This weekend I was able to see a Korean Wedding! This was my second wedding, HOWEVER it was a co-worker getting married and was so much more enjoyable!!! I watched this wedding and kept thinking how amazing weddings are. I know, some people think I am crazy, BUT I love weddings. It’s the most positive surroundings one could be situated in. Plus the beauty of the day blows me away! The bride had a more western flare, and so was did ceremony itself! I have been CRAVING weddings so this was a great fill.
Naomi.
Gloves.
Best.
I know I can be a LOT cheesy sometimes, but while sitting at this wedding I really couldn’t help but think how love is actually so similar in all parts of the world. Really though, this wedding brought out the same feeling for me that a wedding at home would. The father was speaking about his daughter and the Bride and Groom shared small special looks. It’s just nice to know in a place that sometimes makes me feel SO far away from home, that there is still that great feeling of home, here.
One of the best parts of my weekend though was heading into Songgstyle, my favorite store in Dongbaek and finding my business cards I had given the owner months ago. I wanted to cry with happiness!
As the days and weeks go on I can’t begin to describe what Korea has done for me. Some make me want to hug everyone from home SO much and others make me proud. I am ready to move on to some new places and see new things. I am looking forward to some traveling as soon as work gives us that Summer Vacation. Which then leads me and my hugs to all of you back home. So I hope you’re ready, because I won’t be letting go.
Love you,
Miss you,
Gill.
Today is June 1st and in celebration of Wedding Season I am heading to a co-workers wedding tomorrow !
I have been thinking a ton about all of the beautiful, stunning, amazing brides back home who are prepping their wedding dresses and double checking their guest lists as the wedding season BEGINS!
I am sad to be missing all of these brides and grooms in their finest, but am so excited to see the pictures from their special days!
The brides and grooms listed below I have have the privilege to photograph, and will continue to as they share their lives together!
Sam and Chris, wishing you all the best of the best in your adorable and fun future together! I can’t wait for our post-wedding special photoshoot!
Karyn and Nic! One of the most real and stunningly handsome couple I have been able to photograph! I can’t wait to see images and hear stories of the entire day!
Last, but certainly NOT least Alex and Cody.
I was able to photograph Alex and Cody’s engagement’s and was a bridesmaid/Photographer for the day until Korea came rolling through. I will be able to edit the images, and have a team of photographers shooting their special day for me. I am thrilled for this couple to become man and wife. I have been able to see a ton of the planning before I left for Korea and I am 100% positive when I say this wedding will be spot on. Alex is the planning queen, and knows those details like the back of her hand. I will forever photograph this couple as they travel through their lives together. Capturing all of those special moments.
I am very sad I will be missing this wedding but thought I could do something here in Korea to share with Alex and Cody how much I wish I was there.
Namsan Tower in Seoul, the highest point in the city, there is a wonderful area called Locks Of Love. Where loved ones go to lock up their love for eternity. I created a lock and printed both of your initials so your love is not ONLY in Canada, it’s world wide. Forever.
I wish you both so much happiness! I can’t wait to hear and see it all! I have the keys to this lock that you both will get once I am home.
Love you and Miss you !
All the best to all the brides and groom this wedding season! You will all be stunning!
Love,
Gillian
This past weekend was Buddah’s Birthday! A wonderful holiday I will continue to celebrate even back home.
This weekend we decided to head South to Namhae. Namhae is a beautiful area in Korea filled with many islands and a whole lot more garlic! That’s right! Namhae holds the largest crops of Garlic in Asia! over 80% of the farming of garlic is done right where we travelled this weekend! What a trip!
We started off Friday evening on a bus ride (too long to count) to wake up to a beautiful ferry ride to an island in Namhae that was breath taking.
We set off around 7:00am, best way to start the day.
Jenn and I took this ferry while Erin and Wassim did the hike up the crazy mountain!
The islands we stopped by were definitely some of the gems of Korea.
Jenn mentioned these little islands reminded her of Thailand, beauts.
This was the island we got off at, and hiked to the top for the best views. Somaemuldo Island.
Basking in the Canadian like air!
Working our way to the top.
Tea shop on the island.
Dried Seaweed shop. Baking in the sunshine.
I wish you were all here.
Go do.
Professional sweaters.
Then we made it here…
Worth it.
Floating islands.
Best ferry on our way vack to head toward our pension.
Finally met back up with Wassim and Erin at the pension!
The local beach. The picture looks better, but it was still sand and water!
Korea loooooves their seaweed!
Dinner at the pension. Veggie meals were not thought out to well, but neither was the organization of this trip! Hey at least we got some DILL’S!
The next day we made our way to the Garlic Festival! Next to Ribfest in Burlington, this Fest sure draws a crowd!
Garlic Water!
We managed to catch a great presentation by the Garlic Research Institute of Namhae as well! (For real!) It was quite interesting, A new fond love for garlic is here! Heck we even had the Mayor of Namhae out to chat with us!
MMMMmmm!
Black garlic drink.
I like turtles. made of garlic.
Unicorn garlic cloves.
Garlic tea.
I did drink it too! Photo cred. Miss. Erin C.
Jenn and the Garlic loving bear!
Wassim’s new budd.
The garlic dudes.
Then the picking began! Best part of the trip!
Eating it raw!
Profesh.
My little garlic farmers!
Garlic time.
A great weekend filled with fun, and some confused fun! I am happy I was able to spend it with some unreal people from all ends of the world. When In Koreaaaaa.
Hope everyone back home is enjoying the summer sun!
Love you,
Miss you,
Gillian
This week we headed to a park to take a hike and learn about all things trees and bugs!
The kids loved it! I loved being OUTSIDE IN THIS WEATHER! THANK YOU SUMMER!
Jerry, we’d all be his friend.
Workin’ hard.
So nice to get back outside, see the trees in the daylight, on a weekday. A simple pleasure.
I wish this was every Friday.
Heart, full of love.
Best kid ever.
It was also Teacher’s Day this week! What a GREAT day! Almost every student brought the sweetest little gifts! I have enough hand lotion and hair clips to last me years after I leave Korea!
This is Dean, he came in with his Boy Scout outfit on last month and I awarded him the Canadian Flag pin Julia sent me! It was the best moment I have had with a student. He was beyond excited. This month, he wears his pin proudly. Win.
Erin and I headed to Folk Village this weekend, to get some more Korean in our blood. We sure did!
Kimchi Kimchi Kimchi
Clay Family.
Sweet Potato.
Korean Parade.
Tourist.
No smiles 2012. Tourist.
I would like to sit in here for a few hours. So peaceful.
This man, so badass. So content selling pipes.
The best Korean/American/Canadian.
The roofs I am now used to seeing. How we take for granted the most beautiful things.
Hambok.
Workin’ it.
I love this, I think because it reminds me of my brother.
Beautiful. In every sense of the word.
Korea.
A girl who has made Korea all the fun. A woman who has made me realize things about myself, I didn’t even know existed. A lady who will be leaving Korea sooner than we thought, due to her school closing. I will be soaking up some more of Asia without my right hand gal pal. All things are meant to be. We will live up this month of June like we have and enjoy every single second. See you in Toronto/NYC girrrrl!
Life’s a party!
Talk soon! Love and miss you!
Gill!
This week I had so much fun with the 4 year olds class. Only two of them, but they are finally able to talk to me more and more! Such a win! They love my rings and glasses.
I have been missing plenty of great things from home but one thing I miss almost the most is my bike.
Erin and I headed to the Han River to rent bikes! One of the best things we’ve done here! It’s so cheap and the prettiest! I am so lucky to have days like this.
We then went to find a tattoo shop in Seoul, WHAT an experience. Finding Donkey’s outside just walking around. Strangest in Seoul I have seen.
Weather is getting so much nicer! WAHOO SUMMER!
Last but certainly not least, a huge Happy Mother’s day to all of “The Best Mom’s in the World” out there!
Love you mom, miss you, thank you for always being there, even on Skype! See you so so soon.
Love and miss you all!
Gillian
Today a Fabulous Wedding blogger in the UK, Whimsical Wonderland Weddings, blogged one of my couple’s engagement photoshoot! I am so thrilled about getting onto her website because, 1. it’s fantastic! and 2. I am extra extra excited about Karyn and Nic’s wedding now!!
So much love!
Check out the blog, HERE!
Love, Gill!
It has been a blur of almost THREE WEEKS since I have posted! I am ashamed to say I just really got too busy and my little eyes just couldn’t take my screen any longer! Anyway! I have a ton of images for you!
I had some lovely ladies head in from Canada who I enjoyed having in town! Seeing those faces made for some great moods at work! I hope they enjoyed the time here filling it with all that we could!
Meghan Teacher and Amy Teacher!
The best.
The weekend we were able to see much more!
Namsan Tower!
Locks of LOVE!
We headed out to Insadong on Sunday for a day of art and shopping!
Palace.
We went to my favorite temple in Insadong, there was a beautiful service going on. I love insadong.
While in Insadong a street festival. Don’t know who this is unfortunately.
Amy, Meghan and I got to write our names in characters, this man was before us, such a professional!
So much ice cream! Meyongdong.
Headed to the Cat Cafe, with Garfield.
Strange date situation.
Saturday night we headed to Ellui! The biggest club in Asia, it lives up to it’s slogan! Well played Ellui. Also some other great friends Nak and this friend Tak joined us too! LOVE THIS CLUB. COME TO TORONTO!
The DJ’s were perfect that night!
Friday morning the ladies headed for Busan while Erin and I were leaving Saturday morning to meet them.
We chose the bus to Busan. Word of advice, don’t take the bus to Busan. As much fun as it was, 7 hours in transit is way too long.
Partyin’ with the buses.
Dancing bunny? Stud.
Back to Pobi Guest House! Same room as months before! I LOVE BUSAN!
THE Scream.
MY FAV!
Thursday Party? pt. 1!
Korean Beeeeer. MMMMM???
Still don’t know what the sticks were, but they were everywhere!
Beer Pong hadn’t even started yet!
Winning. Namaste.
Amy trying to take the glass, the woman just came out and give her a plastic cup.
Best cab ride in Korea.
Fire crackers on da beach!
HITE!
Nori-Bong!
Huge Photo credit to Erin for taking a bunch of these images too!
A great night in Busan! I LOVE BUSAN.
Beachin’
The long trip home.
Huge thank you to Amy and Meghan for coming to Korea!
Hope all is well back home and I still miss you all like crazy!
Love you!
Gill
Today marks the day I officially became published in Asia! I worked with a wonderful writer and put together a cute article about Cafe’s in Seoul! I can’t wait to get a copy! Just oh so exciting!
Here is the website for the newspaper, it is called The South China Morning Post!
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/
I will blog soon with more more more!
Love you!
Miss you!
Gill
This week we had a trip to a really fun indoor park with the students! It was filled with the strangest of things like a science center of fun. we played outside first because it was literally Summer!
Lily, my fav little poser.
snack time
I took 5 minutes to explain that the bug was fake. Terrified!
So much emotion!
Sisters!
Not stoked on being a Korean cop.
Cutest little fireman out there!
This is June! He is actually the happiest and funniest little guy, but she always seems to have this face on when I take pictures of him. I promise he’s a gem.
Take 1
The new students…and Erica. She has a bit of a temper.
Take 2
I have never spent so much time with 4, 5, 6, and 7 year olds in my life!
With Spring here so are the Cherry Blossoms, and they are definitely living up to their reputation! I have never seen so many beautiful trees perfected planted and growing with flowers! EVERYWHERE! It’s the best to wake up to. I will now have to move to High Park in Toronto because of the obsession I have collected withcherry blossom trees.
Also along with the beautiful spring days comes the rain. Korea has a rainy season in I think July and a bit of August, HOWEVER this month is April. Yesterday I literally had to crouch while walking with my umbrella because the rain and wind were so strong. WHAT’S WITH THE RAIN KOREA?! Can’t wait until it stops.
I miss you all! and am SO excited for Amy and Meghan to get here!!!! Too much fun to come!!!!!!!
Love you!
Gill!
This week was a speedy one only because Erin and I had a Saturday morning photoshoot! Erin was my “bride” ONLY because 1. she’s a beaut. and 2. The number of times communication errors have occurred here in Korea for photoshoots are just crazy town!
I made some new handouts…
Here are some of my fave shots from this Bridal Boudoir shoot, a more of a fun shoot. The things my friends do. I have to admit Erin earns some serious points for pretending to be a bride for the day :) Thanks girl! I am so so so excited about photographing brides once I get home, this just sealed the deal! :)
I have been missing home and family like crazy lately which is tough… HOWEVER I have two beautiful ladies coming to visit in LESS than 2 weeks! I cannot even express the amount of happiness and excitement this brings me! Amy and Meghan, I can’t wait! :)
That’s all for this week, I will leave you with an image of Lily. My littest new gem.
Love you!
Miss you!
Gill!
