I spent the afternoon in near hysterics having realized that the way I applied for an absentee ballot was completely wrong for a citizen abroad. Once that was sorted, I ate a boring and healthy dinner due to the copious amount of cookies I had for lunch, and was joined by the Brazilian and the male Korean roommate. What a strange little family we are, I thought to myself at one point. The Korean asked me if I was from Miami since I said I was from Florida and Miami is a Florida city. “No,” I answered, feeling gleefully vindictive in a short and obvious reply. The Brazilian had made…

Even though Seoullites warned me repeatedly that I wouldn't understand the Busan accent, to my great suprise and accomplishment, I found it no more difficult to listen to a Gyeonsgang family playfully rib each other for 3 hours than any other Korean conversation. Which is to say, I understood as little of it as I do in every other Korean conversation I have.

I made a true American brunch for freshman and houseowner, complete with mimosas. The freshman appeared from her room in a long, high waisted skirt. “Are you going somewhere?” “To our brunch!” She replied to my utter delight. Someone who enjoys themes, excellent! I can’t often cook for other because iconic American dishes require an oven so it’s always a high point when I can share a little piece of home.

After a conversation where I answered “where are we meeting again” four times too many, I finally wrangled a third of the class to meet in person. The first to arrive was the German who towered over our handshake at six foot seven. Our Uzbek classmate with theee Chinese students were next, then the round faced Chinese boy who is adorable and sweet in every way sat down, and last to arrive was my hot pot classmate from last weekend. We talked in a mix of Korean, English, and Chinese for two hours: we complained about our test, we talked about representative foods from our countries, I explained that America…

I powered through another 4 hours of online class, just barely, and on the advice of my nutritionist tried to take a breather. She explained to me that our body does not differentiate the type of stress we experience– physical, mental, emotional– and it’s all coded the same. Therefore powering through or “pushing through the pain” will only cause your stress bucket to overflow. With that in mind, I haven’t worried so much about making it to the gym. I already follow a fairly regulated eating plan and walk 2 to 6 miles a day. If I’m adding cups of stress to the bucket, the cups this week have been…

For thirteen hours I traveled. For thirteen hours I was in and out and on and off public transportation, all so I could get that one magical item that unlocks just about everything in Korea. As you know, I had to apply for my D10 visa in Seoul and for reasons unclear to me, I was also required to return to Seoul to pick it up. No mailing options available. Plane tickets were both fastest and cheapest so for 40,000 won (about $30) I bought a round-trip ticket to Seoul. Domestic flying is very straightforward in Korea and Busan check-in plus security took less than five minutes, then I was…

I thought nothing could top the faux fur-lined crocs of a monk riding the subway but I was proven wrong. A young man was decked from head to toe in Gucci: ugly green and red sneakers, a GG tracksuit, a Mickey Mouse Gucci T-shirt which calls into so many questions the business relationship between the two, and a Gucci cap. He also had a bag slung across his shoulder and by the red and green straps I knew that too was Guccci. He had glasses but I’m not hip or rich enough to tell if they were a local buy. His two friends were in brandless gym clothing though one…