a wonderful weekend.

we didn't have much planned this weekend so we decided to take the bus 20 minutes south and explore a small seaside town, samcheok. the verdict: its adorable. cleaner and quainter than donghae, it has a charming feel to it.

we spent too much money on dunkin' donuts coffee, discovered delicous street side waffles filled with strawberry butter and honey, happened upon a monument for fallen soliders, it was a beautiful park on top of a small hill, a peaceful place full of solitude, we sat and listened to the wind blowing through the leaves with the warm spring sun on our faces. it was one of those moments you're just happy to be alive. to see the seasons change, to be able to experience love and happiness and find the beauty in the small things. then we climbed down to the riverside and worked out, well joked around, on the public work out equipment. its pretty incredible how serious koreans take personal health. in most city parks, there is public work out equipment that people come and use during their evening exercise.

we ended the day at the jukseoru. no one knows the date that this building was constructed but there was poem written about it in the 12th century so it had to built before that. the building is in a beautiful park surrounded by bamboo trees and flowers. it was such a peaceful day.

yesterday, i found out one of my dear friends is in the hospital. stephanie has had cancer for two years now. a few months ago, it reached her lymph nodes but she was still strong. she was admitted in the iccu over the weekend. please pray for her. she an incredible mother of three and is set to get married in october. its so hard not to be with her right now. it was a gorgeous day. it had to be a least 70 degrees. so it was nice to shed the sadness outside. we spent a lazy day on a hill over looking the east sea with a picnic, music and girly magazines sent by my stepmom.

koreans, for the most part, do not like to get tan. all the girls today have commented on my brown face. they definitely think pale is prettier. well they can just wait because i definitely like to be golden brown in the summertime, haha.