FIRST SNOW OF THIS WINTER (2012)!

Finally, it snowed early this evening - on the last day of November. It was so cold all day long and while I was trying to glue with the heater I burned my (favorite) socks and scarf...;-) There was this smell of something burning and I thought wow...what is that strange smell??? Finally, I realized that my socks were burned along with a corner of my scarf ;-(

It is just the beginning and I'm sure that this winter is going to be very, very cold.

By the way, tomorrow is December 1st, I can't believe that 2012 is almost gone, where and when it slipped, I have no clue!

TaLK: Teach and Learn in Korea (Scholarship)

Mission

• Support primary school English education in rural areas
• Foster cross-cultural exchange and understanding

About TaLK

• Created in 2008 upon the ideals of service, compassion and creativity, TaLK is a unique Korean government scholarship
  program and is available to university undergraduates or recent graduates who wish to explore Korean culture while teaching
  English in the Korean countryside.
• TaLK scholars serve 6-month or 1-year terms and form working partnerships with Korean university students and teachers
  to prepare and lead English classes in the after school English program at the elementary school.
• Available placements : Busan, Chungcheong-do, Gangwon-do, Gyeongsang-do, Incheon, Jeju-do and Jeolla-do

Eligibility

• Citizenship : Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America
• Education : Bachelor's degree holders or current students in their 2nd year of studies at a four-year university,
  or Associate's degree holders

Application Process

• Apply online: www.talk.go.kr *create a My Page account
• Undergo initial and final screening by the local offices and Seoul TaLK Office, respectively
• Submit additional materials (required documents) *as stated on the Web site

Duties

• Complete the one-month orientation in Korea *prior to teaching
• Serve at the designated elementary school
• Teach for 15 hours per week in the after school English program
• Fulfill duties/responsibilities in the TaLK Contract

Benefits

• Accommodation (free, furnished housing)
• Buddy system (Korean university co-scholar)
• Cultural experience program
• Entrance and exit allowances : KRW 1,300,000
• Medical insurance coverage (study abroad plan)

• Monthly stipend : KRW 1.5 million
• One-month orientation
• Scholarship certificate upon completion of the program
• Settlement allowance : KRW 300,000 *one-time only
• Vacation leave

 For More Info contact: TaLK Team

• Phone : 02-3668-1399
• Fax : 02-764-1328
• Email :
• Website : www.talk.go.kr

TIME's Person of the Year for 2012

Editors unveiled a list of 38 contenders for the honour this week.

They include: Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by Taliban extremists who disagreed with her equal rights beliefs. South Korean pop sensation Psy, rap superstar Jay-Z and Russian punk rockers Pussy Riot have been shortlisted for Time magazine's 2012 Person of the Year.

Comedians Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart have all made the cut.

Also nominated are U.S. President Barack Obama and his former White House rival, Republican Mitt Romney, as well as dissident Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwe.

The winner will be chosen by Time editors and revealed on December 14.

The Protester was named last year's Person of the Year following the widespread reach of the Occupy Wall Street campaign against big business.

Gangnam Style: Most Watched Video on You Tube

Psy's "Gangnam Style" has become the most watched video in YouTube's history and it took 4 months to get here. I guess in less than a month he will hit a billion mark and that would be amazing. He has also made to the list of 38 nominees for "TIME's: Person of the Year 2012" award.

This made the headlines in all major news networks, electronic and print media from around the world. BBC to CNN and from The New York Times to The Rolling Stones Magazine - all carry this as their major headline news yesterday, when this actually happened.

According to You Tube, Gangnam Style is being watched daily between 7-10 million times. PSY studies music from Berklee College of Music in Boston but never graduated.

Its pioneering sexy horse dance has been performed by Britney Spears, MC Hammer and Madonna to name a few and recently, Madonna invited Psy as a surprise guest to perform the dance at her concert.

The United Nations secretary general tried Psy's 'horse riding' move alongside him and you can watch it here.

Here, PSY is trying to teach the simple steps to one the famous chef/celebrity on BBC and I think that it's a funny video.

Ai Wei Wei does Gangnam Style here .

Eton Style is here.

When PSY appeared on Ellen Show - both Britney and Ellen learns horse dance on stage - wow, that  is such a hilarious moment coz Britney couldn't do it right (probably due to her skirt) and it reminds me that I was totally off the beat while learning it on Buzz Korea's Touch Korea Tour-Gangnam Style.

Psy's reaction on various videos is HERE and it is one of my favorite....actually he chose Omma Style video and actually wanna work with the mom-son team who have also uploaded their video.

Psy was on Saturday Night Live and that in itself is huge.

PSY talks about: what is K-POP? How he ended up with Scooter Braun's Label - manager of Justin Bieber - on Ryan Seacrest Show here.

Psy's Seoul City Hall concert is HERE. This was the biggest and most impressive gathering,  going Red Devil Style - 10 years after the FIFA World Cup 2002. Loved it! It reignited World Cup memories.

I think that PSY is the first singer in Korea to make a real dent in major American/European or let us say global music scene through Gangnam Style. K-Pop and Hallyu stars have tried very hard to knock the doors down worldwide but they couldn't garnered much success however, the ripple effect of their work can not be ignored throughout Asia and Africa. With Gangnam Style's success and it's getting viral on You Tube both K-POP and Hallyu will benefit long term.

By the way, PSY also holds the Guinness World Record for the most "liked" song ever - currently with a little over 5.4m likes on YouTube.

Official page of PSY on You Tube is worth a look....gosh, so many hits that it is hard to figure out where is it actually heading....

It is the same You Tube page where you can see him globe trotting and promoting the song and really creating flash mobs...

I also like his promotional song called: KOREA where he shows the glimpses of entire culture, tradition, old and new Korea in 3 minutes.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gangnam-style-becomes-the-most-watched-youtube-video-ever-20121124#ixzz2DRO3d4ou
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

Korean pop sensation Psy's "Gangnam Style" clip has broken the record for the most-watched YouTube video of all time.  The video earned the distinction by garnering approximately 805 million views as of noon on Saturday, according to YouTube's Trends blog.
In just over four months since it was posted in July, "Gangnam Style" has surpassed the views of Justin Bieber's "Baby," which previously nabbed the record five months after its February 2010 release and now stands at some 803 million views.
While searches for "Gangnam Style" spiked in South Korea at the time it was first posted,  the satire of wealthy Seoul culture began to peak in North America and Brazil in September before spiking more broadly across the world in October.
"It's been a massive hit at a global level unlike anything we've ever seen before," the YouTube post notes. "Each day, 'Gangnam Style' is still being watched between 7 and 10 million times."
The video's viral success has surely been helped by its pioneering sexy horse dance, which has now been performed by everyone from Britney Spears to MC Hammer; Madonna even brought Psy onstage with her at Madison Square Garden to perform the song and its dance earlier this month.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gangnam-style-becomes-the-most-watched-youtube-video-ever-20121124#ixzz2DRO3d4ou
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

Korean pop sensation Psy's "Gangnam Style" clip has broken the record for the most-watched YouTube video of all time.  The video earned the distinction by garnering approximately 805 million views as of noon on Saturday, according to YouTube's Trends blog.
In just over four months since it was posted in July, "Gangnam Style" has surpassed the views of Justin Bieber's "Baby," which previously nabbed the record five months after its February 2010 release and now stands at some 803 million views.
While searches for "Gangnam Style" spiked in South Korea at the time it was first posted,  the satire of wealthy Seoul culture began to peak in North America and Brazil in September before spiking more broadly across the world in October.
"It's been a massive hit at a global level unlike anything we've ever seen before," the YouTube post notes. "Each day, 'Gangnam Style' is still being watched between 7 and 10 million times."
The video's viral success has surely been helped by its pioneering sexy horse dance, which has now been performed by everyone from Britney Spears to MC Hammer; Madonna even brought Psy onstage with her at Madison Square Garden to perform the song and its dance earlier this month.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gangnam-style-becomes-the-most-watched-youtube-video-ever-20121124#ixzz2DRO3d4ou
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

Korean pop sensation Psy's "Gangnam Style" clip has broken the record for the most-watched YouTube video of all time.  The video earned the distinction by garnering approximately 805 million views as of noon on Saturday, according to YouTube's Trends blog.
In just over four months since it was posted in July, "Gangnam Style" has surpassed the views of Justin Bieber's "Baby," which previously nabbed the record five months after its February 2010 release and now stands at some 803 million views.
While searches for "Gangnam Style" spiked in South Korea at the time it was first posted,  the satire of wealthy Seoul culture began to peak in North America and Brazil in September before spiking more broadly across the world in October.
"It's been a massive hit at a global level unlike anything we've ever seen before," the YouTube post notes. "Each day, 'Gangnam Style' is still being watched between 7 and 10 million times."
The video's viral success has surely been helped by its pioneering sexy horse dance, which has now been performed by everyone from Britney Spears to MC Hammer; Madonna even brought Psy onstage with her at Madison Square Garden to perform the song and its dance earlier this month.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gangnam-style-becomes-the-most-watched-youtube-video-ever-20121124#ixzz2DRO3d4ou
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

Yesterday: A Random Day

This bear is : Bubu

Practicing Violin

This was an interesting Jeep

Last of the autumn foliage in Korea

Bubu

Autumn Foliage

Friends/Chingu - chilling out!

Gangnam Station: Zebra Crossing

Chicken Tandoori and Seekh Kebabs at Pak-India Restaurant in Itaewon near the mosque.

Pak-India Restaurant: Nans, Mutton Masala and Seekh Kebabs with yogurt

Ichon dong in Yongsan-gu

Bundang-gu

Full moon- last night (26.11.2012)

Practicing Guitar

Picture of the Day: girl.bike.dog

On my way to the pet store, I took this photograph last year (2011) while on the bus. The store is "girl.bike.dog" located at 625 South 23rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, United States. Streets of Philadelphia are indeed interesting and the best thing about Philly is that it never ceases to surprise!

This store in particular (owned by Lindsay Duggan)  is definitely one of the must visit stores in Philly!

Here is a better pic. of the store from their website.

source: girl.bike.dog

I love bags and they have plenty and all of them custom-made/unique, they also have dog collars and so much more!

Check out the blog of bag collector, he has some wonderful shots of both Lindsay and the bags!

Korea Foundation Support for Korean Studies Students based Overseas

Korea Foundation or (한국국제교류재단) fellowship is awarded to researchers and graduate students studying Korean Studies subjects and other persons professionally engaged in Korea-related activities who wish to have an opportunity to take a language immersion program and learn Korean in a systematic manner at a university in Korea.

Korea Foundation also has fellowships for Graduate, Post Graduate and  Field Research grants. 

Eligible Applicants

Persons who are engaged in Korea-related research within the context of humanities or social science studies or persons who are professionally involved in Korea-related activities and who also correspond to one of the following profiles:

• Undergraduates: Undergraduate students in colleges located in Eastern Europe, the Middle East or Southeast Asia who are studying the Korean Language as a major or minor;
• MA or PhD candidates: Graduate students pursuing a Korea-related degree as a major or minor;
• University faculties and researchers: Professors, lecturers and researchers who are teaching Korea-related courses or Korean language courses, or who are conducting Korea-related research at a university or research institution; or
• Professionals: Professionals engaged in Korea-related activities in the fields of arts and culture.

Application deadline is July 31st and November of each year!
For details click HERE.

Ice Rink at Seoul Plaza to open from Dec.15th

Source: KTO

The ice-skating rink at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall will be open from Dec. 14 until Feb. 3. The opening hours will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with a one-hour extension on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays.

The entrance fee, including skate rental, will be W1,000 an hour.
The size of the ice rink has been reduced from 2,700 sq.m. to 1,800 sq.m. to accommodate a larger rest area and spectator stands.

Interpreters will be on hand to provide assistance to foreign visitors in English and Japanese, and skating lessons will be made available four times a day.

"Marriage Proposal Wall" at Cheonggye Stream

Source:  google

Cheonggye Cheon/Stream is a famous tourist spot in Seoul. Historically, geographically, politically, economically or just as a tourist spot...this place is one of the most significant landmarks of Seoul.

From the geomancy perspective or for marriage proposals Cheonggye Cheon is a must visit spot!

I had no clue about its "Marriage Proposal Wall" until a friend's friend actually used it ;-)

I goggled about it and here you go: Cheongge Cheon recently achieved its 1000th. marriage proposal.

The first official declaration of undying love was made on Christmas Eve in 2007. Since then, 999 marriage proposals have been made and accepted, representing an incredible 100 percent success rate. Only 18 couples are believed to have broken up since, meaning that 98.2 percent are still married to each other or waiting to do so.

In a country where divorce rate is one of the highest in the world, I suppose if not all then many aspiring candidates should be going there to have a successful marriage!
For more read here at Chosun Ilbo.

FREE Hallyu Hairstyling Class at SGC

Do you like the hairstyle of your favourite singers and also wanna try it yourself??  If so, then learn the K-styling by registering at Seoul Global Center. This event will end in December so go for it. I think that it will be fun! The details are below:

Seoul Global Culture and Tourism Center is holding a Hallyu hairstyling class for foreigners called ‘K-Style’ every two weeks during November and December. The first session was held on November 15 and there will be 3 more sessions offered for the rest of this year (November 29, December 6, and December 20).

Classes start at 4:00 p.m. and last for 90 minutes. Famous hair designers will introduce the trendiest hairstyle in Korea and reveal salon secrets to styling your own hair. The class also provides a hair style consultation to some of the participants to help find the right style for them.

Registration for the class can be done by downloading the application form from the Seoul Global Culture and Tourism Center Homepage or from their official Facebook page. Emails and phone calls are also accepted. Participation is free of charge.

Seoul Global Culture and Tourism Center is committed to providing meaningful opportunities to communicate with international citizens, delivering various cultural programs and events. To reflect the Korean wave, the center also runs various Hallyu-related programs including K-Pop dance classes, a K-Music singing class, and a K-Beauty Make-up Class.

 More info

< K*Style: DIY Hair Styling Class >
☞ Venue: M Plaza 5F, Myeongdong2ga 31-1 Jung-gu, Seoul
☞ Dates and Time: November 29, December 6, December 20 / 16:00 – 17:30
☞ Cost: Free
☞ Application Methods:
* Homepage: www.seoultourism.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
* Facebook: www.facebook.com/SeoulGlobalCultureTourismCenter (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
* E-mail: seoulcenter@seoulwelcome.com (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
* Phone: +82-2-3789-7961~3 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

Ardeshir Cowasjee Passes Away!

Source : Picture is from his FB page

Cowasjee passed away - Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un.

 Nobody can fill the gap  and I feel that Pakistan is a much poorer place today without him. May his soul rest in peace. He will be dearly missed!

Well-known for his outspoken stand against corruption, and various social & political issues, Ardeshir Cowasjee, a senior columnist, writer, intellectual and philanthropist passed away at a local hospital in Karachi on Saturday. His columns can be read here at DAWN.

According to BBC, he was struggling for the life at the intensive care unit of a local hospital for the last 12 days after being hit by chest complications, where he breathed his last at the age of 86.

Cowasjee was born on 13 April 1926 in Karachi in a financially stable Parsi family. He was the eldest son of Rustom Faqir Cowasjee. He took his early education at Bai Virbaijee Soparivala (BVS Parsi) Parsi School and graduated from the DJ College. After completing his education, he joined his family business of merchant shipping. He married with Dr. Nancy Dinshaw in 1953. He is survived by two children, his son Rustom and daughter Ava.

Talat Aslam, senior editor of The News, says: "Cowasjee's death represents the death of an old, far more cosmopolitan and tolerant Karachi. He was a Gujrati-speaking Parsi gentleman of the old school - profane, blunt, outspoken, fearless.

Once ally of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Cowasjee turned his critic after he was jailed by the then Bhutto regime in 1976. He was made Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director in 1973 by Bhutto. He was a prominent columnist and a journalist. Cowasjee revealed massive corruption cases time and again as his articles became cause of several suo motu actions by the judiciary.

Cowasjee used to donate generously. Through the Cowasjee Foundation, he supported various welfare projects, particularly in education sector. In recognisation of his services, The Citizens Foundation’s biggest campus in Lyari was named after him. The foundation also used to support health sector through the Lady Dufferin Hospital, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.

It is said that he only vouched for Jinnah's short-lived government as the true leadership of the country. But despite calling his fellow countrymen a nation of bigots, chose to live and be buried in Pakistan – the only country he called home.

A short report on Reuters is here.

Seoul Café Show 2012 (Nov 22nd-25th.)

Hey you all, if you love coffee/tea and related stuff then a wonderful event is underway at COEX. Korea’s largest coffee and tea show - Seoul Café Show 2012, that kicked off on November 22nd through 25th at COEX, Convention and Exhibition Center (Halls C, D & E), has only 2 more days left and luckily it is a weekend.... how about checking it out...!

The main event will be the presentation of café products and services by 328 companies from 24 countries. Items on display include raw materials and finished products of coffee, tea and desserts, as well as equipment and interior design. Auxiliary events will include forums and seminars featuring masters in the global coffee industry, as well as the Korea Barista Championship, black tea culture experience and music concerts.

The show will be a great chance to see and try a large variety of café brands, ranging from the widely available and the easily accessible to the high-end and the rare. It will be open to the industry members on November 22nd through 23rd, and then to the public on November 24th through 25th. Admission is 10,000 won.

Soccer Match (FC Seoul and Seoul City): Expat Festival

Seoul Global Center will be hosting the 3rd Annual Expats’ Festival with FC Seoul, which is a professional soccer club based in Seoul. The festival is outlined in the box below.

Seoul Global Center invites all expats living in Seoul to come and join the festival. The Soul Global Center and FC Seoul will feature an exciting soccer match. This will also provide you with the opportunity to better communicate with the local community, which will contribute to the promotion of multiculturalism in this global city. To name just a few of the other special events that are prepared for the festival include: a global concert, and gourmet experiences of various countries, as well as get plenty of information that you may need for you to lead a more enjoyable life in Seoul. For 12,000won, you will get admission to the game along with a free beer and a hot dog.

• Name : The 3rd Annul Expats' Festival with FC Seoul & Seoul City
• Time: 11:00-16:00 Sunday, November 25, 2012
• Place: Sangam World Cup Stadium – North Plaza
• Major Events: Outdoor performances, Cultural experience programs & International food sampling, and etc.
• Ticket sales: on-site OR contact Community Korea https://www.facebook.com/communitykorea

*For more information: visit the website http://global.seoul.go.kr

Nationwide Bus Strike in Korea (Today:Thursday, 22 Nov., 2012)

If you have to commute a lot today and that involves a bus then simply don't go anywhere. Bus drivers vowed Tuesday to begin a nationwide strike later this week in protest against a bill that redefines taxis as a mode of mass transit and offers them compensation for losses.The debate over whether taxis are public transportation means heated up after a parliamentary committee last week unanimously passed the bill that effectively categorized taxis as a mode of mass transit.

A total of 48,000 buses run nationwide, with some 7,500 buses running on over 360 routes in Seoul alone carrying approximately 5 million passengers.

In preparation of a possible strike, the land ministry said it is striving to come up with measures to minimize the impact on commuters, such as preparing extra taxis and subway services and extending their operation for an hour.

The government has also reportedly been actively trying to persuade lawmakers not to pass the bill, claiming it needs more time to deal with the issue as the government has not secured any budget for the move.

Putting cabbies under semi-state management, which currently applies to public transportation, will allow the government to determine taxi drivers' salaries and other operational details.

The bus industry receives an annual 1.2 trillion won (US$1.1 billion) in various subsidies from central and local governments, and cab firms 760 billion won.

UPDATE:

The bus strike has been called off, according to Korea Herald.

Bus service in Seoul returned to normal on Thursday after drivers staged a brief walkout in protest against a National Assembly bill meant to increase financial benefits to taxi companies.

The National Association of Bus Companies said bus service nationwide was normalized as of 6:20 a.m.

How to Apply for K-Pop Music ShowsTV Recordings in Seoul

We recently visited a music show: Music Core by MBC through Touch Korea Tour sponsored by Korea Tourism Organization and Buzz Korea and saw a live performance. I have done a detailed post about it.

Indeed, it was a memorable experience and if you are visting Seoul and have some time left after sightseeing and shopping then how about seeing a K-Pop show LIVE?

So here is a post on K-POP Music Shows and watching them live, all you have to do is to learn: How to Apply for Tickets?

As Korean music continues to spread worldwide, there have been an increasing number of inquiries on how to take part in TV music programs produced by major broadcasting companies in Korea.

Music programs are incredibly popular since audience members can see a number of their favorite singers perform all in one place. One big bonus is that, unlike concerts, tickets are free to those who apply online and are picked in the lucky draw. Let’s take a look at how you too can apply for tickets from each broadcasting company and attend some of your favorite TV music shows!

● SBS Live K-POP Countdown (Ingigayo, 인기가요)

>> Go to Member Sign-up Page 

● KBS Music Bank

>> Go to Member Sign-up Page

● M.net M! Count Down

Among all the music programs in Korea ‘M.net M! Count Down’ is the most accessible for international residents and visitors. There is no registration process; guests are admitted to the studio on a first-come, first-served basis as space allows. You will need to get to the studio on the second floor of the CJ E&M Center in Sangam as early as possible to be guaranteed a seat. According to a fan site (although not specified on the station website), only the first 200 people will be admitted, so make sure to go extra early.

Location: CJ E&M Center (2F) Studio
Recording Date & Time: Thursdays / 6:00 pm
Directions: Digital Media City Station (Seoul Subway Line 6), Exit 2, take a short taxi ride
Studio Audience Information Website: http://mnet.mnet.com (Korean)

Source:KTO

 

Gunsan: Migratory Bird Festival

The 2012 Gunsan International Migratory Bird Festival will take place from November 21st through the 25th at Geumgang Migratory Bird Observatory and Geumgang Marsh Ecological Park in Seongsan-myeon, Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do Province.

Now in its 9th year, the annual festival presents a wide range of hands-on programs that allow festival goers to experience the abundant ecological diversity of the Geumgang River basin. The main programs include a photo exhibition, migratory bird watching and feeding, and eco-camping. Above all, visitors will have the pleasure of watching the magnificent scenes created by migratory bird flocks flying gracefully through the air.

During the festival, admission to the Geumgang Migratory Bird Observatory is free of charge.

☞ Venue: Geumgang Migratory Bird Observatory & Geumgang Marsh Ecological Park (Jeollabuk-do Gunsan-si Seongsan-myeong)
☞ Period: November 21-25, 2012
☞ Admission: Free
☞ Homepage: www.gmbo.kr (Korean, English, Chinese)
☞ Gunsan Travel Guide E-book:
 http://tour.gunsan.go.kr/home/tour/ebook/ebook_e/lifewz.htm (English)
☞ Inquiries: +82-63-453-7213~4 (Korean, English)

Jeju Photo Contest!

The 4th Jeju Photo Contest is accepting entries until December 31. 
Last year saw the increase of non-Korean photographers participating in the competition accounting for a total of 225 pictures by foreigners from 16 different countries. 
Apply now!

Day in Pictures!

An extremely windy and chilly day and can't believe it's autumn - feels like mid winters, with a cold/dead sun and crazy winds.

Well, since it's autumn - so heaps of leaves being cleaned /vacuumed and packed in this huge sack and loaded on a mini truck! 

Truck/sack and the vacuums - the landscaping guys are wonderful and thanks goes to them for doing such a great job. Due to their hard work, we enjoy every season at its full - right under the nose.

 That's me..

Me again!

Hmmm...

All the rich colors of autumn- with trees taking on amber, gold and scarlet hues!

The Seoul International Toy and Game Show 2012 (15-18 Nov.)

  

Seoul International Toy and Game Show 2012 is an exciting trade fair for the toy industry that will be taking place from November 15th through the 18th at COEX, Convention and Exhibition in Gangnam. The event will have the attention of children, trade visitors, professionals, manufacturers and traditional toy makers. The expo will consist of wide collections of brand new toys, games and hobbies.

Marking its 29th year, 50 toy companies from home and abroad will participate in the exhibition, showcasing toys of different kinds including dolls, musical instruments, and cars and toys made of different materials such as wood and metal. Visitors will also get to see popular character toys including Tobot, Robocar Poli, Pororo, and Tayo and educational and learning toys that help improve intellectual and physical abilities of children and babies.

Auxiliary events include a raffle event, face painting, and an information session regarding safe products for children. Admission to the exhibition is 5,000won for adults and 2,000won for children. People who register online can enter the exhibition for free, but the website is only in Korean. 

< Seoul Toy and Game Show 2012 >
☞ Venue: COEX, Convention and Exhibition, Hall C (3F) (Seoul-si Gangnam-gu)
☞ Period: November 15-18, 2012
☞ Admission: 5,000won (adults) / 2,000won (children)
☞ Online registration: http://newsletter.sysforu.co.kr/2012/sisofair/regist/toy_regist.asp (Enter your name/ gender/ address/ phone number/ e-mail) (Korean only)
☞ Homepage: www.sitoy.or.kr (Korean, English)
☞ Inquiries:
Korea Toy Industry Cooperative +82-2-795-9505 (Korean)
COEX Information Center: +82-2-6000-0114 (Korean, English)
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japaese, Chinese)  

SOURCE: Korea Tourism Org.

Korean Language Study Scholarships

G.O.A.'L Korean Language Scholarship
[The final date for applications is now Friday, October 31st!
There are still open spots for Sookmyung, Yonsei and Korea University!]
 
Ewha Women's University, KyungHee University, Sogang University, Sookmyung Women's University, Geumgang University, Yonsei University and Korea University provide Korean language study scholarship for overseas adopted Korean staying in Korea.
All of the universities, except Geumgang University, are located in Seoul.
The scholarships cover part or all of tuition, but room and board are not covered, unless specifically mentioned. Korean semesters usually last 10 weeks (thus on this page we refer to them as quarters)
The universities have a mandatory registration fee, ranging from 30,000 to 60,000 won depending on the university. You only need to pay this fee once per university.
The first time you sign up, you must pay a 50,000 won deposit to G.O.A.'L. The deposit is reimbursed at the completion of the semester if you pass.

Eligibility Requirements
Overseas Adopted Korean (OAK)
Current Member of G.O.A.'L

If you are interested in learning/improving Korean at Universities above, please submit a completed application form, along with the other required materials via email or in person.

Required Documents
Application Form
Resume/CV
Essay (the essay question is written on the application form)
Passport & F4 visa copy
Diploma (high school or university) copy

※ For more information about scholarships, please email to office@goal.or.kr or call the G.O.A.'L office (02-325-6585).

Information about various universities is HERE.

Seoul Photo Festival 2012

천 개의 마을, 천 개의 기억 (A thousand villages, a thousand memories - exhibitions and conferences)


Seoul Metropolitan Government is holding the 3rd Seoul Photo Festival in 2012. This festival will be held under the theme of “Village Community and Photo Archives.” It will be a venue for visitors to see the importance of local archives and to explore new possibilities for realizing the social function of photography.

In particular, this festival has been planned as a citizen-participatory event. To be appropriate for the theme of “1,000 Villages, 1,000 Memories”, the festival will consist of photos collected and taken by Seoul citizens and netizens across the nation.” Through this exhibition, a new history of Seoul will begin, and it will be recorded by photos taken by 10,000,000 Seoul citizens, and not by records kept by public agencies, researchers, and particular artists, which work for the city of Seoul.

These photos will not disappear after this exhibition. They will be constructed as an archive for each district in Seoul, and will become a foundation for forming village communities, as the photos will be used for the research and cultural content of each district

• Exhibition Period : November 21 - December 30, 2012
• Event Venue : Seosomun Annex building of the Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul Museum of History, Seoul City Hall
• Exhibition Time : Tue.-Fri. 10:00-20:00 Holidays & Weekends 10:00-18:00 (Closed on Mondays) 1st, 3rd Tuesday of each month 10:00-22:00 (Museum Day)
• Auxiliary Event : Citizen Workshop, Citizen Lecture, Photograph of the Month, Photo Contest
• Category/ Number of Photos : Photography / 250 pieces by photographers; more than 500 pieces for the photo contest
• Inquiries : Office of the Seoul Photo Festival 070-8240-9902 (Dasan Call: 120)

• Website: SeoulPhotoFestival.com

Quote of the Day: A Banner in Port of Spain...

....capital of Trinidad and Tobago says this:

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. (Scott Hamilton)

What I liked about Port of Spain was the banners with the famous quotes all over the city but especially around Queen's Park Savannah - the world's largest traffic roundabout.

The northern part of the Savannah also has a very impressive zoo, botanical gardens, some beautiful architecture and a Presidential palace. This same neighborhood also has Grand Hilton, where we were staying.It was much later that I discovered a short-cut to Savannah - a 5 minute track at the back of Hilton! Earlier, I went there by taxi and the drivers are a rip off.

Amongst  the banners that I could see, I couldn't find a single quote by a native of Trinidad-Tobago or maybe I missed it.

It's Raining...Again.....!

I took this photo a few hour ago (at about 2:00 p.m)

Gosh.....can't believe that it's raining again. After such a beautiful, sunny but slightly windy day it all boiled down to this.

I hate muggy, wet and grey weekends.

Korea's Met Office website is HERE.

Last of the Autumn Foliage in Korea

Campus in autumn. One more rain.....and it will be all gone. Korea's most beautiful season - fall, is at a stage of saying us goodbye and snowy/windy winters await us!