my city daegu 대구

I was born and raised in Durban, went to boarding school in Pietermaritzburg, studied and worked in Cape Town before making my real bold move to Daegu, bringing my tally of cities I have lived in, to 4 (although Pietermaritzburg is closer to being a big town than a city).  I have loved every city I have lived in for different reasons but today I want to share a little bit about – my current sweet heart, Daegu.

With the exception of Cape Town,  the cities I have lived in are hardly famous for tourism but rather better suited for living long term than visiting as a tourist.  I have heard that about several other famous cities – and personally experienced the same feeling with the likes of Glasgow.  And while I did enjoy my short visit there very much, I didn't feel catered for as a tourist as much as, say sister Edinburgh up the road. But anyone and everyone I have met from Glasgow – swears by it as being a great city to live in and I understand, sometimes cities are better suited for long term stay than short term travel. 

outside Edinburgh Castle, Scotland many moons ago :)

It was undoubtedly a big relief to find out that I was being placed  in the 3^rd biggest city in Korea (you can nominate preference but its not guaranteed). I hadn't done much by way of research before coming here, after all Korea is probably the least most spoken about country to visit in comparison to the other Asian Tigers. With Asian culture and language being so different, I was excited for the adventure but still wanted the security nest of big city/cosmopolitan type living as opposed to the smaller countryside scene, especially after working in corporate and living in the same apartment for 4 years; I was kind of set in my ways and didn’t want to disrupt my comfort zone too much (please don’t judge). In Daegu, I got just that: the best of both worlds.

Here is why I love Daegu:

I love the excellent transport system:

The longest I have to wait for any bus is 20 min and that's on a bad day (on my route in particular, the average is about 8 minutes) not to mention the subway that runs till midnight which I can hop on every 3 to 4 minutes.

Daegu only has 2 subway lines (3^rd one in progress) compared to the capital, Seoul, which has 14 lines. In Daegu this means less subway transfers (gosh those are irritating) since the transport system is designed to get me from one side of the city to the other side with one transfer (subway) and/or to bus in one fare mind you. Meaning the city is big enough to warrant frequent and safe transport but still small enough to get to the other side of the city without writing off half the day.

subway approaching at manchon station :)

Great selection of coffee houses:

A rainy day in the city inspired some bad poetry about this.  From huge coffee houses (franchises) like Coffea Coffee and Starbucks, to the less known, right around the corner and cozy shops, like Aellia and Café Knoll, I love them all the same. Daegu will surprise you with its selection, it will blow your green tea Asian stereotype right out of the water. 

The Food

There are obviously tons of Korean restaurants, seeing as though we are in Korea, that I have grown to love serving the locals after a hard days work. In fact one of my top 3 favourite restaurants in the city is Korean, and serves the best Dolsot (Hot stone) Bibimpap (rice and vegetable mix) ever.  There is also a diverse range of Western restaurants from Italian to Indian right through to Mexican; I can sample food from all over the world, only a few kilometres from my door step.

marinated duck with veg on heated pan - cook at the table- yum yum

The People

People from Daegu are significantly different from the rest of the nation so much so that they even have their own dialect of speaking. Some know enough English to hold a conversation over lunch, but also little enough for you to have to use your imagination to fill in the blanks, sign language to order food and get to throw in a few key Korean words you have learnt, put them into good use.  It makes you feel like you are still experiencing the real Korea – unlike Seoul for example, where you might try to place your order in your bad Korean and they respond in fluent English.  As much as that is convenient it can also be disappointing because you don’t feel authentically immersed in the language and subsequently culture, you might as well be at Mugg and Bean at the V&A Waterfront- I don’t want to come all the way here to feel like that.

Downtown, this and that

So colourful, so bright, great vibe. I don’t need much more than that really. Shops are open till late, with the added delight of 24 hour coffee shops mean that we don’t have to cut our conversation short, not to mention shops open for the midnight munchies – no more “sorry the kitchen is closed”.  Daegu has an athletics stadium (big enough to have hosted World Cup soccer games back then and more recently the IAAF championships), it has a baseball stadium, museums, markets, parks, amusement park, mountains to hike, a river to cycle by and my treat, a 4D cinema house. All the makings of a great city I would say.

Daegu Stadium - Opening ceremony of IAAF Championships 2012

mountains to hike

rivers to cycle by

As you can see, the stuff I love is not really what touristy cities are made of; no famous landmark to see or a beach-side breeze keeping summer temperatures cool. So what if we don't get all the music stars or musicals that I love. It’s the everyday things, which make it a great city to live in for me. Daegu, is all I need, for now at least. 


Final thoughts: 
Seeing as though we can't all be or want to be New York-ers, what do you love about your current city or hometown?

Temples and Palaces of the East

Grand Palace, Bangkok - Thailand

Longshan Temple, Taipei - Taiwan

Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju - Korea

Changdoek Palace, Seoul - Korea

Gyeongbukgung Palace, Seoul - Korea

Haeinsa Temple, near Daegu - Korea

Ta Phrom (Tomb Raider), Siem Reap - Cambodia

Bayon Temples, Siem Reap - Cambodia

Inside the courts of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap Cambodia

National Museum, Phnom Penh - Cambodia (ok this is not a temple or palace but it looks pretty)

Royal Palace, Phnom Penh  - Cambodia

Good morning Vietnam

Unlike South Africa with 4 school terms evenly spaced out, Korean schools follow a 2 semesters schedule which means wonderful long holidays but also long and cruel periods of working nonstop without a short break to ease the pain (with the exception of a few long weekends). 

As this post goes off, it will be the end of the first and very long semester and the beginning of a wonderful, beach side, good food, lots of culture type holiday. I am super blessed to be going to visit the highly acclaimed backpackers paradise of Vietnam, a country rich with a (difficult) history, the friendliest people, delicious healthy food and jaw-dropping beaches, all this at a much more affordable price than your long weekend in Spain.  I will be traveling with a dear and sweet friend of mine from uni who in fact gave me the idea of starting this blog. Meet the super smart with the looks to match, Dipalesa :)

how young were we?

 my hairstyle has changed somewhat, a gentle reminder of times gone by

We hope to remain flexible on our trip so as not to cut short any of the good places we enjoy but there are definitely things not to be missed in this Southeast Asian gem. I am super excited about Halong Bay in particular which has been named one of the 7 New wonders of Nature, alongside Table Mountain of South Africa (my home sweet home) and Jeju Island of my current home, South Korea (I know right, what are the chances?).

We hope to be eating this

see this

meet kids like these 

and sip on these

And have a merry old time catching up. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, I want to wish you a wonderful and sunny (minimal rain unless its purpose is to cool off a scorching hot day) summer holiday. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere however and are experiencing the chills of winter, I just want to let you know that I feel sorry for you.

Dipalesa - thanks my 친구 (chingu-friend) for coming all the way to meet me in foreign lands. Who knows what adventure lies ahead of us but I am totally excited to be galavanting around with you.

 Dipalesa and I at my farewell (JHB edition) before coming to Korea

Alright, let the good times roll :)

Final thoughts
"A familiar face in an unfamiliar place can make anywhere feel like home" - Catherine Stark

Things to do on a rainy day

Its monsoon here in the east - and though usually I would complain, it has brought much relief from the scorching heat and humidity of this city. . A rainy day can be a great opportunity to do some things that you have been procrastinating about doing on account of beautiful sunny weather - it can be as productive or as restful as you please. So instead of complaining, I spent a lovely Saturday morning thinking  up (and doing) some silly and serious things which one can do on a rainy day that don't involve lethargically watching tv/series/movies - since I live alone, my list/ suggestions reflect my dwelling situation.

1. although not in order - a good start to a rainy day is just sleeping in a bit :)
2. change/assign ring tones to different people (do this alone - doing this in the company of others is annoying, I assure you) 



making bulgur for the 1st time (with chicken and veg)

3. try a new recipe   
4. if you don't have all the ingredients, try to make something decent with what you have in stock- that can also be an adventure
5. meditate
6. read the bible
7. read a book
8. exercise
9. do laundry (which unfortunately you will have to hang indoors or tumble dry)
10. sort out your cupboard, set aside items you want to donate. 
11. clean your fridge - rinse the dirt on the lids of your sauce bottles (you know that black stuff - gross)
12. make a bucket list or set some kind of goals for the foreseeable future
13. (learn to) edit photos (if you have any software) - the outcome can be really rewarding
14. organize your photos and documents on your computer into folders
15. delete movies and series that you have watched 
16. blog or make notes on blog posts you still need to do
17. Wikipedia things, find out how they are made or  places you've heard of, find out where they are 
18. research new work opportunities you might look into in the future
19. teach yourself chess something online (free is always better of course)
20. pray
21. reply to emails 
22. send someone a message you haven't talked to in a while that you know will be surprised to hear from you
23. plan an event - charity, birthday, farewell, next/fantasy vacation, your wedding (a girl can dream)
24. write in your journal
25. do your budget planning
26. embark on a crafty project (hand made cards are a good start)
27. look for and download some new music
28. sort out paperwork (old printouts, magazines and newspapers etc that need to be thrown out)
29. rearrange manageable furniture pieces to give your place a new look - a new set up might reveal some hidden floor space :)
30. pamper yourself - face mask, long soak in bath (how i wish), cut and paint your nails fun colours

my friend Raquel - she looks prettier in a mask than I ever will :)

Final thoughts
What things do you like to do on a rainy day?

smart phone love

Before coming to Korea, I didn't really have a smart phone. Sure my phone had a few capabilities, but all I ever used it for was to call, receive calls and send text messages and most importantly, it worked as my alarm clock. This is not because South Africa does not have great quality phones, in fact by the time I left, Blackberry had fully infiltrated the population and people were more than mad about BBM, just not me and I was okay with that.

Until I came to Asia of course. 

Not only is Korea home to technology giants like Samsung and LG, but I generally find telecommunication costs here far cheaper (except when you are making phone calls to your homeland) than what I was paying back home, no need to send "please call me" anymore. So finally after receiving my ARC card (just an id card that allows you to do stuff in the country like open cell phone contracts), my co- teacher, as my translator, and I headed to the stores. I got myself an LG of some sort which I later lost in Cambodia. Upon my return I had to settle the cost of the contract (insert super sad face here) and start a new contract -and got the later model, LG Optimus something something. Then the app's and games just started calling my name. I could not ignore the voices any longer.  Now I can't even imagine not having instant messaging tools like whatsapp on my phone. Some are really useful and make communicating cheaper and convenient and some are just there to keep me entertained on the subway to avoid the staring faces or the fascinated Koreans pulling my dreadlocks.  


This is my list of app's cool stuff on my phone that I am totally in love with and as far as I know they are all FREE. Now who doesn't like free stuff?


1. Whatsapp and Kakao talk (instant messaging to folks locally & at home) and I can insert pics & sound clips
2. Currency Converter (yes I do still convert some prices to Rands just for a reality check)

3. Metrics converter (because Americans still insist on talking in pounds, miles and Fahrenheit)
4.Sound hound (like a song?don't know who sings it? this is the guy for you)
5. My FitnessPal (calorie counter - when embarking on a health conscious lifestyle you kind of need the guy to tell you exactly what it is you are putting in your mouth - be warned, can be the bearer of bad news)

6. Sports Tracker (click start, enter activity you are doing e.g walking/cycling- and let the app tell you how many calories are on fire)
7. Draw Something (this one has subsided a bit but has really given doodling a bigger purpose - choose a word, draw a picture, send to friend to guess the word)
8. Sky-scanner - always browsing prices for flights to all sorts of crazy destinations - and sometimes home when feeling a little homesick.
9.Businfo - you know that awesome moment when you arrive at the bus stop and you see the bus coming from around the corner and you think perfect timing? Well you can create that feel-good moment every time! Just punch in the bus number or the bus stop name you will be catching the bus from, and it will tell you how many minutes away the bus is, so you can leave your house just in time!

10. Alarm clock - my lifeline! The best part about this alarm is that I can't turn it off with my eyes closed.

try doing that with your eyes closed :)

There are tons more things that I use my phone for : Holy bible, Facebook, email, Tripadvisor, google maps, Instagram, Twitter, Music - the list is endless.  Its really great that one compact gadget can do so much and I try to get as much value and use out of my phone as possible. But of late, I am also trying to be careful not to be too distracted by it that I can't even enjoy dinner and conversation with friends because quite frankly I think its rude to keep fidgeting with your phone when you are with company- so now, when I am having a cup of coffee with friends or even having a conversation on the subway with someone, I don't leave it on the table or stare at it trying to find something to do on it. Instead, I keep it tucked away in my handbag and resist checking messages unless I am alone or if I am expecting an important phone call or message or waiting on someone who is joining me who might need directions etc.

Question:
1. What apps/widgets/cool stuff does your phone do that makes your life easier?
2. Does n't it annoy you when someone is constantly fidgeting on their phone at inappropriate times - especially in a movie theatre or when you are trying to have a conversation with them?

Final thoughts
Lets try to appreciate technology for what it is and what it can do for us and lets not hide behind it and not use it to replace real communication with one another :)

Tuk tuk coming through

My previous post on my love affair for markets got me thinking and browsing through a lot of my pictures of our summer holiday to Thailand and Cambodia last year. During our trip, Raquel and I did a series of very bad quality, totally unscripted, unedited home videos of our experiences. Boy do I have a good laugh when I watch them now, it would be wrong of me not to share.

my 101 in 1001 days list

what is it? a different kind of resolution/bucket list i guess. there is a trend out there, not sure where it started or by who, but thought I should hop on the wagon. nothing helps me accomplish goals more than having it written down, plus I love making lists. this one also gives me more time - i can pursue a goal, and if i don't succeed, I can revisit it again later, when I am a little more grown up. some goals are once-off and some are habits I want to foster more of or do less of - that I hope will help me grow and challenge me as a person...

so here is my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days

1.  learn to play chess

2. do cpr or even a first aid course

3. enter and complete the Cape (Argus) cycle tour

4. start my own business

5. give a motivational talk to teenage girls

6. start and lead an outreach initiative 

7. reduce my coffee passion to just a like.

8. be invited to post as a guest blogger on someone else's blog

9. lose enough weight  to reach healthy BMI

10. maintain healthy BMI for forever  a long long time 

11. buy my first property 

12. learn more about my Zulu Heritage and learn some old school vocab

13. bake a cake (with icing and all sorts of toppings) from scratch 

14. attend Grahamstown Arts Festival

15. go camping (any form of sleeping outdoors counts)

16. host a 3 course dinner (with proper table settings etc) and prepare every dish myself

17. make something beautiful enough to use as decoration in my own house

18. learn how to pair wine with food

19. visit Kruger National Park and go on a legit safari

20. complete my Interior decorating course that I didn't get to finish (had to rush off to Korea)

21. learn to change a tyre

22. learn/be licensed to drive a motorbike scooter 

23. get more photos developed
24. give my parents an all expenses paid short holiday as an anniversary gift
25. come up with an original quote and sneak it into a lot of conversations and hope it catches
26. visit a wonder of the world (Great Wall of China)
27. visit a wonder of nature  (Halong Bay, Vietnam + Jeju Island, Korea + Table Mountain South Africa+ Underground River, Philippines)
28. explore the full capabilities of my macbook (not just skype and email)
29. teach someone how to do something (swim/ride a bike/cook something/start a blog)
30. scuba dive  (Boracay, Philippines)

31. travel to other african countries
32. do 10 push ups
33. hold plank position for 1 minute
34. be able to stand on a bicycle while peddling
35. learn capital cities of a lot of countries (and where they are)
36. pray for food before I eat
37. keep my hair natural for as long as i can (no straighteners or weaves)
38. not own any gadgets I don't use at least weekly monthly
39. learn more about and buy food that is in season
40. spend more summer days outdoors

41. start my own fire for a braai (barbeque)
42. stop adding any sugar to tea or coffee completely
43. see more sunrises - anyone who knows me well is probably laughing out loud right now!
44. learn how to ice skate
45. if i reach a goal, to reward myself with an experience rather than something i can own or food
46.  travel somewhere solo for a few days (while i am still not married)
45. go to a music festival - embrace the crowds, embrace the overpriced ticket, embrace the camping
46. spring clean a lot more
47. go fishing, catch something, cook it and eat it - all in one day
48. climb table mountain - to complete the 3 hills (I've already climbed Lions Head and Devils Peak)
49.have an opinion about South African politics- really don't like any talks about politics
50. read the news

51. shoot/fire a real gun
52. give someone a super original gift that makes them feel like i really know them well
53. stop taking photos on auto setting
54. only use the flash on my camera when absolutely necessary
55. buy shares in something
56. gather enough airmiles on one airline to be able to use them towards a ticket to somewhere else
57. pray more for others
58. master an accent
59. cook an authentic dish from another more unfamiliar culture (not korean, italian or indian) Vietnamese (Aug) and Chinese (Sept) cooking class
60. convince someone to let me cut (some of) their hair

61. start a tradition for myself or (future) family
62. take a spontaneous trip or weekend away because the Groupon price was so good
63. write more in proper english and less in short (sms lingo) form
64. punctuate more
65. say more with less words, especially emails
66. pray to give thanks to GOD more and not just submit prayer requests
67. successfully order food for delivery in korean
68. find a 3 step skin regime that i am truly happy with
69. wear more colour
70. own an audrey hepburn inspired black number i can put on for any occasion

71. be on time more than i am late
72. go to a grocery store with a shopping list and only purchase items on the list
73. attend a themed/costume party and really put effort into dressing to the theme
74. recycle much much more
75. finish a Sudoku puzzle
76. own or babysit a pet for someone
77. attend a horse racing event (Durban July or The Met - lived in Durban and Cape Town and havent been)
78. plant something in a garden, let it grow then pick it and eat it or use it in a dish
79. drink out of a coconut  (Aug 2012, Vietnam)
80. take a nap in a hammock (Palawan, Philippines)

81. spend a day without technology - intentionally
82. build a wardrobe that truly reflects my personality
83. discover/try a new restaurant that i like that wasn't recommended by someone else - then recommend it
84. not go to the atm or swipe my card on pay day
85. not be the first to break the silence in a group conversation even if i am a little uncomfortable
86. get my inbox on my email to zero
87. be the person to bring someone to their surprise party without them suspecting anything
88. distinguish between living vicariously and being truly inspired by someone
89. run a half marathon within cut off time (i missed it by 3 minutes in my 1st and last attempt)
90. sew something i can wear in public

91. spend an entire day in pajamas
92. compete in something athletic or "manly" against a guy and win
93. make my own jam
 94. go to watch opera or  ballet Moscow City Ballet - Swan Lake - Sept 2012
95. be there for someone when they really need me to be there for them
96. resist the urge to untag myself in awful pictures of myself on Facebook -accept that i do look like that
97. bungee jump
98. white water raft 
99. stay awake for 24hours (went out, then stayed up to catch early flight, Aug 2012, Vietnam)
100. board a plane somewhere with just hand luggage

101. complete the items on this list :)

Homework: write your own list of 101 things to do in 1001 days - good luck

Blossoms

One of the many things Korea prides itself in, is the fact that they have 4 seasons. I am sure you are probably thinking I am crazy - of course every place on planet earth has 4 seasons, that is true. But Korea's seasons are far more distinct in nature than I have personally experienced back home.

In Korea, winter is winter; heavy snow falls in some parts of the country making for great ski resorts. In fact, the South Korean town of Pyeongchang has been chosen as the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Similarly, summer is characterized by super hot days, especially in my city, Daegu, which is infamous for its humidity (think Durban), this  coupled by about a month long monsoon season. Autumn is simply cool, calm and collected. The leaves begin to transform to warm tones of orange, red and brown, before giving in to the cold and disappearing altogether.  Hiking is most picturesque for me in this season, not only is it great exercise, you also get to enjoy the crunchy sound of the fallen leaves as you step on them (you know you like it).

But spring is probably my favorite. Probably because it marks the end of a bitter Korean winter. The rays of sunshine will put a smile on your face yet without the discomfort the heat of summer brings. But the highlight has to be the Cherry blossoms. These are just simply gorgeous and you can't not see God's glory in their beauty. They don't last very long (maybe a 3 week period) before turning green so capturing their beauty is a must. I was in 2 minds about posting these pictures since I don't feel my camera skills can do them justice but thought you deserve to see even just a glimpse of them.

See, told you they were gorgeous.

Ps: Happy 4th of July to my American friends - YES WE CAN

once upon a time

Can you believe it? Korea used to look like this....

 

Well, minus the electric wiring of course. Hanok is the name given to these traditional Korean houses pictured above. Catherine and I did a walking tour around this well preserved Hanok village in Seoul during our spring break earlier this year.  Now these houses are let out as guesthouses for those who want an authentic/ancient Korean experience. Well worth the visit whilst you are in the capital.

things i did this week

1. tried a new restaurant :) - after being here over a year, you start being a repeat offender so this is somewhat of an achievement
2. bought a 2nd 8th hand bicycle for 10 000 won (about R75)

3. watched madagascar 3 and literally laughed out loud - never too old for animated movies

4. also watched the Amazing Spiderman, needless to say it was AMAZING- love the big screen

5. went to an art gallery and enjoyed a delicious dinner afterwards with great company