Abundance Found: Eight

I thought I would dust off the "Abundance Found" category and get one put up, as it has been a while. So here is another round of random and fun finds on the K-blogosphere that are buried in the past of expat blogs.

1. Bobster's House: Have you ever considered what an beverage from North Korea might taste like? Well step no further as here is a review of such a thing. Quite a funny story and a good read.

2. The Constant Crafter: A great blog featuring the array of crafts one can make and find in Korea. Here we see her going to the Gwangjang Market for craft supplies but also gets a sight of interesting foods. Check it out!

3. Bathhouse Ballads: Have you ever heard of "vacation fashions"? Neither have I, but after reading this post I come to understand a certain phenomena in Korea. Apparently, perms can be discounted over vacation time and students like to take advantage. Definitely a wacky post worth reading. (Along with their hair...nails are also an essential make-over.)

4. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat: Kimbop is practically a staple food in this country. You can get it cheap and when you are really hungry and on your way somewhere, it makes for a quick and easy bite. Every neighborhood has several kimbop places. After a while you tend to learn which one is your favorite. This is true for our students, and in this post we get to hear about how she learned of a good kimbop place.

Anything you read recently on the K-blogosphere that caught your attention? Do share ~

Abundance Aid: Coffee Machines and Shopping

As a blogger in Korea you want to not only share your daily life but also give advice on how you tackle everyday things. Today's "Abundance Aid" post will show you how some bloggers shared their tips on working through several average aspects of Korean life.

1. Mountain and Field: In this post, she shows us a typical coffee machine that you find in restaurants. In the west having a dessert option on the menu is very common, but in Korea there is practically no such thing at restaurants here. Except of course "western style" restaurants. Instead of a dessert menu I think Korean folks get by with something sweet after dinner by having tea or coffee. Actually, at many restaurants I have been to they sometimes give you a small cup of traditional tea after the meal. The standard, though seems to be a coffee machine at the entrance area of the restaurant. Check out her post, where she tells a few secrets and how-to's of this great machine.
2. The View From Over Here: Who would have thought that shopping at a supermarket would be so complicated? Globalization should make things easier right? Well shopping at Korean supermarkets can be very mesmerizing. Not only are they usually crowded but there are employees giving out free samples, meat sellers yelling at the top of their lungs and sales like "2+1" that for the first time shopper can make you dizzy. Thankfully her post can give us some insight on all this and a few tips on getting around Korean supermarkets.

3. Talking to Myself: Sometimes shopping can also bring happy surprises. In this post he highlights how when you go to a mini-convenience store and buy one thing you sometimes leave with more than you expected.

As you can see, as time passes during our journey here in Korea, we figure out things little by little. If you are a blogger in Korea I would suggest giving us a few posts about the little things in life that you figured out. I know I could think of some for my blog.

Abundance Aid: Everything Must Go!

As people finish their contracts and pack up they realize they have a lot left over to sell or get rid of. The question then comes up of where can I sell my stuff? It would be fun to have a garage sale but unless you actually live on a street in Korea with garages then you are out of luck. Otherwise, people either give their stuff away to friends, leave it for the next person or dump it at the edge of their building.

Thanks to several websites and online services there are places to go to sell your stuff online. The following is a list of where you can go to sell your stuff.

Where to Buy / Sell:

1. Facebook Marketplace: Unless you quit facebook or deny it exits their Marketplace area is great to find something you are looking for or list your item. I have sold a few things on there and the whole process is quite easy and manageable.
2. Seoul Craigslist: The next major place to go is Craigslist, which can be good and also a source for oddball pleasure. I would err on the side of caution when using Craigslist.
3. HiExpat Marketplace: Although I haven't used their site to buy or sell anything this area of it looks very organized and diverse. 
4. Waygook.org: This is a great site that is kicking Dave's ESLs butt. They have a section where people can list items.

Those are the major ones I can think of and that I would use if I were going to sell or buy something when I need to. For now, let's see what people have up for sale:

• Don't know what to do with your life then maybe this seller has the solution for you:

• I know there are a lot of people out there who enjoy snorkeling when on vacation at some island nation. Maybe they need some flippers: