Korea International Expat Film Festival (KIXFF) Oscars Party 2018 in Seoul

You’re Invited! Join The Toronto Seoulcialite @ KIXFF’s Oscars Party WHAT IS KIXFF? KIXFF stands for the Korea International Expat Film Festival which was established in 2015 by director, Kevin Lambert.  It’s mission is to bring films with an “expat-perspective” to Seoul.  It’s the only festival in the world to do so.  It became apparent…

Seoul Food: Homeboy – Pop-Up by Manimal & KiKi Chanting

Homeboy Seoul Pop-Up In case you missed it, Tuesday January 9th was the latest and greatest (well…only for me thus far) pop-up from the Manimal Team.  From the people who have recently brought us KiKi Chanting, Homeboy Seoul (by Junki, Sanyoon, Mili, and Matt) was a feast of “Asian street food bites with unique cocktails”.  Great…

Repatriation Fears: 10 Reasons I’m Afraid to Leave Korea

As my plans beyond my final contract in Korea begin to solidify, so do my repatriation fears.  Surviving “reverse culture shock” is daunting, and a very real challenge.  I’ve been reading articles with titles like “Moving Home with Dignity” and “Top Tips for Repatriation”.  I just want to live on an imaginary beach far away…

Cya Later, Seoul: Things I’ll Miss About Korea

So Long, Korea! My life here has been incredible, but even in Neverland you’ll find you have your ups and downs.  Last week, to the dismay of many on Facebook, I wrote about the things I hate about living as a foreigner (expat) in Korea.  This week, on a more positive note, I’m sharing just…

Peace Out Seoulmates: 15 Things I Hate About Korea

Deuces, Korea! In March of 2018, I’ll be leaving Korea. After 1 year in Busan and nearly 2 years in Seoul it’s time to bid adieu to the Land of Morning Calm.  I’ve had plenty of amazing travel experiences and local opportunities, dating blunders, and hagwon hells in Korea.  There’s plenty to love, but everyone loves…

From Russia, With Love – 5 Weird Things in Russia!

Only in Russia: 5 Things Which Will Blow Your Mind  Russia is a country which divides opinion at the best of times.  While there are plenty of amazing reasons to check out the Eastern European behemoth, they do have some customs which might leave you baffled.  Let’s explore five things about Russia which will blow…

Great Spring & Summer Date Spots in Seoul

The blogs I read before coming to Korea all had one particular common post that kind of irks me now that I live here. The majority of them stated that a single, straight woman over the age of 21 or 22 would have a tough time dating.

Why TEFL Now?

What are the differences among TEFL, TEYL, TESOL, TESL, CELTA, etc.? In the simplest of terms, they are different levels and methods of teaching English to non-native English speakers. TESL certifications are widely regarded as methods for teachers of non-native English speakers and immigrants to English speaking countries. TESOL and TEFL are geared more toward those who want to teach English in non-English speaking countries. Bingo! That’s me!

Losing Weight and Keeping it off while Traveling

Before I left Toronto to teach ESL in Korea, many of my friends (some leaner than others) told me that I would drop weight like crazy in Korea since the diet is so healthy and full of fermented dishes. While it is true that the traditional dishes can be quite healthy, they they aren’t always, and the ones that are also lack flavour.

…and they’re off (-track Horse Racing at Walkerhill)

Let’s Run: A case where going “Off Track” is a good thing.

The new facilities at the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, which opened Friday June 3rd, 2016, are clean and quiet. This is a far cry from what I would have imagined having been to some of the casinos throughout Asia. A few juicy details to note before jumping into the nitty-gritty.

Candidly Kate: Where to Teach in Korea

In a country the size of Indiana, you would think that the two largest cities would have similar lifestyles. After spending a year in Busan I thought I have conquered Korea enough to hit the capital. Could I have been more wrong?

Jogyesa Temple – Lotus Lantern Weekend Part ii

Korean couples love to get dressed up and wander around the old, traditional towns, as well as the Palaces and the Temples. All this was amplified by the hoopla of Buddha’s Birthday Weekend which has been celebrated as a festival since the Unified Silla era over 1,300 years ago. Yep – he gets the whole weekend, the festival, the parade, and all the beautiful lantern displays at nearly every temple the month leading up to his birthday and for for many, the weeks beyond (at Jogyesa they’ll be around until May 22nd). I guess it’s like leaving your Christmas lights up on your front porch all year long, just a lot less honky-tonk and a lot more beautiful!