Korea with Me is a Marathon

When I got home from taekwando last night, my little room seemed much bigger… and much quieter.  I miss my daddy.
It was fun hearing some of Dad’s observations while he was here, especially when they matched up with my own.  He was here for 2 weeks and we were quite the busy little big bees.
“Why [...]

Welcome to Wherever You Are

Namyangju, Seoul, Jochiwon, Busan, Jeju Island, the DMZ…
Korean deliciousness, sunsets, World of Warcraft, scooters, volcanoes, lava tubes, Love Land, islands, beaches, Soju, national parks, temples, freedom, friends, SoKo, Nick and I…
A photo montage with a little help from Bon Jovi:
(Now remember, many of these photos are from Love Land, a sex-ed theme park on “Honeymoon [...]

Nothing’s Gonna Seoul Me Down

My name is Nick Kalil and I am Kaley’s brother. I came to visit her during summer vacation and I am “guest blogging” on the site. Here are a few of my initial reactions upon arriving in South Korea.
Within 30 minutes of landing, I was already eating one of my favorite new foods: Korean barbeque. [...]

Can’t Get Enough Koreanisms

I love this country.
I love the people in it.
And I love how different this country is from my own.  I would thoroughly enjoy reading the blog of a Korean living in America.  If you come across one, please, share.
I love that businessmen are often “forced” to go out drinking with their boss.  If [...]

Just a Spoonful of Soju

It’s 11:30 pm and I’m a little Soju-d up on a school night.  Pretty ironic for me, considering I remember mumbling, “I wish this were vodka” earlier while sipping my water bottle during one of my hagwon classes.
Don’t get me wrong- I love my students.  Yes, all of them.  And yes, really.
But I’d be lying [...]

Bring It On, Soraksan

Achy bones, sunburned shoulders, raw hands.  Bloody knees, a few scrapes, and the gratifying ability to say, “I did it.”
Damn straight.  I did it.  Today, I climbed to the very top of Soraksan (Sorak Mountain), 5,603 feet above sea level.  All 3 tops, actually.
Oh yeah, and then to the top of the mountain next door.
My [...]

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in 1 Basket

Last night (Fri) was a blast!  I met up with Heather and a bunch of her friends in Itaewon down in Seoul.  Heather and I grabbed dinner at Outback Steakhouse (Yes, I thought of you, V!).  Man…. it was delicious… and so American. 
We split the crab pasta and beef quesadillas, and slung back [...]

Oh Seouly Night

OH MAN did the weather change here FAST!  Today is so warm and just this past school week we were so very cold.
I have my window open as I sit here and type at my desk so I can look out at this beautiful spring day.  The duck restaurant next door is rockin’.  I hear [...]

Your Mom’s on Facebook

Honestly.  She probably is.  It seems like the whole world is these days.  It’s kinda cool.
Yesterday, I received a facebook message from a girl from Massachusetts.  She had accidentally stumbled across my blog after googling “hookah bars in Seoul.”  She saw I was teaching English here in Namyangju and decided to contact me.  She, too, [...]

Kom bei! (Cheers!)

“Oh!  Ah!”  “Oh! Ahhhh!” Have you ever heard the Korean version of Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry?  Heehee… I have.  It’s um…. well… it’s in Korean.  So, I think it kinda loses a little something in translation.  OK, a LOT of something.
I heard it while riding the bus last night.  (Yup, I’m a [...]