Fame

My star is on the rise!

For the second time in as many weeks my ego has been inflated by attention form the online community - keep it coming I say.

YouTube

  As some of you are aware, I have a YouTube channel (if you didn't know, feel free to check it out here) which is slowly getting more hits. I don't post videos as often as I should, but I intend on changing this in the next few weeks. I have some ideas coming up that I think people may like.

  

  Anyway the other week I received an email from some committee about how there is a big cosmetics convention happening in South Korea, and that they came across the vlog I did regarding Cosmetics in Korea and how much I love freebies (I was actually at Innisfree last night buying make-up wipes and got a heap of free samples from them too... So much love). They emailed me and asked if it was ok if they showed my video at their conference. I was like YES OF COURSE YOU CAN. I mean, it was nice that they asked, but the video is public so they could have taken it without me even knowing. Who knows if they are legit or not but whatever. The info for the upcoming event is here, and its called the Cosmetics & Beauty Expo Osong Korea 2013. So have a look and tell me if you think its legit or not. Either way, it's another step closer to fame.

  Now, at this point I only have 7 subscribers (I wish there were more but this is my fault), but my videos have been viewed 830 times and have no dislikes. Always a good sign... And some of my videos have been added to people's favorites lists (also a good sign). Interestingly enough my most watched videos are my self introduction, which I prepared for job interviews in Korea, and my room tour. So from that I am deducing that Korvia is sharing my video (which I totally don't mind, they actually asked last year if that was ok) and that there are a fair few people out there who are curious as to what their accommodation will be like once they get to Korea. I did the same thing before I came out here - I went YouTube trolling to try and find out what the area was like and how i'd be living. So it makes me happy that perhaps I have helped people out. I am becoming an unofficial expert on all things ESL Korea. And on that note...

Cover Girl

  That's right folks, yours truly is on the cover of the 2013 GEPIK Orientation book. If you recall, back in September I blogged about my time at the GEPIK conference (see it here if you have forgotten) which I attended as an introduction to teaching in South Korea. At the time, there were organizers who wandered around taking photos and videos for future promo events of whatever. I was snapped in a few of them, and I remember being distinctly disappointed that I was not in many of the pics they showed on the final day. Being as photogenic and amazing as I am, I thought I would have featured more... Little did I know that my true rise to stardom had not yet materialized. Citizens, may I present to you the 2013 GEPIK Orientation booklet:

  That's me, on the cover, with my equally beautiful friend Shanda. New (and some old) teachers from all over Korea who are part of the GEPIK program are looking at me thinking "wow, not only is she beautiful but she must know heaps about Korea because she is on the cover". And they would be right. Kinda... 

  Because lets be honest, do any of us really know what is going on in Korea? Even my Korean friends don't know what is going on... The country has this air of not knowing about it, which I love. But that's for another day. Today we are focusing on me. Wuahahahahahaha

  Now all I need is to get my Drama going and I will totally be famous. And hopefully have a bit more motivation to stop chowing down on carbs.

In other news...

  Yes, Jess got married. It was beautiful and cheesy at the same time. I could go on and on about it but I won't, it really needs an entire thread about it. There were highs and lows, the main low being that she is now on her honeymoon in Bali having an amazing time and I am freezing at school with no boyfriend, let alone a husband. Meh. 

  There were also minor dramas in the sense that all us foreign guests wanted to go drinking for a bit after the wedding, so we bundled ourselves into a few taxi's and headed to the bar area. Now, here is a classic reason why we all need to speak a bit more Korea. People got lost. It was no ones fault, but what we have to all keep in mind is that out Korean friends are our FRIENDS, not our translator service. And while I am sure they love to help us out and are happy to do so, lets all be appreciative and thankful when they do, not crapped off if WE, the foreigners, get something wrong. And lets all go to Korean class and try and learn a bit more so we don't need to burden our friends. And anyway, I would love to be able to have an awesome conversation in Korean with my friends, rather than relying on their awesome English abilities. The communication thing should work both ways. And, we are all capable of looking up bus timetables and train schedules so lets do it. Minor rant over.

  Regarding rants, I had some feedback from my last blog, where I got up on my high horse about pictures of animal cruelty. Please, keep protesting against the abuse of animals. I encourage all people to be aware of these issues, as I am an activist myself. I can and do get preachy at times about certain issues and the treatment of animals at the slaughter point is one that really needs to be promoted. I am simply frustrated and at times offended at the way that people go about the education of these facts. If you want to include the pics then do so - in the form of a link. Then people can choose to click or not click. And yes, this does negate the shock factor a bit, but at least we can choose. How many times have we left our browsers open? Millions? What about if you had a kid who was looking on your fb and they saw pics of puppies being thrown into boiling water? Not nice. But I agree that people need to be made aware, I am in no way discouraging people from protesting or campaigning. But please do it tactfully. 

  School is going well this week, I actually feel like I am making more of a contribution to the class. In fact today I took the gr 5 classes myself - Co was not feeling well and left the class to me. I don't think they learnt much but luckily yesterday I met the photocopier and now I think I can make photocopies of worksheets and such for some time wasting. Yay for me. 

  Thats about all I have for now, but stay tuned for other fun things I am planning in the future. The weather is getting better and I am going to put a bit more time and attention into my YouTube. And as always, feel free to email me or comment anything you are thinking or feeling, I love the feedback. 

I can be Tweeted, Tumblred, Facebooked, gmailed, YouTubed or blogged. I am all over this social media shit so hit me up I love to chat.

Bye :)

Big Rant

Ok, so I have had a huge and fantastic weekend of weddings, drinking, moving, and eating (yep, #dietfail) yet I am finishing it by ranting. Something keeps happening that continually ruins my day/week/life. Animal abuse activists.

Stop spamming my wall

  I am also completely against animal cruelty, so please do not anyone take this the wrong way. But I do not want to see graphic pictures of animals being tortured all over my FB. The latest ones are dogs being cooked and boiled alive. It is true, this does happen through out Asia (Korea is very guilty of this one) and it disgusts me. I know about it, and I am against it. And showing me graphic pictures is not going to make me any more or less passionate about it, it will just offend me. And I also understand that  many people do not know the facts about animal cruelty and the pictures really drive the point home etc etc. I don't want to look. And by putting it on my wall you are not giving me a choice. It disgusts me that people carry out these inhumane acts, and it appalls me that I have to see it. I do my bit against animal cruelty - I regularly donate and I volunteer at animal shelters etc. I also blog about issues that upset and interest me to raise awareness (I blogged mid last year about the issue of whaling for example) and I am well read in many environmental and animal cruelty issues. I am a subscriber to Animals Australia etc etc. I am a person who cares. I still do not agree with these graphic pics on my wall. 

  I am against child pornography too. And I know pretty much everyone is against child porn, or violence against women and children. But you don't see me or anyone else posting graphic pics of children being abused online. It is illegial. And it disgusts people. If someone posted child porn on their FB or on someones wall the police would be at their place. Yes, it raises awareness but it also offends and upsets people. 

  I don't meant to say that these are the same things... But I am just pointing out that  there are other ways to raise awareness than by posting offensive and gross pictures of animals being tortured. 

Enough with the double standards

  This one also frustrates me. So, you hate that Koreans eat dogs? Are you discussing it over your dinner of galbi? Or your bulgogi? Or your dakgalbi? Or your fucking McDonalds? 

  What is it that offends you? Is it the fact that dogs are being eaten, the fact that its a dog or the way they are treated at the time of death? Have a really good think about this, because it is important. I do not want to eat dog. I do not want to try it, and I do not want to go to a resteraunt where it is served. But I will certainly not judge other people who do. Because I love a bowl of spag bol, or a yummy Korean BBQ - I eat meat. And I cannot sit there preaching against dog meat while I eat my friend chicken. It is hypocritical and judgy mc judge judge. I am fully against the cruelty that many animals suffer at abattoirs and butchers etc, and in Australia we have very serious standards for preperation of meat and slaughtering etc. In Asian countries they are waaayyy less strict about this, so chances are you are eating an animal that suffered when it died. The only way you can avoid this is by avoiding meat all together. I hate that there are lower standards here than at home but it is a battle that I cannot possibly win. If anyone wants me to sign a petition against it then I will. 

  I do not like the idea of eating a dog, because is is cute and friendly. I also hate the idea of eating chickens, I have pet chickens at home and they are really adorable. And sheep? They are cute too, and all the animals that are used for meat. In my mind they are all being farmed to be eaten and do not deserve to be tortured before they are served up. I also think this about fish, or deer, or rabbit, or whatever meat you are eating. 

  What about dolphins? Would you eat one? No? But I bet you love smoked salmon, or flake. Or tuna, which people globally consume by the bucket load. Do you like crab? Yeah? Lobster? Not quite as cute as dolphins huh... But we still boil them alive and cook them in front of the diners. And prawns - I have been present of the steaming and boiling of live prawns... 

  Hate that products contain horse-meat? Those poor horses, so nobel... Much more noble than a cow. I mean, cows didn't carry soldiers into battle did they? But they all look the same minced, true? 

DOUBLE STANDARDS PEOPLE.

  Don't preach to me about eating dogs, or any creature unless you are a non-animal eater yourself. And even then, please still don't preach to me. I am well versed. 

  Again, I am against animal cruelty, not against eating meat. Eat whatever the hell you want, but try and find out if it is cruelty free and humane. I know in Australia you can research different brands and products to find out how ethical your meal is. I always try to source ethical food products, which is much harder here in Korea. But just be careful about why you are pointing the finger. Don't hate people for eating dogs, hate them for the way they treat them, not the way they eat them. 

Stop judging other cultures

  Please try to stop discriminating. Different cultures live different ways. I always focus on what is important to me - the treatment of the animals. I don't hate Thai people, I hate the way certain Thai people treat their elephants. I don't hate Korean's, but I hate the way some people prepare their dog dishes. I don't hate Japanese people, I hate the way some of them are involved in whaling. I don't hate the Chinese, I hate the way some of them slice fins of live sharks and then throw them back into the sea. I don't hate African people, I hate the way some of them kill rhinos just to saw off their horns. I don't hate English people, I hate the way some of them set dogs onto foxes for sport. 

  

And none of this means I have anything against the country of the people. There are plenty of things I don;t like about Australia too but its not relevant to this particular post. 

Anyway, sorry for the rant I am just really tired of seeing certain things flood my facebook. Sorry if I have offended anyone. Please feel free to comment or contact me if you wanna discuss anything. I am an open book and in the end this is just my opinion. 

I just had to get it off my chest, cos it put a bad taste in my mouth after such a good weekend. 

Cheers and happy Sunday