Streets of London

If you follow me on twitter ^^ you may already know that I recently spent the day in London as part of the National University Photography Hunt 2012. It was a raining day filled with so much fun (which is a rare thing indeed). I met so many great people and had such a good time that I thought it would be nice to share some of the photos I took~

There are always so many great events
at the Southbank centre- check them out~

although it has already passed,
the memories remain LKFF2012 ^^

swag~

Christmas come early...

look out for my next post COMING SOON~ ^^

The Hardest Languages in the World!!!

Whenever I tell people how many languages I am learning, people often ask me "Well then, what language is harder?" and in the end I am never really able to give them a straight answer.

If we were to look at statistics and fact,  there are numerous reports and studies that have argued one way or  another. Check out this article HERE or even on Wikipedia.

Personally, although I could understand why these languages have been ordered like this, I still think they can't be 100% trusted. People are different and therefore, they learn and understand things differently, I might find learning vocabulary really easy but find grammar rules difficult but then for another person it could be completely different. 

I did find it was easier to learn german than french. In fact, I have studied french for a year longer than german but my french and german proficiency are roughly the same. Therefore, another factor to consider, could be whether this is your first foreign language. Although, I can understand why korean is considered hard, at the moment, I find basic korean quite easy as although korean grammar is different than english grammar, I am used to the 'language of languages' so things like 'past tense' 'cases' 'suffix' 'qualifier', I'm used to learning about the building blocks of languages so when I learn a new language, it's just a case of modifying the rules. (I'm sorry if I'm confusing anyone. ^^) I hear people who speak 6 or 8 languages saying "it does get... easier!"

What about you, what do you think is the hardest language in the world?

MAMA Awards 2012- vote! vote! vote!

Hello everyone, ^^

... it's been a while...

Despite my lack of posts, I have been diligently learning the beauty that is the korean language so do look forward to hearing more updates soon. The last few months have been a roller-coaster ride of excitement from working with the Olympics to starting another year at university. I have also started learning yet another language 
(I know I'm addicted) being mandarin which I may post about sometimes, but meh~ who knows.

Now on to the main event~ Have you voted in the MAMA Awards yet? Well, why not! The MAMA awards are one of the biggest end of year awards for kpop. What's more they are becoming more and more international to reflect the growth of the hallyu wave* and international kpop fanbase.(BIGBANG and GD are up for 5 awards, including the prestigious Daesung- Artist of the Year!!! - ah, so proud ^^)

Whether you're just new to kpop or you've been a fan for years 
   VOTE NOW! ^^

안녕~

ps.

BIGBANG ARE COMING TO LONDON!!! It happened, it's official, my life is just about complete ><
(yeah, this might go on for a while...)

MAMA - Mnet Asian Music Awards
Hallyu Wave - the significant increase in the popularity of South Korean entertainment and culture [wikipedia]
kpop - really... ~~

I Talk With Who?

It's been a while and I apologies but I have actually been very busy with my new Olympic job! I thought my summer would be empty and I would have tons of free time but the Olympics has totally destroyed this dream~ but hey I'm not complaining. ^^ I actually got to meet Usain Bolt which was pretty awesome, I mean how many people can say they met a 6 times Olympic gold medallist who may just be the fastest man... ever.

But that's all for another day as today I wanted to quickly introduce you guys to a little site called 'italki'

I have been using this site quite a bit as it is great for people like me who are teaching themselves a language as it connects people from all around the world. eg. I'm a british native learning korean right, well italki will help me set up a language exchange with a korean native from seoul.  I mean what's the fun in learning a language if you never get to interact with other people and actually use it! Of course, the site is not just for beginners but more advance learners too.

" Become fluent in any language" 

hmm... I like the sound of that ^^

Membership is free and you can do things like post questions about the language/culture/etc.. write paragraphs and have them corrected by native speakers, find a language exchange partner and even organise language lessons with a range of teachers.

I'm still exploring this site so my final verdict is not yet out however so far so good. Of course, with any site like this caution is advised as not all the teachers and members are professionals but many are simply individual learners, so do be aware of that. 

check it out here: www.italki.com/

UPDATE:also check out this article for more sites like this one:
 http://education-portal.com/articles/Learn_a_Foreign_Language_Online_for_Free.html

[REVIEW] St. Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub

 here's a link for some free samples...

http://blusherandblogging.com/2012/04/03/the-7-day-st-ives-apricot-scrub-results-1-97-at-superdrug/

Once again, this product is actually nothing new but it has undergone a re-design and there is now a wider range of scrubs available so I decided to still review it anyway. Personally, I am loving this product as an exfoliater it works pretty well considering it's under a fiver (perfect for my temperamental student purse).

Only St. Ives captures the secrets of naturally beautiful and healthy looking skin in this deep cleansing formula that gently exfoliates, removing dull, dead skin cells that can lead to blackheads and blemishes.

Contains more than 85% naturally derived ingredients, including Swiss glacial water and Swiss botanicals.

Helps prevent blackheads and unclogs pores.

Promotes healthier-looking skin in just 7 days.

Directions:

• 
  

Wet your face with water. Dispense product onto fingertips and massage 
over face. Rinse with water. Avoid direct contact with eyes. In case of contact with eyes, flush thoroughly with water. For best results, use 3 to 4 times per week.

When using this product I definitely felt it wasn't too harsh, however it really depends on how much pressure you yourself apply when you scrub. 
Some people feel that if you can't feel a product ripping away the dead layers of your skin it's not working but this really isn't the case you 
only need to gently massage your face and if a product did require that 
much force  to work, I would question whether it was truly a quality 
product considering how delicate our skin is.

What is great about this scrub is that not only is it oil free and all the rest of that good stuff, it also contains 100% natural exfoliants and 100% natural extracts, which I like to take as a good sign as it means I am not putting and harsh artificial chemicals on my kin that may irritate and
 damage it.

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥  currently on sale at £1.99 in Superdrug!!!

Effectiveness: ♥♥♥  skin feels smoother and softer.

Pros: removes dirt and oil well, skin did feel smoother and blemishes were reduced. 

Con: hmm... personally my skin wasn't so much 'brighter' but more smoother.

Recommend? YES- also has versions for gentle, dry and mature skin so try out different types to find one that works for you.

Learn Korean with Youtube!

I have really been trying to be dedicated and consistent with my korean learning. However, staring at a textbook or learning endless vocab lists can get very tiring and boring.
Youtube is increasingly becoming a great tool for learning new things and communicating with people from across the globe. There are many channels and videos out there that can be a great tool for anyone hoping to get help learning languages.
Here is a list of my favourite channels for learning korean, that have really helped me a lot both before and during the long summer months.
  

~ koreanclass101: This channel works well with their on-line resources to provide support when learning korean. They also have a detailed guide to learning hangul that will definitely prove useful.

~ busyatomdotcom: From korean phrases to pronunciation help this channel is great. I especially like using this channel for learning grammar and practising reading hangul as lessons are written in hangul. It's like having your own personal teacher.


~ sweetandtasty: get comedic videos that come in easy short bitesized chnks, great for short breaks or back to back to aid with vocabulary learning and cultural awareness. Her videos are especially good for learning korean slang. Check out the korean word of the week now!

~ talktomeinkorean: A great resource that works hand-in-hand with their online korean lessons. There are so many korean series to choose from for a variety of language levels. Browse their playlists and start learning! Also check out their recommended channels too.

All these channels are great, and since I am a visual learner, watching videos is especially helpful to me. Of course, a language isn't only worlds and grammar rules, so here are a few channels which are great for learning about KOREAN CULTURE:

 

eatyourkimchi: Definitely one of my favourite channels on youtube simply because of their awesome personalities. Starting their lives in korea as humble teachers they are now kpop review royalty. However, they are also much more, from cooking videos to weekly tl:dr's where they explore places in korea. Check out this interview to learn more about them here.

expatkerri: A university teacher's guide to life in Korea watch as she helps you with "learning the Korean language, daily life in Korea as a foreigner, dating in Korea, as well as travel vlogs when [she's] on the road" check her out!

maangchi: because who doesn't love good food. ^^ "If you like food, and like sharing food with other people, we're going to be instant friends!" start cooking now.

In addition there are many channels and videos that have subtitles for korean songs such as:

ChanKiGD - german subtitles

KpopFrTV - french subtitles

TheKpopSubber2/3 - english/hangul subtitles

Perfect for practising pronunciation and also going crazy to kpop ^^. There are also many korean tv/variety shows on youtube (look forward to a post about that coming soon) that can be found just by typing in the name of the show. 
If you know any other great channels that I haven't mentioned be sure to comment below and recommend some!

안녕!

The power of...

so~~ I have pretty oily skin and now that it is summer this is especially annoying as it is hot ---> I sweat more ---> my skin gets oilier ---> I breakout (BIGTIME!)  >_< I am not amused! Especially as I strongly believe people should wear less make-up during the summer time.

That's where this baby comes in...

WATER! WASSER! L'EAU! 물!

Did you know...

• Our skin is composed of 90% water.
• Water serves to: stimulate the circulation of blood, fluids and the necessary elements in our bodies.
• Water also controls and regulates the skins natural balance.
• Warm water also gets rid of blackheads and makes large pores smaller. It also has the power to hydrate, revitalize, detoxify, and oxygenate the skin.

Check out this link for tips and stay hydrated this summer!

resources:
http://www.skinway.com/skincare_articles/drinking-water-for-your-skin.htm

So you want to learn Korean...

As you all know one of my main aims for the summer is to LEARN ME SOME KOREAN however learning a language, especially on your own, like me, can be incredibly daunting. That's why, I'm here today to give you guys some of my TOP 5 helpful resources for korean language learning!

5. MUSIC
One reason many people want to learn korean is because they are in love with k-pop and the awesomeness that is [insert epic group/singer here *cough* BIGBANG *cough*]. Listening to korean music can help when learning korean as when you hear words you have learnt you are able to really familiarise yourself with them and it is also a great feeling knowing that you've actually learnt something and remembered it! Now, k-pop isn't the only type of korean music there is. You can find a wide variety of awesome music from Leessang to 10cm to The Koxx. The internet is your friend- use it!


4. DRAMAS/VARIETY SHOWS/KOREAN TV

 Not only are they highly addictive, they   really are great fun. Look forward to cliché storylines, epic music and some pretty awesome eye-candy! ^^ Watching tv shows is also great for helping with pronunciation and learning more about korean culture. I love watching Running Man as it's just so funny and the cast members have interesting individual personalities.

3. TEXTBOOKS
Back to the old fashioned way. This can be a great way to learn the finer points of a language, though of course nothing can really replace a native language teacher. Watch this space as I try out different textbooks throughout the summer.


2. YOUTUBE
Ever heard the saying you can learn anything on youtube, well it turns out learning korean is not an exception! There are so many awesome channels out there that are great for watching between lessons to make korean learning a lot more fun. ^^ Check out my guide to learning korean with youtube here.

1. ONLINE COURSES
Now this is probably my favourite way to learn due to the structure such courses provide. Main downfalls people face when learning a language on their own are lack of motivation and lack of time/organisation. With a good online course it is easier to structure your time and completing levels gives people awesome motivation as they can really SEE what they've learnt. You can also learn as part of a community and really interact with other people learning korean just like you.

My favouites include:
TTMIK
Sogang Korean Programme
KoreanClass 101
KBS World

TIP: I would say that it may be better to learn hangul (the korean alaphabet) after you have learnt a few phrases like: hello, thank you, yes, no etc. just so that when you do, it will be easier and you will have words to practice with. Check out this excellent site by Indiana University when you do LEARN HANGUL!

I would love to hear how you love to learn, and also feel free to ask me questions which I will be sure to answer!

안녕!

[REVIEW] Bioré Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser

I have pretty oily acne prone skin, and so I am constantly searching for a product that works and rids me of these horrible spots! ><

2 weeks ago, I purchased Biore's Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser complete with a brand new look. For ages, I had been tempted to buy it but for one reason or another, I never did. So why now? Well it was on SALE at Superdrug. (Note for the future: I can be pretty cheap. I have been known to find something I like in shop A but spend another hour in shop B, C and D looking for the same thing but cheaper, yeah I know... but what can I say...)

Now, the product claims it "Removes over 99% of dirt and oil that can cause blemishes to stop them before they start." thus giving you clear skin. Additionally, it is supposedly oil-free, non-comedogenic (it won't clog pores/cause acne), hypo-allergenic, dermatologist tested and gentle enough for everyday use.

Directions:

For optimal results use daily. Wet face. Pump cleanser into hands, work into a lather. Gently massage over entire face and neck. Rinse thoroughly.

Time to put this to the test! As, I used this cleanser I could definitely feel the cooling sensation, sort of like the feeling of biting a VERY minty mint but  in stead of just in your mouth you can feel it all over your face, if that makes sense. A little definitely goes a long way with this as after wetting my hands and applying about a bead size drop of cleanser, it foamed up pretty well (tip: just add water). One word of warning though KEEP IT AWAY FROM YOUR EYES! It stings, even if it is fairly easy to wash out.

I like cleansers that let me really feel the difference and to me that means any oil, dirt or product I have put on my face should be totally cleaned away. This cleanser definitely felt like it did just that. It also contains salicylic-acid (not as scary as it sounds) which is very good for fighting against acne.

Some people have noted on how the cleanser is very drying and I can understand why, but if like me your skin is more oily than dry then I don’t think it’s as bad as people say. Also with a good hydrating moisturiser any 'dryness' is easily done away with. 


All in all, this was £3.50 well spent.

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥  (even at full price ≈£4.99 still affordable)

Effectiveness: ♥♥♥♥  (does what it says on the tin)

Pros: Pump is hygienic and easy to use, removes dirt and oil extremely well, blemish clearing, oil-free, gentle enough for everyday use.

Con: Can be drying. Eyes Beware!

Recommend? YES- but more suitable for oily skin types.

I know what I'll do this summer...

Summer is finally here!!! ^^ Now, this Summer I've decided to try something a little different. I would describe myself as someone who is very 'laid-back' and while most of the time this is fine, sometimes I can be a little TOO laid-back. But, anyway, this summer I have decided to actually do something!!!


So, welcome to my summer journey documenting the life and times of moi. Goals for the summer:

1. Healthy = Happy.

Recently, I have become all about health and fitness. I was actually one of the sportier girls in primary school and even in secondary school to some extent, but slowly and surely I have been exchanging sports for facebook and doritos... I NEED to change!!! There is just so much information out there that my mind turns to mush when I try to process it :s. Hopefully this will be a good way of processing all the information that is out there in an understandable and accessible way. I will probably focus on skincare as that's something I want to learn more about and I always think healthy looking skin is so much better than 'cake-face' ... yeah we've all been there...

2. Learn me some languages.

I LOVE languages. I am a native english speaker, but I have also learnt French and German, though I would not call myself 'fluent' just yet. However, this summer, I have committed myself to taking on the challenge of learning korean. Now, this is something I have been thinking about for a while but I always get so distracted! Hence, this blog shall be my motivation. I really want to learn properly and maybe also motivate others to learn a language too.

http://www.1loud.com/top-10-most-spoken-languages-in-the-world/

I have many wonderfully random things to share so hopefully, you will all stick with me as I look forward to hearing your advice as well as sharing my own. ^^

안녕!