Author: Jessica Moy

SEOLLAL IN SEOUL

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My one year anniversary since moving to Busan, South Korea is less than a week away. HOLY SMOKES! Fellow English teachers have started to pack their bags and will be traveling South East Asia or going back to their home countries doing, whatever adults do to progress their lives nowadays. I will be living and teaching in SoKo for one more year and looking forward to new adventures, collecting more passport stamps, and meeting friends the universe will put into my life next. Even though there will be a handful of changes happening in the next few days, some things will be staying the same. I’ll be living in the same apartment, teaching at the same school, and continually getting lost while navigating the city streets but making the best of it by finding a pretty place to sit down and take a picture. On January 28th, my cousin Melissa and I traveled to Seoul for Seollal, otherwise known as Lunar New Year. The best part of the weekend was our visit to Gyeongbokgung where we took an audio …

THAILAND (CHIANG MAI) PART 2 FT. GRAND CANYON

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Hello friends! Happy weekend! You have clicked on this blog post because you want to know more about the adventures Chiang Mai has to offer. Have you read part 1 yet? Don’t miss out on elephants and lady boys. Catch up by clicking HERE! With the Elephant Nature Park officially behind me (but forever in my heart), the next morning Melissa and I put on our runners to prepare for our hike through Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. The main attraction here is Doi Suthep Temple, which we didn’t explore because our focus was finding a glorious waterfall. We took a red car (taxi you can flag down and bargain a set price) and was dropped off in front of the hiking trail to Mon Tha Than Waterfall. We walked (re: danced) 3km to find the falls. You can imagine the excitement when we arrived and realized we had the hot spot allllllll to ourselves. Shoes were taken off and we jumped right in the shallow, cool water immediately. After our private waterfall sesh, we made our way back to the Old City to chow …

JANUARY FAVOURITES 2017

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My hair is officially purple. It was a spontaneous decision that happened last week when my cousin Melissa asked, “can I dye your hair a funky colour?” No convincing was needed. #yolo See my hair and all its glory in my latest video on Get Up & Go Girl where I round up my beauty (skincare, skincare, skincare), fashion, travel, music, and movie favs from the month of January.

THAILAND (CHIANG MAI) PART 1 FT. ELEPHANT NATURE PARK

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Winter break is over and in the words of my students, “VACATION WAS TOO SHORT!” Even though it’s back to the grind I’m excited to relive my Thai adventures with you all. I already miss the beautiful weather (legit, so perfect), elephant cuddles, lady boys, and delicious street food galore. Sigh. Alright, let’s begin. On January 15, 2017 I made my way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where I had an overnight layover before I made my way to Chiang Mai, Thailand. I went to Malaysia last summer for a few hours (a result of another layover) and totally forgot that NO ONE TAKES CREDIT CARD – restaurants, taxi drivers, convenience stores. Nobody. When I got to my Airbnb (KLIA 6ixth Sense) the host was kind enough to pick me up from the airport and even traded American dollars for Malaysian ringgit so I could eat dinner. Bless him. When I was dropped off I felt a little uncomfortable walking around the area where I stayed (men kept staring and it was getting dark) so I didn’t …

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR IN BUSAN

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HAPPY 2017 MY BEATIFUL READERS! A new year brings new resolutions.. except, I don’t start resolutions that commence exactly on January 1 because instant change is the WORST! Some people can start fresh in the new year and cut off junk food or go to the gym without missing a day. If this is you I say both congratulations, and you suck. While adapting quickly to new projects or resolutions can be exciting, it stresses me the eff out. Recently, a change I’ve been struggling with is the ability to wake up earlier. I’m the person to hit the snooze button at least three times, which leads me to wake up five minutes before I have to be at work, and roll to my desk like a hot morning mess. This needed to change. One morning I felt ambitious and woke up at 6AM thinking I can do the 900 things I want to accomplish before 8AM such as yoga, writing, reading, and making a well-balanced breakfast. HA HA. I ended up failing and hating myself …

I WON TWO AWARDS!

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Exciting news! The results came in for the EPIK video contests I entered last month. I won the Gold Prize for MY EPIK LIFE and Silver Prize for my CO-TEACHING IN SOUTH KOREA. As I said on Instagram, creating videos is a hobby and I quickly turned it into a passion project with these contests. Producing and editing these videos was a blast and I’m humbled to be recognized (let alone awarded!) for something I do just for fun. The day after we found out the results, Nancy and I brought in rice cake desserts for the staff because in Korea, it’s tradition to share some of the wealth. Everyone was supportive and congratulated us to the best of their English abilities. I’m seriously so lucky to be a part of such an awesome community, especially one that consists of a majority of intelligent, strong and talented girls/women.  

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

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Hello friends, how are ya today? It’s exam time at school so students are studying and taking tests while I sit at my desk for the majority of the day, trying to think of Winter Camp activities. The theme for camp is: What Do You Want To Do? It will focus on exploring careers and highlighting their various interests. While planning camp I created a simple personality test for students to give them an idea of what career could best suit them. I decided to take the test myself and this was my result: INFJ. Take a similar “Personality Test” by clicking HERE! What is an INFJ? According to the test, I’m an advocate (I know right, like.. WHAT?!). A person who sets goals and capable of making a lasting positive impact. Other INFJ’s include Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, and Nelson Mandela. When I first saw the result, I felt entirely confused because I am no Mother Teresa. However, the more I read into it the more the personality trait made sense. Strengths: Creative, insightful, determined, passionate. …

EPIK TEACHER: WHAT TO WEAR TO WORK

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I get asked a lot about EPIK teacher dress code, and the first thing I can tell you is that it’s pretty casual. Business casual, I should say. If you’re planning on teaching in South Korea I have chosen 5 key pieces for both men and women to help inspire your next #OOTD for the classroom. Let’s get started! WOMEN 1. Back to basic A basic tee is a must since bare shoulders and cleavage are a no-no. Tuck the tee into dress pants, skirts, or if you have a teacher dinner after school, simply throw on a statement necklace for added dazzle. Crewneck Tee, $25, Gap. 2. Bundle for warmth Most Korean schools have heating for chilly winter days but some, do not. Sometimes it’s colder in the classroom than it is outside (!!). Keep a blanket scarf over your chair at all times because you’ll never know when you’ll need it. Textured Scarf, ₩49,000, Mango. 3. Culottes are the coolest During warm summer months, skirts and shorts must be an appropriate length (around your knee). If you’re moving around the classroom all day, I find culottes are the comfortable option. …

SOJU CHALLENGE

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Soju is known for many things: It’s the world’s best selling alcohol. Pairs well with samgyupsal. Tastes like watered-down vodka. Has been around for thousands of years. Recently launched flavours such as blueberry, grapefruit, and pomegranate. Found EVERYWHERE in SoKo and priced around ₩2,000. Responsible for keeping you up until sunrise. My friend Melody and I got together and did the Soju Challenge! Let’s just say, secrets were revealed, my face turned red, and 1PM on a Saturday never felt so good. We also did the Spicy Noodle Challenge on Mel’s channel so be sure to check that out after you watch the hilariously obnoxious video below. 😉

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS GALORE

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It’s Sunday afternoon and I am sitting on my unmade bed, listening to Christmas carols. Currently blasting Holly Jolly Christmas by Michael Bublé wondering if neighbours have left a note outside to turn it down. Just checked, NO NOTE! But there was a chicken menu magnetized to my door. *immediately throws in garbage*  I cannot believe it is December! It’s going to be weird not seeing snow during the holiday season or having to worry about salt on my boots. I do plan on going skiing in SoKo sometime in February. I haven’t narrowed down which slopes I want to try, but will surely let you know when I do. In the meantime, I am counting down until my trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand. 42 more sleeps! Last week I went to a delicious dessert cafe in Seomyeon called Molle. My friend Hayden and I ordered a chocolate berry cake and an earl grey apple latte. The decorations in the cafe were cozy and stylish – marble top tables, pillows on chairs, dainty decorations such …

CO-TEACHING IN SOUTH KOREA

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Nancy teacher and I invite you to our English class! In the video below we discuss classroom management, how to get students to participate, lesson planning, the roles we both play, and fun activities (such as mask making!). The lovely students featured are third years (grade 9) and the lesson is called, Amazing Ideas. This post was created for EPIK e-Press.

WHY 30 IS NOT THE NEW 20

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Most 20-year-olds (myself included) commonly think to themselves, “I’ll start getting my life together when I turn 30.” Clinical PsychologistMeg Jay had something to say about that and her words slapped reality right across my face. Today I watched her TED talk and was captivated by the stories of her patients and spoke truthfully about why 30 is not the new 20. Here were three points she highlighted that all us 20-somethings need to hear: 1) Identity capital Do something that adds value to who you are. Invest in yourself. Go ahead and volunteer, take that cross-country job, and start doing something that your 30-year-old self will thank you for later. 2) Utilize your weak ties Weak ties = friends of friends of friends. Get to know people outside your inner circle because those people might have the opportunities you may be searching for. One conversation with someone outside your inner circle could get you that job, a great tour suggestion for your next vacation, or perhaps could set you up with your future hubby. 3)  Pick your …