Sunday, July 29, 2012
Distant memory
These past weeks since the hongdae adventure has been so busy I feel like I'm back in college juggling multiple organizations and ending up inactive on some of them. Weekdays are work days and enday mode while weekends are org days. I barely manage to keep up that I missed out on jogging for days/weeks now until last friday. The thing is although I haven't stopped thinking about someone from time to time, it somehow feels as if it's now all part of a distant memory. It's almost as if it's beginning to be a thing of the past. Sometimes, I think we should have stayed as friends. It could have been better that way. Then again, if we did then I'd probably wouldn't be where I am right now. I like it here and now that the alternative appear to be more miserable than rewarding, friends or otherwise.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Don't tell my mother...
This is the story of how I got smashed "alone" and lived to tell the tale.
Hongdae or the area around Hongik University is known to be the young generation's go to place for the night life. Since the area is surrounded by 3 (as far as I can remember) universities, there are a lot of young folks here having a good time. And if you're going out on a budget, this would probably one of the cheap places to go to.
First off, do it like how most of them locals do. Start the night with a bottle or two of soju or maekju or combine them aka somaek over dinner (samgyeopsal is a popular menu).
I'm not really a fan of soju but it's strong enough for me to give me a buzz after a few shots. Once done, go around hongdae to find a bar of your choice. We found this BB bar that played my kind of dance music (the one I can bob my head to) in English. I thought the vibe was quite nice. Door charge costs around 10,000 KRW but I got in for free (not sure if it was ladies night). Then down a bucket cocktail (which didn't seem to have any alcohol in it) and some three or four shots of tequila. The bucket cocktail costs around 10,000 won and 6 shots of tequila was also the same. By this time, if you have a low tolerance like me, you are buzzed bordering on drunk enough to dance like crazy just as the bar started to get crowded before midnight. If you're pushy and unlucky, you'll find that you have a companion who downed prolly 9 shots of tequila in quick succession just to get that instant kick himself. After which, he'd get so drunk and will hit on you and start to try and kiss you. You don't mind much as you're having a good time just dancing the night away and settle on evading the crazy kid who somehow you're not surprised fell for your charms (no i'm not being proud because it's not really something to be proud of).You just think, this crazy kid is too immature and just a boy who didn't hear any word you said during dinner. You were obviously sending him signals that you're here to have some fun while still trying to fix your broken self up. No, you didn't plan on getting smashed to forget someone or because you got your heart broken. You just wanted to have be crazy/high and experience the night life elsewhere as you've done on your other assignments (ex. Austin's 6th street). By then, he would probably look to be too close for comfort and harassing you that the bouncers will come escorting your companion out of the club. Of course, while you still wanted so bad to keep on dancing and being chatty to foreign strangers in the club, you had no choice to stay with your companion.
Then, all hell breaks lose. For some odd reason, you are too drunk and high already while your companion is dead drunk puking and lying on the side street. You being the girl, who got so used to your friends taking care of you, end up having to take care of someone. But what can you do, you are high yourself. At that moment, you think you still know what's happening. You think you are still lucid. Then you can't tell the rest of the tale because the memory lapse starts. For all you can remember, you went around the streets of Hongdae by your lonesome self looking for your companion for two hours or so. You apparently lost him. You remember sitting on a step that's wet, embracing a door or gate. You remember talking to a handful of foreigners. You remember handing out your business card to a random friendly guy who probably thought you were hitting on them when in fact you were just too darn friendly and happy to be making acquaintances while talking in English. You have a natural tendency to turn into Oprah when drunk. You remember a group from South Africa. You remember some guy escorting you to his group of friends taking pity on your state. For some reason, all foreigners you talked to (the ones that speak English) are kind and did not prey on an obviously vulnerable drunk (probably high - I honestly can't tell) girl alone in the streets. When you finally give up and decide to go home, you crash a group of foreigners and randomly ask for their help to go home (approaching the girl in the group). Somehow, you know you were still having fun while at that state.
Then you wake up the next morning to find that you have two business cards from the taxi that took you home, that your business cards on your wallet are gone, that you half undressed, that you posted a status on facebook which you never do, that you checked in on foursquare. You know you almost drunk texted someone but thankfully you have deleted the number way back. Then the hangover hits you for a whole day after some delay just when you have been asked to report for work as well. That's my side of the story. It wasn't really that bad. It was actually fun and one for the books... until I learned what happened to my companion...
He was not that lucky and ended up getting robbed: his cellphone together with his cards, his watch and even his glasses. So while I know of someone who pretty much got dead drunk here as well but got back unscathed, it's still not that safe. I thank my lucky stars, my guardian angels and Him most especially for taking care of me. So as a friend said, it was a great experience though dangerous but I should not push my luck. So would I do it again? Maybe not anytime soon but probably in better company. :)
June 30. A crazy night in Hongdae indeed! You should try it once. (not necessarily in Hongdae and try for a little safer option)
Hongdae or the area around Hongik University is known to be the young generation's go to place for the night life. Since the area is surrounded by 3 (as far as I can remember) universities, there are a lot of young folks here having a good time. And if you're going out on a budget, this would probably one of the cheap places to go to.
First off, do it like how most of them locals do. Start the night with a bottle or two of soju or maekju or combine them aka somaek over dinner (samgyeopsal is a popular menu).
I'm not really a fan of soju but it's strong enough for me to give me a buzz after a few shots. Once done, go around hongdae to find a bar of your choice. We found this BB bar that played my kind of dance music (the one I can bob my head to) in English. I thought the vibe was quite nice. Door charge costs around 10,000 KRW but I got in for free (not sure if it was ladies night). Then down a bucket cocktail (which didn't seem to have any alcohol in it) and some three or four shots of tequila. The bucket cocktail costs around 10,000 won and 6 shots of tequila was also the same. By this time, if you have a low tolerance like me, you are buzzed bordering on drunk enough to dance like crazy just as the bar started to get crowded before midnight. If you're pushy and unlucky, you'll find that you have a companion who downed prolly 9 shots of tequila in quick succession just to get that instant kick himself. After which, he'd get so drunk and will hit on you and start to try and kiss you. You don't mind much as you're having a good time just dancing the night away and settle on evading the crazy kid who somehow you're not surprised fell for your charms (no i'm not being proud because it's not really something to be proud of).You just think, this crazy kid is too immature and just a boy who didn't hear any word you said during dinner. You were obviously sending him signals that you're here to have some fun while still trying to fix your broken self up. No, you didn't plan on getting smashed to forget someone or because you got your heart broken. You just wanted to have be crazy/high and experience the night life elsewhere as you've done on your other assignments (ex. Austin's 6th street). By then, he would probably look to be too close for comfort and harassing you that the bouncers will come escorting your companion out of the club. Of course, while you still wanted so bad to keep on dancing and being chatty to foreign strangers in the club, you had no choice to stay with your companion.
Then, all hell breaks lose. For some odd reason, you are too drunk and high already while your companion is dead drunk puking and lying on the side street. You being the girl, who got so used to your friends taking care of you, end up having to take care of someone. But what can you do, you are high yourself. At that moment, you think you still know what's happening. You think you are still lucid. Then you can't tell the rest of the tale because the memory lapse starts. For all you can remember, you went around the streets of Hongdae by your lonesome self looking for your companion for two hours or so. You apparently lost him. You remember sitting on a step that's wet, embracing a door or gate. You remember talking to a handful of foreigners. You remember handing out your business card to a random friendly guy who probably thought you were hitting on them when in fact you were just too darn friendly and happy to be making acquaintances while talking in English. You have a natural tendency to turn into Oprah when drunk. You remember a group from South Africa. You remember some guy escorting you to his group of friends taking pity on your state. For some reason, all foreigners you talked to (the ones that speak English) are kind and did not prey on an obviously vulnerable drunk (probably high - I honestly can't tell) girl alone in the streets. When you finally give up and decide to go home, you crash a group of foreigners and randomly ask for their help to go home (approaching the girl in the group). Somehow, you know you were still having fun while at that state.
Then you wake up the next morning to find that you have two business cards from the taxi that took you home, that your business cards on your wallet are gone, that you half undressed, that you posted a status on facebook which you never do, that you checked in on foursquare. You know you almost drunk texted someone but thankfully you have deleted the number way back. Then the hangover hits you for a whole day after some delay just when you have been asked to report for work as well. That's my side of the story. It wasn't really that bad. It was actually fun and one for the books... until I learned what happened to my companion...
He was not that lucky and ended up getting robbed: his cellphone together with his cards, his watch and even his glasses. So while I know of someone who pretty much got dead drunk here as well but got back unscathed, it's still not that safe. I thank my lucky stars, my guardian angels and Him most especially for taking care of me. So as a friend said, it was a great experience though dangerous but I should not push my luck. So would I do it again? Maybe not anytime soon but probably in better company. :)
June 30. A crazy night in Hongdae indeed! You should try it once. (not necessarily in Hongdae and try for a little safer option)
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Good life
I just got back from another awesome day/night and it is such a good feeling I have right now. It's been one adventure after another. More on those next time maybe when I have the time (teaser: photoshoots, crazy hongdae night, mannam, peak, etc.). Somehow I have this feeling that I'm back in college again and I am kind of wondering what happened between then and now. Of course, I've had several great and fun times especially with my college friends but I kind of feel that I missed out. Those lull moments in my life, should have been filled with moments like this before. I played safe and went with the flow too much I forgot how good I am in different aspects. But then again, without the triggers and the past to compare things with I wouldn't be able to tell. Now I am able to appreciate and see things in a whole different way especially when taking risks and embarking on adventures. I can do more and be more. I am just glad of the experiences so far. In time, I have to think more for the long-term (aka settling down) and the personal but while I'm still here might as well do more and live more - exerience life to the fullest. Everything really happens for a reason.
I hope this feeling would last because right now I am in love with life. I think I am actually starting to love it here. ❤
P.S. I still can't help but sing songs like long gone and moved on sometimes. Maybe there are things you just don't forget but it's all good.
I hope this feeling would last because right now I am in love with life. I think I am actually starting to love it here. ❤
P.S. I still can't help but sing songs like long gone and moved on sometimes. Maybe there are things you just don't forget but it's all good.
Sunday, July 01, 2012
love, life.
 |
| Nami island - May 2012 |
"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.
So. love the people who treat you right
and forget about the ones who don't.
And believe
that everything happens for a reason...
if you get a chance - take it;
if it changes your life - let it.
Nobody said that it would be easy...
They just promised it would be worth it."
Side note: Life changing indeed. Amazing how one can grow and evolve with the coalescence of events that time is immaterial. It has been 104 long days It's just been 104 days of South Korea but it's been the greatest teacher so far.
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