Photo By: Photorain
Photo By: Aaron Palanqui
Photo By: AndyLove
Photo By: Ardian Syah
After all this time, it still bothers me that I never finished the conclusion to this blog. I feel compelled to finish it after all these years despite the fact that the details will be sparse. The reason I feel that I have to finish this blog about my time in Korea is because of my dad. He passed away a few years ago and was sick a long time before that. He always enjoyed reading this blog and would wait for my next post. I want to finish it for his memory. I just hope that I can remember enough to make it interesting.
Photo By: Benjamin McClain
Photo By: Dahee
Photo By: Hana Yara
I miss you Hanji!
The end of my stay in Korea was bittersweet and busy. I was shipping a lot of packages (a.k.a. cosplays and props) home and figuring out how to get a cat on a plane. Sadly Bella passed away about a year ago but she safely made it to the States. She hated me for that plane ride and had been scared of the dark for weeks after that. I also had a lot of people to say goodbye to and so many other things to plan for. I was glad to be leaving though as I was not a huge fan of the school I was working at during this time. There was nothing wrong with the school, it was just not the right place for me. I was also returning to live with my boyfriend who I had met in Korea. I am happy to say that things worked out in that regard and he is now my fiancee.
Photo By: Hasan
Photo By: Illoria Photography
Of course I was doing my best to get in as much cosplay as possible despite the cold. I wanted to get pictures of some last minute costumes. I met some fun new cosplayers and photographers during that time that I wished I had met a lot sooner. Now, I miss having such easy access to professional photos for free. Anna and I did a Love Live group cosplay with our friend Kathy during this time. Kathy and I also did an Asuna/Kirito pair at some point. I also cosplayed as Punk Angel, Anna Coronation and Birthday, Yukina Sonogi, Fallen Angel, Black Cat, Kirito, Moka, L, Elsa, Ciel, Nozomi, Eri, Umi, and Honoka at Cossamo, Seoul Comic World, or other private meet ups that I had organized. I even did some fan signs while I was there.
I did make time to go to the International Fireworks Festival as it was one of my favorite events in Korea. Anna came with me and then we spend the night at her place. As always the festival was amazing and I am sad to say I haven't seen any good fireworks since then. After that, Anna and I did some wig cutting to style some of our wigs better. I have never has so much hair up my nose. I felt like I was sneezing colorful fibers for a week.
Halloween Spirit Week was always one of my favorite events at school. As usual, there was Pajama Day, Sports Day, Crazy Hair Day, Backwards Day, and Halloween. We carved pumpkins and the kids loved my Princess Anna coronation gown. On actual Halloween, one of my favorite photographers did a private shoot with me and Anna. I wore three costumes that day and it was long but a lot of fun. I did Tohsaka Rin which I later got another photographer to edit for me. I also did Punk Angel and Megurine Luka in which Anna and I did another pair cosplay with her as the happy version and me as the sad version of Luka from the Let's Be Friends song.
Despite being super busy, I decided to do NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) that year. I enjoy doing NaNo and I ended up actually hitting the 50,000 words and winning. My new school also had us handing out flyers to try to increase attendance for the upcoming school year. It was kind of awkward and I ran into a few kids from the school I used to work at. The also had all the teachers attend an open house which wasn't too bad as I could just sit there and do crafts with the kids as the Korean staff talked to the parents.
Hanna and I met up and had breakfast with Megan at Butterfingers and saw her later at the Thanksgiving Dinner her church always holds. It was a nice event for foreigners as it gives us a sense of community on a holiday that is meant to be spent with family. One of my favorite events to attend was my friend's Sue's wedding. We were allowed to go to the Western part of the ceremony and she was gorgeous in her wedding gown. Anna and I didn't get to spend much time with Sue but it was nice to be a participant and enjoy the ceremony.
I visited one of my favorite galbi restaurants which was run by my fiancee's friend Jason. He was super sweet and gave me some hallasan soju to bring back to America with me for Greg. Greg's parents were super generous and paid for me to come home for Christmas that year so that I could split my time with my family and theirs. We went to the Rockerfeller Center to watch the Rockettes perform a Christmas special.
Photo By: Joseph Oh
Photo By: Kathrine Mae Aranda
Photo By: Kyeon Ryong
Photo By: Lacerta
I did make time to go to the International Fireworks Festival as it was one of my favorite events in Korea. Anna came with me and then we spend the night at her place. As always the festival was amazing and I am sad to say I haven't seen any good fireworks since then. After that, Anna and I did some wig cutting to style some of our wigs better. I have never has so much hair up my nose. I felt like I was sneezing colorful fibers for a week.
Halloween Spirit Week was always one of my favorite events at school. As usual, there was Pajama Day, Sports Day, Crazy Hair Day, Backwards Day, and Halloween. We carved pumpkins and the kids loved my Princess Anna coronation gown. On actual Halloween, one of my favorite photographers did a private shoot with me and Anna. I wore three costumes that day and it was long but a lot of fun. I did Tohsaka Rin which I later got another photographer to edit for me. I also did Punk Angel and Megurine Luka in which Anna and I did another pair cosplay with her as the happy version and me as the sad version of Luka from the Let's Be Friends song.
Photo By: Photorain
Despite being super busy, I decided to do NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) that year. I enjoy doing NaNo and I ended up actually hitting the 50,000 words and winning. My new school also had us handing out flyers to try to increase attendance for the upcoming school year. It was kind of awkward and I ran into a few kids from the school I used to work at. The also had all the teachers attend an open house which wasn't too bad as I could just sit there and do crafts with the kids as the Korean staff talked to the parents.
Photo By: Lee 2014
Photo By: Lee Min Ki
Photo By: Lee Seungu
Photo By: Photorain
Hanna and I met up and had breakfast with Megan at Butterfingers and saw her later at the Thanksgiving Dinner her church always holds. It was a nice event for foreigners as it gives us a sense of community on a holiday that is meant to be spent with family. One of my favorite events to attend was my friend's Sue's wedding. We were allowed to go to the Western part of the ceremony and she was gorgeous in her wedding gown. Anna and I didn't get to spend much time with Sue but it was nice to be a participant and enjoy the ceremony.
Photo By: Photorain
I visited one of my favorite galbi restaurants which was run by my fiancee's friend Jason. He was super sweet and gave me some hallasan soju to bring back to America with me for Greg. Greg's parents were super generous and paid for me to come home for Christmas that year so that I could split my time with my family and theirs. We went to the Rockerfeller Center to watch the Rockettes perform a Christmas special.
Photo By: Photorain
I had a goodbye dinner with Chris and Megan and ended up crying after they left that evening. I couldn't believe just how much I would miss them. We actually were super excited also as the Suji train station had finally opened up. They had been constructing it since the beginning of our stay in Korea, I think before even Chris moved there. I later had a goodbye dinner with Purem, another Korean cosplayer.
I also got permission from Jin's mom and Jin and I went to a cat cafe before I left Korea. I am mildly allergic to cats and Jin must have taken me to one of the biggest cat cafes in Gangnam. I swear I was sneezing like crazy when upon entering, I was swarmed and covered by around 10 cats. Jin joked that she needed to bring me to cat cafes more often because she never got so many cats to come to her. She later felt bad as my allergies got worse but it wasn't like she would have known I was allergic since she knew I had owned a cat myself. Later her mom, my former coworker, treated us to dinner and I said my goodbyes. I still occasionally get a message from Jin and hope she is doing well. I also found an amazing bingsu place that made delicious strawberry bingsu. I miss it....
The last thing I remember that I did before I left Korea was finally do a Frozen photo shoot. It was amazing as we got a total of six people to participate. Jimi helped me repaint my Anna skirt so that it looked amazing. Anna did Elsa and her friend borrowed my Anna Birthday cosplay. I did the winter version of Anna, Jimi was Sven, Jaye was Kristoff, and Shani was Olaf. We got some amazing group and pair pictures there and even some fun solo shots. My favorite part even though I froze was the fact that the lake there was actually frozen so Anna and I could reenact some scenes from the actual film. My fingers hurt so bad as they painted on makeup and paint to make it look like my skin was actually starting to freeze over. It was one of my favorite shoots and I cannot hope to recreate it.
Accidental Detective Credits
The Part in Accidental Detective Where You Can See Me
I also got permission from Jin's mom and Jin and I went to a cat cafe before I left Korea. I am mildly allergic to cats and Jin must have taken me to one of the biggest cat cafes in Gangnam. I swear I was sneezing like crazy when upon entering, I was swarmed and covered by around 10 cats. Jin joked that she needed to bring me to cat cafes more often because she never got so many cats to come to her. She later felt bad as my allergies got worse but it wasn't like she would have known I was allergic since she knew I had owned a cat myself. Later her mom, my former coworker, treated us to dinner and I said my goodbyes. I still occasionally get a message from Jin and hope she is doing well. I also found an amazing bingsu place that made delicious strawberry bingsu. I miss it....
Photo By: Silent Eyes
Photo By: Small Dancing Doll
Photo By: Tryee Chansansyeoo
The last thing I remember that I did before I left Korea was finally do a Frozen photo shoot. It was amazing as we got a total of six people to participate. Jimi helped me repaint my Anna skirt so that it looked amazing. Anna did Elsa and her friend borrowed my Anna Birthday cosplay. I did the winter version of Anna, Jimi was Sven, Jaye was Kristoff, and Shani was Olaf. We got some amazing group and pair pictures there and even some fun solo shots. My favorite part even though I froze was the fact that the lake there was actually frozen so Anna and I could reenact some scenes from the actual film. My fingers hurt so bad as they painted on makeup and paint to make it look like my skin was actually starting to freeze over. It was one of my favorite shoots and I cannot hope to recreate it.
Photo By: Western Sky
Photo By: Yang Sung Jin
Photo By: Yehyun
Photo By: Yoo Dong Woo
Hello Jess. I am a Pastor from Mumbai, India. I am glad to stop by your profile on the blogger and the blogger and the blog post. I am blessed and feel privileged and honored to get connected with you as well as know you and about your interest and being in South Korea on your English teaching mission. I enjoyed your pictures with different costumes and poses. I love getting connected with the people of God around the globe to be encouraged, strengthened and praying for one another. I have been in the Pastoral ministry for last 39 yrs in this great city of Mumbai a city with a great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the brokenhearted. We also encourage young and the adults from the west to come to Mumbai to work with us during their vacation time. I am sure you will have a life changing experience. Looking forward to hear from you very soon. God's richest blessings on you, your family and friends also wishing you a blessed and a Christ centered rest of the year 2018. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede.
ReplyDeleteHi Diwakar,
DeleteThank you for your comment. It sounds like you are working very hard to help people. I am currently teaching underprivileged kids in NY and do not plan on leaving any time soon. Thank you for your interest. Have a wonderful day.
Thank you Jess for your quick response. I usually do not revisit the profile and the blog post unless I feel. I had no intention to revisit your profile and the blog post but it just came in front of me by accident other wife I would not seen your comment. But deeply appreciate you for taking time to respond to my comment.Continue to pray for our ministry and also recommend any of your friends who are interested in missions.Thand you once again. God's blessing on you, your family and friends. Sincerely in Jesus.
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