Fashion Misadventures and a Few Bruises.

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Hello readers!

I appreciate those of you who have continued visiting even during the blog down-time!

Everything has been pretty busy recently, but I finally got some time to just sit and do nothing, though I feel incredibly guilty about it because there are other things that I could be doing that are a little more important than updating a blog.

Like studying.

Ugh, I'll tell you what... studying Korean alone without a teacher and class-room is driving me more than a little bit batty. I'm a class person. I can learn on my own, but I prefer having a structured system that includes EXAMS and GRADES because those are the very things that keep me accountable.

Anyway, I'm slowly creeping along the path of Korean language learning, but I've got to learn to divide my attention. I've still got the GRE test to study for (though that's a little less pressing) ANDDDDDD I have to keep up my Japanese skills.

Why is that? You may be... ARE PROBABLY... asking yourself.

Well, it turns out that the majority of Graduate programs that I've been looking in to require 2 Asian languages. You have to be fluent enough to do research in at least one of the two Asian languages you speak. Well, I figure that if you're learning 2 languages and you have to be fluent in one, you might as well make the stretch and go for fluency in both.

And that means....

CHALLENGE! YEAH!

Anyway, that's not the main point of my post. Actually I was going to make a post today about a comic strip that I saw recently.

The comic is called ROKetship. After I started reading it, I tell you, I could hardly stop laughing. There were so many of the strips that just had me saying to my computer screen "I KNOW! RIGHT?!"

Luke Martin (the creator of ROKetship) is not only very clever and observant but also has this gift (his creativity) that allows him to portray, with near perfection, some of the hilarities that expats face in Korea.

ROKetship has, unfortunately, ended as the creator and his wife are leaving Korea. It's absolutely worth a look for everyone, living in Korea or not.


Anyway, the following strip was the whole reason behind me making up a post today.

Behold, culture clash.

(야하다! Translates as "Loud". We use it the same way in English. When something is too showy or attention demanding.)


This is absolutely not exaggerated.


Foreign women and Korean women both give in to the natural tendency to judge each other based on outfits. The majority of what I hear from Korean gal friends about foreign female fashion is that they tend to show way too much cleavage. Now, tank tops and what not aren't the problem here. I myself have seen some shirt choices that have me gawking in disbelief at the 'leave nothing to the imagination' exposure.


On the other hand, foreign gals (including myself), find the Korean fashion trend of 'booty shorts' to be a little too booty and less shorts.


However, the majority of these young Korean women don't have an ample backside, which makes booty shorts a lot less inappropriate than they would be on a woman of substance. But still. Why not just wear a loincloth. It'd probably cover more.


On both hands you've got fashion styles that are balancing dangerously on the edge of "indecent exposure".


Ultimate cleavage and booty shorts have their place. Beaches, mostly. And I'm not saying that I think women should dress in ankle length skirts with long sleeves and a collar up to their chin. Please. I enjoy showing a bit of skin as much as the next girl. But a bit is a bit and more than a bit, especially when doing daily activities like grocery shopping, is a bit too much.



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Anyway... newsflash.... while writing this my little brother arrived at the house. He's a big college boy now, so he doesn't live at home. While walking down the stairs to greet him I slipped (wood floors+socks= you should probably hold onto the stair rails doofus).


Yes. I fell down the stairs. The scream of surprise came first. My little brothers laughter followed and then was cut short by the sound of "THUD THUD THUD" as various parts of my body made contact with a few stair edges.


The laughter is normal... do you know how many times I and he have slipped on those stairs and yelped but actually never fell? The clumsiness just started to become funny after a while.


Anyway both Mom and little brother came hurdling up the stairs to make sure I was okay. I carefully tested limbs and then stood up to make sure everything was peachy. No serious damage, but there will be some crazy bruises.


It was basically one of those "slip on a banana peel" moments. My feet went right out from under me and I landed on the stairs and just slid the rest of the way down.


And yes, I cried.


Don't judge.


I'm a girl, I can do that.


At least it didn't happen in a public place while wearing a skirt and carrying and armful of books. (That already happened. Crosswalk. University campus. First day of college.)


Anyway.


No news yet about the exact day I'll be arriving back in Korea. I'm hoping to know by next week. I'll keep everyone updated. This time around it's going to be a little different. I plan to do a lot more traveling and going out. Hermiting myself away in my apartment to study didn't do me much good the last go, so I'm gonna change it up a bit.


I hope that everyone had a great 추석 holiday!


Until next post,


~A.