The Millennial Pledge

I pledge to feel the stress but not let it define me. I retain both the right to feel “happy, free, confused and lonely” at the same time and the right to buckle at the thought of dancing to Taylor Swift at 24 years old.

I reserve the right to check my iPhone while someone is talking to(/at) me. I pledge to feel awful about it shortly thereafter.

I reserve the right to worry about my (limited) influence on Instagram when I lose more than two followers in a day. I acknowledge the frivolity of using the JustUnfollow app to vengefully unfollow anyone who may have done so first. I pledge to deeply ponder about the post(s) that may have caused such actions.

I pledge to take myself out of my comfort zone, since we all know that’s where the magic happens.

I pledge to learn “the money things” and treat my (limited) capital the way I would want my (limited) capital to treat me.

I pledge to simultaneously exploit the stereotypes associated with millennials and to shake with fury at millennial trend pieces. I reserve the right to identify as a member of the generation that will save everyone and the one with no critical thinking skills, respectively.

Finally, to those who scold, cluck, wag, eye roll or head shake at my indecencies: I pledge to remind you all that I’m a millennial who only thinks he knows everything.

Take the plunge and take the pledge. You’re only a 20something once.

YoMoSovember: Year 2

It’s November again and that can only mean THREE things: yoga, derpy moustachioed dudes and sobriety!

If you recall, I created YoMoSovember last November 2013 while living in Busan. The entire month was one of my favourite memories from Busan and I’m excited to do it all again this year – with a few changes.

1. 30 Day 15 Day Yoga Challenge: Given that it’s already the third of November, it seems unlikely and dishonest to say that I will get a full 30 days of yoga in this month. In the spirit of not being painfully overzealous (as is my way), I’ve set a realistic goal: a 15 Day Yoga Challenge. I would like to make it to a studio two times; the other time spent practicing in the comfort of my own room, to the soothing sounds of YogaGlo because, HELLO – Taylor “TJ” Harkness is now a featured instructor on the site! ‘Nuff said.

2. Movember:  For the fifth year running, I will be sprouting a happy little lip pet to help raise funds for men’s health. This year will be a little different, as it’s the first time I’ll be participating as a member of a team! I’ll be joined by the five lovely gents and Public Relations classmates, John, Devon, Blake, Andrew, and Braeden. Our team will be raising funds for Movember under the team moniker Public Mo-lations so if you’re looking for a place to flex your philanthropic muscles, head over to our Mo Space and donate!

3. SOvemBER: Finally, the hottest trend – autumnal sobriety – is back! Just like last year, I am trading beer, wine and cocktails for 2.0L bottles of water, protein shakes, and good old-fashioned, non-spiked, virgin orange juice. Appropriately (or maybe not), the Alcohol Awareness event that my PR class is planning is scheduled for December 2nd, 2014. Oy.

As I did last year, I will periodically post YoMoSovember updates on my social media platforms and provide a complete summary of the successes and shortcomings of the month. Until then, namaste!

~ObSeSsEd~: April Edition

Given that April was my first official month with my new laptop and iPhone, the majority of my obsessions for this month somehow relate to the interwebz, applications, or electronic organization.

• This cover of one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac songs (“Dreams”) by Dana Williams and Leighton Meester. It’s the most ethereal fixture in my YouTube Favourites presently.

• Mextures and VSCO Cam. I spend an obscene amount of time using each of these photo editing applications prior to Instagram and Facebook.

• My current favourite Instagram accounts: @alltomorrowparties, @ben_kaufman, and @lidiagulyas.

• The eargasmic YouTube channel, which has been integral in repopulating my sparse iTunes library.

• Any SNL sketch featuring Kristen Wiig. Whether she’s portraying Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Kathy Lee Griffin, or Björk, she’s flawless. Why am I not watching Bridesmaids right now?

• This article offering tips about helping millennials find work. Normally, I find lists like this one so 2k11 (read: Thought Catalog) but Fast Company really captured my attention with it’s tips about living intentionally. That is the 20something motto after all!

• The Japanese Daiso store. During my weekend in Tokyo, I managed to visit the Takeshita Street Daiso not once, but twice. I managed to pick up some Japanese lanterns and fabric for my future DIY bunting project. While Korea does have its own version of Daiso, it comes up a little short in comparison to its Japanese counterpart.

• My iCal. After nearly 6 months without my laptop, nothing feels better than seeing that colour-coded calendar application open on my desktop.

~ObSeSsEd~: March Edition

March: you came in like a lion and are going out like a lamb.

On a personal level, this month was one filled with change and facing the future. A new semester at school meant a new curriculum, new classes, and new students. Applying to school in Canada from a distance meant Skype interviews, written assessments, and contingency plans for the future. A near-death experience for a family member meant extreme uncertainty, helplessness, and a reevaluation of the things I hold dearest.

Through all of these changes, there have been so many amazing moments in March: two of my closest friends embarking on an around-the-world adventure; the arrival of my friend Steph in Busan; receiving acceptance to school for the Fall; continued exploration of Busan’s beautiful coasts, beaches, and temples; planning for upcoming trips around Korea, including Jinhae, Seoul, and Jeju Island; booking an impromptu trip to Tokyo; new and improved electronic devices improving my quality of life; adorable new kindergarten and elementary school students, and a shift in my thinking, toward the positive. March 2014 was not without its adversity or its beauty, and for that, I’m grateful.

This month’s obsessions include a return to yoga, some more delicious Korean nomz, and an long overdue education about Queen Bey.

Handstands
Or, if you’re fancy, “Adho Mukha Vrksasana”.

Over the last two weeks, I’ve re-launched my daily yoga practice (and along with it, the Instagram tag #yogaboyinloafers). Every weekday night, I head over to Steph’s apartment for a relaxed flow and some “yoga play”. Our personal mantra is all about being #limberandfree. In essence, our practice is a nonjudgmental space to vent and prattle about our lives, all while restoring ourselves physically and redefining our perspectives about the things out of our control.

My personal goals have centered around first, improving my flexibility and strength for arm balances, and second, perfecting the handstand. While I’ve seen a lot of improvement in both of these areas, there is still a long way to go. I frequently lose my balance during crow pose, my arms are often too weak to hold my 8-angle pose for extended periods of time, and I still need to use a wall for the majority of my handstand practice. Thankfully, I’m super motivated to see even more improvement, and am much more conscious these days that it’s about the journey, not the destination. As they say on Instagram, #iwillhandstandin2014!

Shabu-shabu
If you want a hearty meal that lets nothing go to waste, Google search for shabu-shabu restaurants in your area. The concept is simple: boiling hot water combined with thin slices of meat and vegetables. Once finished cooking, patrons place the goods on a thin rice paper, top it of with other non-boiled vegetables and sauces, and roll it up until it resembles a spring roll. Afterwards, it is customary to add noodles to the broth, as well as egg and rice to make a sort of fried rice dish. It’s an absurdly efficient way to put everything to use, and you end up with an empty hot pot.

Steph, Kendall and I went earlier today to Coco Shabu in Jangsan (Subway exit 7) and it was an ordeal.  A delicious ordeal, but an ordeal, nonetheless. I’m still feeling sluggish from my food coma, but I regret nothing.

For more information, there’s a fantastic video on the popular YouTube channel, Eat Your Kimchi, devoted to their personal experiences with Korean shabu-shabu.

Beyoncé
Many of you are likely to cry foul that I’m only now including Bey’s eponymous fifth studio album on my list of obsessions. In all honestly, the album has been completely off my radar since its December release. Thanks to persistent badgering from a few close friends at home in Canada, and Steph’s inclusion of the album in our recent yoga flows, I’ve received quite “an education”. Just call me Carey Mulligan.

My current obsessions from the album include “Drunk in Love” (along with every other Beyoncé fan out there), “Partition”, “Jealous”, and “Pretty Hurts”.

Apart from Bey’s own flawless work, the interwebz has greatly assisted in fostering my obsession. A Tumblr devoted to graphics of Beyoncé slicing and dicing the undead? Fantastic. A second Tumblr featuring screenshots of Downton Abbey paired with famous Bey lyrics? Amazing. My favourite YouTube vloggers covering excerpts of songs from Beyoncé? 6 minute of perfection.

~ObSeSsEd~: February Edition

While teaching about the Gregorian calendar to my level 3 kindy students earlier this week, I utilized a cute poem from their textbook to aid them in remembering what months contained 30, 31, or 28/9 days.

“February has 28 days – that’s great!
But sometimes it has 29 and that’s fine.”

For some reason this poem, intended for seven year old ESL students, gave my 23 year old self some perspective about how truly fleeting February is (especially as a postgraduate, living without the amplified stress of midterms inevitably followed by the lazy lull of reading break).

Since I missed out on those solid two to three days of obsessing that other months offer, my list of obsessions for February is short and sweet, highlighting the best that Korean culture can offer, as well as an old and a new school television series.

Survivor
Icebreaker: During my formative years, I was positively crazed about competition-based reality television shows, particularly Survivor. I used to prepare full-on, colour-coded round robin circuits in my notepad, pitting my toys (who portrayed some of my favourite competitors from the show) against one another. I used to prepare fantasy seasons in that same notepad, where my favourites would return to battle it out in a tropical setting for a second time. I used to assign members of my class to survivors competing in a new season, and reward the ultimate winner with a pack of Skittles (if I recall, Stephanie Raison was the winner in this particular instance during Survivor: Pearl Islands). I even had a Survivor themed party for my 13th birthday, where my guests were forced to eat baby food in timed trials, and were quizzed on trivia that only I could have possibly known. I’m sure this just provides even more evidence to the fact that I am and always have been, a crazy, obsessive human being.

I’ve recently gotten back into the beloved series after discovering multiple full seasons on YouTube. In the past four weeks, I’ve zipped through five seasons of the show, truly rekindling an old love affair. I’m also not ashamed to announce that I’ll be following the newest (and 28th!) installment of the show, Survivor: Cagayan, which premieres today (!!!). The twist this season is Brains vs. Beauty vs. Brawn, and will take place in the Philippines for the fourth season in a row.

Sundubu jigae
A spicy stew made from tofu, assorted vegetables, and chili powder that tastes delicious, includes rice, AND only costs W4,000? As we say in Korea, “NAY!”

Looking
I know with certainty that I’m not the first person to describe Looking as “Girls for gay boys”, but I truly can’t think of a more apt comparison. Looking follows three male friends, Patrick, Agustin, and Dom, who all happen to be gay(!), living in San Francisco, and “looking” for something (it’s not always love, y’all). Sure, the characters of Looking are a little older than “the girls”, and perhaps possess slightly more life experience, but in the end they’re as self-involved, filterless, and cringe-worthy as Hannah, Marnie, Jessa, and Shosh.

Truthfully, I found the Pilot episode painfully slow and uneventful, but the subsequent five episodes have been relatable, funny, and honest, without skimping on the awkward and outlandish. I was a huge fan of the fifth episode (“Looking for the Future”) in particular, if only because it made reference to Friends and posited that Rachel was the top in the Rachel-Ross dynamic; truly #dead. I’m crossing my fingers that Looking doesn’t go the way of Girls and becomes totally unrelatable in its second season. Also, if any of you are curious, I’m a total Patrick.

“Let It Go”
It seems that I moved to the right country, because Koreans on the whole are just as obsessive as I am. Disney’s latest offering, Frozen, stars Idina Menzel (otherwise known as Maureen from Rent) as frigid Princess Elsa, who harbours great powers and evem greater intimacy issues (the character was loosely modelled after me).

While I haven’t heard much about the merits of the actual film, I have heard the lead song, “Let It Go“, literally everywhere I go. Walking by a phone store? Why not just blare it on repeat? Choosing to eat lunch with my youngest students in Star Class? Why not burst out into song with a group of five year olds? With regard to once hating the song and now being obsessed with it, I borrow a line from the song itself to justify my actions: “Couldn’t keep it in / heaven knows I tried”.

~ObSeSsEd~: January Edition

Somehow I blinked and 2014 crept out from the shadows and stationed itself upon my lap. How absurdly cliched would I be if I said “each new year arrives faster than the last”? Likely senior-citizen-levels of absurdly cliched, methinks.

A new year means new obsessions. This month will feature an album from my favourite 1970s rock band, new school Jenny from the Block, a yummy treat from Korea, and the reigning Queen of Film proving (yet again) why she’s the Queen.

“Dance Again” by Jennifer Lopez
I credit the fire-dancing troupes in Boracay for this obsession, because I was not a fan the first time I heard this J.Lo track in 2012. Obvious points are deducted for teaming up with Pitbull, the STD of the musical collaboration world, but still: this song is near perfect.

“Tusk” (1979)

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
Despite proclamations of being a “die-hard Fleetwood Mac fan”, I’ve admittedly really only listened to their Rumours album in its entirety. But, upon my return from Boracay, I’ve been absolutely obsessed with Tusk (1979), the group’s follow-up to Rumours. In particular, the tracks “I Know I’m Not Wrong”, “The Ledge”, “Not That Funny”, “Honey Hi”, and “Think About Me” strike the most beautiful chord progressions in my heart. The album is clearly inspired by late 1970’s musical trends, notably New Wave and garage rock. Recommended for Friday nights alone in your apartment, whether for solo dance parties or hugging-your-pillow-level bouts of loneliness.

Philippine cuisine
Chicken adobo (particularly the famous “Twice-Cooked Chicken Adobo” of Boracay, currently being served at Damiana’s/Ti Braz in White Beach, station 2), chicken halang-halang, gising-gising: this country can literally do know wrong when it comes to food. I’m currently trying to remedy the fact that I’ve yet to consume any Filipino food since returning to Busan; the appeal of Korean BBQ can only last for so long…

Melt in your mouth girl, not in your hand

White Cookie Chocolate Pepero (빼빼로)
My favourite after-school snack from the Lotte Corporation (which produces EVERYTHING in this country), Pepero is basically a Hershey’s Cookies & Cream bar melted onto a cookie. It’s AMAZING. Oddly, November 11th is an observance holiday in South Korea known as, you guessed it: “Pepero Day”. Quite similar to Valentine’s Day, where one is expected to exchange Pepero to their affections in lieu of Valentine’s cards. According to Wikipedia, its original purpose was to “exchange peperos in hopes of becoming taller and thinner”, because of course, Korea, right?

Meryl Streep on Ellen
I’m predictable but Meryl’s perfect. This is the world’s shortest rant because it’s all well-tread territory. Everyone already knows it. I mean, just try not to laugh when she’s reading the traffic report while mimicking a woman in labour. You simply can’t do it!

~ObSeSsEd~: December Edition

Most people who know me know that I have an obsessive personality. I have been known to celebrate the 500th play of select songs in my iTunes, to check Meryl Streep’s IMDB page compulsively for news about upcoming films in pre- and post-production, and to curate my GIF collection by theme AND alphabetically. But, you know, if you can’t handle me at my quoting entire scenes from The Real Housewives of Vancouver, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my decompressed, regular person self.

In that vein, I thought I would start documenting my obsessions each month in a new feature called “~ObSeSsEd~”. This month will feature some yogis that inspire me, my favourite new snack, the most underrated show on television, and a Japanese film I’ve been told to watch for years.

“Untitled” (SCUBA Remix) by Paul Woolford
I discovered this song earlier this week on Pitchfork. The piano beats midway through the track feel like home. For me, that feeling of home is writhing under a glass chandelier in some sweaty pit of humans in Montreal. We’re not in Kansas anymore.

Spirited Away

Spirited Away
There’s a definite correlation between the amount of head shaking, giggling, and general “uh what?”-ing I do throughout a movie and how much I enjoy it. Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved film is the height of gripping absurdity. Also, it’s that much absurdly gripping once you discover that the creepy girl from The Ring is the voice actress for Chihiro. Seriously: go and watch this movie if you haven’t already.

Jodi Blumstein
As referenced in a prior post, I participated in a (personal) 30 Day Yoga Challenge during November and thus bought a subscription to the wonderfully thorough online resource for all things zen and flow-y, YogaGlo. I have been pretty effective at exploring all the website has to offer – trying different styles including ashtanga, vinyasa flow, hatha, and meditative; challenging myself (gradually) by increasing the level of my flows; and finally, flowing with nearly all of the featured yoga teachers.

This brings me to my first yogi obsession – Jodi Blumstein, who specializes in my favourite, ashtanga yoga. She is the sweet and zen Jewish aunt I never had and her flows always put me in a great mood, especially after a rough day. I would recommend the following two flows for beginner/intermediate yogis: Samastithti Integrity for Beginners and Nodi Shadona – Nerve Cleansing Practice. Both are easy and accessible and made me personally fall in love with Jodi’s personal brand.

Patrick Beach

Patrick Beach
My muse and probably my all-time favourite yogi on Instagram. Follow him for daily #yogaintransit videos (and because of how ridiculously good-looking he is, duh).

Snapbacks
Recently, I’ve decided that my coiffure needs some growth, so I’ve been letting my hair grow out. As a result, my “mad flow” requires some “morning flattening”, courtesy of my brand new red H&M snapback. The snapback is perfect because it works with every outfit, makes my students laugh, and truly adds yet another dimension to my “ironic br0” personal brand.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough QuestBar
I discovered QuestBars a couple of months ago thanks to Jess and Maddie, who have been ordering them off of iHerb (and crapping their pants, as a result) for months. Seriously, if you’re looking for a way to include more fibre in your diet without sacrificing taste, order these magical snacks immediately.

Joey Graceffa
A sexually ambiguous, adorable YouTube vlogger, with wicked hair and shiny, white teeth. Also, a cast member on the 22nd season of The Amazing Race and a rumoured cast member for the upcoming All-Stars season. Swoon.

The Good Wife

The Good Wife
Florrick, Agos and Associates. Enough said. This is the best show on television, unafraid to completely rebrand itself after five seasons, and turn formerly loved characters into antagonists. Also, this moment: OH. MY. GOD. My only qualm is that we, the viewers, need more Kalinda. Santa, that’s my only wish this year.

YoMoSovember Update

So… I’m back.

It’s been a whole month since my last post and I owe you all an update about YoMoSovember! Sneak peak: lots of geriatric living, poses ending in -asana, and hair follicles!

My prettiest pussies and I in the Hwamyeong Eco-Park

First of all, SOvemBER was a total, stressful whirlwind– wait, who am I kidding? It was completely blissful and uneventful, in the best way possible. I woke up every weekend without a nagging headache caused by soju or a mouth that tasted like an ashtray. It was delightful. That’s not to say that there weren’t Friday nights after a nightmarish week at my academy when I didn’t want to drown myself in alcohol, but overall, my month (read: technically 6 weeks, since I stopped drinking as of October 20th) of sobriety was a peaceful and necessary change of pace.

Seasons in transit, yoga in transit

In addition, I completed my 30 Day Yoga Challenge! Well, to be fair, there were two Saturdays where I completely missed my flows and I only completed 21 hours of yoga for the entire month, as opposed to the original 22.5 hour goal. However discouraged I felt about not meeting these entirely self-imposed goals, I smiled every time I made it to my mat, felt myself growing in many unconscious ways (i.e. finding my breath naturally, more fluid transitions into poses, etc.) and felt myself becoming stronger each day. I took a week and a half break from yoga at the beginning of December, but have been flowing for the past week and let me tell you – that 10 day break did not do great things for my flexibility. Alas, all good things come with practice!

30 Days of Grime: The Dylan Doyle Memoir

Finally, I completed my fourth consecutive Movember! Not my finest look, but thanks to over 30 generous donors, my personal campaign raised $520.00 (a whole $220.00 more than my original goal)! Many thanks to the following cherry blossoms for their magnanimity:

My amazing friends: Kristen Pye, Desurée Vandendam, Adrienne Matei, Stephanie Pellett, Sinthya Ngo, Emily Maskell, Maddie Shirriff, Mary Collier, Lauren Owen, Lindsay Veenstra, Paige Halam-Andres, Isabelle Bi, Cicely Johnston, Yusra Khan, Nina Levere, McKenzie Perrin-Hart, Megan Venema, and Jess Sternberg;

Two lovely women responsible for the existence of two of my most beautiful friends: Linda Owen and Laurie Randle;

My fellow (and rosy-cheeked) Mobro: Tim Apedaile;

And finally, my incredibly supportive family: Melanie & Dan Doyle, Kayla Doyle, Sherri & Brian (Helliker-)Doyle, Ginny & Bob Merriman, and Erin & Dave Newark.

In addition, I decided to continue growing my little lip buddy until this past Sunday (the 15th). This decision was met with mixed reception, but I figured it was a good one while I am living in a foreign country where people already think I look strange.

Somehow, it’s already December 18th, which means less than one week until the Philippines, y’all.

Godspeed, Dylan Teacher. Godspeed.

The Weeknd(s)

Guys, I have been having a time in South Korea.

I mean, I work hard during the week to shape the next generation of Korean minds, it only seems fair that I should play hard in the playground that is Busan, right?

And what a playground it is! If you suck at geography, Busan is located at the southernmost tip of the Korean peninsula and is the second largest city in South Korea with a population of about 3.6 million in the metropolitan city proper. The city is all beaches and mountains and Starbucks and gimbap shops on every corner and general delight.

But in actual reality: HOW HAVE I POSSIBLY BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS / 87 DAYS? It’s so absurd to think about.

Anyway. I had originally planned this blog post to be about my first two weekends in Busan and then that gradually stretched to include the first five… and now 6 weeks later this blog post is feeling a little moot BUT it’s half-written and I am not a quitter and WOW my writing has taken a dip LOOK AT THIS RUN-ON SENTENCE. Okay. Proceeding now…

Weekend 1 (August 2nd-4th)

After a week of adjusting to the minor culture shock I experienced upon arriving in South Korea (read: naively thinking that a large metropolitan would have more (proficient) English speakers than I actually encountered) and exploring Haeundae-gu, I met up with some beautiful McGill friends also teaching in Busan, Jess and Maddie. It was the most surreal experience greeting (and bear hugging!) them outside of the Gwangan metro station. Although I haven’t been nearly as culture shocked as I was in Europe three summers ago, it was definitely nice to see some familiar faces!

The girls and I headed to a cute little Korean BBQ place in Gwangan called Sorrei, and Jess was sweet enough to cut and cook our entire meal. This dinner was also supremely educational, as the girls schooled me in Korean culture. Highlights include learning to yell “yeogie” (which means “here”) at any server in your general vicinity when you need more food or water, and the girls’ mantra of “Just Get Weird in Korea” (i.e. Saying “saranghae”, which means “I love you” in Korean, to cab drivers/total strangers, smiling like escaped mental patients at small children in the streets, etc.)  Accepting that I’m essentially a zoo animal for the next year in Korea has been quite liberating actually, and I’ve found that there’s nothing better than making a happy little ajumma or ajusshi beam with your silly antics in the streets or on the subway.

After my education and an extremely heavy meal at Sorrei, we proceeded to drink at the 7/11 across from the beach. This may sound bizarre, but 3 months later I still love it (despite the cold). The girls concocted a delicious jungle juice, comprised of Cass beer, various Korean brand energy drinks, and soju, a native Korean liquor similar to vodka but made from rice, wheat, or other starches. After some McGill-based gossip over two Dixie cups of jungle juice each, the girls and I headed over to the Kyungsung University (KSU) area (big foreigner hub) surprisingly tipsy. Our first stop was Eva’s Ticket, where I met new friends David and Dylan (henceforth known in this and all future blog posts as “Chocolate Milkshake” and “D-Emu”) and subsequently destroyed their undefeated regulation beer pong record with Jess. It was a momentous occasion, that I apparently celebrated by buying flaming shots for everyone in my general vicinity (I completely don’t remember this, but I did eventually pay the $60,000 (KRW) tab for it like a good boy).

After some stunning digestive pyrotechnics outside of Eva’s (I hope you all get this reference from my favourite 90s film) and A MELON POP (otherwise known as the best popsicle ever invented) we headed to dance at a club called Blue Monkey and ended the night with a shwarma reward in the heart of KSU. A successful Friday night in Busan…

… Followed by a throbbing head and severe dry-mouth Saturday afternoon. The girls, being such little smarties, took me to Spaland for some much needed rejuvenation. This being my first time in a jjimjilbong I had no idea what to expect, and was even more confused when Jess and Maddie dropped this line: “Oh, just get completely naked in the baths. Like.. you’ll look weirder if you don’t. Okay, bye! We meet you in the lobby in 45 minutes.” Following the girls’ clear instructions, I stripped down and followed the (naked, Korean) masses into the baths where I was greeted by well, nudity. Slightly jarring at first, but you sort of just slip into the baths (either sodium bicarbonate or sodium chloride) of varying temperatures and make uncomfortable eye contact. Despite the flopping genitals you’ll encounter at every corner, it’s actually supremely relaxing to melt into the baths, close your eye, and let the flowing water heal what ails you (9 times out of 10, it’s soju).

Our Spaland regimen is pretty typical these days: The girls and I part ways to do the gender segregated baths for about 45 minutes, throw on our BALLIN’ Spaland outfits and meet in the lobby, then check to see what film is playing in the cinema room, hit up the massage chairs (which are $2 for 20 minutes?!?! It’s literally robbery…), maybe grab a drink or some patbingsu (aka the BEST DESSERT EVER INVENTED containing ice shavings, sweet red beans, condensed milk, ice cream, etc, etc.), hit some of the sauna rooms, foot baths, and sometimes dinner in the restaurant. Spaland is approximately $14 CAD to enter (14,000 Korean won) and then any purchase you make with the little bracelet key they provide you is paid at the fare adjustment bureau after you leave. These days patbingsu and the massage chairs are non-negotiable, so you’re looking to spend at least $6 CAD, so $20 altogether with the entrance fee. That’s like two drinks on a Saturday night y’all and at least I’m doing my body good, right?

On the Sunday, the girls took me to Haeundae Beach for my first time, introducing me to a couple of new friends, as well as Mr. Haeundae who is somewhat of a Busan celebrity. He sports a banana hammock, is absurdly tanned, and is constantly surrounded by a swarm of ridiculously ripped Korean dudes who are more oiled up than my pores post-Spaland sauna.

The minor culture shock I had experienced only 6 days earlier had dissipated almost as quickly as it had set in after this first transitory weekend into Busan life, thankfully. To close the weekend out in ~lols~fashion, we hit TGIFridays, “just because”, with a few friends and then headed home for an early night before my first official day of school the next morning!

Weekend 2 (August 9th-11th)

After my first week as “Dylan Teacher”, I was ready for some rest, relaxation, rejuvenation, and raring fun. I met the girls before their YogaGLO at Gwangan Beach, and rented a small umbrella since Mr. Golden Sun was sizzling. This was an incredibly exciting weekend because it is when I met the lovely Miss Rose Duggan for the first time! Rose is Jess and Maddie’s friend (first, chronologically) who, at this point, was trekking across southeast Asia and decided to stop in to Busan for a quick hello. We grabbed lunch at Sharky’s on the beach and were served by the epically awkward/causally rude Aussie dude who will forever be a reminder that “just drinking water isn’t going to pay his daughter’s tuition”.

After the girls left for yoga, Rose and I got the opportunity to get to know each other, our mutual acquaintances in Montreal and Toronto, and general derpy stories (more from me than little Rosiepoo, but you know). In addition, we saw some spectacular Busan beach wear (read: a Speedo, paired with an ascot and arm sleeves only) and a Korean couple taking a romantic, late afternoon walk… with their pet snake. This is Korea, y’all, where the motto is “BECAUSE, WHY NOT?”

Later that night, we headed to Seomyeon (another large nightlife hub in Busan) to predrink at Chocolate Milkshake’s stunningly large, well-stocked apartment. The Grey Goose and soju was mightily flowing, to say the least. Afterwards, we headed to Haeundae for a little Thursday Party action, before heading to my first Korean club, Tao. Club Tao is situated just off of the beach, nestled in behind the Paradise Hotel. The actual club is a series of multilevel platforms packed with the claustrophobic and “two left footers” combined, winding balconies with wallflowers perched upon them, watching the festivities unfold, and the heart of darkness – the club’s epicentre, where the girls and I obviously positioned ourselves for a night of fun. Despite being told otherwise, the girls and I kept on climbing on top of the platform at the front of the club, entered numerous VIP lounges and helped ourselves to drinks, and generally wreaked havoc. I could tell you more about this adventure, but for those of you who know me, simply ask to see my iPhone camera reel the next time I see you.

Sunday morning is now known as “The Day I Woke Up In An Elevator In A Building I Didn’t Live In”. That’s pretty much all I have to say about that. The weekend ended as all the best weekends do: declining an invitation to lay hungover at the beach with friends, eating ice cream, hungover, with the Real Housewives of Vancouver in bed. YOLO.

Gwangbokjeol (August 15th)

After only 8 days of properly teaching English at my hagwon, I was surprised with my first (of many) Korean public holidays, Gwangbokjeol, which is Korea’s Independence Day from Japanese colonial rule.

The girls and I headed to Songjeong Beach for what was intended to be a day of some rest and relaxation in the name of Korean liberation under the sizzling sun. Instead, we unleashed our inner contortionists and performed some acroyoga for the locals. This was my first time doing any sort of yoga and was pleasantly surprised by the results. This is undoubtedly the weekend which sparked my interest/obsession in/with yoga.

Weekend 3 (August 16th-18th)

My third weekend in Korea was spent with the girls in Seoul. Given that this was my first real experience travelling in Asia, I was excited to say the least. Not so excited, however, to arrive at the KTX train station but 6 minutes before our train left (sorry again, Jess and Maddie). Once we arrived, we headed straight to Myeongdong, one of the primary shopping districts in Seoul (Fun fact: Myeongdong apparently houses the only Forever 21 in all of Korea. Neat!) In Myeongdong, we met up with Chris, another McGillian, who was visiting his brother and the homeland.

After some lunch, we explored Myeongdong and then headed to the beautiful Cheonggyecheon Stream. We listened to some Koreans playing guitar, watched children running around carefree, and had some heart-to-hearts. This was such a serene moment and definitely my favourite memory of Seoul.

Afterwards, we met Chris’s brother, Justin and their mom for dinner in Insadong. The food was delicious (the Im family knows how to pick incredible dishes) and we got to talk to Mrs. Im about her experiences growing up in Busan and how it has changed.

Once parting ways with Justin and Mrs. Im, Maddie, Jess, Chris, and I headed to Itaewon for some casual drinks and stumbled across a Canadian bar with some incredibly obnoxious patrons. We ended up just playing Heads Up! for the majority of the evening, and hopping from pub to lounge to pub.

At the end of the night, we said goodbye to Chris, and headed to Jess and Maddie’s favourite jjimjilbong in Korea, Dragonhill Spa, slightly inebriated. We stayed the night in the spa because yes, you can do that at select spas in Korea. This turned out to be the worst nights sleep for me, but it was way cheaper than a hostel, so, pick your battles. We woke up and did the baths and then headed back to Busan on the fast train at midday. Given that I was only in Seoul for about 30 hours, I am looking forward to heading back in 2014 at some point, likely for Ultra Music Festival!

Weekend 4 (August 23rd-25th)

After three weekends in a row of late nights and “living while we’re young”, the girls and I agreed that a little geriatric living was in order. On Saturday morning, in the pouring rain, we headed to yoga in Seomyeon. This was my first proper yoga class and I was slightly worried about being that sweaty guy, that gassy guy, that uncoordinated guy. Luckily, I was only 2/3 (I’ll leave you to guess which). This is also the first time I met our beautiful yoga instructor, Amanda, who is the sweetest woman alive. She has offered free yoga classes for the last five months, is sweet and encouraging, and always comes to massage everyone, no matter how sweaty they are (read: me) during savasana. She is sadly leaving Busan this Saturday to head back to America, but Amanda, if you’re reading this, I love you and am going to miss you an absurd amount!

We ended up grabbing sushi at Sushi Berry in Dongbaek with some fellow yogis, Nate and Kat, who will be joining the girls and I in the Philippines over Christmas break! Afterwards, we headed to a DVD bong, which is a private screening room with blankets and pillows and likely the bodily fluids of Koreans who have used it before you because APPARENTLY these rooms are used for hookups frequently. After the DVD bong, we met with Nate and Kat once more at a delicious hibachi chicken joint called Tango. After too many breadsticks, salad, chicken, and pickles, we called it a night.

To be frankly honest, I don’t remember what we did on the Sunday. There’s a pretty good chance though that it was the beach or Spaland. When in doubt, you know?

23rd Birthday (August 27th)

My birthday fell on a Tuesday here and I really didn’t feel like making a huge thing of it so I kept it hush-hush from my co-workers. After feeling a little gloomy, I told my kindergarten class and they freaked out and started singing happy birthday to me which melted my heart into a thousand pieces. After work, I headed to Hwamyeong, where Jess hosted Maddie and I for a Mexican fiesta. The girls then surprised me with a delicious mug cake (Jess’s special recipe!). Even though my birthday was low-key, I really felt the love and bless from the key players (read: PLAYAS) in Busan. ~mush~

Weekend 5 (August 30th-September 1st)

The last weekend I shall record in this blog was the weekend we celebrated my birthday. The girls and I headed to Gwangan for our regular 7/11 patio times with jungle juice and hung around by a couple of the bars there. The night took a turn for the weird when we were introduced to a guy who shall only be referred to as “Crazy Egg”. Like so many foreigners here, he wasn’t fantastic at picking up on social cues and couldn’t tell that we were trying to escape his wrath for the majority of the evening. Eventually, Demu, Jess, Maddie and I escaped back to Hwamyeong at 6AM.

In the morning, we attempted to fall asleep in a DVD bong with lunch. Our mistake was selecting The Chronicles of Narnia: The Dawn Treader which has the LOUDEST SCORE KNOWN TO MAN, making it impossible to sleep. Another Sunday had come to a close.

Now that you’ve been caught up on these cultural things that I do on a weekly basis and these neighbourhoods you’ve never heard of, I will unceremoniously bid you adieu because the ‘i’ key on my keyboard has fallen off and is boiling my blood. Keep an eye out for LOTS of blog posts this week. Annyeonghi haseyo!

14,000 won has never been so worth it

On the long trek to find the one umbrella-less strip on all of Haeundae Beach

Pre-gaming like we’re back at McGill, Chez David

En route to Club Tao

Showering my babies with alcohol

A little bit of acroyoga at Songjeong Beach

Balancing one of my main b1shes

Toothily excited for some Korean dessert

This is how terrifying I look when I eat patbingsu

Exploring Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul

Perfect day is perfect

Gwanghwamun Square

Playing our new favourite game, Heads Up! – thanks Ellen!

McGill takes Seoul

Just another beachy day, featuring Rose!

Adding a little bounce to the otherwise motionless beach

Baby’s first yoga class

23rd birthday celebrations in Hwamyeong

Gwangalli’d

Pre-drink chez David

Blog and All His Friends

The blogsophere is what Benedict Anderson calls an “imagined community” given that very few users have face-to-face interactions with one another. However, this blog post is meant to bring some attention to a few very special members of both my imagined blogosphere community and my real life.

Below you’ll find four fantastic blogs that focus on a range of topics including photography, travel, fashion, food, and music. I encourage you to browse them and if you like what you see, bookmark them, like or comment on their posts, and keep visiting, because remember – website traffic is the currency of blogs, y’all!

Jess Be Stern
A blog that proves living an active and healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to elicit a groan or a pout. Beautiful yoga photography, creative recipes for healthy epicureans, and travel reverie from author Jess Sternberg.

Life in Limbo
Professional and aesthetically pleasing, this blog will leave you with a case of the “feel goods”. Self-reflexive author Steph Pellett is a jack of all trades and will appeal to photographers, foodies, podcasters, and world travellers alike.

#pray4vidal
Author Vidal Wu transcends from tabula rasa to “Tumblr rasa”, combining a simple layout with an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the fashion world, relatable personal anecdotes, and beautiful fashion photography.

The Magpye
A captivating look into the fixations of a “prodigal daughter” (read: former ex-pat). The blog showcases author Kristen Pye’s impeccable taste and writing, and provides exposure for up-and-coming photographers and musicians.