Buddha's Birthday in Korea

Koreans like to think they have a lot of public holidays, but they really don't. Especially because if the holiday falls on a weekend, well that's a day lost - there's no day off in lieu on a Friday or Monday to make up for it. There's more on that here.

Well, on Monday it was Buddha's Birthday, or 부처님오신날 in Korean, which literally means "Buddha Came Day" and guess what? I got a day off! A whole day! So I was able to enjoy the glorious thing known as a three day weekend.

The streets of Daejeon are decorated with lanterns everywhere and, after seeing this photo of Donghwasa Temple in my former home, Daegu, by Deva of The Culture Muncher, I decided that I should get myself to a temple here in Daejeon for the day and go celebrate Buddha's birthday, the traditional Korean way.

5 Things I Wish I Could Tell My Boss

I've been living in Korea for almost three years now - June 23rd is my expat-aversary - and I have, for the most part, enjoyed my experience here.

Expat life has allowed me to change for the better as a person, and being able to navigate the often treacherous waters of life as an ESL teacher has allowed me to travel around this beautiful country, as well as visit destinations from Turkey to Taiwan to Sydney and Poland.

However, life isn't always easy and, in order to survive, you have to learn to put up with some less than ideal situations that you can only vocalise sincerely in the privacy of your own home or in a bar with like-minded expat friends.

I'm talking about the many, many things I would like to say - or would like to have said - to the two employers I've had in Korea to this date. I've refrained from doing so, and will more than likely end my current job with a cheery farewell, rather than a Bridget Jones-style ripping of my boss.

So accordingly, here's a list of grievances when it comes to my bosses in Korea, past and present. It's done on my blog because I'd like to keep my job as I'm saving up for my round the world trip next year.

That, and I'm too much of a chicken to say it to their faces.

Yuba Dabba Doo

Hello ladies and gentlemen! It's Friday again - time to wrap up the working week, get your party on, and salivate over a Foodporn Friday post right here.

Since I can't be everywhere in the world at once, especially not this year as I'm saving up for my RTW trip, I always welcome guest posts for Foodporn Friday.

This week's post comes courtesy of Caitlyn from Olympic Wanderings who, along with her backpack named Beast, is on a mission to see all of the world's Olympic sites. Original, huh? Me likey.

Caitlyn's subject matter this week is pretty divisive to say the least - tofu - but this kind of tofu even more so. After wonderful experiences in Korea with sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) and gut-wrenching experiences in Taipei with "stinky tofu", I'm on neither side of the fence when it comes to the stuff.

Yet without further ado, here's "yuba". Caitlyn, take it away...

Daecheon Beach

Korea isn't exactly known as a premier beach destination throughout the world, and for good reason. The vast majority of its beaches have nothing on places like Thailand, the Philippines, the Maldives and the like.

Yet, last weekend, Gil Dong and I decided to go to a beach for the day, for Korean beaches aren't that bad. They're just not in the same league as those of some of their Asian neighbours - well, unless you maybe count Jeju, but I've yet to go there so I can't judge.

Either way, pretty much any beach which isn't covered in seaweed or pebbles is impressive to me. I'm British after all, so I'm not a beach connoisseur unlike some Californians, Floridians and South Africans I've met before.

Give me sand, sea, and a lack of green gook and I'm pretty happy.

Daecheon, one of the most well-known West Sea beaches in Korea and less than 2 hours from Daejeon by bus, fit the criteria.

Why You Should Go To Language Exchanges

Learning a language yourself can be difficult to say the least. I've been learning Korean solidly since about November 2010, and have lost count of the number of times I've almost pulled my hair out whilst flinging a practice test paper across the room in frustration.

Luckily, Gil Dong has been able to help me out and encourage me, and has been my cheerleader, even making me take the TOPIK (Korean proficiency test) - I passed the beginner's level with an 87% average last April; not bad if I say so myself.

In preparing for the intermediate test, I hit a big block when I realised I couldn't understand pretty much anything on one part of the paper - the listening.

You see, I'm only used to Gil Dong's voice and, unfortunately, Gil Dong isn't employed as one of the silky voiced people that records their voice to be used in the listening section of the test.

However, I've found one thing to be pretty useful in improving my listening - and speaking, to boot. Language exchanges.