Life in the ROK

Quite simply, life in the ROK rocks my world. Everyday there is a million new little things I discover and love. I'm convinced there is no where like Korea on Earth. I honestly can't even keep up with all the awesome. So today, some summarizing show and tell:

New experience: Techno club with Koreans!

New word: Jinjilbang - the name of a fantastic spa experience in ROK. You strip down and play in hot and cold pools with other nudies. There are also fountains, saunas and cleansing facilities. To be followed with a beer and a round of air hockey. (Canadians always win ;) )

Discovered a little bit of Paris in Seoul

Celebrated Canada Day with two of 

my favorite Americans!

And then...the beach race!

All kinds of fun happening on the beach!

Next time I want to fly too!

Canadians are the kind of crazy that dive in the ocean

fully clothed.

Four new friends...bicycle built for four...perfect!!

Hotel room view. Can I move in?

Sunday raceday was not so sunny. But still great!

New favorite Korean food: spicy tofu soup (the local specialty in dreamland Gyeongpo beach)

New favorite Korean beverage: Kin cidaaaa

New status: I'm officially an alien!

Yes, I'd say life in the ROK is treating me exceptionally well. I'm so very happy to be here.

The culture and the subculture.

The culture.

Last weekend, my buddy Curtis and I spontaneously checked out Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul's largest royal residence. It was incredible. We arrived in perfect time for the changing of the guard and we happened to be there on a day when there was a live traditional dance performance. We spent hours there marveling over it all.

Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main palace in Seoul (then called Hanyang) in 1395, immediately after Joseon Dynasty was founded. However, most of the palace was destroyed during a Japanese invasion in the sixteenth century. It was rebuilt in 1868 and restoration is ongoing. It's an interesting juxtaposition of old and new, as it is right in the centre of the city, so there are high rises on three sides of the enclosure.

Amazing. I felt like I was being steeped in tradition, soaked in sights and sounds.

This weekend, I visited the House of Sharing, which is a museum about "comfort women" -- Korean women who were sold or tricked into sexual slavery for the Japanese Army. It is also home to eight Halmoni (the Korean term for grandmother), survivors of this atrocity who are now activists for women's rights. It was a powerful experience. We got to meet some of these incredible women; we sang with them and viewed their artwork. 

It is estimated that between 60 000 to 200 000 women were involved in sexual slavery to the Japanese army. These women, often teenagers, were systematically raped upwards of 40 times a day. They often were forced to eat while these rapes occurred, because they simply didn't have any time off. They were taken from their homes and deposited across Asia, and those who were not massacred were abandoned where they were stationed when the war was over. To this day, the Japanese government does not acknowledge these atrocities. 

It is an intense and heartbreaking tour. But it is also one of hope, bravery and truth.

***

The subculture.

Noraebangs, all you can eat & drink buffets, makkolli, staying up til dawn...there is an incredible second, foreigner culture here too. You might expect to see soju on that list, but that's not how this girl rolls. But the adventures I've been having with my new crew have been epic. Loads of fun. I can hardly believe I've only been here one week!!

So much winning.

Public service announcement: that may be the new blog title in the future. That, or I heart Seoul.

I would have to have a camera with me 24-7 of everyday to capture the sheer volume of little awesome things. I just can't even do it justice.

Here's a little more listology for you today:

I love love LOVED how helpful one of the local grocery store workers was. She offered me a sample of tofu, then after placing a brick of that in my basket, helped me find the appropriate beans and sauce to accompany it - all without speaking. Then I love love LOVED how the lady behind me in line helped me carry it all home. We each took a handle of my bag. (This particular combination made me slightly hysterical, because I wasn't sure whether to laugh out of joy or cry for the kindness).

Actually, maybe the new blog title will be incomparable. It's the kindness, the adventure, even the marketing! The marketing over here has me, it really does. Where else can you buy so very many things that promise you happiness and joy and a long life?

My deliciousness metre has been filled. Check it out:

Mmmm. Oh yeah.

And now I can not only be clean, but

pearl shining as well!

Have we discussed red bean bread? I discovered this delicacy whilst in China. Insta-obsession. I have already found and devoured a few red bean items since my arrival, so I decided to bust out and buy a small package to have on hand. Or to eat this evening, we shall see....

So good!!

School, by the way, is going great! I'm teaching now, which was a little scary at first but I think is something that will get easier and better with time :)

Seoul-ful

So far, I am loving Seoul.

In no particular order of awesomeness:
1) Internet-enabled! Yay!
2) Running on a bridge over the river. Holy boats and birds, batman!
3) Street fruit for cheap. Love the mini bananas of which I purchased about 20, so they really just keep giving.
4) Awesome teachers coming over for a visit right when I arrived. It was so welcoming! And so nice to finally meet some of them in person!
5) Excellent apartment on the 15th floor. View of the river. Flowers wallpaper. Brand new bed. (Pix to follow).
6) Running friends! In Canada, I always felt a certain kinship with other runners. So during my run through the park when I spotted a team of Korean men wearing white and blue singlets, I waved! I was richly rewarded by realizing that other runners feel the same way I do. Waving transformed into the whole lot of us clapping and cheering for one another, simply for being runners :)
7) Baby pigeon and watchful mom in a nest in a window on my floor.
8) Korean ad copy - of course my 'home scissors' will lead to happiness and a good life!
9) Friendly people - aside from the teachers and runners, randoms have been great too. One man wanted to practice his English with me (he wanted to know if I was from Toronto, Canada). And one lovely old lady took my hand and said I was beautiful. What's not to love?
10) Surprise payday advance from the school!
11) Sparkling apple juice. Full of win.
12) Tiny dogs. So many people have them, and don't mind me petting them either.
13) Barely scratching the surface. All this considering I just arrived here 36 hours ago, and have spent a significant amount of that time sleeping. Awesome!

Enough words, you want photos! Here are a few:

Brand new bed!

My beautiful wallpaper...plus my 

exploding suitcase.

Kitchen, complete with tea kettle.

Bathroom!

Room with a view! The river is between the buildings

and the mountains.

Happiness always indeed :)

Awesome astroturf fitness path! Complete

with weight training machines to the side!

Momma pigeon checks me out while I check out her 

baby bird.

Fun on the floodplain

If you haven't tuned into any Canadian news in the past month, you might not be aware of all the flooding in rural Manitoba. This flooding happens to be largely taking place in my hometown, Brandon. Although the Assiniboine River typically floods in the spring, this year's flood has been record breaking. More than $20 million dollars has been spent in the province on emergency measures and a project to divert water away from urban areas and into Lake Manitoba. And with record May rainfalls, the river may crest again. It is estimated that it will take years for infrastructure near the river to recover.

Both major access roads into the city 

had reduced lanes and speed limits.

Sandbags were 2 metres high and reinforced with 

concrete dividers.

Riverside parks have been transformed 

into lakes.

The road was also washed out in a 

couple of places.

Another floodwater lake west of the city.

Thankfully, my city was prepared. Volunteers gathered in droves to help sandbag the major access roads near the rivers, and businesses and homes were evacuated. By the time I visited, the water level was down from its high point and many stores were back to business as usual. Also thankfully, all of my peeps live far enough away from the river that they were unharmed and their homes unscathed.

So aside from a little hometown flood tourism, I stuck to my original plan of runs & zumba in the morning, fun in the sun in the afternoon and games in the evening. It was a whirlwind, 56 hour trip -- but it was perfect. Amazing times with my favorite folks, and it was so nice to see everyone before my big overseas adventures!! Going home is truly one of the greatest things.

So happy (and sweaty)!

Toronto tourism

Why hello! I've just had an amazing long weekend chock-full of adventures and the awesomeness of my favorite people. I'm truly the luckiest girl alive. I could not have had a better time hanging out with my parents, my terrific sisters and my super niece and nephew. Getting a send-off or two from my fab friends was also the bomb!

First, let me tell you a bit about my time as a tourist in Toronto. Tomorrow I'll show you some pictures of the flood in Manitoba, which although serious and dramatic, didn't dampen good times with the fam.

***

When my sister Jil was going to school in Toronto, one of the first postcards she sent back to a tiny version of me was of this incredible castle. She recommended I check it out before I left the city, so I ventured inside to discover more about the curious case of Casa Loma.

This magnificent building is not actually a castle; its a private residence, the dream home of Sir Henry Pellatt. This man (also a runner!) spent approximately $3.5 million dollars building his estate over three years, starting in 1911. But just ten years later, his financial situation forced him out of his fancy house. His castle was re-imagined as a hotel and dance club before opening as a museum in 1937.

Everything about the place is majestic, starting with the fountains and sculptures in its gardens.

Inside, most visitors start their tours in the great hall with its towering ceilings, enormous organ and huge portraits. The library, conservatory, billiard room, dining room & smoking room are all housed on the first floor. 

On the second floor you find the bedrooms. Many of the 98 rooms in Casa Loma are part of bedroom suites and the one above is part of a set of rooms for Sir Henry's guests.

On the third floor, you can check out the museum for The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (Sir Henry was knighted for his service) or climb the winding spiral staircases to check out the view from one of the towers. Finally, from a secret passageway in the study, you can head downstairs to view the unfinished swimming pool or take the underground tunnel that leads to the stables.

I'd definitely recommend checking it out. After all, who doesn't have a fantasy about living in a castle? It's really interesting to see what that might be like, and Casa Loma is very well preserved. You get to wander through history at your own pace and absorb as much or as little of it as you choose. I liked this castle so much I even walked by it again on my way home!

Stretching.

Life is good. Right now I am:
1) Elongating my muscles.
2) Expanding my horizons.

Number 1 involves some foam rolling! Remember way back when, when I bought a roller to cure all my running ills? I promised photos, and I will now deliver. After spending a significant amount of time reading the instructions (some of the poses require a balancing sort of dexterity that eludes me), I have been getting to know my foam roller.

After a 3k in my Vibrams, I decided to

give my legs a little love.

This is the stuff. IT band rollin'.

Grimace and furrow produced by IT band

rollin'!

A little known fact: the roller doubles as 

a foot-rest when you are exhausted from

punishing your IT bands.

My IT bands are tight. However, I'm starting to be able to feel the benefits of rolling, and feeling when I really need to roll too. I was really concentrating on my left leg (formerly the injured leg), but I recently found that my right ITB has become tight, so I'm taking a more balanced approach to rolling now. I'm also rolling my feet with a tennis ball. The latter is not only supposed to be as good for you as foam rolling, but it is also significantly less painful, which, as you might imagine, means I do that more often.

***

Number 2 is about my upcoming adventure! I will be Seoul searching in about ten days. It's finally real, and really exciting!! I said a sad farewell to the bookstore over the weekend, and will be working my last shift there this Thursday. Then I hit up the consulate for my visa. And with those two official steps behind me, I'm ready. I can hardly wait to experience a new culture, run my first international half marathon (July!) and meet up with both new and old friends there. Even just getting ready for my journey has been great - I've met several super sweet & helpful people, reconnected with two friends from school and have gone through a legit process with a fab recruiter. I can only imagine how much more awesome is waiting to be had when I finally arrive!

Summer running -- havin' a blast!

The sun is shining. Birds are chirping. The trees have leaves and flowers are blooming. It's plus twenty outside. It's May long, and I'm in heaven.

Yesterday I raced home from a full day's work to sit in the park and run around in the grass a bit in my Vibrams until the sun set. And today, when the sun woke me by shining in on me, my first thought was to do all of that over again before work today. Cue trail running adventures, geese sightings & a hidden trail treasure topped with a good ol' Starbucks breakfast.

A geese family by the lake!

Swing by the stream!

Mid-run shoe change...

VFFs for the last k! 

I absolutely love summer. Even though I've been pretty busy over the past couple of weeks with shifts at work and preparations for next month's adventure, I'm making it a priority to escape whenever possible into the sunshine. Basically, it's against some sort of Carrie law to be inside when it is gorgeous and sunshine-y. 

Have a happy long weekend!! :)

Me & My Vibrams

(This post is dedicated to Jess. And to Christopher McDougall.)

Ta-da! Introducing my beautiful Bikila VFFs!

"I don't want to sound overly dramatic, but reading Born to Run changed my life," I said to my physiotherapist, a seasoned Ironman about to perform a running assessment on me. 

"At the very least, it has completely revolutionized the way I run."

In fact, it's changed my running so much I can hardly remember what it was like before, only three short weeks ago. My treadmill test showed me as a healthy forefoot striker with a cadence of 185 and little bounce, shoes or no shoes, short legs or not.

Gone was my rushing, over-striding, heel-striking former self. And the best way I can think of to describe the essence of how I run today is mindfulness. I'm not lost in the scenery or my iPod. I'm as appreciative of each footfall as I am of a lovely tree or a fun song.

I picked up my new kicks just before leaving for California. I officially began running with them this week.

And I love them. I love the heightened awareness of my toes and skin and even the ground I have with them on. I love how light and free they make my runs. I love using them as an excuse to spend time in the park. I love that they make me giggle with glee every time I wiggle my toes into their little pockets, and heck, I even love the double takes other people do at them. They are definitely a conversation starter!

I am introducing them very slowly into my running routine, being careful about doing too much with them too soon.  Will I race in them? Absolutely, once I've worked up my milage. Will I do a marathon in them? I think so. But as awesome as my new shoes are, what has been even better for me is the realization that it is within my power to heal myself and prevent further injury. I am thrilled that a change in form can really feel so, so good.

I love that my own body has been the architect of my running success - not something artificial, like orthotics. Despite only learning to run in my twenties and despite having hip surgeries growing up, I now really believe that I too was born to run.