Jessica Moy Blog

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15 WAYS TO DISTRACT YOURSELF WHEN FEELING HOMESICK IN SOUTH KOREA

Published by Jessica Moy

Leaving your comfort zone for a long period of time is truly admirable but while experiencing a variety of cultures is fantastic, it’s not always bunnies and rainbows. There are days I miss hugging mom, ordering a Double Double at Tim Hortons, or seeing snow fall in November. Missing home is normal, and while the only real cure is to feel your way through, I’ve compiled 15 activities you can do to distract yourself to make homesickness a little easier to ride out:

1. Wake up early and go on a hike. When you’re active you release endorphins, and endorphins relieve stress and makes you feel happier. It’s science.

2. Visit a dog café. Cuddling one is optional.

3. Skype your funniest friend or family member.

4. Paint.

5. Volunteer at an orphanage.

6. Watch a funny movie or TV show.

7. Treat yourself to a nice dinner. Perhaps find a place that has comfort food you miss from back home (for me, it’s mozzarella sticks).

8. Call up a friend for a coffee date. Chances are they are feeling a little homesick too, and it’s nice to remind yourself that you’re not alone.

9. Go to a PC room and learn how to play a new computer game.

10. Read news from your hometown. Keeping updated on what’s going on back home can make you feel connected and a little less left out.

11. Join a soccer, volleyball, or basketball team.

12. Start a blog and write about your adventures.

13. Buy a pair of hilariously funky, Korean socks.

14. Pamper yourself! Try out a new nail colour or sheet mask from the hundreds of beauty shops that are likely down the street from your apartment.

15. Tape pictures of the people and places you miss the most from back home onto the walls of your apartment and add some twinkling lights, fresh flowers, or movie posters. The more you surround yourself with what you love, the more you’ll feel comfortable with where you live.

This post was created for EPIK e-Press.

MY EPIK LIFE

Published by Jessica Moy

Hello friends,

The past nine months have been a whirlwind and I seriously cannot believe South Korea has been my home for that long. From the very beginning I have documented my entire EPIK experience including telling my mother I got the job, moving into my first apartment, eating delicious street food, having fun with my students, baseball games, sunsets, fireworks.. the list goes on and on. In the video below, I have compiled favourite moments from my EPIK life thus far.

This entire journey would not have been possible without my grandfather, Georges LeBreton. He’s helped to support everything I’ve ever done including my education, dream of traveling the world, but most importantly, he loved me to the moon and back. Last week, he passed away peacefully. While it saddens me I could not be there to hold his hand, I will have him in my heart wherever I go. With so much love, I dedicate this video him.

This post was created for EPIK e-Press.

STREET STYLE, SEOUL FASHION WEEK: 29 ECLECTIC LOOKS FROM OUTSIDE THE SPRING 2017 SHOWS

Published by Jessica Moy

Last week, Dongdaemun Design Plaza was the epicentre of Seoul fashion and showcased the upcoming trends for the Spring 2017 season. Outside the spaceship-looking landmark, however, was where the real show was happening. The street style in Seoul was a sartorial circus where the kitschy, 90’s grunge and pantsuit-polished style-setters congregated to display a spectacle of their own. Berets with ring and chain attachments, mismatched shoes and tinted sunglasses were prominent, as well as Korean kiddies who stole our hearts with an eclectic style all their own.

See 29 of the best street style looks outside Hera Seoul Fashion Week on FASHION Magazine.

While you’re here, watch my SFW vlog! I may or may not hug a shirtless male model..

BIRTHDAY AT EVERLAND

Published by Jessica Moy

To celebrate turning one year older, I went to the largest theme park in South Korea – Everland! I am going to answer all of your burning WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY questions from the fun-filled day. Let us begin:

WHO: Went to Everland with my friend Dev and stayed at an Airbnb in Seoul (Gangnam). We took the 5002 bus, which was luckily just outside our place. The ride was 45 minutes and took us straight to the theme park. The bus is the cheapest form of transportation from Seoul (around ₩2,000), but I advise going as early as possible to avoid standing the entire time, like we did.

WHAT: Everland is a magical place that holds the world record for having the steepest wooden roller coaster, T-Express (it has a slope of 77 degrees.. yikes!), and the prettiest gardens I ever did see.

WHERE: It is located in the city of Yongin, which is in the province of Gyeonggi-do (same province as Seoul!).

WHEN: My birthday is in October so Everland was packed with spooky ghost and pumpkin decorations as well as a haunted house, located in “Horror Village.”

WHY: IT’S THE BEST WAY TO SPEND A BIRTHDAY! I told the man at the ticket booth it was my birthday and he gave Dev and I 30% off. That’s ₩15,000 off the original ticket price, each! If it’s not your birthday you can get 10% off if you’re a foreigner and have a boarding pass or a T-Money card. An original one-day ticket is ₩52,000.

If you want to see how my Everland-filled birthday went down, including Dev and I losing our voices while riding the T-Express, watch my latest vlog! FYI, I upload weekly vlogs of my life in South Korea and you haven’t SUBSCRIBED yet, come join the fun. 😉

This post was created for EPIK e-Press.

5 THINGS I LEARNED AT HERA SEOUL FASHION WEEK S/S’17

Published by Jessica Moy

This season, I had the pleasure of attending Hera Seoul Fashion Week to watch Spring/Summer 2017 collections stomp down the runways at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). I signed up for a press pass a month before, which gave me access to all of the stylish shows. If you’re an EPIK teacher who has a trendy blog or have a kick-ass photography portfolio, you can email the designers individually to potentially receive ticket to their show too!

After attending the fashionable affair, here are 5 things I learned:

1. Always be photo ready

Outside of DDP are hoards of street style photographers ready to snap a photo of your #OOTD. If you’re anywhere near fashion week, be sure to give ’em your good side and channel your inner Zoolander, blue steel pose.

2. Elbow your way to the front

If you have a unassigned seat to a show, it means you’re four or five rows back. Wait until the last couple minutes before the show starts to hear the volunteers say you can move forward. Front row seats will be reserved for magazine editors or Korean superstars but if they don’t show up, it’s a race to get to those hot seats. I was lucky to score prime seating at J.Apostrophe.

3. Know Korean pop-culture

There were a plethora of A-list Korean actresses, boy bands, and social influencers who attended fashion week. They stood out as they were hounded by photographers and screaming teenage girls. Brush up on your Korean pop-culture because you’ll never know who you’ll run into. At the Ordinary People show, I sat across from K-pop boy band sensation B2B!

4. Don’t hug shirtless models

I went backstage before the A.AV show and was talking to one of the male models, who also happened to not have a shirt on. When he had to leave he bowed (a very Korean thing to do) and I thought he was going in for a hug so I awkwardly put my arms around him (a very Jessica thing to do). We laughed, but I don’t think I’ve been more embarrassed.

5. Social media is your BFF

Social media goes hand-in-hand with fashion. When the show is about to start, everyone will have their phones clenched in their hands, ready to take the perfect snap. Be sure to post a ton on Instagram or Twitter and tag the designers, @SeoulFashionWeek, and use hashtags such as #SFW or #HeraSeoulFashionWeek to share your pics and grow your Klout score.

This post was created for EPIK e-Press.

I’M OFFICIALLY 26 – HERE’S EVERYTHING I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR

Published by Jessica Moy

I’ve always thought the age gap between 25 to 26 to be significant. It may be only a year but somehow in my mind we go from kinda-still-a-child-type-of-adult to ADULT-ADULT!

Then I realized, it’s science! Your brain (for the most part) becomes fully developed and mature by the age of 26. You begin to feel less sensitive and have a much easier time handling peer pressure.. apparently. These facts are coming from someone who dropped all science classes by grade 12 so, take what I just said with a grain of salt.

Last year I wrote goals I wanted to achieve at the age of 25, here is how I did:

~~1. I WILL leave my comfort zone.~~

~~2. I WILL start living a life that make ME happy, not one that will please someone else.~~

~~3. I WILL be more independent.~~

~~4. I WILL learn a new language.~~

~~5. I WILL start building my empire (LOL.. the time has come)~~

I did something a little differently this year and decided to chat about my accomplished goals on Get Up & Go Girl, as well a NEW goals I want to achieve at 26! Speaking of which…

New goals for 26-year-old Jessica:

1. Write a book.

2. Go to my 5th continent.

3. Create a morning routine.

4. Create a budget.

5. Raise $1,000 for The Malala Fund to secure girls’ right to a minimum of 12 years of quality education.

130 million girls TODAY are unable to go to school because they have to work, can’t afford it, or simply because there are no school in the area for them to go to. Since becoming “Jessica teacher” and teaching English at a school full of 570 pre-teen/teen girls, this truly holds near and dear to my heart. I have created a donation page for the Malala Fund (click HERE for the link!) and will accept as little or as much as you feel comfortable in an effort to support girls education.

Here’s to another year of lessons, growth, travels, and getting better at pretending like I know what I’m doing.

Jessica

DINOSAURS, IN BUSAN?

Published by Jessica Moy

Welcome back to another week of my life! I’m currently sitting at a cafe stealing all the WiFi since mine suddenly went out last night. Grr.

My birthday is coming up in 5 days!! CRAZY!!

I’ve never had a birthday away from my friends and family back in Toronto and Facebook keeps reminding me of my memories from the past couple years: Dinner with friends, going out for a night on the town, etc. I miss everyone over on the other side of the world, a lot. Thanksgiving is approaching in Canada, my favourite time of year when Momma Moy would wake up early to put the turkey in the oven and family members would trickle in throughout the day to give hugs and thanks. After the homemade stuffing and cranberry sauce were scraped from their dishes and everyone has undone their pant buttons releasing food babies, someone would start singing happy birthday and a chocolate cake would be presented in front of me with a makeshift candle on it.

This year, I will witness none of the above as I am obviously in South Korea. Thanksgiving will be spent with me working and then going home to make a bland chicken and rice dinner, and going to bed at 9:30PM.

I guess it’s what you sign up for when you move away from your family. As much as there are amazing advantages of moving away and being independent, there’s also disadvantages of missing family and moments from home you can only live through from Skype calls the next day.

I’m sad to not be in Toronto right now. I’m low-key tearing up at this cafe but as Grandpa Lebreton always says, ‘that’s life.’

Despite not physically being with my family for Thanksgiving, I am continually grateful for simple pleasures that can sometimes be taken for granted. I am thankful for my supportive family and friends, that I have enough food to eat, the roof over my head, my job, my bed, technology that keeps me connected with loved ones back in Toronto, the sun, moon, and stars, Netflix, cute puppies and the owners who let me hug them, and plumbing that works.. which is random but YOU try not having your ONE toilet be able to flush for a couple days! #blessflushingtoilets

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to my friends and family back home. I love you!

WARM UP & FILLER ACTIVITIES FOR EPIK TEACHERS

Published by Jessica Moy

What does an EPIK teacher and a boy scout have in common? THEY ARE ALWAYS PREPARED!

The classes I teach are 45 minutes, and sometimes we finish lessons earlier than expected. It would be a nightmare to let students do what they want until the bell rings (chaos will ensue!) so I always have a game or activity on deck to fill in the time.

I’ve rounded up my top three filler & warm up activities for the classroom. FYI: I teach middle school so these may be advanced if you teach elementary but, you can adjust according to their level. Let’s get started!

1. A Knock At The Door

You know who won’t have fun playing this? NO ONE! It’s an adventure game that can be different each time, depending on where the students want to take the story.

Click to download: A Knock At The Door

2. Compound Words

For this activity, you show students images and they must guess the word created by the two pictures. Explain briefly what compound words are, start the activity, and they’ll get the hang of it.

Click to download: Compund Words

3. Optical Illusions

When my student’s discovered these optical illusions, they were extremely confused. But, once one student sees it, get ready for the class to turn into a gasping frenzy.

Click to download: Optical Illusions

This post was created for EPIK ePress.

GET READY WITH ME: COFFEE DATE FT. THE FACE SHOP DISNEY COLLETION

Published by Jessica Moy

I love watching chatty get ready with me videos on YouTube. I’ve been discovering a new one each morning as I get begin to get ready myself because it’s like the we’re getting dolled up together! Does that make me a sad, lonely person? Probably. I’m not ashamed.

Recently, I tried out The Face Shop’s Disney Collection and picked up the Mono Pop Eyes in Lovely Pooh and CC Cooling Cushion in Natural Beige. The finish? Amazing. Packaging? Nailed it. Winnie the Pooh? Adorable.

I decided to do a chatty get ready with me video for my Get Up & Go Girl channel and yapped away as I did my makeup. I talked about The Face Shop’s newest product launch, what I’m doing for my birthday (!!), and as the title suggests, yes.. I got ready for a date. You can get all the hot gossip in the video below.

While you’re here, check out my latest vlog! I hang out at a Line Friend’s store in Itaewon. TBH I had no idea who these characters were but, I stopped for a latte at the third-floor cafe and this is where I learned about my new favourite Line Friend character, her name is Jessica.

THIS IS JESSICA! SHE IS MY SPIRIT ANIMAL!

Her hobbies include cooking, doing her make-up, and shopping.

SHE. IS. ME.

Join me walk around the Line Friend’s store and much more in my latest vlog below!

EPIK: HOW TO IMPRESS YOUR KOREAN CO-TEACHERS

Published by Jessica Moy

Co-teachers are your saving grace when you start teaching in South Korea. They help you to settle into your apartment, make sure you’re taken care of, and are always available to answer questions about lesson planning and classroom management.

They do so much for you, and the best way to pay them back is making their job a little easier in the classroom. If you want to make a lasting impression on your co-teachers, here’s what you can do to get a gold star:

1. Create entertaining lessons

Play games, get students up and moving, make them laugh! There’s so much creative freedom you have as a Guest English Teacher, and a co-teacher appreciates it when they see you can teach and entertain students simultaneously.

2. Talk about your culture

For some students, YOU are the first foreigner or native English speaking person they have EVER talked to. They want to know where you came from, what traditions your country has and how it differs from South Korea. Go ahead, make an entire lesson out of it!

3. Be social with students

Students are likely to feel insecure about their English speaking abilities so you must make the first move and start a conversation with them. Ask about their weekend, hobbies, K-pop bands they enjoy, etc.

4. Folders, calendars.. USE THEM!

Being organized is a must. Classes shift and lessons change instantly so you need to keep on top of your schedule and have materials ready before class begins.

5. Don’t be a scary monster

Do not intimidate your students, be approachable, and smile often.

This post was created for EPIK ePress.

CHUSEOK IN SEOUL

Published by Jessica Moy

Chuseok is known as Korean’s version of Thanksgiving and the longest holiday of the year. It has recently passed and for the five days I had off from work I packed my bags and took the KTX straight to Seoul. I was happy to be back on the streets of Korea’s capital, and even happier to be with my cousin and his girlfriend who visited from Toronto.

The first place we toured around was the beautiful Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was built in 1395. Doesn’t that blow your mind?! WHAT WAS LIFE EVEN LIKE BACK THEN?!

One of the best parts of going to the palace, especially during Chuseok, was seeing almost every Korean dressed in a Hanbok (Korean cultural dress). Perhaps they wore it because of tradition orrr maybe because if you wore one during the holiday it was free to enter all palaces in Seoul (facts).

The next day we took a stroll around Naksan Park, located smack dab in the middle of the Seoul. You can have the BEST view of the city here! I would even go as far as saying to skip N Seoul Tower (save your $$) and go to Naksan Park instead for an Insta worthy skyline shot.

I also appreciated the wall art along the way, like the one below..

During my last day in Seoul I had the morning off to explore on my own and went to Hangang Park to look for the giant SEOUL sign. I didn’t end up finding it *cries* but I did have an awesome time relaxing and people watching.. OH, and I had Taco Bell for breakfast. It’s impossible to find a quesadilla in Busan so, this was a big deal.

I recently learned that K-dramas use this park for their shoots, which is cool and all, but I was looking forward to seeing the damn Seoul sign. May or may not be still bitter about it..

I suppose I can’t stay mad for too long, the park was amazing and you can see everyone enjoying the outdoors with their tents, jet-skiers riding along the river, children playing in the park fountains, and bike riders almost running you over. There’s so much to love about this park, and a nice getaway from the bustle of the big city.

You better believe I vlogged my trip to Seoul, as well as the days leading up to it including the moment my Canon T3 suddenly broke, I get published on FLARE.com, and I freak out over cute things at an art store.

I TRIED IT: KOREAN PEEL-OFF BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Published by Jessica Moy

apieu_harutatooliptint_rd01_5-40

Materials:

Etude House Tint My Brows Gel in Gray Brown, $14.50, etudehouse.com. A’Pieu Harutatoo Lip Tint in RD01, $5.40, koreadepart.com.

Process:

eyebrowtint_peeling-468x600

With dreams of Cara Delevingne (and fears of Chewbacca), I picked up the brow gel and carefully painted it on using the small pointed brush. Once I covered the area, I looked ridic! My brows were extremely dark and goopy, like a Snapchat filter gone wrong. The instructions said to wait two hours so, after a Netflix binge, I peeled off the now dried-up gel from the tail end, nervous my hairs may come out with it. Phewf, I ended up with a nice tint—not as dark as the gel itself, thankfully—and no accidental waxing. The heads of my brows were a little intense, so next time I’ll focus on the tail end instead, where my brows are naturally sparser.

Satisfied with my on-fleek brows, I was ready for the peel-off lip stain. The formula smelled like strawberry lemonade with the consistency of thick and sticky costume blood. I found it dried up quickly, so I slapped it onto my pout at high speed. This wait time was way shorter—just 10 minutes—but it felt like forever because I couldn’t close my mouth or else my lips would stick together. Also, TMI but it was hard not to drool. After the sloppy drying period, I peeled the layer of red sticky goodness off in one fluid motion. I was left with lips that felt wonderfully bare, but with a perfect natural-looking flush that lasted the promised five hours.

The next day, with my brows still strong and my lip stain re-applied, I felt slightly self-conscious about the new look. Before I could greet my students good morning, they pointed at my brows and shouted, “Teacher!” I couldn’t tell if they liked them or not until one student sweetly said, “Your brows are very nice!” Another pointed at my lips and smiled with a thumbs up. If I just got approval by trendy Korean teenage girls, I must be doing something right.

Findings:

1. Peel slowly. Forget the speedy Bandaid/waxing strip rip. The trick with peel-off products it to remove in one slow, fluid motion, so that you’re not stuck picking off any teeny bits left behind.

2. It takes time to save time. Although it took two hours on the weekend, my eyebrow tint saved me 10 minutes of prep time every day that week. For me, I way rather add this treatment to my Sunday chill time in exchange for less hectic mornings.

3. Novelty? Maybe… But why not? In Korea, if a beauty product isn’t innovative or unique, it won’t sell. These peeling products may seem a little strange, but Korea wouldn’t be at the forefront of the beauty industry if it wasn’t constantly shaking up the game.

Read the original article on FLARE.

BALI (ULUWATU) PART 3

Published by Jessica Moy

Wait!!!

Please read part 1 & part 2 before continuing or else you will have seven years of bad luck. I’m kidding.. but seriously, do read those posts before this one. Go. Now.

This is my last post for my Bali trip (wah!) but hopefully my little series has set a spark within to get out there and travel or informed you of YOUR next vacation to Bali.

Now, where did we leave off.. oh yes. So after our stay in Ubud we left to the surf city of Uluwatu! We stayed at Uluwatu Surf Apartments through Airbnb (Save $$$ on your first stay using Airbnb anywhere in the world by clicking HERE). It had a wonderful pool, puppies, and it was only a short walk to Suluban Beach.

The below photo is part of Suluban Beach. I spent a couple lovely afternoons lounging under a cave made of natural limestone, listened to the sounds of the crashing waves, and stared nonchalantly at all the hot surfers. Like, WOAH! Could’ve grated cheese on their abs, just saying.

The best way to get around Uluwatu is on a motorbike. We rented ours through our Airbnb for only $7/day. You don’t need a special license but I’d advise you to practice for a few minutes before facing the crazy Bali roads, especially since they drive on the left hand side. BTW, there is no such things as lanes here so people weave in and out as they please and stop signs/street lights are not a thing. Keep your head on a swivel and you’ll be fine.

Remember when I mentioned a nice woman in Ubud made me a kimono? THIS IS IT! I am so in love and wear it whenever I enter my apartment. I am obsessed with the material (silk!), the cut, and I love that it’s a piece of Bali I can treasure forever.

Just like Ubud, Uluwatu had bomb ass food. This lunch consisted of watermelon, strawberry, lemon smoothie, tabouli, falafel, and hummus. YUM!

Leni and I had a 7 hour layover in Malaysia so obviously we had to venture out. We only had time to walk around and into the Petronas Twin Towers which magnificently lit the city at night. Malaysia was SO different than Bali, it was like I’ve never seen tall buildings and street lights before! It was such a tease to only be here for a short amount if time but it was lovely while it lasted, or until we had our taxi drama, more on that in my vlog below.

Do you have 16 minutes to spare? PERFECT! Watch part 3 of my Bali series and remember to give it a “like” and subscribe for more adventurous travel vids. Enjoy!