well since Gin left, I have decided to rest at home for the weekends ahead and even decided that I sleep the whole day today but it seems like I am not unable to sleep past 12. sigh. WHY!
So anyways, during her trip here we visited a few places and one of then was the world's 10th largest zoo and WOAH it was like BIG. More like it was a park with animals. So anyways, we reached the zoo somewhere 3 and left 7.30PM because it was too dark to see anything!
The radio broadcast declared early autumn which should explain why it dims up so quickly. We used to have bright clear skies at 8PM! Shanna and I used to have dinner by looking at the sky pfft, when it turns grey-ish then we start making dinner so back then we used to make dinner at 8.30PM. Pfft.
So anyways, the Zoo! It was located near the Seoul Amusement Park (which I never knew existed!!) that the movie My Sassy Girl and I was filmed (had no idea about that too!) and Yui who came along wanted to go but since the zoo was claimed 10th largest we had obviously no time because it closes at 6.30.
"Bank Tree" I widened my eyes at this and thought for a moment if there's really money sigh.
zoo statues.
they were filming a drama teehee. don't know the casts names though.
I don't plan to post pictures of the animals because you can always see them at http://obs3ssionsz.net (Ginny's blog) after perhaps, 1-2 months later. And the pictures are all of me because her camera can have this super cool manual setting of timer shots so all the pictures that have both of us in it is in her camera.
Then we when to the palace of scandals (Changdeokgung Palace). Wanted to get in before this with the aunt and my grandmother when they came but its a good thing we didn't because it was so big and huge it was horrible. No wonder they ut tneeded horses to travel.
But it was really beautiful in the palace. So green, full of trees and pavillions. And it means more place to take pictures!
The whole time we were struggling with the audio guide we had that was supposed to have GPRS and would automatically guide and explain the buildings to us but our numbers always didn't synchornize so we ended up talking and pointing at the wrong things pfft.
If you notice, there's quite a number of pictures with Ginny in the front. Why? "Nat, I seriously don't want to be here when it turns dark!"
That was after I told her that I think this is the palace where the painting of the palace wives moves at night pfft.
Denied Entrance
omg how did she get up there I didnt even notice =="
gancheong waiting for me to finish taking pictures to finish the supposingly 3.7km trial. I think we ended up with 5km. Tak follow guide lah.
kang kang queen
why got fire hose in traditional palace TEEHEE
I insist that this is the Mason from "Baby and I"!
hot like !@$!$R!#$
see!
"Gin, come take pictures for me" "Orh" *stand into position* "=.=" *snaps* "But hor, I said take picture for me" "Har? AIYAH can lah"
out of all days, she decided to make up on the day I didn't. and to top it off I was wearing specs and our outfit totally clashed. She was teatime I was sporty that was completely contradictory to my sporty-ness. Sigh.
our chilly cheese fries. that had beef scruffs T_T yummy rascal.
Was supposed to walk to Gin's place right after class, but she decided to come even for the last day to use the internet although it was already 5 hours before her flight.
So when I met her she decided that we look for the fish spa that I kept talking about (since it was RM6). So after lunch and all the dilly deleh it was already 2 and the branch near us had it's spa thing broke down the day before (what luck!) so we took a bus to the nearest branch (5 minutes away) and found out way there while waiting for Sunny to come.
So after the thing ended, we realised we were only 3 hours away from the departure of her flight and we were supposed check in 2 hours ahead. Yet, we were stuck in the middle of a RM6 FISH SPA with Ginny's luggage UNDONE and the room looking like a BIG MESS and with NO IDEA how to get to the nearest airport limousine station.
It was 4. We were STILL in Sinchon. 2 hours away. Still looking for the bus.
4.30, found bus.
5.30 Arrival at airport *phew*
6.00 Check in
6.15 BYE BYE
wth. damn exciting right.
the whole time she was checking in i trembled like crazy because she brought like 2 boxes of Krispy Kreme and this big box of peaches for her dad and its for handcarry and her luggage was so damn heavy I KNEW it was going to exceed given limit (20kg).
Turned out 21.7 KG! or something like that. My eyes widen like this OO and was like OMG OMG OMG HOW FEW MINUTES BEFORE PLANE TAKE OFF AND THIS?!?!?! Then the counter was nice enough to let her through.
So she walked in with her both hands occupied by the box and her passport slipped in the box wth wth.
PAIN AR PAIN!!! !@$@#$%!@%@!%! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I ACTUALLY BOTHERED CHECKING THE PAPER AGAIN AFTER ANSWERING BECAUSE I USUALLY BELIEVE THAT LOOKING THROUGH IT WILL LEAD TO STUPID EDITS THAT WILL CAUSE YOU TO LOSE MARKS!
I DID IT LIKE 5 MINUTES AGO AND I LOST LIKE MAYBE WHAT...10 MARKS?!?!?!?!?!?!?
!#$!%$! WHY DID KOREANS HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF SPEECHES FOR THE OLD AND THE YOUNG! I HATE OLD SPEECH!! :(
on a brighter note, the paper was quite alright. :/
am right outside my class and have arrived 1o minutes earlier than usual.
the textbooks I have flipped through and found nothing hard but I know the exam is going to be something else.
the teacher has just walked into my class.
time for frowns and head scratches.
this or that to use informal or formal speeech.
we're the only class that's having an exam today. it was supposed to be tomorrow.
got up at 7.15 this morning to study for my exam that I'm going to sit for in 2 hours. Initially wanted to study last night but I waited fourty stupid minutes for the bus to get home and finally got fed up and took a CAB. but when I got in, and it travelled a little further the bus was RIGHT BEHIND ME.
suddenly at that point I got so tired of eveerything, went home, took a shower and slept.
will see how the exam goes.
i think ill spend my whole month at home next month pfft.
ill be stressing out for the week for finals and that marks like the end of my need to revise and stuff but it's also exactly the day Ginny leaves.
so much for us wanting to go to breakout far from the city.
and then its application time for undergraduate and God knows what the future has in store for me.
very exhausted. not from the trips and stuff but from all the unseen vibes. dilemma's fall right into the holes where they seep into.
a Malay walked into us today, to ask for directions. before she could speak, I asked if she was Malaysian. Turned out she was attending a Chicken University that lectres on chicken chains, and will have a chain store of BBQ Chicken that Ginny is like 20% in Korea for in Tesco/Jusco.
Talk about coincidence. Out of the thousands of people in the subway. Why us
That leads to Ginny imagining about her chicken discounts. or maybe a revival of her potato side dish since she gave a feedback. Life is just so funny.
Have been really breezy these days, I guess its how Korea wants to welcome sick Ginny who's been here for about 2 days now. The weather has slightly changed to a positive side, but nobody knows what will happen.
Contrary to what Ginny has to say in her blog, I did not lead her to a far way like how she described in her blog! Imagine being on a budget and taking a cab would already cost you RM10 at basic fee and I wouldn't want to make her spend her money on the cab since she's on low budget! So wouldn't walking be the MOST MOST MOST logical thing to do.
And I didnt expect the rain to come and even if I did, I don't see how she can get to me without walking, and not taking a taxi at the same time.
and her idea of an easier way that was led by a nice friend of mine was that THEY TOOK A TAXI!. so OF COURSE it was an easier way pfft and the taxi of course took a LONGER way where the cars are supposed to go and if you actually walked it cuts like half the road!
it takes 15 minutes for me to walk from the subway to the university and another 10 minutes from the main gate to my campus. perhaps im used to it and we, who reside here don't think its anything already.
So hope everybody who thinks I'm making Ginny suffer in purpose gets the idea. There wouldn't be two sharp points on a knife! Save money = walk = HARD WAY!
here's the room I found for her to stay in for just RM 160 per week!
the bed area one floor above
from the wide window
But anways Ginny and I was conned to a Seoul Food Festival that had NO FOOD. We transited like 3 times, searched and walked until we came upon a police station so I decided to go in to ask for directions but it so happened there was an exhibition going on and we were allowed to put on police costumes! :O :O :O
So after spending like 30 minutes there we walked out and finally got our directions and headed to the festival.
More like the food testing was over and there was only alcohol testing left. So we sadly walked out, and walked to BonJook, one of the porridge outlets that Gin recognized from Hartamas when some museum far left caught our eye with all the litten enormous lanterns.
just for display PFFT
me like horses. me scared of crazy horses.
and this is Ginny who is sick and we've been eating porridge the whole day.
She has a funny porridge story to share but I'll leave it to her to tell youuu. Teehee. I love porridge. Korean porridge, for that concern
If you guys haven't read Ginny's, I'm here to tell you that she or actually her mom has decided to RANDOMLY buy her a ticket to fly over after she requested to come that led both our expectations to a big NO from the beginning.
but one happy evening, I was browsing the internet and saw her message in my cbox that she's coming and stuff like that. and from that moment, i think we both panic like crazy.
for her safety, for her language, for her directions, etc etc.
and because it's fully book she cannot but only come TOMORROW. and TOMORROW is one of my most important days in school cause I have debate and a marriage survey to present as they all count into my finals!!
and I don't have alot of Corean friends (or maybe none) who're not in high school so they cannot pick her up as well!
So I sent her a subway map in hope she can find her way with her ability to read English! Pfft. Hallelujah korean subway has english broadcasters and english names for their stations. Well, since she is refusing to take the cab because it will cause her 200 ringgit.
and shes hasnt even start packing. her check in is like 3 hours fmro now. T_T
and im so sad. :( one of my favorite actors passed away huhu .
not trying to catch on a soul, but a shadow. knowing that what i try to run after, is something that would vanish in a few years. in fact, its a surprise it still exists. that shadow that I am no longer able to see often.
maybe I haven't appreciated this shadow to its fullest.
This shadow, has always been of a bright colour but now that I see it again, it has turned into a colour thats glooming into a shade of darkness.
orange, green, brown, grey,...black.
this wasn't the shadow that picked up my puzzles when I was 7. this wasn't the shadow that was terrified whenever I made cheese breads. this wasn't the shadow that cleaned up after my wee when I was 4 right outside the bathroom after running in circles, unable to hold my bladder. this wasn't the shadow that hid the canes from the others. this wasn't the shadow that made me dinner every Saturday. this wasn't the shadow that I left 5 months ago.
perhaps it is the same shadow, but it has formed into one so weak that its hardly recongisable.
it used to be so healthy, so green I could never catch up when we're having walks. it used to be orange, red, and all colours that were fresh and bright. it used to be an energized soul.
it is now a tired shadow. one so weak, trying to meet the expectations of many. it used to always cling arms with others, but now, in fear of slowing others down, it prefers to walk alone..
far, far, behind.
it has now eyelids drooping from weak muscles, hanging from the fraining wrinkles.
it walked into my house, checking the house to see if it was safe, the air if it was fresh. it ran its fingers through my clothes, finding every chance to clean after me like it used to, folding everything unfolded, even the dirty laundry. it silently entered my room, ran its fingers along the wall of my room, looking in silence, whispering to itself. I suspect it was praying.
I looked from outside.
Everybody was out here chatting, what was it doing in my room?
The cab service called. It bid me goodbye thinking it was time to go. It stuffed vitamins, plasters, sewing kids, pain killers into my hands. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
I walked it to the premium cab, that was the only thing available at that time of the night. It bid another last goodbye.
If only.
If only.
If only.
with my crossed fingers,
If only.
That was a goodbye that I could hear, again, and again.
It was only when the cab took its corner, that it finally kicked in. She was already 80. This grandmother that I know I have to cherish.
so much as changed since the day I last saw her in KL.
Well I'm all alone at home in the middle of the Ghost Festival which isn't supposed to exist in Korea so I decided to look up for all the places to go in Korea as my aunt and grandmother's arriving tomorrow morning. But before I actually GO to these places, I wouldn't want to post them up here for recommendation so we'll see how it goes. I have about 23 places in my list where I plan to take them to in within 5 days.
But I doubt we'll succeed.
So also upon request, since I am lonely pfft, here are some things you want to know about Korea.
1. The 'A' thing/We Got Married variety show
Due to the latest variety program that's ALL THAT in Korea called "We Got Married" (우리결혼했어요) this "A" thing which was originally "PEACE" is the latest picture perfect pose to accessorize the snap.
As you see in the picture above, the guy one the right Crown J was the one who started the trend through this reality show where the program puts 8 celebrities who were strangers from the start to form 4 couples and act like they're married. Every episode they will be given new missions to accomplish as husband and wives.
Initially it was really boring as they kept taking in new celebrities but now the final four has been set and the best is yet to come! For those who have already been watching it, which couple do youu like best!!
Teehee, I'm the picture perfect couple's fan. You know who. *winks* So addicted to the show, and if you're a fan of them too..join here
Casts in reality program
Andy (Shinhwa) vs Solbi (Typhoon) - the cute Seo In Young (Jewelery) vs Crown J - the sassy Alex (Clazziquai) vs Shin Ae (actress) - the romantic Hwang Bo vs Hyun Joon (SS501) - the random
2. Mnet Countdown
I get in every.single.time.
Teehee.
Well, more like I'm supposed to be able to get in pfft. Everybody is granted access!
This broadcast allows the public to get into the filming studio for free as we are the "props" for the show. From here the public would be able to see all the famous up and rising stars up close, furthest at about 100 metres nearest at 30 metres.
I've been there one too many times I've seen all the people i hungered to see already. (hint)Lee Hyo Ri(hint)
Big Bang's TOP.
Uhm Jung Hwa doing her D.I.S.C.O
we sat at the FURTHEST row. this was only due to school holiday. kids queuing up since morning. normally we can arrive 10 minutes before entrance and still sit 5th row pfft.
3. The bowl hair cut
Thanks to celebrities, this haircut is now taking over Seoul. @_@
I remember how one of my friend had this haircut by mistake and everybody laughed at her for looking like a mushroom. It's not too much of an eye candy to me. Celebrities can bring it, face the fact...celebrities arent mortals.
Teehee.
4. Music culture.
walk on the streets and find 68% of the people walking with earphones listening to whatever they're listening.
As a matter of fact, half of the people on the streets who are senior citizens, is part of the culture as well. Some with big headphones like this. Reminder : old people.
Cannot imagine them listening to 30 Second To Mars or Big Bang. pfft.
cap from "We Got Married" credits to Luv from soompi
5. The DSLR cam country. Yeah.
Nobody uses a digital camera here.
Really.
Well, more like 20%.
There's always a DSLR camera hidden in the sling bags of the y0unger generations of Seoul. If you get to a place called Gwang Hwa Mun there'd be just about a DSLR everywhere you look at because there are too many picture worthy buildings and scultpures around the place. Surprisingly, youngsters actually ADMIRE these things here.
In subways or restaurants, there's bound to be at least ONE couple taking pictures of each other and nobody actually cares anymore pfft.
A digital camera is no longer cool. Huhu.
Not even with fake diamond stickers like mine.
6. Crazy Random People. When I first saw these random people I was so shocked I was sweating cold sweat and was shaking like maad.
There are always these random people in the subway, sitting in the middle of the aisle, laughing and shouting to themselves. Mostly senior citizens who most probably got too bored at home. They would go around talking about God and telling the people how funny and ugly they look and walk off pfft.
There's also the type of people where they get all drunk and come staring you straight into your eyes, trying to scare you. They would come and tell the youngsters to give way to the senior citizens, sing trot, lie on the subway aisle, glue their faces on the window and salivate the door.
It sounds really scary but once you're here for 5 months or more, it's just another funny man.
Best thing? They dont disturb you. Even if they do,there's always someone around to help you out.
But. Normally when such person comes into the subway, Nobody remains in that tube unless its crowded.
Teehee.
7. Drinking culture
Possibly the most active activity of Koreans.
Malaysians start 11PM. Koreans start 4PM. Malaysians end 3PM. Koreans end 5.30AM. Malaysians have mamak. Koreans sleep on roadsides.
Malaysians mess leaves uncleaned next 2 days. Koreans mess gets squeaky clean the very next morning.
Teehee that's Lee Hyo Ri famous for her body. One of the most down to earth celebrity anyway!
8. What in the world is "SORRY"? It's kind of unfair to generalize this one as the younger generations are slowly picking up but if its your first few days in Korea and you keep getting pushed and brushed passed without being apologized at, welcome to Korea.
This vocabulary is so seldomly phrased it can actually become extinct in this world of kimchi. I went to a lecture about the culture of Korea and found out that they apparently see the whole country as a family who knows each other and being apolegetic is not nessacary. And if one apologizes to the other, it sort of means they are of a lower position in the society.
O__o
How is that. LOL.
9. Gender Inequality
Yeah they still have this unspoken rule that female and males shouldnt sit together if they're strangers pfft.
Or thats what I think.
From my observation @ the subways, they ALWAYS do this I
Initially I thought it was so rude of them to do so because it somehow meant the other party had body odour or that that person was ugly pfft.
Soon I got to know that only the same gender should sit together.
(light turns green) Nat : Come lets only step on the white lines. Black is death. Sam : Wow thats fun!
she was complaining about the insects pfft.
it was one of a weekend I had.
so worned out I got up an hour late, missed first period today and still didnt get to open my eyes. Went for a rooftop party Saturday night and soju-ed all the way playing games (which I totally WASNT good at). We left about 11PM and went to some place where we could chill out. Crystal had a dorm curfew so we left the place, sent her home, and walked around at the park near Sam's house. I decided to sleepover so we could hung out late, well because we were heading to Carribean Bay the next morning as well.
When we got home it was already way past midnight so we (I mean I) took our (my) shower and went to bed. Woke up about 8 the next morning as we had to meet Shanna up at 11 so that we could get to Carribean together by bus.
Spent the whole day in Carribean, had fun riding the WAVES!! , got washed down under at first, but we played long enough to float above the wave teehee. It was sooo fun!
So now story done. Pictures.
up the rooftop It was an especially beautiful place but it was a shame we had to get down by 9PM
absolutely a cool suite! That's me showing Ronnie how to do the pout with Jin observing in silence.
and he learns, and modifies. pfft
Reminder : We are cool people!
Ash??, Ronni, Vick, Brian.
The girls having a cuddling moment. Allisa(green) was so drunk she invited a bunch of people to go party, took the cabs together heading down to where the clubs were, and when they arrived, she stared at the people getting down from the cab and claimed "OMG I think I have to get home", closed the door and left pfft. So everybody went home. pfft.
I told you about the "A" pose!
Jasmine, Ronni, Eric, Ash??
Just when we were about to leave
Sam and Brian who I thought looked alot like Nick the brother.
the next morning at 9 for breakfast. the restaurants were all closed and i was SO hungry for kimchi stew.
Welcome to Carribean!
companies of the day
apparently if you wanna play in the water you have to cover your head pfft
the people waiting for the WAVES!!
pfft why am i not sunshined on!
the warm sauna. I got down just to take a picture and ran out a second after. TOO WARM for such a sunny day.
Same is crazy. She literally went to EVERY warm pool available.
admiring the sun pfft we are so reserved like that
Me : I want to have a picture with the lifeguard! (I have a respect for female lifeguards!) Me : Excuse me, can I have a picture with you? Lifeguard : (stares sternly) (looks at pool) Me : (looks back) Lifeguard : I have to take guard of the people in the poo. So if you want one, do it quick Me : Alright! *in awe for dutyship*
self timer
yeay have good shower pfft
look at all the bubble chi's around me!
raindrops are falling on my head~
one of the cutest kids there!
my kangkang position looking for a best spot pfft
turned out BEST spot = cannot see pfft
look at the skeleton far right! It pours every 2-3 minutes so fun!
waiting for it to pour!
NOW!!
it was really chilly!
sandy beaches
just for the pictures.
trying to immitate this picture I had when I was younger with goggles pfft
oh my god i cannot believe i will come through such a day.
my brother calls me the iron head, i call him the same too.
i was having my dinner, noodles and soup. when suddenly some insect came flying into my direction, i caught side of it and before I got the chance to react, it hit me straight on the head and i actually FELT its hit.
I guess it was such a "crash" for it, and LITERALLY bounced off the head and landed on my soup.
I used to have an issue.I had a problem with my hair.Pfft.Anyways, just incase you don't know my hair's naturally wavy so I used to have alot of complaints about it being really messy so one day I decided to iron it and it slowly became something I started to do anually. It's been a long time since I ironed my hair but oh well that's not the issue.So way before I decided to straighten my hair, I always pulled my hair back into a ponytail and the I will always look like this.
see the issue yet?
I always had this few strands of baby hair sticking out of my side swept hairs and back then I was in Form One or Two so I was very afraid that looking "crazy" would attract enemies involve myself into a fight or like how it happened in high school movies.So everytime it stuck out I get very scared and quickly sweep and stick it other my side swept hair so that it pressures the part hoping it doesnt stick out again. But it always happens, again and again after 15 minutes. Thinking back, I am more than embarrased for having such thoughts but...
Anyway I had a friend who I appointed to ALWAYS look out for that few strands of hair and asked her to do me a favour by telling me each time it sticks out. If I were this friend back then I'd box me right into my face and tell me off for being so self conscious.
What touched me was that she knew it was actually NOTHING to worry about she still gave did me a favour. She kept telling me it was fine but I was always insisted that IT ISN'T FINE!! and that I'd get in trouble etc etc etc.
Pfft. Don't ever watch high school movies if it's your first year. You over react pfft.
So, there was this one time I forgot to sweep it in because I was so hungry so I went straight to the canteen and since the menu of the day can only be bought AT THE FAR END of the open air section of the canteen, we had to walk pass 40-50 tables where more than 200 senior would be sitting so everytime I walked pass I always looked down on the floor and walked as fast as I can so that I won't get in trouble pfft.
So anyways, that one day I was rushing to the canteen but there were already all the people there and halfway through that DEATH ALLEY (thats what I called it back then pfft) I suddenly stopped and turned to this faithful friend of mine and exclaimed "OH MY GOD!! MY HAIR IS STICKING OUT!!!!!!! RIGHT!!!!! OHMYGOD!!! HOW!!!!!!?!"Her reaction was what made me stop fussing about that bunch of baby hair ever since.It wasn't like she said something rude or anything.
She stared at me. Got shocked herself. Took a deep breath. "No it's alright Nat. It's alright dont worry." "Your hair isn't sticking out"
And for some reason, her telling me that my HAIR isn't sticking out suddenly made me feel like such a fool and I also realized that all this fuss was just for a FEW STRANDS OF CURLY HAIR.it was also at that time when I felt that this friend was SOMEONE to actually be able to handle such pathetic gaga of mine. But anyways, I ate my Menu Of The Day and never bothered about the hair again.
(I NEVER GOT IN TROUBLE TOO!!):D :D :D
but what most ironic was, I involved myself into a huge quarrel with at least 20 boy seniors because of this friend in the canteen which made quite a scene and am really impressed with my courage because we were the only girls. It was totally unplanned but despite my fear for all these seniors, I was suddenly very angry at them for picking on this special friend of mine so I had to confront them.
Then, I found out that seniors weren't ALL THAT I pictured them to be. And I felt more pathetic about the hair issue since.
Natalie Chai.
I live an ironic life, ending up with things that I usually do not choose. My life evolves around an extremely limited number of things; the unimaginable. I have fear for the ungreat.
from 2 months ago
"Bank Tree"
zoo statues.
they were filming a drama teehee.
If you notice, there's quite a number of pictures with Ginny in the front. Why?
Denied Entrance
gancheong waiting for me to finish taking pictures to finish the supposingly 3.7km trial.
kang kang queen
why got fire hose in traditional palace TEEHEE
I insist that this is the Mason from "Baby and I"!
hot like !@$!$R!#$
see!
our chilly cheese fries.
