Family Visit!

My parents just returned from visiting me! It was so much fun, but I'm sure the pictures speak for themselves. Definitely missed you out here, Eric! 

KOREA!

I'm so thankful that there was somebody to show me around while I was in Korea, or else I would've not had the slightest clue where to go and where to be. I know that every vacation is special and unique and it does no justice to compare, but... this one was definitely up there :)

Some things I learned about Seoul:

-Flushing toilet paper in the toilet is a no-no. The plumbing in the city can't sustain the hull if everybody in the city went and flushed TP down the toilet. Thus, you have to toss your business paper in a trash can. 

-Just like China, showers are usually connected to the sink which is also connected to the toilet, with no separations in between. I forgot that this was a thing not usually done in the states. 

-Public transportation freaking rules. I was there for a week, and I basically had the subway system mastered thanks to a trusty app and the fact that they repeat all the stops in English. The bus system was also good, although a little more difficult than the subway. All these forms of transportation, as well as the ability to pay for food and other random stuff could be done through a POPcard. It's like a debit card you load up which can be used on public transportation and other stuff. 

-Kpop idolatry is like a real thing. People literally worship these dude and dudettes and follow their every move. Moreso than I would even say American stars. It's like Michael Jackson: most people say there will never be a musician as widely adored by all walks of life. At least in Korea, Kpop stars are in that echelon, dictating what people eat, wear, etc. through their advertisements.

-I was well aware that Kpop stars themselves don't actually make a lot of money, and that their source of income is primarily through sponsors and such. What I was surprised to learn is that many have their own restaurants, and supporters of these stars go and eat at their restaurant almost as a direct act of support.

-Cosmetic surgery is a big thing, and people strut the bandages on their face as if it's not a big deal. Cuz out there, it's not really. I was told that Chinese people can take a tour called the "plastic surgery tour" and get plastic surgery and explore the sites. Crazy. So every time I saw a girl with double eyelids, I always wondered if they were real or fake lol.  

-The food is as legit as I thought it was going to be. 

-They have awesome socks. For awesomely cheap. 

-Despite the crowdedness, everybody for the most part was extremely polite to each other. My friends attribute it to the fact that they were occupied by Japan. At first I was like "that's messed up!" but then I thought about my time in Japan, and then it kind of made sense... The Japanese are pretty dang polite too. 

-They have the biggest Pentecostal church in the world, with over 1 million active members and 7 services containing over 20,000 people a service.

-A lot of people aren't happy with the Korean president and are still upset at the way the government responded to the Sewol Ferry incident, with protesters on big streets. 

-Korea is not too much cheaper than the states. As with any Asian country (at least the conclusion that I've come to), boutiques and foreign products are way more expensive. Their domestic products were a little cheaper, but not as cheap as I was expecting. The dollar doesn't take us as far anymore :(

Well that's only a snippet of the things I learned, enjoy the pictures!!

Hong Kong!

What can I say about Hong Kong

Simply an amazing experience. This is one of the few times that I traveled somewhere without the family, but this is indeed the first time I have done so in Asia!

It was great visiting with friends while out there, and this trip will definitely be a memory in my life that I always want to cherish. My first stop was Hong Kong, and although it's technically part of China, it was like being in a city China wanted to be. Although I was only here for a couple days, I still ended up going to a pretty fair amount of places. Here are some pictures of my time in Hong Kong! 

Almost to Asia!

In less than 3 days I will be on an airplane to Asia. More specifically, I will be on an airplane first to Hong Kong, and then to Korea!! Words truly can't describe the excitement that's in me right now!

No, it's not for missions or work or anything. It's simply to have fun, explore the people, sights, and foods, and to reunite with one of the two from the Spongebob gang (don't worry, we're pretty friendly). I have a friend who currently teaches out in Korea, so I'll be meeting her up on her vacation in Hong Kong and then going to Korea when she flies back. The trip is a week and a half long, and I'm looking forward to every minute of it. Well, maybe not the flights :)

The vacation days have been approved, the tickets have been bought, the living situation has been taken care of! All that's left is to play the waiting game... And let me tell you it's been quite a difficult game to play. Hopefully I'll be able to take a bunch of pictures while I'm there!

What am I looking to gain from this experience? Probably a few pounds. But in all seriousness, I thought about it and this may be one of the only times in my life where I can just pack up and go to a foreign place and be greeted with a familiar face who's lived there for a while! I'm 23, working a full time job, and saved enough where I can go ham without really thinking too much about being broke when I return. 

I'm beginning to realize being cheap on a vacation is the dumbest thing you can possibly do. You paid all that money to get to where you were going, so spend it on whatever you want to do! Money will come and go, but memories are forever. As cliche as that sounds, as I've been out of college longer and longer and in a job longer and longer, I realized that saving money is never worth forgoing a unique experience. Nobody brags about how much money they have on their deathbed, they'll more likely brag about how well they lived life, and talk about all the things they saw or did. 

So on that unexpectedly long thought, Asia, here I come!