tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74807268341933111772024-03-04T23:02:30.618-08:00Vegetarian visionaryA blog about what I see, what I feel and how I live.
I travel, a lot, and will focus my writings on how my mind has developed through opening my eyes to other people's cultures and seeing:
happily, amusingly and sometimes painfully, into their lives and my own!Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-10966179382096773222013-06-01T17:32:00.003-07:002013-06-01T18:43:30.449-07:00The Pot of Gold<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I wanted to post a little about the benefits I have noticed after becoming a full vegan a little over a year ago. When I first switched in May 2012 I don't think I was doing as well as I am at this specific point in time because I was still uneducated and Colin and I were struggling a little financially. It seems going to Poland to make money wasn't the best choice we ever made but we got our precious cats from there and so it wasn't all bad ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am sure some people reading this will roll their eyes and believe it to be hogwash but I assure you that I know my body well enough to notice changes, whether subtle or obvious, and these changes have occurred.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1) The white spots under my nails have completely vanished, I never have them anymore and though before I never really thought about them too much it seems now I don't have to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have read a few different articles about 'what these white spots are' and it really seems that no one truly knows but I assure you when people say they are signs of calcium deficiency and one must therefore drink more milk that is complete baloney! I am not going to argue black and blue that it isn't a calcium issue but check this article out and note the top foods that contain calcium.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-calcium.php"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Calcium List</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I suggest instead of drinking more milk, just throw some ground flax seeds over your soy milk and breakfast cereal ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my opinion the more obvious reason for these white spots is a sign of poor diet and therefore damaged nails, because I religiously ensure that my body gets everything it needs from a plant-based diet and I rarely eat processed/junk food now it seems my nails are strong, healthy, and thankful.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3qV5LEY5xmrJF64IankkWFT8WuFMNtrczmKn2I2Zr5L-eUhCXvINBP5jPQrLCFn0ylihEpvM_BHdQkADI1b6DRrlyqmKpqTMeHuo734FU6BSiH0EBE2vKIyO7F0uI9WjDkgrI0saMMw/s1600/IMG_3425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3qV5LEY5xmrJF64IankkWFT8WuFMNtrczmKn2I2Zr5L-eUhCXvINBP5jPQrLCFn0ylihEpvM_BHdQkADI1b6DRrlyqmKpqTMeHuo734FU6BSiH0EBE2vKIyO7F0uI9WjDkgrI0saMMw/s320/IMG_3425.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My perfectly manicured stubby nails.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRZ6IjQYz5Tch23N69MBLrnkJReAzA5wdpRSmW46E7htvaMpxChLLDO9RCfLr5oj6cAyLtGzNCJAX25YBJ3JmjOrnkts9PAsHrWFlKb23EP1RPHVFEI-DjpM1qRQZDLgAiyeEqsIY3Sc/s1600/IMG_3426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRZ6IjQYz5Tch23N69MBLrnkJReAzA5wdpRSmW46E7htvaMpxChLLDO9RCfLr5oj6cAyLtGzNCJAX25YBJ3JmjOrnkts9PAsHrWFlKb23EP1RPHVFEI-DjpM1qRQZDLgAiyeEqsIY3Sc/s320/IMG_3426.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colin getting his grubby finger nails into my blog.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2) My facial hair has become less of an issue. Luckily I wasn't the bearded lady from the circus anyway and my hair is very light but I did have to pluck my eyebrows, the very top of my nose, and my 'moustache' quite often to feel comfortable going out in public. Now I don't seem to pluck quite so much and I don't have a scientific-based reason for this it is just something I have observed. Maybe my skin is healthier and so my need to perfect my face has decreased psychologically, maybe because I don't consume the steroids and antibiotics, that animals are fed and pumped with, through milk or cheese products then it has subsequently settled down my raging male hormones ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whatever the reason my face is much happier that I don't pull at it as much anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3) This is a weird one and quite unbelievable, so I forgive you for shaking your head but like I said I know my body and this has changed. For the longest time I have always religiously exfoliated and moisturised my body. It was drummed into me quite young and I am definitely grateful to my mum for telling me that keeping my skin moisturised is very important. I have, therefore, always had tremendously good, soft skin however one part of my body that I could never quite get perfect is my elbows. They were always rough and never smooth. This annoyed me immensely until now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, they are smooth and a nice part of my arm :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4) I have become much less reliant on make-up, maybe if I asked my co-workers or fiancé they wouldn't be as enthusiastic as I am on this point, but I love that I don't wear any most days. The dark circles under my eyes have become less vicious and although (as you can see from my picture) the wear and tear of my very crazy twenties has left marks, scars, and patterns I feel that my skin is in good condition for someone who is ready to turn 30 early next year. In my twenties I really abused my health and skin with late nights, drinking, partying, and unhealthy eating (I really had a blast) but I am grateful for what I know now and how I have used it to my advantage in paying back my skin.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPT0Unn3_Y5AOQ76HOTWq8K7B-5fKyuxwhPbwoq-c1Wacrp9g5cBj73QyZOD6F5S8ddnQsAb_vs5d-kb6NNfMucgb6G6q7MQWga0ne7rrEbhuOh8dM64g0NujG9f-BMxWefVbo9idero/s1600/IMG_3433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPT0Unn3_Y5AOQ76HOTWq8K7B-5fKyuxwhPbwoq-c1Wacrp9g5cBj73QyZOD6F5S8ddnQsAb_vs5d-kb6NNfMucgb6G6q7MQWga0ne7rrEbhuOh8dM64g0NujG9f-BMxWefVbo9idero/s320/IMG_3433.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see this was at 9am on a Sunday morning.<br />
Please forgive :)<br />
Not photoshopped, edited, or pretty in any way, <br />
but I am happy with how my skin looks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5) Because of my big wedding blessing at home next year I have started to really push my body and work out at home, my muscles have incredible memory from 2 years ago (when I started lifting weights) and so my arms are becoming more well- defined and sculptured. My back, legs and bum have tightened to a very noticeable degree from regular squats and dumb bell lifts and now all I need is to join the gym to get rid of my little pot belly. Luckily it is full of healthy, good food and that is certainly a good base to work with to turn into a strong, musclier stomach.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am also at the best weight I have ever been 9.95 stone or 63.2 kilos or 139 pounds. Since becoming more healthy I have lost about 18 pounds and I haven't 'dieted' in any dramatic way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I simply eat when I am hungry, I just eat the right things. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to continue to see the progress and so I have included some embarrassing 'before' pictures and will include some progress ones at a later date.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMJeExGbBJCzPb5gDykgb3t-xQdRPi83Y1ek31NZ15fDM9Jyg890A-u-EL2jq7OYBbviPaUMuNbcobX8Mf1cg6Pi0fG-ilVD0WWprpu2Gp4mxDUe-byIcJ-MKvc86GLvKJW_e7uduHGQ/s1600/IMG_3434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMJeExGbBJCzPb5gDykgb3t-xQdRPi83Y1ek31NZ15fDM9Jyg890A-u-EL2jq7OYBbviPaUMuNbcobX8Mf1cg6Pi0fG-ilVD0WWprpu2Gp4mxDUe-byIcJ-MKvc86GLvKJW_e7uduHGQ/s320/IMG_3434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXOFw7pMDxY7vqsRzf29b8ih5Dt2anMb7rraz4bc4PQH64iaGXhpz4SaIqrLYE8x2wYCLBWA14LZr7gfCWQKG4R1w-rkAOzq2lj1VV6vE5uzcP0psYWMUhIL905LgT0qbssG0RNgUeBs/s1600/IMG_3435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXOFw7pMDxY7vqsRzf29b8ih5Dt2anMb7rraz4bc4PQH64iaGXhpz4SaIqrLYE8x2wYCLBWA14LZr7gfCWQKG4R1w-rkAOzq2lj1VV6vE5uzcP0psYWMUhIL905LgT0qbssG0RNgUeBs/s320/IMG_3435.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little muffin top needs the most work and I hate<br />
ab workouts!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_SP7D761Q2KTw8cp9V7sOJZBeBesRDeGk2KYLSnTM1seZ7j_spSdOD5wqirhb9E-gXMNsQMWuiQjojLxGb39xk56paT5yVLoI0XnV0GopjzXPYUOV41dwg_3dz-eGVxi2Xli0IQ4wec/s1600/IMG_3438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_SP7D761Q2KTw8cp9V7sOJZBeBesRDeGk2KYLSnTM1seZ7j_spSdOD5wqirhb9E-gXMNsQMWuiQjojLxGb39xk56paT5yVLoI0XnV0GopjzXPYUOV41dwg_3dz-eGVxi2Xli0IQ4wec/s320/IMG_3438.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The arms are always the most fun and the easiest of work outs,<br />
that is why a lot of body builders have huge upper bodies and<br />
very little legs. <br />
Squats suck! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6)The most amazing thing to end on is my positivity, outlook, energy, and enthusiasm for life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am rarely seen without a smile.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I taught kindergartens in Changwon I couldn't deal with them patiently. I would be so tired that when I taught them I would lose my temper at the smallest things and not give them the love they needed. I was a terrible teacher and person then and I am using my time here to try and make amends.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I have my moments when I shout but if the matter is trivial then I am quick to pull back and think about what is actually happening, 5-6 year olds are learning a second language. AHA</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mind is less cloudy and I am able to logically make decisions and judgments. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The misconception about vegans is that we are weak, pale, and tired but believe me when I was a vegetarian I had a lot less energy and patience. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now I ensure that I have my 5 fruit and veg a day, my seeds and nuts, my grains, my herbs, and lots of water and I am therefore rarely found wilting.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I decided to be a more positive vegan this year this is what I meant. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-85539103071011817002013-05-15T19:21:00.001-07:002013-05-15T19:31:31.139-07:00Making the right choice, eventually.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
Something weird happened to me this weekend. I don't want to dwell on it too much because I am finally ok with it but a complete stranger who was very opinionated and forthcoming made me realise that I am not perfect, or even ethical, or even really that good. Drink and I are not best friends, I always assume we are I even give us a lot of chances to be best friends but apparently when we spend a little too much time together we grow apart quickly and it breaks my heart. I become irate, idiotic, nonsensical and worst of all, emotional.</div>
<div>
This weekend I was introduced to the idea that because I eat an abundance of vegetables and fruit rather than meat then I technically kill off a lot of insects species. I also got told that anything I buy which comes in plastic is killing animals... I was given examples... EXHAUSTING. </div>
<div>
I think it is difficult for others to actually comprehend that even if I was told that by eating animals I would be healthier and would save the entire planet I would still not ever want to eat meat or dairy again. This borders on making me a bad person. I try and convince people that reducing your meat intake saves the planet and yet I wouldn't do it if the roles were reversed. I just don't want to murder innocent lives.</div>
<div>
While this person was telling me my faults and that I shouldn't claim to be the angel I profess to be I was just getting so upset and angry..the strawberry daquiris did their worst. I made the entire table awkward and uncomfortable and departed in floods. I spent the rest of my Saturday evening weeping into my beautiful fiance's arms, he truly is the best thing in the world.</div>
<div>
I don't think this person had the right to pull me apart as they did, they do not know me and on two occasions called me ignorant because I was unaware of this agricultural issue. This I find ironic since they actually claim to know about it and still brought a salad to a vegan potluck. After much sober soul-searching I will not push all the fault on them but I do wish I had walked away from the conversation with a little more dignity. </div>
<div>
I will be reducing my social alcoholic intake (except when I am with true friends who love me) and sticking to drinking at home where I am safe from debates. Me, debates and alcohol ugh I have been here before ! <br />
It also has made me aware of the promise I made to myself that I will be a happier, more positive vegan rather than judging others. We are all ignorant and it just means we all have some learning to do.<br />
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
On a happier note I have realised just how wonderful and loving my fiance is which is lucky since I plan to marry him in 2 months time EEEEEK. He isn't very forward with his romance or declarations of love but when he sees me hurt he lets it all flow out just to make sure I know that to him, I am everything. </div>
<div>
Our wedding day is on July 29th, I will wear white and take some sparkling wine to a beautiful park after we have signed the papers and spend my day in love. Colin will come too :) <br />
I didn't think I would be quite as excited as I am about going to sign a document to legally attach myself to another human for life but it seems I am. There will be no fireworks or guests, no big gown or dancing 'til the early hours, but there will be love and I am fortunate in my choice. <br />
<br />
I teach my students that their one rule in the classroom is 'make the right choice' and so here is to making the right choice...even if it did take a lot of wrong ones to get here! </div>
</div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-83792449981002042132013-04-19T20:35:00.000-07:002013-04-22T03:00:24.628-07:00Saving Face or falling flat on it?!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday was my school's sports day. Held at the grand Mokdong sport's stadium which was gigantic to say the least.<br />
I was on the blue team and became highly competitive as I always have done. I feel that as I am becoming older and nearly at the scary age of 30 it is time that I realise my days of competition are over and that even the ability and the flexibility to just take part is a luxury. I used to be so fast, in school I was the second fastest girl and I keep thinking I am still there in that small primary school of a few hundred kids racing in relays. Alas, I am not and I must hang up my baton and only take it up if I understand 'it is just a game.'<br />
I didn't win the relay<br />
Silly Silly<br />
<br />
Anyway this sporting event was extremely odd. It was a family day and so the parents and grandparents were there and it was surprising the amount of fathers that were present. Koreans work extremely hard and the majority of fathers work long hours I would say all mothers were there and about 70% of the dads. It was really beautiful to see the interaction between children and parents and I have always had a soft spot for fathers and their off spring. The sad thing is as the day progressed it became painfully obvious that the day was geared more towards parents and their (making) fun. At one point the parents took part in a race and the kids were sat in such a way they didn't even know anything was going on. They were unable to cheer or enjoy their parent's misery. I am not sure if this hadn't been thought through well enough or was deliberate but I just expected a day for the kids to go crazy.<br />
<br />
A harsh lesson in Korean culture was also learned when a father of one of my kids fell in a race, not once, but twice. Unfortunately he wasn't a butch,musclier athlete like some of the fathers but a nerdy, overweight, balding guy who I (stereotypically) assume never got picked in his school's sport's day. He probably thanked the heaven's above that his days of physical competition were over. Little did he know that he would be dragged screaming to a day full of humiliation and torment (I do not use these words lightly)<br />
He ran the race and ate the track early on and then after getting back up and soldering on he fell again breaking his glasses, his finger and his dignity.<br />
<br />
If you have ever been to Korea and taken your time to see it as a culture of it's own, not as a person here for a year to just make money and leave as fast as possible, but really understand the people and their way of thinking you will know that 'saving face' or 'Chae-Myun' (family honor or pride) is ever present. It literally killed me to see this guy take 2 dives because I knew his heart would be sunk and he would feel the anguish for a long time after.<br />
As opposed to those in the UK who would, none-the-less, be mortified but would soon enough laugh it off and proclaim that they fell flat on their face twice for their kids stupid sport's day I knew this Korean father wouldn't ever laugh about it.<br />
Another child of mine also took a nose dive and hid his head in shame and tears he didn't even have a scratch but was also ashamed of doing something so natural yet undignified. It is sad to see such small children be so aware of how they appear to others.<br />
<br />
Another strange thing at yesterday's comical event was the music a mixture of club songs and racey renditions fit for the bedroom, I wonder about these songs and explicit lyrics and feel sad that in today's society children are pushed into adulthood way before their time. On a slightly unrelated note Jaden Smith in 'The karate kid' seems to be emotionally, as well as slightly physically, excited by the 12 year old Chinese girl gyrating to 'poker face' in front of him.<br />
Why are we forcing our kids to have feelings like this at 12?!<br />
I was bullied in school because I wasn't pretty enough, I was in SCHOOL I should never have been thinking about my looks. We do that for the majority of our adult life why should I start in school and who should I do it for?!<br />
Tragic.<br />
<br />
I have decided that I have become, finally, a good teacher I adore my children all of them from the kindergartens to the middle schoolers and I believe each of them has beautiful potential, whether it be to speak English or something else.<br />
One 6 year old I teach proclaimed earlier on in the year that he wanted to 'jump off a bridge' he remains in our school and usually wears a forlorn, sad face. It has become clear to me that our job is to make the environment as happy and comfortable as possible, he deserves to smile because however depressed he gets he wont be taken out of school and he will be there until it is time to go into the world of work.<br />
I have had issues for a while now about schooling and forcing children to learn so young, to learn in a room behind desks with little freedom to run around and be free but it is the world we live in, if we want something else we must seek it as a group.<br />
<br />
http://www.thelensoftruth.org (is one way.)<br />
<br />
Anyway I have gone off on tangents and must re-focus.<br />
The school sport's day was weird but I enjoyed running around with some very deeply beautiful children and seeing their eyes light up as children's eyes should always be able to do.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlaaUEx1n9nq5gbfAFTsv40pRX8s_xHukyW7u9qoiW3esIfOLfw34jWg3BZlF-2qencYuKOBz44oDbgk0SRSC2g0rFuuBevOGaCi_ARvqAt-YoaRyumzz5GJ9LBWPHY5_JiKDSVScQR0/s1600/IMG_3258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlaaUEx1n9nq5gbfAFTsv40pRX8s_xHukyW7u9qoiW3esIfOLfw34jWg3BZlF-2qencYuKOBz44oDbgk0SRSC2g0rFuuBevOGaCi_ARvqAt-YoaRyumzz5GJ9LBWPHY5_JiKDSVScQR0/s320/IMG_3258.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the bus watching Tom and Jerry and possibly the quietest they have ever been.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl98PraePCsme9t7eoP6dYQKyU7X3y21YaadX8zBaDxx8QKcz6QsCv7OaPYmfGOZiM3DYPY8MsDPTPkckcY2-bAanLI5b9HeOLH4EmKaRi7eSOVLkP51HPXGfnIyw1G3vNG_gzc9xRQ8Q/s1600/IMG_3259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl98PraePCsme9t7eoP6dYQKyU7X3y21YaadX8zBaDxx8QKcz6QsCv7OaPYmfGOZiM3DYPY8MsDPTPkckcY2-bAanLI5b9HeOLH4EmKaRi7eSOVLkP51HPXGfnIyw1G3vNG_gzc9xRQ8Q/s320/IMG_3259.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This stadium is pretty big for a school sport's day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNPlPfSh6b99UCqBFbdObND5uc3watL_YziZ6NyqsYxypd3U3E8tWWnS8y0x0Kvse7umfJT3HiecNNsP2d6SXev1LLejxUZYR4tPZ_7n_0L-f6cKLbesG8aBobsh6YzRfpbEmOHxKy_c/s1600/IMG_3260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNPlPfSh6b99UCqBFbdObND5uc3watL_YziZ6NyqsYxypd3U3E8tWWnS8y0x0Kvse7umfJT3HiecNNsP2d6SXev1LLejxUZYR4tPZ_7n_0L-f6cKLbesG8aBobsh6YzRfpbEmOHxKy_c/s320/IMG_3260.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Team</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXNPY-XmI7B_dtggVP-GxshnxNsATqynxWkC2_XCHGyIMcMwiPi5aR022lANDBkHUuq09gPICdnzpxtk2KLDR5PVkUbLNEpCwObBVXP-e_JNjQODpFUAgKeIBloQMjaOdCc2N-T4136g/s1600/IMG_3261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXNPY-XmI7B_dtggVP-GxshnxNsATqynxWkC2_XCHGyIMcMwiPi5aR022lANDBkHUuq09gPICdnzpxtk2KLDR5PVkUbLNEpCwObBVXP-e_JNjQODpFUAgKeIBloQMjaOdCc2N-T4136g/s320/IMG_3261.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3Gaa5jUA-XAYaNz3ewqxLXVdVsnD4qWMEYeJKykebAqJQB-d3dWkakCk7DGrq3wQKNwaz9f1mQUXPotb7ADSb5GMjb7dqRF2EfxfH9IAvmodNpNryzI3hpStSGvLprsXqq2Rt52C-e4/s1600/IMG_3262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3Gaa5jUA-XAYaNz3ewqxLXVdVsnD4qWMEYeJKykebAqJQB-d3dWkakCk7DGrq3wQKNwaz9f1mQUXPotb7ADSb5GMjb7dqRF2EfxfH9IAvmodNpNryzI3hpStSGvLprsXqq2Rt52C-e4/s320/IMG_3262.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TlTG8xRkC6nQcyxYTJg-IVqxRSA1gavcjxK5a-hNn1h6UwpWp6h041nNq4bHuOOQx6CVa1yoREzj8ygY46MYp5k_-6thBRoAiFEkj0DRU2PlyUbq65f9__Z9APysEHVCS_7pqeSqyMg/s1600/IMG_3263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TlTG8xRkC6nQcyxYTJg-IVqxRSA1gavcjxK5a-hNn1h6UwpWp6h041nNq4bHuOOQx6CVa1yoREzj8ygY46MYp5k_-6thBRoAiFEkj0DRU2PlyUbq65f9__Z9APysEHVCS_7pqeSqyMg/s320/IMG_3263.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEJbosftcblu2l0edF9SaPggCWLpgS8S3Rmnqk69HGzY4VDb5CKiZpN9CStSIpb4YuoiAvVjMhgrpTiDc3ep_XwxBV7PlGXKC9AfP8LrqxjdsL6gAbVHwqL3XjjBbiJ8RC4CRtXXwDhU/s1600/IMG_3264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEJbosftcblu2l0edF9SaPggCWLpgS8S3Rmnqk69HGzY4VDb5CKiZpN9CStSIpb4YuoiAvVjMhgrpTiDc3ep_XwxBV7PlGXKC9AfP8LrqxjdsL6gAbVHwqL3XjjBbiJ8RC4CRtXXwDhU/s320/IMG_3264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEQZ7Bak-yGEDxsbDaGeOSCIYadjU2G7k7-B8ZC-ZyPWl-Qbp6j7_dJOU4gJCbuMuZPYnD8ElGI4B6FpGEEwREzZYvmHOMzrFt2Hy83zSYeQJxh1Cqg9XC2OLUz5aYWy5oKhb424Aw84/s1600/IMG_3265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEQZ7Bak-yGEDxsbDaGeOSCIYadjU2G7k7-B8ZC-ZyPWl-Qbp6j7_dJOU4gJCbuMuZPYnD8ElGI4B6FpGEEwREzZYvmHOMzrFt2Hy83zSYeQJxh1Cqg9XC2OLUz5aYWy5oKhb424Aw84/s320/IMG_3265.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The MC dressed as..actually I am not so sure but I bet he was hot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y0bGyfjWwxKcP_n7tLK_s4iXyt9dBr_occ6HB38y_8BHO0-z7I-hqWEwuVHjBieX6JZBnYUhsh4-KVEXh4OeSY_yDL0dYHMyiqNgPeAjJ9BDYro8ILqPD4L27HEb_gi-FIAjLCfLsDo/s1600/IMG_3266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y0bGyfjWwxKcP_n7tLK_s4iXyt9dBr_occ6HB38y_8BHO0-z7I-hqWEwuVHjBieX6JZBnYUhsh4-KVEXh4OeSY_yDL0dYHMyiqNgPeAjJ9BDYro8ILqPD4L27HEb_gi-FIAjLCfLsDo/s320/IMG_3266.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPr2M8VS4D30ksLck1wzxPbCh4O5dchBRsTmJ-zC8LMn7YsTUWnCgW7r5cWyB6t2h-aoATPGiEWx-AOiP0E19nyXVycFKhsollVDToFVuuY3EqRCMb5B1DmzkRy-5bD2j5Uu085muva14/s1600/IMG_3267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPr2M8VS4D30ksLck1wzxPbCh4O5dchBRsTmJ-zC8LMn7YsTUWnCgW7r5cWyB6t2h-aoATPGiEWx-AOiP0E19nyXVycFKhsollVDToFVuuY3EqRCMb5B1DmzkRy-5bD2j5Uu085muva14/s320/IMG_3267.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqZw63EOcayFlXfOz2y1djE9CjzKSJD4YqdhkV0OarZNCsl1zYHcO9ARYv1M_AE1tN8BYKrYfnQQQz8gySpPWQ02Frw9zmO1LN4clishk978yluWk-oDV3hKhnJEIRRF9ITluds6dShQ/s1600/IMG_3268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqZw63EOcayFlXfOz2y1djE9CjzKSJD4YqdhkV0OarZNCsl1zYHcO9ARYv1M_AE1tN8BYKrYfnQQQz8gySpPWQ02Frw9zmO1LN4clishk978yluWk-oDV3hKhnJEIRRF9ITluds6dShQ/s320/IMG_3268.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The speakers and music stage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDTUw-JL7iD5Jr1tq8uM3DqovEZMRyG8SR44Fl2GYV-wR_nvbAr0t6pl_QU6-rmjwInUogbC5sajprsSFkHPSvmp39IURJsrdtsFhdcfw5Yyx_78a_w7nKgsxJLufL62IGKi_WRP1BY8/s1600/IMG_3269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDTUw-JL7iD5Jr1tq8uM3DqovEZMRyG8SR44Fl2GYV-wR_nvbAr0t6pl_QU6-rmjwInUogbC5sajprsSFkHPSvmp39IURJsrdtsFhdcfw5Yyx_78a_w7nKgsxJLufL62IGKi_WRP1BY8/s320/IMG_3269.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMZguYK4EVmKjWC35BBcZIy8PQ3fgWPz7hz084nX-W484pco2La-jvI2IgHeEi2tlQbnNdAK2mZKiCsMkK_M_eVmilN1_7CD7S0fMK6O-vmc2kxRNbAL2Qc_jnTGw4ifja73coyWl_0s/s1600/IMG_3270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMZguYK4EVmKjWC35BBcZIy8PQ3fgWPz7hz084nX-W484pco2La-jvI2IgHeEi2tlQbnNdAK2mZKiCsMkK_M_eVmilN1_7CD7S0fMK6O-vmc2kxRNbAL2Qc_jnTGw4ifja73coyWl_0s/s320/IMG_3270.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xHyMqmcyEafSJaXh1XVEdH0nnhDSJGepJQ-AZy-5QrtXWB97mkIgAm8Kym8uF5WDx-90BuwdaFqRsG7T7w9hcxxDM_CkVih2ZKiDEAMdx1eD0OhRMB4_ZgDawjekhLoA3bvYCJ8DtI8/s1600/IMG_3271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xHyMqmcyEafSJaXh1XVEdH0nnhDSJGepJQ-AZy-5QrtXWB97mkIgAm8Kym8uF5WDx-90BuwdaFqRsG7T7w9hcxxDM_CkVih2ZKiDEAMdx1eD0OhRMB4_ZgDawjekhLoA3bvYCJ8DtI8/s320/IMG_3271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for the 4 hour day ahead</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVccPnW5BZGNCIZPbCafQ-t8AZHtj_ewPl1arK-gF2RUczoGbExtoDikRWqZoTzmbSNm7PCd64KcJMMhi-Zrht1zQavcSjfK-_dVrD0ZNVDb-bt13KZce7UMiKRnaPyXAv7wf5T3c7Bw/s1600/IMG_3272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVccPnW5BZGNCIZPbCafQ-t8AZHtj_ewPl1arK-gF2RUczoGbExtoDikRWqZoTzmbSNm7PCd64KcJMMhi-Zrht1zQavcSjfK-_dVrD0ZNVDb-bt13KZce7UMiKRnaPyXAv7wf5T3c7Bw/s320/IMG_3272.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTv4icdNn09Vgq_ii4rccBoO8VrzGvsSbpSq374tv1CjoNXK9aAhtcJSD-81-0uix3doBFZPprWKsLYJv-2P2hTdCY1lGOSTGLQsh3oeQj-smixHdRsDvkpzsxeKoBcf1whYt1dDrY5w/s1600/IMG_3273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTv4icdNn09Vgq_ii4rccBoO8VrzGvsSbpSq374tv1CjoNXK9aAhtcJSD-81-0uix3doBFZPprWKsLYJv-2P2hTdCY1lGOSTGLQsh3oeQj-smixHdRsDvkpzsxeKoBcf1whYt1dDrY5w/s320/IMG_3273.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marching with the flag</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyk3RSfcxzTcDJ5qOvC3RitetQd9BUrbNzwxwnV5elpa4fhF8UFyg_zVPl_g1gxapxzJUXSaqraXgF-hwpkqm-S36Wfawp6FNe_3EPE0OFq5q-8Q_xdb0wm21H4hgCcVPB7kqnl6rAuY/s1600/IMG_3274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyk3RSfcxzTcDJ5qOvC3RitetQd9BUrbNzwxwnV5elpa4fhF8UFyg_zVPl_g1gxapxzJUXSaqraXgF-hwpkqm-S36Wfawp6FNe_3EPE0OFq5q-8Q_xdb0wm21H4hgCcVPB7kqnl6rAuY/s320/IMG_3274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3r8MJvEtY2tmzARLDEEg_-93_M4lyN5a40dPEE3xHSCMwJMyKfr8cEO3OfiDuat1KDfOpJoT_dY3T2oi7gCCFkJe5EqgC3tbZcmIwdropIzIWeoJwE590tA3PS7tUzNzErUVGJnWUDEE/s1600/IMG_3275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3r8MJvEtY2tmzARLDEEg_-93_M4lyN5a40dPEE3xHSCMwJMyKfr8cEO3OfiDuat1KDfOpJoT_dY3T2oi7gCCFkJe5EqgC3tbZcmIwdropIzIWeoJwE590tA3PS7tUzNzErUVGJnWUDEE/s320/IMG_3275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqY4jQrWjU1dBK_VpWkS2u60nk5mLAj51ed7QE8XNyt-gTE_luks8yvedajuk4IYpxDRph8U4cXS3-O9cKmgdBv-A9oZ8jN0poJPD8CxX-Yc8WDElHzVO7_wlur5RQ-TisTd0kOb8yg88/s1600/IMG_3276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqY4jQrWjU1dBK_VpWkS2u60nk5mLAj51ed7QE8XNyt-gTE_luks8yvedajuk4IYpxDRph8U4cXS3-O9cKmgdBv-A9oZ8jN0poJPD8CxX-Yc8WDElHzVO7_wlur5RQ-TisTd0kOb8yg88/s320/IMG_3276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alice and Erik (with a K as he always tells us)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NjVmK2DY9TpaFXqgazLR02W-C9YrqrtXMSmOEv2-LFqu_i3Ng9UoFT9zwZWpiDeVfdOOQ_6WxLPDrkkCKjMBkVN8aK4BVFvKn66EeLxfO588UIVNRmybx5dJN3aRs2Y42SGObAlGUJk/s1600/IMG_3277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NjVmK2DY9TpaFXqgazLR02W-C9YrqrtXMSmOEv2-LFqu_i3Ng9UoFT9zwZWpiDeVfdOOQ_6WxLPDrkkCKjMBkVN8aK4BVFvKn66EeLxfO588UIVNRmybx5dJN3aRs2Y42SGObAlGUJk/s320/IMG_3277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UiIetTBgxcL3EdLeXhdRSiGg9K9_H7WdzI7VvNRZy46v2PLk6_qCTopSHoGDsHSYm5y2o1nEr9H14TbXxrUCZbNPj2EZy-pr0MjiQSb7CubAQU82lC6AQ-vKBQgkqvaVw763pSBDIY8/s1600/IMG_3278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UiIetTBgxcL3EdLeXhdRSiGg9K9_H7WdzI7VvNRZy46v2PLk6_qCTopSHoGDsHSYm5y2o1nEr9H14TbXxrUCZbNPj2EZy-pr0MjiQSb7CubAQU82lC6AQ-vKBQgkqvaVw763pSBDIY8/s320/IMG_3278.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKfh8pQfMQ1EXYlH4BC68G8wqRf3JYGQIMOE6iKMuan09XKXCDaJwhhKCSxIPuAcn5DsU-FnUp1KsMq_v9TMzbO4PUekixGn2GUi642w9o36CIokMlpbWZ3ncNh9BMjjzGDY2lRiteWo/s1600/IMG_3279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKfh8pQfMQ1EXYlH4BC68G8wqRf3JYGQIMOE6iKMuan09XKXCDaJwhhKCSxIPuAcn5DsU-FnUp1KsMq_v9TMzbO4PUekixGn2GUi642w9o36CIokMlpbWZ3ncNh9BMjjzGDY2lRiteWo/s320/IMG_3279.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgex5JwItjIb4pfYNYEYIYrsGpinDWnSKRp05_2cSiKEyOW699rZSogKTlWsJQ76Rzfj37ENrJuKY_wbKzh1G4BBGUz3bGDti3zQ-etHXtHVtCFvrOS2YQJCkdqMWlp-MWwmhjxepzk04k/s1600/IMG_3280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgex5JwItjIb4pfYNYEYIYrsGpinDWnSKRp05_2cSiKEyOW699rZSogKTlWsJQ76Rzfj37ENrJuKY_wbKzh1G4BBGUz3bGDti3zQ-etHXtHVtCFvrOS2YQJCkdqMWlp-MWwmhjxepzk04k/s320/IMG_3280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyhFDjvYFhLgo9jx7xWW1SEi5PVkL2FbxKsJ2fWn8hPGOvo-_xEdNoIMsb37xOWXqJo4hPIDNDo5rvCAGyMwDhFZlyMmvGokemqLZMv-YLDu6fam3qfv0pmLDWVFcHeY3KbOAdjhQuCU/s1600/IMG_3281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyhFDjvYFhLgo9jx7xWW1SEi5PVkL2FbxKsJ2fWn8hPGOvo-_xEdNoIMsb37xOWXqJo4hPIDNDo5rvCAGyMwDhFZlyMmvGokemqLZMv-YLDu6fam3qfv0pmLDWVFcHeY3KbOAdjhQuCU/s320/IMG_3281.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was possibly my favorite part when the parents bent down with their children and gave them words of encouragement (I assume anyway)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh398kEiP3Bp42iwL4Qm9y73WhGkGM30-shY-FsnIZIJ8anCbTaZpcV8igj-0AuA5pBQr0dsEgD9B93mhU1nuvKGy2pj_aHJinYTGYEqCR0B9BKIW25Nw_NB6HYPRcozems3wD-_xmeFAk/s1600/IMG_3284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh398kEiP3Bp42iwL4Qm9y73WhGkGM30-shY-FsnIZIJ8anCbTaZpcV8igj-0AuA5pBQr0dsEgD9B93mhU1nuvKGy2pj_aHJinYTGYEqCR0B9BKIW25Nw_NB6HYPRcozems3wD-_xmeFAk/s320/IMG_3284.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7c4CgcI6sga-0nopj4jVvk0mZi8wXkeHZTFRMDAluwDzIUi4mDWEwDP2eISDomh8efIVUQfYdOKZa5MANzrhTNGL4W7lzHKBAEAC36vT9yCI-FjG0MvYGa9jwx7A3vGo1bNdkuKZQGE/s1600/IMG_3287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7c4CgcI6sga-0nopj4jVvk0mZi8wXkeHZTFRMDAluwDzIUi4mDWEwDP2eISDomh8efIVUQfYdOKZa5MANzrhTNGL4W7lzHKBAEAC36vT9yCI-FjG0MvYGa9jwx7A3vGo1bNdkuKZQGE/s320/IMG_3287.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch was basically given to us by the parents lots of yummy fruits for me which I was grateful for.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji7iHzyp7uKX7eUEC7Ps3rp9NS1OJEPLRc3jhNODzT-1YGYfpFNTPGtuf7gYiU9SFEUsJkzsurdu7hvLqoX6AQOjemy7BNyqvjpxtW0Vd9QuDwTFaSYH7GikUyb93uGgHkMsmtgGIp5w/s1600/IMG_3288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji7iHzyp7uKX7eUEC7Ps3rp9NS1OJEPLRc3jhNODzT-1YGYfpFNTPGtuf7gYiU9SFEUsJkzsurdu7hvLqoX6AQOjemy7BNyqvjpxtW0Vd9QuDwTFaSYH7GikUyb93uGgHkMsmtgGIp5w/s320/IMG_3288.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7q6YpDCM8-POxppQEGRWB0n26jF776LvXry_SSLvKJzdS83nQx32JGfZQxa8VQ1E4RnRk3CufRNugpQE-jSBWPp0BZFORpD5IKWCixWIurAIICz16nHoRoL_CyUW8COOhGer8otZB7I/s1600/IMG_3289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7q6YpDCM8-POxppQEGRWB0n26jF776LvXry_SSLvKJzdS83nQx32JGfZQxa8VQ1E4RnRk3CufRNugpQE-jSBWPp0BZFORpD5IKWCixWIurAIICz16nHoRoL_CyUW8COOhGer8otZB7I/s320/IMG_3289.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLbyeL8iP22S7IrLLHukPRuIj4-vnRUP83wTkqNZaLuLNXkNVI8DYTFefqgxQ7HK9yLwqpfb5zKEwF9U8MwVPLGSMdX3szOfoeCp8qHAS5iHmu1RvRNRhAgp0YL-LkgL8-Z9pSsSkisQ/s1600/IMG_3290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLbyeL8iP22S7IrLLHukPRuIj4-vnRUP83wTkqNZaLuLNXkNVI8DYTFefqgxQ7HK9yLwqpfb5zKEwF9U8MwVPLGSMdX3szOfoeCp8qHAS5iHmu1RvRNRhAgp0YL-LkgL8-Z9pSsSkisQ/s320/IMG_3290.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The winning relay team, Peter, Kyung Hoon, Brian, Jasmine and Sophia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWVdk0QGjSqqcFnj7Sw40g5gNQoKkFf2MxS8EwB2iCbJHuW-jgYz2ExqjUjldvhT83poxW77WyR62vDE57D3xRzxW0Q1IW5Cw3KrF84HOTwc5E5T_hWPHsEcqAiyDgFehh9t5PiS6Sec/s1600/IMG_3291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWVdk0QGjSqqcFnj7Sw40g5gNQoKkFf2MxS8EwB2iCbJHuW-jgYz2ExqjUjldvhT83poxW77WyR62vDE57D3xRzxW0Q1IW5Cw3KrF84HOTwc5E5T_hWPHsEcqAiyDgFehh9t5PiS6Sec/s320/IMG_3291.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The relay baton a teddy with 'bling' on his top.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYydMDYBEZUISuskRZboshO0LzNKyme-FChyphenhyphenhjEllUMYBFST-HPHpjs0DV-9_j8C9lhxlAwAfoWn-lYvGu4k-QYqN-th_Qo6qjgHd36AilZ0n3h5FFna1BUfpP6mUUFRqY4tURalHtRQ/s1600/IMG_3292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYydMDYBEZUISuskRZboshO0LzNKyme-FChyphenhyphenhjEllUMYBFST-HPHpjs0DV-9_j8C9lhxlAwAfoWn-lYvGu4k-QYqN-th_Qo6qjgHd36AilZ0n3h5FFna1BUfpP6mUUFRqY4tURalHtRQ/s320/IMG_3292.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cherry blossoms outside my apartment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELvbiDeLn-pyt2m7jyWwXDWf9-1VRYHJ74wfeHCJUMoEcTe5av1zeacUnr254-MXJhJevSGEJ6z3ClATArlU0kMBdrz71lfVVmMkjhFmiPKAEkoE3fjVdTEQ185CQXDLlLRwROUmYZhk/s1600/IMG_3293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELvbiDeLn-pyt2m7jyWwXDWf9-1VRYHJ74wfeHCJUMoEcTe5av1zeacUnr254-MXJhJevSGEJ6z3ClATArlU0kMBdrz71lfVVmMkjhFmiPKAEkoE3fjVdTEQ185CQXDLlLRwROUmYZhk/s320/IMG_3293.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-50306234236808359702013-04-17T05:18:00.000-07:002013-04-17T05:34:15.082-07:00Some pics of my life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I never thought I could adore little ones, other than my nephew of course, as I do these kids. I am older, wiser, and softer it would seem. Some days are tough but then you remember they are 5 and 6 years old speaking two languages. They put me to shame. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
May I present; </div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
6 year olds-Honor and Respect class</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
5 year olds-Cheer and Shine class.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB87qXSl1xEkU6406-SzQLKLIkQPBdslWuGyp_U9w5HW66qr1r4Vp-tQL1wp-r5b8B5bOF7xMa_Y-KeD2FcaTMFj5QUnFvYdjQHfTX9FdVlI1NDlpsLkvjpxHTv5_Sm0V2Foc3mP_v4ms/s1600/IMG_3221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB87qXSl1xEkU6406-SzQLKLIkQPBdslWuGyp_U9w5HW66qr1r4Vp-tQL1wp-r5b8B5bOF7xMa_Y-KeD2FcaTMFj5QUnFvYdjQHfTX9FdVlI1NDlpsLkvjpxHTv5_Sm0V2Foc3mP_v4ms/s320/IMG_3221.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edwardio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CLh4_DxXRKXbjVdrjtSTK55r8DDa_-CcPBQRGnW_BcVMSffeOlQeBJij4eXbZp1uU1p7ogOdxQQUmExTxyM1GfkBr2bQ4cItmbPRh-pcGlPan8HVzoGf6ILyW5jD20PbFfcktAkxyYU/s1600/IMG_3223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CLh4_DxXRKXbjVdrjtSTK55r8DDa_-CcPBQRGnW_BcVMSffeOlQeBJij4eXbZp1uU1p7ogOdxQQUmExTxyM1GfkBr2bQ4cItmbPRh-pcGlPan8HVzoGf6ILyW5jD20PbFfcktAkxyYU/s320/IMG_3223.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edward, Clara, and Sean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0L11HP2F3zs5oYYw_pdDbuRlzNfyG7B5UL9uNoUA9NNXXJXJmhgeATCzVqtKvuG_wSw4DVu5RhSTzy0eFKhRdKdMzKt_FtJ7AfXMwSAUbWodBsOfIBnUeMb-3eNo9JUvJaCo8GITmCo/s1600/IMG_3224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0L11HP2F3zs5oYYw_pdDbuRlzNfyG7B5UL9uNoUA9NNXXJXJmhgeATCzVqtKvuG_wSw4DVu5RhSTzy0eFKhRdKdMzKt_FtJ7AfXMwSAUbWodBsOfIBnUeMb-3eNo9JUvJaCo8GITmCo/s320/IMG_3224.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IUqeXE1hQWSO5AVAixh_q0jWyS8a8hr2CBa_OqaXXHrUjlkACsyu7BaN0uS7How1UkHsSWO457tHbLPVTPD66-h1ueTxtevZ2wLx3Yio9nNubrd-qOBlZe090v4bpe7QZ7d55HoPT5o/s1600/IMG_3225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IUqeXE1hQWSO5AVAixh_q0jWyS8a8hr2CBa_OqaXXHrUjlkACsyu7BaN0uS7How1UkHsSWO457tHbLPVTPD66-h1ueTxtevZ2wLx3Yio9nNubrd-qOBlZe090v4bpe7QZ7d55HoPT5o/s320/IMG_3225.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter and Emma</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FiS3vWIUT481wt2lXBVDovziRcpDumbb9AcIK7PfJAwelpAU7NlQMHhdHD00WH9AinWUvqLOAti4XS37zHTStTkIhx0QpxcSyb1WO2shfB_QQrysXvYEtLzNL4UhWSOjsaEzvhJCKZ8/s1600/IMG_3226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FiS3vWIUT481wt2lXBVDovziRcpDumbb9AcIK7PfJAwelpAU7NlQMHhdHD00WH9AinWUvqLOAti4XS37zHTStTkIhx0QpxcSyb1WO2shfB_QQrysXvYEtLzNL4UhWSOjsaEzvhJCKZ8/s320/IMG_3226.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alice, Sean and Peter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzBdGywd9RJWQoxExGAQJnqwuuapVLkle9d6WkN4teFlUy5l1S0p9yPldONZLQUVNyO-NSSEuNzn8vmRi6hn_pfRlUxQsM3I33qgo_va7E_jzL9H7GDrnu6a_LTD-KqDgzCuhPMLYwO8/s1600/IMG_3227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzBdGywd9RJWQoxExGAQJnqwuuapVLkle9d6WkN4teFlUy5l1S0p9yPldONZLQUVNyO-NSSEuNzn8vmRi6hn_pfRlUxQsM3I33qgo_va7E_jzL9H7GDrnu6a_LTD-KqDgzCuhPMLYwO8/s320/IMG_3227.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaheim and Peter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtnUGVQ3RNKA9afvdEK8SMCZQch9LaGFL998GDkYmqxfed9-RSuTZej8nKA94VnsuLmHksR_rB9mgJ6Y_2wcbcuM-iw7-dABNOPLuethaRfYaLTRqPRuNJ96_zqPII7hMOPc8eDJLB9s/s1600/IMG_3228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtnUGVQ3RNKA9afvdEK8SMCZQch9LaGFL998GDkYmqxfed9-RSuTZej8nKA94VnsuLmHksR_rB9mgJ6Y_2wcbcuM-iw7-dABNOPLuethaRfYaLTRqPRuNJ96_zqPII7hMOPc8eDJLB9s/s320/IMG_3228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSCY-ZRDjG32TcRtOzoPqUECQ5t1PiET0AnhwFJ1VkVx67xE29A0T-L6Eg_1sIueUegse8SgUxl_pTKjUb0PsxEq2x1oO2v5n4d6EY_-IBUnwINtpOYEqmqR-5ywLe5wuixO9de36CMA/s1600/IMG_3229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSCY-ZRDjG32TcRtOzoPqUECQ5t1PiET0AnhwFJ1VkVx67xE29A0T-L6Eg_1sIueUegse8SgUxl_pTKjUb0PsxEq2x1oO2v5n4d6EY_-IBUnwINtpOYEqmqR-5ywLe5wuixO9de36CMA/s320/IMG_3229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hmSv31UYrFKQkFvSbFdyTRThW_jsE-gXCLDsQNZqN-QaPZifJRYau8qVXLfQmVCgwemqu7Jh1ExHX0L9LcGzqsa7eWVTwlXHGkqFrfZGkaD7BoM1GGNyTii_eIjvJcYZMsjaGbYjg64/s1600/IMG_3234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hmSv31UYrFKQkFvSbFdyTRThW_jsE-gXCLDsQNZqN-QaPZifJRYau8qVXLfQmVCgwemqu7Jh1ExHX0L9LcGzqsa7eWVTwlXHGkqFrfZGkaD7BoM1GGNyTii_eIjvJcYZMsjaGbYjg64/s320/IMG_3234.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jasmine and Chloe *check out that hair piece*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkWcwfICLQ-SAJaeZdD971IhN2SgFgAZ2V0GaPKOn4WpGYa8ypfzrDCvmKtTlZr4nXO9_axXh8okqQQt0a489555CvvKSJyAyR7ZA9zkRx2QDcWZDN1DTIE6YfGBBsbRi4CUrkHfGAKA/s1600/IMG_3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkWcwfICLQ-SAJaeZdD971IhN2SgFgAZ2V0GaPKOn4WpGYa8ypfzrDCvmKtTlZr4nXO9_axXh8okqQQt0a489555CvvKSJyAyR7ZA9zkRx2QDcWZDN1DTIE6YfGBBsbRi4CUrkHfGAKA/s320/IMG_3235.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bo-mi and David</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeosSf-53jJykm_3lZrPFq_xqB9lCT0_nWfJQogh10st8hZrWyg8x23vZK89LuYapasmhJFtXWtl_ZgQckMIc8d0oUIpYdNWTucaU4d69w-n21Ce3CilJmBj_ucsdsIVsKR-gf6Y0bXac/s1600/IMG_3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeosSf-53jJykm_3lZrPFq_xqB9lCT0_nWfJQogh10st8hZrWyg8x23vZK89LuYapasmhJFtXWtl_ZgQckMIc8d0oUIpYdNWTucaU4d69w-n21Ce3CilJmBj_ucsdsIVsKR-gf6Y0bXac/s320/IMG_3236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNkEYJtEhTcK-kioZFNUlUOFPYjpJ0gNfTW0hD8QqOvBV-A-Pj4k-STDavqNF3a6ei1A_t6kuvEw3g3oKj3Cmck163cGpwF0Flayqm3TEn7LhLxAAyGJz7Rpb8n9epy-VEAqN9NnzqJo/s1600/IMG_3238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNkEYJtEhTcK-kioZFNUlUOFPYjpJ0gNfTW0hD8QqOvBV-A-Pj4k-STDavqNF3a6ei1A_t6kuvEw3g3oKj3Cmck163cGpwF0Flayqm3TEn7LhLxAAyGJz7Rpb8n9epy-VEAqN9NnzqJo/s320/IMG_3238.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie and Bill (1 year younger than the above kids)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QA6w9000myJh5rmT69YzTaqMkhVe1rG9qSGgH0Mlc1JXRh8fCb8TCEtJqOjYNf4MIPp7lLvbIs_3SvjevKnWVKqHuHIijeLdjT0oemdHJrSIvtLyDyx28WpiWcaYv5c-bA-lUNVZ3XE/s1600/IMG_3239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QA6w9000myJh5rmT69YzTaqMkhVe1rG9qSGgH0Mlc1JXRh8fCb8TCEtJqOjYNf4MIPp7lLvbIs_3SvjevKnWVKqHuHIijeLdjT0oemdHJrSIvtLyDyx28WpiWcaYv5c-bA-lUNVZ3XE/s320/IMG_3239.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrpm6lH_PE-U6XkEJ9c0I2Aa_PJ_lFUUx6kVgOBVgSVLy8a_yeFB496vFAPhh7WvLUWLsew2_YuPvhxxAuWkVNRBfnYDxcELWVFiHBlKz_J2nSfVkZL01aQIH3Rlr3Z_VR9ZQeu8pX0I/s1600/IMG_3240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrpm6lH_PE-U6XkEJ9c0I2Aa_PJ_lFUUx6kVgOBVgSVLy8a_yeFB496vFAPhh7WvLUWLsew2_YuPvhxxAuWkVNRBfnYDxcELWVFiHBlKz_J2nSfVkZL01aQIH3Rlr3Z_VR9ZQeu8pX0I/s320/IMG_3240.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia and Alex</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mRsbOhMORchunaZV4sib070CzWR9Q7wsFLUrnuHvO8GCJv5WDugPL32W9kQSUn7t5wspw6yoa_hg4JqGQBebdhUCGINtQoN0YGBXmtRDweOGNd7TczTdms0z7d2b9mz4OvtwD9iiJAI/s1600/IMG_3241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mRsbOhMORchunaZV4sib070CzWR9Q7wsFLUrnuHvO8GCJv5WDugPL32W9kQSUn7t5wspw6yoa_hg4JqGQBebdhUCGINtQoN0YGBXmtRDweOGNd7TczTdms0z7d2b9mz4OvtwD9iiJAI/s320/IMG_3241.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella and John</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxncTa9SDVKVxaH8rXmGUlpaY3dCZ_jYM8D0G8iI9lvFNfUmuT2T24-xqx7Np87Lb2ZlnHubFgFqC3OZQHdXNQgy7zN0_lCpTLt8hkd-nk24fJqXJTzyARqn2Zt5PQO__-Pa8loEFJVA/s1600/IMG_3242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxncTa9SDVKVxaH8rXmGUlpaY3dCZ_jYM8D0G8iI9lvFNfUmuT2T24-xqx7Np87Lb2ZlnHubFgFqC3OZQHdXNQgy7zN0_lCpTLt8hkd-nk24fJqXJTzyARqn2Zt5PQO__-Pa8loEFJVA/s320/IMG_3242.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin and Amy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhpCkkL-QA7Tsyi57E2srx7Rxj_RtVGHMe1fW7rkEgOwPDnpWYnuhiQkdDjyd8mGvIu0GoTWIykj87a5jnTlToKUpXgNjtf7iN7tMkMoobFeMM-SWsnHncs2A4Aor3egvUPSG2rQu78o/s1600/IMG_3244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhpCkkL-QA7Tsyi57E2srx7Rxj_RtVGHMe1fW7rkEgOwPDnpWYnuhiQkdDjyd8mGvIu0GoTWIykj87a5jnTlToKUpXgNjtf7iN7tMkMoobFeMM-SWsnHncs2A4Aor3egvUPSG2rQu78o/s320/IMG_3244.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwY-LRoij6IdtsrAJGYZ6W8PRx6_PzBSg8O0nW8L9wEZfheiO4krTLdX6sZ_eBc_zaPrrUYZTtOI6xEcA97OI9Db2po53nkhxYQM92OsoNqhT7IfyjdefwyipI8OAbzSaIkIJSk_OKhc/s1600/IMG_3245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwY-LRoij6IdtsrAJGYZ6W8PRx6_PzBSg8O0nW8L9wEZfheiO4krTLdX6sZ_eBc_zaPrrUYZTtOI6xEcA97OI9Db2po53nkhxYQM92OsoNqhT7IfyjdefwyipI8OAbzSaIkIJSk_OKhc/s320/IMG_3245.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dare I say my favourite Yu-Na (or Jasmine or Jinny she changes every day) and William</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXq-3u9PPQRRJB5wrOj6tqfgvDzaACjz-iqtov-KrS_3ezo_RGTwkpvS34AodFJxrWXsCymuNX_nKfH60TI13yOZk9ufPc93iXL3Zu9-sy7BQTmT1LO2YawUncZNzXxaW0blhimaMEYY/s1600/IMG_3246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXq-3u9PPQRRJB5wrOj6tqfgvDzaACjz-iqtov-KrS_3ezo_RGTwkpvS34AodFJxrWXsCymuNX_nKfH60TI13yOZk9ufPc93iXL3Zu9-sy7BQTmT1LO2YawUncZNzXxaW0blhimaMEYY/s320/IMG_3246.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minha and Jun Hee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-inkOd6fyrpgEa4FZLBHcgDxrPiLiYaqMpaFWUpGcmgJyMOHOeQjU7M10AM_7b4vsoyRNBZ5k38bVbS0ItHH8ZADpBfeEU4OKx5EqVY6DukcmTABeh1Rh888UNXjBBPNnjwDXRMvUJ4/s1600/IMG_3247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-inkOd6fyrpgEa4FZLBHcgDxrPiLiYaqMpaFWUpGcmgJyMOHOeQjU7M10AM_7b4vsoyRNBZ5k38bVbS0ItHH8ZADpBfeEU4OKx5EqVY6DukcmTABeh1Rh888UNXjBBPNnjwDXRMvUJ4/s320/IMG_3247.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chang hyung and Bella</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYi56OZJ2Hm722QYfnvWaW6M1-cSlzztqxG0UJ46u_N8y0PfyTsBbQsZvE2ndAYUJMWBT72TQdV3_sU1KL3Co_mLsBeVpETnNuspBDMlOeiPxaw5yJoFnDGTa9msyj4SnJf6Yhjj_BARM/s1600/IMG_3248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYi56OZJ2Hm722QYfnvWaW6M1-cSlzztqxG0UJ46u_N8y0PfyTsBbQsZvE2ndAYUJMWBT72TQdV3_sU1KL3Co_mLsBeVpETnNuspBDMlOeiPxaw5yJoFnDGTa9msyj4SnJf6Yhjj_BARM/s320/IMG_3248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LltmrPastSMKKMrsuZH3tHYUf-XRQ5kbtGNHSaPF4wK0NlVnlhdQ1WrEypxKaV12cRUlOHBKcHPQDrplMoxb8i6d82YWiV1fY8W15AgdHayZBohV499OxN5YMazd8ZqsZREUCHNOUDo/s1600/IMG_3249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LltmrPastSMKKMrsuZH3tHYUf-XRQ5kbtGNHSaPF4wK0NlVnlhdQ1WrEypxKaV12cRUlOHBKcHPQDrplMoxb8i6d82YWiV1fY8W15AgdHayZBohV499OxN5YMazd8ZqsZREUCHNOUDo/s320/IMG_3249.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack and YuJu</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9CTGWtUE76L4oCMeK3_TIlPWR0U7_-XDTH8ZN6-4MQB7kAf70czszwURF2ANxspQ7nyjIfHZ4i1g8ofngQXyHFhS3Z6JgvFvu7_mi_CTgxudaOvKK1JBJWphgUp7pZIufRvi2t7YuIA/s1600/IMG_3250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9CTGWtUE76L4oCMeK3_TIlPWR0U7_-XDTH8ZN6-4MQB7kAf70czszwURF2ANxspQ7nyjIfHZ4i1g8ofngQXyHFhS3Z6JgvFvu7_mi_CTgxudaOvKK1JBJWphgUp7pZIufRvi2t7YuIA/s320/IMG_3250.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew and Bella</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-63088753456203839522013-03-30T02:07:00.001-07:002013-04-18T06:24:52.183-07:00Un- Facebook<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I ditched the beast this week, gone forever is my scrolling through other people's lives, gone are the days when I seek acceptance in 'likes' and 'comments' and gone are the long hours choosing the best picture so people will find me aesthetically pleasing. I may have just hit home with some people, others may just think I am a nut job with a baggage full of issues and yes the latter is more likely the case but nether the less this is what it has come to.<br />
<br />
For a very long time I sort (I still do to some extent) acceptance and agreement. It is very hard for me to deal with confrontation and hate. I seek approval from peers and new people I meet, I literally fall to pieces if I am disagreed with or the butt of jokes. I am not sure where this all stems from, sometimes I desire a phd in psychology so I can put a label on myself and wear it with (or without) pride. I don't quite believe in problems stemming from 'something.' Who has the perfect family these days? What is the perfect family these days?<br />
Mother and Father who stay together, love each other, have a steady income, happy lives can still have messed up kids.<br />
I just believe that we are who we are and the people we meet, the path we take, the experiences we go through slowly but surely moulds who we become. And boy, did my mould get messed up along the way.<br />
<br />
The catalyst and the moment when I made the greatest decision in my life, ok I really cannot compare this to the end of slavery or having a baby or travelling around the world but I will still file it in the same category since this is my blog, to rid myself of Facebook was when someone I respect seemed to not see me anymore. I assume those around will honestly know me because of how I write and what I post on Facebook but this isn't true, not many people can know you through a virtual wall. I can probably be honest and say that I now think only Colin knows me, tragic but true only one person really knows how I think and what I feel. This 'person' I mentioned (who was just the straw) said one line and it really struck me hard. I realised that the better a person you try to be the more your mistakes are noticed by others.<br />
I suppose this is also why people have a deep rooted hate for you... for stepping out of the lines of conformity, for being different, for trying to show them that what they do is actually wrong.<br />
I made a conscious decision recently that I would be a better human being I would buy things with thought behind it. I would spend money on things that didn't harm anyone or anything in their production...I make mistakes, I get lazy and when I do I am jumped upon, I am strung up as an example of how those that live the 'normal' way are actually the better people and I am actually no Saint.<br />
<br />
Even as I write this it makes no sense. I apologise.<br />
<br />
The truth is; I am not a Saint, I don't live perfectly, I don't buy everything with thought, I work long hours and I grab a pack of pesticide ridden apples. I don't know about everything that I shouldn't buy and everything I should.<br />
But, alas, I try and I think this should neither be rewarded nor attacked.<br />
<br />
Facebook was a huge part of my time in Korea but now I am ready to really do better things with my time. I was addicted and now I feel I am addiction free.<br />
Plus Colin showed me a video of a woman giving birth standing up in her kitchen and the comment underneath was;<br />
'She is hairy.'<br />
I think I have made the right decision.<br />
<br /></div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-32814105049552799942013-01-31T04:19:00.001-08:002013-01-31T11:34:44.580-08:00Virtual voice.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have a post in production but thought I would write something today to catch everyone up on what is happening with us I have been quite vague with people up until now because, quite frankly, it hasn't been all smooth sailing.<br />
<br />
I have worked in South Korea on and off for 4 years, last year I worked in a public elementary in Masan and I have always praised public and told people never to go elsewhere (private) sadly I got right royally shafted this year. I did a great 45 minute interview over Skype and then they called my old co-teacher for a reference she told them that I quit after 8 months of working with her. (I worked from Nov 2010-Oct 2011 with a 6 month notice to the school that I had to leave one month early)<br />
I don't know what happened or why it happened but I told the education board to check back pay and see what dates I got salary for, it was of no use they decided against me and even emailed ME to tell Colin that he is now not eligible for an interview even for a different school.<br />
I have been Hulk angry, hurt, annoyed and just plain blazaae about it and I know it is what it is but it has left a bad taste in my mouth for Korea and so today on my birthday I must learn to simply, grow up.<br />
Life isn't always how you want it and even if you put in 100% you might not get much back.<br />
We are returning at the end of Feb as long as documents and visas get done. We both have private jobs (although Colin's is definitely better than mine, I panicked and took what I could) but on the bright side we are two vegans moving to Seoul and the cats are ready to go. Although I asked Piggy and she said unequivocally that she doesn't want to go (HA)<br />
We are sad to leave Wrocaw, Poland and Europe it is beautiful here and we couldn't ask for a nicer apartment but we cannot afford to make grand moves for our future here and Colin, as an American, isn't as welcome as we need him to be.<br />
I am sad that last year I claimed that I am 'done' with Korea and here we are returning but c'est la vie the past year has been fabulous, we got to know each other so well, we travelled a lot, met families, got engaged, got cats...and so, returning to Korea is exciting rather than a failure.<br />
We have a goal and once that is in sight or near enough we will be making our last move to the States, Oregon.<br />
A friend once told me that it is ignorant of me to want to live in an English speaking country (bear in mind they live in an English speaking country) but I am exhausted of not being able to pick up languages or going to the post office, bank, supermarket and not being understood. Though I do always say that living in Poland is actually harder than Korea because no Korean actually assumes I am Korean, I get asked questions here ALL the time!<br />
I am now working towards my wedding and my home.<br />
Also, in regards the wedding it will be more of a marriage blessing as Colin and I will do the legal papers in Korea since an American must be present in UK for 15 days before marrying and I don't think private schools will allow that so, sooner than one might think I may be running around with a new name and a new passport ! Watch this space.<br />
<br />
Anyway I hope that answers questions on jobs and this year for me and Colin, we have the best 'marriage blessing' to look forward to at a mansion in a beautiful part of Wales and I cannot wait to see as many wonderful people there as we can possibly have.<br />
<br />
Until then, I am but a virtual voice.<br />
<br /></div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-78114224117565351222012-12-31T04:40:00.000-08:002012-12-31T06:27:29.311-08:00School in Haiti and wonderful animal people<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I wrote two pieces recently for the Wroclaw International English newspaper.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here they are </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In January 2010 Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake which was watched by many on the other side of the world. We shook our heads in dismay and sadness and then discussed it until the end of our double espresso and croissant. This is adequate time for such a topic and once it is over we move on. We are all guilty of such whimsical feelings and no one should really feel guilty about them however it is reassuring and somewhat comforting when we know that there are some people who will make that double espresso last a little while longer.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After scouring the internet I was pleasantly surprised to note that there have been more than a handful of individuals, groups, and countries that have pulled together to re-build Haiti and it was even nicer to hear that one such group comes from right here in Wroclaw. Recently I have been in touch with an architect by the name of Katarzyna Dabkowska who has been more than a little helpful in regards sharing information about her work and that of the rest of her team of 5 young architects from the city; Maciej Siuda, Lukasz Piasta, Marta Niedbalec, Kamil Rusinek and Jerzy Mazurkiewicz.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It all began in June 2011 as a competition ran by the charity foundation ‘Polska-Haiti’, the Polish Chamber of Architects, and the Polish Chamber of Civil Engineers. The requirement was to design a new school to be constructed in Jacmel a town deeply affected, not only by the infamous earthquake, but also by heavy rain falls, hurricanes, and cholera epidemics that have taken their toll on the people and the buildings. After sailing through two stages of the competition in May 2012 the group of Wroclawians took their prize of seeing their designs become a reality and began the arduous task of traveling to Haiti and building a school for the children who desperately seek an education. Unlike other children in the more fortunate parts of the World, the younger generation of Haiti has been forced to grow up quickly by the tragedies they have faced and have no choice but to carry the heavy burden and restore Haiti to an educated and therefore more prosperous nation.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The school is funded primarily by the Bishop Launay Saturne, Caritas Polska, and the charity foundation ‘Polska-Haiti’ and the aim is to have at least part of the school ready and able by September 2013, this will mean that the children can start learning at the start of the academic year. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My main concern, when I heard about this project, was the sturdiness of the building. For a country that seems quite the target for mother nature’s bow and arrow how can one be sure that the new building will be able to withstand the possibly inevitable future disasters? It was also clear to the architects that there would be huge issues as the materials and technology available in Haiti are very different and somewhat lacking in comparison to what they were used to dealing with in Poland. Luckily though the idea is for these talented individuals to bring their knowledge over and put them to good use, knowledge they gained from Poland and so the project is being completed following and according to the Polish building code with the cooperation and expertise of engineers and specialists. Also all conditions have been taken into consideration and for areas which are more vulnerable to seismic activity the structure has been optimised. With the dry season lasting up to 3 months in Jacmel it is imperative that water is collected adequately throughout the rainy season and the construction of a deep well is in discussion. Through the rainy season the rain water is collected in pools on the roof which is then used in the kitchen and toilets to maintain sanitary conditions.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After just a few emails with Katarzyna Dabkowska I was amazed by her enthusiasm for such a strenuous task, it is both wonderful and astonishing that people with talents that could push them far in their own personal goals and aspirations are willing to take a step back and spend 2 -3 years building a school for people they hardly know.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I asked Miss Dabkowska what her thoughts were of the people she encountered in Haiti, “They are passive, they seem to struggle every day and continue to live on the rubbles and the ruins of their country but, like Wroclawians, they are warm and hospitable. “</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The group, when in Haiti, were enthusiastically thrust into a sight seeing tour of, not only the city and buildings, but of places of natural beauty that seemed to have evaded the touch of the catastrophes that have plagued the country.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How astonishing that through such tragedies people can still stand up and introduce their place of birth with pride and a smile.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And as for the wonderful group of Wroclawians, they hope that when this project ends it will open the door to many more. It is an excuse to travel, to learn, and to integrate with other cultures but also for the simple fact that it brings different worlds together in working towards a common goal.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If you wish to know more about this project or to donate please visit the Polska-Haiti website. <span style="color: #0d2099; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.polska-haiti.org/">www.polska-haiti.org</a></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">_____________________________________________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It may come as a surprise to some that Poland is actually the 4th largest producer of fur in the World, larger than the US even. Maybe one will have to wait for the devilishly cold winter months of January and February to truly witness the bundled up individuals riding the city trams with their fox tailed scarfs and rabbit eared hats. I didn’t quite lose my mouthful of water when I read the statistics but it did make me slightly twitch in my seat with unease. I am not judging fur connoisseurs but sadly there is a harsh reality that comes with the fur trade and that is how the animals are kept pre-skinning. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">An intervention occurred on a fox farm in April 2012, an anonymous informer had contacted the animal protection society of Lower Silesia ‘Ekostraz’ to help the foxes that lived in diabolic conditions. In metal containers such as unused, old ovens in the heat of Polish summer without drinking water and left to breed in these conditions so as to produce more fur, the wonderful unpaid volunteers decided to take on legal action against the owner of the farm. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is reassuring to most that these kind of societies exist, we can relax in the knowledge that others are cleaning up the dirt of the inhumane and irresponsible however, everything has a price tag and Ekostraz, which is non-profit and one of it’s kind in the whole of Poland, needs money if it shall continue to fight the good fight. The reason they are one of a kind is that they not only protect those that we call ‘pets’ such as cats and dogs but also they work on protecting wild animals too; hedgehogs, squirrels,birds and such that happen to fall upon hard times. If they are able to be saved Ekostraz will pick them up in one of the few cars they have and nurse them back to health in a foster home. It is important to remember that zoos, other shelters and vets here in Wroclaw have little to no experience dealing with wild animals and so all work burdens the 20 or so Ekostraz members who see domestic pets and wild animals as equal when in need of help.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Unfortunately unless you seek out the Facebook page of Ekostraz or dine at Vega in the Rynek where many of their meetings and workshops have taken place then it is unlikely you, as a native English speaker, would have heard of them however it is good to know that most of their members speak English and although they do not have a shelter, per-se, to work at you can always provide a helping hand by donating, providing transport or even opening your home to animals that need a foster parent until they get permanently homed. All vets bills, food and equipment is provided and paid for all you have to do is have a furry yet very endearing house mate to stay for a while. They all come with a guarantee not to block your toilet, pile up the dirty dishes, and they will attend to you in whatever mood or state you find yourself in as long as you scratch behind their ears.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Also if you own a company here in Wroclaw and would like to sponsor a worth-while cause, a cause that is desperately seeking funds to purchase an incubator to help animals with respiratory issues as well as other vital equipment to keep them afloat please contact them by email <a href="mailto:info@ekostraz.pl"><span style="color: #0d2099; letter-spacing: 0px;">info@ekostraz.pl</span></a> or ‘phone 605782214.</span></div>
<div style="color: #141414; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-70568474077538364612012-12-24T06:47:00.000-08:002012-12-24T07:22:17.928-08:00How the Queen's speech should sound...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And so Christmas 2012 rolls in on Poland, foggy, damp, bleak and without a trace of snow as the Wroclaw God seems to have mistook yesterday for the 25th and today it has cleared up completely. It is hard realising that Christmas, although still a firm contender of mine as the best time of year, is never going to be quite as exciting as it was before I hit puberty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why was it exciting? because of the films, t.v adverts, abundance of food, people spending time with you (never mind the other 364 days of the year), music and of course... the presents! I was a child of consumerism and so is the majority of children that are born into a western life. I don't believe you could make this time of year as good as it was when I knew that I would wake up with more gifts than the sofa could comfortably hold.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I fear that Mine and Colin's choice of not having children puts us in a dangerous position in which one day (hopefully a long time from now) one of us will be spending Christmas time alone. That there will be no one around to care, love or to help us but that is a choice we made because it would be more selfish to have children when we are not 100% committed to having any.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These are the things I spend my Christmas time pondering about over a glass of red, staring at the walls and wondering, really?..what is this all about?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But it isn't rocket science, we are here and one day we wont be and you either spend your life accumulating wealth, things, and shallow relationships or you do your best to better you and the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My New Year's resolutions are going to be huge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I plan to be the happiest, healthiest vegan I can be. I plan to be a poster child for the vegan movement and not to talk about the negative aspect too much...if you want to know about it you can find it out ..Veganism isn't a negative thing, it is empowering, challenging and worthwhile, therefore I will be as positive as I can be. (sadly this new year resolution includes *shudder* the gym)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I plan to be happy for everyone, my past life was, for a long time, churned up in jealousy and bitterness. I do not deserve to live like this, like wise all living beings should all live great lives, we are only around once don't forget!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My blog is going to grow (this will be the hardest to keep up) I plan to read the news each morning on the BBC and write my opinions on it. Too much news today is written so that people scroll through it quickly, getting lost in the muddle of confusing words and jargon. With dictionary at hand as my compass I will navigate my way around BBC online and research the net.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I plan to save for 2 major things;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">my wedding that I started planning when I was 9 and was just waiting for the right man to knock on my door ( or pick me up in a bar..either way works) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and for our home (condo, apartment) together in America. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This year isn't about spending, holidays or extravagance it is about the future, it is about what we want and where we want to be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">..and so I wish all of you a wonderful and peaceful Christmas, it may not be as thrilling as it once was but it is a great time to reflect and smile. if you are warm, safe and loved you are certainly one of the lucky ones.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As am I.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cheers</span><br />
<br /></div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-3109868173647330662012-10-06T03:55:00.000-07:002013-03-30T17:52:01.088-07:00In the dog house<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It has been so long since I wrote and I am trying to pick up the ...pen again but I haven’t had many deep, life-changing thoughts of late. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, I have added another bridesmaid HA. And I couldn’t be happier. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My mother visited Wroclaw and Krakow about a month ago and it was her words that made me decide on having Lisa, my very dear wonderful friend, to be in my wedding party.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I previously didn’t add her because I really didn’t think it was ‘appropriate’ to include her. I have no clear idea why. I love her a lot and we have been close since our days of packing stupid shelves in a stupid corner shop...I actually loved that job. But I haven’t been married before and I wasn’t sure the right people to ask. Colin and I decided that 4 was enough and like I previously said I chose the 4 that mean the most to me from different parts of my life. Lisa, I took for granted, I assumed well I knew that she would help me do anything for the big day without getting anything in return. <br />
<br />
While my mother was here she asked me why Lisa isn’t going to be a bridesmaid and I had no answer for her. Of course I didn’t because Lisa is perfect to add as my fifth lady! <br />
And so she is added and in her rightful place. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The wedding is on the back burner right now as Colin and I arrange our future jaunt back to Korea. I am more excited about our American future and I'm over looking the actual thought of returning to the place I have spent too much time in. But we plan to save a lot of money and have the wedding, honeymoon and life of our dreams. Nothing big or over the top but secure and happy just as we like....with our 2 cats who hate the idea that we are returning to Korea and dragging them along for the ride. Maybe we will get them a dog.</span></span></div>
</div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-18842382909400885162012-09-06T07:28:00.001-07:002012-09-06T07:32:32.577-07:00I forgot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am about to marry a great man and when you are about to marry a great man it is easy to forget their greatness because it is ever present.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a poem for Colin Ross Culbreth, who gives me foot massages when I ask even though he has herniated discs in his neck, who makes me nap when there is cleaning to be done because he would rather clean himself than to hear me stress, who carries my bags and listens to me whine after I have had too much wine, who puts up with me gyrating to Backstreets back (not as pretty as it sounds) and loves me regardless of it all...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love you Colin ...and here is my answer</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>
</span><br />
<div style="color: #464646; font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Yes, I'll marry you, my dear,<br />
And here's the reason why;<br />
So I can push you out of bed<br />
When the cats start to cry<br />
And if we hear a knocking<br />
And it's creepy and it's late,<br />
I hand you the torch you see,<br />
And you investigate.</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #464646; font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Yes I'll marry you, my dear,<br />
You may not apprehend it,<br />
But when the tumble-drier goes<br />
It's you that has to mend it,<br />
You have to face the neighbour<br />
Should our future dog attack him,<br />
And if a drunkard fondles me<br />
It's you that has to whack him.</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #464646; font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Yes, I'll marry you,<br />
You're virile and you're lean,<br />
My house is like a pigsty<br />
You can help to keep it clean.<br />
That sexy little dinner<br />
Which you served by candlelight,<br />
you specialize in potato wedges,<br />
You can cook them every night!</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #464646; font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>It's you who has to work the most<br />
and put up a curtain track,<br />
And when I've got PMS it's you who gets the flak,<br />
I do see great advantages,<br />
But none of them for you,<br />
And so before you see the light,<br />
I do, I do, I do!</b></span></div>
</div>
Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-38248334046196196332012-08-12T06:12:00.000-07:002012-08-12T07:21:32.805-07:00The 4 horsewomen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the vegan gets her day and in (approximately) exactly 2 years time the day of my dreams since forever ago will happen.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I knew the ring was coming. One could say my boyfriend, now fiancé, was under duress and being continually pushed to deliver the goods but let's be honest all he had to do was pay, he got out of it quite easily, my want to have a stone on my finger symbolising that I am in the mad process of planning a wedding just allowed him to escape planning a romantic and expensive trip to propose in an old fashioned surprising way.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking back I don't regret it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colin and I are not one of the great romantics of the past, we are just best friends who love each other. We except each other for who we are and we cry, smile and laugh together. Every time i have to spend even a night away from him I ache, this is what our marriage will be built on; friendship. I cannot ever express how lucky I am that I found a man who completely respects me, who never makes me cry and believes what I believe. Remembering how much I wanted to wed since I was young makes me shudder at the thought that I could have, quite easily, married the wrong person.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But this is it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My proposal was done when in our pjs in our apartment in Poland with our cats and laughter. It was beautiful.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I crazily wedding plan I cannot help but be happy with the bridesmaids I have chosen. I wanted 4 or more but Colin should have somewhat of a say and so I compromised and chose 4. The girls individually are beautiful people and together they represent important parts and groups of friends in my life.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jen has been there for me since I began my travels in Australia. As I wedding plan I realise how much more she needed me when planning her own wedding and I failed as a bridesmaid. I chose her because, first, it was a foregone conclusion but also because I need her. Even in Australia it seemed I couldn't quite function without her and she was my guardian and quite possibly THE funniest girlfriend in my life.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope she forgives me for being a terrible friend but deep down I know she knows what to expect from me and that she is my rock.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love her and that is all.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alison and I have known each other since competing in netball. I was always better than her and luckily she still loved me :)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When she chose me to be a bridesmaid for her beautiful day I think I was more shocked than anything. Although we are close we had lived 2 separate lives for a very long time and I wasn't expecting her to choose me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was completely and utterly moved.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe Alison and I have a relationship that isn't much to see on the surface but when you look underneath it is unwavering. She goes above and beyond for me whenever she can and I couldn't imagine this event without her.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still the cutest girl in the world!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jenelle is my representation from Changwon, a place that challenged me more emotionally than anywhere else in my life. I had incredible heartache and incredible happiness whilst there. I grew and there were wonderful girls who were there for me in this time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jenelle, however, is hands down one of the most beautiful women I have ever met and I am sad that she doesn't always realise it. She always puts others first and even if they hurt her she blames herself and works effortlessly to put everything right. She works to help the planet and tries always to be a better person. I want her to stand beside me representing the beauty of the world and because she was the girl who told me I was unhappy when I was unhappy and also was there when I got so blind drunk and met my future husband!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An angel.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sarah, a girl who represents my time and the beautiful people I met in Incheon and my first year in Korea. Always emailing me her life and so interested in mine, I cannot see our future without each other in it. Genuinely always bursting with happiness for me whatever happens in my life and the coolest girl I know. I am still baffled why she is single and hasn't fallen into the arms of a musician yet but I bide my time and keep her invitation open for 2 because it is only a matter of time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am always grateful for her words and her understanding and can't wait to have a party, a glass of champagne and a dance with her on my perfect day.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These girls will be beautiful on my day and I know that I need them to look my best! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have my guy but I need my girls.</span></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-8916278808823028902012-07-06T08:02:00.000-07:002012-07-07T03:10:51.575-07:00Why I am who I am<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">I haven’t written an entry for a while. A lot has happened.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Today I will concentrate on addressing a very personal issue. An issue that others do not seem to understand or are able to get their heads around, ironically I can’t get my head around the fact that they can’t get their head around it....</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">A while ago, a few years back actually, I toyed with the notion of becoming a vegan but at that time I was not ready and I continued to label myself a vegetarian and was content. A few months ago I became a vegan, I was ready but sadly the world around me wasn’t.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I have had numerous debates, confrontations, arguments, tears have fallen, and all because I don’t want to eat dairy anymore. I am not harming anyone else, I still sacrifice myself for those I love, if a dear friend wants to eat meat I never have and never will say a word and will even accompany them to a restaurant. Throughout my time in Korea I did nothing but attend BBQ restaurants with exes and girlfriends so that I never was an annoyance to anyone and because I love them dearly. I am not a confrontational person, I wither under the stress of it and I know that those who love me know I am here if they want a serious discussion on the issue.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">**Friends, if any of you really, truly want to ask me questions about my lifestyle choices it would warm my heart to discuss it with you**</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Sadly, those who I considered friends and loved ones have attacked me and I dare say they do not understand the affect this has had on me.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">I cannot help the person I have become. I am grateful for what I know and how I deal with it, I am sure it would be easier for those around me if I was a human rights advocate. This is something people respect and understand, I admire those who use their life to help other human beings. Colin and I made it a goal to always give money to those we pass on the streets, whether we think it is a good idea or not I still believe that given a choice NO ONE would beg for money. I can spare it. Today I bought a bag of clothes, a mish mash of unnecessary crap and because I do that I have no right to walk past a person and not offer some comfort.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But I am not a human rights activist, I am not a non-human rights activist, but it is not how my brain is programmed. I am an animal rights activist (or wish I was) I have sympathy with those without a voice, I weep for them and I wish their pain would go away. If this truly makes me a bad person then I apologize now but I will never be able to switch off to the suffering that happens every 12 seconds! </span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I am not here to prove something but I really want those who know me to try and wear my non-leather shoes for 2 seconds. Every time someone asks me a question in relation to being a vegan it is clear to me the answer is not what they seek, they seek justification for what they do. I don’t want to give this anymore. I do not judge but I can not mother you and tell you what you do is fine because I know how the world has become corrupt and how the human ego is too big for the future to be able to handle.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Why am I vegan?</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Recently I was asked this question and it brought me to tears because as I was saying my answer I know it was being interpreted and changed so that the ear it was funneling into could feel satisfaction that I am simply an abnormal loon.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dairy is natural. Yes of course it is, for cows. For humans it is not. We are the only species that consume milk beyond our childhood and it isn’t even our own mothers. </span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">
Would you care for a glass of dog milk? When I ask this question is seems ridiculous but to a vegan this is synonymous to would you like a glass of cow milk? What about monkey milk, the closest animal to us, wouldn’t this make more logical sense?<br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">“Osteoporosis is a condition of abnormal porousness of bone resulting from gradual bone loss, leading to increased fractures, loss of height, hip and back pain, and spinal curvature. The disease affects about 25% of postmenopausal women in the US. Since osteoporosis is a disease of bone loss, and since 99% of the body's calcium is found in bone, it certainly seems logical that if people eat as much calcium as possible, osteoporosis risk may be diminished. The Dairy People capitalize on this idea by constantly reminding us that dairy products constitute some of the richest sources of calcium in the supermarket (never mind that calcium is found in varying amounts in all fruits, vegetables, and grains). But this "you need your milk" idea is not universally accepted.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The truth is, there has been little or no success in preventing osteoporosis by eating dairy products. Plainly and simply, when enough calcium is consumed to prevent deficiency (which is much lower than the Recommended Dietary Allowance), taking in excess does little more than put a person at risk for kidney stones. In fact, Americans consume excessively large quantities of calcium, yet risk of osteoporosis continues to threaten millions of Americans. Most people are not aware that the US already has one of the highest calcium intakes in the world. Calcium deficiency caused by an insufficient amount of calcium is not known to occur in humans, even though most people in the world don't drink milk after weaning because of custom, lactose intolerance, or unavailability. In fact, nations with the highest levels of dairy consumption are the same nations with the highest rates of osteoporosis.” Taken from an article by the Michigan state University.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<a href="http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-calcium.php"><span style="color: #0e23a3; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Times; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-calcium.php</span></a></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">If you look at the above link you will note that cheese is ranked number 2 as highest foods rich in calcium, and yes that goes against my argument, but does it? really? Other dairy products are number 7 and cheese has a lot done to it before it gets to our table. Flax seeds, herbs, almonds, tofu and sesame seeds are all above milk and guess what? that is exactly what vegans eat!! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It angers me that when we are growing up all ads are veered towards dairy. ‘drink milk’ and the (in)famous white mustache when there are no ads telling parents to feed their children fruits, vegetables and seeds! Doesn’t that make anyone else pissed? *sigh* probably not.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
Aside from the fact that I believe all this above, dairy is also considered a more brutal process than meat consumption. Don’t get me wrong we all know how I feel about meat consumption but the agricultural dairy factory farms in most countries has become a dark and dismal torture chamber. To get milk one must be pregnant, the cows are artificially inseminated and once they give birth the calf is dragged away. The mother bellows for her calf for weeks and the calf doesn’t get any of her mother’s milk. </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">We do.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">The calf’s fate, well what is the profitable use for a baby?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I have had people hate on me for saying this about the dairy farming industry and I know there are some ethical farms left but while there are some that are not, you can keep your milk.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BPRq7wVpkY"><span style="color: #0e23a3; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BPRq7wVpkY</span></a></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">One last comment, I have had numerous people unable to comprehend the fact that vegetarians/ vegans desire the taste of meat. I cannot comprehend how this is not comprehendible. <br />
I am not going to even begin to argue that meat is not delicious. Although it has been 11 years since I tasted any I still salivate at the smell of a BBQ. I am human after all and the restaurants use the spices and herbs, sauces and ingredients available to them to make food as appealing as possible.<br />
I loved the taste of meat but I cannot allow an animals to be abused the way it is just because I want a burger for a 30 second thrill. <br />
<br />
I do not NEED meat, simply put, and so I choose not to eat it and instead I replace it with food that makes me feel that I am ‘normal’ and part of the majority. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Please feel free to contact me if you truly desire more information and not just to attack me but other than that there are sources available to everyone (Information is FREE) and if you really want to know the answers than you can find them.</span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
</div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-50715346319404987272012-06-05T12:50:00.000-07:002012-06-06T11:52:17.527-07:00Yin Yang of the mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I want to fill my friends in on my life in Poland, but be warned the philosopher that lurks within will sum up with a chilling note.</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>About a month ago I was employed by Queen’s school of English, a reputable language school that I adore. Before this I was working for a fiend and so I escaped relatively unhurt but well and truly unpaid, the thought of those 5am wake ups that I could have spent in my warm bed annoys me but alas, one lives and one learns. I teach just under 20 hours and as the summer approaches I will be working less but as September roles around I am pretty sure that my hours will increase and that summer will be a glorious blur for which I will wish to return.</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I am busy, extremely, I feel very out of my depth and to avoid drowning I am spending my days, between classes, planning and prepping and trying to avoid any pitfalls of grammar and vocabulary. </b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>We study Polish twice a week and it is safe to say if I was my own student there would be blood spilt. Homework is rarely done and progress is slow from lack of self-study, too busy, too tired and too unmotivated! <br />
Our cats are amazing we rescued Pierogi (Piggy) from a shelter. She was actually in a pet store and when Colin saw her his eyes turned to mush, I had to become the tough one *sigh*</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>My first thought was why was she in a pet store? I don’t believe in buying from a pet store when abused, neglected, abandoned animals need us more. We enquired, it was a way of advertising the shelter, getting a home for the cat (they put a different cat in the pet store every fortnight or so) and the pet store sells the food at the time of adoption everyone is a winner, especially Colin, I had no excuse, we wanted a cat she needed humans. We could always provide for her, even if things got too tough. So we packed her up and she moved in. It took a few days but she was definitely our cat and she definitely felt at home. Numerous occasions we had to put the sofa and bedding in the washing machine!! And as Pierogi started her 3am play sessions we knew it was time to adopt a second. I desperately wanted another, I feared that I wanted another because the excitement of Pierogi had warn off, like a kid with their Christmas toys 3 days later, but I now know that is rubbish! I also wanted another cat for Pierogi. She was an indoor cat and her excitement and energy was completely reliant on 2 humans who came home, drank a beer, and sleepwalked into bed every night. I felt guilty every day and needed a feline to take my burden! <br />
James, aka Jimmy. It took weeks before we got him and we longed for him all that time. We asked for a black female and we got a white, with some black, male. We couldn’t be happier, he is our baby and our family is complete.He came from a sad background that can be summed up in a picture that was taken of him as a kitten all together with bloody nose and a dirty body. Pierogi found things hard at first, a stranger moving in but now that she can play and chase and fight for hours then she is content. <br />
Also, so far, she hasn’t pee’d where she shouldn’t. We, of course, take lots of precautions but it still could be a sign that all she needed was her friend.</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Wroclaw is a really great city, there are always things to see and do but sadly we don’t really have the time or energy to always see and do these things, but at least we know they exist and when wonderful people come to visit over the summer we will partake. We will meet each others parents and we will sit in the Rynek (market square) drinking a beer and loving things, even if money is tight. Money is a necessity, sadly, but will never make me as happy as my life right now does.<br />
I do not dread my job every time the alarm rings, like I did in Korea, but I long for the evenings and weekends so I can spend them with my ‘family’. </b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>________________________________________________________________________</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b> Things are going really swimmingly in my life right now but as I write my face book status’ I always feel a huge pang of guilt. I am being melodramatic of course but why on earth should I be this lucky? and why on earth should I be proud of it?</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>It is maybe politically incorrect for me to say this next statement but, as always, I will. I am lucky first and foremost for being born white and secondly I speak English as my first language. It is a sad world that we live in when these happen to be partial reasons for my wide set grin.</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Of course I have had heartbreak and financial panic, I have had times of deep set depression that covered me like a thick blanket and chocked me. I have had tears and blood, sweat, and nerves.<br />
I have had, what seems to be the new coined term, first world problems. Maybe I should boast that I am lucky because it fills me with appreciation for what I have and what I never had to have. I am still a million miles away from knowing or understanding the inevitable results of poverty. I can watch t.v or read newspapers, I could even volunteer and help, but I will still be wearing clothes, eating, and even if I decide to ‘camp’ to try and open my eyes to the life of others I know that this isn’t ‘it’ for me. </b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>‘The American dream’ is; knowing every day you can afford to hope. What if you went to sleep every night and knew that life will never get better, would you bother to dream ?</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I am not sure when society became a twisted checkers match but humans abused humans and my beaming smile that appears when I wake up next to Colin, hear my cats purr, or await an impending trip just adds to the inequality of the game. </b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I do not need to prove my luck or happiness because I was born into it.</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>My ex boyfriend was a rat bag, but to be honest these words are not even said with venom, I still have everything I went into the relationship with. I still had the opportunity to ‘have’ that relationship. Everything I do must be appreciated rather than taken for granted.</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I will never wish my hand was dealt differently but I know there are thousands upon thousands of people who would give anything and everything, an ironic statement in itself, for a day in my shoes. Isn’t that tragic and yet guiltily fulfilling all at the same time?</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I am lucky and I am happy and I will cease to declare it, there is little necessity for obvious passionate vents.</b></span></div>
</div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-64308007676589209532012-05-12T03:16:00.002-07:002012-05-12T14:06:31.160-07:00In response<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
T<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o the girl who is me,</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A week or so ago I received an email from a girl who I was with in Korea. She told me that she had included me in her blog and hopes that I didn't mind. HA, of course I didn't I love myself and when people talk about me I love it even more. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To summarise, she wrote how we had never been emotionally close in Korea (true) and that it may be due to the fact that we are very similar (true) and also making bad choices on both parts (true)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I cannot remember a time, in my past, when I didn't make bad choices. It seems at the golden age of 28 I am becoming wiser but for the duration of my existence I did the wrong thing. I learnt and I am here today happier and healthier, but I still have my regrets.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember the girl in question backing my decisions to date my ex boyfriend. He was a bad egg and I have said, on numerous occasions, that he is possibly the biggest regret of my life (more on him when i can be bothered). The girl said that you cannot regret decisions that become mistakes but learn from them. I still do not believe this, I don't believe that if I hadn't dated my ex than I wouldn't have become who I am today. I still could have found myself and the wonderful man I am with now just without the trauma of the past. Who knows? </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, I was bullied in school a lot ( I have mentioned this in a previous blog and won't dwell on it too much) because of my looks. A ridiculous notion really, looks do not maketh the man..idiots! However, when I left school my mother did a marvellous thing, she said that if I so wished I could have contact lenses. WOOOOOT..oh and then I dyed (and subsequently damaged) my hair, blonde! It was the new me and I was excited. I got attention. It still took a while. Beauty is not only in how you look but how you act and present yourself. You cannot hope to put some makeup on and meet the boys. You must ooze confidence then the men shall come, like bees to honey (yes, I totally hear myself ..gross). </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This post is going crazy right now and I am losing track.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I am trying to say is, I got the confidence and I became someone I didn't respect anymore. I could see this in the other girl. I feared she was making the same mistakes I had. She too was bullied and now was getting a lot of attention. It is enjoyable until it is not enjoyable anymore. I feared she would be stung like I had been many-a-time. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I had not finished my silly behaviour and when I dumped the ex, I again birthed the monster I had worked so hard to kill. This is how and when me and the girl came to truly 'hate' each other. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were each other and there is only room for one.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is all very childish, regrettable and unnecessary but it happened and I hope we have both moved past the hate for each other and ourselves.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not everyone can be friends but they can find the goodness in each other. Hate is such an exhausting emotion and I am over it.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-62383585100866550462012-05-10T00:49:00.001-07:002012-05-10T00:56:25.797-07:00The shallow reasons for my choices<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="column">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">There are 4 reasons why people teach ESL in another country. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">1) Professional experience<br />
2) Cultural enlightenment<br />
3) Gap year
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">4) Escape life and get drunk
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">I was the 4th and after 5 years and too many hangovers I have become the 2nd.<br />
I blame the education system ( well, I have to blame someone) at 18 years old I still relied
on my mother to make onion gravy the way I like it and I had no idea what a penis looked
like, other than the porno my brother left in his VCR one day. “Summer Girls get hot” It is
safe to say 10 years later, I now know how to make onion gravy and am severely
disappointed in the latter.<br />
So if one is unable to know what life is about, how is it ever possible to decide on your future? To spend a lot of
money, that you could possibly spend a life time paying back, and a lot of time studying
something that does not interest you or make any kind of sense. I don’t believe the system
works and am sad that it fails so many people every year.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">I decided that because I was ok at English throughout school I should do English at
University, if I had my time again I think only now would I really appreciate the choices that
I had, the different courses I could have sunk my teeth into and been able to gorge on
every piece of information. Journalism, creative writing, media I would have wanted to do it
all, but I was rushed and I chose to study Dickens and Poe. Great writers that I used as
coasters for my beer.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">So what should one do when they study English? Travel the world and talk, a lot!
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">I have collected a plethora of memories from my experience and I will say that I am
satisfied with my life’s journey, I am proud of how I used my ‘mistake’ to explore my mind
and discover what and who I want to be.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">My 4 tips to ESL teaching (all spawned from true and satirical incidents)
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">1) Do not, under any circumstances, judge a family by how they dress their child. Do not
laugh out-loud at a kid when their second language is English, and more importantly,
never explain his shirt to him.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Walking through the halls of the second Korean school I taught at, a child, knee high, ran
up to me and pulled at my top. I looked down at the 5 year old who adored his teacher and
whose teacher could think of a thousand places she would rather be right now (on a
beach, in a bar on a beach, in a bar on a beach with Ryan Gosling) but I bit my tongue and
smiled and looked down at the child. He wanted to show me his classwork, I could not stop
reading his shirt. The desire to run to my computer and update my facebook status was
too great and I left the child in mid-sentence
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Facebook status - A 5 year old’s t.shirt reads; ‘it won’t lick itself’
</span></div>
<div class="column">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">2) Read through your notes the day before you teach. Don’t wing it because sometimes
things come up that you were not expecting and it could get awkward and, somewhat,
embarrassing.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Teaching the phrase ‘It turns out’ needs more preparation. A group of Polish adults looked
blankly at me as I tried to explain how it means ‘finally’ or as ‘conclusion’ to something,
when one woman turns to me and says ‘to turn on someone?!’ Oh the horror, as I go red I
feel that is my duty to tell this woman that she must NEVER use this phrase in Business
with an English speaking company!
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">3)Always enjoy the moments that make you laugh out loud, the students may never
understand your seemingly loss of sanity but it will, in the end, keep you sane.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Conducting a role play, I gave each student a job description for themselves. One man
was from a law firm, called ‘Black and White’ and he worked on mergers and acquisitions.
Introducing himself he says ‘Hello I am a liar’<br />
Possibly the smartest student in my class!
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">4)Expect the awkward moments when things that we say do not translate into other
languages so easily.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Having a party at my home, I decided to invite a co-teacher who seemed lonely and in
need of friends being the extremely wonderful person I am I went and met her on the
street to direct her to the place.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Me ‘ah, I am so happy you came!!’ </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Her ‘why?’
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">*silence* </span></div>
</div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-84053849742523975222012-04-30T10:20:00.002-07:002012-04-30T10:22:45.732-07:00Eating my words!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something wonderful happened to me recently whilst living in Wroclaw</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(question; can I still write 'whilst?' because I sincerely love that word!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway I heard about a relatively new English newspaper made in Wroclaw. The Wroclaw International.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This is not only amazing for knowing the great, cool things that happen here but, of course, I really wanted to have the opportunity to write for them!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I begged in emails, attended a monthly party, and then I was invited to a meeting.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I was in !</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first piece has been submitted, shockingly I am writing about animal things (as well as anything else I can think of submitting along the way). I am very grateful for this opportunity.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have just interviewed a wonderful woman who spends her days rescuing animals and she, and her organisation, will be the focus of my next piece. But until then here is my small article on Vegan ice cream, now selling in the middle of my awesome city!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The natural taste of Italy</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The dark skies are lifting from over Wroclaw and people are coming out from hibernation, it is the start of the summer time. Clothes are getting lighter, smiles are getting wider, and the demand for refreshments is rising. Although the majority of people in Poland, and the world, do not yet follow a ‘meat free’ lifestyle it is safe to say that the masses are now demanding healthier products on the market. Chowing down on a chocolate bar is a temporary satisfaction and many, especially us women, feel guilty about what was an extremely short lived pleasure. But alas, a genius has been born, Giuseppe Lamardini, the creator of an all natural ice cream. The Vegans are rubbing their hands together in glee as yet another completely cruelty-free product emerges, defying all skepticism. </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Giuseppe uses, not only, 100% natural ingredients to make his gelato taste unique but seemingly defies the laws of ‘ice cream’ physics by using: carrot, beet, tomato, pumpkin, and even Spirulina. Spirulina, in some circles, is known as a superfood with it’s richness in proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It has even been placed as number one on a list of the five foods that can add years to your life (by the AARP). It seems Lamardini knows what he is doing; rejuvenating a classic. At the age of 20, Lamardini moved to Italy where he learned how to produce Gelato (Italian for Ice cream). He and his Polish wife’s dream was to create an ice cream that does not exploit animals. He created the “Gelati Giuseppe” and began to sell it from a quaint little shop in Sopot, Poland. </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Luckily for Wroclaw, the considerate people at VEGA have brought the ice cream to the Rynek for 4 zloty a scoop!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">VEGA, an establishment set picturesquely on Sukiennice street next to the city hall, has been serving health conscience people for 25 years. Of course, in 1987 Poland, it was a little more difficult to start a business selling salads instead of vodka and sausages but it has survived and every year Rafal Patkowski (Manager of VEGA) has witnessed a consistent rise in the vegetarian ideals of both young and old. Everything served at VEGA is homemade and this ice cream is no exception.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Out of 38 of Giuseppe’s ice creams VEGA provides 8, and the flavors will vary over the course of the summer. In an interview, Patkowski announced boldly that his favorite flavor was grapefruit and I couldn’t help but grimace because grapefruit, in it’s natural form, is incredibly sour and the ice cream is a perfect replica. Luckily for me Patkowski allowed me to sample the other, less sour, flavors such as chocolate, mango, pineapple, and I will say that I may return for Lemon with spirulina more than a few times, it is light, fresh, healthy and perfect for a sunny day walking around the beautiful city of Wroclaw.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Can ice cream be dairy-free and still be delicious? It seems so.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
</div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-65209091072425465322012-04-23T09:34:00.003-07:002012-04-23T11:47:18.029-07:00The second beating<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
So, after my last blog, about bullying, Colin told me that maybe I should try and be more clear in my message. I deviate very easily from the topic but that is just how I write. </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I wrote this piece about 6 months ago and I think it sums up what I was trying to say in my last post..</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I was a victim of bullying but I, in no way believe that gives me any excuse to bully others. Whether it be to physically hurt another living creature, say mean words to a friend, or to even gossip.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Of course, what girl hasn't gossiped in her life? Age will mature me and hopefully eliminate the need to do this in my future.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Buddhism:</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It has always been a challenge for me to discipline myself to do any kind of research on anything. It is an even greater challenge for me to discipline myself to do research on the major religions of this world. I believe this is because of fear and ignorance but most of all because of loyalty, Loyalty to the religion that I have known since I was a child. A religion that cradled me when my dear Grampa left, a religion that gave me friendship when I lacked that in school</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">However, if I am ever going to find the best course for me, discover the 'answer' to what life is All about .. then surely this IS the only way to do it! </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I read 'the essence of Buddhism' on my plane ride between Kuala Lumpar and London. A 13 hour journey thats boredom screamed the need to be annihilated. I slept a lot so I tried to find my enlightenment there but, after a serious ache in my knees and a realization that if I keep sleeping then jet lag is gonna really rear its ugly head, I decided to pull myself together and pass the time another way…Religious study ! </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I am pleasantly surprised by Buddhist study , geeez my mother would pull out her hair (then mine) if she heard me! But yep, buddhism or the 'essence' of it, at least, is pretty beautiful!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It deals more with ones self than the requirement to please another (such as a god) I am not sure about the golden fat buddha and how he relates to the 'story' but once I gain internet connection on solid ground I will find that out.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The self and it's connection to suffering, addressing the fact that the world is essentially evil because of human choices. Suffering is inevitable but if one leads a life of that fully accepts the idea that they will suffer at one stage or another than one can live in a peaceful existence. </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For example. John loves his rich lifestyle. He loves to entertain his friends and prepares huge dinners whenever they come over.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">John avoids knowledge of the suffering of the world. He enjoys expensive vacations, he has a great health plan, he is ignorant to the misery of the poor.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">John will encounter suffering at one time or another, it is unavoidable, yet John has worked so tirelessly to ignore it, that when it comes it is like an earthquake, an electric current through his entire body. He cannot handle it and begins to fall apart. His attachment to the ego has caused his mind to be shut off from the reality of the world. If he had prepared himself, if he had listened to those that suffer everyday from the animals to the children to the adults and lived a life that, in no way, causes unnecessary pain to others he would be able to concentrate on life's simple pleasures. Instead, in hard times, he cries out 'why me?' rather than 'why not me? Which question has a more positive answer?</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In some ways I should be thankful that I do not have riches like John, it is actually a great starting block. It gives me the ability that John does not have, the ability to suffer and to slowly adapt to it. If I gain riches I hope that I am prepared to facilitate them in ways that can end some suffering.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My favourite aspect of buddhism lies in the devotion to living a life that is morally 'right.'</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Channel ones mind on the reality of the world rather than being distracted by temptations or the mind's interpretation of what is real. </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Do nothing that will cause suffering to others. </span>Use actions and speech that are not used for sexual gratification, used to be malicious or are driven by hate.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In other words, live a life that leaves the smallest negative imprint on others.</span></div>
</div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-82226681651905486662012-04-19T23:03:00.005-07:002012-04-20T00:12:25.409-07:00Big bad Bullies<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I am writing a completely outrageous blog post, and because no one seems to really read my blog other than my future (if Colin gets his finger out) mother-in-law and Colin himself, I can write what I want and not care for consequences..hoorah!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">First issue of the day </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* Bullying * </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I have been talking and thinking about this subject all my life and recently it seems to have come up a lot in blogs and the news. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">This week I have even been doing it with one of my adult classes (ok, I mentioned it and they queried on the spelling...I hold that up as a thorough discussion) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Earlier this year I sent two emails out to two fb friends to apologise for the way I treated them in school. I was jealous of them, their individualism and their lack of need to hurt others. Bullying makes one 'think' they are at an advantage and that they are superior..</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">*bullshit* </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">These two beautiful women are successful in that they have happiness now, I didn't contribute to this happiness and that's not how I want to live. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I bullied them because I was in agony inside.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I don't believe in Karma. No paths I choose will directly effect the next stage in my life. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Bullies very rarely get what's coming to them, especially if they are the every day verbal, mocking bullies who don't really understand the consequences or the pain they cause.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Let me give you some examples;</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">*Everyday the girl, that is the most popular and everyone wants to be, takes another, significantly less popular, girl's blackcurrant juice and the the latter girl is somewhat fearful of ever saying no.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Is that bullying? Does the popular girl ever realise how inferior she makes the other girl? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">*A geeky girl, not yet reaching her attractive peak, wears her heart on her sleeve and allows a boy to know she likes him his response is; </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"I would rather *&%@ a dead dog that is 6 feet under"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Is that bullying? Or did the boy have a right to say that to rid himself of any possible advances by the undesirable?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">*Sitting on a bus to go home from school, a girl sits next to her best friend and shares her headphones, a boy from the back of the bus tells the latter that it is 'disgusting' to allow the former to share the headphones.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Is that bullying? Is that wrong when it actually brings me to tears right now to remember my memories of school?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">These, of course, are my stories and they stay with me for life. I have many more, of my house being egged, of vile verbal words thrown at me in the street and yet no one would really consider me as being a victim of bullying because these stories, individually, are not that horrific.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">And those involved in these memories are all successful, happy people.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">They do not and will not ever know that they stay in my mind forever. I will never 'get over it' in an attempt to be a better person, I can't, I am human after all. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Again, I don't believe in karma, consequences for bullying will only happen if the person happens to want a clear conscience, has an open mind and a good heart. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I was once a somewhat religious person. My mother is a Born again Christian. I was raised by her and she is the most wonderful person in the world. Now I have met the second most wonderful person in the world, he is my future and he is an Atheist.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">My mind has become a battlefield, I adore two people who both have such strong faith in what they believe and 'know' that it is the truth.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I have started to lean towards the belief that there is no god, that we are not as spiritual, as impressive and as wonderful as we think we are. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">We are actually nothing</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I have a cat and she is too beautiful for words (except that she is biting my toe in bed as I write this) . We got her as a kitten and there is nothing , bar size, that would lead one to believe she is a baby. She is independent, she learned to walk, play, jump, run all alone. She is a miracle. Humans are not. We need our parents until we are 18 years old (beyond that for some). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">We come out of the womb and would perish without other humans, we are a race of dependants.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">The only thing we have that is superior is our language and the fact that we have domesticated animals to control as we want.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Is it cruel that I keep my cat indoors, so that if she ever was called to the wild (her rightful home) she would not be able to survive?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Is it cruel that we take chimps from their mothers and put them in labs so that we can decide if they are smart?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Is it cruel that beagle dogs are put into cages, for life, so that we know if our mascara will be water proof or not?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">If there is no god, then there is no consequences to what we do to another race. Animals (dinosaurs) were here before us, they belong more than we. We are supposed to live with the earth, not control it. We were born naked, fragile and as guests on Earth. Our egos have destroyed the balance. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">In school I knew nothing but school. I couldn't see past the gates, I couldn't understand that in a few years I would never have to see those people again and that I could, if I wanted, defriend them from fb !!!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Children see school as everything and it saddens me that some are so miserable and involved that they resort to taking their own life.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">These 'victims' are the people we need in order for the Earth to survive, these children with good hearts that know what it feels like to be trapped, attacked, inferior.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I believe I was born because I am just part of another race, I am nothing special. I work, eat and love but that won't help me when I am dead. It's just the cycle, but while I am here I tend to leave the smallest footprint. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">My cat will be adored because she is far greater than I am.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I will try and make those around me happy.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I will love rather than hate.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Bullying isn't just the big things it is in everything.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-33431169819414440162012-04-15T04:50:00.004-07:002012-04-20T00:12:49.060-07:00The Kimchi Field Museum in Seoul has documented 187 historic and current varieties of kimchi<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Is Korea a racist society?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This is probably one of the largest debatable questions among visitors to Korea.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">What is racism anyway? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is it the hatred of another race or is it the ignorance of another race?</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When I worked in Perth, Australia I kept the money rolling in by working at a bar and getting my dollars ‘under the table’ I loved it. I wasn’t an impressive barmaid and I certainly could not throw together a cocktail and blow up a sambuca but I was able to pour a pint of beer and flash the older male customers a flirtatious smile to keep them happily desiring more alcohol. I worked for a South Korean, his name was Dan and he was gorgeous!<br /></span></p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background-color: #ffffff; border-collapse: collapse"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width: 29.0px; height: 63.5px; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px"> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> </td> <td valign="top" style="width: 336.5px; height: 52.0px; background- padding: 6.8px 6.8px 6.8px 6.8pxcolor:#ffffff;"> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Verdana"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Yellow fever<br />The best infliction to have ever hit caucasians. Signs of having contracted yellow fever includes extreme attraction and affection towards Asians of the opposite sex. urban dic.</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Although seemingly a politically incorrect term, people use, ‘yellow fever’ today to describe the attraction many foreigners have towards those of asian decent. Foreign men adore Korean women.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> It is not hard to understand why, they are beautiful, have fabulous shiny hair (put down to the lack of need to continually color) slim and because of the confucian ideals that never seem to completely disappear, they are far more submissive and seemingly dependent than western women! (more on this later) </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Dan was the first Korean I had ever spent time with and I liked him immediately. Every night, when the bar got quiet and being a bar that attracted more old, widowed men than Thursday night student parties we had a lot of down time, we would sit down on a table and talk. He was married and had a baby son living with him in Australia and so my chances of a Korean marriage were out of the window (blast) but nevertheless we talked and I enjoyed learning about a place I knew much too little about. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“May I ask you a question Ruth?”<br />“Of course Dan” (All too eager to please the handsome boss)<br />“Why don’t western people know the differences between Korean, Chinese and Japanese people?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In Australia it was hard for me to spread my cultural wings, I had come from a predominantly white country to another and although I would say I am neither racist nor ignorant of other races I had never immersed myself in anything but white and this question took me by surprise. I was suddenly, for the first time, being faced with how the world is, a patch work quilt of numerous shapes and colors and it is no longer acceptable to have a blanket of one tone stitching. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I was not equipped to answer the question and explained in my inadequate vocabulary that it is ignorance NOT arrogance that has people confused. This, although a pretty accurate explanation if I do say so myself, had no evidential backing, I had absolutely no reason for making this statement and thanked the Lord that Dan nodded his head and dismissed me instead of continuing to probe.<br />I was just out of University when I made my big trip to Australia and it seems school does not teach you much more than how to get a job. It teaches you about work not about life, nothing you need to understand, appreciate or know about the big, bad world will be learnt in a classroom. I enrolled to be a student of life when I turned 27, I will probably be studying forever!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br />Dan, by posing this question, seemed to be suggesting that a westerners inability to determine the nationality of an asian, merely by appearance, is nothing less than a derogatory slur on another culture. I do not believe this is the case. What is the difference between this and a Korean unable to identify a European from a Canadian? </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The difference is the reaction. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">White people have never known discriminated against because they/we are the powerful elite (according to history and according to them/ourselves) </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Racism is the result of power trips and minority groups do not have the numbers to achieve this, it is only through time and [somewhat] civilized morals that the powerful have loosened their grip on the elite positions (although not entirely) </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">White people have no issues with the ‘mistaken’ identity of themselves with another white race because their confidence is unrivaled, especially in comparison to those races that have faced and still do face discrimination.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Dan had a pretty successful position. He was manager of a bar and run a bottle shop, which was located in a side room within the bar. He wore a suit every day and I have no doubt led a relatively comfortable lifestyle. With his expertise in ‘taekwon Do’ the Korean martial art that all children, especially boys, practice regularly as they grow up, Dan was the guy to call if there was any trouble in the bar. There was only one bar maid on duty at a time and this could be rather intimidating even if the regulars were over 60! When a person drinks there is no telling what the result can be. I had the power to ‘cut people off’ but some people just didn’t want to get ‘cut off.’ I remember a time when a male Aborigine came in, he was a hard worker and came in for well deserved pint every so often, this one time he had quite a few, well deserved pints. He became obnoxious and I called Dan for assistance. The topic became racist and my comfort zone was well and truly blown apart. Dan was receiving a lot of unfair abuse about coming to Australia and not belonging but luckily this guy was no match for ‘Taekwan Do’ Dan who removed his abusive ass onto the streets of Perth. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A minority attacking a minority, does this happen? Why does this happen? I should be the one attacked, I was working for cash, I was spending my spare time drinking at bars and getting up to wild and wonderful things with other like-minded backpackers. I was definitely not thinking about how I could contribute to Australia, let alone the world. I do forgive myself, I was having a ‘time’ and now I have packed away my party shoes and put on some slippers, but why was Dan being attacked?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> He was the hard worker, paying his Australian taxes, legally working and not at all deserving to be abused.<br />Racism is a topic, I am more than happy to say, I do not understand! </span></p>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-63208036083052325582012-03-31T12:31:00.000-07:002012-03-31T12:32:03.809-07:00Polska!<div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Monday 26th March 2012 we arrived in Wroclaw, Poland. Friday 30th March 2012 we will move into our new home together.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Colin and I got drunk on the hostel floor last night and we talked deeply (well as deep as you can after consuming several beers and long islands...yum) we talked about love, trust, marriage, and the past, my blackberry (mmhmm), his life, my life. It was really beautiful actually. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Sometimes truly tender moments arise from being completely trashed.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am very happy that we have decided to move to Europe together and try to carve out a life here, it’s exciting having a clueless future in a country that has continual festivals, activities, a bustling market square, beautiful architecture, and food and drink at giveaway prices!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We spent 3 days in total dragging our poor butts around the various flats in order to secure our dream place. We lived together in Korea but I do NOT count that as our first place together ! It was dirty, moldy, cockroach ridden and smelly. It was cold in the winter, where we spent our time in the living room and ONLY the living room, and hot in the summer, where we spent our time in the bedroom and ONLY the bedroom (which is not as fun as it may sound!) I hated going back there after being out all day, I actually really dreaded it. We have now paid a deposit on a flat that I cannot wait to get into.<br /><br />We were on the verge of buying another, even considering not bothering viewing this one, but after seeing the pictures I just had to ! I am so happy we did, it has a brick wall feature, a beautiful kitchen that is open plan with the living room.<br />A really nice bathroom, sans bathtub but I will get over that..in time, a gorgeous bedroom that has balcony doors! I love it.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">2 more hours and we will be in.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The Polish seem to love their graffiti, it is everywhere. Yesterday when we went to view this place my face fell when I was in front of our future door way, it had a spray painted giant, silver, erect penis!<br />“Please, please, no!”<br /><br />Luckily, we got the address wrong and we happen to live NEXT to the spray painted, giant, silver, erect penis. At least it will be easy to find home!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is time to begin.....<br /></span></p></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-91585441935325736502012-03-22T13:49:00.005-07:002012-04-20T00:13:32.993-07:00'till death do us part<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I attended a wedding this year. Actually I attended more than 1, which is good because if my friends happen to read this (they better) then they won’t know of which wedding I talk of.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">So, I was at a wedding and a family friend (of the bride) came up to me and drunkenly attacked me and my choices in life. My vegetarian choices.<br />I am used to it, of course, I have been a vegetarian for 11 years this month (March 2012) and I have always been the awkward one, the one who is putting everyone else ‘out!’<br />I remember visiting family in Newcastle and being taken to lunch. After living in Korea for 3 years, at that time, coming back to the U.K is pretty much the single most exciting thing I do for my taste buds. I drool as the plane slides into the terminal parking spot and I run the length of the arrival lounge to grab a bowl and a spoon and chow down on something that I know will be both amazing and ecologically harmless! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Therefore, when I got to Newcastle I was settled in the belief that as long as there is at least ONE thing on the menu that I can eat :<br />Vegetarian curry, burger, lasagna, mince...</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">then I am happy with ANYWHERE!<br />I sat in the car with my grandmother, cousin and her boyfriend and we drove around like headless chickens (GAH, how much do I hate that expression?) looking for something suitable. The first place was a quaint bar that smelled like the sea and looked like every bar in every British T.V show. I was satisfied.<br />I pulled out a chair, got well acquainted with the menu “ah, Vegetable curry..done”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">and much to my disappointed was told that this place was not “going to do.”<br />We left.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">This actually went on for another 2 places in which I was perfectly content. In Korea I suffer in silence with white rice and kimchi, please give me a fork and a curry! The third time I got into the car my stomach stirred louder than the engine and my grandmother shook her head in disappointment and remarked,<br />“We have to think of Ruth and her being a vegetarian, see?” As if I was the fussy one!<br />I should have reacted boldly and fought my corner but my head hung in hunger and I just looked out of the window as we left my delicious food behind.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Anyway, returning to the wedding. I had just helped myself to the buffet spread and was happily eating away at the veggie options provided for; me (there were not many other vegetarians in the room that night) and as I mentioned earlier a drunken family friend shuffled his way towards me. I was (as I always have been) easy prey for hungry carnivores and as I sat chewing on my red pepper he began to slur,<br />“Don’t you just want a steak? a big juicy steak?”<br />I probably rolled my eyes a few hundred times through this whole (mostly) one sided conversation. As the non sensical speech went on and included the cruelty that I am bestowing on plants!<br /><br />I hate when meat eaters use that ‘argument!’ It is probably the single most unintelligent joke/comment I have heard and will continue to hear. I have thousands of reasons why my diet is healthier, more natural and less harmful to the world and the argument I always get back is, that I am causing pain to plants! *sigh*</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The speech, at the wedding, then went on to ask me if I was planning to feed my children a vegetarian diet.<br />Here is my response, I like to keep my replies short and exact so that, hopefully, the discussion can finish rapidly.<br />“Well actually I plan not to have children but if I did, yes I would heavily consider a pure vegetarian diet for them”<br />“That’s child abuse that is!”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">With that I agreed in a hugely sarcastic tone and the subject, thankfully, began to subside.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But now this is my blog so I get to reply in the way I really should have.<br />When it comes to meat eaters I have spent 10.5 years of my 11 year vegetarian ‘career’ never once telling them to become a vegetarian. I do not attack, judge, or bombard meat eaters on the subject of their diet, but for 11 years of my vegetarian ‘career’ I have been attacked, judged and bombarded about my diet and how it is tasteless, wrong and weird.<br />Now, it’s my turn! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If I were to have a child, which I have decided against and will address this issue in a later blog post, then I 100% stand by the idea that feeding a child a plant based diet is not abuse, but rather the opposite.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 21.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">"When we Indians kill meat, we eat it all up. When we dig roots, we make little holes. When we build houses, we make little holes. When we burn grass for grasshoppers, we don't ruin things. We shake down acorns and pine nuts. We don't chop down the trees. We only use dead wood. But the white people plow up the ground, pull down the trees, kill everything. ... the White people pay no attention. ...How can the spirit of the earth like the White man? ... everywhere the White man has touched it, it is sore."</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 21.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is clear to me, but hazy to others, that we have destroyed our planet, and will continue to do so. If you drive along the country side you will notice a huge difference from driving along the country side years ago. There are much fewer cows and sheep on the hills grazing. They are not allowed this simple pleasure anymore, we have taken it away and put them in a shed. We have encased them within dark concrete walls, TURNING ON the sunlight when we want to trick the animals into growing and producing. Beating useless runts to death by bashing their heads against the concrete floor.<br />*This is a practice called thumping, I do not make anything up, I do not NEED to make anything up* </span>I have not done enough research (yet) to argue about the topic of humans being carnivores, omnivores or herbivores but I do know that the Indians hunted down the wild animals. The animals that were free to roam until the great battle, it was not like hunting today where a man goes into the woods with a beer, a gun and a grin and shoots, from a long distance, a completely defenseless animal, just to hold up its antlers in a picture. The Indians take what they need, they thank nature for the great gift and they use all the beast. They appreciate the animal, we abuse the animal. We simply don’t deserve their life.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 21.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I will now plug the book ‘Eating animals’ I cannot praise this book enough, I adore it and am on my second reading. The author, Jonathon Safran foer, decided that having a child and deciding what he feeds the child is the single most important thing a parent does.<br />After a huge amount of research and even ‘breaking into’ (you cannot freely go into a factory farm as you can freely walk into a chocolate factory) a factory farm, he realizes that meat today is not something we should be eating as often as we do. </span>It is not the fact that it is an animal with feelings that I make this judgement it is the fact that the meat is not good, it is not 'real', and it is most certainly not as healthy as some would say. Luckily for me i taught in Korea for 5 years and that put me off ever having my own children, but with 5 babies born every second it is worth having a thought and a read and a sober appreciation for those that decide to liberate their bodies.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 21.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I do no harm to anyone by munching on a pork-less sausage so that should be that...</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 21.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-78717755629923953612012-03-05T03:19:00.002-08:002012-03-05T03:21:13.888-08:00The rice paddies are always greener...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It is sad and negative of me to continue to bash Korea for the things I don’t like here and ignore the fact that there are more than a handful of things that I do like. Many people will argue that since I have been living here for 4-5 years that I must love this country and that it must be doing something right, right? I love the independence I have here. I have money, good money, an apartment that is rent free (Korean schools pay for a foreign teacher’s rent as part of their contract) the transport system is top notch and the cities are easily coordinated. Money goes far here, and if you ignore the lure of late night bars and south east Asian travel you can save a great lump of it. I hate the staring, but I appreciate the reason why it is done. Korea is one of the most homogenous countries in the world.<br />Only recently (tail end of the 20th century) is it experiencing an influx of foreigners. Many Koreans have not seen white or black skin other than on T.V and the ‘shock’ of seeing something different is difficult to ignore. Nonetheless, because of the short period of time that Korea has been established, as what we know today, many foreigners also lack much education about Korea before they arrive and therefore many tend to densely populate the cities that provide comfort with their westernized atmosphere, such as Seoul and Busan.<br />Jumping straight into the clutches of a different culture can be too much of a shock too soon.<br /><br />After 6 months in Korea I suffered what could only be described as the darkest moment of my life, so far. I have not been a stranger to traveling and now I have Korea down to a tee but in February 2008 I was hit hard!<br />A lot happened to me in regards to relationships and, although I will not dwell on them (too much) and their insignificance, at that time they had a huge impact on my already fragile state. Now that I am older and a great deal wiser I know that relationships come and go, that being intertwined with another human being, sharing your deepest secrets and allowing your soul to be wide open to attack, judgment and scrutiny doesn’t mean that another person ‘has’ you. What I have learned, if anything, is the importance of being independent within a relationship. Although your actions should always take into consideration the partner in your life, your mind should always be free. Unfortunately, at 24 I still hadn’t received this valuable lesson which, it seems, only mistakes can teach you. I believed that without a man you are a failure, and therefore life with ‘any’ man is better than that! On a cold February day, 4 years ago I sat in my apartment and I lost control of myself. I felt like I couldn’t breathe and yet I didn’t wish to seek breath. I wanted to leave but I didn’t know from where I wanted to leave. I had thoughts that were so black and frightening that I was scared of being alone but wanted for no company.I have no recollection of how long this dragged on for, I just remember receiving desperate emails from my mother who told me, quite obviously, “you can come home at any time, come home!” This, at the time, seemed an impossible feat that was not achievable since I couldn’t even leave my swivel chair. The person who saved me at this time was Erin. My closest comrade. We shared hours at a time together and I will always be forever sorry for the way I treated her when I fell ‘into’ a man. I fell so unimaginably hard that I spent 2.5 years climbing the walls of the relationship trying to get out. Of course there were good times, but now I realize these were just the moments in which I lost my footing and had to begin the scramble again.<br /> Erin had possibly the worse apartment that I have witnessed in Korea. She regularly spent her evenings filming the mating rituals of her bathroom cockroaches, much to the amusement of everyone else in Korea whose apartments were bug free. She had no air conditioning and if you have ever experienced Korean summers you will understand the unbearable humidity that comes with it. An air conditioner is a necessity rather than a luxury. The location was the worst part, it seems her school found the cheapest most isolated piece of wasteland they could, gave Erin the key, and run away.<br />Anyway, the reason I point out the poor girl’s misery is to show why we spent so much initial time together. I was possibly the closest waygook, proximity wise, to her and she needed a decent roof over her head and this, I provided. When I met a man, this is what I took away! I remember spending hours with her on my heated floor on a mat that she bought herself to put in my place(Korean heating is under the floor boards, it is called ‘ondol’ and is possibly the single most amazing idea ever, especially since the majority of Koreans have not westernized themselves enough to sleep on beds but rather the floor) with small bite-size packets of real cheese that we purchased at 6am from the local family mart, on the way HOME from a social night.<br /><br />An expat guide to Korea : cheese and Soju<br /><br />Two things to mention here is cheese and drinking; Cheese in Korea is a rare commodity, they have it but it is expensive and considered more of a luxury rather than a weekly purchased item. Although, as I said previously I have a goal to be a vegan, as a vegetarian cheese is by far my favorite food and I know I will miss everything about it, but alas, the importance of where ones food comes from is far higher to how something tastes.<br />When I was ignorant to dairy issues, such as in 2008, I longed for cheese in mass quantities. Not just me but other foreigners, we planned nights around it ‘cheese and wine nights.. wine is optional!!’ Brie became my top cheese and I would eat large amounts of it on single sittings, it makes me nauseous to think I ate this way but as I once mentioned I was an uneducated 24 year old!<br />So, Erin and I would have nights out followed by morning cheese pig outs which were nothing short of glorious! Drinking is at the core of Korea’s social life. A culture that works hard and parties rather than sleeps, to compensate. Koreans, in general, work extremely hard and for long hours. Having taught adults from Korean companies including, LG Electronics, Doosan Engine, Hyosung and STX I am fully educated on the working hours of the average Korean white collar worker. Here are a few examples, overtime pay begins AFTER 10pm! Bear in mind work starts at 8am! Some workers MUST work on Christmas day ( this is not a huge holiday in Korea in comparison to the western world, but it is still a national holiday!)<br />Vacation time, in most of the companies, is 1 week in the summer, 1 week in the winter. (This is 5 days and does not necessarily exclude weekends) For some companies it is just 1 week for the whole year ! Now after all these hours at work wouldn’t you want to just, go home?.. I taught a vice president at LG for a short period of time and most mornings he was ‘hungover.’ This is not at all unprofessional in Korea, this is the way business is done. I was told there are three levels of socializing/doing business after hours in Korea. Level 1 ) eating at a restaurant with drinks Level 2 ) going onto a bar and continuing with the drinking<br />Level 3 ) Norea banging! (Sleep is now officially sacrificed)<br />*Norea bang (translation; singing room) - a karaoke room that a group can hire at a reasonable cost for private singing along with a continuous service of drinks.<br /><br />The sad reality of this way of life begins and ends with the wives. My partner and I were invited to dinner with an old vice principle of mine from Masan. She is slightly older than 40 and speaks coherent English. She was always eager to help me out (sometimes to my annoyance ) but I was more than willing to accept a free dinner for myself and drag my partner along too. We went to the local Indian restaurant, which we used to love, mainly for it’s lack of Korean food!! The awkwardness that always transpires in these situations subsided quite quickly and she talked willingly about her home life and in particular, her husband. When someone tells you a story about nothing less than abandonment it is hard to hide the pity in your eyes, but we have been here for a significant amount of time and one gets used to the culture differences, we knew to nod and smile as if the tale was a funny anecdote with a never ending punch line.<br />“My husband was an engineer and now works as a University professor, he leaves the house around 6am and finishes around midnight”(insert disbelief followed by heads thrown back with canned laughter) “He usually goes out drinking after with his co workers and sometimes he falls asleep in restaurants!” (insert silence followed by heads thrown back with canned laughter)<br /><br />A marriage is not just a convenient business contract, it is a life long commitment to that one person who you can tolerate for years on end. It should be to your best friend and that one person who wants to spend most of their spare time with YOU! I am lucky that I followed a tragic relationship with a great one. I will never say again that this is ‘the one’ but I will say that if it isn’t, then the next relationship will have to be exceptional to even compare. Some of the marriages in Korea sadden me. Although Korea has developed somewhat and fought hard to be more than just a confucian society, the reigns of the old society still hang around their necks and uneducated women still wish to be married before they are 30 rather than get an education!<br />In 2007, a co-worker, who I sat with in the teacher’s office pointed out another teacher, who had innocently and unsuspectedly come in to photocopy and subsequently become the victim of mindless gossip, the co-worker whispered into my ear, “She is 30 and NOT married.” I wasn’t sure what my reaction was supposed to be since in the U.K this is a perfectly normal scenario but now I realize I should have been belching forth my disgust and pity at her obviously long and lonely future ahead.<br />Today, 2012, things are a little different and that is a marvelous thing to have witnessed. One woman I teach who is 30 years old has had a boyfriend for 8 years but has no plans to marry him yet and is quite open and seemingly proud of it. She has a company job ( which is still rather difficult for a woman to accomplish) she has stocks in a few Korean companies and she has her independence. She sounds rather, well ...WESTERN !<br />However, as I said it is still important for most women to have a husband and this rush to be accepted by society sometimes pairs women up with cavemen!<br />As evident with my former vice principle, it is hard to imagine that she is not actually living with the misery that her husband would rather sleep in a restaurant than come home and share a bed with her. But, because of Korean society she puts on this comic front;<br />‘It’s ok, this is just how it is.’</span>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-70921494310123603822012-03-02T06:01:00.008-08:002012-03-05T03:27:03.902-08:00Of all the bars in all the world, you had to walk into mine.<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:85%;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="letter-spacing: 0px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></span>Colin asked me to write a small introduction for his book. http://www.facebook.com/thelensoftruthgmw</i></span></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:85%;"><i><br /></i></span></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:85%;"><i>Here is what I wrote on a plane ride between Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur.</i></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">10 years ago I decided to quit eating meat. It was an on-the-spot decision and a very easy one at that. I was 17 years old and didn’t eat much beyond potatoes and fish fingers. My mother was already a vegetarian and therefore all-in-all the transition seemed effortless. Within these 10 years I have traveled a lot and my appetite has pleasantly grown, I rarely eat potatoes, I have began juicing, I adore chickpeas and always experiment with what I can get my hands onto.<br />This was my one and only ‘contribution’ to the planet and I was satisfied with it and the thought that ‘that’ is enough. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Off to the bar.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have written off most of my travels as a wild escape, everyone needs a vacation to really enjoy life and let their hair down, my vacation just happened to be 6 years long.<br />I have wasted much of my precious time and money living a life that does nothing for me, my future or the world around me. However, that isn’t to say I haven’t had a great time it just means that now, now I am ready to realize my full potential.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">In November 2010 I was slightly inebriated in an Irish bar in South Korea. I had taught English there for nearly 3 years and spent most of my spare evenings drinking, dancing and complaining about my students, co teachers and ex(es). On this particular night I met the man of my dreams, I could say that he had a wonderful personality, he seemed sincere, kind and really wanted to get to know me, but to be perfectly honest all I cared about was the fact that this was, and still is, the hottest guy I had ever seen; beer goggles or not!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I caressed his face a few too many times, introduced myself, explained to him how I was going to become a vet ( a complete fabrication) and generally just tried to pick him up. I thought I had him until he soon after disappeared into the fog of smoke and I was devastated for about 5 minutes until my dear friend comforted me with a vodka and we danced the rest of the night away.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Thank goodness for modern technology and, in particular, facebook! The gorgeous man from the bar searched me out and ‘added’ me; probably the best compliment EVER !!!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Between November and March we chatted continuously online. He knew how attracted to him I was but it became a joke and I accepted the fact that we would always be ‘just friends.’</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">At the end of February 2011 we finally met up and something changed. I invited him to the dog shelter that I volunteered at ( http://shindogs.org ...free plugging) and after weeks of persuasion he decided he would come along. He stayed at mine the night before and he started to talk, and he talked some more, and he just continued to talk! It wasn’t just the endless talking that got my attention, but the fact that I had no idea or care for what he was saying.<br />I am a vegetarian, I do my part and I sleep at night. This guy seemed to care about EVERYTHING. Even the best people in the world take a break and drink a beer or veg out in front of the t.v but not this one, he just thought and wrote and talked about it all incessantly. It dawned on me that this guy couldn’t be right for me and I let out a huge sigh of relief that he had shamelessly turned me down. However, for him, I became more than ‘the drunk girl at the bar.’ I walked dogs on my weekends and loved animals. It seems I was a selfless human being and suddenly I was becoming somewhat desirable, whilst all fire that I had burning for him was dwindling and I was becoming very satisfied with the ‘friends’ label.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">But, do not panic the love story had a happy ending and a few weeks later Colin and I became more than friends, with equal consent. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">He still talks however, but now I really listen.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I suppose from the day that we became more than friends I have been on a roller coaster of emotions and personal turmoil. For the most part I have been deliriously happy and know that I have met my soul mate ( even though he would argue that ‘soul mates do not exist’ ) Relationships before have taught me that when you find something ‘this’ good you hold onto it and I am holding tight, which is good as this roller coaster is throwing me in all directions.<br />I still, to this day, believe myself to be a little more positive than my other half. Sometimes he grimaces about the world in everything he sees and does and it takes all of me not to scream in his face. I am a ‘the glass is half full’ kind of girl, and he always demands a refill.<br />However, now I understand him and realize his heart is huge and that all he wants is for people to know everything he does.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The world is aching and it is but the human race that has caused this. If there is only one thing I have got from dating Colin it is the knowledge that no one sees past their own noses, and no one truly cares about their neighbors. A cup of sugar or a toilet roll may be passed around in a time of need but what about the pile of plastic bottles left over after the garden party that are just too ‘inconvenient’ to recycle and just this one time will be put with the other trash?<br />What about the fact that sharks reproduce incredibly slowly and yet it is a must to try shark fin soup when on the menu at an over priced restaurant that cares for nothing but profit?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is it truly ‘acceptable’ to put money into banks that only keep 10% of YOUR money in YOUR account and invest 90% into THIER own profitable schemes?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Is it right to vote for a leader knowing full well they have little actual power to ‘change’ the world because the rich like the world, just as it is?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">There are 34,000 children dying every day from poverty and preventable diseases and in the U.K parents are driven into huge amounts of debt so their child has the latest computer game at Christmas, and rarely are the old toys from last year given to charity but, instead, line the garbage cans on boxing day.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br />*Boxing day, years ago, represented a day when all old toys were packed up into boxes, obviously, and donated to the needy. It was a day that brought the nations together now it is another excuse to stay home, get drunk and forget that the world is actually meant to be one community.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Before Colin, I made the decision that having children just wasn’t for me. They smell, they are noisy, they continually need attention and pregnancy will, more than likely, destroy my body. Yes, before Colin I was THIS conceited. My decision is the same and I still adore my body, just as it is, but more importantly I have realized that the decision I made was actually the right one, albeit for the wrong reasons.<br />I should say that I do not want children because I know that when I do have a child he/she will be such a huge part of me and the man whom I love that I will regret ever bringing the most important thing of my life into this dying world. That their, or their children’s future, will be uncertain and they will know little about the wild animals we marvel at today. Bears, elephants, tigers, rhinos they will be myths in a book. They will become the dinosaurs of today however, this time, the extinction will not be a long debated mystery! They wont be able to swim freely in the ocean because of the sheer amount of suffocating plastic that will forever float there.<br />Global warming will destroy the natural beauties of this world and places such as Antarctica will no longer be.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The rich will prosper and the poor will continue to suffer and increase in numbers. Corporations, like McDonalds will continue to steal (pay so little, it should be labelled theft) the crops of starving countries to fatten their cows who subsequently continue to fatten the people of the more prosperous side of the world.<br />The world is not equipped for 7 billion people and yet countries, such as South Korea, are in talks about providing free kindergartens so that parents can afford to keep pro-creating!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have read this book that you are about to and I am extremely proud that I love a man that loves the world this much. He has chosen not to have children and yet he seems to be one of the few who cares about the future for other generations. We both have the most wonderful nephews and it is for them that we concentrate our emotions. We want the world to be something to be proud of not embarrassed by. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">For those who mock or do not care, I pity you. If everyone sat up and realized that the world has become a prison, an encasement so that people simply work to survive and at the same time are too busy working to help the world survive, then maybe it wouldn’t be quite so tolerated. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I am grateful to the creator of this book for empowering me with knowledge.<br />I am grateful to Colin for loving me/we enough to create this book.</span></p><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-86053019723108716872012-02-23T16:25:00.004-08:002012-02-23T16:42:48.173-08:00When is it due?<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i><u><br /></u></i></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> There are many things that annoy me about Korea.<br />I hate the staring, I find that extremely frustrating and rude. I also think it is something one can never get used to. I have been stared at for nearly 5 years and it still drives me insane. I understand their curiosity but I wish, like home, they were taught that staring is rude. I remember sitting on the subway once and a mum actually encouraged her child to look at me. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">*possible translation “Hey son, look at the waygook (translation- foreigner in Korean), look at her isn’t she different, isn’t she strange? It’s ok you can point!”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I hate the treatment of animals. My opinions on this subject are, apparently, controversial and I understand that western treatment of animals is also horrific and something I find hard to deal with, but in Korea ...somewhere I have lived for almost 5 years, I still cannot handle their superiority complex when it comes to what we know as ‘pets.’<br />I hate that they cough up phlegm and spit, yet it is rude to blow your nose at a restaurant! When I lived in my last apartment in Changwon all I heard, every day, was phlegm being coughed up; GROSS!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I hate the insulting ‘fat’ comments. Korea I am not fat, obese, pregnant or slightly overweight I am normal, average and acceptable by western standards.<br /><br />In 2010 I lost quite a bit of weight. Weight that I put down to, being in a burdensome relationship! I left that relationship, of which I had spent 2.5 years of my Korean experience unhappily in, and suddenly I was ‘slim.’ I was never fat but I was definitely ‘growing wider.’ When I arrived in Korea in 2007 I was ushered out of numerous stores, as were a handful of my friends, because we were ‘big size’ This shocked my father, who I recently told but will not shock anyone who has been to Korea. I was British size 12 and therefore relatively average in the U.K, no one would pigeon hole me as ‘big size’ but compared to Koreans I am definitely tipping the scales. The majority of Asian women are noticeably tiny. Their legs are half the size of my arms and they have significantly narrower hips than the average western woman. We have curvaceous bodies which we have no problem in flaunting and enjoying whilst home but in Korea I became really conscious of my size. It is not just the ‘get out of this shop since you are too fat to fit in anything’ demand but the stares and giggles. I had numerous young students who said I was fat, asked if I was pregnant and one even wrapped her fingers around my leg in curiosity of the sheer size of my thigh! </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I got angry and, she never did that again! </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I realize now that my quick tempered reactions were because I was unhappy with my body and being pointed out about it by 12 year olds is not a comfortable situation to be in!<br />However, I do not justify the Korean attitude to weight . It comes down to ignorance, black women have beautiful curvaceous bodies with the well known ‘booty’ and it is pure ignorance to jot this down as ‘fat’ or ‘oops too many hamburgers!’</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Since 2007, things have changed I am fortunate to be around to watch the development (or one would say regression) of this society! I have not been thrown out of a store for a few years now, unfortunately this is not down to education, this is down to unhealthy exportation.<br />Korea has a McDonalds on every main street corner, they have numerous pizza restaurants including the American Pizza hut and Dominoes. Every supermarket: Emart, Lotte and Homeplus (which is a Tesco owned supermarket) has a pizza point, at which you can buy a HUGE pizza for the family to take home fresh. The pricing is of course reasonable and let’s be honest, with a family to feed who wouldn’t love the convenience of not having to cook, not having to do dishes and keeping the husband and kids smiling from ear to ear? </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The sad reality is however, that this trend in fast food and take away consumption is growing...and so are the Koreans!<br />Whether I feel slim next to the Korean on the bus or not, the attitude is still pretty prevalent. Not long ago I went for a health check.These themselves are questionable to foreigners, the very fact that a foreigner has to go for regular health checks fills us with unease and the whole concept oozes with discrimination. So, let me get this straight, if I have a health issue (bear in mind, the tests are for eyes, blood, urine, weight and chest) then I am ‘incapable’ of teaching?!<br />When I got my results I was extremely proud of my body and fitness at the time. I had lost the weight I previously spoke of, I was a regular at the gym and I had even had a note from the gym expressing the fact that, although I am 27, my body measurement was that of a 24 year old! I was on cloud 9, that is until I got the results.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">‘Regular exercise is needed and diet must be regulated’ </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Translation </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">’ you are STILL a fat, unfit foreigner!’</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I have never been more disheartened, angry or just plain annoyed in all my life, </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">it was like a punch to my new chiseled abs. The worst thing was that my co teacher came up to me shortly after the results, she perched her bottom on the edge of my computer desk, looked at me with pity in her eyes, sighed heavily as if the next words out of her mouth would break my spirit, and she began; </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">“Ruth I think we need to discuss your results”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Blood started to simmer from the bottom of my feet up and I had to move before my whole body boiled over into her face. I simply replied that I do not think the results were accurate since I am probably the most fit I have ever been and with that, I walked away.</span></p>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480726834193311177.post-12627317649271374312012-02-20T04:55:00.000-08:002012-02-20T16:37:03.346-08:00The simple bare necessities<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWazgHYl18OOmyz5clNZ-pNjO0rVAvnFP0t_UsP1NrgECWEKBcDHT6bY1VRRlDIWTYTHfFTrVbl0RPvgHphuS3LEuEhvbadjusaUAmKzYT1RXXg422052RiQIezurAE1UZ5TgqQ2-6hs/s1600/howler+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWazgHYl18OOmyz5clNZ-pNjO0rVAvnFP0t_UsP1NrgECWEKBcDHT6bY1VRRlDIWTYTHfFTrVbl0RPvgHphuS3LEuEhvbadjusaUAmKzYT1RXXg422052RiQIezurAE1UZ5TgqQ2-6hs/s200/howler+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711200698902322210" /></a><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">If my memory serves me correctly, I was about 8 when I got a ‘WereBear.’ Apparently, it seems, I was quite the tomboy since these bears were made to be bought for boys, while the famous ‘CareBears’ were bought by parents for their princesses. I demanded a ‘WereBear’ and Howler was his name. He was awesome, a sky blue bear </span>(Koreans love to throw this color around) with yellow pants. The great thing about him, the thing that separated him from the other bears such as Steiff and the new up and coming Tatty bear was that he could morph into a scary monster, hence the ‘Were’ part of his name. ( I don’t think I need to explain further, do I ?)</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUnuSqci0XvJ5XoPuogQuGZhcFtuUYGf08Dmitt2-oCyK_JWYfFosCd19CZ6WS5KVmjKLCpyRZjM6gu3-k39bTydsvN3QVSMsd_0wzuBLqF66DdS5PQr0T7i38tWnX0WscXCH8pWU2Bw/s200/Howler+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711200863271526914" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">All one must do is pull his cute face over and underneath lie fangs and bulging red eyes, his paws could even be pulled over to reveal dark black claws. Ok, maybe I wasn’t that much of a tomboy because I remember approximately 3 occasions with which I morphed him into his scary doppleganger, but I loved him and that was that.</p></div><div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">We used to build forts together...</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">When I was 8 and lived my life alongside Howler, people didn’t do bad things. I did not know what conspiracy meant let alone had theories of my own. When Howler cuddled me at night I thought that everyone in the world was just as lucky, if not more lucky than I was. I could not fathom that I was actually living a life in the top 10-15% richest people in the world!!<br />On paper it wouldn’t seem that way, I was from a ‘broken home’ ( a stupid term, that seems to sound as if people are failures when really my life was far happier than some ‘fixed homes’) we lived in rented government housing, albeit it was a 3 bedroom, 2 story house. My mother held down a variation of jobs including a secretary and a sales assistant position. In school I could say I was scoffed at and I, myself, was even embarrassed by my situation. Shame on me because, again, there are approximately 75% of people in the world who would give their left arm for my life.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">You grow up and you get a heck of a lot wiser. (well, some people)<br /><br />Teddy bears may be the stuffed animals that kept us warm at night and loved us unconditionally, even when you had a rough day at school but in reality we don’t deserve their love.<br />Grown ups can be evil.<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 189px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYDPDpjYZ5S4K5x8VOtJbnN5_8YPLT6JodpoQUZgaFWYsQHXA-QhsldKhfetcjRKZ4cMVycRp1sJ6FV0JDo1fDHCsLkWoo5fNRGO8Pn7mdBDUSx37DcGvokqQmjJnl-XxAkVevXFb0dQ/s200/moon+bear+cub.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711201150751201730" /> On Christmas day they buy their child a teddy bear to show their love; in real life bears are becoming extinct. In the not so distant future they will NO LONGER be on Earth and the teddy bear that cuddles you at night will be part of a myth.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Moon bears (or Asiatic black bears or Ursus Selenarctos Thibertanus yeah, forget that one) are part of the Black bear family and are often known to be the most dangerous of the bears. I have no sympathy with the humans in this case. Of course, if my boyfriend was ripped apart by a savage bear I would be a little annoyed, but what we have put these animals through is revenge enough.<br />It’s the age old tale of man vs predator and man will always win. How can an animal ever win against a man with a weapon and miles of distance? You didn’t ‘survive’ and you shouldn’t be honored, you merely took an animal by surprise and ended it’s and it’s offsprings life as they know it.<br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Moon bears (and also the American black bears) have it worse. No animals leave this world untouched these days and Moon bears are no exception. From hunting as a sport (gross), timber harvesting, poaching, or capturing for the pet trade, moon bears are highly desirable among the immorality of Asia.<br />China, North and South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Cambodia...they all want their pound of flesh.</span></span></p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">It is hard for me to shy away from my thoughts on Korea since I have lived here for nearly 5 long years and so I feel I have somewhat of a right to talk about the country and it’s part in the destruction of these beautiful creatures.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I will try and make this as clear as I possibly can from my plethora of notes. Luckily, I am not on my own in my despise of this ‘business’ so the internet is packed to bursting with articles on this subject.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Let me start at the beginning. Birth.<br />Asiatic black bear cubs are in demand. From day one the hunters have their tasks and that is to bring home a cub. They are taken to be ‘pets.’ Not a puppy or a hamster, but a pet bear..'cause of course that makes perfect, logical sense ! At 3-4 months the cubs are removed from their mothers, either born in captivity or in the wild, where hunters await the mom to be asleep before they cowardly rip a family apart. There are approximately 140 bears that live in Taiwanese homes!<br /><br />Of course, it is far too dangerous to keep an adult bear at home and so when the cuteness wears off and the family has had quite enough of playing fetch and wrestling with a bear that can be 110-450 lbs, they are sold onto their future homes: for slaughter or for a life of suffering.<br /><br />It is said, in some circles, that bear paws are one of the best delicacies. In the Hilton hotel in Seoul ‘braised bear paw’ is sold for $492-$562. The price is high not just because of demand but because someone has to go and get the bear. There is usually a waiting period if you want the bear dish. For example, a restaurant in Japan will serve bear paw as an entree for $236 but it will take 10 days! *shudder*<br /><br />It is known that Korean tourists enjoy taking trips to Thailand to attend banquets. A live bear is the centre of attraction and is killed before the tourists and the gall bladder removed and eaten... </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I cannot help but wonder about Koreans and their heartless attitude when it comes to animals. We have all heard the tales of dog eating and of course the thought of Rover being on the Saturday barbecue makes our teeth itch, but it’s the ‘way’ Koreans do things that fascinates me. I do not know if it just because the newly developed Korea, that we know of today, is only 60 years old and so the generational thinking is still in the hardship days of the war. Where people HAD to survive by eating dog meat that was discarded by the affluent Japanese rulers after they killed the dog for their pelts. Or just because that is the way of their culture but they are a group of tough cookies.<br />Another example is with moon bear farming, my main qualm.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The most desirable asset a moon bear possesses (poor things) are their gall bladders. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">As mentioned previously at the Korean’s lavish banquet in Thailand *insert rolling eyes*</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I will tell you a short story here as, let’s say, an intermission.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Last week I was teaching 3 middle school Korean boys English. We were talking about folk tales and they had to tell me Korea’s own folk tales. One boy, very painstakingly, told me about the folk tale of the first King of Korea ‘Tan-Gun.’<br />Hwan-Ung, the son of God, asked to be put on Earth, for he longed to live there. So God sent him to Korea (I would be so angry and demand to be put somewhere a little more exotic, like Hawaii) Once there he met a tiger and a bear who desired to become human. Hwan-Ung told them that if they ate only garlic cloves and mugwort (my student said worm wood and I was baffled for the rest of the lesson) for 100 days and lived in darkness, they would then become humans. The tiger gave up but the bear persisted. She became a human! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Hwan-Ung then married the bear (I know it got weird) and they had a baby together (then it got awkward.) Tan-Gun (the baby) became the first king of Korea!<br />The bear is the mother of Korea, how ironic.<br /><br />Intermission over.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">A gall bladder’s function is to store bile produced by the liver; when food is consumed the acidic bile is released to help break down the food.<br />In asia, the gall bladder of a moon bear is used for medicinal purposes. A bear’s gall bladder in South Korea sells for $18 one more time, $18 that is less than a dinner for two or if you are as tight as me, a dinner for three! Other bear parts that are used for traditional medicines are: fat, meat, paws, spinal cord, blood and bones. The gall bladder is the most infamous and is used to treat liver disease, heart disease, hemorrhoids, and to stop people getting a hangover, yep! </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The bile is the part of the gall bladder that makes it invaluable.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">I urge you to visit <a href="http://www.animalasia.org/"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px; color:#0e23a3;">www.animalasia.org</span></a> a non-profit organization set up by a British (yeah, I shamelessly boast my country) woman called Jill Robinson whose life goal is to rescue and rehabilitate moon bears, who have lived their lives, thus far, in a bile farm. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ah, the infamous bile farms.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Imagine a farm from your childhood picture books and toys, then remove the grass, the air, the food, the water, and replace everything with small, metal cages. That’s it, no more.<br />Bear’s in these farms can live up to 10 years longer than in the wild. 33 years!<br />In the farms they are put into inadequate sized cages and kept there for their entire lives. They are starved, and only fed enough to be kept alive, because the less food eaten the more bile is produced and is stored in the gall bladder. Water is a privilege that is given when it is the bear’s turn to give their bile.<br />The bears are strapped down, de-clawed (sometimes de-pawed) and their teeth ripped out so they cannot attack the ‘farmers.’ A needle is punctured into the stomach, and subsequently into the gall bladder and the bile is then extracted through a tube. The bile is extracted EVERY day and sometimes more than once. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Legal methods allow this permanent hole to be made, while illegal methods include using metal catheters and rubber tubes. The line between legal and illegal is hard to ascertain and it isn’t difficult to imagine how many cross it for convenience. Metal [straight] jackets have been known to be put on the bears and, never removed, to prohibit movement which is very frustrating to the farmer who just doesn’t understand why the bear’s would be wailing in agony!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">All this is done without anesthetic or sterilization. It’s just too costly.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The wounds that will never be permitted to heal because the hole is kept open can easily cause:<br />infections, tumors, peritonitis, disease, and cancer.<br />Sure glad I don’t take bear bile for my ailments. God only knows what I could get in the process. And yet more than 50% of traditional medicinal shops in China sell bear bile in their products, 100% of which is from farmed bears, living their 33 years in constant fear and pain.<br /><br />In South Korea, my home for the past 4.5 years, there are 23 bear farms where 'customers' can come and watch the bile 'milking’ process. Just to check on it’s authenticity and of course continue my belief that some Koreans lack much, if any, empathy with animals.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">To end, I should address the actual truth about UDCA or Ursodeoxycholic acid, the acid in bear bile.<br />There is evidence that this bile can treat liver ailments and dissolve gall stones and bear bile does seem to contain the highest quantity; 0-32% per pool of bile. However, there has been known cases of harm caused by taking bear bile since it could contain puss, feces and even rust. There are 54 alternatives found in plants.<br />As Jill Robinson once said “No one is going to die from a lack of bear bile.”<br />There are actually more synthetic UCDA alternatives than bear bile in Asia but, it seems, to display affluence then you must consume the bile from a magnificent animal.<br />Sadly rhino, tiger, and bear parts are viewed as superior to any type of herb or plant based synthetic since humans are much closer in the evolution cycle to a bear than a rhubarb. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Recently, I read an article about South Korea finally making a stand against bear bile farms. A huge sum of money has been invested into research and movement towards ending the practice and this is a huge step. There are now only 10-20 Moon bears in Korea.<br />This number has always been said to be protected, but in 1983 one of these bears was illegally killed and so the government couldn’t think of another alternative than to auction the gall bladder to the highest bidder ($64,000.)</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">My eyes are twitching now from looking at my computer so long and I must take a rest. I have read more about moon bears than I spent years playing with Howler and it is all over the net for people to see. Articles, pictures, videos. The Moon bear is on <a href="http://www.redlist.org/"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px; color:#0e23a3;">www.redlist.org</span></a> as vulnerable but I am pretty sure that if their are 10-20 left in Korea ‘vulnerable’ is an understatement.<br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">The mother of Korea should be ashamed to have ever wanted to be a human.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p></span><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><br /></span></p></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12886730712442634496noreply@blogger.com2