Etude House' Baking Powder BB (Blemish Balm) Deep Cleansing Foam

Here's another "must have" from Etude House.

This cleansing foam is actually just one of the many BAKING POWDER cleansers you can buy

from Etude House.

I'm currently using the regular claeansing foam (also pictured below) but the last time Alex and I

went out to purchase some things to send to my nieces and cousin back home,

I thought of getting another tube for myself but reached for the BB deep cleansing foam instead.

I'll be sending the regular one to my sis in KSA.

I tried using it earlier this evening and I was overwhelmed with its deep cleansing action.

I don't use BB cream anymore but I wear makeup almost everyday.

Although it's originally ideal for BB cream removal,

I suggest you buy this instead of the original or regular baking powder cleansing foam

if you regularly use makeup or tinted moisturizers or sunblock cream.

You'd definitely feel the scrubs or beads but they are soft enough

and work really well for makeup removal.

Skin feels so soft and well cleansed after use.

I usually repeat lathering my face but I didn't with this one.

 

As you can see from the picture above, the BB deep cleansing foam tube is slimmer. 

It only contains 150mL of the product compared to the regular one's 170mL.

It's also more expensive, but for 1000won only...

(regular: 6,500won; bb deep cleansing foam:7,500won)

I got the 2 tubes above from an outlet in a Homeplus and was disappointed for not getting any freebies.

I was hoping to get another ballpen like the one I got below when we went to Bupyeong almost 2 weeks ago.

I bought these for my cousin and cousin in law in PHL...

The two tubes above will be brought home by my cousin Keith in 2 weeks.

He's a military nurse assigned here.

We met up with him this afternoon nearby the Yongsan Garrison. 

He was almost dispatched last week had the tension here escalated.

I just feel so secure that he's here.

I'm also praying that nothing serious happens here

because he's actually going home on the 13th for his wedding..

Please help us pray for the 2 Koreas...

Thank you....

Also, his older brother and our other 2 cousins (also in the US Army)

are currently deployed in Japan.

Should the unexpected (or expected dapat?) happens, I think they'll be dispatched here too...

LOL! Garcias and Cacheros in Korea...

(Taken in front of his apartment bldg.)

My nieces requested for KIM (dried seasoned seaweed) and some stationeries.

I just thought that with the harrowing stories I read online about

parcels getting lost in PHL, especially during this busy season,

it would be best to have him handcarry them instead, hehe...

Oh, and I got a big bag of Jelly Beans from his apartment when we got there after an early dinner, haha!

I kept dreaming about them during my first trimester.

I got some from Homeplus.

I also got some from a mart near ate Wendy's apartment...

But I definitely like this big bag having 41 yummy flavors...

So until my next Etude House purchase again..

I also hope it won't be another batch of these cleansing foams, hehe...

But if you'd ask me, these cleansers and their makeup brushes are the only

reasons I go to Etude House...

^,^

See You in 7 Weeks +/- ?days...

Seven weeks more, and Alex and I will finally meet Soo Ae face to face...  Alex is just as nervous as I am.  I always tell him not to be, so baby and I would be more confident in working together for the greater task ahead.  And I hope that he'll be there to coach us very well, hehe...

Just a day before my 33rd week of pregnancy, we had my quite delayed checkup and my doctor said that Soo Ae has gotten a week ahead bigger, just the size but that she's not overweight actually.  Alex immediately asked him if is it because I eat too much or does it have something to do with my diet and Doctor said NO.  I threatened my husband with a silently spoken "Chugoleyo?"... His reaction was so funny.  He couldn't react VIOLENTLY very well...hehe..

The Doctor also said that big babies are healthy babies.  He explained to husband that Soo Ae's growth is just right on track too and cited the advantages over most Korean children being born underweight. 

It also worried me, to tell you the truth.  I've been doing my best to have a normal delivery.  If Soo Ae will still continue to get bigger, I might find it hard to bring her out.  He said I shouldn't worry about it at all. 

Last friday, on our way to the clinic and while waiting for my turn, Soo Ae was very active.  But when she felt the instrument against my tummy for the sonogram, she just kept still and cooperated very well with the Doctor.

After showing us the important parts and their growth rate, there went Alex again with his "Can you please show us her face?"

The Doctor was actually already taking her image...

(32weeks 6days +/- 21days)

In the picture, she looked really very feminine.  It seems like she gave in to her Dad's request.  But her eyes and cheekbones reminded me of Alex and of his mom.  MIL's eyes are quite "snobbish" to look at.  Although Alex looks like his father very much, I think that he got his mom's cheekbones. And my daughter, getting her paternal grandmother's eyes or other physical traits isn't impossible. I just hope she'll get the Cachero's hips, nyehehe..

I still remember being told by Koreans that here, they also say that the mother might have been very angry or annoyed with the person her baby resembles the most while she was pregnant.  I just tried to comment that it's the same in the Philippines.  I also added that we are more educated now and we should know better than that.  But if that would be the case, I'd rather have my daughter resemble my father or mother than be told repeatedly that maybe I was angry with my MIL should they insist that my baby looks like her even if she doesn't...di ba?

Yesterday, Alex and I went out to check curtains, beddings, bathtubs and drawers/dressers for Soo Ae's clothes...  These are some of her stuffs I received on her shower party.  They are the stuffs she can wear from 0-6 months most probably.  I'm also still waiting for her shipped stuffs from the Philippines.

Can you see those pair of white and red socks?

Almost everyday last week, Alex woudl bring them out to play with while watching or reading something in front of the computer.  But I was so surprised one morning to see them on his toes.  I immediately removed them and washed them again.. haha. (OC)

I'm also hoping to get my diaper/baby bag really soon too... It pays to be prepared for the D-day.  I surely don't like our things mixed up in one bag or luggage(?). kkk

I really still can't decide on what color to take.. I've seen them all already and I find the orange and yellow really cool. 
What do you think?  Aaahh... they're all so cute..

Chasing Autumn 2010 at Naejangsan (Naejang Mountain)

"Let me take you faraway..
...you'd like a holiday..."

husband sang to me when I asked him "So, where are we going then?"

We originally planned to go to Haein Temple, housing the Tripitaka Koreana and head to Gyeongju for the rest of the trip but we were advised to not take trips longer than 6 hours as I was already entering my 32nd week.

However, the supposed 4-hour trip to Jeollabukdo (North Jeolla Province) turned into a 7-8 hour drive because last November 13th, almost everyone from the north seemed to head south for their weekend getaway or perhaps for their "chasing autumn 2010" time too...  I usually asked my husband to stop once in a while so my back and waist won't be strained from the long drive..

Actually, the travel to Gyeongju would take us more than 6 hours.  Had we known it would be like this, we should just have gone there anyway.  We didn't expect the heavy traffic which just eased when we were approaching Pyeongtaek.

The travel was long but the rolling hills and mountains and valleys splashed with autumn foliage made it bearable and actually pleasant...

It was already night time when we reached the Naejangsan park.  I took this picture in front of the restaurant where we had a simple doenjang soup served with 14 different side dishes.  I thought the side dishes would make up for the simple soup and price but I was so disappointed, really... LOL...

I found the hotel and motel rooms near the park so pricey compared to some here in Incheon and Seoul so I just asked Alex to inquire about private houses renting rooms.  I took this picture in front the house we found.  It would have been nice to take pictures here in the morning but we decided to leave as early as 6 the following morning. So the owner, instead of getting 50,000won from us just asked for 30,000.

After transferring our things from the car to our private room, I asked Alex to drive me to the temple inside the mountain park.  The trees, the pond, and temple buildings awed me so much but it felt so pathetic taking their pictures with my antiquated digicam.

These lanterns hung inside the temple grounds appeared surprisingly colorful though.. There was an arts exhibition going on that week I think...

There were a lot of visitors in the temple that night.  It would be nice to experience a templestay sometime.. But that has to wait.  I'm very much curious with the temple food.  I get to see some documentaries on how the monks prepare their food and follow them at times..

It felt magical staying under this tree outside of the temple grounds.  But it was bitingly cold.  I badly wanted a hot shower and back massage so I insisted we retire for the night when hubby asked for 15 more minutes. Besides, it was already almost 11pm then, LOL...

We woke up as early as 4:30 the following morning.  We left the room before 6 and headed to the temple grounds again. I asked him we stay for the sunrise but sad to say, it was quite gloomy that day.   He grew impatient though so we just drove to the camping grounds and prepared our hot choco...

The pond looked so romantic... The still asleep campers who spent the night drinking and BBQing surely missed this early morning view...

I got bored waiting for Alex to fix our things so I headed to the mountain park... His face lit up when he saw the hundreds of tents across the pond. He was again trying ot convince me to come camping here same season next year... I sternly said NO...

I was just too exhausted to even go near these halls/buildings.. The view from afar was rewarding enough...

Though feeling tired already, I definitely enjoyed the walk that morning...

Since we both love camping, Alex and I always dream of having our camping trailer someday... But seeing this one, for rent, made us look forward to the year or years ahead...  Camping with Soo Ae, especially for her, would be more fun someday...

We left the Naejangsan grounds at around 8 that morning and headed to Jeollanamdo (South Jeolla Province).

The mountain, named as the most famous mountain in the Jeolla province and the best one in Korea for viewing autumn crimson leaves didn't fail us...  No wonder, everyone we met or saw along the way had his/her own camera.  Alex and I were among the early visitors.  It was quite fun looking at some of the people's expressions when they saw my bulging tummy... Maybe they were thinking I'm indeed a tough preggy woman, kkkk... It was cold but I somehow forgot about it because of the wonderful autumn colors around us...

It would be nice to go back there someday...

The Homemaker Without Cash (on Hand)

Residents of the central regions, including Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi province along with the west coast woke up to either rain or snow this Saturday morning.  It's the first snow of the season...  Amount though was less than 10mm so we're not expecting any accumulation.  The rest of the weekend will be nice and dry...

I hope so too that this week will pass without further skirmishes between the two Koreas.

I got this message from Cher (chersurvivingkorea.blogspot.com) this morning and I just thought it would be nice to share it with my fellow Filipinos here in Korea and for those around the world wondering how our government is "reacting" to the current situation here.

Here's her message:

~~She personally talked to the Vice Consul Ian Caringal about the so-called evacuation plan for Filipino citizens here in Korea.~~

Although there's no announcement for an evacuation of Filipino citizens yet, it's better to be prepared at all times.
Check the details below:


*Know your embassy contact details:
010-9365-2312 Embassy Hotline
010-9263-8119 Assistance to Citizens Hotline
POLO Hotline number 010-4573-6290.

1. Know your local Filipino community leader.
2. coordinate with local police (the embassy will contact the local police for evacuation details)
3. Go directly to the Philippine Embassy in Seoul


*Dont forget to prepare your important documents (passport, etc)
*employment visas, student visa, F2-1 visa, F-5 visa Filipino citizens


For more information:
Please email your Name, Visa status, Telephone Number, email address, and complete address to:

Vice Consul Ian Carinigal = a.caringal@philembassy-seoul.com

for the masterlist of Filipino citizens in Korea.

~~~~~@@@@~~~~~

The first thing I wanted to do early wednesday morning (which I also thought of doing that tuesday night) was to go (PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!) buy goods and food we could stock and also get the things we haven't bought yet for Soo Ae's arrival from the nearest supermarket and the baby land in Bucheon but my husband just shrugged off the idea.  I told him I've experienced back home, when I was in grade 5 (remember that 1990 earthquake?), how hard it was to be isolated from the lowlands. Roads leading to the highlands were cut such that delivery of necessities and relief goods was difficult.  There were airlifted goods but  I couldn't remember getting any either.  So we had to rely on what my family had or just could afford at that time.

But he said that was in the Philippines, LOL.. it would be different here.  I asked him, "How different?"
He or the South Koreans may sound arrogant already, but they've been preparing for this since when... they were born...?
And so he told me that there's really no need to worry.. haay...

He assured me that this fire exchanges won't escalate to an all-out war.  I think so too but it still pays to be ready. 

And for quite some time now, it really didn't bother me that I don't have or hold any cash at all.  Actually, it never even bothered me that we live near the west coast or that we are just less than about 15-20 kms away from the border.

When it's the flea market day, NH bank is just a few steps away from the stalls.  For my purchases, I always use one of his cards but I have to at least buy a minimum or maximum total amount of 5,000won.

(I couldn't remember anymore why I withdrew such big amount of money.)

Since I stopped working, I've relied too much on my husband.  Budgeting also made me dizzy and so I told him to take full control of everything, including cash withrawals, since transportation system around here is still quite difficult.  But lately, he also stopped asking me about the things I need and would only hand me a few bills when I tell him I need cash..  He'd just wait for me to request things from him.  Now I quite regret giving him that full authority, LOL... because there are times when he just wont' listen to me..

There will be a joint (US-SKOR) military drill tomorrow along the west coast and it's quite scary to think about how the NKOR will react to it again.  I was actually outside yesterday and on my way home, I decided to drop by the NH bank to withdraw cash for emergency, just in case the inevitable happens.  I was already inside the bank when I realized that I was holding a KB card.  I checked the other card, a Samsung credit card.  It was then I remembered exchanging cards with my husband when the NH card wasn't working well for my bus transpo.  I was so tired already to walk back to the KB bank which was almost more than half a kilometer away.  Aaargghhh... and husband left early today for work.. There was no time to exchange cards again..

Who would want to get paid via card when bullets and bombs are already flying all around?

Two Korean Forces Traded Fire

This afternoon, my dear friend Cher (of chersurvivingkorea.blogspot.com) informed me of this trading of fire between the two Koreas. 

I immediately called my husband and bombarded him with questions about it. He just told me not to worry, that it's not serious.  I find this confidence in their military power irritatingly arrogant already but I guess they (the South Koreans) are already used to provocations and threats from the North. And I know that he was also just trying to calm me down...

Then just a few minutes later, my handphone rang...
It's a call from my Mom.
She's so worried but I told her not to.
I assured her that we are okay here.

I don't know if I sounded arrogant too. 
But I know that with the "happening" all over the international news, there's indeed a big reason for everyone out there to worry.  All I can do now is to make her feel not so scared or too worried about it.

I tuned in just a while back to arirangtv.  The newscast showed clips of a North Korean news.  The reporter said that  the Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army in Pyeongyang stated that the South actually started the skirmish by  firing artillery shells at the North's territorial waters at 1pm which aimed at invading the North.

No matter what, it was still irresponsible for the North to aim at the homes and residents of Yeonpyeong-do...
And I hope that the South will do its best for the interest of all the people living in the 2 Koreas...

Sweet Little Ones....

Me:  "Hello???"

3Ds: "Hello Auntie..."

Denise: "Auntie, is Soo Ae kicking again?"

Me: Oh yes, she is.. She's very active now...

Denise: Soo Ae, don't kick your Mommy's pee bag again, okay?" 

Danica: Auntie, I'll sing you my Taylor Swift song.

Dana: Auntie, I'll sing you later my Mama Mary song... I'm eating puto...
Me: Why are you making Auntie drool?
Dana: Hehehehe....
Denise: For dinner, we had pinapaitan, cooked by Lola Nene (my Mom), and dakdak.
Me: Oh, you also... Baka naman dinakdakan?
Denise: Oh, yes. Hahaha...  It's good Auntie you still know it's name.
Me: I actually hate that but I don't know why I'm missing it now too, hehe...

and so on, hehe....

My nieces from La Trinidad and I talked via skype again last sunday night.  They shared to me their adventures for the day.  Benguet is now celebrating it's 110th Foundation Day and the usual Adivay Fest is being held at the Stock Farm, I think.  They said they'd been walking around for 2 hours checking the stuffs from the 13 municipalities.  They also bragged about riding their (maternal) aunt's horse. They also sang to me (with their trying hard guitar accompaniment) their favorite Taylor Swift song..  

They boasted about their passports but complained about their pictures in it, haha. Danica said she'll come here this saturday.  The youngest one said she'll fly here with her Lola to see my baby next month, haha... So cute...

Then we touched on their parents' plan to migrate.  The eldest, only a 4th grader, told me she doesn't really like to leave Philippines, or our hometown, Benguet. 

Here's what she said,

"Will you be coming home with Soo Ae to live here, Auntie?  Sana (Hopefully) Auntie, you will.  Honestly, I don't like to migrate.  It's so cold there (Canada), I heard. I like it here.  The weather is good: not hot, not so cold. Also, my relatives and friends are here.  I don't want to be away from them forever.  I just want to stay, study and grow up here.  It's very comfortable.  I just want to stay here with you, auntie... "

I was actually awed by her maturity but thought of asking her who told her that after using the bathroom. When I excused myself though, she asked "Will you pee, Auntie? Go now, it's so hard to control. I almost peed in my pants yesterday..."

On my way to the bathroom, I realized that my first niece, the one we call our original baby, is really no longer a baby.  No matter how hard we want them to stay that way, they really grow fast and learn faster than we think or expect.  And I know that what she expressed earlier were clearly her own thoughts and no one else's.

Her wishes reminded me of the simple things I wanted in life.  I never saw myself living or growing old in  another country.  Until now, I still see myself living or retiring back home.  I always planned to work in the University, do something for the community (not really politics) and just grow old there, hehe...

It's great too, how we could talk about their thoughts, wishes, and problems.   We talked like there was no distance between us. 

And then they started sending me their snapshots of me and asked me to take a snapshot of this too...

I don't know.. But Soo Ae seems to always want to be involved whenever I'm talking to these 3 girls. She's always active.  I think that's because she can also hear them...

These 4 little girls give me joy..

They take me away from the things that haunt or bother me always...

Ah... They're soooo sweet...

I Still Love Wow Philippines: MORE THAN THE USUAL...

There are just things we better leave untouched...

I find the new slogan "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" so... I don't know. 
This is okay if the target market is just us, Filipinos...

Years after its making, I still love watching this ad over and over...




I'm not being resistant to change...

It's just that... well.. what can I say? kkk...

Rusell Peters' Filipino Accent + Indians and Filipinos Videos

I just wanna share this video I saw on my Aunt's page... Definitely not for the onion skinned...

Russell Peter's Filipino Accent

(oooppps!!! embedding was disabled for this video but you can just click the "watch it on youtube". the other video on Indians and Filipinos is working though.. thanks for bearing with them...)



Well, at least I find this mimicry really FUNNY!!! I don't know why someone commented he's racist, LOL!!!

Here's another one btw that's also not to be ashamed of..

Indians and Filipinos



Have a nice day everyone...

Jegi-dong: Oriental Medicine Industry District

Last summer, Alex caught a terrible cough and colds thanks to my preggy immune system (which is supposed to be weak), I didn't catch it myself and what's really surprising is that I haven't been sick even once... So I'm also hoping that my Little Mover Little Shaker, who especially likes to move and shake my belly between 10pm to 1am, will be as healthy as we both are now when she finally decides to come out for our warm embrace this winter...

After a week's medication with no signs of recovery, he went to Jegi-dong, an area of Dongdaemun, Seoul, for his oriental medicine exam and treatment.  Having no navigation yet, we just took the bus to Yeongdeungpo-gu (about an hour away) and transfered to subway Line #1.  What a disaster...

The Seoul Medicine Market or Oriental Medicine Industry District can be easily reached through Jegi-dong Station of Line #1, Exit 2.  Upon exiting, you will be first greeted by the smell of all the traditional medicine and herbs the market has to offer.

Goods from the first shop you'll see from the exit....

If you're not strong willed enough, the assistants could push you into buying their products.

When I saw this during our first visit, I was actually immediately reminded of some scenes from the Drama Dae Jang Geum.

Can you see those drawers and drawers and drawers of medicines?

I didn't try to cross the street to get a better picture of this gate (?) then.  Sorry... My excuse?  It was  the mid of my first trimester and although I wasn't really feeling okay that day, I forced myself to go along with husband to ease my boredom from Yanggok too.  It wasn't even the middle of summer yet but the heat was so unbearable. 

There are lots of shops to choose from.  And Alex isn't the type who could be easily talked into buying something... hehe.. It's one of my major problems too, hehehehe... joke

We entered one of the shops here.  It's where he usually buys his herbs...

The owner actually just laughed at me when I tried to take pictures of these poor things..   I remember hearing about fried farm (?) frogs from back home but to be hung to dry and be used for medicinal purpose?  I couldn't believe it's true..

Why does he like this shop a lot?  Customers are warmly greeted by the owner's son.  They are really very informative without trying soooo hard to convince you to buy from them.  Alex can be very particular at times (daw oh, oftentimes nga eh) that I myself get tired of his endless questions... But the father and son tandem were born with lots of patience... They were definitely made for the business...

As we stayed inside, customers had come and gone.  Alex was taking so much time making sure with the prescription and medication given.  Also, I observed that they have a lot of female customers.  The son is actually very handsome but I think the overall pleasant experience  inside the shop make valued patrons go back for more.  Most of the female customers actually buy gifts for their elders and guess what.....? Dried CORN SILK for them to boil and drink... Oh, they're all so SLIM...

This chest which was also turned into a seat for waiting customers reminded me of my grandma's trunk.  The father (owner), sensing I wasn't feeling well, served me a refreshing drink which he said was safe for pregnant women.  He sat down with me and  asked a  lot about my impressions of Korea.  He also asked me a lot about my life in the Philippines.  He was asking me to compare the two, actually.  I honestly answered him that I definitely miss everything about home but coming here, I just have to be positive always.  He was very kind and wished me well when it was time for us to leave...

And since we were already in Dongdaemun, Alex suggested we check some curtains for the apartment. We took a taxi going to the shopping centers.  It was unbearably hot that day.  While he busied himself inquiring about curtains, I tried looking for a family mart or a coffee shop maybe for a cold drink, to no avail.

I took my time walking around the other parts of the building.  Seeing a lot of these white tiger stuffed toys made me realize that I'd actually be giving birth to Soo Ae during this revered animal's year.  The Lunar New Year (2011) is by the end of January so Soo Ae is supposed to be a white tiger year.  2011 by the way is hte year of the rabbit.   And I'm quite confused which one to follow.. We actually agreed to buy Soo  Ae a stuffed toy when she comes out, representing her birth year.

I won't really mind which one to buy.  This year, I could say, has been a good year for my family back home.  You see, my husband and I finally transfered to our own place, my sister and her husband in Singpore were also able to finally transfer to their new apartment in February, my youngest sis also safely left for Saudi as a nurse in the same month , my youngest brother finally got a good job in Baguio and had a great awakening, hahahah... and my mom has a less stressful year... 

But I don't mind Soo Ae being born in the year of the rabbit too, like my big sister Donna.  It's afterall the most auspicious of all 12 animal signs.

We ended the day glimpsing at the Chenggyecheon as I was also in a rush to go somewhere to eat... Yeah, hunger pangs were not easy to ignore...  And I tell you, they're back at this stage of my pregnancy... I didn't expect this... LOL...

I really wanted to go down at first but the heat and hunger were too much to bear...
It was a joy watching children care less about getting wet as long as they enjoy every moment of their trip to the stream...

The travel back home was unpleasant.  In the summer, days are longer and the only available seats on the bus when we got up were the ones directly hit by the sunlight..

  ~~~@@~~~

So, another backlog post down...

Aaah... I still have another article about a "spring" me-day coming up...

But I have Korean language books to open

and a packing to do for a 3-day getaway...

We'll be chasing autumn this year again..

Were supposed to head southeast but after the calls Alex made this morning,
we'll head southwest instead... 

Oooh, Shillah dynasty sites will have to wait again after Soo Ae comes out.. kkk

Traveling for more than 3 hours was discouraged...

Another "Just Baby & I" Day...

Alex' work was supposed to start at 2pm so we decided to have a short trip to the market or perhaps to the nearest mall but his boss called him up and told him to report earlier for their another unscheduled meetings.  I was already dressed up and fully made up but the urgency of the call even made it impossible for him to drop me off at the nearest bus stop so I just went out on my own an hour later... My mind was set on going to the nearest shopping mall but I thought it might rain hard so I just settled again for the old town nearby.

The day started out really gloomy.  We've been watching updates on the G20 summit at arirang tv and the weather forecast said it will even rain this afternoon until tomorrow morning because of a storm in the north(?).  Also, people were advised to don masks as yellow sand is also expected.

It was really windy... The sight of fallen leaves at the hill where I usually walk and exercise made me immediately call my husband.  I'm worried about our weekend getaway...

This made me all the more feel really lonely...  Good thing I'm a (bit of a) history buff.  And hubby is bringing me somewhere really interesting down south (been bugging him for the past 2 years we go there actually).  That will make up for the fallen leaves...

Taking the pictures above from various angles made me miss my bus so I waited for about 25 minutes for the next one to arrive.  Yeah, that's how rural our area is.. But in 2 or 3 years time, for sure, this will be abuzz with the noise of a new city...

I make it a point to drop by the nearest Catholic church everytime I go to Yanggok terminal...  I feel so home inside the church.  Growing up in Benguet, I appreciate altars like this:  just the Holy Family.  I really don't like altars full of other Saints' statues (like in the lowlands) that you find it hard looking for the tabernacle or for Jesus..joke...! I also love the stained glass windows...

This small patch of land planted with vegetables, just beside a busy street shows how diligent Koreans are.  Even the smallest spaces are valued here.  You'd see them planted with red peppers, potatoes, and other veggies.  They do their best to save.  Everything here is so expensive, like what Alex' sister in law never fails to tell me every family gathering, kkk.  So people just utilize what they have to save.  I was once asked, "Why did you marry a Korean? Don't you know Koreans are ultimate misers?"  I know very well. And I don't mind, really... Okay.. I mind it a little, hahaha!  But where are they now? The once one-of-the-poorest countries is almost  at the top (of the world), hosting the G20 (Seoul) Summit...

I entered the mart selling Filipino goods at realy reasonable prices to get myself a pack of Milo.  This Ppeppero Day balloon caught my attention.  Good thing the clerk who caught me taking its picture didn't mind me at all..  I'm a regular customer, kkk... I really wanted to ask them if could I take this one home..

When Alex and I first checked the neighborhood way back in March, I was really excited when I saw this shop.  It's an international callling card and second hand shop owned by a Filipina and her Korean husband.

This street is part of the Yanggok Terminal.  It's a far cry from where we used to live.  There aren't any coffee shops where I could entertain my friends.  It's very rural. It is lined with Asian stores.  But I still appreciate this town.  It's where different nationals gather every weekends to relax.  Also, the old folks are so friendly...

A torogI's delight... It would be nice to buy a live chicken here to cook PINIKPIKAN.... Yeah, live chicken can be seen inside, waiting to be bought and butchered.  When my Mom arrives, we'll try to buy a live one...

I later realized that I've been walking for the past 1 and a half hours already so I turned back to the bus station going back home.  I suddenly felt tired that I entered the first family mart I'd seen to get myself one of those hot bottled soybean milk but I met a girl at the doorway, sipping what smelled like a delicious instant coffee.  Indeed, I wasn't able to resist the temptation to get myself an instant French Vanilla Capuccino... 

I was just in time for my bus.  It's gotten colder and more windy and so leaves and small particles from the trees and leaves were everywhere.  I was also just halfway to our apartment when the anticipated rain started falling...

I actually took a liesurely walk along the traditional market and bought just worth 2,000won of these baby crabs.  I thought of cooking them with just a small amount of water and a dash of salt but the "Halmoni" (grandmother) gave me more and said I should eat a lot for Soo Ae.  I ended up keeping some of it for cooking soups.  I actually just finished my dinner dipping the cooked baby crabs in vinegar with minced garlic. So heavenly... You should try it sometime. 

So this is where we live right now.  Not so fancy anymore but I'm loving the peace of mind and freedom around "MY" own house, LOL! 

Way back in summer, my dear friend Emma blogged about OUR PLACE when she, Anne and Tessa came over for a potluck style housewarming party... 

I've always wanted to show you how it is outside of our compound...

I hope you liked this post... coz in a way, I kind of like it that there's still a place like this here in Korea...

It's Ppeppero Day Today...

I'll be missing these sweets for today....

Pictured above are the stuffs I got from my students LAST YEAR.  I remember getting more but for each class, I opened a box or two for all of us to share...

It's hopeless to expect even just a box from husband...  Aside from not wanting to jump into the manufacturer's marketing strategy, he'd insist chocolate isn't good for me.. and the baby... LOL...

Anyway, I'm hoping that my Soo Ae won't be a "choco curl junkie" someday as I indulge in this snack like 2x a month...LOL...

Look how big the curls are, LOL....

Aaah... craving craving craving.....

I should have bought earlier at least a box of my favorite ppeppero... grrr...