#16Days2014 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women & Children

Source: What Every Girl Needs to Know After Rape or Sexual Abuse

November 25th marked the start of 16 days of Activism for No violence Against Women & Children in South Africa.

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children is an international awareness-raising campaign that takes place every year from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day). The period includes Universal Children’s Day and World AIDS Day. South African Government

I am posting this today with the single aim of raising awareness for something that is on my heart. Human trafficking is another evil form of violence against women and children and something that we often feel we are completely unequipped to help do anything about. One thing that each of us is able to do is to raise awareness.

You can use Facebook to share this post, you can share inspiring images of women who have overcome violence on Pinterest. You can show those around you that you care enough to interrupt your Facebook feed of images of yourself and friends and show the world things that may be uncomfortable to see but that are happening around us all the time. The first step in making a difference is simply to be aware and make others aware of what is going on around us.

Source: Neha Rawat Battish / Via Facebook: shilosuleman

This year’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign (16 Days campaign) is important because it commemoratse a number of milestones. The year 2014 marks 60 years since the signing of the Women’s Charter on 17 April 1954 in Johannesburg; 20 years of freedom and democracy in South Africa and 16 years of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign. South African Government

Source: Abhishek Choudhury / Via Facebook: shilosuleman

South Africa adopted the campaign in 1998 as one of the intervention strategies towards creating a society free of violence. The campaign continues to raise  awareness amongst South Africans about the negative impact of violence against women and children (VAW&C) on all members of the community. South African Government

Source: RedDot.de

What is violence against women and children?

Violence takes many forms, for example:

• Physical violence in the form of domestic violence, terrible violent crime such as murder, robbery, rape and assault.

• Emotional violence and trauma at many levels caused by many factors. Women and children in their homes, at work, at schools, on our streets, in our communities suffer this form of violence for various reasons.

• Another terrible blight of our democracy is the violence of poverty, starvation, humiliation and degradation, especially against women and children. Poverty, inequality and unemployment are conditions under which violence thrives. South African Government

 Here are a few ways that the South African government have outlined as ways to help during these days of Activism.

*Please note the numbers listed below are for South Africa.

What can you do?

• Support the campaign by wearing a white ribbon during the 16-day period: A white ribbon is a symbol of peace and symbolises the commitment of the wearer to never commit or condone violence against women and children.
• Participate in the various 16 Days of Activism events and activities: See the calendar outlining events taking place around the country over the period of the 16 days.
• Volunteer in support of NGOs and community groups who support abused women and children: Many organisations need assistance from the public. You can volunteer your time and make a contribution to the work of institutions. Help plant a garden at a shelter, sponsor plastic tables and chairs for kids at a clinic or join an organisation as a counsellor. Use your skills and knowledge to help the victims of abuse.
• Speak out against woman and child abuse.
  • Encourage silent female victims to talk about abuse and ensure that they get help.
  • Report child abuse to the police.
  • Encourage children to report bully behaviour to school authorities.
  • Men and boys are encouraged to talk about abuse and actively discourage abusive behaviour.
  • Seek help if you are emotionally, physically or sexually abusive to your partner and/or children. Call the Stop Gender Based Violence helpline (0800 150 150).
  • Talk to friends, relatives and colleagues to take a stand against abuse of women and children.
  • Try and understand how your own attitudes and actions might perpetuate sexism and violence.
  • Spread the message on social media using #16Days2014
• Join community policing forums (CPFs): The community and the local police stations are active partners in ensuring local safety and security. The goal is to bring about effective crime prevention by launching intelligence-driven crime-prevention projects in partnership with the local community.You may want to also become a  reservist, a member of the community who volunteers his/her services and time to support local policing efforts to fight crime. For  more information on how to join, contact your local police station. South African Government

Below I want to share the story of Leslie Morgan Steiner. Leslie was in “crazy love” — that is, madly in love with a man who routinely abused her and threatened her life. Steiner tells the dark story of her relationship, correcting misconceptions many people hold about victims of domestic violence, and explaining how we can all help break the silence. 

Where to get help

• What if you are abused [PDF]
• Service contacts [PDF]
  • SAPS Crime Stop
    08600 10111
  • Gender-Based Violence Command Centre
    0800 428428/0800 GBV GBV
  • STOP Gender Violence Helpline
    0800 150 150/ *120*7867# from any cell phone
  • Childline- Report child abuse
    0800 055 555
  • Elderly people helpline
    0800 003 081
  • Family and Marriage Society of South Africa – Advice on family relationships
    011 975 7107
  • Thuthuzela Care Centres-
    012 8456136
  • Suicide Crisis Line
    0800 567 567
  • Alcoholics Anonymous SA
    0861 435 722 Substance Abuse Helpline 0800 121 314
  • Narcotics Anonymous SA
    0839 00 69 62
  • Mental Health Information Line
    0800 567 567
  • AIDS Helpline
    0800 012 322 / 011 725 6710
  • National Anti-Corruption Hotline
    0800 701 701
  • Disaster Operations Centre
    080 911 4357
  • Crisis Line
    0861 574747
  • National Crisis Line- Counselling Service
    086 132 2322
  • Human Trafficking
    08000 737 283 (08000 rescue) / 082 455 3664
  • SASSA- Grants enquiries
    0800 60 10 11 or CPS 0800 60 01 60
  • SA National Council for Child Welfare
    011 339 5741
  • Legal Aid
    0800 1110 110
  • Presidential hotline - Unresolved service delivery complaints
    17737 (1 PRES)
  • National Anti-corruption Forum
    0800 701 701
  • Cancer Association of South Africa
    0800 22 66 22

South African Government

Shadow our Black & Tan Korean Jindo rescue pup

We've had little Shadow for 2 months now, and boy have our lives changed. The first 2 weeks of having him were an absolute nightmare. We really had no intentions of having a pet while living here in Korea, not just because of the logistics of keeping a pet in an apartment, but also because of the costs associated with bringing them back home to South Africa. But once we started getting into more of a routine, around the 3 week mark, and of course once we decided that we could keep him, he has brought us so much joy.

You can read the full story of how Shadow came into our lives by clicking here, but to sum things up, we found him wondering a dark road late at night. He wasn't in bad shape when we took him in, he was obviously owned by someone, whom we later found out had to get rid of his dogs to go to the military. There's pretty much only one place an unwanted pup ends up here in Korea, and that's in the soup pot. Dog meat is an age old tradition here in Korea, especially in the more rural areas like where we live. It's too easy to judge people for their cultural differences, and so have just learnt to accept that eating dog is a part of the older traditional culture here in Korea. We may not agree with it, but that's not to say that the Koreans are wrong in their ways.

Anyway, here are some of photographs our little pup. In the first few we had just got him and he was about 2 or 3 months old. The last few photographs are of him from the past few weekend, he is about 5 months old now and growing by the second. I have been taking weekly photographs of him which I will share here on the blog in the next few months. It's been such fun watching his little legs grow and his ears get bigger and bigger and floppier and floppier.

Owning a puppy or dog here in Korea isn't easy. But it can be done with proper training and a lot of patience. I'll also be sharing a few more puppy related posts in the next few weeks for anyone thinking about getting a dog. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy these pictures.

x

Innisfree Cream Mellow Lipstick #8

I want to introduce you all to my very first, proper grown up person lipstick. It's a beautiful red from Innisfree, with slightly orange/blue base notes and is part of their CreamMellow range of lipsticks. Don't let the sound of blue or orange scare you off, or the bright hue of the lipstick itself when you see it. This shade is surprisingly adaptable and looked as good on my olive skin as it did on my friend who has fair, pink undertones to her skin. This shade (#8) just works. It seems to effortlessly adjust to the natural colour of your lips and just looks gorgeous and sexy.  

The texture is creamy, and stays creamy throughout it's wear due to it's gel like hydrating formula. As this lipstick is more moisturizing, it isn't as long lasting as some of Innisfree's other lipsticks (I got about 2 hours worth of wear out of it). Even though the wear isn't it's strong point, you aren't left with any flaky bits of lipstick once it does start wearing off as usually happens with the longer wearing formulas. So the fact that it doesn't last forever on my lips doesn't count against this product for me at all.

Here is a super cheesy Instagram pic of me with my red lips:

I have never been brave enough to attempt red lips before, and finding just the right shade of red can be daunting. But after putting all fears aside and forcing myself to try this shade, I am now an avid red-lip-wearer. 

As with all Innisfree's products, the packaging is pretty in it's simplicity. It comes in a cream twist up tube with the colour of the lipstick itself on the bottom. This makes things really nice and easy in your bag or makeup drawer. No more wasting time opening and closing tubes to find the one you're looking for. It's the small things in life.

You can find yours at your local Innisfree store for W12 000 or online at W2Beauty where  you can get a $5 voucher for your first order  by signing up through my link http://w2beauty.com/?s=277629511 and entering code 277629511 at registration. With my discount code (277629511) you'll only pay $11.50 with free world wide shipping!

Suncheon Bay Ecological Park

Suncheon Bay is most famous for it's huge expanse of reeds which grow so tall that one can get lost walking through them. The reeds are incredibly beautiful to watch swaying in the breeze. Suncheon Bay is widely known for attracting a large number of rare birds  such as the hooded crane, white-naped crane, white stork, black-faced spoonbill, and the Eurasian Oystercatcher, as well as other birds designated as natural Korean treasures. 

We didn't explore much of actual Suncheon, but rather headed straight for the Eco Park. There is lots to do there, from wandering around and enjoying the views to grabbing a coffee to enjoy on your walk through the reeds.

This time of year (Autumn) is particularly beautiful at the Eco Park as all the trees are slowly loosing their leaves, dropping red and yellow leaves all around. The light is also spectacular

Directions

Suncheon bay is at the very bottom of Korea and is easy enough to get to – take any bus heading for Suncheon. Once you get to the main bus terminal, cross the road and head left. Once you get to the end of the street turn right.You need to take the 67 Bus (a 20 minute ride to Suncheon Bay). 

New 2015 Calendars in Stock in my Stationery Store

I have some gorgeous new 2015 calendars in stock in my stationery store as of this morning. There are two desk standing calendars and one wall hanging calendar. All of them are unique and beautifully illustrated to help you get your planning for the new year done in style.

DIY How to make Fig Jam

Even though this jam is not banting friendly (if you haven't heard of the Banting diet make sure to read this post) but because it's fig season here in Korea, one has to improvise. Storm and I decided not to experiment with Xylitol just yet and made it with good old fashioned sugar. This recipe is incredibly easy to follow and will have your home smelling festive in no time at all. And of course, the jam itself tastes heavenly too.

What you need

Saucepan

Figs (we had about 8 figs)

1/4 cup brown sugar (adjust for the amount of figs...more sugar for more figs)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

a small piece of ginger, finely chopped

Directions

Quarter your figs. Add the figs to a pan and simmer on low heat while adding the sugar and ginger. Keep stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. You can use a hand held blender to puree your jam, but it's not really necessary. 

When the sugar has completely dissolved add the cinnamon. Keep stirring on a low heat, making sure not to let the mixture burn.

Once everything has dissolved remove from the heat and allow to cool. 

Place in sterilised glass jars. There is an actual method to sterilizing glass jars properly, but we were on a tight schedule and so just soaked the jars in boiling water before use.

Best kept in the fridge and served with cheese!

You can store your jam in these cute gold animal glass jars (DIY coming to the blog soon) or in any glass jar you may have at home.

Innisfree Eco Beauty Tool Brush Cleaner

When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? I used to be terrible at cleaning my brushes (which is actually shocking considering what your brushes go through, the dirt the attract and the fact that we use them to apply makeup onto our most delicate area, our face. Ideally you should deep clean your brushes once a week (click here for a post on how to do just that) and then do a quick clean after every use.

But let's be honest, most of us don't even have the time to properly apply our makeup in the morning, never mind spend the time needed to clean each brush after use. That's where this little tool from Innisfree comes in. It's a spray cleaner. Simply pump a few sprays onto a tissue and your brushes, dab your brushes onto the tissue in a swiping motion and voila...Clean brushes!

Cleaning your brushes like this can in no way offer you a full cleanse like the deep cleaning can, but it's far better than doing nothing and will at least clean off most of the germs and bacteria that can cause breakouts and other nasties on your skin. 

This has been a welcome addition to my dresser. It has a wonderful, light and clean fragrance that leaves your brushes feeling soft and smelling nice for the first use after cleaning.

You can find yours at your local Innsifree store for W6 000. 

Rachel & Jonny Engagement....Jeonju Hanok Village, South Korea

A few weekends ago my stylist friend Storm and I met up with Jonathan and Rachel for their engagement photo shoot. Rachel & Jonathan are a Canadian couple working in Jeonju, who are finishing up their time teaching here in Korea before heading back to Canada to get married in June next year.

I had such a wonderful time capturing these two. The love and friendship between them was evident from the moment I met them, I simply had to press the button and capture it.

To Rachel & Jonny, I wish you all the very best with the next few months of planning. You're wedding day is without a doubt, going to be one filled with laughter and love. Thank you for picking me as your photographer.

We shot these photographs at the Hanok Village in Jeonju. The shoot was scheduled for the same day as the famous Jeonju Bibimbap festival and we were expecting hoards of people. However we were pleasantly surprised to find lots of unexpected photo opportunities down side streets and back alleys. The soft Autumn light was dreamy and a wonder to work with. 

For any photographers who may be interested, these photographs were all shot on my Nikon d700 and 50mm 1.4 prime lens.

Enjoy!

x

Autumn Colours in Korea, Seonununsa Park

Autumn is about to leave us here in Korea, making way for icy winds,  frozen fingers & toes and of course the snow. It all seems to be over very quickly and I feel like I didn't really get a proper chance to enjoy the colours and sights of one of the most popular seasons here in Korea.

I did manage to get to Seonunsan Park one afternoon to photographs the changing leaves. Aren't the colours beautiful?

Last year we headed up Naejangsan (just outside of Jeongeup) with what seemed like the whole of Korea. Naejangsan is one of the most popular places to see the changing leaves and so this year I made sure to avoid the crowds and find a place that was still beautiful, but one that I could photograph without having to strategically block out millions of bodies. Seoununsan is just outside of Gochang and relatively easy to get to. See below for directions.

There is also a temple there, but I was more interested in seeing the leaves. For the temple there is an admission fee to pay before entering (see information below).

Directions:

250, Seonunsa-ro, Asan-myeon, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do 
전북 고창군 아산면

From Gochang Intercity Bus Terminal, take a direct bus or a local bus to Seonunsa Temple (선운사).
Direct Bus: runs 8 times a day / Local Bus: runs 24 times a day

From Gwangju U-Square Bus Terminal, take a direct bus to Seonunsa Temple.
(runs 4 times a day)

Admission fee to see the temple:

Adults (ages 19-64): 3,000 won / Group: 2,500 won

Youths (ages 13-18): 2,000 won / Group: 1,500 won

Children (ages 7-12): 1,000 won / Group: 800 won

#DIYDaysInKorea {third meet-up}

Last weekend I organised the third #DIYDaysInKorea get together for crafty ladies here in South Korea. 

It was such a nice opportunity to spend time together, without spending a whole lot of money but while still having fun.  There was good food, homemade Gluwein, laughs and a whole lot of DIYing (not too much from my end, I like to think my DIY part comes in taking the photographs!).

We even have a Pinterest board for us to share ideas and inspire one another, we're cool like that. If you're here in Korea and you'd like to join in the next time we get together (sometime in February next year) join our Facebook group (click here), we'd love to have you!

Buan, South Korea

Farmboy and I live in a very small town here in Korea called Buan. It's not much, but it has become our home and we are happier here than we were when we lived in Korea's third largest city, Daejeon.

Winter is just about here, and before it got really cold I managed to get these photographs of the drive into town. Just to give you an idea of what 'rural' Korea looks like.

Some exciting new beauty products from Klairs South Korea

I am always keeping an eye on the Wishtrend site for their new arrivals, and this month those arrivals are from Klairs, one of Wishtrends most popular Korean beauty brands. If you want to find out more about Wishtrend and and how to get free international shipping on great South Korean skincare brands then click here!

I recently reviewed one of Klairs most popular products, their Illuminating BB cream. Click here to read more about that. I really love the Klairs BB cream, and am really looking forward to trying the following new products from this great South Korean skincare brand.

1. KLAIRS Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil $22.90

Containing the best combination of black oils for your skin; Black Currant Seed Oil, Black Soy Bean Oil and Black Bean Oil. This gentle cleansing oil removes makeup in 1 swipe, leaving skin moisturized, calmed, soothed and clean.

2. KLAIRS Gentle Black Sugar Charcoal Soap

Hand Crafted for your comfort, this facial bar soap contains only the best ingredients; 
Black sugar, charcoal and volcanic ash. These natural elements help treat and care for your pores while still providing your skin with a deep, yet gentle clean.

Do any of these products sound like something you'd like to try? Let me know in the comments section below!

Also, you can find these products and lots more on the WishTrend site. If you use this code at check out  >>>052313605 you'll get $5 off your first order too.

Happy Shopping!

Disclosure: Financial compensation was not received for this post. Opinions expressed here are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission should you make a purchase using one of the links.

Banting Broccoli Burgers #BantingInKorea

These broccoli burgers are one of my absolute favourite meals to make for dinner .  They are quick and easy to make, filling, delicious and packed full of goodness for your body. These burgers are the second Banting recipe I've posted here on the blog (click here to read more about the Banting diet & lifestyle plan) and as with all Banting recipes are Low Carb High Fat. Click here to see the other #BantingInKorea recipes I've posted here on the blog.

Some people wouldn't go so far as to call them burgers, as technically there's no bun or toppings, but trust me when I say you won't need to have anything to accompany these (except for your favourite sauce). Both Farmboy and I are completely stuffed every time I make them and there are always a few left over for lunch the next day.

If you do try these let me know what you think of them in the comments below!

Ingredients

2 heads of broccoli (pulsed until fine in a blender or food processor)

1 pack of bacon

1 onion

2 or 3 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like garlic)

ginger (optional...I used a small thumb sized amount)

tablespoon coconut oil (optional, depending on whether you like to cook in bacon fat or not)

1/2 cup almond/coconut flour (we have tried both and they work equally as well, the almond flour makes the patties a little more dense)

2 eggs

salt & pepper

1/3 cup grated cheese

makes 12 patties

Directions

Heat your oven to 180C. Fry your bacon. Then finely chop the onions and garlic and fry them in your bacon fat (or coconut oil) until brown. Leave to cool.

In a large bowl combine the rest of the dry ingredients (broccoli, almond/coconut flour, cheese, salt and pepper). Add the garlic and onion mixture and finally add the eggs. 

Oil a baking tray (with coconut oil) and spoon balls of the mixture onto the tray. I used foil in the pictures below but it was an absolute nightmare removing the foil from the burgers.  Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes, keep checking on them to make sure they don't burn.

Remove when they are slightly golden on top.

Serve with your choice of sauce (or even salad) and enjoy!

Halloween Lesson Ideas for young ESL students

We don't do much to celebrate Halloween in South Africa, and it seems it's the same here in South Korea. Many of my students haven't ever heard the word Halloween before, so it seemed like a good a time as any to have some fun with ghosts and jack o' lanterns, witches and black cats. I currently teach middle school students, but have also taught younger levels and these activities have worked for all levels.

We spent a good couple of lessons going over Autumn/Fall vocabulary with these great songs (each one is linked below) and then the activities we did are pictured and explained below too:

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Scarecrow Project:

You Need: 

-glue

-scissors

-pencil

-coloured paper

-white paper to stick your scarecrow onto

The Scarecrow Song (great for teaching parts of the body)

The Shapes Song (a great song for calming down students if the lessons starts to get too out of hand, the kids really do love this song and I have been playing it for over a year intermittently)

We made scarecrows out of shapes for this activity.  I started off having the students draw the shapes I would call out. I called out the shapes that could make up a scarecrow but didn't tell them where to draw the shapes. For example '1 big square....2 small circles...1 big triangle). It was fun to see what sort of creatures the students made with their shapes. At the end of this activity I showed them that I had used those shapes to create a scarecrow. This then sets the theme for the lesson and helps for the students to grasp the next activity. They loved looking at each others weird and wonderful creations.

I then gave each student a stack of coloured paper, glue and scissors and called out each shape and colour that I wanted them to cut out. I made sure each student was keeping up and not falling behind as the sequence is quite important. Here is what the students ended up with:

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Halloween Masks

You need:

-mask printables (downloaded from MrPrintables click here)

-thick card

-straws (I used string the last time but the masks were too flimsy and kept tearing apart so this time we made hand held masks)

-tape

-craft knife (to cut out the eyes)

-coloured pens and pencils

Trick or Treat Song (can be a little too scary for younger students so make sure to play it with the lights on first)

Spooky Spooky (this is a firm favourite with all my students, even my middle school girls!)

The halloween masks activity was super simple to do. I introduced the above Halloween songs, we practised the vocabulary by having the students some up to the board and draw what they saw in the song. Then I showed them an example of the mask from the MrPrintables site and bombs away. Use a craft knife to cut out the eye holes, tape the straw to the back of the mask an let havoc ensue!

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Halloween Cookies

For our last Halloween lesson I got some chocolate decorating pens from CNA (one of the local stationery stores here in Korea), a bunch of different biscuits and cookies, and then let the kids go crazy decorating. Some of them were so creative that I was blown away. My favourite is the last cookie...my youngest student made do with the cookie given to her...

Monster Cupcake in Itaewon, Seoul

If you happen to be anywhere near Seoul tomorrow, why not pop into Monster cupcake to get yourself a spooky Halloween treat.

Their red velvet cupcakes are literally the best red-velvet I have ever had. It tops the ones I've eaten in South Africa, as well as any other I have tried here in Korea. It has just the right combination of sweet and tangy, and the actual cupcake is light and fluffy. It was devoured in seconds. Yum!

Directions

Finding this place was a little difficult, as it's on the other end of Itaewon (walking away from Itaewon central towards the McDonalds, you carry on past the Noksapyeong Subway station and turn right just after the pancake cafe. It's quite a walk from Itaewon (about 15 minutes).  

The easiest way to get there is to take the Seoul Metro Subway (brown line #6) to Noksapyeong station, and take Exit 2.  From that exit you will have to cross the street and walk for a few minutes and you'll find the cafe on your left. 

Monster Cupcake 몬스터컵케이크

Hours: 9am-11pm

02-790-1108

서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 305-7

3 Ingredient Carb-Free Banting Pancakes #BantingInKorea

I have been on the Banting diet (along with the rest of South Africa it seems!) for the past 5 weeks and nothing I have ever done, exercise or diet wise, has done for my body what this eating plan has done for me. I can't believe how my body has changed and responded to it. BUT as with any eating plan, it may not be right for you so please don't feel like this is the only way to loose a little bot of jiggle around your middle. Also I would like to note that I have been exercising very little so far, and my now confirmed 4kg loss has been all due to this eating plan and not from going crazy at the gym. If you want to find out more about  Banting, click here to read an interview I did with The Banting Blondes.

3 Ingredient Pancakes (especially for the Banting Diet)

Here is one of my favourite Banting breakfasts. It's super quick and easy and tastes heavenly (even better than the 'real' flour filled pancakes). Today Farmboy changed things up and added a flaxseeds to our mixture which helped them hold together better, as they tend to be quite fragile in the pan. But that's up to you.

Also, cream cheese is quite expensive not only here in Korea but all over the world. But once you try these you won't want to eat anything else.

Ingredients

Makes 4 medium sized pancakes

-1/2 tub of standard cream cheese

-3 eggs

-dash of cinnamon

optional: teaspoon of Xylitol sweetner (I found mine online through iHerb...$11 for 450g)

Directions

Simply mix all your ingredient together in a blender (or by hand if you have the muscle power). One everything is well mixed, grease up a pan with coconut oil and start cooking!

I find my mixture can be very hard to work with as it is very fragile in the pan. Make sure to use lots of coconut oil (I ordered mine off iHerb) to make your life easier when it comes to flipping your pancakes.

Top with a sprinkle of cocoa powder if you need something chocolatey, or with a teeny bit of honey (remember your honey allowance for the day is only 1 teaspoon).

Shadow & Nami {Puppies in Korea}

Today my four month old Jindo puppy Shadow, had his first play date with another pup.

Nami is an 8 month old Golden Retriever who lives with his humans (Tom & Mairead) in a town nearby called Namwon. Nami was also a rescue pup like Shadow, found on the streets of Korea. Unfortunately there are too many unwanted dogs littering the streets here, but his and Shadow's stories are happy ones.

Poor Nami was absolutely terrorized by Shadow, who is a little bundle of energy with razor sharp teeth. But they had a ball nonetheless, and even kept still long enough for me to take a few photographs. Here are a few snaps from this afternoon in the golden Autumn sunlight in Jeongeup Park.

Life After The Dress {Episode 16} Megan Wait

In this series I interview married women of all ages and from all walks of life and ask them real questions about their lives now, after all the glitter and sparkle of their wedding day is over. If you'd like to read more about the series and meet the other ladies I have interviewed, click here.

Today's interview is with Megan, who blogs over at The Sun House:

Megan is a newlywed like me and has a lovely blog where she writes about her and her husbands adventures with their pups. So grab a cup of tea or coffee and get ready to be inspired.

x

Q1: Please introduce yourself (age, of both yourself and your husband, where do you live, what do you do & how long have you been married for?)

Hi there, my name is Megan, and besides being an editor by day, I am also a blogger at The Sun House. I live in a house on Sun street, with my husband of just over a year (12 October for the win). His name is Flip. Our garden needs a bit of tending. We also have three dogs.

Flip is three years my senior, an old man of 29 ;) He owns his own logistics company. 

Q2: Which Disney character do you feel sums you up to a ‘T’?

Oh, uhm, I think the girl from Tangled might be my best bet. She is feisty, cooky, has an insatiable desire for adventure, even though she gets more than she has bargained for, but in the end, she is still a girl, and vulnerable at that. I like that she isn’t your typical, helpless Princess. She’s free-spirited and independent. Or Merida from Brave. Oh wait, I just saw that it doesn’t have to be a princess. I’m definitely Gus Gus from Cinderella. Haha. I love food. And used to love fine wine. 

Q3: How did you and your hubby meet?

We met through mutual friends at a braai. He fancied the crap out of me and I was entirely oblivious, because I fancied someone else. But then one day, he sent me a Facebook message: “I think you are hot and awesome, this is all for now.”I didn’t even reply. I was a bit flabbergasted.Three weeks later, I got another message: “Would you go on a date with me?” We saw each other a couple of times in between and this didn’t come up once. It was really so funny. He suggested a movie, I said no. Then he suggested dinner and he took me to a sushi restaurant. I never had sushi prior to this – now I’m hooked. 

I officially fell for him when one evening I told he could not come over because I was colouring my hair and when I got to my room, the whole bed was spread in white and red roses. My roommate sneaked it in. He officially fell for me when I stuck a fork in his leg. 

Q4: Was your wedding everything you hoped it would be? Would you go back and change anything? Do you have any advice for brides-to-be?

Our wedding was the most humbling event of my life. As soon as I put on my dress, I became a nervous wreck. I was in pieces, but I refused to take any calming stuff, because I wanted to live and feel every part of our day. I loved every minute of it. Our wedding was also very intimate, with only 60 guests. This, to me, made it all the more personal.

If I could change anything, it would probably be the fact that I walked down the aisle very fast, which I didn’t even realise. I was also so nervous that I couldn’t keep looking at Flip as I was walking down. I would want that moment over.

My advice to brides-to-be would be that if your mother wants to be part of your wedding day, let her. It’s just as an important day to her as it is to you. My mother practically took over all the décor planning and I couldn’t be happier about it. It relieved me of so much stress to know that she was there and that she helped me in every way she could.

Q5: Has ‘life after the dress’ been as you imagined it would be? 

Yes, it is. There were some serious changes in the dynamics of our relationship. But one thing I can say is that everyone’s telling the truth when they say that being married is the best thing ever. 

Q6: What have you learnt about yourself since being married?

Surprisingly, I learnt that I am an uncompromising brat. Under Construction

Q7: If you could describe your marriage in 3 words, what would they be?

Wow, this is really difficult. I would describe it as ‘perfectly us’.

Q8: Do you have any pearls of wisdom you would like to share with my readers about being married? Perhaps something some wise person once told you, or something you’ve learnt the hard way?

The best thing in life is to love and be loved in return. But sometimes it will be hard work and other times it will be smooth sailing. If you have a fight, listen first, understand, respect your spouse’s feelings and talk it out.This might sound like a newlywed speaking here, but find something about your spouse that will make you fall in love with them every day.

You can find Meg at the following places:

• Blog: TheSunHouse
• Instagram: @waitingformeg
• Twitter: @waitingformeg
• Facebook: TheSunHouse
• Pinterest: waitingformeg

I hope you have been enjoying this series as much as I have enjoyed putting it together.

If you would like to be featured here on the blog, you can drop me an email using the contact form above or leave me a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Introducing the Banting Blondes...What is the Banting Diet and why should you be following it too.

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Photo by Claire Thomson Photography

For the past few months I have been following this seemingly odd diet/eating program called the Banting Diet. The bottom line is high fat, Low carbs.  This way of thinking isn't new, with past diet trends like the Atkins and the Paleo Diet.

I am guilty of the 'eat all the fat' mindset that most people enter into when they first hear about this eating plan. I went cream cheese crazy for the first week, but have since been trying to increase my veggie intake so that I can keep the 4kg's I have lost so far. And I am happy to report that I have had no problems keeping the weight off, even when I slip off track every now and again. 

I am not working out as nearly as hard as I used to (it's  terribly cold and dark here in Korea) but I am amazed at the changes in my body that have come about from this eating plan. I have never been one to diet, and in the past have simply upped my exercise to combat flabbier areas, but the changes I have seen and felt so far in my body have been so dramatic that I am going to be 'Banting' for a long time to come! 

So for those of you who have yet to hear about the latest diet craze to hit South Africa, let me introduce to you two ladies (one of them being my sister) who are taking South Africa by storm. Don't they make Banting look sexy?!

Photo by Claire Thomson Photography

1. Who are the Banting Blondes?

We are! Two girls who have been friends since high school and have always been a massive part of each others lives while still pursuing our individual goals and dreams - together every step of the way! Roxane Hayward is a proudly South African actress, model and singer working in South Africa and London, and Julia Pietersma is a passionate pilates instructor currently working in London - both physically demanding careers where being in shape and healthy is a top priority! This Banting journey of ours started when we both moved to London in May 2014 - inspired by the incredible Tim Noakes book 'Real Meal Revolution' and all the success stories we had heard. We became super creative with our meals and treats in order to make this lifestyle change a bit of an easier transition, and through doing this, created some incredibly delicious recipes that we thought we just HAD to share with other banters out there! Pancakes, Nutella, cinnamon buns, low carb bread, but to name a few. It started as an Instagram page and then grew to a Facebook page with nearly 5000 followers in just over a month! It's growing everyday and we are loving the journey.

2. What exactly is Banting/The Banting diet?

We like to look at Banting as a change in lifestyle rather then a 'diet' - ewww, we hate that word! Banting is known to be a Low Carbohydrate, High Fat eating plan - but we stress wherever we can that it is, in fact, a 'No Sugar, Low Carbohydrate, Moderate Protein, High Fat and SUPER High Vegetable' eating regime. Yip! You heard right! NO sugar. Sounds impossible, but it is not! There are so many delicious meals and treats you can make using healthier, lower carbohydrate substitutes - and that is what we share with you on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Banting also cancels out any processed, synthetic or refined foods from your diet, leaving you healthy and glowing from the inside out!

3. What makes it different from Paleo?

They are actually very similar in theory and both extremely healthy ways of eating. Differences would be that Paleo says absolutely no dairy, whereas Banting you are allowed dairy in moderation. Paleo doesn't limit you on your daily fruit intake, but Banting does. Other differences would be that with Paleo you are still allowed sweeteners such as agave, coconut sap, honey and maple syrup - all sweeteners which are not allowed while Banting (honey in moderation). Reason being, these foods are still relatively high in carbs and therefore going to spike up your sugar levels, causing your pancreas to release insulin - insulin being the fat producing hormone; no thanks! Banting is also safe for diabetics whereas we wouldn't recommend Paleo if your sugar levels are already high.

4. What can I eat? What can’t I eat?

That is quite an extensive question, haha. Simple answer and without going into too much detail would be that you have to avoid anything and everything that is toxic to your body (processed, refined or synthetic) which includes sugar, margarine, artificial sweeteners, soya etc. You'll also have to cut out anything that is high in carbohydrates which includes all grains, legumes, fruit juices and starchy vegetables like potatoes, peanuts and peas. Instead, you would want to fill your plate with food that nourishes your beautiful body. This includes green leafy vegetables and other vegetables grown above the ground. You can also eat 80g of protein with each meal. And lets not forget the fat! Mmmm...nuts, seeds, animal fats, coconut oil, butter and olive oil are all things that will help keep your body, tummy and mind fully and satisfied. Sweet tooth? You are allowed fruit in moderation as well as natural sweeteners such as xylitol, stivia and erythritol. If you want the full list, we recommend going to www.realmealrevolution.com/real-food-lists

5. Why is it good for me?

Where do we begin! Firstly, lets not forget that your body is a machine and in order for it to run smoothly, you need to give it the correct fuel. i.e. don't fill your diesel 4X4 with petrol and wonder why it breaks. Blondes talking cars hey? Yip, we're that cool. But seriously, with Banting you are only filling your body with nutritious basic foods that our bodies were designed to process. You are eating actual FOOD, no more 'food like products' and the benefits that go with doing that are insane! Hold onto your seats cause here is a list of just a FEW of those benefits (if you want to find out the rest, you'll have to start Banting!) - increased energy levels, clear skin, healthy nails and hair, stronger immune system, no carb or sugar cravings, and of course (the one everyone wants to hear about) weight loss!

6. So what you’re saying is I can stuff myself silly with cream cheese and still loose weight?

Haha, well not exactly. That is where a lot of people go wrong with banting. They read 'Low Carb, High Fat' but all they see is 'HIGH FAT! HIGH FAT! HIGH FAT!'. They forget that this eating plan includes tons of vegetables and moderate protein. The fat is permitted and included in order to keep you satisfied and sustained for longer until your next meal. So yes, eat your cream cheese, but have some steamed spinach or broccoli with it. Don't overeat, don't snack, only eat when hungry and focus on the nutrition that is going into your body.

7. And eggs? I see that you're allowed to eat as many as you like. Wouldn't that increase my cholesterol?

This is actually a really interesting question, which calls for a super interesting answer. Time to put our brunette wigs on... haha. Firstly, cholesterol isn't all bad. Our bodies naturally produce it, because without cholesterol, we would die - gasp! There are two types of cholesterol in your body - the bad kind known as LDL (which can clog your arteries and lead to heart attacks and strokes) and the good kind known as HDL (which actually removes LDL and sends to back to the liver to be processed). BUT, there are two subtypes of LDL:Small, Dense LDL (ewww) and Large LDL (yay). 

Recent studies have shown that it is the Small, Dense LDL that you want to watch out for and try lower. Saturated fats (such as eggs, coconut oil, animal fats and butter - all which are 100% from nature and 100% yay while banting) increase the Large LDL and HDL cholesterol and decrease the Small, Dense LDL. So eat your eggs, make sure they are free range and organic, but also don't get stuck in a pattern of eating the same thing every day (seperate from the cholesterol issue).

You're body is designed to be a hunter gatherer and graze on different food types that it can find for that season. So mix things up a little and give your body a change up every now and then. This is a very concise answer on quite a detailed subject, so if you'd like some more info and would like to do your own research, make sure you do this by searching 'Small Dence LDL Cholesterol, Saturated Fats'.

8. Isn’t it expensive? What if I live somewhere that I can’t get hold of the ‘good’ foods easily? Are there things I can substitute?

You'll definitely be able to get hold of the correct food easily. That's because they are all food types that are in their most basic form - no processing and no specific commercial products. So no need to stress about that! It can be expensive if you are eating tons of the expensive fats such as avocados, nuts, cheeses and coconut oil, but you shouldn't be eating TONS of these in any case - only enough to satisfy you. Another tip is when you go to your local butcher to buy your grass-fed meat, ask for the fattier off-cuts - these will be cheaper and are perfect for your high fat banting meals! Also, don't forget the most important ingredient - vegetables! If you are banting correctly, this should be a large part of your eating plan; something which is relatively inexpensive. As you body goes into ketosis you will find that you don't need to eat as much as you used too. The fat helps you body feel sustained for long periods of time, so we find that we're only having to eat two meals a day - another factor that saves on money (and time) big time!

8. Do I need to exercise too?

Definitely! Exercise is a must if you are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. It starts in the kitchen, but it ends in your sweat pants! And you'll want to show off your sexy new banting bum in those yoga tights you've been hiding at the back of your cupboard. Exercise is the cheapest, most underused anti-depressant, so get moving! Find something you enjoy like yoga, pilates, kickboxing, surfing, dancing, or even ping-pong!

9.  Where can I find recipes and inspiration so I don’t get bored?

You came to the right place! Follow us on our Instagram page @thebantingblondes and our Facebook page 'The Banting Blondes'. We post tasty and delicious Banting friendly recipes, meal ideas, health tips and motivational quotes. We also answer any questions you might have whenever we know the answer! 

***TheBantingBlondes have recently launched an incredible E-Book packed full of all their recipes posted on their Facebook page, as well as loads more! Click here to order one for yourself!

10. What is your favourite thing about Banting?

Photo by Claire Thomson Photography

Oooo, we have so many favourite things! But if we had to pick just one it would be this - because you are having to cook your meals, treats and yummy eats from scratch, rather than just buy already-made, store-bought products, it forces you to become more creative and experiment cooking with ingredients that you would never normally look twice at, like coconut flour and flaxseeds for example. Therefore, you create and try out recipes that are delicious, guilt-free and packed with nutrients and goodness. So come and join us on this Banting journey! We have a cheesecake in the oven and it serves 8 people - who's joining us for tea? ;)

You can find The BantingBlondes at the following places:

Facebook

Instagram 

Buy their E-Book

And for those of you here in South Korea, I am going to be using the #BantingInKorea hashtag when I post recipes that I have made right here in Korea, using local ingredients that I have been able to find here. I hope you'll join me in this journey to a healthier you!

Shadow our Korean Jindo puppy

World, meet Shadow, our +-2 month old black and tan rescue Jindo puppy. We think he is a Jindo from what we can found out on Google (Rotweillers and German Shepards are extremely uncommon here in Korea) so this seems like the most likely option considering his colouring.

Farmboy and I found Shadow 3 weeks ago wondering around a dark road, late at night and narrowing avoiding oncoming traffic. He had no sign of any owners, so we picked him up and took him for the night with no intentions of keeping him. We have since found out that his owner had to go to the military and aren't sure whether he was being sold for food (eating dog meat it is an age old tradition here in Korea) or whether he was destined for a life chained up outside a kennel.

Jindo dogs originate from Jindo Island, a small island off the West Coast of South Korea. Jindos were bred for hunting and are most well known for their fierce loyalty and brave nature. Mainland Koreans keep Jindos as watch dogs, and all of the ones we have seen are chained up outside their homes. We have only ever seen 4 or 5 Jindos being taken for a walk by their owners in the 2.5 years we have lived in Korea. Space is a big issue here in Korea, and that is why when Koreans choose to have dogs as pets they favor the small breeds, like Chihuahuas, Toy Pomeranians, Maltese Poodles and Pekingese. 

Jindo's grow to a medium size, similar to the a Border Collie . We don't think Shadow's original owner would have been as uncaring as we was if he was a pure Jindo pup, so depending on what mix he is he might be smaller (or maybe even larger!) than a sheep dog. Jindos come in 6 different colours. White, Yellow or Brown, Black & Tan, Grey, Tiger Brindle and solid Black. White and Yellow are the most prized and popular colours.

As I have spent the past 3 weeks scouring the internet for information on this unusual breed, I thought I'd share some facts with you about them:

1. They are pretty much housebroken automatically - We just though Shadow was super smart II'm sure everyone thinks this about their dog), having only pooped in the house on the first night we had him and then only peed once or twice since then if we ignored his winning in the early hours of the morning.

2. They are super-clean. Like most northern breeds, they have self-cleaning coats. Dirt just falls right off, and they are super fastidious about the condition of their fur and groom themselves like cats. They also have no doggy odor. 

3. They are aloof with strangers. Jindos are incredibly loyal and loving to the people they know and love, not just their owners. But a correct Jindo temperament means that they will ignore or avoid attention from strangers - Because of this we are trying to socialise Shadow as much as possible with our friends so that he gets used to being petted and stroked by people. We have also read that Jindos only bond with one owner in their life, I'm not sure just how true this is, but it has been the most consistent thing Korean friends have mentioned to us when we tell them we think he is a Jindo. 

4. They are quiet. Some dogs yap or bark for attention. A socialised Jindo only occasionally barks when he feels it is absolutely necessary - Shadow only has barked a total of 5 times since we found him.

5. They are wonderful guard dogs. They have a strong sense of territory and will work very hard to maintain borders and to protect their families. 

6. They are incredibly intelligent. This dog was bred to think for themselves. They have very strong problem-solving capabilities, and if left in a backyard 24/7 will find a way to entertain themselves and escape. Also, they are so smart and independent that although they pick up obedience commands very quickly, they don't always listen. Similar to cats. But on the other hand, they are super-submissive to their owners. A harsh word can bring them quivering to their bellies. In that sense, they are a soft breed that needs very positive training techniques. 

7. They are very quiet and calm inside the house. As puppies they can be destructive like any other breed, if not excercised enough, but as adults, you hardly notice they are there until they come by to check up on you. They don't even like to go on furniture. This is a common trait  with fellow Jindo owners. You invite them to sit on the sofa with you, but once you're done petting them, they prefer to be laying next to your feet.  So the upholstery stays clean. - We gave Shadow all kinds of blankets and pillows, and yet he prefers to sleep on the floor

8. They are the best independent hunting dogs. They were made to hunt their prey in difficult terrain. They will range over large territories in pursuit of game. This is part of the reason why they are known for "wandering" if not kept indoors - This is why we are okay with keeping him inside our apartment during the day when we are away at work. We make sure to walk him twice a day and play with him whenever we are home, and so far so good. 

*Thanks to The Jindo Project for the above information.

However, having a dog in Korea is not ideal. It's not ideal for any dog to be kept inside alone all day. But we are making it work. We are very lucky that so far we haven't had a problem with any barking, and so have had no complaining from our neighbours. This has been a big problem for a lot of our friends who have dogs here in Korea. And the fact that we are now 'tied' down, and can't just jet off for holidays has been something else to consider. Luckily we have a car here in Korea, so we are able to take him with us when we go away for the weekends (we usually camp and so have had no issues so far with accommodation...click here for more posts on camping in Korea).

The last hurdle we have had to deal with is the cost of taking him back with us to South Africa when we leave Korea in 2016. It costs A LOT to take a dog to SA (they have to go into quarantine, they need blood work sent back and forth to Korea and SA, the cost of the flight alone is ridiculous...we're talking thousands of $US). But, to us he is worth it, and we are simply going to make it work. We had never planned on having any pets in Korea, we knew the costs and the apartment living situation wouldn't be good for any animal, but Shadow came into our lives the night before our two year wedding anniversary. And well, he just feels right. 

So please bear with me as I flood Instagram and Facebook with images of #ShadowTheJindo. I'm sure the puppy pictures will once again make way to stationery and other pretty things, but for now I hope you can understand that with a blogger and photographer mom, he is going to be one photographed pooch!