Another visitor... My MOM! ...and...

WE WENT TO SOUTH KOREA FOR A WEEK!!!!!!

There are a lot of photos, but I actually videoed EVERYTHING so I am almost done making my first video ever so I will post that ASAP- I also thought about combining a lot of these pictures and doing more of a collage style but honestly I hate that look other than for Instagram, I want the full effect, I always want to see close ups and detail of peoples pictures! So with my photos you get the whole thing, and yes- one by one!)

Let me just say, I have traveled to some parts of the world (Mexico, Honduras, Belize, etc) But there is absolutely nothing like Asia! I loved it! I didn't know much about South Korea before I left. I knew that after my trip I would definitely appreciate it more- and boy do I!? Chandler keeps teasing me that I am on a Korean High, well yah, I can't stop ranting and raving about it. I was soaking up everything and was easily amused at anything I saw or did. I really could live there if I had the chance. (For a minute anyway). Here is what I noticed and loved the most:

1. Very little crime. I felt safe all the time and no one steals. They are a strict country so they don't commit much crime at all. I could often set my purse or bags down and easily walk away knowing they were ok,  and I did, I also saw scooters/mopeds that everyone parked and not one had a single lock on it. How nice would it be to live in a place like that!?

2. The respect, the generosity, the customer service- IS UNREAL. I have never been treated so well in my life. I felt like a celebrity. They treat others so well. Its such a wonderful thing to see overall that a country is so thoughtful of others and everyone. And its not just here and there its everyone respecting everyone.

3. Koreans work SO hard, 6-7 days a week and looong hours, (kids go to school 6 days) they are a hard, hard working people but they are also are a high stressed people but they are motivated, reliable, loyal, ethical etc. And It was noticeable how much they are dedicated in everything they do.

4. Everyone dresses so nice. Like everyone. It was refreshing to see not one person in ragged jeans or maybe even jeans for that matter. Every teen, mother, worker, business man, etc was in slacks, suit, tie, dress, business suit, and the girls too, were always in cute pencil skirts and a blouse, or a cuuute work uniform! I think that the way you dress and present yourself as a whole and as a community it sets the bar for being more respectful overall. I don't know I just liked it!

5. And the city and streets were clean (other than a lil pollution in the air)

                                   

Korean Air is the only way to fly if at all possible to any destination! They do not charge for bags, they feed you TWO full huge hot meals, you each get booties, tooth brush, and tooth paste and pillow, blanket and water in your seat, you get to use the TVs for free, all you can watch, listen, and read! Oh and they served wine for free... thats a cool perk for the drinkers!

The stewards' all wore the cutest outfits and had these stiff scarfs that were so cute!

Okay so let me try to explain in the smallest nut shell. For those of you that don't know, my mom owns The Skin Institute in St. George. She knows that her schools program and curriculum is top notch so about a year ago she got the grand idea to take her school international (she has already offered Russian and Hispanic programs). She heard so many wonderful things about South Korea so thats where she wanted to start. So about 9 months ago she went to Korea to check out the country and see what she could do there. She then realized that it would be best to bring Korean students to her school in America instead of franchise there. Koreans want to come to America for school then go back home. Short version-Ironically later after she got home from Korea The Utah Department of Economics(UDOE) called her and asked if she was interested in doing a trade mission with them to Asia...Um Yah! Duh! The Utah department of economics has the funds to help local businesses out in working with other countries because in the long run it stimulates Utah's economy. And it just so happened to be to South Korea that the department was traveling to. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul Korea has a whole team of Koreans working to help business' in Utah do business in Korea. So months of planning from the U.S. Embassy located in Korea, meetings were set up for each company traveling with the UDOE, they line you up with the perfect business men and women in Korea in your same industry. We went with a variety of other Utah business owners. But each business owner had customized meetings to best suit them and their company back in Utah. So my mom and I had a plethora a meetings all week with Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Beauty School Owners, and the one top company exchange student representative for Korea, Michael Kim- amazing guy. It was NON stop business! The day we got there we had a meetings with the UDOE to discuss the weeks agenda. The next day after we got in we had meetings all morning at out hotel with the US embassy basically educating us on how to do business in Korea, the countries laws, and what to expect when actually doing business with the Korean people. I met a lot of individuals that live in Korea that are from Utah as well and live there with their families. Some neat neat guys. I learned sooo much, It was so educational. 

I got my WON!

Here we had happy Hour everyday with yummy food at our hotel.

We stayed at The Plaza, it was so retro and modern-contemporary. Loved it.

 A networking meeting/ reception at our hotel with many other guests of Korean business owners ( I had to speak at all these networking meetings and have a translater every time just in case there were those that needed it, for the most part everyone knew enough English to get by.)

 This is a dear friend of ours Dr. Choi, my mom met him on her last trip to Korea he is a plastic Surgeon who studied under Dr. Patel (the Chief of Ocioplasty at the U of U) our other dear friend. So Dr. Choi specializes in eyes especially Upper Blepharoplasty for Asian eyes. He is one of the sweetest and most gentle men I know. Loved him.

(Oh... and heres a sneak peak of us getting botox from Dr. Choi in our hotel room, I talked him into injecting us one night after he took us to dinner.) PS we look amazing!  ;) Faces smooth as can be not a wrinkle to be seen!

 My Beautiful mother and our friend Julie Kim that works for US Embassy (She took us on some of our business meetings)

 Some guy that wanted to take a pic with us!

Eh! I wish I had the time to put these in order but Oh well you won't know the difference!

This was Nandaemun shopping district! AMAZING! I did not have enough time at all! I saw so much I wanted to buy for friends and family and didn't have time to go back and get it. I knew I shoulda bought it when I saw it! I will go back just for the shopping and Ill take an empty suit case. Way nice things at a very very reasonable price! And this strawberry ice cream cone was DeeeLisH!! 

Loved these rain boots! Im going to try to order them for those rainy days here in Hawaii!

My mom and I out to Dinner with our friend Leo (They all have American names that they give themselves, he was a distributer for fillers, botox, breast implants etc) He took us to Itaewon, a great lil town-my favorite place we went too. We went to My Tai China..Mmm

(How about that art work behind us!) ;)

And this is how they serve your drink, cubed ice with shaved ice layered on top- delightful!

I got to FaceTime my hubby Everyday! It was a 19 hour different, but technically 5 hours later in Hawaii but a day earlier. It worked out, good to chat! Also Coffee shops and tea houses are literally on every block if not three on every block so it made it so easy to always have free Wi-fi!

We met this Dr., Dr Park, he owns 20 CNP clinics(Medspas) and has about 200 estheticians and nurses combined. Genius! 

This was a beautiful interpreter for meeting with Dr. Park. He knew English but wanted an interpreter just to be able to explain his ideas better in his own language!

We went to a Palace right in the heart of Seoul it was fascinating. It was right near their Blue House (presidential home). But this palace was where the servants and Emperor once lived.

His throne

These high school students came up to me that were on a field trip to the palace and drilled me with questions- they were fascinated with me-lol- they acted like they have never seen a blonde before (or any Korean for that matter- everyone stared at me NON stop! One, I'm blonde and two, I towered over them- okay not really. If I charged a buck for every picture I saw someone take of me with their iPhone Id be rich ;))  All these students had flawless English. They had me writing in Korean here! They said I did the best they had ever seen! Korean is actually fairly easy to learn, very open symbols and contemporary looking, nothing like Chinese.

City Hall right in front of our hotel- Beautiful little park and grassy area where I saw 3-4 different festivals or events held. It was the happening place.

 This was at one of our meetings at an esthetics school

 They love their pictures and everywhere we went they wanted to take pictures with us, but I did too!

Im just at the business Centre here at our Hotel typing up and printing some documents we needed!

This is us with ShaSha, cutest lady ever and so hip and fashionable! She has an esthetics school over there that is so successful and she is very popular, she is famous over there and really hard to meet I guess. It was a big deal for us to have her time and for her to treat us to KimChi!

 Here is part of our Utah group! We went to the Demilitarized Zone (Most heavily fortified border in the world) Separating N. and S. Korea (Technically they are still at war).

I liked this sculpture, "Putting the world back together"

EVERYONE SHOULD watch videos like this to educate themselves on the evil country of N. Korea and their 28 yr old dictator. Its sickening! The people are so brainwashed! Millions are dying from starvation and no one can leave the country or they will be shot! No cell phones, cameras, TVs, they have to hang a picture up of their dictator in their home and in Every room. People lay on the streets dead as others casually walk by. These poor people think that this is normal because they think foreigners and everyone else are out to get them and that the world is evil. Here are a few links to the story of Hana trying to get out of NKorea-   Hana escaping N. Korea AND ; Continued part of Hana's story- unbelievable!

                       South Korea welcomes the Northerns to come down to their country but it is not easy to escape they are lucky if they can get smuggled out of Nkorea, but sometimes when they pay a smuggler to get them into China they are sold to farmers or sold for drugs. Or sense Chinese have few children and are low on women the Korean women get sold to Chinese men.

Toured our Hotel spa and went to the Jjimjilbang (our hotels version of a bath house) Basically cold, warm, and hot mineral pools. It was devine! Western cultures think that these mineral baths are WEIRD- and I did at first feel a little awkward but I got used to it real quick and LOVED it!

We went to Nanta Theatre. The funniest thing Ive seen in A LONG time! 

Nanta Theatre It is a hilarious cooking comedy show, there was food, water, balls flying everywhere through out the show.

There was a protest outside our hotel of 25,000 people (Taxi drivers wanting a raise, minimum wage is about $4/hr)

Leo and Dr. Choi took us to a tea house-my new favorite thing!

This is how their gas stations look, no center gas pumps, their hoses hang from above! Brilliant!

Wow! Is all I have to say... Okay not really- I could talk about Korea all day everyday. I actually took way more video then I did pictures. I am in love with Asia. I had such an amazing time. I met the neatest people. My mom and I had some very successful business meetings, things are looking bright in the future for my moms school to host Koreans. We are so fortunate to have been able to go to Korea and have it be so worth it for the business aspect but to have the experience of a whole different world. Its amazing looking back and realizes how much I learned. Traveling really does open the mind and creates a huge appreciation for other cultures and ethnicities! I want to go back....like tomorrow! I am for sure taking Chan back real soon! RT plane tickets are so reasonable ($930) and that for the best airline ever. It was a 9 hr flight there and only 7 hours back. So doable! And I can stay at  The Plaza again for the US Emabassy price which includes two meals a day. Its in the perfect location to everything! I have some friends there now and they want me to take my hubby back too! Someday!