My first dedicated blog

I've been Xangaing, Facebooking, MySpacing, and LJing for years, so it seemed silly to add another blog. But I enjoy browsing other expats' Korea-dedicated blogs too much to go any longer without one of my own.

The blog title "Sarcasm doesn't translate," sums up my life experiences on the internet; my mouth is always getting me into trouble because I can't seem to turn off the snark. And now I'm in a brand new country where I can't even speak the language, much less express my amusement at every situation.

On to the basics:

Where are you from? How old are you? Why did you come to Korea? What's your blood type? Do you have a boyfriend? What do you like to eat? What are your hobbies?

Denton, Texas. And yes, I tell everyone I ride horses and wear cowboy boots to formal occasions, except Christmas. We wear flip-flops for Christmas because it never gets cold. (Not sarcasm, in fact. I bought my first ever heavy winter coat only a year ago because a store was going out of business and this green fleece and down number was just my size at just $17.)

I'm a 23-year-old 2008 graduate from U. of North Texas' journalism program. After being laid off from three jobs in a row because of the economy being the way it was and not even being able to pick up a job at a freaking gas station with my handy dandy BA, I got an email from a recruiting company that saw my resume online. I would have dismissed it out of hand, but I mentioned it to my friend, Nick, who looked into it more and decided, "Let's do this." Thanks to footprintsrecruiting.com, I am now an English teacher in Korea. Nick's heading over in February.

I'm B+, which is supposed to mean I'm an outgoing player and men's lady (doesn't sound as cool as ladies' man, huh?), as does being a Leo. But you'd never guess it. I'm pretty quiet and am still struggling to make friends out here all by my lonesome. But that's OK.

I did have a Korean boyfriend for about a week, but that went south yesterday. I don't think I'll be seeing him again, but I haven't decided how to tell him that. I would thank him for being instrumental in my decision to become a shut-in for the remainder of winter and possibly even gay for the remainder of my stay in Korea, but that would be rude because I'm not being sarcastic this time.

I never would have admitted to liking American food before today. I hate fried food and greasy food and the salt-laden fatty foods that abound in the south. Mexican and Italian were my favorites. But when I decided earlier this evening to treat myself to an American grill & salad place, I walked right on by, unable to ignore the call of a "Giant Double Burger Set (Combo)" from the Lotteria (like a McDonald's). And holy crap, it was delicious.

Before the 20-hour flight here, my hobbies included belly dance, fire spinning, larping, and making various arts and crafts. Since I arrived, well, I've found that curling up in my warm bed and reading a book is about the most fun I can probably have in the winter. I kind of doubt my ability to find a venue for my favorite activities.

I'm staying in Ansan, which is about an hour south of Seoul by subway. This week has averaged about 20F every day, and my utilities bill is too high, so I've decided to forsake my heater (no small feat for a native Texan) in favor of more clothing and short spurts of exercise when I feel chilly.

Let me know if I've forgotten anything or if there's anything more you'd like to know. Let's end with a question.

Why doesn't Korea use postal codes? It's SO un-American. I want my books from Amazon, darn it!