HBO's Girls

Just like I am with every other TV show, I was pretty late catching onto this. In fact, I'd listened to person after person mention it, and it was only last Tuesday, whilst waiting for the new Walking Dead episode, that I decided to watch it, and it only took my a week to finish watching the whole two seasons.

I have to say, I cringed my way through the first two episodes, thinking that it was trying so desperately to be pretentious. It was only after the main character, Hannah Horvath, meets with her ex boyfriend in the third episode that I really fell in love with it. I realised that consciously trying to be cool was what Hannah's character was all about, which although flawed ans self centered, made it impossible not to watch.

My favourite character is Adam, who's like a creepy, psychotic BFG. But behind his big ears and floppy fringe, he's probably the most honest and logical out of them all. A close second is the prissy Soshana who seems to live her life exactly as if it was contained within the pages of some glossy magazine.

The first season was a mix of Sex in the City and Skins, with an amazing soundtrack. Something that shouldn't work but really did. Whilst the second season was a lot darker, melancholy and at some times pretty hard to watch, but as you viewed the character's and their relationships you'd grown to love slipping away, it became harder and harder to turn it off.

I don't know how well boys would react to this, I can't see them enjoying all the period talk and how Hannah refers to her own body, the fights over who said what and did this, but overall, Nick seemed to approach it with indifference!

Does anyone else watch it? Who's your favourite character?

Here's my favourite scene of the first season:

Currently...

                    I got this blog inspiration from one of my favourite blogs, Sometimes Sweet.

I'm currently...

Thinking alot about my Grandad. I've just been told he's in the hospital at the moment. I really hope that he is feeling a little brighter soon and might be able to make it home. It's times like this that it's tough being so far away from home.

Watching this weekend we went to watch the The Amazing Spiderman. It wasn't as good as I had hoped, although I loved Andrew Garfield in it, and I'm a massive fan of Emma Stone too, although i think she should bring back the red or dark barnet.

Obsessing over watching the next season of The Wire. I know I'm slow on the uptake of it, the first season is 10 years old now, but I loved every minute of it and I can't wait until I get the time to watch Series 2. Also if you see my previous post I'm still obsessing over Stumbleupon and Pinterest!

Eating Werther's Original with a creme filling. They're immense. All thanks to the lovely Leigh. You should read her blog Doll Parts. I also had the most amazing pizza at a restaurant in Seomyeon, just near American Apparel and can't wait to eat there again.

Looking Forward to starting Korean classes next Monday. It'll be nice to actually be able to do some basic things in Korean, although every day I find that i'm understanding more and more. I'm also looking forward to trying a few more jimjilbangs in the next couple of weeks after a luxurious trip to Spa Land again on Sunday night. Also the weekend, summer break and the Boryeong Mudfest in a few weeks.

Laughing about the fact that we're still such a novelty at Korean clubs. This weekend we went to the Club Fix Lounge in Dongnae where very few other foreigners venture. As soon as we walked in the girls gathered around us and if anything the difficult conversations we have in broken English are endearing. One girl that took a particular shining to us kept thrusting this strange flashing red baton into our hand and trying to shove us onto the tiny stage. She also got the help of her male friend to try and pick me up and put me on the stage when i refused, which only ended very messily as i flailed so much he dropped me and I managed to kick my shoe off across to the other side of the room...By the end of the night it was funny to see the girls peering off over our shoulder and looking very doey eyes toward the guys, I think they may have been after a few English classes!

Reading One Day by David Nicholls. I'm a bit mixed on this, I saw the movie before I saw the book, so I think knowing what's going to happen in the book means I'm not 100% motivated to finish it, yet at the same time want to get it done so that I can move onto the long reading list I have building up.

Perplexed by the fact my purse turned up yesterday. It had been in the boys toilets at school for the last two weeks, and when I looked inside, absolutely everything was still there. Very strange if you ask me...

Spring

It finally feels like Spring has arrived in Korea - and thus my hunt for a camera has begun! I promised that by the end of the year I would have saved for an SLR, but I've decided I want to take photos of everything I'm seeing for the first time with it, and therefore want it before the cherry blossom comes out. If anyone has any suggestions then please help!

We've seen some really amazing things this weekend, Gwangali Beach that's in the shadow of the prettiest bridge I've ever seen, Busan Tower and it's tranquil gardens, and not to mention the finale of Gossip Girl Season 1! But I think Busan Tower might turn out to be one of my favourite places to go, I loved how all the old folk seemed to congregate there on the steps and play board games together, and how you feel a million miles away from the jam packed, noisy streets below. (Also the fact you get up there on the elevator appealed to my lazy side!).

Add to that a good night out on Saturday, ridiculously cheap nail art pens that means i can draw sickly pink bows on my nails, and a can of cherry coke, and this weekend turned out to be another good one.

Undoubtedly, the weekend always comes around so quick, but it's over even quicker and I think we both still get Sunday night blues here, which makes it easier to think about the things you miss at home, I would kill for a brew made in a tea pot right about now. But there's still so much to look forward to as well, my first roller derby practise next week with ROKD is probably my favourite at the moment!

One Week in Korea

Broken computer = sad faces// Beautiful Korea. Wonderful Immigration//
Fixed computer= happy faces// Tash with Teachers Hannah and Jinny//
Lampost// Busan City Tour// Unimpressed with the tour.

Today is a pretty important day for us, it marks the end of our first week in Busan! Undoubtedly there have been ups and downs as we sort things out, but today has been a good day.

We have been ferried about by our supervisors alot since Monday; to the bank to set up accounts, to the immigration office to finish the final paperwork, and to the hospital to check that we are both in working order.
It feels like we have spent ALOT of time stood around waiting for things, which  means we have had alot of time to observe. My favourite four observations so far are:

1. There seems to be this unspoken pressure that people feel at certain times that makes them do an odd shuffle/dad run. This happens mostly across roads (the drivers will not wait for you if you haven't made it to the other side of the road when the green light appears) and in queues- it's as if they are worried to miss their turn, so when they are called forward, they will run to the counter. Strange. What's even stranger is you find yourself starting to feel the pressure as they shuffle past you, and you start to feel like you should do it too.

2. We spotted a man the other day who was wearing a very smart pinstripe grey suit, shiny black shoes, a crisp white shirt...and these really thick, fuzzy, thermal, purple and pink socks.

3. It also seems as though the highway code doesn't apply to motorcyclists, who are able to switch between driving on the pavement and the road at will. They are particularly partial to using pedestrian crossings to change direction, rather than having to do something as mediocre as use a turning. They also sometimes like to multi task and fling business cards at people whilst they drive down the pavement.

4. How robust the children are here. I have seen at least three children fall down the stairs as they run to get a quick look at us. I've seen numerous kicks, punches and trips and one particular fall ended in a young boy doing a barrel roll down the corridor, before he leapt up to reassure  us that he was fine.

The novelty of us hasn't worn off with the students yet - today I have had a female student profess her love for me, and another class gather around me whilst taking pictures to show their friends.

The language barrier has been a little daunting and confusing at times. In the hospital on Tuesday we had to undress and put these kimono-esque robes on before an Xray. I went first so hesitantly stepped into the room. The nurse couldn't really speak much English but managed to show me that I needed to stand facing a screen. She then wrapped her arms around me from the back and kind of tugged, so thinking I understood her charades perfectly, I disrobed, only to notice her frantically swinging her arms around and taking deep breaths.  It turned out that she wasn't hyperventilating - she was just asking me to take a deep breath...ooops.

Amongst all of this we managed to fit in a Busan Night Tour. Although it wasn't great as the tour guide spoke in Korean, it was worth it just for the views. We drove across the Gwangan bridge and then up a mountain to an observatory. From the deck the view of Busan below was amazing. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Busan at night this weekend.

We're celebrating our 1 week anniversary with a Gossip Girl marathon, so this is M & N signing out. xoxo

Gwangan Bridge