Hamtoro

We bought a hamster!
...yes it is a big deal.

You don't see a lot of pets on Korea. Perhaps the odd rat-dog or house-cat, but there is a huge difference in the amount of animals I see here when compared with England. Of course there are a few reasons for this; one being that animals are seen as unhygienic, another being that animals are generally considered food and just food (old people, man... they eat anything),  but the biggest reason being the apartment size in Korea. 
Asian countries are known to have extremely high populations and not quite enough space to house everyone. Similar to Japan, Korea attempts to combat this by building huge apartment buildings and keeping the individual apartments compact and basic. Expensive apartments here are about the size of an American living room, and cheap apartments can literally be 5 X 5 meters in size. So, even if you love animals, it's very unlikely you'll have space for them.

Because of the lack of pet owners, Korean people are often uncomfortable with animals. Makes sense: I mean, some people here have never touched a dog or cat. The lack of exposure makes people very hesitant towards animals; so much so I've seen grown men and women run across busy roads to be as far away from a dog as possible. Or scream like children when a cat runs past their view. I've also seen a woman run face-first into a tree to avoid a pigeon. Asians are defiantly the most graceful race.

For people who love animals there are a few options, for example: cat and dog cafes. A cafe filled with animals where you can go, buy a coffee and embrace the fluffy. My area even has a reptile and snake cafe. Another option is the zoo, however... Korea doesn't have the same animal protection laws as back home, so if you're a true animal-lover then it's probably not the best choice... aquariums are awesome here though.

I had pets in England. A good few pets, actually. And I love animals. Usually more than people. So, from the get-go I missed having them lounging around the house. My new Korean apartment is quite big (because I'm a posh bitch now), so as soon Seong and I moved in, I started.

Koreans don't share the feels.

So yeah. After weeks and months of nagging, he finally caved-in and we bought a Hamster! A cat would have been my pick, but you know, start off small.
I picked the grumpiest one. They are always the most hilarious. He bit the pet-shop workers finger as soon as her hand went in, and it was love from then. I named him Alfredo Augustus Theodore Hwang. It suited his grumpy-old-man personality.

He doesn't actually have a moustache.
 I'm working on the top-hat.

At first Seong was very standoffish, but as time went on I'd catch him sat next to the cage, in intense focus. After a few weeks he gave the hamster the nick-name "Hamtoro" claiming "Alfie" was too hard for a Korean man to pronounce. As more time passed he started to ask questions, and I'd catch him searching "hamster homes" and "caring for a hamster." 

That's when I realised... he's become... ONE OF US. 
No longer afraid of the fluffy! My darling has come to enjoy the squishy, snuggly, glorious world of a pet owner!
Hand-nibbling, poop-scooping, cage-cleaning. He does it all. 
And just like that, a wonderful, furry friendship was born.

Cebu, The Philippines - My Birthday!

So, my birthday wasn't too long ago. 

Luckily for me I had a week vacation! So, myself and Seong surfed the net for cheap flights to ANYWHERE, and the best deal took us to Cebu, in the Philippines.

I didn't really realise, but it was actually Seong's first trip out of Korea. He had never been on a plane before, so I made sure he sat by the window; his face pushed to the clear plastic for the entire 4 hours. Like a man-child. Or a dog in a car.
Arrived, checked into the hotel and he passed out. Too much excitement obviously, so while he lay unconscious I went for a dander. 

Just a little around the hotel, but I unknowingly walked into the poorer side of town. I had absolutely no trouble on my walk - everyone was smiling and waving, but as I strode up the little broken street in my new jeans and summer vest I became intensely aware that I had never been to a place that wasn't a first world country. You can't help but feel guilty in that situation, but it's not like they were unhappy. And I'm sure the last thing they need is a spoilt little white girl to pity them. So, I decided to embrace and enjoy where I was: I bought some snacks from the stalls and sat down with a drink in the shade of a little shop, where a young man approached me. 
"Your eyes are amazing," he said. "Are they real?" He must have only been about 15. A young ladyboy, and the first person I'd officially met in Cebu. His name was Angelo, and his dream was to be a singer. He would go to Hollywood some day, he said. I told him London was much cooler.

I headed back when it started to get dark. Woke up sleeping-beauty and we had a walk around the newer part of the area and the shopping district. The food was pretty amazing.

The next day we just kinda walked around. Travellings just better like that. I hate having plans or being rushed. Seong got to see the poor side this time. Having not travelled before he was very uncomfortable by it, as if it was dangerous. Completely understandable - it's always good to stay cautious, but if you spend all your time worrying then you won't see it, will you?

We decided to find a beach. Somewhere quiet and away from people so Seong could stop stressing. Spent a few hours searching around and discovered that because the beaches are so valuable for bringing tourists and money to the area, almost all off them are owned by private companies, meaning all are sectioned off. Most beaches are owned by waterparks that charge extortionate fees, or by private estates that are blocked from the public completely. It's a terrible shame that local people can't enjoy what's theirs.

We were a bit angry. Refusing to give a waterpark a huge chunk of our spending money, we asked some of the locals. They directed us to a tiny little beach: and when I say tiny, I mean tiny. It must have only been a hundred meters in width; one side being sectioned off my a waterpark's wall and the other being a harbour. It was full with local people relaxing and swimming, and children playing football between the palm trees. And hey, who care how small it was with that sort of view.

Way better than some waterpark.

Got up early the next day to explore a different area. As we were touristing it up we got word of a "skyrail" and "skywalk." Apparently, on the top of a hotel, 500ft in the air there is a rail line where you can see all of Cebu. So, of course we tracked that shit down.

We ate dinner and waited until evening for the "skywalk." Esentially, the same deal - 500ft in the air on top of a random hotel, only this time you're harnessed to a pole and walking around it. Something that obviously would be less terrifying at night...

The safety dude pretended to fall off with Seong. He almost got a drop-kick to the face. 

Similar to Korea, health and safety isn't as seriously considered as it probably should be in Cebu, which we noticed when we took the elevator down from the skywalk to find a full-grown male tiger lounging in the lobby.

Sadly I don't have a photograph of the tiger for you, as I had to try and catch-up to my fleeing, screaming boyfriend.

That night we stayed up late. The next day would be my birthday, so we thought it would be awesome to find a suba-diving event. Now, leaving things to the last minute may be more fun and interesting, but it does kinda kick you in the arse when you want to do something serious, like diving. So with our very temperamental wifi we scowered the web for any last-minute, relatively-cheap diving sessions. Managed to find one - it was a diving house operated by a Korean man who was living in Cebu. He told us a couple probably couldn't make it and that he would call us the next day to confirm. By this point, it was after 12o'clock and offically my birthday. The mixture of walking around all day and having to search the web for hours for being a retard and not pre-booking (and not having a definate confirmation) had me in a grumpy mood, so I put the TV on, hoping some Adventure Time would cheer me up. As it turns out, Seong beat Finn to it.

Where did he even get a cake? We are in rural Cebu. I don't even...
Anyway. Woke up early and it was confirmed. Island hopping, beach BBQ and tropical water snorkelling. Got there as fast as we could.
They fitted us with jackets, flippers, goggles and a snorkel and assigned each mini-group to a life-guard. Seong and I got our own. Our life guard was a young guy - very relaxed and happy to help. We asked if we could take off our life jackets and snorkel so we could dive under, and he allowed it after we promised not to die.
As soon as I went under, I felt completely euphoric. Undoubtedly the best experience of my life. 

Everything was perfect. The water, the brightly coloured fish, the beach, the food, the people. 

I can't understand people who don't want to travel. What else is there in life than to search for this feeling of pure happiness? How can you be content with anything less?

Best. Birthday. Ever.

2014 - 4 - 16

And I'm Back

Yeeeeeeoooooo. Guess who's back.

Sorry it's been a while. Many, many, many, many stuffs been happening.
For example: I've changed schools!  I no longer work at an elementary school. I work at a private nursery (kindergarten) academy for rich babies. Oh yeah. I didn't quite realise what I was walking into until they told me my classroom was next to the indoor pool... like seriously. I have babies finger-painting in Lacoste shirts. It's ridiculous. 
With the new job came a new house. I have a new little apartment in the expensive part of town that I decided to move into with my boy-toy. Officially living together.

 Oh, and it was my birthday. I went to the Philippines! But there is far to much to talk about, so I'll talk about that gloriousness in another blog.

As far as drawing and doodling goes, I seem to have had a huge influx of tattoo and portrait requests, which I made myself swear I would finish before I did any blogging... perhaps the main reason I haven't been uploading anything. I know what I'm like. I can only do one thing at a time. If I did fun stuff I'd never finish the damn tattoos. So yeah. BLAME YOSELVES.
Also, I have my lovely friend Sarah staying with me for a while! So I've been dragging her around Korea! I made her eat a silk worm. Good times. 

Busy, busy, busy. 
Do you like the new blog design? I thought I'd add a bit of colour. I intend on adding photos and videos to it too. Saves me drawing everything, and you'll actually get to see Korea. Wont that be lovely?

Anyway, this was more a blog to say "Hi, I'm not dead. Getting back to it now."
Thanks for waiting darlings.

Introduction to Seong

My last big blog post was about dating in Korea, but I realised I never actually introduced my boyfriend fully. And seeing as we are living together, I probably should.

His name is Hwang Seong Won. Hwang being the family name, and Seong Won being his first name, though my friends have taken to calling him "Ken," the human man-doll (he's a very well-kept individual...)

Yes, he was born in 1994. Don't judge me.
I'm three years older than him. Most guys my age in Korea are doing their military service, and honestly I thought he was older than me when we first met. Anyway, he graduated high school a while ago, so it's fine...

I met Seong when I was out celebrating a friend's birthday, and he was partying with work colleagues. He was just the right amount of drunk to come and start a conversation with a foreign girl - a very daunting and difficult task I'd imagine, especially considering his lack of English at the time. We chatted for a few hours and exchanged numbers.

We would message every now and then, but he came off as very cool and reserved. Usually this isn't my style of guy (I like the funny, talkative types) so I replied less and less. And after a while we stopped talking.
A few months after I got a boyfriend. It didn't last very long however (remember my blog on dating in Korea? Yeah, all that), so we broke up after a month or so. A week after, Seong messaged to meet up - this time he was a little more responsive and fun, so I decided to go for it and we started dating. It was only much later did he tell me he was upset I had stopped messaging him and found someone else.

Korea puts a huge emphasis on appearance (which I will cover in another blog), and maintaining a look is very important. Seong - to everyone, even family - was very chic and unapproachable. It's a "cool guy" style in Korea. If you watch Korean dramas you'll know - there's always that one handsome douche. They will seem uninterested - talk little, constantly check their phones, refuse to smile, "play it cool" etc. I don't know what kind of person you are, but I'm a person who doesn't have time for that.

So, I explained that I had stopped contacting him because I misinterpreted his cool-guy image as uninterested, as oppose to trying to impress. I gently expressed that pretending to be a dickhead was a ridiculous way to attract a girl that isn't a wanker, and that he should just relax and be himself. And with time, he did just that.

He became more easy-going and funny. Actually, he's hilarious. I'm convinced he does the best dance cover of Single Ladies. 
He quit smoking and started a new course in beauty. His English level has sky-rocketed, so much so it's hard to get him to shut up. He moved in, and every day we cook together and eat together, go out together and game together. And we travel. All around Korea; though next year we are booking a trip to Thailand. 

We are still young and enjoying life, and who knows what will happen, but he has become a big part of my life here, and there is no doubt he will be in many comics to follow. So, I felt I must introduce Seong to you. The wonderfulness that is Seong.

COMIC - First Impression of Tori

Not all first impressions are lasting.

Do you like the new art style? I think I may stick with it.
Maybe. 
I don't know. 
I'm pretty lazy.

The Darker Side of Dating in Korea

I have a boyfriend. Perhaps a little surprising seeing as I'm such a git, but it's true nonetheless. And yes, he's very much Korean.
I felt I should bring this up because a few of my friends have been asking about Korean men and what the differences are with dating. Trust me darlings, it's different...

Korean men and women are different from English men and women, obviously. It's our difference in cultures. So to expect things here to be the same as back home would be stupid, but even so I've found myself caught off-guard with a lot of things.

I'm going to give you the general idea first so you can understand a little better, but before I do I want you to understand that I'm speaking generally and using stereotypes - not every Korean person is like this, in the same way not every British person enjoys tea.

...that was a flat-out lie. How can you not love tea?

Korea is very superficial. When I say this I am referring to the way people look only. When it comes to housing and family and architecture and elders and food then for the most part Koreans are very humble, kind and generous people, but a beautiful face goes a long way here (and I will touch more on that in another post). If you are not beautiful, you will live a hard life, part of this being dating.

Now of course there is an element of this everywhere, but in Korea its not sugar-coated at all. If you're "ugly" then there is no hope for you. And even if you are with someone who you feel is handsome but your family and/or friends thinks they are beneath you, you will receive a tremendous amount of pressure to end your relationship. 
A good example of this would be Lee Hyori. Lee Hyori is a famous pop star here. She has been in the industry for a long time and is older now, so she decided to make her relationship with her boyfriend public. When she described her boyfriend, she said something along the lines of "My life was filled with money and fame, but when I walked into his house it was filled with flowers and books. He had everything I didn't." - Sounds romantic right? Sadly, her reasons for loving him were completely over-looked because her boyfriend was an average-looking man. Her fans were furious, and when asked how her mother reacted to their relationship Hyori replied that her mother burst into tears over the fact that her daughter had settled for an ugly man. 
Did the mother stop to think that this man may the the most kind and gentle person, set on making Hyori happy for the rest of her life? Not a chance, because that doesn't seem to matter here.

What I've gathered from my exposure here is that women want a man who is handsome, rich, educated, traveled and tall. Preferably older with a good job. Whether he is kind or romantic or fun or even has time for them completely takes a back-seat. In turn, men want a woman who is cute and doll-like and lives for them. An angel he can show off to his friends. Whether she can think or not isn't really important.
Actually it's rather sad. When talking with Korean boys the general response I have gotten is that girls are only after money, and they'll drop you fast if someone richer and more handsome comes along. On the girls side the general view is that men only see them as trophies or toys, so they may as well get what they can from them. Heartbreaking, honestly. And most people don't even have time to put effort into their relationships anyway because they are either studying or working all the time.

Dating foreigners however is another story. Generally foreign men are either seen as handsome, chizzled gentlemen or dirty, big men praying on innocent little Asian girls. Foreign women are either seen as beautiful big-eyed, big-breasted goddesses, or dirty, untrustworthy sluts. It's a hit or miss really. Though most of the time I've found that if a Korean girl is dating a foreign man, it is slightly frowned upon. But, if a Korean man is dating a foreign woman, the man is hailed as a god. Though, again, I'm just generalizing from my own experiences.

It's not all bad though. I see many couples here who seem happy and loved up. Both Korean-Korean and  Korean-foreign. And not all families are a pain in the arse. But even if you are very happily dating there are a few things to take note of that are different from back home.

Now, when you first start dating, you should be aware that Koreans don't really have a dating-period. You know that bit of time where you like someone and your dating but you're not quite a couple yet? In Korea you're either boyfriend and girlfriend or your not. I made that mistake...

If you become a couple, take note of the day your relationship started, because Korean couples (especially teenagers and young adults) count the days they have been together. A little creepy, but it can be kind of sweet. On your hundredth day you both get couple rings - these aren't engagement rings. These are simply rings to show that you are loyal to someone, which brings me on to my next point.

When you do become a couple, you have to drop all your friends of the opposite gender. In Korea, guys and girls can't really be friends. It's a little strange. And if you have a partner, they will most likely become very jealous of the friends you do have. Also, if you are alone with someone of the opposite gender, it is assumed you are a couple, even if you aren't. So if you plan to meet a female friend alone who is not your girlfriend, be prepared for a million questions, followed by your phone exploding the entire time your out, finished with an argument to end the day because you just weren't responding fast enough.
At first it seems mental, right? But actually I've noticed that there is a certain lack of loyalty here...

It's not just the young people. Many of my friends have told me their parents sleep around. Or that their parents hate each other and use them as an excuse to stay together. I've also heard numerous stories about business men getting drunk together after work and hiring some prostitutes, despite having a family at home. Sometimes it's not even considered adultery because they were simply "bonding with the boss."
Actually, I have been approached several times and offered money in return for sex (because all foreign girls are sluts, obviously). I've even had men who have clearly indicated they have girlfriends/wives approach me with the line "It's okay. You're a foreigner so it doesn't count."
The young people here, having observed the old-fashioned, perverse ways of their parents and seniors understandably aren't trusting when they enter relationships, or they treat their partners in a similar fashion to how their parents treat each other. Which brings me onto my next point: sex.

Koreans are very naive when it comes to sex. Being from Europe, I was very exposed and very educated on the matter (British people are sluuuuuuts), but here the topic is still rather taboo. It's not really taught in schools and people don't like to talk about it, meaning a lot of people are aren't informed of the dangers, or even what it's about. I think this is also why many people have found themselves stuck in marriages they despise; usually the result of getting pregnant at a young age. 
It is common for Korean people to have very few sexual partners all their lives - whilst Europeans encourage sexual exploration, Koreans consider you a bad person if you have been with too many people. It is also common - when you enter a relationship - to not have sex for the first year or so, or to not have sex regularly. Sadly, I'm guessing this is why prostitution is so high here... Because of their lack of exposure, young Koreans can be very naive.

Now, don't bitch at me for this - I'm talking from my own experience. ...don't misinterpret that either. I mean, being the foreigner, usually my Korean friends feel much more relaxed talking about this kind of thing with me. Perhaps they feel they will not be judged by me in the same way they would another Korean person? Anyway, I want you to read some of the things young Korean people (young adults) have said/ asked me, and you'll see what I'm talking about:

"A girl can orgasm? How? They don't have a penis."

"It's okay if I just lay there. The boy will feel good anyway right?"

"My friend got his girlfriend pregnant... but how? They only had sex once."

"I tried sex but I don't like it. Only boys enjoy sex."

"It's okay. There is no chance of a baby if I don't finish."

"Korea has no STI's."

"Can old women have sex? When girls get old their vaginas close up. That's why they can't have periods, right?"

These were all serious questions from Korean students. People in their early twenties. Can you understand why I say what I do?

I was going to name this blog "Dating in Korea" but I don't think I shall... it's not a very nice representation of dating culture here and I want you to know that it's not all like this. I'm simply trying to highlight the differences and the problems you may encounter if you date in Korea. Of course there are many exceptions and if you are a foreigner dating a Korean your partner will likely be more than aware that you have a different culture and may see things a little differently.

As for my relationship, I think I got lucky. Hes not superficial. Hes not paranoid. He doesn't care what his friends think of me and he listens to my side of things. 

We have been together 174 days.