This sums up everything I'm feeling today...

Art Class

Today in Kristi's art class with her 6 year olds, they had to draw portraits of their favourite teachers.

I GOT MY PORTRAIT DRAWN!!!  This is not MY class, this is a class that I see for one hour every Wednesday for Science & Gym!

The little girl who drew me is named Aliya, she is super cute.  She always wears the cutest dresses, and is always smiling.  Whenever I walk by this particular classroom, if the students see me, they yell HELLO LAUREN TEACHER!! LAUREN TEACHER!!!!  and I'll poke my head in and say a great big HELLO PEACH CLASS!!!!  I always give them little stickers & prizes in Science, so maybe that is why I am the favourite??

I will snap a picture of this masterpiece and post it.. she drew me with black hair, and caused a class debate over my hair colour.  They decided that my hair is "Golden".

ALL THE FEELS!!


I love children. <3

Is that too much to ask for?

Maybe do some Yoga.

In this moment, I am the happiest I have been in years.

My life is beautiful.

Escapism

The Comeback of Yoga

There was a time in my not so distant past that I felt really great about myself physically, I'm not so sure about the internal.. as that's something I have always let the externals interfere with.  I suppose letting the opinions of others weigh on how we see and decipher our own reflections is all apart of growing up.

Somedays I feel like once I stopped growing vertically, I made excuses for the fact that I began growing out horizontally.  Hormones, puberty, trauma.. blah blah blah.  Everyone constantly makes excuses for these things, and those who seek out to change the course of their bodies are seen as obsessive, vain, or weird.  I am living in quite possibly the most superficial society I have ever born witness to, a place where it's totally acceptable for people (grown ups, or even children) to call eachother ugly, or fat, or stupid.  This happens a lot back home too, but we're more prone to cry ourselves to sleep over it... or talk about our feelings to food, or the bottom of a wine bottle.  Maybe Korean's have the right away, don't like something? Change it.  It's your body.  Maybe that's easier said than done.. but starting tomorrow I'm making a few small changes that I hope bring a balance and bridge these two inner demons.

I'm joining one of the Korean teacher's yoga studios.  My dad practised yoga his entire life, he meditated over everything.  My dad was such a calming force in my life, that when he ceased to have that special power.. I felt so lost.  Being alone over here, and having the quiet time each and every morning to reflect on just how god damned lucky I am to have born who I was, and be where I am today has really made me think back to that calming effect he had on me.  I know that he would want me to figure that out for myself.

I used to love to hole up in the yoga studio of Fitness fanatx, to shut off all the lights & play music. I would just dance and dance and dance until my body was sore, but I was happy.  When I had that space, and that movement I was calm.  I knew where I was, what I could do, and who I could be.  I realize now that I have let that sense of self escape from me.. I allowed the superficial to get in, when I should not have done.  I stopped eating clean, because I allowed people's furrowed brows to make excuses for over eating, or having that extra glass of wine God himself knows I didn't need.  I drove places, instead of walking.  I let myself slide away, until the things I really.. truly cared about, where something I would look back on from under my covers at night.  I would wonder why people looked at me differently, or didn't treat me as that cute little girl anymore.  I'm not that cute little girl, there's no going back.  But there are things that I can do to make myself more at peace.  I can eat clean, I can cleanse.. I can keep this damn apartment tidy and cute, and keep my thoughts positive and look to the future.

Though I have lost bits and pieces of myself, I can certainly find new ones that fit in different places.  Regrouping, and rebuilding is a major part of this experience, and I do think that I am ready for that phase.  I can't take back a lot of the things that I have done or said in my past, but I can find a way to bring peace into my own heart.  With that, perhaps I can find a way to pave a better, more substantial future for myself in time.

I will never find in another human being the love and strength that I drew from my father, and in all honesty, there will never be another human being capable of dealing with my shenanigans in such a patient and understanding manner... but maybe I can learn to be that for myself.  I sure hope so.

I'm sure the combination of dance classes and yoga will set me on my way.  I'm also looking in to doing the Wild Rose Cleanse, but shipping's expensive and I'm not too sure about the laxative supplement.. because I work with small children for long hours and my helper teacher is almost never in the classroom.  This bladder has been on many roadtrips, but nothing as intense as teaching English in Korea.  ANYWAYS.  Yoga, yes, good.

Healthy mind, healthy body, happy Lauren.  We can hope.

To new beginnings?

Crepes, Crepes, Crepes!!

Mission accomplished, I made that tiny Korean kitchen my bitch!!

This was the end result...

The Champagne Peach Compote.. 

I picked up this massive frying pan from Costco for pancakes.. 

The end result.. awesome peachy crepes!!  OM NOM.

I encourage all expats to try this.  I fried up some bacon, made a savory crepe... cut up bananas, slathered on some nutella & sprinkled it with coconut... It's like Cafe Crepe up in hurr!!

Take that, kitchen-closet hybrid room!

After my last post I was really inspired to go about fixing that kitchen situation of mine.. and seeking out recipes of good things that I can make for myself at home really easily...

I'm going to start sharing these ideas with other expats.. just because we live far away from the comforts of our own homes doesn't mean we have to sacrifices our gastronomical happiness!

This first recipe is actually one of my favourites, my dad used to make EXCELLENT crepes for me & my brother as a special treat.  Mind you, he didn't do it often.. my mother rules all in the kitchen, and my dad always made a huge mess so it was always special when he did.  I am now getting flashbacks from when he let us make our own pizza dough.. oh god.. the flour was EVERYWHERE!

Back to the point, Crepes... they are magical!  I haven't had one since I have been to Korea... so... I snagged this recipe from one of my favourite food blogs, Dinner Vine, I will post later how they turned out... as now I have to go & pick up some fresh eggs, flour, butter, and peaches... all of which are really cheap to find as peaches are in season!

Wish me luck!

Crepes with Champagne Peaches & Yogurt

5

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 4-5 small crepes

Serving Size: 1-2

French crepes are sweeter with fresh peach & Champagne compote, perfect for brunch or anytime!

What to get...

For the Crepes:
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 T butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• *extra butter for coating pan
For the Peach Compote:
• 2-3 peaches, ripe, yellow variety, sliced
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Champagne
• 1T butter
• dash cinnamon
• dash ground cloves
• pinch salt
• Plain Greek yogurt, for topping
• Powdered sugar for topping

What to do...

Make Compote:
1. I make the crepe batter below first since it sits for 1 hour, and make compote while it sits
2. In a medium skillet on stove, melt tablespoon butter, coating pan. Arrange peach slices in an even layer and top with the brown sugar, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and then pour champagne over.
3. Heat on low, until peaches are tender to touch and juices have thickened, not stirring.
4. Set aside to cool until crepes are finished.
Make Crepes:
5. In a large mixing bowl combine: flour, sugar, salt, milk eggs and melted butter, whisking very well until combined (don't add water yet).
6. Transfer mixture into a bowl with lid and refrigerate for at least an hour (up to several).
7. When ready to make crepes, remove mixture and whisk in the 1/2 cup of water.
8. Coat a non-stick skillet (I used a 9.5 inch) with 1T of butter evenly and heat on low.
9. Pour some of crepe batter directly into center of preheated pan, enough to cover almost whole surface but before batter reaches the edges (about 1/3 cup for my size pan).
10. Let cook without disturbing until you can test edges are golden brown, ~a few mins (should lift from pan easily).
11. Once browned on first side, using a large spatula, flip crepe over & brown remaining side for a few minutes or less.
12. When done, transfer crepe to rack to cool as you cook remaining batter.
13. Plate crepes and spread half with Greek yogurt then layer of compote on top of yogurt, folding in half.
14. Top with powdered sugar and a sprinkle of regular sugar as desired.

Notes

Double this for 3+ people. (the hour prep time is due to the crepe batter having to sit idly), can make compote while batter rests. The riper peaches the better, mine were not as ripe as hoped, so add more sugar when making compote of this is the case. Substitute whipped cream or mascarpone for the Greek yogurt if you prefer. You can also sprinkle the plain yogurt with a little sugar if you like these on the sweeter side.