In this day and age, nearly everyone has realized how important it is to wash your face in some form or fashion. But when you think about your makeup, sunscreen, and other products that come into contact with your face, how clean is your skin really getting from that foaming cleanser on your counter?
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Originally published via Modest Truth Mag on June 21, 2017.
Asian skincare is a growing trend around the world. Online companies as well as brick and mortar stores continue to pop-up, selling Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese products globally. What makes Asian skincare special? A focus on hard-hitting ingredients and a customizable approach to skin. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for your skin, and Korean skincare especially uses a number of single, powerful solutions rather than one mediocre one. In our previous post on Korean Beauty, we discussed Vitamin C, the wonderful brightener that can help even your skin tone and reduce the appearance of scars and post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation. This month, we’re talking about snail filtrate! Yes, snails. The slippery, slimy creatures you find in your garden or (in certain restaurants) on your plate. But wait, before you run away screaming, let’s discuss the power of snail slime. Originally published in Modest Truth Magazine, May 27, 2017.
Asian skincare is a growing trend around the world. Online companies as well as brick and mortar stores continue to pop-up, selling Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese products globally. What makes Asian skincare special? A focus on hard-hitting ingredients and a customizable approach to skin. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for your skin, and Korean skincare especially uses a number of single, powerful solutions rather than one mediocre one. Ever since I can remember, I've had terrible vision. Astigmatism that I eventually grew out of, horrible distance vision, strangely shaped contacts. I've been wearing some form of corrective eye wear since I was 8. For those keeping track at home, that's 18 years of living with glasses and contacts.
I knew when I came to Korea that I would be faced with the best opportunity to get laser correction for my eyes. I knew it would be cheap, efficient, and easy. So I started my research after a year of living here, looking for the best options that also spoke English. After a couple months of looking around online, reading reviews, and looking at picture after picture after picture, I decided on Dream Eye Center in Gangnam. And let me tell you, I'm so glad I did. What follows is a review of the first part of my LASEK surgery: the consultation. When you're an expat in another country, there are moments when you realize that you are, truly, an outsider. No matter how long you've been living there, no matter how much you love the country, no matter how well you speak the language....you'll always be an outsider.
If you're at all up on the news right now, you've probably heard about the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic currently hitting South Korea.
Speaking from a foreigner's perspective, there are a few things that I have to say on the matter. Let me just start by saying, however, that I am not an expert. I'm an English teacher. I don't pretend to know how viruses work. I'm just commenting so that those close to me can kind of start to understand the situation (or lack thereof) here in the ROK. It's been quite a while since my last post, but I haven't forgotten about this blog. It's just been a crazy whirlwind of too many classes, too much food, and too many nights out drinking with friends.
I've finally started to settle into a routine, though. I'm getting down to my teaching core and figuring out what works for me. It's been a hard road, but then I remember that I'm a quarter done with my contract and I just stop. And realize that I've been in this country for three months. I think the hardest part to comprehend is that it feels like home. As much a home as anywhere in Georgia. I feel like I've acclimated surprisingly well. There are dips, as with any move. There are days when I just want to pack it all in and run to my mom and dad to crash on their couch and eat their food. And then I step outside, and realize that despite everything, I'm finally doing what I've wanted to do for five years. That even when I'm downtrodden or worn out by my children. Or when my boss is picking on me for something small and insignificant just to have a power trip. No matter what, I'm living in Korea. Working in Korea. And making so many new memories and friends. It's like I have these miniature epiphanies--moments of light. It's then that I realize I'm living in a foreign country. Outside of those moments, it feels like home. In other news, I'm taking Korean lessons. Mostly to make my life easier, but also because I feel like a horrible person when I can't communicate in the native language of the country in which I live. I feel this deep, disappointing pang when the person I'm talking to works so hard to speak English just so we can communicate. I feel lazy and entitled and it's utterly unpleasant. So I'm fixing it. We're working with a private tutor to improve our language skills one day at a time. Work is a grind, but in the end I have to remind myself that it's just a means to an end, not an end in itself. My job is not my life, it is what enables me to live my life. And now, I'm living. I'm really, truly living my life. And man, it feels so fantastic. So you've worked with recruiters, you've signed a contract, and you've found a job. Or you're still looking around, not sure where your going to work. Maybe you still need to get all of your documentation together. Or, also possible, you have been in Korea for a while now.
No matter what, when it comes to another country, there are two things that can make or break your experience: Your attitude, and how much you move within the culture. I can't help you with your attitude (but there are plenty of books on the matter if you're interested), but I can help you move within the culture. Well, sort of. Below the jump, I'm going to provide my resources for learning Korean. Learning the language of the country your in can completely change your experience. You can converse with the locals, find places that you wouldn't have otherwise, and immerse yourself in the culture. Do you have to learn Korean to work in Korea? No. Not at all. But it will definitely make your time there more enjoyable if you do. So you've found a school you love. And the best part? They love you! You're ready to sign your contract, make your plans, and send your documents over.
But wait! Contracts are scary. Intimidating. What's a pension and why am I paying into it? How does healthcare work? Who's paying for airfare? What happens if they fire me? There's a lot of questions that need to be answered before you sign your name on the dotted line and agree to spend a year of your life with one company. It's a big move, and not one to be taken lightly. So before you take that plunge, read the below wall of text to find out some of the questions I had with my contract and what to expect from signing on with a school. |
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