where have i been

Ooo I know, I know. I went MIA. Let's blame my quarter-life crisis that began over a year ago and never stopped.

I'm going through a career change as well. I'm in the percentage of Americans that is underemployed and either way overqualified for poor jobs or under-qualified for the career jobs that I desperately want.

So for now looking for work. Hasn't gone well so I am choosing to take the time to start my own business. I have been working on my new web site but it has taken months because of coding. It's like I hit a brick wall in my brain every time I want to get it online. BUT! This also means I am moving my blog to my own server. Good-bye Blogger! Hello WordPress (Which is the reason why my blog still isn't online. Oh, this is a head-ache.)

It's not ready yet, but follow me on Twitter for some updates! I'm @chalacharlie

oh what is the next course to take

So I have decided from returning to Korea for the moment. Which means I am back to where I was over a year ago, before I left.

Quarter-life crisis, you suck!

Oh, to become a pastry chef is a dream, but I have pursued an art related degree before, and I did not follow it. Now I am thinking of doomsday scenarios, with the threat of the collapse of our economy, what would be safe to go to school for? People's lives will need saving- medicine. People die too- mortician. People will always pay money for taxes, etc- accounting. None of these things really sound like something I could do.

Still thinking!

Anyway, I'm going to blog more, I've decided. I'm an artist! I must do something with this! To make up for lost time--

I can make bunnies out of bread for Easter.

stop and take time to think

Hey sorry for the dry spell; I've been living high and dry without daily access to the internet. Which is better for me than I take granted, I suppose.



Just came back from the annual antique car show they hold across the street! Super fun! I've set a goal for myself to one day purchase and refurbish a 60s convertible. Great place to start learning. Just wish it didn't make me feel so... Republican. I dunno, just a vibe I picked up on there. Then again, I was walking around a church parking lot. Gotta leave the judgy judge boots at home.

OH! But hey now I've reached a point in life where it makes me feel awkward as all hell when young teenagers hit on me! Woah! In my mind I'm just thinking, "Oh dear, I am nearing my late twenties, what do you think you are doing. Do you need help with your letterman's jacket fundraising or something?"

Either they are super ballsy kids these days or I look young. Eh. Makes me laugh. Sorry kids, I'm totally not into the cougar thing, okay!

Oh and ps-- might not be going to Korea. Will elaborate later.

and the second round commences

Well it looks like I'll be heading back to Korea.

Had my first phone interview. Err--

It just kinda confirms what I'm feeling about this second job hunt. Oh I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back! And yet that clock started ticking, the one that haunts you and says things like, "401 K... car payments.... loans..... You don't have any skills that will allow you to find a job here that pays over minimum wage..."
I mean, I'd teach in Thailand if it weren't for the crushing anxiety having debt and the urge to go back to school cause. Money! Y U MAKE WORLD GO ROUND?!?!

Burgh. BURRRR, I heard this one guy that has his own web show made 54K in a year due to revenue from the ads on his videos. Why can't I do that? Oh man.

Ah, and to answer any questions-- I'm not taking that first job I just interviewed for.  I've got standards people. So the hunt continues!

just in time for these words from our sponsors...

I'm back after a week in Chiang Mai and another in Samui. Samui was kind of a bust; it rained and I'm just not a big beach person. Chiang Mai - Oh I loooooooved it. Gonna get right on posting about it, I might just do several posts tomorrow since I leave Thailand Wednesday night. Erk.

It's a strange, cold day here in Bangkok. Yeah, that's right-- COLD. Never thought I'd say that about Thailand. Especially since the hot season is almost upon us.


So I wanted to run a little poll by any and all who have been reading my little blog. It's called where should that girl go next? Haha. But seriously, I'm feeling like I always do: lost, lost, lost. So it's back to Busan and then they have booked me a flight back to America which I cannot get a refund on, unfortunately.

I have been contemplating on living in Korea again. Lord knows it had its trials but I made it through them, to a point where I'm comfortable with the country. And the money's good.
But hell, it's Korea. Where life can get stagnant and decent people are hard to come by. Know how many good people I got out of living there for a year? 4. Just 4. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that we even met at all and life should be quality over quantity, but this ratio gets depressing during those aforementioned stagnant periods!

I went about applying to schools in Thailand too. I actually finally got some responses. It would be nice to live in the country to connect more with my family. The weather is super agreeable! The food is to die for! And I love traveling around it!
But the money's not as good, let's not lie. And I met with enough hippies in Chiang Mai to know what I'd be getting into with making friends here. (But maybe better them than the die-hard drunks in Korea, hm?) Plus I don't fit in. Whiiiiiite skiiiiiiin. And whenever you see a white guy here, my automatic thought is: PERVERT. You watch, that second Hangover movie is going to come out and there's going to be an onslaught of them.

I met some interesting people in Chiang Mai that got me thinking too. This girl and her boyfriend/fiancee lived in India for two months. She was learning how to teach Yoga from a more meditative viewpoint. Before that they lived in London where he was teaching students how to cook. Why not go study abroad for a month or two?

And I have this dream of going to Tibet for some reason. I mean, I think India might be out of the question for me at this current time. I lack the 'balls' to be there on my own. My friend Sala went there and warned me its not for the faint in heart. (I am so faint of heart.) But hey, I'd go back to Bali and study how to teach yoga. And before the Korea ball started rolling last year I was planning on going to Costa Rica to teach English for a couple months.

Any input, dear ones?

symphonic melodies and soothing decisions

A few weeks ago my Korean friend and I checked out the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra. It was amazing. They played Beethoven's Symphony No 2 in D Major op. 36 and Brahms Symphony No 3 in F Major op. 90.

My ticket was only around $9, so I was a little dubious to the quality of the performance, but lo and behold it was worth every penny and then some! No overpaid prima donna performers here to sustain!

It brought me back to all the elementary field trips I had as a child into Heinz Hall. I am so grateful for them. I never would have appreciated classical music if it hadn't been for those outings every year.



Which this then gets me to thinking about home. I would walk past Heinz Hall everyday when I worked in the Strip. My, it was almost a year ago when I worked there!

And I have already made an important decision about life.


I will never live in Pittsburgh again.

It's been hard, but I've had these months in Korea to think it through. And I'm not escaping painful memories of the place. I'd only lived there the year after I graduated college after spending five years in California. No, I have very happy memories, but they are the kind that will only make me sad to remember.
I have nothing there now, aside from my family and my very best friend in the world.

But when I compare to how I was in San Francisco to living there, or even here in Korea to back home, I grew and experienced so much more in these places than I ever did those 19 years of living there. I was very complacent, very comfortable there. And I have been shown that I can accomplish so many things, and that I can have many interesting experiences when I'm not relying on my family. Or is it being protected by them? I may not be able to live anywhere, but I can live anywhere I choose. And there is too much of the world to see before I can decide where to settle.

Pittsburgh, I loved you. Pittsburgh, you'll always be my home and with me. And I promise to visit. But you are no good for me and I'm going to have to find something that works better. I don't even want to settle down for good now. I want to live in a different place every 6 months!


Really, you're always in my heart. 'Til we meet again--

T.

things that are makin' me feel good

This little treat is something I won after a night out here in Korea. I (lacking sobriety) stumbled upon a little cart that had number tiles and a board and a ton of these confections. I paid 1,000 won and slid some tiles around, pulled out a piece of paper and I won! This thing looked so cute when I got it, but alas, it tastes like burnt sugar.




And today at work was kinda crappy, but I'm making progress in my attempt to assimilate! I picked up some fresh strawberries and apples from the ajumma (lady vendor) on the street outside my apartment, which is sooooo better of a deal than going to the grocery store.

I'm looking forward to some baked apples and some Laughing Cow cheese with these strawberries!

life in korea

I'm not hating it.

I'd say I'm liking it, but I'm very weary of the 'honeymoon' phase of culture shock.

I hope that two weeks from now I'm not balled up in a corner crying nonstop.

Photos will resume soon.