May 2013 – seoul | tapperilla

I was sitting with Jeewon, Tim and Andria Friday night at a failed evening of watching Reservoir Dogs on the rooftop at Platoon in Gangnam, and somehow my still (almost 2 months later) sprained ankle came up. Then I got to pondering all my epic falls since coming to Korea. I mean, if anyone knows me you know I’m a klutz, but ever since coming to this country I seem to have forgotten how to put one foot in front of the other. It’s a bit absurd, I’m the first to admit.

Well, I made a tiny list of some of my goodies so they’ll never ever be forgotten once the bones heal and the bruises fade.

1 – ~6: Winter 2011

While still learning how to walk on snow and ice, I had quite a few tumbles that first winter. Many of them were in the Family Mart right by my school. And many came back to back, as in right after I got up I fell back down again, and took down a few bags of chips with me. Actually, I could probably tack on a few more falls to that number up there, but we’ll just keep it at ~6 for my own sanity.

Remarkably, this past winter I don’t recall falling in the snow. Job well done, me.

Note: Don’t wear Uggs in the snow.

7. Japanese Karaoke Room during a typhoon

During a typhooning evening in Kyoto, Japan, 30 bottles of sake took over a karaoke room. Somewhere between not all of it making it into the appropriate glasses, and my own sheer excitement over singing the next Celine Dion or Disney tune, I collided with a puddle of sake on the ground and nearly broke my hand. It didn’t feel right for a good month afterwards, but somehow it healed itself, and Japan will go down as how I came to be Noraebang obsessed.

8. 80s Roller Derby

This is easy. I hadn’t legit roller skated in a really long time and someone had extra WD40’d those roller skates because were really slippery. It was a given that I was going to plummet either face first or tuchous first. Thank heavens I’ve been blessed with a padded posterior.

9. 90s Dance Off for Namibia

The floor was slippery, I was in tap shoes. It was a recipe for disaster. At least I can say I tapped my ass off and we WON. Let’s relive it again, shall we? It gets good at 2:26. And really good at 2:34.

10. I FELL OFF A BUS

2 weekends ago was Buddha’s Birthday so we had a 3 day weekend. Andria and I decided we wanted to breathe some fresh air, so we headed out of Seoul and up to Paju, about 45 minutes away by bus, and about a hop, skip and a jump from the North Korean barbed wire border. Despite the locale, it’s a really cute little town with lots of coffee shops and random little art and chatchky galleries that we were excited to take advantage of.

But that’s besides my point right now.

Before I even stepped foot in Hyeri, the area of Paju that we were going to, my fun had already begun!

As I was swiping my T-Money card to get off the bus, I somehow missed the middle step in my footing, and in a nanosecond my whole body went repelling downwards. I was caught somewhere between a lunge and a split from the top to the bottom step, and GOD BLESS my cat like reflexes, because if I hadn’t jut my arms all the way up and back to grab those metal bars I surely would have eaten that pavement and my teeth straight off the bus. My wallet went flying back and all I could scream to Andria was “SWIPE MY CARD!” Heaven forbid I get charged an extra 2,000won on the return having not swiped out on this journey!

Shockingly, the whole bus of Koreans let out gasps of horror, which is quite unusual, as people are so mum here and usually have nothing to do with people when something horrific or embarrassing happens on any mode of public transport. Anyways, I hoisted my lame body up and *gracefully* moved out of the way of the bus, let out a few cryscreams at the side of the rode as I held my aching knees, and checked to see if my tights had ripped (they hadn’t). Then I let out the heartiest laugh. OF COURSE I FELL OFF A BUS.

This is what my left leg looked like the next day. BATTLE WOUNDS.

Fallin’ all over the world since this epic fall at the Colosseum of Rome in 2006.

I think most people who call themselves animal people have probably been animal people for the majority of their lives. They probably grew up with a dog or a cat and that was how that came to be. Well, I was pretty much scarred of at least household pets from the get-go. I can pin point the exact moment I became scared of dogs and how it stuck with me for most of my life.

I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, over at Kyla Reef’s neighbor’s house, who happened to have a dalmatian. Having just seen 101 Dalmatians, I was SO excited to see one of those adorable little pooches with my own two eyeballs and pet with my own fingertips. Well, that sentiment lasted for oh, a whole nanosecond, when that massive black and white spotted, hyperactive dog came charging directly toward me and chased me through this complete stranger’s house! I just remember screaming and crying and hiding behind a couch and under a wooden hallway table because I didn’t know what to do and I was so insanely freaked out.

Cue hatred of dalmatians and kind of being scared of dogs for most of my life….

Until Jacquie got these beautiful little babes that stole my heart forever and officially made me a dog person for the remainder of my life.

Which brings me to the point of my tale today. Last night I had so much fun, and helped raise $806.00 in a few hours for some foster animals in Korea! As most things go here on the peninsula, soju sells. And when paired with a good cause, it really outdoes itself!

My friend Andria and two other girls, Kathy and Caroline, had the idea to have a fundraiser selling shots of Korean melon, aloe and jalapeno infused soju to drunk foreigners. So, we took to the street at Haebangchon’s Music Fest, filled with an overabundance of the intoxicated waygookin willing to support the cause, minus the select cheap douche bags that I had a few choice words with. My mouth can be intolerant and sometimes gets the best of me. Can’t help it. Needless to say, it was a tremendous success, and me, Andria and Jee want to do another go at it since we had such a fun time and felt awesome doing something to help the animals!

Andria is super involved in Animal Rescue Korea, and is currently fostering a 3 legged terrier named Lola that has lived most of her life on the street. She’s been taking care of her for the past several months ~ paying her countless medical bills and just being all around patient with her as she tries to adjust to her new life in a home where she’s being cared for. When Andria leaves Korea in September, she is bringing Lola back to the States in hopes of finding her a loving home so she has a chance at a fresh start. So, a good chunk of the cash monies that we raised last night will go towards paying for her airplane ticket to America and other miscellaneous expenses towards getting her back on those 3 footsies of her’s.

Coming from a country where pets are unquestionably a part of the family, it’s really heartbreaking to see the amount of stray cats and dogs that run around aimlessly here in Korea. Koreans have a mentality where unless something is cute or perfect or young they don’t want it. That doesn’t leave much to run with for a dog with only three legs. So more often than not, when a pet has outgrown its “cute” stage, it’s just discarded. Additionally, as I just found out last night, the city shelters kill after 10 days. So, if your pet goes missing and a shelter has it, you only have 10 days to hopefully find and rescue it.

I really would love to help foster a dog, or have any dog for that matter! I want one so badly! However, I know what a humungous responsibility taking care of a dog is, and I just don’t think I can devote myself entirely to one right now at this point in my life. As much as I would LOVE to. I actually met Lola for the first time yesterday, and she sat under the table in the corner the entire time shaking because she was so scared. I know that’s not how all rescue dogs are, but on the off chance, I just don’t know if that’s how I want my first “my own dog” experience to be right now.

In any event, I’m glad I can at least help out in the little way I am able. It’s really inspiring to know that there are people out there who care so much about animals that they will bend over backwards for these little babes.