Fun-due is very (n)ice!

January is cold. The snow has stuck now for about 2 weeks. So what's the best thing to do to stay all warm and toasty? Why ICE CREAM of course!! Koreans are impervious to the thought that one should not eat ice cream in the winter. They frankly are right.

Mindy's friend from Seattle, Sara, came in for New Years and got to be a Korean tourist for a week. We met up on Sunday at Central City Sinsegae and after some shopping decided to go to La Boca for lunch. After meeting with Jamie and munching on good Italian nosh, we decided to go elsewhere to satisfy our sweet tooth. In half truth, half jest I noted that Baskin Robin's ice cream fondue was still on my Korean Bucket List.

For those of you outside of Korea, Baskin Robin Ice Cream may conjure up pictures of a shop filled with hot sweaty kids in the summer. Here, you'll find a few gaggle of school girls or couples on a date. The basic ice cream flavors are here but you also have a few "Koreanized" flavors as well. And then you have their ice cream fondue.

I was pleasantly surprised when both Mindy and Sara said, "Sounds good! Let's go!" So we bundled up into our winter coats and headed the three blocks down to BR 31. We arrived and were (surprisingly) the only patrons in the shop. We made a beeline to their display case and pointed at their plastic fondue model. The ice cream scooper guy went to work. In a few minutes he brought out the most glorious and beautiful display of chilled confectionery delight. Not only did we get an assortment of 12 flavors in adorable little balls, but we got fruit (bananas, kiwis), and bite sized morsels of cakes (choco, vanilla, cheese).

One nice little "ah!" moment? You dip the ice cream into the fondue and it forms a nice crunchy chocolate shell!!

Posing before devouring

Too pretty to eat? Ha!

Let the fun(due!) begin!

When Pigs Flu

OK So I don't really think I have the swine flu but I think I hurt myself rather than helped myself by going out on Friday night (and then spending a chilly/windy night out on the roof of St. Opistel).

Yesterday I met up with Dave at Butterfingers and had a delightful breakfast dinner (with hashbrowns, bacon, scrambled eggs, and pancakes). But throughout the whole evening I was hacking and coughing once again. My throat was pretty sore and I was trying to suppress the cough only to cough out my lungs even more.

This progressivly worsened as the night when on, and I was fearing a bruised ribcage as I would get up every 5 minutes to go spit up greenish mucus in my sink as I was getting ready for bed. I woke up this morning and immediately felt icky.

Got to school and my director asked how I was and I told her the truth: Not so hot. She immediately became concerned and said, well I hope you feel better soon. I thanked her and returned to my prep work for the morning. Stephanie had mentioned that a friend of hers at another hagwon was now being quarantined with the rest of the teachers because one of the teachers tested positive for swine flu. Seems like this swine flu thing can't die already!

As I was walking into my class, my director came up to me and suggested I go back and see the E.N.T. doctor. I thought that was so sweet of her, until someone pointed out the swine flu incident. By this time I was just hacking and coughing but of course by this afternoon my sinuses are fully congested. Grrrr~! I really hate this.

At least I'm not in quarantine though.

Anyways, my director wants to track my sickness and make sure I don't have a fever.

Oh, but the BEST thing of all. I went to the doc's and they GAVE me money because I had my ARC (Alien Registration Card) this time! I got 10,000 won back since I had to pay 12,000 won for my appointment last time.... Would this have happened back in America?!

So I'm back to my "Flu cocktail" and I decided to stock up on some Halls and Tylenol Cold. At least, I haven't waited a few days like last time. Hopefully I can nip this thing in the butt once and for all. I'm so tired of being sick here! I just want to get better so I can enjoy everything without feeling sick! It's 9:00 so I'm going to try to get to bed and get a good night's rest.