Friday, July 29, 2011

Bamboo Forest





 Mr. Panda was thirsty for my vitamin water.

 The Bamboo Forest "village" = uninhabited, spooky and only attracts foreigners. Koreans know that it's nothing to write home about.

 Bamboo gifties

 Supposedly, you're to stick your face through and take a picture. There were wasps about and burrowing holes in the ground nearby, so I was happy to snap a photo sans faces.

 My mom was raving about doing a colored pencil drawing of this bike so I thought I'd take a picture in case she would like to someday.

Two of the four nuns I spoke to. I wanted to get their picture, but they were hesitant to be photographed. I let them take one of me first and then I ushered them into this one with me. They were kind (of course - what nun is not kind to a stranger. They have to be nice,) and said they were from Gwangju as well. I think we're so deliciously awkward here.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Vacation, Day 1

Alright everyone, my mom is here. We're going off to explore Gwangju a little and let the jet lag wear off. Oh happy day!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

pondering innocence lost and the violence of human nature

Lord of the Flies is HEAVYYYYYYY. Yuck. Now I'm in a funky mood. And it's lasted most of the afternoon/evening. And work is tomorrow....eesh. BUT my mom comes in two days!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Solitude is Green


Still trying out this new-fangled camera. Thanks Hannah H. for sending me a recent copy of Marie Claire! My favorite magazine and one that is a special treat from the States. That, and Skittles - yum!



I went on 3-hour bike ride today. A river runs near my neighborhood, three bus stops down from where I live. I had walked down there before, but today I rode all the way to the end of the path. I ended up somewhere...not sure where, but poverty was prevalent. It was strange realizing that people actually lived there. I didn't snap any photos. I thought that might be pretentious. "Ooh, look at me, fancy foreigner, with my fancy camera, taking pictures of you like you're some tourist attraction." But National Geographic does it all the time and calls it art. Hmm...



Mosaics under the bridge


Behind the weeping willow are apartment buildings under construction. Renovations are constantly being done in this city.


I couldn't pass up this exotic wild flower. I've never seen anything like it in N.C.!


Because it's all about being happy where you are.



I started finding numbers painted everywhere and got a little shutter-happy.




My friend, the egret, who joined me as I was reading on a rock at the river. 


Alright, please don't judge me. Having been homeschooled, I was not required to do the normal reading that everyone else was in school. I learned as I pleased. I don't feel deprived of anything that people who went to school experienced. Contrary to popular condemnation, homeschoolers do interact with others and are not locked away in closets. However, some find rice cakes tasty, and others gravitate towards baggy, Godly, blue-jean jumpers and long ropes of braids down their backs. 

I digress. Back to school: my mother didn't force me to pick up the "classics" and write endless essays on themes, motifs and whatnot ...so I didn't. I've never read  Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, 1984, Brave New World, Catcher in the Rye - you name it and I probably haven't touched it. Now, with my recent living situation, with fewer social responsibilities, I'm finding that I have more time to devote to reading! There's a tiny foreigner library downtown that carries many of the titles my knowledge repertoire has been lacking. Here we go!


Perhaps you can see the outline of a person squatting. Under the bridge were many older men and women napping, playing cards, chatting, resting with their bikes or walking sticks. It was a lazy kind of day and the coolness from under the bridge was a welcome reprieve.



I really enjoy being down near the water and green things. I'm beginning to realize how much I love nature. It wasn't until I moved to the city did I find myself craving fresh air and nature. Maybe someday I'll live in the mountains somewhere...

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Mud


 Dinner at Kajal's. Courtney and Lauren talking, with Kajal's momma, in the kitchen, making some amazing Indian food.


 The Johnster Monster


Boryeong Mud Festival Bus terminal + the sky. Because it is so beautiful.


 Ever take pictures without really pointing the camera? This is the result. Lauren's excitement is captured.


 My beautiful, hippie-friend, Kristi.


 I enjoy this picture more because of the man in the sweater behind me.

  
These dudes were in motor-propelled para-sailing contraptions.


The beach at the festival.


The water was cold and full of people. The sky was blue and the day was hot. One of the more enjoyable weekends this summer :-)

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Nikon D5000

Yes, my wonderful friends - I finally bought a camera. Perhaps I shouldn't say "finally." I mean, I was only saving for two months...but it's been a secret desire of mine to get into photography. I decided that instead of paying for a "starter" camera that I would go for the big one and learn without training wheels.

Now I'm going to bombard you with pictures from my first attempt at this newfangled thing.




THE FIRST PICTURES.
Ceiling cranes in my bedroom. Actually, in the corner of my room that houses a bed. I live in a studio apartment and it consists of only one room.


The pre-monsooning.


Out my kitchen window


Art


The kitten that my friend, Lauren, found...!!!!! I am in love with it. I wish it were mine.


Yes, you are cute.


Playing with her dog, Pirate


Chillin' with the littl'un


one-bedroom life


Kajal and I accidentally made an artsy-fartsy picture


Can't handle it.


Gaming


Trevor's face. And MJ's face. And Lauren looking serene, as always.