Some are simply too pure for this world...

Last Sunday night, I heard a strange sound outside my apartment window.

I went outside to investigate, and found three Korean men in a driveway- one, holding a box. I wasn't sure where the sound was coming from as it seemed all around me. It was very loud.

"고 양 이? (Cat?)" I asked one of the men. He nodded and pointed to the box in the hands of his friend.

I peeked inside and saw the two smallest kittens I had ever seen. They were crying for their dead Mommy. I threw aside reason and took the box from the grateful men, who explained that nobody would care for them in their apartment building. I knew I couldn't take them to my apartment- my two, fully grown, very jealous cats were having a hard time adjusting to a new addition already (I am caring for a friend's cat while she is in America). They don't like new additions. They would probably kill the kittens if they had a chance.

As I was walking towards a friend's house, I ran into four of my girl friends. I showed them the precious little things and we all ooohed and ahhed for awhile. I explained my situation to them and my friend Sophie agreed to care for them for a few days, while I raced around to find someone more permanent.

Orphaned kittens, espcially brand new orphaned kittens, need very specific things when they are that young. They need specific replacement cat's milk, they need to be fed every two hours, they need to be weighed every day, they need to be kept warm... and the list goes on. Between the two of us, Sophie and I began nursing and nurturing the two little guys.

Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. I had taken them to the vet previously to find out their age and sex (boys, and 7-10 days old). I found a nice guy to take the kittens and keep them at a vet until they were strong enough to be adopted. The vet said they looked ok and to keep feeding them every two hours, letting them eat as much as they could. We dubbed them Oliver Twist and Harry Potter- our favourite male literary orphans.

Oliver loved feeding. He was an expert. Harry was not. When I found them, Harry was the stronger of the two. After a few days, we noticed he was very quiet. A little strange, since he could meow at the top of his lungs, and did it regularly. We thought it odd, but couldn't make sense of it. The next day, he passed away. We were so sad. Oliver was stressed out.

The next day with absolutely no warning sign, Oliver died, too. It was after he passed away that we found out about Fading Kitten Syndrome. If a kitten is lacking something (either from being orphaned or having a different blood type from his/her mother) they simply pass away. So sad.

RIP Harry and Ollie. We were getting so attached to you! You will enjoy cat heaven with your mom.








Oliver Twist June 30 (?)- July 8



Harry Potter June 30 (?)- July 8

My New Favourite Passtime

I like taking my kittehs to Yeongtong Park!

Actually, all of the foreigners around here love the park. On sunny days we gather, unannounced- we drink, eat and are merry. On Friday nights it becomes a makeshift bar with drinks from the Family Mart down the road. We love the park. And so do my kittehs (sometimes).

Korean Folk Village... I didn't hate it this time.

If you recall my last Korean Folk Village experience, you will remember that I wasn't too fond of it. It just didn't seem authentic enough. It was Chusok; people were everywhere. Cows were being tortured. I cried when I saw the dogs in the cages. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Patrick has been in Korea for almost a year now, and he had been planning on visiting the Folk Village (or "Fork" Village if you read the Konglish signs) for quite some time. We decided that we would go a few weekends ago since we didn't really have anything else planned and it was a beautiful October Saturday.

This time around, the Village was completely different. It wasn't crowded with Koreans; there were no sad looking animals tied up or in cages, and we were able to walk around in relative peace and quiet. It was beautiful and it made me wish Koreans didn't live in high rises these days. Here are just a few of the many pictures we took that day:



Same as last year, these dancers put on a good performance. I still marvel at their twirling abilities.

This guy has a pretty sweet job. He doesn't have to talk to you if he doesn't want to. He just takes his sweet time weaving baskets. I wish I could weave baskets all day long. That wouldn't get boring at all.

The houses were really cool. I really wish I lived in one. It sounds cheesy, but the whole time I was thinking about how different my experience in Korea would have been if I had come 50 years ago.

This woman was using a Korean style spinning wheel. It took me a minute to figure out what she was doing- it looks nothing like the spinning wheels used in the west!

Of course, I had to show of my mad swinging skills. Just look at me go. Pat wasn't as successful.

There were veggies out drying in the sun all over the place. They weren't all your typical drying veggies, either, they were like... pumpkins and stuff. Yeah.

Koreans used these totem-esque poles to drive away evil spirits from their villages.

And here I am, totally in my element. I want to make kimchi and dry chilies. Why must I teach?

Oh... hello, kitteh. How did you get in here? You have to admit, Ha Jin is pretty photogenic.

Fozzie Needs a Home... For Reals

Won't you love him?

The teachers of Maple Bear have been taking care of him for some time, but I think it's time Fozzie got a real life home. We love him, but as each owner goes back to Canada he gets moved from place to place and it isn't healthy for the little guy.

He's healthy, fixed, has all his shots. He's street smart and hardly even needs a leash. He loves people and likes to cuddle.


I love it when his coat is all fluffy and he looks like a little puffball. This is him and me at Christmas when he was in his most loving foster home, with Kim and Drew. They were planning on coming back to Korea so they didn't take him back to Canada. Then, Kim got pregnant- surprise! Which is amazing news, but not so much for Fozzie. We need to find him a home!

This is a picture of Fozzie taken the first day he arrived in my apartment. He was so malnourished and so happy to see people who weren't trying to kick him. Breaks your heart a little.

I'd keep him, but Christmas was a realization for me that Ha Jin, Somi, cat food, vomit, and Fozzie don't mix. Please email me if you're interested in this little guy. Thanks, readers!

This Just In:

Ha Jin and Somi have stylish new collars with itty, bitty pink bells. Maybe I should have thought the purchase through more carefully; they are now jingling around my apartment every night whilst I try to sleep.

Oh well. I always say, fashion before comfort!

My Korean Kristmas

Morning attire: sarongs and socks (thanks Mom and Dad and Matt and Margret)

Evening attire: Merry Christmas Janine...

Love, Janine.

There was turkey at Now Bar!

And Mrs. C (the bar owner) was looking festive and cheerful! Gad love her.

Fozzie and Ker at Christmas morning brunch.

Drew's little Christmas Tree. Too cute.

My parents sent 2 lbs. of my favourite Fair Trade coffee and I made cafe mochas for everyone!

Fozzie is so noncholant.

And he looks like he hates me in this picture.

My presents, sent from home with loving care.

And of course, my mother filled my stocking and sent that too.

Somi had too much catnip.

Ha Jin tore my apartment apart

First thing Christmas morning! Dishevelled kitty and dishevelled Janine.

Merry Christmas!

My Canadian Life vs My Korean Life

I wouldn't go so far to say that I've been homesick lately or anything; I'm still having a great time! I have; however, become a little nostalgic as I think every person who has suddenly realized they are, indeed, an adult as opposed to a university kid tends to feel, so I thought I'd give you all a little comparison on how my life was in Canada and how it is now that I'm living in Korea.

You'll see that some things in my life will never change, such as the popularity of the sexy kitty pose, and that some things are unchangeable, such as the crappiness of Korean coffee. The one thing that will probably never change is my lame sense of humour. Enjoy (don't get too bored)!




My favourite pose in Korea (this picture is from Japan, but you get the point):

My favourite pose in Canada:

My Coffee in Korea:

Stale medium roast (I'm guessing) with overscalded, unproperly frothed, steamed milk cafe au lait. Sigh.

My only other option. This little package has instant coffee, powdered milk, AND sugar so you don't need to add any of your own. The only problem is I don't take sugar in my coffee! Geeeez.

My Coffee in Canada:

Fairly traded, organic, light roast coffee cafe au lait with a slight dusting of cocoa. Sigh.

My Korean Coworkers:

My Coworkers in Canada:

My favourite campus bar.

Ahh... the Christmas Axe Staff party, complete with Karaoke.

Where I live in Korea:

Where I live in Canada:

My Korean Pets:

My Canadian Pets:

Chelsea. The sweetest dog in the universe.

Belle: 16 years old. This is all she does now... but I still love her.

My Korean Family:

These are the girls I spend (or have spent) my entire Korean life with! Thank God for them, too... they've been here way longer than me and pass down their knowledge. We decided today that I am the kid sister of all Maple Bear teachers and it's true... I am the youngest.

Faye takes care of me like she's my big sister. In the three months since I've known her she has given me two pairs of shoes, two of my three birthday cakes, a bag of rice, fruit, numerous other snacks and God knows what else.

I spend five days a week with these kids, and I never get tired of them. Some days are better than others, but no day is ever excruciating. Also, Faye says that when I do projects with them and read them books I look like their big sister and that's exactly what teaching them is like- fiiiiinally, I'm the oldest in the family.

Charlene took the role of Mother Hen the second I got to Korea- she showed me around Suwon, gave me all the bus numbers and their destinations, took me to GS Mart and the grocery store and helped me identify groceries in Korean, and had movie nights with me when I didn't know anyone. She has been great, to say the least.

My Real (Canadian) Family:

My lovely Mother, Marlene.

Daddy-o, Ian

This was the least intoxicated picture I could find of me and my brother Rory. Don't judge. We went to university together. And worked at the same bar (see above coworkers)!

My big brother Matt and his pretty wife, Margret. They live in Alberta and I haven't seen them in ages!

Mr. and Mrs. Bear- Rory is a grizzly or something. Sarah, his main squeeze, is clearly a panda.

My Korean Friends:

Rachel, Kim, Kerri, Helen, and Amy at Galbi.

My Korean homies- Kerri and Kim!

All my closest friends at my birthday!

Enda and Charlene

My Canadian Friends:

My future lawyer, Amanda. Not that I'm planning on needing one or anything. Just in case...

My friend who has done the most tequila shots in a bathtub (besides Shelley), Zack.

My fellow Arts Degree graduate- best buds. Zack, Amanda, Drew.

Friends since grade primary, Monica and Stef... Monica and I were, in fact, the only two babies born in our community in 1984!