse produkte in jou kas te he. 

Dankie Mamma en Ouma 

Green Irish Fever

Gaelic Football and an Irish Pub.

I was invited by my awesome friend and next door neighbour to watch her game of gaelic football. It was the first time I saw this quite confusing but fun sport in my life. I haven't heard of it before she told me about it when I arrived here but I'm glad I got to see it. I don't know much about the game except that it's sort of a mix between volleyball, soccer, rugby and basketball. Confusing much?!

They had a tournament on Saturday. The tournament was the whole day and the scorching sun didn't make it that pleasant and I take my hat off for every guy and girl who played. I know there was various blisters burned through the soles of shoes from the burning astro. But played they did. Every team played almost 8 games. I would've passed out. No!!! Seriously. I was so sweaty that even my eye liner started smudging making my eyes look as if someone hit me in the eye.



The clubs that played came from all over South Korea and most of the players were foreigners. Most was also Irish. But to my own surprise there was also a few Afrikaans speaking South Africans in the mix. I met them and the guys were really nice. Normally there is this ritual that everyone goes to the Wolfhound in Itaewon after a tournament. Main reason being, it's an Irish pub who also happens to be the sponsor of the Seoul Gaels team. And the Seoul Gaels also won the tournament. So obviously there was going to be a big celebration.

The boytjies, from Busan Gaelic club,  invited me to join them for a party but first it was dinner time at Braai Republic. And I do love that place. Their Lamb potjie was a winner as well as their super nice South African wine which costed way too much. After Castle beer (only available at BR for 7000 won - R70), Potjie (18000won - R180) and a super nice glass of red wine (free) it was time to make myself really broke for the rest of the week and pay my expenses.

And off we went to the Wolfhound. I obviously also needed a bed to sleep so the South African guys offered up their empty bed in their hostel only to find out later the evening that it wasn't that empty. But anyway. I guess it was that or pay money which I didn't have leaving me with staying in a 24h coffee shop until the train comes the next morning at 5am. I really had to put my head down. It was really a fun night out. I had a langarm sokkie, something no-body here knows and I'm also quite sure that's why I have a major big bruise on my knee. I had a nice cold beer which tasted like heaven considering how hot it was. Time flies when you have fun. 

It was really nice to speak afrikaans to the guys and having a nice conversation about South Africa, Student life, Korea, rugby and rugby and all the other drunk nights (typical between guys conversation)... I felt a little at home. And they took great care of me. The Irish girls from the Seoul gaels team was also fun to hang with. I also happened to get a Korean guy buzzing around me but that got sorted out quickly. I don't care what afrikaans rugby guys say but let's just say there is a reason for the Afrikaanse Boertjie Stereotype. Let's just say he got a warning sign.

All in all it was so much fun. Wish the night went on forever. I like the Irish vibes with an African twist.

Lekker Braai Republic. We had to explain the menu to the Irish. 

Lamb Potjie.

Boytjies. (Top left: Not a boytjie, Top right: Niekie,
Bottom Left: Pg, Bottom right: Me)

Next to me: Henk.