[The Insta Life] Welcome, Spring.

The last time I did an Insta Life, it was freezing and I was still reminiscing about sweating my butt off in Thailand. And now I can see cherry blossoms when I ride my bike all over town, and I'm slowly starting to put my heating fan to rest (it's still cold in the mornings!). Time flies, right? 

It's interesting because I didn't think I was in a honeymoon phase when I came to Korea, but now that I'm falling out of it, I can tell that I was. It may not have been as extreme as my first time here, but it still had this glorious period of everything being new. I was constantly discovering something, whether it was my surroundings, something about myself, or something about others. Now half the expat teachers here have left or are getting ready to leave in the upcoming months, and things seem both unsettled and settled at the same time. I'm getting used to the rhythm again, preparing myself to be here for longer than a year. Maybe its partially my allergies, this coming out of the honeymoon phase, and a little sadness at everyone leaving, but I found myself in a bit of a funk last week. 

I think I've had my major exploring phase, and now its time to organize and sort everything out before things get crazy once more. After all, I've got Japan and Seoul Jazz Festival in May, more goodbyes, future summer camps, a hopeful renewal, and a vacation back home for sure coming up. As much as this stagnant feeling is trying to get at me, I know I need this April rest in order to reboot myself.  With that said, here's what I've been up to!

• Cherry Blossom Hot Chocolate at Starbucks- Is this everywhere or is this new? I have never seen a Cherry Blossom theme at Starbucks, and it's adorable! 
• Strawberry Picking- I went to a friend of a friend's farm and we went strawberry picking! Not as glamorous as it sounds, but just as fun. Also, side note to photographers. Photographing the palms picture is actually really hard.
• Smoothie Bowls- Check out my fancy smoothie bowl recipe here. These things never get old.
• Bus Rides- Best place to sit on the cheap bus? In the exact middle in the very back. A lot more space.
• Fish Stairs- I had seen these fish stairs in one of the Seoul instagrams I follow, and I was pretty excited to finally see it for myself! And here is my post on Ihwa Mural Village for more.
• Countryside Schools- Back to school. All my schools changed this year, so yes, that means I've taught a total of 8 schools, ranging from 3rd to 9th in Namwon so far!
• CATS!- Oh, my cat love is real. Maybe realer than most love stories. 
• Farewell Potlucks- Another expat teacher is leaving this month, so our church group gathered to bid her farewell. As sad as goodbyes are, you can't complain about the food that emerges from these dinners. 
• Sunsets- I love spring, and I love seeing sunsets. I still find that line from Wild to be so fitting: "There is a sunrise and a sunset every day, and you can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty."

[The Insta Life] #ThaiBALLSia

Do you ever feel like it's difficult to live in the moment? We can put down the technology, embrace the now, try to activate all five senses, and still... it's a little hard to be 100% present. That's okay. You're not supposed to see ancient ruins from hundreds of years ago and really experience the moment all at once. That's why I'm a big advocate of proper photography. I don't mean taking your camera and snapping at everything willy-nilly and then posting all of them to Facebook, even when there's ten of the same picture. I mean, taking your DSLR, point-and-shoot, phone, Go-Pro, or whatever, and finding your own perspective. I saw the Angkor Wat in a different way than the girls I was with and even the people standing next to me with their cameras. Anyhow, that's my little "Why It's Actually Good to Take Pictures Places" moment. Everyone processes life differently, and I think mine comes in two parts--the actual moment and the ability to relive and reflect on that moment later, whether in pictures, thoughts, or writing. While I dragged my DSLR around for most of my picture taking, I did snap a few shots with my phone for Instagram. 

In case you're wondering, #ThaiBALLSia is the nickname for our little trip because BALLS is our initials. Get your mind out of the gutter.

•  Chatuchak Market- The very first thing we did in Bangkok on our very first day was do a little exploring in the Chatuchak Market. It's a ginormous place filled with all sorts of clothes and accessories and even animals. There's a very unfortunate section of endangered species that should really be illegal, so hopefully someday Chatuchak sees an end to that.
• Thai Pants- How amazing are these printed pants? I have a feeling they're 100% tourist pants, but at some point I didn't care. They are loose, comfortable, and cheap. Be careful, though, cheap material is still cheap, and they could potentially rip on you.
• Crocodile Chillin'- One of the things we did in Siem Reap is visit a Floating Village, and in that floating village was a crocodile farm. This guy was hanging out, unaware of his future as someone's accessories.
• Angkor Wat at Sunrise- I love getting a shot just right. There's a million and ten pictures of Angkor Wat floating out there, and as I was trying to get the right angle, I finally realized that the reflection in the water is what gives an Angkor Wat picture much more significance. It gives it a sort of majestic feeling. Of course, this Instagram shot is pre-sunrise, I'll save the nice images for my Angkor Wat post!
• Our Chiang Mai Hostel- I have yet to stay in a bad hostel/guesthouse, and Thailand and Cambodia have been added to that list. This was our Chiang Mai hostel, and it was quite the welcome sight after a hellish border crossing and a much better overnight train.
• Exploring Wiang Kum Kam- One of the girls and I were very eager to see this rediscovered lost city, and we were not disappointed by our little excursion in Chiang Mai to see them. It's in a residential area, and it's still being excavated. 
• Tigers in Chiang Mai- After reading that Tiger Kingdom was a very legitimate place, and that the tigers were well kept (and not drugged!), our last day was spent hanging out with these guys. 
• Krabi- We ended our trip in Krabi, specifically Ao Nang, and it was the perfect ending. This is from our island hopping adventure, which I tired to vlog. Get ready for that Oscar-worthy short!
• Smoothie Love- Fresh smoothies #everydamnday. Plus, how's that for a view outside your hostel? What I'd do for a mango smoothie right now...

[The Insta Life] Winter in Korea

Life is pretty calm recently given the end the school year! I do have to say, it's as cold as it would be in Maryland or Pennsylvania, but at least Namwon gets a really pretty snowfall out of the deal. There's something really fun about being with elementary kids when it's snowing out. Kids have so much energy, and they're easily excited, especially when it involves letting them play a little. It reminds me of how much fun snow can be. Instead of hiding inside, I conceded to my kids a few times to let them play outside (given that we go through some book work or English first!). I still hate the cold, but I do love snow. There's still something a little magical about it, even if I'm cursing the icy roads and freezing winds! At one of my schools we even slid down a little incline in the back of the school using old pieces of cardboard. I can't remember the last time I did anything like that!

[The Insta Life] That Korean Life

Korea has been such a pleasant time so far! I feel like I'm in a magical time in my life, and I'm trying to embrace it while it lasts. After all, I'm new to this country, in my honeymoon phase, and I'm new to this life. This is the first time I haven't had to balance my life between multiple circles and activities and jobs, and it's probably the healthiest and happiest I've been in a long, long time. So, besides the lesson planning and apartment decorating, what have I been up to?

[The Insta Life] Goodbye, Hello

This Insta Life is dedicated to the ending and beginning of two very different chapters of my life. Saying goodbye to my college years and hello to my young adult years. It was a rocky finish there at the end (at least for me), so this new "hello" has been a lot of focus on the good and the happy. More on me and what I want and less on others and what they want. I'm half way across the world right now with a new beginning and a fresh start. Everything and everyone I know is back on the east coast of the U.S. S

So. Goodbye.

And. Hello.

[The Insta Life] End of Summer

I kind of feel like I've been on auto-pilot mode this latter bit of summer. After all, it's killing me how long I'm waiting to get to Korea, and the only way to cope is going into auto-pilot mode with work-working out-eating healthy-Korean dramas. There have been some fun moments, though, and of course, I've documented them via Instagram.

1. After the Storm- While my mom was bringing me home from work, there was a storm that blew through and did some garden damage to our house. It didn't do anything too bad, but the lilies near our mailbox took the hit the most. However, I thought it was just so pretty that a full lily was lifted up and out into the road. I even had my mom drop me off at the bottom of our driveway so I could go out and pick it!
2. let's be frank- I wrote extensively on this stuff the first time I used it, and I still stand by the stuff! It's fantastic. I haven't seen the disappearance of stretch marks or anything, but I haven't been using it religiously as I'm supposed to. I really like combining it with my Italy cloth. I take a bath, use my cloth, and then the scrub. I then put on Aveeno lotion all over and slip into fitted yoga pants and a long sleeve T-shirt. My skin feels amazing.
3. Sista Sista- My sister had a moment of nostalgia and decided we should get matching Alex & Ani bracelets (more on that brand later). We got the Arms of Strength bracelets in silver for its meaning and the fact that 20% goes towards a breast cancer research and awareness foundation (my sorority's philanthropy!). Also, we both have these MK watches, so we had to add them in ;).
4. Family Pic- My cousin had a thirtieth birthday party, so all the family gathered for it. I actually had work all day and drove straight there with my siblings! Let's just say I was exhausted by the night's end.
5. Cronut Making- You can read about that here. I've made them another time since, and they're still delicious. 
6. Polka Dots- I do love my meemers. We fight all the time, but we're pretty funny. We always say we should have a show like "Kourtney & Khloe." She's three years younger than me, but you'd think she was three years older! We were trying to decide who we'd be Elsa or Anna, but we decided we'd be a mix of both. Although our brother says I'm Elsa because I spend so much time in my room, but Kenz says I'm socially awkward like Anna, so who knows? Also, in my defense, I spend all my time in my room because no on wants to watch K-dramas with me! Anyhow, we planned this picture and made our mom take like a trillion haha.
7. Da G- I wrote about my day to the amusement park here, but I didn't add this picture with my G-little! I used it to wish her happy birthday. I love her to death, and I feel so bad we all left her at college. My big and I graduated, and my little did a 3-2 program with nursing, so she graduated earlier than normal. She's got a semester of being family-less before she hopefully gets her own little! 
8. Power Ballz- I'll have this recipe up soon! I got it from Eat Your Kimchi, and they're so good. Like I eat them all the time. 
9. Oatmeal- I also seriously love good oatmeal. I'll post a recipe for this too. I've also been drinking a lot of mango juice in the morning, though I definitely need a caffeine pick me up most days. I think I'm going to look into espresso makers in Korea. My go to drink is an Americano with two shots of espresso, skim milk, and some sugar.

Hope everyone returning to school is enjoying it!

[The Insta Life] Midsummer

Is it just me, or is summer flying by? I went to write the date the other day, and I was surprised at having to write a "7" instead if a "6." Anyhow, my summer has been pretty uninteresting/calm relatively speaking. I have managed to get a little traveling in, albeit mostly by car (which is the worst!). Otherwise, I've been working, trying not to spend, and trying to save for this upcoming fall (more to come soon, hopefully!). Also, I've been trying to get a healthier lifestyle with working out and, over all, eating better. It seems to be working, bit by bit, and I can feel it in my clothes and the different floor exercises I do when I work out. I'll go into that more when I'm nearing the end of my weightloss/get healthier journey! Anyhow:

1. Grilled is so much better. My mom made these a while ago on the grill, and they were so delicious. It was so easy to make with veggies and chicken. I'm so picky about how my chicken is prepared (more often than not, it's too dry for me), but this was perfect.
2. Haute Chocolate... I said over all healthy haha. This white chocolate milkshake was definitely a treat, and it was so good. If you're ever in West Reading, PA, stop by Haute Chocolate and get a shake! So worth it.
3. My poor dog... My mom got my dog this haircut in the beginning of the summer, and it was pretty awful. Like think of that time you got the worst haircut of your life and multiply by 1,000. She's still growing out her fur!
4. Father's Day Breakfast...I'm such a breakfast person! We went to this diner near my house for some Father's Day breakfast before i had to go to work. I'm always the person who looks for that big breakfast deal (2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, 2 pancakes, etc) because I love it so much.
5. Harrisburg! I finally visited Harrisburg, even if it was for like an hour. I had to get some paperwork done up there, and it was faster/easier to just drive than mail it all in. If it hadn't have been raining, I would have tried to stick around, but sadly it was pretty gross out, so I got in and out as quickly as possible! I did snap a picture of the main building, though.
6. Bowling... A weekend or so ago, I went with my siblings to celebrate one of my cousin's birthdays, and we went bowling! Let's just say I was never quite meant for the sport...Also my nails got seriously ruined!
7. Sunset over the Potomac... Just one of the shots I got form the Kennedy Center terrace of the sunset. Did I mention I'm obsessed with sunsets?
8. Bimbimbap... A better look at the food I got with Nikki when I was in DC. Instead of beef, I had spicy pork on mine. 
9. My Helene USA bracelet! More on this too come in the next week or so! I'm obsessed, and you can check her out on etsy! Such cute jewelry, high quality, and everything is Made in the USA.

[The Insta Life] Beginnings of Summer

If you can't tell, I'm a foodie instagrammer. I love it! Here's about the end of the year leading towards the beginnings of summer (right before I jumped into working part-time again leading up towards leaving for my job-job). 

1. With my siblings! My family came to college for Mother's Day, and we went out to dinner by the waterfront. Can you guess who's the oldest?
2. Delicious food at Lebanese Taverna: I helped out with the set-up of the Sophie Kerr event in Baltimore, and Owen suggested stopping at one of his favorite restaurants in Annapolis on our way. It was absolutely amazing--fresh pita bread and Lebanese food... I wish I could go back right now, actually.
3. Dessert: At the after-party for the SK Event, we stopped by the after party. Dessert was hard to get, so we grabbed this guy the first chance we got. Delicioussss.
4. Homemade Sushi: When my Big came back for graduation festivities, she finally put to use her sushi making kit. It was pretty delicious, but I think we're both more for just eating out next time after all that effort.
5. Our Relationship: My big's and mine relationship in a nutshell haha.
6. Kellyanne! Kellyanne was the only other 2014 graduate in my pledge class. It's so sad we're leaving the rest of our PC.
7. Booze Cruise. A shot of the ship as we were walking towards it at Mt. Vernon. WC started this tradition my freshman year where the seniors toast at Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home. A night of dinner, dancing, and enjoying the summer air up top the ship-- #privateschooljoys
8. Alex & Ani: The A&A bracelet my little got me for graduation--I'm obsessed! It's the Path of Life charm.
9. Ingredients for a fruit smoothie: The minute I get more strawberries I'm making this again...

[The Insta Life] Artsy Ways

With the school year coming to an end (as well as my undergraduate career), I'm beginning to turn towards what I like to call the artsy-sometimes hipster-sometimes granola lifestyle I actually wish to pursue. I've haven't fully articulated my idea of happiness, but it involves me with fabulous wavy hair riding a bicycle home from the farmer's market, fresh groceries in my reusable burlap sack, ready to make smoothies before turning into to write for the afternoon. Or paint. Or sketch. Anyhow now that I have time and energy to devote to my arts side a little more (it's been sorely neglected for like eight years), I've been taking full advantage.

1. Spring has sprung! Those gorgeous purple flowers were blooming outside the literary house on my way in to work one day. They came right after an awful storm, and it was such a breath of fresh air to have them around. It was a reminder that cold days are over for now.
2. Mini Cupcakes: A girl I work with brought these in after her aunt in NYC sent them to her for her birthday. They are possibly the cutest and most delicious cupcakes I have ever seen and tasted. They're from Baked by Melissa and they have all kinds of flavors that you can just pop into your mouth.
3. My First Broadside! I finally printed the beautiful broadside for my school's foreign literary magazine. My friend, Clair, drew the illustration, and I, with a lot of help, designed the PDF. We printed it on this gorgeous, creamy paper (Arches, I believe?) with deckle edges. I feels like a treasure map.
4. Paste Paper: Such an easy activity! Mix cornstarch and water to make a paste. Then mix with acryllic paint and go to town on heavier paper (make sure you wet the paper first). Use plastic combs, sponges, anything to create texture. So easy and so relaxing.
5. Close Up:  Here's a close-up of one of my favorites! I used  bright blue paint and did dots of gold.
6. Printing my Journal: The machine as it's about to print gold lettering on the journals I worked on over the past year.
7. The Waterfront: A view of the water during my run. Going to miss this the most when leaving Chestertown!
8. Graze: So Facebook has kept popping up this offer for delivery snacks. It's normally $6 a box, but for the first time it'd only be $1. So, of course, I tried it. I've really loved my box so far. I've tried the dry apple and toffee as well as this pretzel and pumpkin seed mix. I need more inventive ways to snack (and healthier) and I love the idea of this box!
9. Watercolor: My friend, Hilary, has been instagramming her watercolors lately, and I felt inspired to try a hand at my own. I've been sketching a little here and there, but as I try to take my travel like more seriously, I want to be able to create these little watercolors for myself. I might be taking a page out of the nineteenth century as well... Anyhow, this was my first attempt! Shaky, but we're getting there.