Enough of that Homesickness Lark.

It had to happen at some time or the other, and homesickness sure came in a big way. Sunday I was a mess, didn't get out of bed, slept, didn't eat. I ended up crying out loud come 9pm and knew I had to do something about it. So I  searched skype and facebook for someone to talk to but had no luck. It took all the courage I had to ring someone I had only just met, but I'm glad I did.  I rang my new friend Sam who lives an hour away and cried and wept through the phone to her. She was so great, told me to calm down, sleep the night away and put on a brave face come the morning.

Monday morning came and I managed to put a brave face on but inside I was a quivering mess. Managed to have a quick skype with mum which calmed me a bit and ended up telling my work mates that I was feeling homesick hence the quietness. It was quite good to be honest actually because one of the girls lived in NZ and China for 2 years and she told me how she coped with homesickness. Her advise was to study by day and drink by night which made me laugh.

My kids are so incredibly cute that I couldn't help but turn that frown upside down and come home time I was feeling relatively normal again. During the day I had made a decision though and that was that I needed to start cooking. It's been nine weeks since I cooked a meal and that seems crazy to me because before I left I was cooking every weeknight at work and often at home. Cooking is something I enjoy and am good at so I decided to spend the extra money and start it up again. (Grocery shopping here is actually more expensive then eating out, crazy huh).

So I got home and whipped up a home made meal............

A beautifully delicious egg, ham and mushroom sammie mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ok, ok it's not exactly a gourmet meal but for me it was precisely what I needed and topped off with my Watties homestyle sauce (thanks Kevin) it was beautiful. The simple action of preparing a meal instantly relaxed my mind and gave me great satisfaction. 

The next day I was craving the same thing but mixed it up a bit by making a three egg omelet with added onion and capsicum.

Had to break it into three as my plate is so incy. 

I had bought quite a few veges and as I have dinner dates tomo and friday I decided to cut them up and freeze them. As I was cutting them up I was wondering whether I was meant to freeze them raw or cooked so I did a quick magic google search. On my new phone I might add, where I simply speak into it and say "search how to freeze veges" and just like that this site popped up which I found incredible.

http://www.gardenguides.com/416-freezing-vegetables.html

Not only does it tell you how to prepare the veges for freezing but breaks it down into each individual vege. I had not  realised how complicated it all was. Decided I didn't have much better to do with my time so here's a quick lesson on how to freeze carrots, capsicum and onions because I just know you want to know lol.

Chop your veges to desired size

Blanch the carrots for 3 minutes in boiling water

Drain and soak in iced cold water for 3 minutes. (ideally use a large bowel but I'm working with what I've got here) 

(note to self next time do not have the washing machine going at the same time, the spin cycle just about knokced all my hard work on the floor).

Lay raw capsicum and blanched carrot in a single layer and freeze for 30 mins.

Didn't have a tray so just used the freezer shelf

My freezer also doubles as a dressing table lol.

Mix carrots, capsicum and raw onion to make your own frozen veges.

So now it is Wednesday and the homesickness has all but disappeared. It did help talking with my besties Jess and Suzy back home and I realised that Korea is the place that I need to be now.

 I was watching Pretty Little Liars last night and oh so sexy Ezra Fitz said this " A quote by Joseph Cambell. It goes... you must give up the life you had planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you".

I'll leave you with those words to think about.

xx

Yes I was told

It's spring time, the blossoms are beautiful, the sun is shining, there are more people out and the nasty cold has gone. I've now been living in Seoul South Korea for 8 weeks and I feel the initial honey moon period is over. :(

I was told this would happen by everyone who I have met and have been here for longer. I remember thinking, but how could you get bored here, its fascinating, there is so much to see, it is so different. The naive thoughts of a newbie.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bored, I'm not homesick it just turns out that life gets in the way. Let me explain.

Basically I realised that I can't keep going the way I did for the first month I was here. I seemed to have a never ending supply of energy, I visited a new place each night for dinner, I  met up with new and exciting people all the time. I walked for hours around new places and over planned at work because I had so many ideas. Don Don Don. A month later and reality hits. Working a 9-5 job totally zaps the energy out of me. By the time I finish work all I want to do is go home and have a feed and chill out. Last week I pushed myself to do something after work each night but this week I've been out once and that was enough for me. It's a really weird feeling because I want to see everything and there are so many opportunites to meet up with people but then I simply do not have the energy. Basically I think it all comes down to the fact that although I truly love my job I wish I could just travel for the year and  have more than 2 full days a week to explore. But I guess that is life huh, unless maybe I can find myself a rich man who can pay for my wunderlustful life style.  (comment below if you fit this criteria) Bahahaha keep dreaming SAM.

I heart NZ

I'm soaked. Absolutely drenched to the bone. My shoes are falling apart and my jeans are falling down due to the weight of the rain they have collected. I'm finally home after travelling 50 minutes (standing up)  on an overcrowded, wet, noisy and smelly subway and walked 10 minutes in the pouring rain, dodging huge groups of drunk business men. I know for a fact that if I was home and had just completed the same journey I would be in the foulest of moods. But you know what I am ecstatic! I have had one of the best evening so far in Seoul and I feel great.

SHOWER TIME before I die of hypothermia.........

It's 11.30 pm, wow what a day, what a freaking awesome day.

Before I begin.

"Its so hard to be away, and I wish that I could stay 

But the weather is getting better and I think I need some space 

But ill be back again some day and everything will be the same"

Ladi 6 with Shapeshifter! From the moment I heard Shapey  I loved them. Seeing them perform live was breathtaking. Pure musical genius When ever I find myself in a panic or I simply want to hear a kiwi accent I press play on the i pod. Shapeshifter are always first preference. On the tube home I  had my eyes closed and found myself lost in these lyrics by Ladi 6. They seem so relevant to my situation right now. I realise that the song goes on to be a love story so I am not taking it literally but oh I just love it.

Just watching this video brings up so much emotion. Living in Seoul is like being in a polar opposite universe. These things just do not happen here. I love it here, I love the city life, the fast pace, the utter crazyness of it all, but deep down I bloody miss New Zealand and the culture that makes us Kiwi. I will be back again someday and everything will be the same. 

I did plan to recount my epic evening, but all I want to do now is play all my shapey songs and drift into a peaceful dream of Summer, the beach, my friends, my family and all that NZ represents.

Titiro whakamiharo ki nga tamariki a Tane
E tu whakaruru hau nei
He taonga whakamiharo
He tirohanga ki tuawhakarere